toni sonn | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Wed, 26 Mar 2014 21:04:25 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-KITGURU-Light-Background-SQUARE2-32x32.png toni sonn | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 Caseking bought by Equistone Partners Europe Limited https://www.kitguru.net/channel/faith/caseking-bought-by-equistone-partners-europe-limited/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/faith/caseking-bought-by-equistone-partners-europe-limited/#respond Wed, 26 Mar 2014 20:32:28 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=184459 One of the year's most interesting channel moves so far is Equistone's acquisition of pan-European distributor Caseking. While the value of the deal itself is undisclosed, the move to buy a majority stake in a technology company with revenues around the €100 million mark will certainly get tongues wagging. KitGuru casts an eye over the …

The post Caseking bought by Equistone Partners Europe Limited first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
One of the year's most interesting channel moves so far is Equistone's acquisition of pan-European distributor Caseking. While the value of the deal itself is undisclosed, the move to buy a majority stake in a technology company with revenues around the €100 million mark will certainly get tongues wagging. KitGuru casts an eye over the fine print.

Originally set up and managed by the former executives of Barclays Private Equity, Equistone Partners Europe Limited is now headed up by Dr Peter Hammermann who, along with a Ph.D. in economics also has extensive industrial and investment banking experience.

So what attracted Dr Hammermann's team to Caseking?

Established in Berlin in 2003, Caseking has done a remarkable job of growing its IT distribution business through periods of market contraction and expansion. The acquisition of UK reseller Overclockers at the start of February 2012 gave Caseking a strong route to market for its ~9,000 product lines and it has continued to invest in that business.

Strong cashflow and relationships have meant that Caseking has managed to maintain stock availability of close to 95% – which is good news in today's fast moving market where no system builder or reseller wants to hold more stock than they have to. A team of close to 100 experts in Germany ensure swift and accurate logistics for the company and that has allowed them to grow under the leadership of Toni Sonn (CEO) and Kay Kostadinov (CFO).

Talking about Caseking's acquisition, Kostadinov told the markets: “We have been working for over ten years in an attractive, niche market, during which time we have established ourselves as a leading European supplier and well-respected partner for users, specialist shops, gaming-enthusiasts, and manufacturers in the gaming community. We are looking forward to working with Equistone to expand the Company into further European markets and reach new customers.”

One thing is for certain, an additional injection of cash and expertise will make Caseking an even stronger proposition going forward.

Dr Hammermann commented: “In Caseking, we have invested in an established, mid-sized company with extremely high growth potential in a dynamic, cutting-edge industry. Caseking and Overclockers UK have built a strong brand over the last few years, exemplified by its reliability, recognition and popularity with customers. We look forward to working with Caseking’s distinguished management team, led by its founders Toni Sonn (CEO) and Kay Kostadinov (CFO), to support the Company’s future growth”.

This move goes some way toward explaining why the group has been adding personnel like ex-Asus marketing guru Miodrag Relic. If your business plan is set for serious growth, then you need the right kind of team around you.

Miodrag-Relic-Caseking

KitGuru says: Distributors are judged on a handful of factors, two of which are the ability to extend credit and the ability to hold stock. Additional financial muscle will naturally boost both of these abilities. Looks like the next 3 years will be getting very competitive as distributors look to build the strongest position possible during the boom period.

If you'd like to share an opinion on this story, please join over 177,000 fellow KitGuru readers over on Facebook.

The post Caseking bought by Equistone Partners Europe Limited first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/channel/faith/caseking-bought-by-equistone-partners-europe-limited/feed/ 0
CaseKing and OcUK get into big events in a big way https://www.kitguru.net/components/carl/caseking-and-ocuk-get-into-big-events-in-a-big-way/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/carl/caseking-and-ocuk-get-into-big-events-in-a-big-way/#comments Wed, 22 Aug 2012 12:57:23 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=105206 With Multiplay's i46 gaming extravaganza about to kick off in the Telford International Centre, loads of sponsors will be vying for the attention of the thousands of hardcore gamers who attend. KitGuru takes a look at one of the sponsors and their ‘large event' pedigree. While hands-on gaming stands with the latest, unreleased, triple-A titles …

The post CaseKing and OcUK get into big events in a big way first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
With Multiplay's i46 gaming extravaganza about to kick off in the Telford International Centre, loads of sponsors will be vying for the attention of the thousands of hardcore gamers who attend. KitGuru takes a look at one of the sponsors and their ‘large event' pedigree.

