www.printitreseller.uk PRINT, MFP, SOFTWARE, SERVICES, DOCUMENT & CLOUD NEWS & INFORMATION FOR VARS, CONVERGED RESELLERS & MFP DEALERS Entries Now Open www.printitawards.co.uk 2024 Get ready for the biggest show in town Royal Lancaster · December 3 Thanks to all our Sponsors* * Other Sponsorship opportunities are available! PRINT IT RESELLER MAGAZINE IN PRINT & ONLINE SINCE 2011 ISSUE 117 · 2024
The Convergent Technology Event for IT Resellers & Providers Cloud Services | MPS Workflow | Voice | Mobile | Software | Storage | Finance Security | Sustainability | UC | Mobility | Distribution | AV | SaaS | Ai | Comms | Billing Services | MSP | Document | ICT | UPS Tech Live 2024 will open its doors again on the 17th September 2024 at the Business Design Centre, London. If you are an ICT Professional, IT Reseller, MFP/Printer Dealer, Dealer, Reseller, MSP or VAR looking for new opportunities and products to add to your portfolio, being at Tech Live 2024 is a MUST. We already have an excellent mix of exhibitors offering a range of different propositions with even more in the pipeline PLUS we are putting together an informative and thought-provoking seminar programme for the event. We look forward to welcoming you on 17th September 2024. www.tech-live.co.uk Tech Live 2023 TO BOOK YOUR STAND – Call Ethan, Neil or Jeff on 01732 759 725 or Paul on 07887 944 433 or email [email protected] Business Design Centre · London · 17 September 2024 ICT · MANAGED IT · MOBILE · PRINT 24
PRINTITRESELLER.UK 3 Entries to the 2024 PrintIT Awards opened on May 1. The award categories will be judged by an independent panel of specialists handpicked by us based on their knowledge and experience of the marketplace. We’re delighted to invite you to meet the 2024 PrintIT Awards judging panel on page 22. One of the major developments this month was the news that Fujifilm is entering the UK market with a comprehensive range of office printers and MFPs and is collaborating with Aurora as its launch partner. PrintIT Reseller spoke to Andy Moffitt, CEO at Aurora and Gary Organ, Head of DT (Device Technology) UK at Fujifilm, about the OEM’s entry into the UK and the new partnership (page 29). Also in this issue, Penny Miles, Marketing Manager at UTAX (UK) Ltd, picks the work tools she uses every day and couldn’t do her job without (page 18). This month’s Q&A is with Frazer Keenan, Director, Vitale Digital, and PITR spent 60 seconds with Sam Elcock, Senior Recruitment Consultant, The Field Solutions Group. If you’ve got any news about your business to share, would like to be included on our monthly VOX POP panel, have a compelling business success story or simply wish to comment on any industry issues, please get in touch with me at: [email protected] Michelle Ryder, Editor PRINT.IT Reseller is published by Kingswood Media Ltd., 10 Amherst House, 22 London Road, Sevenoaks TN13 2BT • Tel: 01732 759725 Email: [email protected] www.printitreseller.uk No part of PRINT.IT Reseller can be reproduced without prior written permission of the publisher. ©2024 Kingswood Media Ltd. Design: Sandtiger Media www.sandtiger.co.uk 04 Bulletin Where do you take yours? 06 Bulletin What’s new in printers and printing 16 People A round-up of new hires 18 I couldn’t do my job without... Penny Miles picks her favourite work tools 20 A decade in print Wendy Sharp shares her print experiences over the past decade 22 PrintIT Awards Meet the judges 26 Focus on: What’s New A round-up of recent product launches 29 Interview Fujifilm partners with Aurora 34 Distribution DSales welcomed 80 dealer partners to its Yorkshire HQ 36 Insight Hot topics in the channel 40 VOX POP The impact of PSTI 46 Industry Insight Karen Aldred, Managing Director, Mayday Office Equipment 48 View from the Channel Frazer Keenan, Director, Vitale Digital 50 60 seconds with... Sam Elcock, Senior Recruitment Consultant, The Field Solutions Group 2024 ISSUE 117 printitreseller.uk Comment Register online To receive your regular FREE printed copy of PrintIT Reseller Magazine simply fill in our online registration form at www.printitreseller.uk/register If you no longer wish to receive PrintIT Reseller magazine please email your details to [email protected] Read PrintIT Reseller online at: www.printitreseller.uk Join us : Follow us @print-it-reseller-magazine Issue 117 ISSN 2055-3110 (Print) ISSN 2055-3129 (Online) Group Editor: James Goulding 07803 087228 · [email protected] Editor: Michelle Ryder 01732 759725 · [email protected] Publishing Director, Social Media and Web Editor: Neil Trim 01732 759725 · [email protected] Advertising Director: Ethan White 01732 759725 · [email protected] Account Manager: Jeff Root 07976 950285 · [email protected] Art Director: Nick Pledge 07767 615983 · [email protected] COMMENT Lexmark MPS Express Our turnkey cloud solution frees your customers and their teams from day-today printer management Scan the QR code to contact us now 20 24 Royal Lancaster · December 3 PRINT IT RESELLER MAGAZINE IN PRINT & ONLINE SINCE 2011
BULLETIN 01732 759725 4 Where do you take yours? We’re all about championing print at PrintIT Reseller, and we’d love to know where you read your issue. Whether it's atop a mountain, on a deserted beach, or even in the heart of a bustling city. We want to see where our magazine travels with YOU! This month, DSales UK held an open day at its HQ (see page 34), and it was great to see so many partners taking time out to catch up on the latest news in the industry. We’re delighted that so many of our readers are taking on the challenge and sending us pix of them reading PrintIT Reseller in unusual settings. Keep them coming!! We want to see where you take your issue, so get the camera out and send me a pix of yourself reading PrintIT Reseller in the most unusual, far-flung spot you can find, and you could be featured in our next issue! You can reach me at [email protected] UK businesses embracing multi-cloud Nutanix sixth annual Enterprise Cloud Index (ECI) survey and research report revealed that 84% of UK respondents are adopting a cloud smart stance, placing the applications and workloads