Tell us about the business history of your company in the UK?
We formed Cogent Distribution in 2015 as a value-added distributor of wireless and connectivity products, providing niche networking solutions for various sectors such as smart cities, transportation, construction, defence, and renewable energy amongst others.

In our fast changing world, when you need a technology solution or product, you need it straight away and at the right price. So, we set up a distribution company that allowed us to work directly with manufacturers, then stock and distribute their products to supply integrators and resellers, in the UK predominantly.

More recently, a real impetus came in November 2022 when we signed a major distributorship with wireless communications manufacturer RADWIN. Since then, we have forged other vendor partnerships and continue to identify and bring onboard the best emerging technologies.

Cogent Distribution attended Heathrow Business Summit

What challenges are you facing in today’s market?
Technology is always rapidly advancing. One example is that it took about 16 years for the world to reach 100 million mobile phone users, yet in just two months, Open AI’s ChatGPT surpassed 100 million users! So, the speed of technological change and the adoption of those new technologies is getting ever faster. A challenge for us is to find new products that address market needs, get them to the market quickly, at the right price and the right time, keep them in stock, and keep ahead of the game.

A big growth area in the market that’s in the early adopter phase, is private wireless. But in the next few years it will become prevalent, especially for medium to large sized businesses that will use private wireless for its advantages over current technologies. So, it’s a case of picking the right solutions in that area and bringing them to market and choosing the right time to introduce them.

Another challenge as we have moved through from 2G, 3G, to 4G and 5G, and as the number of smart phone users increases, is the issues with mobile coverage inside buildings, underground car parks and so on. The latest 4G and 5G signals do not penetrate as effectively into buildings because they use higher frequencies, and because modern buildings use signal reflective materials like glass and metal. This means the capabilities of mobile devices are compromised because of lack of signal, just when it’s most needed. That’s why we’re working with a company called Nextivity, to provide a solution to this issue. Their cellular enhancement solutions are the only ones in the UK market that comply with Ofcom’s regulations, the official telecommunications regulator. So, this area is both a challenge but also one of our key products.

What are your key products, services, and innovations?
In our industry, it’s about spotting trends, having the best solutions, and a bit about education too. There are some areas of our product portfolio that are slowing down in terms of market need, such as 5GHz radios, which over time are being replaced by 60GHz radios. We have moved with that trend, and we’ve introduced new 60GHz radios, which have a better price point to compete with 5GHz.

Jim Kernahan and Giovanni Guerri Owner of Kymata brand

Another key product of ours that solves a problem is the Kymata leaky feeder cabling solution that emits and receives radio waves and acts as a long antenna in difficult work areas like lift shafts, tunnels, also data centres and warehouses for example. The benefits for our customers are that Kymata solutions dramatically reduce the number of access points required for Wi-Fi coverage by up to 60%, as well as reducing electricity usage and licence costs, so we’re excited to introduce it to the UK market.

Also, the Spectrum Compact is a unique product we supply if you need to analyse the use of radio frequencies around you, with Ofcom being a major user. To ensure we keep up with the latest technology, we’re about to launch a key product innovation for private 5G networks through a partnership with Oxford-based manufacturer CableFree as private 5G provides a far higher level of security compared to Wi-Fi or public 5G networks.

We’re a value-added distributor and our value-add is firstly in a deep understanding of the technologies we supply, so we’re much more than a box-shifting distributor. We work with customers to find the right solution for their needs, we can design that solution with them, and if necessary, we can help with the installation and support, with our partner companies.

Victoria Hanford Project Office EBP and
Jim Kernahan at Maiden Erlegh School

What are your plans for the company’s future? 
We’re on an expansion journey and on track to rapidly grow. We’re aiming to triple turnover this year compared to last year, whilst maintaining our high levels of customer service, based on the connectivity solutions we’ve been building up over the last few years. We’ll continue to add new products and solutions as we go through the year and it’s our key products that will help drive growth.

An important part of our future will be moving into IoT (Internet of Things) connectivity devices and we’re working with our vendor, SAF Tehnika who have an IoT division, so we’ll be expanding into this area more over the coming months.

Recently, we developed an e-commerce website that focuses on SEO and the user experience, providing a platform for us to further expand our portfolio and service offering. Overall, our plans are to identify and partner up with other key resellers and system integrators with the product solutions we have, and we’ve put together a team to help make that happen.

What are your Corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives locally?
Our approach is to help local charities and community benefit societies wherever we can and are a good fit. Recently, I gave a presentation to Newbury College, talking about my experience in building businesses. One young person has expressed an interest in getting some work experience with us, and so we’re looking at modern apprenticeship schemes.

Through the Education Business Partnership (EBP), we’ve also taken part in mock interview training at the Maiden Erlegh School in Reading, and we’re working further with EBP to expand our relationship.

Why has the company joined the Thames Valley Chamber and what have the benefits been so far?
We’ve met like-minded companies, particularly in our sector, which is technology, but also in web and software consultancy, data centres and more. We have cross-traded, and we’re looking to use the Chamber to strengthen ties with other SMEs, inside and outside our industry sector.

One of the highlights of our TVCC membership has been exhibiting twice at the prestigious Heathrow Business Summit, which has been a great platform for us to stand alongside Heathrow’s suppliers such as SITA, who we are now working with. Absolutely, that has been a benefit and has helped enhance our reputation.

Do you have any other messages for the Thames Valley business audience?
If you’re starting a new business, if you’re a small business, or if you’re seeking to grow, we feel the Chamber provides an effective forum to share ideas and discuss business challenges and opportunities.

AI is going to have major impacts on business, and not all of it is about taking jobs, but certainly about making companies more effective and efficient. In a small company that can mean the difference between having to hire an extra person or getting the existing workforce to do more, so you can use it in that way to save costs. This means that if you’re planning a career as a computer programmer, you may need to rethink as some current jobs will disappear, but others will come along. AI will also create opportunities and people need to learn how to use it for their business and what the impacts will be.