Facilities Management Association

 

 

 

ByBox Field Support, the UK market leader in providing field service supply chain solutions, has acquired echo to further reinforce its ‘end to end’ supply chain offering.

 

Recognised for delivering high quality tech and logistical support to customers across a multitude of disciplines, echo’s service levels and market awareness is admired by their competitors and customers alike.   

 

They operate as a true extension of their customers’ field based teams providing a seamless service on a variable cost basis which in itself is of huge commercial benefit to echo’s customers which major blue chip companies such as Fujitsu, IBM, Getronics and Unisys amongst others.

 

It is a company which prides itself on providing high levels of quality of service and innovation able to support its customers' mission critical SLAs - an ethos which very much mirrors that of ByBox making the two organisations an ideal fit.  

 

Already making its mark within the tech services marketplace, the acquisition of echo follows two previous ByBox acquisitions within the sector namely Newcotech in 2010 and more recently PPR Solutions. This led to the formation of ByBox Tech Services Division enabling the company to provide both low –level swaps and simple installations and high end outsourced engineering services on demand. 

 

This latest move will not only further extend ByBox’ reach within the sector but also provide greater flexibility by providing access to a field force of over 400 multi-skilled technicians servicing the IT and retail sectors. 

 

Through ByBox’ Tech Services Division, the company is able to offer a complete end-to-end solution 365 days a year. This includes sourcing parts, warehousing, distribution, simple swap outs and non-intensive installations through to a bespoke high-end engineering solution for more complex tasks – including managing the repair loop and returning items back to good stock. It is indeed a compelling offering - all at a variable cost.

 

Mark Garritt, Managing Director praised echo for what they have achieved in a challenging marketplace. He commented: “We have a huge respect for the management team.   Indeed we have long admired echo for providing high quality field based tech services and consider them to be the benchmark  for outsource providers within the marketplace.

 

However to consistently provide the high levels of service echo delivers is expensive and customers either need to pay a premium or the business needs to be integrated into a volume player if it is to be sustainable.

 

Given current market conditions and the pricing pressures on our customers, charging a premium is not an option. We therefore believe that joining forces with echo will help us to continue to deliver outstanding service levels at competitive rates.

 

We are genuinely saddened the management team didn't get the critical mass required to make their model work, but we are committed to continue with their legacy.”

 

The provision of tech services has recently emerged as one of the fastest-growing parts of ByBox, the company which transformed the field services market in less than a decade with its innovative method of delivering parts pre-8am to a network of more than 18,000 lockers at 1,500 locations in the UK.

 

Underpinned by Thinventory™, its own software platform that gives complete visibility of the supply chain at all times, the ByBox network has an enviable pre 8am delivery rate of 99.77% and a roll call of blue chip customers including Coca Cola, Fujitsu, Computacenter and Konica Minolta.

 

Claudine Mosseri, Managing Director, ByBox Tech Services is looking forward to working with the echo team and commented: “The name echo is synonymous with excellence. We will continue to nurture, invest and grow echo, but it will be underpinned by ByBox. We're very excited at the opportunities this creates for both companies.”
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

www.echoltd.com