Worldwide Solutions becomes latest distribution casualty

Auto-ID distributor informs creditors that it cannot continue in business

Auto-ID specialist Worldwide Solutions has become the latest UK distributor to hit the wall.

The Bromsgrove-based outfit informed creditors in a letter dated 25 September that the company “cannot by reason of its liabilities continue in business” and that as a result it should be wound up.

A creditors meeting will take place on 7 October. It is working with business rescue firm McTear Williams & Wood.

Worldwide Solutions offered barcode data capture devices, mobile application development and enterprise networking solutions. It is believed to have had a turnover of about £3m.

Rival point-of-sale distributor Varlink is keen to work with any Zebra, BarTender, Datalogic, Opticon and Psion Teklogix resellers left in the lurch by its demise.

Varlink managing director Mike Pullon claimed that Worldwide's strategy to hive off and formalise its distribution activities had failed.

“Pushing to become a distributor was their last desperate act,” he told CRN.

“They decided to accelerate sales to resellers but I think they found it more difficult to get manufacturer backing than they thought. We see this as an opportunity as they bought a number of brands we carry as a distributor."

Pullon added that Varlink had already received calls from resellers complaining about unfulfilled orders from Worldwide.

McTear Williams & Wood had not returned CRN’s calls at the time of going to press.