WYNIT searching for bigger home base

CNY Business Journal (1996+), Feb 18, 2005 by Tampone, Kevin

EAST SYRACUSE - WYNT, IT, Inc. is experiencing growing pains literally, says Peter Richichi, the company's vice president of sales and marketing. The East Syracuse-based wholesale distributor of computer and digital-imaging equipment is looking for a bigger headquarters building to meet its rapid growth.

"We will definitely be moving. We're basically splitting at the seams. We've sardine-canned ourselves into this [building]," Richichi says. "We really are about a year overdue for a move."

Not that anyone is complaining, Richichi says. The company, which has annual revenues of "hundreds of millions of dollars," saw those revenues increase 40 percent last year, he adds. (Richichi declined to provide more specific information about the company's financial results, but says WYNIT expects continued double-digit revenue growth for at least the next five years.)

WYNIT is a wholesale distributor of everything from digital cameras and scanners to MP3 players and wireless devices.

The company added about 30 new employees in 2004. Within the next five years, the company expects to double its work force, Richichi says. The bulk of those hires will be in the sales area, he adds. "We're adding salespeople as fast as we can find quality people to hire," he says.

There are now about 180 employees at the company's East Syracuse headquarters.

WYNIT has distribution centers in Albany and Fresno, Calif. It is preparing to open a third center in the Southeastern United States. Richichi says the company is still negotiating on an exact location.

Companywide, WYNIT has about 240 employees, Richichi says.

The company wants to find a new building in the Syracuse area, with about 60,000 square feet of space. Its current facility at 6847 Ellicott Drive has 30,000 square feet. The company leases the space from the building's owner, Liftech Equipment Companies, Inc. The facility is designed for about three-quarters of the company's current work force, Richichi says.

WYNIT has not identified any potential new buildings, but it is looking to lease an existing building, Richichi says. There is no interest in building something from the ground up, he adds.

The current plan is for the company to be in a new facility by August. WYNIT is working with The Widewaters Group in DeWitt to find its new home.

"One of the things we're good at is being flexible, agile, and quick," he says. "I think we can meet that deadline."

WYNIT lists some of the largest computer and electronics retailers in the country as its clients. Its customers include companies as big as Staples and Amazon.com as well as small to mid-size independent stores. Its largest customer is CompUSA. The company provides the stores with all of their Nikon cameras, Richichi says.

WYNIT also distributes brands like Epson, Kodak, Motorola, and Samsung.

The company is experiencing its growth because it's in "hot" markets, Richichi says. Consumer demand for many of the high-tech products that WYNIT distributes has been rising steadily for several years.

Richichi cited digital cameras, photographic printers, network equipment, and wireless products as key components of the company's growth.

"We're lucky enough to have outstanding relationships with key suppliers in those markets," he says.