Big AV Disty Stampede Acquired By Irish Sales, Marketing And Services Firm DCC

July 13, 2018 by Dave Haynes

Buffalo, NY-based Stampede, one of the biggest Pro AV distribution companies out there, has been acquired by the technology division of DCC plc, a £14.3 billion revenue, London Stock Exchange-listed (LSE) sales, marketing and support services group based in Dublin, Ireland.

DCC has about 11,000 people across four divisions, and operates in 17 countries.

“The acquisition of Stampede adds an exciting new brand to our portfolio that complements our Exertis brand in Europe,” saysTim Griffin, DCC Technology, Managing Director. “The combination of Stampede’s expertise in value-added distribution and our resources is going to unleash a new wave of opportunity for our partners in ProAV around the world. By establishing a presence in North America, we will be strategically positioned to leverage all of the new opportunities we expect to develop as a result of this acquisition.”

“Overnight, Stampede has become one of the world’s largest Pro AV distributors, able to operate at a level certain to create exciting new business opportunities for our partners,” says Stampede President & CEO Kevin Kelly, who with a name like Kelly is probably pleased about the idea of traveling to Ireland for exec meetings. “Supported by the resources and long-term commitment of DCC, we are now able to scale across all ProAV product categories in all vertical markets globally in a way that we simply could not do on our own. For our manufacturer partners this means greater reach and scale. For our resellers, this means more products and new product categories than ever before.”

Kelly says in a Stampede press release the acquisition is right and timely. “Everything we have accomplished as a company over the last 20 years is due to the amazing talent and ingenuity of our employees who created a world class company that has been limited in its growth potential only by its balance sheet. With this acquisition, we no longer have the same financial constraints limiting what we can do as a value added distributor.”

Kelly said that the acquisition does not change the way Stampede conducts business around the world. In fact, it will accelerate the company’s global business development efforts.

“Our employees, resellers and vendor partners will see an exciting evolution in how we go to market and the level of investment we can now make to grow our business.”

With the completion of the acquisition, Stampede founder and CEO Mark Wilkins has decided to retire, after nearly 40 years of service to the ProAV industry. “I am incredibly proud of everything we have accomplished as Stampeders over these last 20 years,” Wilkins said today. “Now, with the backing and support of DCC, I can retire knowing that the company’s future is in very good hands.”

Technology is just one active group for DCC. The company operates three other big divisions:
• DCC LPG – a leading LPG sales and marketing business with operations in Europe, Asia and the US and a developing business in the retailing of natural gas and electricity;
• DCC Retail & Oil – a leader in the sales, marketing and retailing of transport fuels and commercial fuels, heating oils and related products and services in Europe;
• DCC Healthcare – a leading healthcare business, providing products and services to healthcare providers and health and beauty brand owners.

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