NOORDWIJK, The Netherlands, June 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Global Technology Distribution Council (GTDC) concludes its two-day Summit EMEA event today with a broad range of compelling keynotes, panel discussions and breakout sessions – all focused on helping tech companies grow their distribution partnerships and success across regional business channels. Among other highlights, the conference reflects a deep dive into the latest industry trends, challenges and opportunities, which GTDC CEO Tim Curran described as “unprecedented in scope and complexity, especially considering the vast range of innovations flooding the marketplace.”
Curran, a keynote speaker at the conference, explained that more than 600 new vendor partners entered distribution agreements with GTDC members over the past 24 months. “The demand for comprehensive multivendor solutions has never been greater,” Curran pointed out. “That’s always been a distribution hallmark, and it’s a value proposition we see becoming even stronger in the digital era. Everyone is focused on transformation, and technology distributors are playing a central role in the equation – helping partners grow in all of today’s hottest markets. I’ve never seen a more exciting and dynamic time in the history of distribution.”
European Sales Gaining Momentum
The European market also appears to be gaining momentum, according to Curran, who cited strong distribution sales-out data for the first few months of the year, averaging more than €1 billion in weekly revenue year to date – with most countries now experiencing year-over-year growth. Another key point Curran made pertains to the extensive range of new services GTDC members are introducing, as illustrated on the organization’s website at www.gtdc.org/distribution-as-a-service/. Distributors now support solution providers and vendors across the entire technology lifecycle, from launch and growth phases through maturity and refresh.
“Value-added services now define technology distributors – not pick, pack and ship,” Curran said, noting that distributors are gaining ground in all market segments, including the cloud, projected to surpass €34 billion in distribution sales by 2020.
“We’re very encouraged by the trends we’re seeing this year,” commented Peter van den Berg, GTDC general manager of EMEA and APAC. “The distribution industry grew in Europe across all major markets in the first quarter, and we see that upward track continuing into the current quarter. Vendor partners are also very enthused about their prospects through distribution – the broader reach, efficiencies and unique support distributors now deliver.”
2018 Distribution Outlook from Vendor Perspective
In its 2018 Tech Distribution Outlook report, the GTDC surveyed more than 50 channel executives about their distribution business expectations for the year. Highlights covered at Summit EMEA included that 70% of respondents anticipate double-digit growth this year through distribution, with the vast majority indicating that indirect sales are outpacing direct. Partner recruitment, cloud services and partner enablement were cited as the fastest-growing services through distribution in 2018.
About the GTDC
The Global Technology Distribution Council is the industry consortium representing the world’s leading tech distributors. GTDC members drive more than $150 billion in annual worldwide sales of products, services and solutions through diverse business channels. GTDC conferences support the development and expansion of strategic supply-chain partnerships that continually address the fast-changing marketplace needs of vendors, end customers and distributors. GTDC members include AB S.A, ABC Data, Almo Corporation, Arrow Electronics, Compuage Infocom Ltd., Computer Gross Italia, D&H Distributing, ELKO, Exclusive Networks, Ingram Micro, Intcomex, Logicom, SiS Technologies, SYNNEX, Tarsus, Tech Data, TIM AG and Westcon-Comstor.
GTDC MEDIA CONTACT:
Chuck Miller (813) 876-0414
cmiller@commcentric.com