ScanSource strikes again with second summer acquisition

ScanSource acquires Advantix to expand technology management and wireless connectivity capabilities

ScanSource, which distributes specialty technology and cloud and communications services, has acquired Advantix, a managed connectivity experience provider specialising in wireless enablement and expense management.

Along with the acquisition, ScanSource, the South-Carolina based distributor, unveiled on Friday the creation of its new integrated solutions and services group.

The group, in conjunction with its Advantix acquisition, is aimed at providing ScanSource's hardware-focused solution providers new ways to wrap additional value around their customers' hardware purchases, the distributor said.

The Advantix acquisition closed Thursday. ScanSource did not provide a dollar value.

ScanSource was not able to respond to a CRN request for additional information by press time.

ScanSource and Advantix are no strangers to each other.

The two companies have partnered for five years to help hardware-focused solution providers add mobility technology to their offerings and take advantage of recurring revenue opportunities they may traditionally not have had access to, ScanSource said.

This announcement comes just two weeks after the distributor acquired Resourcive, in a move to create a new channel advisory business to be a platform for the channel model of the future.

Despite a decrease in net sales and gross profit over the last two quarters, the company remains confident in its strategy to expand and develop Intelisys, the technology services distributor of business telecommunications and cloud services acquired in 2016.

This year was also marked by several key appointments to ScanSource's Intelisys, with Ken Mills being named as president, Eddie Acosta as VP of sales, and Robert Farbak as SVP of sales.

Intelisys last year named Advantix its top mobility supplier for 2023.

Advantix was founded in 2001 in Frisco, Texas. The company is led by Natasha Royer Coons, who was appointed CEO last year, and president Nathan Brown.

Advantix provides two primary product lines to solution providers.

The company's technology management business includes such capabilities as audit and optimisation, fixed telecom expense management, managed mobility, help desk, and reporting and analytics. Its wireless connectivity side includes SmartSIM, SmartSIM Voice, single carrier SIM, wireless networking, IoT and remote work bundles.

Tony Sorrentino, president of ScanSource specialty technologies, said in a prepared statement that the launch of the ISS Group along with the Advantix acquisition let ScanSource's hardware-focused solution providers add value to their hardware sales and develop hybrid hardware and connectivity solutions.

"With more solutions and services comes more margin for the VAR and deeper relationships with their end users," Sorrentino said. "Advantix has a proven track record of helping hardware partners add recurring revenue to their practice and will be instrumental to our partners looking to wrap additional services around their hardware sales."

Leading the new ISS Group is Ansley Hoke, senior vice president of integrated solutions and services. Hoke, a 23-year veteran at ScanSource, most recently served as the senior vice president of worldwide marketing.

Coons and Brown will serve as co-presidents of Advantix. Going forward, that organisation will be known as Advantix, a ScanSource company.