PRINT, MFP, SOFTWARE, SERVICES, DOCUMENT & CLOUD NEWS & INFORMATION FOR VARS, CONVERGED RESELLERS & MFP DEALERS 20 25 Royal Lancaster · December 2 Find out who made the shortlists See page 22 www.printitreseller.uk ISSUE 133 · 2025 PRINT IT RESELLER MAGAZINE IN PRINT & ONLINE SINCE 2011 See page 32 CO3 Technologies ensures profitable, transparent, stress-free MPS
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04 Bulletin Where do you take yours? 06 Bulletin News from the channel 16 People A round-up of new hires 18 I couldn’t do my job without... Debbie Callaghan picks her favourite work tools 22 PrintIT Awards Find out who made the 2025 shortlists 26 Focus on: What’s New A round-up of recent product launches 28 One-to-one Nick Taylor, Head of Office Print Sales, Epson 30 A decade in print Julia Harrison shares her print experiences over the past decade 32 Cover Story CO3 Technologies ensures profitable, transparent, stress‑free MPS 34 Interview David Malan talks about digital innovation and AI 36 Interview MyQ advances on‑prem and cloud‑first solutions 39 VOX POP An industry at an inflection point – part one 46 Industry Insight Khalid Aziz, B2B Marketing Director, Canon UK & Ireland 48 View from the Channel John Green, Managing Director, Commerce Business Systems 50 60 seconds with… Yanis Balan, Digital & Tech Solutions Consultant, Ricoh UK COMMENT The PrintIT Awards judging panel came together on September 11 to discuss and debate which companies deserved to win a 2025 PrintIT award. I have to say it was no easy feat, not only did we receive a recordbreaking number of entries this year, but the quality of the submissions was top-notch too, which made our jobs a whole lot harder. Congratulations to everyone who made the shortlists (check out pages 22 to 25) - that in itself is something that should be applauded, and I look forward to revealing the winners and celebrating your successes at the Royal Lancaster on December 2. If you haven’t already booked your place, call us on 01732 759 725, download the booking form at www. printitawards.co.uk or email us at [email protected]. Also in this issue, Debbie Callaghan, Marketing Manager at RISO UK, picks the work tools she uses every day and couldn’t do her job without (page 18). This month’s Q&A is with John Green, Managing Director, Commerce Business Systems, and PITR spent 60 seconds with Yanis Balan, Digital & Tech Solutions Consultant, Ricoh UK. 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 Editor’s 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 Read PrintIT Reseller online at: www.printitreseller.uk Join us : Follow us @print-it-reseller-magazine PRINT IT RESELLER MAGAZINE IN PRINT & ONLINE SINCE 2011 PrintIT Reseller is published by Kingswood Media Ltd., 7 Amherst House, 22 London Road, Sevenoaks TN13 2BT • Tel: 01732 759725 Email: [email protected] www.printitreseller.uk No part of PrintIT Reseller can be reproduced without prior written permission of the publisher. ©2025 Kingswood Media Ltd. 2025 ISSUE 133 printitreseller.uk If you no longer wish to receive PrintIT Reseller magazine please email your details to [email protected] 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] Designer: Brian Cloke 07484 288189 · [email protected] Issue 133 ISSN 2055-3110 (Print) ISSN 2055-3129 (Online) PRINTITRESELLER.UK 3
01732 759725 4 BULLETIN BULLETIN Where do you take yours? We’re all about championing print at PrintIT Reseller. We want to see where you take your issue and where our magazine travels with YOU! So don’t forget to get your camera out and get some pix of yourself reading our magazine in the most unusual, far-flung spot you can find! Neil Trim and I met up with the Brother UK team at their Manchester HQ recently, and naturally, everyone took some time to check out the latest issue, hot off the press. Please send your pix to me at [email protected] for a chance to see your face (and your favourite pages) featured in our next issue. Phil Jones, Managing Director, Brother UK with Michelle Ryder and Neil Trim (l-r) Caitlyn Bloor, Senior Channel Marketing Executive and Lesley Howe, Channel Development Manager Victoria Howarth, Channel Marketing Executive Phil Jones
KYOCERA Document Solutions (UK) Limited Award winning Kyocera Cloud Print and Scan. Kyocera’s cloud based solution empowers agile workplaces and hybrid workers to print from multiple locations using Print&Follow™ and scan directly to the cloud. As well as reducing obstacles to productivity, Kyocera Cloud Print and Scan helps businesses control their print costs by eliminating the costs and hassle of managing your on-premises print servers while allowing you to assign group print policies to company users, improving their print behaviour and better managing print costs. Learn more online with the QR code or by visiting kyoceradocumentsolutions.co.uk/kcps DISCOVER MORE
