Tech Data completes SDG acquisition

Distribution giant now official owner of Birmingham-headquartered firm, and stresses it will be business as usual for both companies

Tech Data has become the fully fledged owner of SDG, the distribution arm of SCH Group.

CRN understands the two firms will operate as separate entities for the forseeable future, with a strong emphasis on 'business as usual', and SDG will keep its name for the time being.

The €281m (£225m) deal, which was originally announced in September, includes a preferred supplier agreement with SCH's reseller arm SCC, where the company will have annual purchase commitments through Tech Data for five years, adding incremental sales of €400m.

SCH generated sales of €1.4bn for the 12 months ended 31 March 2012, split into 40 per cent datacentre products, 20 per cent software and 40 per cent broadline products (PCs and peripherals).

The Tech Data statement said the firm "expects to incure acquisition and integration costs over the next four to five quarters", but it would have "minimal impact" on its fiscal 2013 earnings.

Robert Dutkowsky, chief executive of Tech Data, said: "The acquisition of SDG further supports our diversification strategy by accelerating our enterprise business, Azlan, in key European markets and reinforces our position as Europe’s leading distributor of value-added and broadline IT products.

“The addition of SDG provides us with increased scale and adds approximately 700 talented employees whom we welcome to the Tech Data team. This acquisition and the recent buyout of our Brightstar Europe mobility joint venture, now known as Tech Data Mobile, along with $185m (£115m) of share repurchases during the current fiscal year, reflect our firm commitment to using the strength and flexibility of our balance sheet in a disciplined and balanced manner to deliver value to our shareholders.”

In a separate statement, SCH announced its intention to invest heavily in SCC now the deal has gone through. See separate story.