NEWS: SPL Appointed as Lenovo’s Sole Out-of-Warranty Authorized Parts Distributor in Africa & the Middle East

SPL Appointed as Out-of-Warranty Authorized Parts Distributor for Lenovo in Africa & the Middle East

Service Parts Logistics (SPL), Africa’s largest parts management and supply firm, has been appointed by Lenovo as their sole authorized distributor for Out-of-Warranty (Trade) spare parts in 38 countries in the Middle East and Africa region, including South Africa, Egypt, UAE, Morocco and Saudi Arabia. Lenovo is the world’s second-largest PC maker, the fastest-growing major PC company, and number 1 in global commercial sales, global emerging markets and worldwide desktop PC sales.

Improving Service Levels; Reducing Costs

By authorizing SPL as its Authorized (Trade) Parts Distributor for the region, Lenovo looks forward to continuing and improving its high standards for customer service. SPL has a record in the industry of improving service levels and drastically lowering costs for major PC brands.

By outsourcing these specialized business processes, Lenovo is able to plug directly into a world-class trade parts distribution structure, utilizing the specialized skills and tools which SPL has developed over its 23 years of operations in the complex area of ICT service parts.

“Lenovo is fully committed to the PC space for the long term.  We will continue to drive growth and innovation in PCs while expanding our business across the four screens (PC, tablet, smartphone, smart TV) of devices and into the ecosystem of cloud, services and other applications that make up the PC+ market,” said Roger Mark, executive director, parts sales, Lenovo Global Services. “SPL’s experience as a specialized Service Parts company can make a significant positive impact.  We look forward to a successful relationship with SPL.”

Rapid Growth Calls for Continuous Improvement

As a $30B company (ZAR 252Bn; number 450 on the 2011 Fortune Global 500), Lenovo is a next-generation global technology company. In addition to maintaining its long-held commitment to delivering innovative, high quality PCs, Lenovo is expanding its product portfolio to include tablets, smart phones and smart TVs.

SPL’s managing director, Steve Cox, concluded: “We’re delighted to be working with Lenovo. It is a great brand and we are proud to be associated with the Lenovo team. We are confident that we can add a great deal of value to Lenovo business across the region, allowing more focus on growth and serving customers.”

SPL will complete the rollout of Lenovo spare parts across all 38 countries by June 2012.

NEWS: Acer signs SPL as its South African parts distributor

[Johannesburg, 14 July 2010] –
Acer today announced a much anticipated agreement with Service Parts Logistics (SPL), making the group Acer’s official out of warranty parts supplier for southern Africa.

Acer, the world’s second largest supplier of notebooks, and of total PCs – and the category’s fastest growing top five firm – is best known for its affordable and feature-rich technology. SPL’s MD, Des Stroud, said: “SPL is of course delighted to be associated with such a prestigious brand as Acer.”

SPL is a specialist service parts management and distribution company in the EMEA space. SPL positions itself as a pioneer in the service parts arena – and its innovations have been adopted by other high-profile electronics brands.

It is expected that this latest SPL deal would significantly raise Acer’s first pass parts availability, which is already very high compared to the industry standard, the all-important metric that most directly impacts dealer’s own performance.

SPL’s specialist skills ensure there is always very high first pass parts availability, state-of-the-art online ordering and its lauded iSupply automated online reverse logistics offers full visibility of the supply chain, while a dedicated part sales team is always available by phone, e-mail or online. For this reason, SPL expects dealers to welcome the move.

Says Acer’s Graham Braum, regional manager Africa & Levant: “Acer has chosen to work with SPL as they have over their 21 years within the industry proven their ability to consistently deliver the service levels that a brand like Acer demands. SPL has a deep understanding of the service industry and their excellent relationships with the industry ensures a very smooth and seamless integration with Acer and our partners.”

Acer

Since its founding in 1976, Acer has constantly pursued the goal of breaking the barriers between people and technology. Focused on marketing its brand-name IT products around the globe, Acer ranks as the world’s number three vendor for total PCs, and number two for notebooks, with the fastest growth among the top-five players. A profitable and sustainable channel business model is instrumental to Acer’s continued growth, while the successful mergers of Gateway and Packard Bell complete the company’s global footprint by strengthening its presence in the US, and enhancing its strong position in Europe. Acer employs 5 000 people worldwide. 2007 revenue reached US$14.07 billion. See www.acer.com for more information.

NEWS: SPL named Toshiba’s sole African service parts solutions provider

[Johannesburg, 18 April 2008] – Service Parts Logistics, Africa’s largest service parts reseller, recently concluded a deal with Toshiba Corporation whereby the company would become Toshiba’s sole African service parts solutions provider.

Toshiba has entered into a sole agreement with SPL – this has enabled Toshiba to outsource its regional parts management, enabling service levels well-above industry norm owing to SPL’s specialised knowledge of the industry and its strong and established business model and systems.

