Johnson Hsiung (Bluechip Infotech) and Munsoor Khan (DNA Connect)
On 31 December, Sydney-based IT distributor DNA Connect will lay to rest the name under which it was established over two decades ago and begin a new chapter under a new identity — that of the company it merged with earlier this year, Bluechip Infotech.
Bluechip Infotech, a specialist technology distributor, revealed in March it had struck a deal to roll fellow IT distributor DNA Connect into its business, in the process creating a new unified distribution powerhouse in the local market.
The merger of DNA Connect into Bluechip also incorporated Ingeniq, DNA’s partner services and training arm.
“The merger positions both companies to be stronger and accelerate growth by providing more solutions to a wider combination of channel partners and segments,” Bluechip managing director Johnson Hsiung said at the time.
Meanwhile, DNA Connect executive director Munsoor Khan noted that the two companies shared “considerable” synergies.
Since news of the merger broke, DNA Connect has traded with an addendum to its name: DNA Connect, a Bluechip IT company.
But on 31 December, DNA Connect will mark the last day of its activities under its longtime brand. From 1 January 2022, the company will operate as Bluechip Infotech.
“This will position both companies to accelerate your growth by providing more strategic and turnkey solutions supported by services and training provided by our experienced engineering team,” DNA Connect told its reseller network in an email.
“We are pleased to now represent a wider range of vendors including Splunk, CyberArk, Sophos, ManageEngine, Extreme Networks, Cambium Networks and Eaton through our national presence.
“We look forward to providing you with new opportunities to help grow your business under the Bluechip Infotech brand in 2022,” it added.
Starting 1 January 2022, all products previously purchased from Digital Networks Australia – DNA Connect’s full name – can only be purchased from Bluechip Infotech.
As reported in March, the combined group is looking to focus on new opportunities in the areas of cyber security, analytics and surveillance.
It is claimed the merger delivers on the promise of a bigger, more diversified presence in the local market for the unified group. It also gives Bluechip the ability to push further into the enterprise space while giving DNA a broader footprint.
And while the new size and standing of the merged organisation doesn’t quite put it in the same league as the likes of Dicker Data or Ingram Micro, Hsiung and Khan expect it to influence how vendors view the distribution brands.
“Combined, the two entities are more visible in the whole IT space,” Hsiung told ARN at the time. “Individually, some of the vendors who have looked at us might think we’ve been a bit small. But combined, once we have that visibility, it will be easier for us to get more vendors.”
