Exertis UK Boss: Name change signals global message

Gerry O'Keeffe explains how axing the Micro-P and Gem names means parent company DCC Sercom can align its strategy globally

Distributor Exertis’ UK and Ireland boss Gerry O’Keeffe said its name rebranding will give the company greater focus and simplify business processes for its resellers.

Yesterday the firm revealed it was scrapping the Micro-P and Gem brands, and will trade as Exertis UK from now on, nearly a year after the name was introduced as a prefix to all companies in the DCC Sercom [parent company] stable – Micro-P, Gem, Advent and MSE.

The move creates a unified company with 1,170 staff in six locations, with 650,000 sq ft of warehouse capacity across the UK. “A year ago we first brought out the name Exertis,” O’Keeffe said.

“Over the course of last year the whole process has been aligned. We are operating on one system, all the back-office staff have formed one team and we have done a relocation of resources – we are very much a single entity.”

He said the move will stop the firm having to ship product from one business to another before it reaches customers, and allows them to serve their customer base in a simpler way.

“It also allows us to focus on growing product sets and [parent company] DCC Sercom is trying to ensure all the businesses are of a similar size and nature so we can leverage our teams to their best effect.”

He added that staff, vendors and customers were fully on board with all the changes, and it allowed the company to send a clearer message to vendors.

“It is crucial for them [vendors] to understand that when they are talking to Micro-P or Gem, it is part of a larger group – DCC operates in France, Benelux, Poland, US and China among others – and there is more to our message than they might realise.

“This move will ensure we can continue to grow and deliver a broader and wider service,” he said.