Former Distie Exec Joins Refurbisher

Manufacturers traditionally don’t think much of the secondary market because they don’t see any revenue, but Serra feels his experience can help bridge the gap. A lot of what he learned as a distribution executive is applicable to the used market—even the relationships with vendors and solution providers.

“It’s like any other channel where we learn to coexist with each other. Most manufacturers understand we’re an integral part of the life-cycle management of their products, but we know we’re not going to be invited to partner conferences,” Serra said.

He said Network Liquidators reminds him of Tech Data 18 years ago. “The market didn’t understand what role the distributors played or whether or not partnering with them would represent a good thing or a bad thing,” he said. “I see those same traits here.”

Network Liquidators specializes in used networking equipment, offering one-year warranties on products from Cisco Systems, Extreme Networks, F5 and Juniper Networks. The Tampa, Fla.-based company expects $30 million in revenue this year.

Some solution providers have found a successful business model with Network Liquidators. D&D Consulting, a solution provider in Albany, N.Y., has partnered with the company several times to remove old equipment from customers’ facilities. “We don’t buy from them, but we use them as an alternative to vendor trade-in programs. We get far more value there than we get from vendors,” said Christopher Labatt-Simon, president and CEO of D&D Consulting. The used market also can help protect a vendor’s brand with an end user, Serra said.

So what do Serra’s former vendor friends think of his new job? He said he talked to several vendor executives about Network Liquidators and those conversations led him to taking the job. “I may not get invited to partner conferences, but I still get invited to birthday parties,” he said.