UK's largest Apple partner Stormfront in B2B assault

Apple Premium Reseller to open office just off Regent Street to support push into education and corporate markets

The UK's largest Apple Premium Reseller (APR), Stormfront, is plotting a B2B onslaught as it gears up to open a central London office.

With 23 APR outlets across the country and 230 staff, Stormfront is the UK's largest independent Apple retailer by quite some distance. The Exeter-based firm also now repairs and upgrades more than 500 devices a week at its service centre, which it expanded last year.

Stormfront said it will open a sales office in Conduit Street next month to support its activities in the B2B and education markets, which it said are growing.

The new pad, which is situated just yards from Apple's flagship Regent Street store, will also house Stormfront's existing Employee Benefits team.

Despite only launching in 2007, Stormfront said it is on course to turn over £50m this year and chief executive Mike Fleming described the office opening as an "exciting move for the business".

"Establishing a presence in central London will support the work we're already doing in the city and further afield in the south-east of England and the surrounding areas," he said.

"The work we undertake across the B2B, Employee Benefits and education sectors continues to grow and the London office will mean we can fully support these growing markets."

Warren Peel, managing director of B2B Apple reseller Trams, said there was enough space in the market for everyone to co-exist.

"We've all got our own niches and for us it's the data storage and data workflow side, in association with selling Apple, so I'm not phased at all," he said.

"The hope is that businesses do want to integrate more [Apple devices] into their corporate environments and I think there is plenty of room for all of us, so good luck to them."