DPSA loses Schneider, Jacques Tesson launches new distributor

Data centre technology distributor DPSA no longer has APC by Schneider Electric on its books, with the blow resulting in staff departures and inspiring the launch of a spin-off business.

APC by Schneider Electric confirmed the termination of its relationship with DPSA, effective next month.

“Effective from 18 June, DPSA’s agreement as an authorised distributor of APC by Schneider Electric will cease," said a spokesperson for the data centre equipment vendor.

The decision "has no bearing" on its remaining distribution channels through Dicker Data, Ingram Micro and Pacific Datacom, said the spokesperson. Dicker Data is APC's reigning distributor of the year for both Australia and the Pacific region.

DPSA national business manager Astrid Groves departed to join Dicker Data earlier this month, taking up a new position as the distie's Schneider Electric business development manager.

While Schneider was DPSA's anchor vendor, this also had its drawbacks. A DPSA spokesperson said the distributor's "single vendor image has been hard for DPSA to shake, which has caused challenges around brand fit with other vendors they’ve brought on board over the years, making it difficult to bring on vendors outside of the physical infrastructure niche".

DPSA chief executive Jacques Tesson – a veteran of the channel held in high regards in the data centre space – launched new distributor CertaOne in November, with the business in the headlines this month for signing Huawei and CenturyLink as its first vendors.

DPSA was the major critical infrastructure supplier to Canberra Data Centres, the co-location provider co-founded by ASI Solutions' Ken Lowe in 2007 that was recently sold for around $800 million.

Lowe told CRN today that "Jacques has always been a great supplier and great person. He has always been supportive from an ASI and a CDC point of view. We've had a very good working relationship over the years."

New beginnings

Tesson confirmed that "several" DPSA staff had transferred over to his new venture.

“It’s a big change and it’s been a busy few months ramping up and pulling together a team around these new offerings. CertaOne now has a team of experts in the physical infrastructure field with extensive experience gathered over many years in the industry," said Tesson.

Tesson said that he was motivated to launch a new distribution company because DPSA was constrained from becoming "synonymous with a single vendor".

“I realised that to make a success of branching out into new markets with other vendors and new customers, it made sense to launch a new venture where we could build a brand around a broader portfolio that appealed to a wider customer base."

A DPSA spokesperson told CRN that the company is still operating. According to its website, DPSA's other vendors include TTK, Zellabox, SpamTitan and SendQuick. At one point DPSA distributed Extreme Networks, though it was recently revealed that the networking vendor is now only selling through Distribution Central and Wavelink.

APC by Schneider Electric on 10 May globally launched a new partner program for managed service providers, with Australia included as one of the foundation sites.