Zoom In: 'Having free stock available is still a challenge' - Tech Data's UK boss on keeping the channel's supply flowing

David Watts says demand will continue to be high throughout May

Demand for notebooks and peripheral devices is set to continue into May, Tech Data's UK MD has told CRN.

David Watts said that there is very little stock sitting in the channel at the moment, with products flying out the door as fast as they are coming in.

He added that vendors have done well in working around logistical challenges, particularly given the number of flights that are being cancelled.

"Five percent of flights are now coming into Heathrow in comparison to normal times and that has been a big challenge that the vendors had to respond to," he said.

"Of course you can just freight stuff in by air but it has additional cost… that has made lead times more of a challenge and not everything can come in by air for profitability reasons.

"Where we have seen products like consumer printers go through the roof, that is going to replenish slower."

Watts was speaking to CRN as part of our Zoom In series, which discusses the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the channel. You can view other videos here.