in datacentres, multiple clouds, the network edge and wherever they feel is the best match for them. In the UK, hybrid multi-cloud models are set to increase from 19% today to 26% over the next three years with use of multiple public clouds set to increase from 11% today to 46% in one to three years. That latter number is well ahead of EMEA and global figures. The top five drivers of deployment platform choice are performance (55%), cost management (53%), data sovereignty/privacy (44%), ransomware/malware protection (33%) and flexibility (33%). Other factors included support for sophisticated data services such as backup and snapshots, ability to deploy AI optimally, and sustainability. www.nutanix.com Large businesses floundering to tackle cyber threats Cyber security firm IDEE commissioned an independent survey of more than 500 IT and cyber security professionals within UK businesses. It found that 74% of respondents from large businesses (more than 500 employees) believe it has become far more challenging to defend against cyber-attacks since the COVID-induced rise of remote and hybrid working – only 50% of respondents from small businesses (less than 50 employees) said the same thing. The survey also found that 32% of respondents from small businesses are unaware of the reputational cost of a cyber-attack, but only half as many (16%) respondents from large organisations were similarly unaware. www.getidee.com David Nuttall, Head of Distributor Sales, Konica Minolta James Hosking, Sales Director, DSales Paul Kamlesh, Technical Director, Copybox Tanika Paul, Account Executive, Copybox Ryan Eastwood, Managing Director, CSL Business Design Centre · London · 17 September 2024 ICT · MANAGED IT · MOBILE · PRINT 24 tech-live.co.uk
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BULLETIN Kodak Alaris Partners with ASL Group Kodak Alaris has announced a new partnership with ASL, one of the largest managed office services suppliers in the UK. The alliance will see ASL extend its extensive multi-vendor technology solutions offering to include awardwinning scanners and software solutions from Kodak Alaris, backed by professional services and support. Following an uptick in demand from customers looking to convert stacks of paper into actionable digital information to drive productivity and efficiency, ASL conducted a comprehensive review of the data capture market, evaluating several vendor offerings across hardware, software and professional services. “This assessment phase is a key component of our partner selection and onboarding process,” said Mark Asbridge, Solutions Sales Manager at ASL. “We’re committed to delivering best-in-class solutions and services to our customers, and as such we need to ensure that a potential partner has both a strong product offering and the ability to deliver consistent excellence in terms of support and professional services. Kodak Alaris clearly showcased its commitment to helping partners succeed through a combination of its comprehensive hardware and software solutions offering, deep technical expertise, pre- and post-sales support across project scoping and delivery, and ongoing after-sales service.” With this partnership, ASL will offer customers a comprehensive range of document scanners from Kodak Alaris, spanning standalone wireless and networked desktop devices, to high-volume production models. Scanners from Kodak Alaris have easy-to-use batch scanning, barcode and indexing capabilities built-in and include advanced out of the box features such as Smart Touch technology, which enables end-users to scan and send information with one-touch ease. These features, combined with professional services support will meet the majority of ASL’s customer requirements, for clients with more complex capture requirements, ASL will also offer adjacent solutions from Kodak Alaris, including KODAK Capture Pro Software which is engineered to work seamlessly with any document scanner. Simon Whapshott Marketing and Business Development Officer at ASL said: “Kodak Alaris is a dedicated scanner hardware and digital transformation (DX) software specialist – that’s their core business and area of specialism. This partnership will enable us to open up new conversations around document management and help our customers fast-track their digital transformation, automate critical processes, and deliver customised workflows for business optimisation.” www.alarisworld.com Aurora chosen by CBG Aurora has been selected as an accredited supplier of the Charities Buying Group (CBG) framework agreement. The partnership with CBG enables Aurora to provide a comprehensive range of managed services tailored not just for charities and not-for-profits, but also for the wider eligible public sector bodies. Richard Pole, Aurora’s Enterprise Director of Sales said: “Aurora is excited to leverage our expertise and expand our service portfolio to shape the future of the CBG framework and the organisations it serves.” www.aurora.co.uk 01732 759725 6 Managed print for Muscle Dreams Parallel Office and Document Solutions is supporting The Muscle Help Foundation (MHF) charity’s mission of delivering life-changing experiences, known as Muscle Dreams for vulnerable children and young people living with muscular dystrophy across the UK. The company will donate a percentage of the cost per copy rates on all new managed print service contracts to the MHF. This initiative, aptly titled Managed Print for Muscle Dreams, aims to fund more ‘Muscle Dreams’ experiences for beneficiaries and their families. MHF’s online Muscle Dreams includes bespoke well-being programmes delivered virtually that focus on improving mental health and boosting emotional wellness. Tailored Muscle Dream interventions are carefully designed to promote well-being, boost physiological and psychological wellness, improve confidence and communication skills, uplift morale, and increase resilience, as well as help participants celebrate their strengths. The aim is to use this initiative to help fulfil more ‘Muscle Dreams’ for vulnerable children and young people across the