Portix acquires PDA distributor
Firm buys ORA to boost international growth plans
Portix has acquired struggling mobile phone and PDA accessories distributor ORA, to expand its portfolio and fuel its international growth plans.
The distributor, formerly known as Portable Add-Ons, is now part of the Mobile and Wireless Group.
Steve Muttram, managing director of Portix, said: “ORA was available to be acquired in a space that is complementary for our products; they have a well-established brand.”
Muttram said that Portix’s US office had seen early demand and refused to rule out further acquisitions to aid the firm’s global expansion plans.
“We are always looking for other opportunities. ORA went into administration last week and one of their major shareholders wanted out.”
Despite the nature of the buy-out, Muttram said that ORA, which distributes bluetooth headsets, car kits and satellite navigation devices, is a “solid company” that can “enhance the opportunities” for Portix’s resellers.
“Now we can take these mobile accessories to the IT channel, and our value proposition covers the whole range,” added Muttram.
However, Pierre Lams, co-founder of wireless and mobility reseller Handheld PCs was unsure about the margins available in the mobile accessories market.
“We are a value-added reseller and mobile add-ons and accessories are low margin products, so there is no real value. Due to the low margin we refer our customers to other suppliers who offer mass distribution,” he said.