01732 759725 6 BULLETIN Driving sustainable change At the end of August, Agilico welcomed like-minded organisations to its head office to an event focused on sustainability action, co-hosted by the Hampshire Chamber of Commerce. The inaugural Hampshire Sustainability Action Network Meetup underpins a county-wide commitment to taking a more environmentally friendly approach to doing business and was an ideal opportunity for the county’s forward-thinking business community to meet common challenges head on. Sam Saunders, Head of Marketing at Agilico said: “We’re proud to support the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals initiative and hosting events of this nature aligns with that commitment.” www.agilico.co.uk Charities Buying Group Framework partners with Apogee The Charities Buying Group (CBG) has selected Apogee as it chosen IT and telecoms partner, bringing comprehensive managed technology services to not-for-profit organisations across the UK. The partnership will enable charities to access enterprise-level solutions whilst maximising their limited resources and ensuring more funds can be directed towards their vital missions. Through the CBG framework, Apogee offers charities a complete suite of managed IT services designed to address their unique operational needs. These include device-as-a-service (DaaS) for accessing contemporary IT equipment through manageable monthly payments, comprehensive cyber security services to protect against increasing cyber threats, managed telecoms solutions for secure business communications, and estate review and analysis to optimise existing technology infrastructure. Each service is tailored to help charities maximise their limited resources whilst ensuring they have access to enterprise-grade technology that supports their vital work. “I am pleased to announce our new partnership here at the Charities Buying Group with Apogee. We have both been working on providing the best IT and telecoms solutions for our membership and this is now available. We look forward to a long-lasting relationship for the benefit of our membership,” said Michael Hodgetts, CEO of Charities Buying Group. Sam Procter, Apogee’s Director of Managed IT Services added: “This partnership represents a fantastic opportunity for charities to transform how they manage, secure, and utilise their technology. These services are designed to boost value whilst minimising expenditure of resources, which not-for-profits desperately need.” Apogee already works with charitable organisations including Barnardo’s, Change Grow Live, Milestones Trust, and Northern Ireland Hospice. By partnering with Apogee through the CBG framework, notfor-profit organisations can expect significant cost reduction through collective buying power, enhanced productivity with contemporary devices, improved security posture, reduced IT burden on internal teams, and better cash flow management. With over three decades of experience and as an independent subsidiary of HP Inc., Apogee brings enterprisegrade resources to the charity sector. This partnership represents a significant step forward in democratising access to professional IT and telecoms services for not-for-profit organisations across the UK. www.apogeecorp.com Brother recognises Burke Systems and Solutions Burke Systems and Solutions is the latest winner of the Brother Ireland ‘At Your Side’ award for 2025. The ethos behind the ‘At Your Side’ award is to recognise the Brother Ireland partner who has shown an exceptionally high level of achievement across a number of key areas in the business. This includes hardware sales, contract business, sustainability, corporate social responsibility, and marketing innovations. Brother Ireland’s Derek McGeehan said: “Presenting the award to Michael Burke during my most recent visit to Belfast was an absolute pleasure. The collaboration between myself and the team at Burke Systems and Solutions makes me feel like a part of their team. It is my privilege to work with them on projects. We have plenty of fun along the way.” In a statement Burke Systems and Solutions said: “We are thrilled to achieve a second ‘At Your Side’ award from Brother Ireland. These are hard to achieve and it comes off the back of our most successful month in printer sales. A huge thank you to Derek McGeehan who provides unwavering support in our quest to grow our presence in Northern Ireland.” www.burkesystems.co.uk Vision retains place on CCS framework Vision has successfully re-secured its place on the Crown Commercial Services (CCS) framework for another four years. CCS is the UK’s most widely utilised framework by public sector organisations. This achievement not only strengthens Vision’s position to support even more clients across government, healthcare, and education, it also aligns perfectly with its growth ambitions and creates exciting opportunities for its teams and partners. Alongside other framework successes, including London Procurement Partnership (LPP), the National Education Printer Agreement (NEPA), and Crescent Purchasing Consortium (CPC) - Vision is now able to support public sector bodies on almost every recognised route to procure managed print services. www.visionplc.co.uk