UK. These experiences not only boost confidence and improve self-esteem but also help drive social connections for families who feel alone, isolated, and helpless. The vital funds raised from this initiative will help the charity fulfil its 657 Muscle Dream mission. https://parallel-group.co.uk Keeley Travis partners with Intuitive Experienced DocuWare gold partner, Keeley Travis has been named a new reseller of Intuitive Dashboards for DocuWare. The Intuitive Dashboards enhance the Keeley Travis solutions portfolio as a leading UK provider of document management and automation solutions. As an Intuitive valued-added reseller, Keeley Travis will work with Intuitive to provide dashboards that make it easy to visualise data from key business process systems that use DocuWare. Paul Travis, Director of Keeley Travis said: “We are delighted to incorporate Intuitive Dashboards into our portfolio. We are always looking to provide added-value to our customers, and the Intuitive Dashboards for DocuWare are a great addition. With Intuitive Dashboards, we are able to help our customers easily visualise the data in their DocuWare systems in realtime in order to improve process management in areas that we specialise in such as HR, Invoice Processing, and recruitment.” Roger Stocker, Intuitive CEO added: “We are delighted to welcome Keeley Travis as a reseller for our DocuWare dashboards. The Keeley Travis DocuWare consultancy team coupled with our dashboards and expertise will prove a winning combination for customers. Managing your business processes in DocuWare will now be so much better as you can easily visualise what’s happening.” https://weareintuitive.com www.keeley-travis.co.uk
BULLETIN Running for charity A team of runners from EBM Managed Services entered the Colchester Zoo Stampede 10k which took place on April 28. The event, in aid of mid and northeast Essex MIND sees participants running 1k through the Colchester Zoo, home to over 260 species and set in 60 acres of parkland and lakes, before heading out onto closed roads before finishing back inside the zoo. www.ebmltd.co.uk Event sponsorship IT Document Solutions recently sponsored the Office Management Group Show at The Royal Horseguards Hotel, London. In addition to the exhibition, this event included a range of insightful seminars and guest speakers including Naomi Riches MBE PLY DL Hon DUniv (BNU). www.itdocumentsolutions.com PRINTITRESELLER.UK 7 Northamber acquires Tempura Communications Northamber has completed the acquisition of Tempura Communications, a specialist provider of unified communications and collaboration solutions. This strategic move further strengthens the distie’s position in the technology solutions market and enhances its portfolio of offerings to customers both in the UK and Europe. Matthew Light, Managing Director of Tempura Communications said: “We see a great many synergies with Northamber, including its culture, products and services and I am pleased to be joining the senior management team of a founder friendly business and to become a shareholder in the company. Joining forces with Northamber presents an exciting opportunity for Tempura and our customers. Together, we will be able to leverage Northamber’s extensive experience, resources and industry-leading expertise to accelerate our growth and better serve the evolving needs of businesses.” Alex Phillips, Chairman of Northamber PLC, added: “We are delighted to welcome Matthew and the Tempura team into the Northamber group. Over the last 20 years they have established a very strong reputation for consistently delivering high quality services and solutions, greatly valued by customers. This acquisition aligns perfectly with our commitment to offering comprehensive technology solutions to our customers.” www.northamberplc.com AI industry ecosystem community TD SYNNEX has launched a new industry ecosystem community that will bring together ISVs, innovators, partners, vendors and representatives from industries to share ideas, create partnerships and develop new solutions using artificial intelligence and large language model (LLM) technologies. It is also hoped that delegates from industry sectors where there is immediate potential to benefit from the deployment of AI will participate. Neil Cornish, Business Manager, Industry Ecosystems, UK, TD SYNNEX, said: “Everyone is excited about AI and sees the potential to benefit. But the question perhaps is how, exactly, a specific sector or organisation can harness the power of large language models to deliver those expected beneficial outcomes. That’s the fundamental question that our industry ecosystem community will seek to address. “We will bring together businesses and individuals with different skills and resources who can help each other. They may have an interest in developing solutions, but little or no technical knowledge of AI. Or they may be experts who can build systems but need help in applying their skills to real-world use cases. Some participants may be potential investors or end-user organisations. The whole idea is to identify how and where AI can be of the most immediate benefit – and to start putting all those different skills and capabilities together to create new solutions.” TD SYNNEX already runs successful industry ecosystems for healthcare, financial services, manufacturing and for retail and distribution. There are also technology ecosystems that focus on cybersecurity and sustainability. https://uk.tdsynnex.com/ Exertis Enterprise expansion Exertis Enterprise has launched a major expansion of its integration facility in Basingstoke, enhancing technology integration, configuration, logistics and manufacturing services. This upgraded facility quadruples output capacity, and greatly increases the opportunity to add even more value to vendors and customers, such as rack scale integration/configuration and subcontract manufacturing services. This advancement allows Exertis Enterprise to better serve vendors and customers across the UK & EMEA, boosting inventory, responsiveness and delivery speeds, with a capacity of 20,000 units (server & storage) annually. Tom Cox, Commercial Director, said: "This expansion reflects our commitment to excellence and provides an environment for our team to excel." Strategically located for optimal logistics and distribution, this facility reaffirms Exertis Enterprise’s position at the forefront of technology solutions distribution. "This milestone represents a significant investment in our future, and a true commitment to our partners to support their growth aspirations," Cox added. https://exertisenterprise.com Neil Cornish Alex Phillips
