Steljes Training arm is unveiled

But distributor axes its Markets division

Audiovisual (AV) distributor Steljes has marked the first year of its restructure by launching a new division and axing another.

The firm split into four separate divisions last summer, each with its own managing director (CRN, 1 August 2005).

Earlier this year a fifth business emerged: Steljes Software. This joined Steljes Trade, the distribution arm of the business; Steljes Managed Services, the hire department; Steljes Technical Services, the repair centre; and Steljes Markets, which investigated market opportunities. However, the firm has now axed Steljes Markets.

Martin Large, group chief executive at Steljes, told CRN: “A year into the restructure we were able to look at what we got right and wrong. Steljes Markets was set up as an incubator for new products, but it replicated the functions of our marketing team, so we decided to merge Steljes Markets into our group marketing department.

“We do have a new division up and running now: Steljes Training. We appointed Judith White at the tail end of last year as the managing director and we have been working on putting together training courses that we’re just beginning to market.”

Initially, Steljes Training will focus on training for interactive whiteboards, but in time Large hopes it will incorporate other products.

Lee Bevan, managing director of Steljes VAR Leapfrog Computers, said: “We are a Steljes Premier Accredited Partner, but we already offer training to end-users. Our new sales manager, Phil Waterhouse, was an account manager at Steljes and a Master Trainer, so we have boosted our own training offering.

“I can understand Steljes offering training, but it might upset those resellers that already provide training themselves.”

>> Further reading:

Steljes splits as part of corporate restructure

Steljes pushes reseller training