PRINTITRESELLER.UK 7 BULLETIN Aspire targets £100m turnover Gateshead-based Aspire Technology Solutions, a provider of managed IT, cybersecurity and modern workplace solutions, is targeting a turnover of more than £100 million by 2030 after surpassing its £50 million revenue target for 2027 two years ahead of schedule. In the financial year ending February 2025, Aspire’s revenue rose by 28% to £50.9m, up from £39.6m in FY24, with 83% of total revenue coming from long-term service relationships. The LDC-backed company’s performance was underpinned by continued regional expansion, notably the acquisition of Leeds‑based CloudCoco in October 2024, following the earlier acquisition of Glasgowbased Cloud Cover IT in December 2023; the addition of 250 new customers; and investment of £1.7m in new technology, including private cloud and network enhancements. Chris Fraser, CEO of Aspire, said: “Our strategy continues to focus on delivering measurable value for our customers. From staying at the forefront of service innovation to expanding our regional presence, every decision this year has built on our strengths, making us even faster, more responsive, and easier for customers to work with. We’re proud of the growth we’ve achieved, but even more so of the trust our customers continue to place in us.” www.aspirets.com Data Direct completes global adventure When someone asked Data Direct to sponsor a friend for a charity event, Stuart Ogden and Nick Lloyd had the bright idea of encouraging the entire team to get moving too - incorporating elements such as well-being and exercise walks, internal incentives, and a charity component. In February this year the ‘Walk around the world’ campaign was born with an initial aim to walk, cycle or swim 22,901 miles, the circumference of the Earth. As Ogden explains: “At first, we had no set goal but soon agreed on a target of 22,901 miles. It felt a lot more realistic than the original suggestion of to the moon and back (around 500,000 miles!). The adventure started with about 20 staff members, but soon customers and family joined in through the company’s Strava group. By June, it had grown to 100 members, averaging 900 miles a week. And, by the end of August, they completed the entire distance. Every participant was asked to nominate a charity and each month, Data Direct donated to two of the nominated charities. Ogden continued: “A big part of the fun was the collective taking and sharing of photographs for a weekly newsletter I’d compile every Monday, and this led to lots of great pictures, of people, places, events and activities. We supported West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service on their own Bradford Fire Charity Walk and had those guys join our Strava group too. We supported our own Dan Blanchard with his London Marathon in April, and numerous runs and events throughout the UK and Europe. It’s been great to run such a campaign and be able to invite customers and families along the way.” www.data-direct.co.uk SYNAXON unifies under one brand SYNAXON has taken the next step in its ‘SYNAXON as one brand’ journey, bringing its UK business fully in line with Germany under a single brand identity. All UK website content is now integrated into synaxon.com. The change gives reseller partners a single, consistent destination to access SYNAXON’s full range of services – clearer, simpler, and more accessible than ever. As part of the move, SYNAXON has also renamed its project support service Chris Fraser Mike Barron to Hub Enterprise Solutions. The service provides consultancy and expert support for resellers delivering migration, integration, and infrastructure projects, and reflects the company’s ambition to deliver enterpriseclass value to its partners. “These changes are about making it easier for partners to work with us and to grow,” said Mike Barron, Managing Director, SYNAXON UK. “By unifying under one brand, we not only present a clearer story to the market, but also gain greater access to resources, expertise, and back-office support from our colleagues in Germany – support that we can pass directly on to our partners.” www.synaxon.com Phoenix Software secures top-tier status with Rubrik Phoenix Software has attained Elite Plus Partner status within Rubrik’s Transform Partner Programme - the highest tier of recognition awarded by the data security and cloud management specialist. This milestone, achieved in just four years, recognises Phoenix’s technical excellence, strategic commitment, and success in delivering Rubrik data security and cloud data management solutions. As an Elite Plus Partner, Phoenix will benefit from early access to new features, strategic collaboration opportunities and dedicated resources from Rubrik. The company has also announced its renewed certification as a Microsoft Azure Expert Managed Service Provider (MSP), one of the highest Microsoft specialisations a partner can achieve and one of 13 Microsoft specialisations it holds. www.phoenixs.co.uk
01732 759725 8 TD SYNNEX publishes corporate citizenship report TD SYNNEX has published its latest corporate citizenship report, highlighting continued momentum across its ESG priorities. The report showcases measurable progress across all pillars of TD SYNNEX’s corporate citizenship strategy, including achieving its 2030 Scope 1 and 2 emissions reduction target six years ahead of the expected timeframe. The company is also expanding global engagement through sustainability and volunteer initiatives and bolstering its ethical and compliance programs with AI-driven innovations. To support partners in their sustainability journeys, TD SYNNEX released two new enablement tools: a Sustainable Transportation & Logistics Guidebook and a Sustainable Packaging Playbook. Across its operations, the company continued integrating circular economy principles to minimise resource consumption and extend product lifecycles. With a notable increase in employee engagement, TD SYNNEX co-workers recorded more than 7,300 