BULLETIN 01732 759725 8 Distributor of the year TD SYNNEX has been recognised for the continued investment and support it delivers to Veeam partners, being named as the vendor’s distributor of the year for the UK and Ireland for the fourth year in succession. The award reflects the exceptional growth that TD SYNNEX has driven through the 900-plus Veeam partners it manages or engages with in the UK and Ireland. It also acknowledges the continued investment made in its Veeam business, and the close collaboration between its internal specialist teams and with Veeam’s key alliance partners. TD SYNNEX is the only UK distributor to hold Veeam Accredited Service Provider (VASP) status and able to offer fully-approved professional services on the vendor’s solutions. Additionally, it has a strong focus on Veeam’s strategic alliances and collaborations with other best of breed vendors, such as Microsoft, Sophos, and Wasabi, making use of TD SYNNEX’s specialism in these vendors to maximise attach rates and value-added opportunities. Virginia Cowles, Virtualisation Business Unit Manager, UK, TD SYNNEX, said: “Winning Veeam’s UK&I Distributor of the Year award in four consecutive years is a huge endorsement of our focussed approach. We always put our partners first and we have an expert team that understands the vendor and its programmes and knows exactly how to help partners maximise their opportunities. We also work closely with other TD SYNNEX teams to ensure that partners get all the support they need.” Over the past year, TD SYNNEX has continued to drive investment in Veeam and recently added several new members to its team. It continues to provide partners with regular updates and training. These include quarterly Veeam Partner Academy sessions that focus on how to sell current and new Veeam solutions and drive profitable business. According to Cowles, further investment is already being planned for the year ahead. “The next year promises to be a really exciting one for Veeam partners. We will be looking to deepen our collaboration with alliance vendors and make use of our exclusive status as a VASP to offer even more professional services options to partners.” https://uk.tdsynnex.com/ Snom recognises partners Snom has recognised two distribution partners for their sales performance, customer support and in-depth knowledge of Snom products. ProVu and Electronic Frontier have been awarded Platinum Distributor and Gold Distributor status respectively for another year. www.snom.com/ Data insights tool Westcon-Comstor has added a new data insights tool to its PartnerCentral digital marketplace platform, giving partners a consolidated view of transactional data and the ability to track trends by geography, enduser and product type. Patrick Aronson, Chief Marketing Officer and APAC Executive Vice President at Westcon-Comstor, said: “By providing a single source of truth for transactional data, we’re empowering partners to make more informed decisions, optimise their operations and compete effectively as they look to accelerate their journey to an everything-as-a-service (XaaS) future.” In a survey for the distie’s recent Bridging the Gap report, 59% of partners strongly agreed that the future of distribution lies in the provision of data-led insights. Gaining access to the right data was identified as the biggest challenge facing partners as they transition to recurring revenue models. www.westconcomstor.com Exertis raises £125k for Mental Health UK Exertis has raised £125,000 for Mental Health UK, bringing its FY24 partnership with the charity to a close. Rob Harding, Partnerships Manager at Mental Health UK, said: “We really cannot thank the people of Exertis enough for their dedication, passion and desire to improve the lives of people affected by poor mental health. Thank you so much for having been our charity partner and for continuing to make mental health a priority within Exertis.” For the new fiscal year, instead of supporting one charity, employees voted in favour of selecting local charities to raise money for. The eight charities benefitting from Exertis’s fundraising monies in FY25 include St Michael’s Hospice in Basingstoke, East Lancashire Hospice in Burnley, Overgate Hospice in Elland, St Clare Hospice in Harlow, Prospect Hospice for Hypertec, Teens Unite for MTR, The Big Issue in Snetterton and DougieMac in Stoke. Michaela DeGale, Charity and Volunteering Lead at Exertis UK, said: “We are committed to supporting the local communities around our offices in the UK. This year, we are excited to be supporting smaller, local charities through a variety of fundraising efforts. Our employees are dedicated to finding innovative ways to fundraise and volunteer, and we believe that by working together, we can make a positive impact on the lives of those around us.” www.exertis.co.uk Meet the Judges – p22 2024 Patrick Aronson
