We were recently invited by AV Magazine to contribute to their UK Market Feature, exploring the state of the UK AV industry, the challenges ahead, and where the biggest opportunities lie.
Read the full feature in AV Magazine – Regions: A land of hope and AV glory in the UK. Note that you must be a registered user to view this feature.
It’s been another fast-moving year for the AV sector. While the post-COVID boom in hybrid workspaces and digital signage has levelled out, the market remains healthy, and for resellers who can adapt quickly, the opportunities are bigger than ever.
Service is still the differentiator
Everyone in the industry talks about adding value beyond the product, but for us, what really separates resellers and distributors right now is much simpler: service.
At Solstice, we’re seeing sustained growth because we’ve doubled down on what resellers need most, speed, responsiveness and flexibility.
Margins are under pressure, customers expect more for their money, and resellers need suppliers who make the process easy and risk-free. Whether it’s technical expertise, stock availability or white-label services, that’s where we’ve chosen to focus.
Adapting to change, and planning ahead
The early challenges of Brexit forced everyone in the sector to get smarter about supply. We’ve tackled it head-on by holding more UK stock, planning projects further in advance, and staying nimble when things change.
For resellers, that reliability matters, knowing the kit will arrive on time and that we can react quickly if things shift behind the scenes.
A culture of collaboration
The UK AV market has always been built on relationships and trust, and that hasn’t changed. What has changed is what ‘delivery’ looks like.
Resellers are now being asked for complete solutions that integrate LED, audio, control and collaboration technologies. The days of box-shifting are fading, it’s about solving problems, not just selling products.
That shift plays to our strengths at Solstice, where flexibility, technical depth and fast decision-making are part of everyday life.
Innovation with purpose
The UK continues to punch above its weight when it comes to AV innovation. We’re early adopters of technology that solves real problems, especially in LED.
All-in-one LED kits have made what used to be complex, high-cost installs achievable in a single day.
Combine that with energy-efficient design and more sustainable components, and we’re not just innovating, we’re innovating with purpose.
Where the growth is coming from
Across the UK, several verticals are driving strong demand:
- Corporate: Reimagining offices for hybrid work, with LED reception displays, high-quality meeting spaces and digital signage.
- Education: Upgrading lecture theatres and classrooms with interactive displays and control systems for hybrid learning.
- Retail: Investing in large-format LED and high-bright displays to keep physical stores visually engaging.
- Hospitality: Creating flexible event spaces that can transform from conferences to gala dinners in hours.
Across all these sectors, the common thread is clear: end users want complete, reliable solutions delivered quickly, and they expect resellers to make it look effortless.
Expanding our LED capability
To help resellers capitalise on these opportunities, we’ve expanded our LED team, bringing in a dedicated specialist to support technical design and specification. It’s about giving our partners the confidence to take on bigger projects without the risk.
We’ve also invested heavily in our showroom, a space designed to demonstrate complete AV solutions, from LED and control systems to collaboration technology. Resellers can bring their clients in, see it all working together, and walk away with a fully considered solution.
On the project side, we’ve supported resellers through multi-site rollouts in retail and hospitality, combining supply strength with white-label installation and ongoing support.
That full wrap-around capability, the kit, the know-how and the service, is what we believe the market needs most, and it’s where we’ll keep investing.
Looking ahead
The UK AV market is evolving fast, but its foundations remain the same: trust, service and strong relationships. With LED leading the charge and integration driving every major project, there’s a huge opportunity ahead for resellers who partner with the right people.
As always, our focus at Solstice is simple, to make life easier for our partners, help them win.