volunteer hours in support of 107 non-profit organisations worldwide. Additionally, Share the Magic, its fundraising initiative to provide support for children facing health and wellness challenges in North America, surpassed $30 million raised since inception. Integrity and transparency remained foundational to company operations last year, with new advancements in digital ethics, compliance and cybersecurity. The company launched an internal digital and AI responsible transformation team to help guide ethical use of emerging technologies and developed in-house AI tools to support responsible decision-making. To support digital trust, it also expanded its cybersecurity and IT-use policy library in line with rising data governance requirements. www.tdsynnex.com Creative Labs partners with Westcoast Creative Labs has announced a strategic partnership with Westcoast, a move that will enable the company to leverage Westcoast’s extensive reseller and retail partner network to make its full portfolio - including premium headphones, portable speakers, soundbars, and desktop audio solutions readily accessible across the UK. The collaboration marks a critical step in Creative Labs’ strategic objective to deepen market penetration, drive growth, and bring its audio technology to more consumers and businesses nationwide. Customers can anticipate wider product availability, faster deliveries, and enhanced service through Westcoast’s efficient logistics infrastructure. www.westcoast.co.uk www.creative.com Strong growth for UK distribution sector The technology distribution market in the UK grew faster than in most other European countries in Q2 with year-on-year growth of 6.5%, according to the latest market intelligence from CONTEXT. Nick Westcott, UK Country Manager at the IT channel analyst firm, said: “The UK channel continues to demonstrate remarkable agility and depth. Strong growth across all three business channels (corporate, SMB reseller and e-tailer) has driven this upward momentum, and it’s the first time since Q3 2024 that we’ve seen that kind of synchronised performance.” He added: “The e-tailer business channel was a standout performer in percentage terms, with 27% growth in April and 21% in June. Although its overall share is smaller, the contribution to the sector’s strength is significant.” www.contextworld.com Off-the-shelf integration Specialist cloud marketplace provider Giacom and CRM platform The Layer are enhancing the experience of mutual customers by tightly integrating Giacom’s Cloud Market Tools – a suite of applications that includes its billing software – with The Layer’s data synchronisation, marketing and customer service modules. The off-the-shelf integration between The Layer CRM and Cloud Market Tools automatically synchronises customer data between platforms, creating a single source of truth that breaks down data silos, removes the need for manual data entry and significantly reduces the risk of human error. It also empowers channel businesses to use The Layer’s marketing module to segment and target customer data for effective marketing campaigns and use its customisable service desk module to enhance customer support with real-time analytics, SLA tracking and customer satisfaction monitoring. Giacom CTO Ant Molloy said: “Giacom’s mission is to enable our partners to grow faster and become more profitable by simplifying their operations. Back-office productivity is key to achieving this, which is why we’re developing integrations with other market-leading vendors offering complementary solutions. Integrating The Layer with Cloud Market Tools ensures that our mutual customers can synchronise their data and enhance their marketing and customer service capabilities, ultimately leading to better business outcomes.” www.giacom.com BULLETIN Nick Westcott First for Westcon-Comstor Westcon-Comstor has become the first Authorised Training Partner (ATP) in Europe for cybersecurity and compliance company, Proofpoint. Becoming Proofpoint’s first external ATP in Europe marks a key milestone in the growth of Westcon-Comstor’s enablement portfolio and further deepens its strategic partnership with Proofpoint. The agreement will accelerate partner upskilling and certification and allow full integration of Proofpoint courses into the academy’s expanding offering. The accreditation enables WestconComstor to deliver Proofpoint-certified education and enablement services at scale to channel partners and end customers across Europe. Training will be delivered through the Westcon-Comstor Academy, which offers comprehensive, multi-vendor technical programmes tailored to partner needs. Westcon-Comstor is already authorised to deliver accredited training across all courses globally for Palo Alto Networks and Check Point Software and is the largest Authorised Training Centre (ATC) for F5 in Europe, Middle East and Africa. www.westconcomstor.com www.proofpoint.com
