About us
In Business Since 1990
Formed in 1990, the Blackroc brand was originally established as Blackroc Technology, a highly competent engineering group of designers, developers and low volume manufacturers of specialist custom products in the new growth area of handheld computing. Originally targeted at the construction sector, the rugged handheld computer which launched the company in 1990, became very successful in challenging, outdoor mobile computing environments and was eventually adopted by the British Military.
From a solid engineering foundation, the company grew and diversified into product distribution of mobile computing and other high technology products from the world’s biggest brands, creating a new company to focus on this business, named Blackroc Distribution. Blackroc Technology and Blackroc Distribution were then joined under the Blackroc Holdings banner.
The rapid growth of the Blackroc business drew the attention of major players in the sector culminating in the acquisition of Blackroc Distribution by a major American global corporation.
Today, Blackroc is leveraging the depth of its background and experience by focusing on investment in small business, by supporting business owners and offering the benefit of its own substantial experience in starting, growing and eventually exiting businesses, and creating enhanced shareholder value.
Rapid Growth & Expansion
Diversification
The company rapidly grew as a technology development business and from that solid engineering foundation, the company diversified in 1999 into niche product distribution of mobile computing products of the world’s biggest brands. A new sister company was established, Blackroc Distribution.
High-Technology
The new addition to the Blackroc family grew very rapidly and became recognised as the leading national distributor of RF, RFID, mobile computers and high-precision GPS systems to name just a few. We partnered with brands such as Psion, Citizen, Seiko, Datalogic & Intermec.
Business Sale
Its success drew the attention of much larger companies in the same industry space who approached Blackroc with a view to acquiring the company and in 2011, Blackroc Distribution was acquired by a US company, Bluestar Inc.
Who we are
Meet our team
A father & son partnership, leveraging experience and ambition.
Tony Jephcott
Ed Jephcott
Co-Owner & Chairman
Tony is an engineer by profession, a businessman by long experience and an entrepreneur by nature, and these 3 key traits have dominated the development of his professional career.
He established from start-up, then built and profitably sold 2 companies, and still owns 2 remaining companies. He has a solid small business ownership and operational background forged over more than 40 years.
Tony is a chartered Civil Engineer (C Eng), a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers and holds a Bachelor of Science Honours degree (BSc Hons) in Civil Engineering, from City University London.
As a construction professional, he worked on major international projects including roads and bridges, dams, reservoirs, and pipelines in his early years before founding and developing his own construction services business, in 1980, which he sold to international consultants in 1990, to concentrate on his growing activity in developing rugged mobile computers for construction and the military.
Since 1990, Tony has since had more than 30 years’ experience in the mobile electronics market both as a developer and manufacturer of hardware and also as a successful distributor of mobile electronic products including many major third-party brands. He has extensive knowledge of the technologies surrounding the mobile computing sector and have represented the British Government at international RFID level.
Co-Owner & Director
From a sound educational background, Ed has developed his strong leadership skills and business know-how, into becoming a business development professional with a strong record of success. Ed provides significant energy, drive & industry knowledge to Blackroc’s future growth plans.
After leaving education, he undertook a role of sales & marketing development with Blackroc for 2 years and then to broaden his experience he joined a well-established and well respected company specialising in the metal fabrication sector, for a further 6 years, eventually carving out his own role as Business & Operations Manager.
He left that role to gain valuable finance experience in the banking sector, where he gained valuable knowledge of finance by working for a major UK merchant Bank.
Recognising the opportunity presented by rejoining Blackroc in small business consultancy and investment, he left the banking sector to take up his new role as COO of Blackroc Enterprise.
Ed is a versatile, highly capable business professional with an entrepreneurial spirit, whose experience covers multiple faculties within business.