Dicker Data eyes up new vendors - and Ingram Micro

Express Data will see increased focus on it from Australian parent Dicker Data this year, with the distributor intent on closing the gap between its New Zealand operations and number one distributor, Ingram Micro.

Dicker Data bought the Kiwi and Australian operations of Express Data in a $65.5 million deal last April, however David Dicker, Dicker Data chief executive and chairman, says until recently the focus was firmly on integrating the Australian businesses.

"We're only just starting to work on it this year. We've been busy in Australia and have left the guys in New Zealand to run things as before.

Speaking exclusively to ChannelLife, Dicker says the distributor is focusing on getting its systems in line with those already in use in Australia and introducing new vendors. Dicker says he's keen to see some of the core vendors Dicker Data has in Australia handled by Express Data here.

"We have to get the New Zealand guys on the same basic systems we use at an accounting level, and get more of the vendors we have in Australia over here.

"Next year we will make real headway, but you can't make a huge change overnight.

Dicker Data's Australian brands include Lenovo, Asus, Eaton, Netgear, Storagecraft, Symantec, Watchguard and Sony.

Dicker Data's core brands are already represented in New Zealand by other distributors, and Dicker admits that getting vendors to switch to Dicker Data, or add the distributor locally, won't be easy.

"But we will get a few guys' accounts and get results and use that to leverage us forward.

"We've got to prove to them we can get the results for them.

Dicker says he's keen to close the gap between Express Data and Ingram Micro.

"The gap between Ingram Micro and us here, compared to Australia, is gigantic and it's logical that if we get extra vendors in there and service them well, there's no way we can't gain market share," he says.

"There is a lot of potential in this market because the penetration Express Data had here was weak compared to Ingram Micro," Dicker says.

"Our guys are going to perform a lot better than they did with the other guys [previous owners Dimension Data] because we are much more interested in them and this market and in pushing them forward.

"We're confident of a good result here.