While hands-on gaming stands with the latest, unreleased, triple-A titles were certainly the centre of attention over at GamesCom 2012 in Cologne, few hardware stands managed to attract as many visitors as CaseKing. In a second, we'll show you just how CaseKing operates and the level of fevered response they manage to induce in crowds. Let's just say that Overclockers' parent company are well-schooled in the art of crowd-pleasing.

Data from a big Multiplay survey a couple of years ago, showed clearly that almost half the attendees for any given Insomnia LAN gaming event (of which i46 is the latest) is an Overclockers.co.uk customer. On that basis, it only seems right that the crowd's favourite should be in attendance to let the other half find out what they might have been missing.

Enough ado about gaming things, let's roll on with the CaseKing gallery from GamesCom 2012.

CaseKing marketing guru, Vahid, tests the props for his big give-away competition at GamesCom 2012

.
Once fully up and running, the CaseKing stand had a series of competitions where any of the hundreds of people surrounding the stage had a chance of winning. Lucking contestants, like this 15 year old chap, were crowned on the throne and thoroughly pampered by the CaseKing Ladies-in-Waiting. Hard life.

When not engaged on the mainstage with winners, the CaseKing ladies would make the products on display look a lot more attractive. But does such a simple tactic work?  Judge for yourselves.

In the following pics, we reckon that the CaseKing ladies like one or two of the technologies they are presenting, MORE than others. But which are their favourites?

Are you feeling the girls' love for Akasa?
Is a Bit of Fenix just what the ladies ordered?
Are they stimulate by nVidia's top end?
Does the Gigabyte range stimulate passion?
Are they ready to go IN for the WIN?
Perhaps hands-on for a little KingMod-ding themselves - like the cheeky monkeys in the background?
What about the smooth-silent type from Lian Li?
Quick check on Xigmatek
Does the VTX3D stand render them speechless?
Do the ladies get flushed for pink chassis?

KitGuru says: It's a toughy, but if we were forced to answer, it does seem that both girls like a little pink. Specifically, the ‘Ladies Phantom' from NZXT. But what do we know?  If you're heading to Telford for Multiplay's i46, then you can check out the Overclockers.co.uk booth babes, Team-GB style, and see if they're a match for the Germans.

Comment below or in the KitGuru forums.

The post CaseKing and OcUK get into big events in a big way first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/components/carl/caseking-and-ocuk-get-into-big-events-in-a-big-way/feed/ 1
Exclusive KitGuru interview with CaseKing boss Toni Sonn https://www.kitguru.net/components/cases/faith/exclusive-kitguru-interview-with-caseking-boss-toni-sonn/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/cases/faith/exclusive-kitguru-interview-with-caseking-boss-toni-sonn/#comments Mon, 05 Sep 2011 11:14:00 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=58811 On 15th January 2003, Toni Sonn and his partner Kay, opened a tiny little web site in Germany called CaseKing. Like thousands of budding businessmen across the globe, their dream was a simple one. To sell tons of components, build a serious brand and reap the enormous benefits that would follow. Unlike thousands of businessmen …

The post Exclusive KitGuru interview with CaseKing boss Toni Sonn first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
On 15th January 2003, Toni Sonn and his partner Kay, opened a tiny little web site in Germany called CaseKing. Like thousands of budding businessmen across the globe, their dream was a simple one. To sell tons of components, build a serious brand and reap the enormous benefits that would follow. Unlike thousands of businessmen across the globe, Tony and Kay did exactly that. KitGuru caught up with the worryingly young entrepreneur.

.
If you build PCs, then you buy cases. The average person probably upgrades their desktop PC every 3 years or so.  Technically competent KitGuru readers do this much more often than the man in the street, but anyway you look at it – it's still a lot of cases. In the 8 years that have passed since founding CaseKing, Toni Sonn has bought and sold over 1 million chassis.

We'll say that again. On a new line. For added impact.

Toni Sonn has bought and sold over 1 million cases.

Not only that, but his business is expanding. New customers, both at home and abroad, are flocking to CaseKing – drawn in by the way this Teutonic company does business.

Shot taken on the massive CaseKing stand at GamesCom 2011, shows Xigmatek mega-mod in the foreground while Toni Sonn discusses European strategies with Sacha from Coolermaster (top right)

“Can you imagine, that a British or French customer would choose to buy from a German?”, asks Toni. “Do you know how hard we must try and how much better we must be for this to happen”.

KitGuru can imagine. Quite easily. Buying from a German supplier would not seem to be the logical choice – and yet everyone of his UK customers speaks about CaseKing in glowing terms. So, let's go back to the start. whose idea was CaseKing in the first place?

