A DORSET company has received an international boost from the office supplies giant Staples after the Covid-19 crisis created a shortage of headsets and webcams.

Staples will be stocking products from JPL Vision in its European stores and online in the EU and Britain.

Staples Europe has also signed a partnership agreement with the Sturminster Newton-based business to resell its headset line, which includes its recently-launched JPL Vision+ webcam.

Staples Netherlands has added JPL to its Staples Advantage programme for businesses, which is being extended into Poland, the Nordic countries, Germany and Portugal.

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Staples has seen a huge spike in demand for USB headsets during the Covid-crisis, leading to large order backlogs for major tendors.

Ross Barker, technology category manager at Staples, said: “Demand exceeded supply and as we needed to explore alternative solutions we contacted our Nimans’ account manager, Rory Heard.

“Nimans is the largest next-day delivery distributor of telecoms and data equipment, and Rory suggested JPL Telecom, which had recently adapted one of its popular headsets with a USB connection.

“After an initial trial, we were happy to present the headsets to our customers.

“The feedback has been excellent and JPL Telecom has kept supply routes open during the past difficult months, which has led to the brand being named one of our ‘reliable and trusted vendors’.”

Mr Heard said: “JPL identified a clear gap in the market and provided some fantastic, timely solutions to ease USB headset and webcam stock pressures within the UK.”

James Clarke, chief executive of JPL Telecom – which employs 17 people locally – said: “The greater the market penetration we achieve, the more the consumer benefits. Vision and voice is not merely about our products, it also sums up our vision and how our voice is being heard in the commercial environment globally.”

Pete Wilson, sales manager at JPL Telecom, said: “Audio, vision and voice solutions are at the heart of our range, therefore to have an office supply giant such as Staples actively selling our products is fantastic and a great achievement to all involved.”

Staples no longer has bricks and mortar stores in the UK but retails online, while its European presence includes stores and online sales.