Lamp distributors row over top spot claims

Row breaks out over market leaders in the projection lamp area

A three-way war of words has broken out between rival projector lamp distributors, as Hot Lamps and Just Lamps reacted angrily to claims of market leadership by Which Lamps, reported in CRN last week.

A furious Mark Tildersley, general manager of Hot Lamps, which is owned by Maverick/Computer 2000, said: “I do not know where it gets those figures from. There is no accurate industry data available anyway.”

Dave Beshell, managing director of Just Lamps, was equally outraged. “We pioneered this niche and it has been going along quietly for years. But ever since Computer 2000 and [Which Lamps owner] Midwich got involved, it has become an alpha-male contest,” he said.

“Its vendors might tell it nice things, but Midwich has only got about half a dozen brands.”
Tildersley was also critical of the warranty “scare tactics” his rival distributors used. “If a customer wants to buy a cheaper component, they should be allowed to do so,” he said.

Hot Lamps offers unbranded replacement APO-G projector bulbs, sourced from Hong Kong at 15 per cent cheaper than name brands. “When you know how the lamp is constructed, there is not much difference between them,” Tildersley said.
Beshell rubbished the claim from Just Lamps. “Those APO products are electrical components and they can damage a projector,” he said.

Darren Lewitt, divisional director for Midwich, responded to the criticism: “For a start, we carry 15 brands, not six. Decision Tree Consulting says 13 of our brands make up 85 per cent of the total lamps market.”