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01732 759725 10 EMEA-wide agreement Westcon-Comstor has signed a distribution agreement with 1Password to drive partner adoption of 1Password Extended Access Management (XAM). The collaboration will see Westcon-Comstor deploy its value-added services spanning training, technical enablement and data to empower partners to scale end-user enterprise adoption of 1Password Extended Access Management, as the vendor doubles down on its channel strategy and emphasises partnerled growth. Partners across EMEA can capitalise on the short sales cycles and quick route to revenue offered by 1Password Extended Access Management, while meeting surging enterprise demand for secure, scalable and simplified access management in increasingly complex distributed and AI-driven environments. As part of the agreement, 1Password will leverage Intelligent Demand, WestconComstor’s proprietary, insights-driven lead generation programme that utilises predictive analytics to drive growth, enhance customer lifetime value and identify new markets. The distribution agreement with WestconComstor comes at a time of rapid innovation and expansion for 1Password. The vendor recently added next-generation access security and new capabilities to its XAM platform. Last year, it launched a global partner programme and strengthened its EMEA presence with significant business growth, key customer wins and region-specific product capabilities. At the time, 1Password announced that over one-third of its B2B customers were based in EMEA. www.westconcomstor.com Distribution partner of the year Allied Telesis has named TD SYNNEX as Distribution Partner of the Year, in recognition of the outstanding business development support and results it has delivered for business partners. The award comes after the first full year of the two companies working together in the UK. TD SYNNEX was appointed as a distributor for Allied Telesis in November 2023, giving partners access to its extensive logistics, tools, and added-value services. It has made significant commitments, training its pre-sales technical and professional services co-workers in the Allied Telesis solutions, and providing exceptional service and support to partners. It plans to build on its success over the coming months by making further investments in business development support resources. Simon Bennett, Managing Director – Advanced Solutions, UK and Ireland, TD SYNNEX, said: “This award is a testament to the dedication of our teams and the consistent, high standard of trusted and personalised service that TD SYNNEX has delivered to the UK partners of Allied Telesis. We have formed a productive and effective alliance and made significant progress in driving new business. We’ll be building on that foundation over the next 12 months as we look to deliver even more value to partners.” https://uk.tdsynnex.com Newforma signs distribution deal with Datech Newforma, a provider of project and information management software for the architecture, engineering, construction, and owner (AECO) industry, is partnering with Datech, the specialist design software business of TD SYNNEX to offer the Newforma Konekt suite of solutions to partners in the UK and Ireland. Through Datech, partners will have access to Newforma’s expert technical support and resources. Datech will also provide on-boarding and training for partners interested in taking solutions made with Newforma to market, alongside leading design software offerings, and support partners in developing go-tomarket plans and customer engagements. The agreement extends Datech’s growing portfolio of complementary solutions for designers and innovators in the AECO and related industries. Peter Cannone, CEO of Newforma said: “We’re thrilled to partner with TD SYNNEX, whose reputation for excellence and innovation perfectly complements Newforma’s mission to deliver modern, intuitive, future-ready AECO solutions. This partnership enables us to scale our impact, accelerate adoption of our cloudhosted platform, and deliver even greater value throughout the AECO ecosystem.” www.newforma.com Jamf appoints Exclusive Networks Exclusive Networks has announced a new partnership with Jamf, the standard in managing and securing Apple at work. The newly formed alliance will empower channel partners across the UK and Ireland to address the growing needs of IT and security teams to seamlessly manage and protect devices, applications and data across Apple‑first environments. By leveraging its deep cybersecurity expertise, specialist partner ecosystem and proven channel enablement capabilities, Exclusive Networks will help Jamf scale its channel presence and reach across the region, accelerate go-to-market momentum, and drive market growth. Marc Botham, Global Vice President of Channel and Alliances at Jamf, said: “The UK and Ireland are key markets where we’ve experienced strong growth to date and see incredible opportunities for the future. Partnering with Exclusive Networks will enable us to further accelerate and scale to the next level and capitalise on this. I’m thrilled to be partnering with them on the next stage of our channel journey and look forward to mutual long-term success.” Rob Tomlin, Exclusive Networks Vice President Northern Europe added: “Adding Jamf to our market-leading vendor portfolio is a significant step in strengthening our Apple ecosystem offering. We look forward to working with the Jamf channel team and enabling our partners to take advantage of this next evolution in enterprise security.” www.exclusive-networks.com www.jamf.com BULLETIN Rob Tomlin Simon Bennett
