Handset and accessory manufacturer STK has teamed up with Our Perspective as it looks to make major inroads into the UK for its affordable smartphone devices.
The London-based firm, formed in 1993 as a tier one distributor before manufacturing its own products from 1999, sold more than five million products last year, including one million smartphones across 150 international markets. This helped boost annual revenues from £10.7 million in 2014 to over £15 million last year (ending March 31).
To date, all handset sales have been outside the UK, with the firm focusing heavily on core markets, including central and eastern Europe as well as the Middle East.
This, according to STK director of business development Henri Salameh is about to change, with the firm now working closely with Our Perspective to help bring its smartphone range, which costs between £50 and £200 SIM free, to the UK market. He revealed the company has targeted 1.6 million smartphone sales for the year and 4.8 million accessories (up from 3.5 million).
“We have set ourselves some big targets and the UK will play a major role in achieving them both now and in the long term.
“Our ethos from day one in 1999 was to provide good quality products that are more affordable than some of the other brands out there. We sell over a million devices each year and about 3.5 million accessories, so we are a serious player. We are definitely up and coming and we believe we are the brand to watch.”
Our Perspective co-founder and head of marketing and partnerships Jason Kemp said discussions with distribution partners have begun and is aiming to get the products into stores, online and in B2B. Trials with an unnamed retail store have also recently concluded, with more than 3,000 units being sold – although details of names and dates could not be given
“Our immediate goals are to appoint distribution partners who want to work with us and we believe can do a good job for us,” said Kemp. “We want to make inroads into retail, B2B and enterprise, and we want to talk to the networks. The heartland is really in the £50-£100 device, that’s where we see our volume coming from.
“Premium brands such as Samsung and Sony are removing themselves from the entry level part of the market. That has left a hole and the timing is right for STK. They have a portfolio of products and we believe the market is now right and ready for a new player in this arena.”