GTDC Summit Focuses on Channel Success in an Era of Disruption

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 07, 2017 -- GTDC SUMMIT – The Global Technology Distribution Council (GTDC) today concluded its 15^th annual GTDC Summit at the Hyatt Regency in San Francisco. This year’s Summit brought together a record-breaking number of registrants, including more than 80 vendor companies and approximately 70 top executives from the world’s largest technology distributors. The GTDC’s distribution members generate more than $130 billion in annual product and services business across the globe. As communicated during GTDC CEO Tim Curran’s “state of distribution” address and based on The NPD Group’s Distributor Track^® data, the industry increased U.S. sales by more than $1 billion (approximately 4%) through July 2017 compared to the corresponding period last year.  

Alain Monié, CEO of Ingram Micro, announced as GTDC’s vice chairman
The two-day Summit kicked off yesterday with open networking sessions and welcome remarks from GTDC Chairman Mike Long, the president and CEO of Arrow Electronics, who announced the GTDC’s appointment of Alain Monié, CEO of Ingram Micro, as the organization’s vice chairman. This year’s conference featured a broad range of speakers, panels and breakout sessions focused on key market trends, best practices in partnering with distributors, and extensive networking – with numerous individual meetings scheduled as part of the unique opportunity to connect with multiple CEOs and other distribution leaders throughout both days of the Summit.

Distributor Services Gaining Momentum
In Curran’s presentation, the GTDC CEO explained that the “legacy” image of distribution as pick/pack/ship specialists has been “shattered” by the industry’s continuous evolution with innovative services and product offerings, including more than 600 new vendor partners entering distribution every two years. Curran’s address also noted that hundreds of existing and new vendors in distribution are experiencing growth, evidenced by a list he presented of 588 fitting the description in 2017 through July.

“Despite all the disruption sweeping across the technology industry today, distributors are again proving their ability to adapt and grow,” Curran commented. “The massive mix of comprehensive solutions available from distributors now goes much deeper on the services front to complement their continuously advancing product portfolios.”

The strengthening services focus in distribution is captured in a new GTDC web page Curran emphasized in his keynote, where visitors can learn more about related offerings from vendor planning and marketing phases to deployment and post-sale support as well as lifecycle renewal and disposition. Curran’s address also covered growth categories and destination channels, most notably the impact of small VARs. Among the market segment highlights, hyperconverged infrastructure reflected a 500% increase in year-over-year sales for the first seven months of 2017. 

About the GTDC
The Global Technology Distribution Council is the industry consortium representing the world’s leading tech distributors. GTDC members drive more than $130 billion in annual worldwide sales of products, services and solutions through diverse business channels. GTDC conferences support the development and expansion of strategic supply-chain partnerships that continually address the fast-changing marketplace needs of vendors, end customers and distributors. GTDC members include AB S.A, ABC Data, Almo Corporation, Arrow Electronics, Computer Gross Italia, D&H Distributing, ELKO, Exclusive Networks, Ingram Micro, Intcomex, Logicom, Pinnacle, SiS Technologies, SYNNEX, Tarsus, Tech Data, TIM AG and Westcon-Comstor.

GTDC MEDIA CONTACT: 
Chuck Miller (813) 876-0414 	 
[email protected]