A decade in distribution: Where are they now?

This slideshow highlights some of the distributors that have gone, expanded or moved on since 2000, and looks at where you’ll now find their founders, leaders and biggest supporters

By Nadia Cameron

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David Cullen, Tech Pacific/Daisytek: A seven-year stint with Tech Pacific (1996-2002) as managing director propelled David Cullen into the Australian distribution history books, but it was his short stint as managing director of Daisytek from 2002-2003, which gained the biggest headlines. US-based Daisytek stepped into the Australian market with its acquisition of General Stationery Supplies in July 2001, and had nearly 100 employees as its peak locally. But its parent company’s decision to file for Chapter 11 at the beginning of May 2003 was swiftly followed by the appointment of voluntary administrators to the Australian division, and liquidation in July 2003. Administrators, Pricewaterhousecoopers, estimated the company’s debts to sit at $40 million.

After Daisytek’s closure, Cullen switched into different wholesale industries with hardware supplier, White International, Global Food Equipment and Komatsu Forklift Australia. According to his LinkedIn profile, Cullen has just taken a position as CEO of CaesarStone Australia, a manufacturer of quartz-based surfaces.

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