D&H Distributing Sees 11% Growth In Q4 Thanks To Tablets, Mobility

Spurred by High Points Such as 200+% Growth in Tablets, D&H Successfully Wraps Up its 95th Anniversary Year, and Foresees XP Refresh Opportunities for 2014 

D&H Distributing, the major North American computer products and consumer electronics distributor, announces it is ending its 95th Anniversary Year with approximately 11% growth in its final quarter of 2013 over last year’s Q4. This reflects significant increases in hot areas such as tablets, mobility and servers. These categories saw considerable advances in year over year growth, and have consistently performed at these levels over the past several years, establishing them as reliable growth sectors for the distributor. Tablets alone experienced more than 200% growth in Q4 2013 compared to the same period last year, illustrating how demand for this format is still mounting.

D&H foresees considerable opportunities in 2014 for resellers, especially as the marketplace nears the deadline for technical support on several Microsoft properties — most prominently for the XP operating system, support of which terminates this April. Recent reports show that 40% of businesses have yet to deploy an alternative to Microsoft XP, which at this point is a 13 year-old platform, depending on the version. In fact, the same sources showed that more than half of small businesses were still unaware that XP support was soon subject to end.  Similar deadlines loom in the near future for Microsoft Server 2003, and for certain versions of Microsoft Office. These systems are still prolific among small businesses despite waning support periods.

D&H has initiated efforts to prepare the IT community on the opportunities of the forthcoming XP refresh.  This includes sponsorship of SMB Nation’s “Million Mile” tour to educate small businesses on XP upgrade alternatives, plus reseller seminars at D&H’s 2013 trade shows. The topic will persist throughout the distributor’s 2014 trade show schedule. 

In addition, evolving mobile computing models such as Google Chromebooks, launched by trusted D&H partners such as HP, Acer, and Samsung, continue to invigorate the category, offering advantages such as easy interoperability with Google apps and its burgeoning cloud storage platform.  In addition, the Windows 8 OS is making steady strides to accommodate the business community, with sales peaking for this OS among smaller-screen tablets.

Other anticipated growth areas for 2014 include wearable technologies, such as bracelets that monitor the user’s vital signs; ongoing sales of healthcare solutions; and “DIY” do-it-yourself technologies in for the physical premises, such as automated door locks and Wi-Fi-controlled thermostats.

“It’s been an exhilarating year at D&H, as we celebrated our 95th Anniversary with our resellers, and  watched the market recover and evolve around us,” said Dan Schwab, co-president at D&H.  “The year has been packed with highly-anticipated milestones, like the emergence of new Windows 8 amenities, the ongoing mobility explosion, and laying the groundwork for the mass XP migration.  Through it all, our customers tell us they have seen encouraging gains in sales this year.  We look forward to the transitions that 2014 will bring, and we are well-positioned to support our VARs as they pursue these opportunities.”

About D&H Distributing
As the nation’s leading technology distributor, D&H provides a wealth of resources to empower solution providers and consultants, delivering a broad selection of SMB categories, products and applications. The company’s offerings span server and infrastructure, SOHO and mobile applications, consumer electronics and gaming.  D&H’s multi-market expertise, account-dedicated sales teams, sterling service and flexible financing options are unmatched in the industry.

With an impressive 95-year history serving as a trusted advisor to the reseller channel, D&H has been able to consistently reinvent itself based upon changing market conditions. The company prides itself on creating business partnerships with an astute focus on ease-of-doing-business, relationships, value, performance and service.

D&H ships out of five separate locations in North America, including its US headquarters in Harrisburg and its Canadian headquarters in Mississauga, Ontario.  Additional US warehouses are located in Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; and Fresno, CA. For more information, visit www.dandh.com.