Specialism: Components
Key vendors: Origin, Nvidia, iStorage, QNAP, Datalocker, BTI, INNO3D, PNY, Lexar, Valkryie
Revenue: £17.3m (-3%)
Headcount: 40
After registering a 3% revenue dip in its year to 31 March 2024, Origin Storage has returned to growth this year (with revenues tracking 30% higher year-on-year), MD Stuart Eling told us.
Founded in 2002, the Basingstoke-based outfit draws 65% of its top line from its own-branded SSDs and other hardware. The remainder is generated by its distribution of third-party brands.
Origin Storage has seen “huge growth” with new ally Nvidia in 2024, according to Eling (see below).
“Our agile approach ensures quotes are replied to within five minutes”
Quickfire Q&A with MD Stuart Eling
What is Origin Storage’s sweet spot?
Keeping distribution simple. It might sound a bit of a cliché, but we are massive advocates of this. Our agile, proactive approach ensures that phones are answered quickly, quotes are replied to within five minutes, orders are shipped same day and mistakes rectified quickly, which has been the foundation of our growth.
Which product, service or vendor has stood out for you in 2024?
Nvidia – since becoming an authorised distie in the UK back in January this year we’ve had huge growth in 2024 which is set to only increase in 2025.
If you could change one thing about your business at the stroke of a wand, what would it be?
A bigger warehouse. With our exceptional growth over the last year we are having to juggle stock and warehouse space constantly so that would massively benefit from increased available space.
When will the UK distribution market return to growth?
I can’t speak for the others, but we’ve seen a return to growth this year after the previous two were fairly similar in revenues. This year we are tracking to finish around 30% up on previous results and see this continuing next year.
Name one area of your business where you are expecting to add staff in 2025
Technical support. We plan to bolster our internal tech support team by adding a full-time software development engineer to assist in streamlining current processes, EDI implementation for customers and enhancing our service and support offerings.
If you could be a fly on the wall for a day at another distributor, which would you choose?
Westcoast. As the biggest distie in the UK it would be a great opportunity to see how they manage an operation of that size effectively.
See who made the wider Oxygen 50 Must-Know IT Distributors 2024 here.
