Presence Drives Pinnacle's Europe Play

Pinnacle Data Systems Inc. (CRN Fast Growth 100 No. 50) recently bought Aspan Computer Repair Laboratories B.V. in the Netherlands to better position itself in the European market and also to illustrate a local presence, which is important to its customer base.

"Buying Aspan gives us an owned facility in Europe," said Michael Sayre, president of Columbus, Ohio-based Pinnacle. "We found that in doing our global repair program, customers preferred we have a real investment in the region. ... We want to continue to grow our repair service and, to do that, we need presence in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and also in the Asia region."

Pinnacle has done business through Aspan since 2006, providing repair services to customers in Europe from Aspan's facility. Both companies offer high-end computer-related repair and logistics services for some of the world's largest OEMs that build products using computer technologies.

"We've done some business globally for 10 to 15 years. But you start running into turnaround time and freight time," Sayre said.

"A lot of what we are doing is with higher-end equipment, so with the time and shipping, we were becoming less competitive," he said. "Some of that will continue to come here, but lower-level repairs, in particular, can be done in the region."