• ARP and Bechtle direct merge brands in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and France
• Unified market presence as Bechtle direct from 01 January 2022
• New synergies will strengthen IT e-commerce segment

As of 01 January 2022, all further activities of Bechtle subsidiary ARP in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and France will continue under the umbrella of the respective Bechtle direct branches in these countries, with the aim of harnessing synergies within the thriving IT e-commerce business and streamlining services. The companies also intend to strengthen their collaboration across the two business segments, IT E-Commerce and IT System House, in the region.

ARP was founded in 1988 as a specialist for cables and connectors in Switzerland and quickly developed into a successful e-commerce provider of IT accessories with a steadily growing product portfolio. The company has been a subsidiary of the Bechtle Group since 2004 and currently employs 348 people. Due to the fact that both the product portfolio and the customer structure have become increasingly homogeneous in recent years, a continuation of the multi-brand strategy comprising ARP and Bechtle direct would no longer lead to any significant market advantages.

All employees and sites of ARP will be retained under the umbrella of the Bechtle direct brand. This will result in a broader footprint of Bechtle direct on local markets and significant advantages in the recruitment of new employees, while strengthening the overall market presence. Bechtle direct’s German offices will hence be located in Neckarsulm, Dortmund, Erfurt, Gaildorf and Dietzenbach near Offenbach, its Austrian offices in Traun and Wiener Neudorf, its Swiss offices in Dübendorf, Morges and Rotkreuz, and in France near Strasbourg and in Paris. In the Netherlands, on the other hand, ARP’s business has increasingly developed into a service business in recent years, making it the only location to be continued under the ARP brand.

“Bundling the qualities of ARP and Bechtle direct under one brand will lead to enormous advantages, while providing huge potential for further growth. Our customers and partners will only benefit from this. The structures will remain the same—meaning that they will still be dealing with the same people, which is a huge point in our business that thrives on face-to-face contact and close ties,” says Jürgen Schäfer, COO, IT E-commerce, Bechtle AG.