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01732 759725 BULLETIN 10 Katun releases distribution centre video Katun has released a new business video designed to highlight the innovative capabilities and efficiencies of the Katun Distribution Centre in Tiel, The Netherlands. The building has seen transformation after extensive strategic planning and interior modifications to ensure optimal use of the facility for both employee well-being and operational purposes. Viewers will have the opportunity to witness the advanced technology, logistical competence, sustainable practices and streamlined order fulfilment processes throughout the distribution centre. The narrative takes the viewer on a journey from when a customer order is received, right through to dispatch. www.katun.com/eu Refurbished printers and copiers The Recycling Factory (TRF), DCI’s recycling and refurbishing collection arm is expanding its range of eco-offerings by introducing a range of refurbished printers and copiers. Refurbished devices are ideal for organisations looking to expand corporate sustainable practices and reach sustainable goals. With the growth of eco-conscious customers, TRF’s recycled printers range help businesses reduce costs as well as gain a competitive advantage with its remanufactured and refurbished products. The company has 1000s of makes and models in stock. www.dci.co.uk New collaboration Cohesity is collaborating with Intel to bring Intel’s confidential computing capabilities to the Cohesity Data Cloud. Leveraged with Fort Knox, Cohesity’s cyber vault service, this data-in-use encryption innovation will be the first of its kind in the data management industry. Sanjay Poonen, CEO and President of Cohesity said: “With Intel SGX, Intel Trust Authority, and confidential computing, our customers will benefit from reduced risk and increased security in cloud environments, allowing them to focus on what really matters, their business.” www.cohesity.com DocuWare acquires software startup DocuWare has acquired natif.ai, one of the most innovative startups in Germany’s booming tech landscape to strengthen its AI offerings. Postacquisition, DocuWare plans that natif.ai and its expert team will remain in the AI hotspot of Saarbrücken, Germany. “This is a highly significant and strategic acquisition for us. It allows us to provide our customers around the world with cutting-edge AI technology, which is vital to business growth and progress. Combining the expertise of the natif. ai team with ours will take DocuWare to the next level as an ECM leader,” said DocuWare President Dr Michael Berger. https://start.docuware.com Channel growth Netwrix has increased its global channel partnership network by 36% within the last two years and entered 2024 with more than 2,800 partners worldwide. In particular, Netwrix has increased its network of managed service providers by 35%, partnering with more than 600 MSPs globally. Currently, every third deal (34%) at Netwrix is closed through channel partners. Chief Revenue Officer Steven Hollins said: “We stay committed to our channel-first strategy. We aim to provide our partners with easy access to deal registration, training, and marketing materials for our solutions that enable organisations to secure their Active Directory, govern access to sensitive data, manage privileged accounts, secure passwords, and many more. By growing our businesses together with the partners, we ensure a brighter digital future for organisations around the globe.” www.netwrix.com Strategic partnership Circular Computing has announced a new strategic partnership with Total IT Global to supply the world’s first BSI-certified remanufactured laptops. Companies will now have access to certified carbon-neutral IT hardware that produces only 6.34% of CO2 emissions compared with an average new laptop, according to a peerreviewed scientific study by Cranfield University. The partnership will help clients scale faster and more effectively, with Total IT Global’s asset financing, tech support and device as a service (DaaS), providing a holistic solution for environmentally responsible IT deployment. Akhil Gupta, Chief Executive Officer of Total IT Global, said: "This collaboration will open new vistas for enterprises to choose responsibly and make a measured impact towards sustainability." Rod Neale, Founder and CEO of Circular Computing, added: “We’re excited to collaborate with Total IT Global which has a global presence supporting the end customers’ digital journey. High quality, reliable, second-life hardware is a big part of the solution to both climate change and the e-waste crisis, and this partnership is yet another stepping stone towards making a truly circular economy a reality. Remanufacturing is the new new, and I couldn’t be happier with the progress the industry has made in recent months.” https://circularcomputing.com www.totalitglobal.com Sanjay Poonen 2 0 24 See page 47
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01732 759725 12 BULLETIN A single point of contact Epson UK has introduced a new end-user sales team to offer business customers a single point of contact for its entire business portfolio, while retaining its channel-only sales model. The new team will address a common industry pain point whereby businesses are forced to deal with multiple sales teams, and often multiple resellers, to access multiple solutions across just one brand. Epson’s B2B portfolio is broad, comprising commercial and industrial printing solutions, projectors, AR smart glasses, robotics, and PaperLab – its in-office paper recycling machine. Many of these technologies are used in combination with one another as they address cross-purpose solutions for different verticals. The difficulty arises as many brands have sales teams limited to one product area, while their reseller partners might stock one range but not another, forcing the business customer to liaise with multiple brand and reseller sales teams. Epson’s new end-user sales team is designed to handle all cross-product, cross-channel arrangements so that the customer only needs to liaise with one Epson specialist for all Epson solutions. The team includes Jason Walcott, Dan Bacon, Dave McLuckie, Dominic Kennedy and Eric Hamer. Jason Walcott, Corporate End-User Sales Manager, said: “Years in the IT industry has taught me that IT vendors will design their business structure around their products, not their customers. But most businesses want solutions, not simply ‘products’, and by providing easier access across Epson’s full range, businesses can enjoy the consistency of Epson’s product quality, user-interface, and sustainability benefits.” The new team is also being adopted across other countries in Europe to offer end-users frictionless trade when