Eclipse Wholesale, a Gateshead based telecommunications wholesaler, celebrated a significant milestone this September - 20 years in business.
Founded in 2004 by Managing Director, James Drake, Eclipse Wholesale has grown into a leading player in the UK’s telecoms industry. To mark this special occasion, an anniversary event was held at Newcastle’s Quayside wine bar, St Vincent, where partners, suppliers and long-standing friends gathered for a memorable evening of celebrations.
Supported by key partners Zen, 8×8, ITS and Zest4, the event was a fitting tribute to the company’s two-decade journey. Guests enjoyed an evening of entertainment, including music from the acoustic duo Sophistrio and comedy from local comedian Matt Reed. The occasion provided an opportunity to reflect on Eclipse Wholesale’s journey, celebrate current successes and look forward to the future.
Eclipse Wholesale’s Journey
Eclipse Wholesale began with a mission to support underperforming resellers by offering better service and communication solutions. Over time, the company evolved into a trusted partner for small to medium-sized businesses in the channel. A key turning point in Eclipse’s journey was transitioning to a channel-first strategy, focusing exclusively on serving resellers and dealers within the channel. This move allowed the company to scale rapidly, increase revenue and solidify their place within the channel.
Reflecting on this shift, James Drake noted, “The decision to go channel-first was the most significant milestone in our 20-year journey. It allowed us to grow our team, expand into new regions and deepen our relationships with our partners.”
This change also broadened the company’s geographic reach, with one of the most notable expansions occurring in Scotland in 2023.
2024 Highlights
The 20th anniversary comes on the heels of Eclipse Wholesale’s most successful financial year yet. The company saw a 26% increase in revenue, a 33% expansion in its team and welcomed 48% more partners. The company’s innovative self-service portal, introduced in 2019, also played a key role in this success, with over 90% of resellers actively using the portal to date. This has significantly improved the partner experience, highlighting the company’s commitment to providing their partners with the tools and support they need to grow.
Eclipse Wholesale has also expanded their mobile offerings, adding all major networks to their portfolio, whilst seeing impressive growth in unified communications and voice services, particularly through their partnership with 8×8. These areas are set to continue driving the company’s growth alongside connectivity in the future.
Commitment to Core Values
In the run-up to the anniversary event, Eclipse Wholesale worked with Soul2Sand to create a stunning 80-foot sand artwork of the company’s logo at Beadnell Bay. This collaboration exemplified one of the company’s core values of teamwork, as every member played a crucial role in bringing the sand masterpiece to life, highlighting the importance of each individual in our collective success over the last two decades.
During the event, James Drake announced Eclipse Wholesale’s new charity partnership with Guide Dogs for the Blind. The company has committed to carrying out a series of fundraising activities over the next year, starting with a 100km dog walk in October which took their total to over £500. The next event, a Christmas Coffee Day in November, will offer guests an opportunity to enjoy festive treats whilst being greeted by our fluffy friends and supporting the cause.
James Drake comments, “I’m thrilled to announce Guide Dogs as our charity of the year. I wanted to find an organisation close to our hearts and it is crucial to me that we use our platform to give back to our local communities. I’m delighted to see that we’ve already raised over £500 in our first month of fundraising.”
Looking Ahead
As Eclipse Wholesale looks to the future, their primary vision is to become the UK’s leading channel aggregator for small to medium-sized channel partners. They aim to achieve this by expanding their connectivity, unified communications and mobile offerings while continuing to support partners in transitioning from old legacy services to modern solutions during their switch off project.
James Drake concluded, “The last 20 years have been an incredible journey and we’ve achieved so much as a team. The future for Eclipse Wholesale is bright, revenues are growing, our team is expanding, and our products and services continue to evolve. We know who we are and what we want to achieve.”
www.eclipsewholesale.co.uk