Simultaneously, Toshiba has alleviated the staff and expense burden associated with the complex micro-management environment of service-parts planning, distribution warranty management and reverse logistics.

Toshiba South Africa Country Manager Andre Russouw said: “Toshiba was persuaded by SPL’s long and successful track record and that their National Logistics Centre [was] able to plan and provide a high level first pass fill rate that is very difficult to rival in this market.”

Toshiba joins a growing list of leading international original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to have signed Service Parts Logistics agreements with SPL, including among others, Apple Computer – with whom SPL pioneered the model.

“We’ve been the first player in the region, the pioneers in Africa if you will, and we’ve refined a model which works in the unique African and Southern African environment,” said Des Stroud, SPL’s Managing Director.

Stroud continued: “We’re really excited about working with Toshiba and together we have created a sophisticated IT system which provides for full visibility of the supply chain to all the partners. We’ve also just introduced brand new IT systems from SAP to better keep pace with our methods and future technology, and we think we can really add a lot of value to our customer’s businesses this way long into the future.”

A case study of SPL’s implementation of SAP will be made available in coming weeks by Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide.

NEWS: Service Parts Logistics BBBEE rating soars to an ‘A’

[Johannesburg, 25 January 2007] – Service Parts Logistics (SPL), the largest parts solutions provider in Africa, gave its customers a reassuring surprise New Year gift last week when it unveiled its latest broad-based black economic empowerment (BBBEE) rating from EmpowerLogic: an ‘A’ (level 4 Contributor).

Commenting on the achievement, Steve Cox, CEO of SPL, said his company had been working tirelessly on the entire ambit of empowerment over the last 24 months and the upgrading from the previous rating of a ‘B’ to the new ‘A’ rating was very satisfying and in line with its strategic plan.

SPL scored highly in the management and control area, since 60% of the executive board are HDI and who, in addition, have equity ownership along with the BEE staff trust.

“Our strategy of empowering our own people, who in turn are directly responsible for making the company the success it is, is central to our strategic plan,” added Cox.

“SPL have again produced the goods and achieved what they said they would,” continued Franz Munnich of HP. “We are very pleased to see them take the initiative in the ongoing process re the economic empowerment of the community.”

“SPL is a critical wheel in our service delivery process and it is important for us to have a partner that we can rely upon to deliver the best to our customer base when it comes to service excellence and credentials,” concluded Munnich.

For further information, please contact Des Stroud at telephone (011) 699 3300; fax (011) 794 2228; e-mail des@microtek.co.za.

NEWS: Service Parts Logistics: Brother spares distribution

Johannesburg, 24 October 2006] – Service Parts Logistics (SPL), the largest parts solutions provider in Africa, has extended the company’s product scope with its appointment as alternate authorised Brother parts distributor for the complete range of Brother fax machines, multifunctional devices and printers, effective from 1 September 2006.
“It was imperative for us to appoint alternate part distributors in the channel who have the required coverage, expertise and customer relationships that we need in this country, following our entry in to the retail arena and the subsequent growth of our distribution model,” commented Daan Coetzee, General Manager of Brotek (Pty) Ltd – distributor of Brother products for southern Africa.

“SPL have more than proved themselves in the local market and thus it comes as no surprise that we have established a partnership with them.”

This additional relationship significantly strengthens SPL’s position as a multi-vendor parts supplier, thus enhancing its position as a single sourcing point of contact that many of its customers prefer.

For further information, please contact Des Stroud at telephone +27 11 699 3300; fax +27 11 794 2228; e-mail des@microtek.co.za.

NEWS: Service Parts Logistics celebrates 10th anniversary of its relationship with HP

Johannesburg, 23 June 2006] – Service Parts Logistics (SPL), one of the largest parts solutions providers in Africa and the top HP parts reseller since 1996, this month celebrated the 10th anniversary of its relationship with HP.

SPL, a BEE company, boasts a substantial stock holding of HP parts. The servicing of both end-users and the channel is accomplished nationwide via its network of 17 depots. SPL has responsibility for the complete range of HP products.

“The HP business is a significant part of our total operation,” commented Des Stroud, Managing Director of SPL. “Not only do we handle the local requirements but are dealing on a daily basis with at least 13 trading companies elsewhere on the continent. We are working closely with authorised service partners (ASPs) to customise stock holdings in line with the locally installed base and projected sales.”

“SPL is recognised by HP worldwide as one of its key business partners from a parts solution perspective,” added Guido Schaffhauser of HP EMEA. “We have already had a very successful 10-year relationship with SPL and have every confidence in them going forward into this second decade. They provide us with the comfort that our customers are being supplied nationally at service levels to which they are accustomed to and up to the same standards that are being provided elsewhere across the globe.”

Some of the services offered by SPL include advanced exchange; boot stock management; consigned stock/inventory ownership; shared inventory solutions; technical support; testing; traceability and warranty management/reclamation.

For further information, please contact Des Stroud at telephone +27 11 699 3300; fax +27 11 794 2228; e-mail des@microtek.co.za.