procuring Epson technologies across different countries. www.epson.co.uk Community clean-up PaperCut participated in a company-wide cleanup across all its offices in honour of Earth Day last month. This initiative reflects the company's long-standing and ongoing dedication to sustainability and community engagement. As part of its Earth Day 2024 celebration, the company mobilised its global workforce – including those at its Bracknell office - for a significant environmental initiative. On the week commencing April 22, employees across PaperCut’s various offices worldwide dedicated their morning to cleaning up the streets surrounding their workplaces. This hands-on effort is designed to not only tidy the local areas but also instil a sense of environmental responsibility and community spirit among the participants and those in the surrounding area. The clean-up day is part of the company’s broader sustainability agenda, which includes significant efforts to reduce waste, enhance efficiency, and promote eco-friendly practices within the print management industry. www.papercut.com Sustainability rating for Konica Minolta Konica Minolta is in the top 5% of companies rated by EcoVadis in all industries. The company has received a Gold Medal (its ninth consecutive medal) in recognition of its sustainability achievement. Olaf Jonas, General Manager Environmental Social Governance, Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe, said: “Receiving a medal from EcoVadis for nine consecutive years is testament to our company-wide global commitment to make a positive environmental and social impact, through our own company initiatives and frameworks as well as supporting the goals of international programmes.” www.konicaminolta.co.uk 15 year partnership Brother International Europe is marking 15 years since first joining forces with the Cool Earth rainforest conservation charity, becoming their longest-serving commercial partner. Since the partnership began in 2009 Brother has been supporting seven communities across the Amazon and New Guinea forest, protecting 32 million trees across 78,000 hectares, which store over 50 million tonnes of carbon and are crucial in combatting climate change. Hisashi Ota, Managing Director of Brother International said: “We are proud to have worked with Cool Earth for such a long time. Our “At your side” vision is always to provide our customers with exceptional products and service, whilst also doing what we can to limit our impact on the planet, and through Cool Earth we are able to support vital work being conducted across the globe.” Some of the activities so far have included improving water, sanitation and hygiene access for over 2,500 people in Papua New Guinea, and the launch of Cool Earth's Rainforest Lab in Peru providing access to Wi-Fi, technology and mapping tools so communities can protect their territories from threats. Matthew Owen, Director of Cool Earth added: “We are immensely proud of the achievements we have made working with Brother Europe, which not only support the conservation of the rainforest but also provide social and economic impacts, ranging from sustaining livelihoods to providing income and food security for Indigenous communities”. www.brother.co.uk Rainforest Labs puts land-use data into the hands of the Indigenous villages that need it most.
01732 759725 14 BULLETIN Challenges implementing AI AvePoint’s inaugural AI and Information Management Report in collaboration with the Association for Intelligent Information Management (AIIM) and the Centre for Information Policy Leadership (CIPL) found that organisations with more mature information management (IM) strategies are 1.5x more likely to realise benefits from AI than those with less mature strategies. According to the survey, fewer than half of organisations are confident they can use AI safely today. Before implementing AI, 71% were concerned about data privacy and security, while 61% were concerned about quality and categorisation of internal data. Fewer than half have an AI acceptable use policy, despite widespread use of publicly available generative AI tools (65% of organisations use ChatGPT and 40% use Google Gemini today). Chris Shaw, UKI&SA Country Channel Manager at AvePoint said: “Our survey reveals that many organisations struggle with information management and data privacy, and these problems are only going to get worse as reliance on AI increases and more data is produced. Working with AvePoint, channel partners can provide a comprehensive data privacy and management strategy to their customers so they can continue to thrive in the digital workplace.” www.avepoint.com IT is the best choice for remote roles Almost every third job in IT is remote, making the sector a leader when it comes to flexible working, a new study by electronic retailer Currys reveals. Since the end of the pandemic there has been a shift in mentality for many desk workers in the UK, with nearly half of them (49%) stating their desire for a flexible role has increased. A staggering 43% of Brits said they would NOT apply for an advertised job if the description didn’t explicitly state that it was flexible. To find out which industries offer more work-from-home jobs and the average salaries, Currys analysed 762 remote job listings to see which industry offered the most remote roles and which offered the highest average salary for this working situation. The analysis revealed that the highest percentage of remote roles were in the IT industry (29%), followed by financial services (21%) and then sales (16%). Remote jobs in IT also offered the highest average salary for their work-from-home positions, with £60,148 being the average salary for a remote role in this industry. Optimism around tech investment Colt Technology Services has published insights uncovered by new research of over 1,000 IT leaders in 12 countries. The results revealed optimism in tech budgets as businesses invest in their IT infrastructure to deliver growth plans. Almost 8 in 10 (79%) expect to increase their tech budgets over the next one to three years. Improving security (40%) and adding AI and machine learning capabilities (31%) top the list of priorities for investment. One in four businesses is using IT infrastructure to explore new revenue streams. The research also highlights growing concerns around the environmental impact of IT networks. One in five (20%) named ‘understanding the environmental impact of their IT infrastructure’ in their top three priorities and around the same (19%) named reducing the environmental impact of their IT infrastructure as a priority. www.colt.net Flexible frustrations Research conducted by Opinion Matters on behalf of Ricoh Europe, polled 2,000 workers and 300 decision-makers across the UK and Ireland and found that flexible working remains a top priority for UK and Irish workers. The study reveals that the majority of organisations lack the technology to support flexible working, with less than a third (28%) of UK & Irish employees saying they have all the technology to collaborate seamlessly when working with other colleagues. Just under one in six (15%) employees do not have access to essential collaboration software such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom, whilst nearly a third (28%) do not have access to any collaboration hardware/hybrid meeting technology (e.g. AV technology such as video conferencing), despite this being in demand. Insights show that business leaders recognise the problem, with one in four (25%) admitting that their collaboration tools are not up to industry standard which is making it hard for employees to do their day-to-day jobs. Surprisingly, only 14% of business decisionmakers cited providing an enhanced employee experience as a strategic priority for the year ahead. The research also shines a light on how business leaders should be placing employee satisfaction and experience at the forefront of their agenda this year. This starts with flexible working, as nearly a quarter (25%) of employees said that not being forced to work in the office but being given the right technology to work wherever benefits them would be a key way to increase their fulfilment at work. www.ricoh.co.uk tech-live.co.uk 24 17 September 2024 ICT • MANAGED IT MOBILE • PRINT Source: Colt Technology Services Brand Research 40% improving security 23% improving network flexibility 31% machine learning and AI capabilities One in four using IT infrastructure to explore new revenue streams Top Priorities for IT leaders in 2024 understanding the environmental impact of IT infrastructure 20% expect to increase their tech budgets in the next 1-3 years 79%
Business class printers and toner. Up to 40% profit. * Gap Intelligence OEM street price comparison. ©2024 Xerox Corporation. All rights reserved. Xerox® and ConnectKey® are trademarks of Xerox Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. At Xerox, we’re working differently — because we know you are too. Become a Xerox partner to drive new, profitable SMB opportunities and stay competitive in every environment. Our printers, toner, software and services will boost your business and ensure your customers reach peak performance. Print, share and collaborate with innovative, secure platforms such as Xerox® ConnectKey® to enhance employees’ experience wherever they work. Simplify and automate tasks to save time and money with Xerox workflow apps. Save on toner costs for major printer brands. End users usually save 50-60%* with Everyday Toner by Xerox. We’re with you and ready. Find out how our people, products and services could change your business. Scan this QR code or visit xerox.co.uk/pro
01732 759725 16 BULLETIN : PEOPLE Industry veteran leads Katun’s growth initiatives Katun has announced the appointment of Kay Fernandez as Vice President of Global Marketing. With over two decades of strategic marketing experience in the imaging and technology sectors, Fernandez brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her new role. Her proven track record of driving innovative marketing initiatives and fostering strategic partnerships will be instrumental in furthering Katun’s growth and market presence. Fernandez joins Katun from her previous role as Senior Vice President of Marketing and Global Branding at a leading imaging solutions provider, where she spearheaded numerous successful marketing campaigns and played a pivotal role in expanding the company’s global footprint. In her new position, Fernandez will lead Katun’s marketing efforts, including brand development, digital marketing, public relations, and customer engagement strategies. She will work closely with the executive team to drive awareness, accelerate growth and strengthen Katun’s position as a trusted partner to businesses worldwide. www.katun.com Integra CEO celebrates 30 year anniversary Integra CEO Aidan McDonough is celebrating 30 years of service with industry leading dealer group, Integra Business Solutions. With an unwavering belief in the independent dealer channel, McDonough has successfully steered the group over the last 30 years, achieving numerous accolades along the way including Business Leader of the Year at last year’s BOSS Industry Awards. He also represents independent dealers as a member of the BOSS Federation Board and on a global scale as Chairman of BPGI. He said: “I feel honoured to have worked with so many dealers over the last 30 years and to have been surrounded by a team of dedicated professionals who work incredibly hard to deliver our support and service proposition. “The strong partnerships we have with members, our key distributors, wholesalers, and suppliers, underpins our ‘strength through unity’ ethos and I would like to thank everyone for their continued support.” www.integra-business.co.uk Weedall to lead Spicers dealer division Spicers has announced the appointment of OT Group’s Chief Operations Officer, Martin Weedall, as the new leader of its dealer division. Weedall will take the lead in aligning sales and customer service strategies with operational enhancements to improve service levels and customer experience across the Spicers’ dealer network. Director of Sales Steve Morley