The VAR Guy

It’s hard to blame Tim Curran (pictured) for sounding optimistic. As CEO of the Global Technology Distribution Council (GTDC), Curran keeps a close eye on IT sales trends. And the latest trends look pretty darn good to Curran. During a phone call with me, he shared the following perspectives.

According to the GTDC, IT sales in the US are now exceeding peak levels from 2008 — before the September 2008 economic meltdown and credit crunch. What’s more, the GTDC says the European IT market has stabilized. Among the highlights, Curran asserts:

• The IT recovery is building strength.
• The recovery is broad-based. Networking product sales are up 33%, notebooks and PC memory sales are up, and so are desktop computer sales, he says.
• Business are continuing to invest in IT, because corporate productivity is key.
• Curran sees a new major trend called ‘pro-sumer’ investments. Businesses are investing in consumer-inspired products that are growing rapidly, like audio- and video-related collaboration and communication solutions.

I asked Curran if he had spotted any software trends. He replied…

“Hardware is integrated to overall…solutions. So software is also growing [since] VARs are integrating hardware and software into business solutions.”

Will VARs also prosper from the apparent recovery? Curran said:

“Distribution continues to be a core part of the IT ecosystem [and] distribution plays a key roll in helping VARs integrate new technologies and system into solutions. [So] VARs [are a] key part of the ecosystem [and recovery too].”

No doubt, numerous distributors say their quarterly revenues are on the rise. But we still wonder if the rising distribution tide is lifting some — or most — solution provider boats…

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