“My partner Kay and me were both hardware enthusiasts before we founded Caseking”, he replied. “I was more interested in the technical hardware side, Kay was more interested in gaming and designs. Because computers in that time were looking boring, we decided to found Caseking – to provide a one-stop-shop for everything you need to make your computer run faster and look better. To let you express your own character and individuality”.

In a tough economic environment, KitGuru wanted to know how Toni has been able to carry on growing as fast as it has?

“No matter how much product you want, technical purchasers want to speak with technical sellers. The key reason behind CaseKing's success is our awesome team”, said Toni. “We are all young, passionate and enthusiastic people, who really know about the products we are offering and we always do our best to guarantee a stressless purchase experience to our customers.”

“When I place an order online, I want to get the stuff immediately and if there is a problem, I don't want to call an expensive hotline to beg for support from somebody who has no idea about what I am talking about”, he explained. “At Caseking there is always a capable person available, who wants to take your question and give you a complete and honest answer – before, during and after you make your purchase”.

Toni added, “Anyone who orders from CaseKing for the first time will be impressed with our staff and procedures. I'm sure of it”.

While the market overall is slow, it is still enormous. We wanted Toni to take a little look into his crystal ball. How far can CaseKing grow?

“You'd be surprised how much time we spend listening to the community, speaking with customers and trying to understand what will be the most popular products in the future”, said Toni. “We are very confident that CaseKing will influence more and more markets. At the same time, we have powerful and open dialogues with suppliers to source and force the development of innovative new products which will fit the demands of the enthusiast community”.

While he might understand technology, Toni obviously does not understand marketing - and he struggles to make the CaseKing stand appealing to the 250,000 hardcore gamers who attended GamesCom 2011. Oh. Wait. That's not true!

Looking around the massive CaseKing stand at GamesCom 2011, there is very little emphasis on budget. All of the sections within the CaseKing stand were hosted by top brands, and the products on display were high-end. We think we already know the answer, but KitGuru wanted to hear from Toni, when the recession hit the world in 2008, did CaseKing focus on (a) internal cost cutting, (b) low end plastic chassis or (c) high-end products?

“When the financial crisis broke out in 2008, CaseKing had a very clear strategy not to jump on the cut-down-cost-train like most companies did”, he replied. “Historically, the name CaseKing has been synonymous with high-end, high-quality products so we concentrated on that segment, instead of cutting costs or focusing on low-end/volume products”.

Did it work? Again, we're sure we know the answer already.

“The development of many companies suffered during the economic crisis, while CaseKing continued to grow”, said Toni. “We believe that our policy of focusing on quality back then, has been a key factor in the speed at which CaseKing is continuing to grow today”.

KitGuru asked Toni which of the major UK resellers are his customer today. He smiled and replied, “Yes, we are working with some of the biggest UK brands, but it's not important for us to work with as many companies as possible. What is important is the quality of the relationship. CaseKing is only looking for long-term, sustainable relationships where the business of both partners flourishes”.

So should all of the UK's stores consider working with CaseKing?

“Well, from a business perspective, it's smart to consider everything”, with a smile. “What you do after you finish considering is another story”.

On a more personal note, KitGuru wanted to know a bit more about the man behind the million-chassis supplying enterprise. For example, what was his first PC?

“Wow, that was a long time ago. It was an Amiga with upgraded memory kit”. Hmmm, even at that age, this guy could not resist a modification.

When he's relaxing with friends, Toni prefers to show off his BBQ black-belt skills while listening to “Das Beste” from Culcha Candela – a German band which includes a friend he was at school with all those years ago. Again, we're seeing a theme in terms of relationships and long-term, mutual support.

OK, now that food has been mentioned, KitGuru pushes Toni to know what's best to order when you're in a restaurant. Also, we want to know which actress he's most like to star with in a film. The answers “Seafood” and “Monica Bellucci” have been used by a famous (but apparently un-named) marketing guru from across the ocean – but maybe these guys won't not mind sharing Monica and the fruit of the sea with Toni.  It's about partnership, right?

Poor Monica Bellucci struggles to choose between seafood lovers Mystery Man and Toni Sonn

KitGuru says: After spending time listening to Toni, you're left with the impression that he's a smart, driven, honest young man with a genuine passion for the enthusiast market. Along with his business partner, Kay, he has built a massive distribution empire – and their ambition has not been satisfied yet. If you're in the chassis business, in a country that's within striking distance of German logistics, then it's clearly time to step-up or step-out.

Comment below or in the KitGuru forums.

The post Exclusive KitGuru interview with CaseKing boss Toni Sonn first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/components/cases/faith/exclusive-kitguru-interview-with-caseking-boss-toni-sonn/feed/ 10