will work closely with him to implement these strategies, ensuring sales efforts are fully coordinated with operational goals. This concerted effort will deliver significant benefits to Spicers’ dealers, ensuring they receive the highest standard of service and support. Weedall has been part of OT Group, the parent company of Spicers, since 2022, joining from EVO Group, where he held senior sales and operations positions across VOW and Banner for more than three decades. OT Group CEO, Andrew Jones said: “With Martin’s experience and knowledge of the wholesale channel, he is ideally placed to lead Spicers. His leadership will build upon the robust foundation we now have in place and will ensure our commitment to excellence and reliability is maintained.” www.spicers.co.uk PPC Solutions expands team PPC Solutions has appointed Kestas Vaivada as Technical Support Engineer. Vaivada has been in the printer/copier industry for over 15 years and brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to his new role. He will be responsible for managing any QA issues that arise as well as new product development and testing. www.ppcsolutions.com Konica Minolta strengthens industrial print team Mark Bladon has joined Konica Minolta as its new Major Accounts Sales Specialist – Industrial Print. As part of an experienced team, Bladon will help organisations in the print and packaging sectors to harness the potential of the company’s portfolio of digital print solutions. www.konicaminolta.co.uk New hire at Hexa Finance Hexa Finance has named Robert Inchley as Head of Wholesale Finance. Inchley brings more than 30 years of experience having worked for technology funders such as GE Capital, BNP Paribas, Siemens and Quartz. In his new role, he will be evaluating and enhancing the current products on offer for technology providers operating in the IT, managed service, communications and reprographics space as well as funding mechanisms for emerging technologies, in particular green tech. Stuart Mason, Co-Founder of Hexa Finance said: “Robert’s appointment solidifies our commitment to helping technology providers sell more product, but also address many of the funding challenges for their customers. We are determined to add more flexible funding solutions to empower businesses of all sizes to continue to grow.” www.hexafinance.co.uk Kay Fernandez Martin Weedall Mark Bladon Aidan McDonough and Integra’s Chairman, Carl Dovey
Director’s Cut 2023 The Director’s Cut 2024 June – Venue: Home Grown Club Mayfair You are invited to address potentially new and existing partners in the IT, ICT, Print and Comms Channel in a slightly different way! Over 3 days our editors would like to interview 15 Vendors and Distributors to find out among other things... A: Has the market delivered what you expected over the first 5 months of this year? B: Will your company plans change over the next 6 months? C: What do you think the challenges will be over the next 6 months? D: What you couldn’t do your job without? Your interview will be recorded then streamed, published, and promoted through the Technology Reseller and Print IT Reseller multiple platforms. We will, of course, give you a copy of the interview so you can use it on your own platforms. Cost – £P.O.A. and you will receive: • A copy of the interview • Editorial coverage in Technology Reseller Magazine and website • Editorial coverage in Print IT Reseller Magazine and website • Streamed Video on both websites • E-cast to the full database of Kingswood Media. • LinkedIn promotion for the duration. To book your slot or for more information please call Ethan, Neil or Jeff on 01732 759 725 or Paul on 07887 944 433. No one else has the reach and penetration of our market leading channel products, covering ITC, MSPs and MPS Resellers. Monday June 10th Tuesday June 11th Wednesday June 12th 10.00am Booked 11.45am Booked Booked Booked 1.00pm Booked Booked 2.30pm Booked Booked Booked 4.00pm Booked Booked Book your slot today: Join us for a long as you like during the day. Full refreshments will be available. IN PRINT & ONLINE
01732 759725 18 WORKPLACE Penny Miles, Marketing Manager at UTAX (UK) Ltd, picks the tools she uses every day and couldn’t do her job without I couldn’t do my job without... e Thermos I am always cold, and an avid tea drinker, so I like to have a warm cup of herbal tea to hold while I work. A standard cup of tea goes cold pretty quickly, so I use the thermos to avoid having to get up every hour for a warm cup! r Wordpress I absolutely love working with WordPress. As a marketeer I like to be able to edit our websites easily but don’t have the varied knowledge of a website developer. WordPress is the ideal website management platform for those in my situation because it is so easy to navigate, edit HTML code, add images, products and articles. The ‘preview’ function is perfect for checking your edits before making the page live. q Music Whether I’m working from home in a silent house or in the busy office, I find music helps me drown out distractions and focus on the task at hand. I keep it to relaxing background music with no vocals, so I’m not distracted by lyrics. w Canva This design software is user-friendly and intuitive. If you’re like me, and like everything to line up and look aesthetically pleasing, Canva makes it easy to achieve this. It has a plethora of graphics, images and videos available to create engaging and creative content. It is also a great tool for sharing designs between teams and with external parties - who are able to set up a free account to make basic edits to artwork before downloading. t Microsoft Dynamics As our CRM system, Microsoft Dynamics is like our Bible. It has the ability to monitor and report on so many different aspects of client management, making it an integral tool for marketing. Whether it’s managing access to our Partnersite, tracking sales activity or getting updates from the finance team, Microsoft Dynamics provides a unified platform to record all activities with our partners. www.utax.co.uk Penny Miles
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