Nimans leaps into IT space after two years' planning

Comms distributor adding thousands of IT peripherals to line up as it squares up to Ingram, Tech Data, Exertis and co

Comms distributor Nimans is adding thousands of notebooks, screens, mice and keyboards to its portfolio to mark its entry into the IT peripherals space, an activity it hopes will quickly generate 10 per cent of its sales.

The Manchester-based firm is aiming to give the IT broadliners a run for their money after inking new partnerships with IT peripherals vendors such as Logitech, NEC Displays and notebook maker Venturer.

Nimans' group sales director Richard Carter (pictured) told CRN the assault marks the first time Nimans has moved beyond its roots in voice and data and come down to the end-point level.

"We decided we were moving into this space two years ago. It has been a well-planned process, but now we're good to go," he said.

"Now we're coming down into laptops, screens, keyboards and mice and will be adding many thousands of SKUs of IT peripherals over the course of the next quarter."

For its first foray into the laptop space, Nimans is carrying two-in-one mini Windows 10 notebooks from Venturer, a collaboration between Nimans and Chinese suppliers.

Despite having the same detachable keyboard design as the Microsoft Surface and coming pre-loaded with Windows 10, the devices start at an RRP of £124.99, Carter said.

Screens from NEC Displays and other peripherals from the likes of Logitech, Netgear and TP Link are also being added to the line card.

"Literally every week we're adding hundreds of new products," Carter said.

IT ambitions

Although the move catapults Nimans squarely into the backyard of the big IT broadliners such as Ingram, Tech Data, Westcoast and Exertis, Carter maintained there is ample space for it to compete.

"This sector is huge so we want to take a reasonable share of it," he said. "There is no reason at all why we shouldn't be seeing 10 per cent of revenues quite quickly from this area."

Asked how Nimans can differentiate itself, Carter highlighted the full service wrap it can put around the end-point.

"We buy back old technology so it saves the customer on their investment, we can extend warranties and we can store stock and ship it out over a period of time," he said. "We have a lot of services that all add up to put us ahead of the game."

Convergence between the voice and IT channels has arguably accelerated in recent years - just look at Daisy's acquisition of Phoenix IT and SCC's move into the voice market last year - but Carter played down its significance in relation to Nimans' IT ambitions.

"Convergence has absolutely happened," he said. "It has taken many years but it's not something to talk about as a development as it's just an everyday fact. Our customer base is made up of resellers that started out as one or the other (voice or IT) and are now doing both."