Beta Distribution says latest acquisition will help its resellers break into digital signage

Distributor quietly acquires Contentwall

Beta Distribution has quietly acquired audioivisual installation firm Contentwall, and says the move will help its base of IT and office equipment resellers break into the fast-growing digital signage space.

Talking to CRN, Beta marketing director Nigel Morris confirmed that the London-based storage and components distributor snapped up Berkshire-based Contentwall roughly a month ago.

The deal was designed to bolster its existing audiovisual offering, which is based around Samsung screens and Signagelive software.

Morris said Beta's audioviusal offering centres around digital signage, marking it out from the broader focus of larger rivals Exertis and Midwich.

"They're the dominant players, and it would be very arrogant to say we're taking them on," he said. "We're very much a digital signage proposition, rather than a general AV proposition, and that's why we've partnered us with Contentwall."

According to Grand View Research, the global digital signage market is set to double in size between 2016 and 2025 to hit $31.7bn.

Beta is particularly targeting IT and office equipment dealers who have corporate clients but don't know where to start when it comes to digital signage, Morris explained.

"There's been an explosion in digital signage, particularly in retail reception areas and hotels. Our proposition to resellers is just ‘give us the enquiry and we'll do the whole thing'," he said.

The acquisition wasn't formally announced because Beta wants to "quietely get on with it", Morris explained, adding that its AV arm has had a change of personnel since it was initially set up in 2016.

On another note, Morris confirmed that Beta has closed its tiny service office in Telford, which it originally set up to take on stricken staff from fallen rival Entatech, which it narrowly decided not to buy last year.

In its most recent financial year on record, Beta posted a fractional rise in net profits to £950,000, on revenues that rose from £166m to £186m.