EXCEPTIONAL TECHNOLOGY. EVEN BETTER SUPPORT. LONDON | BARCELONA | BOSTON HAMBURG | HONG KONG | ISTANBUL JOHANNESBURG | LYON | MEXICO CITY MIAMI | MILAN | NEW DELHI | SÃO PAULO SEOUL | SHANGHAI | SINGAPORE STOCKHOLM | TOKYO Printing with RISO isn’t just about putting ink on paper; it’s about the complete support network your customers gain alongside every machine. Our exceptional account management guarantees you’ll have the expertise, guidance, and partnership support to help you maximise every opportunity. With industry-leading reliability, lightning-fast speeds, and ultra-low running costs, our inkjet printers lead the way in low energy printing. Our products and company bring real value to new dealers and end-users, by offering something genuinely different and truly unique in the market. Make the RISO difference for your customers today. Contact RISO about becoming a [email protected] now. +44 (0)20 8236 5800 www.riso.co.uk 20 25 Royal Lancaster · December 2 2 0 2 5 •SKI CLUB NETWORK• The leading magazine and daily newsite publishers of IT & business technology for UK resellers and end users www.binfo.co.uk
01732 759725 12 Recycling partnership Canon UK & Ireland and WBM, a specialist providing businesses with an easy and environmentally friendly way to recycle printer consumables, have marked the first anniversary of their recycling partnership. WBM offers Canon customers a comprehensive recycling solution – from collection to the processing of waste – with full visibility throughout the entire waste journey. Through a user-friendly online portal, customers can access historical recycling records, download environmental compliance certificates, and verify the traceability of recycled materials. Following a successful initial roll out to MPS clients, the operational programme now has over 336 registered customers covering over 1,008 account locations. WBM has made 892 collections, picked up 2,922 boxes, and recycled 42,375 toner bottles. Over the past year, the initiative has successfully diverted 33.8 tonnes of toner cartridge and printer consumable waste from landfill, enabling the recovery of high quality raw materials through an advanced closed-loop recycling system. This milestone represents tangible progress toward Canon’s sustainability objectives and supports its global commitment to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions across the entire product life cycle - including Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions - by 2050. www.canon.co.uk www.wbmlimited.co.uk Secure, sustainable print management Katun’s line of Arivia MFPs is now fully compatible with PaperCut MF. The integration enables users to access advanced print controls, user authentication, and sustainability features, delivering a secure, user-friendly, and environmentally responsible print environment across a wide range of industries. The company has also announced compatibility with ECI’s Printanista, which enables businesses of all sizes to streamline their printing operations, enhance document security, and improve overall efficiency. By connecting Arivia devices to ECI’s Printanista platform, users gain access to a suite of powerful features including automated meter collection and device status alerts, remote service capabilities, and detailed fleet reporting. The enablement between Katun’s Arivia MFPs and ECI’s Printanista platform also empowers organisations to manage their print fleets more effectively by automating fleet management, streamlining MPS operations and reducing service workloads. This alignment strengthens the existing collaboration between Katun and ECI. ECI’s Printanista solution is a key component of Katun’s Dealer Fleet Management (KDFM) offerings across the EMEA region. www.katun.com 20 years since launch Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK) is marking the 20th anniversary of its bizhub brand of MFPs. The bizhub range has continuously evolved to meet workplace demands, integrating advanced features for efficiency, security, and sustainability over the last two decades. Some of the range’s most noteworthy developments include the introduction of scanning and processing software in 2009 to support the move towards the paperless office; the launch of mobile printing to meet workforce flexibility demands in 2011, as well as the introduction of bizhub SECURE to enhance cybersecurity – later strengthened even further with the inclusion of Bitdefender anti-virus in 2019. Improving sustainability is also a key component of the range. In 2012 the bizhub range started using recycled plastics and new Simitri toner, which reduces power consumption. This focus also saw the release of the bizhub i-Series in 2019, featuring lower TEC values and energy-efficient components, cutting CO₂ emissions by up to 25%. In 2023 Konica Minolta launched the bizhub Refreshed programme across Europe to refurbish devices after their initial lifecycle and continues to deliver comprehensive consumable recycling. Mark Ash, Chief Revenue Officer at Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK) said: “bizhub is more than just a product line, it has stood at the centre of workplace transformation for two decades, supporting the IT progress of thousands of UK organisations and evolving from a multifunctional device into a true enabler of secure, sustainable and intelligent operations. “This milestone isn’t just about celebrating longevity though; it’s about recognising how continuous and targeted innovation has kept our customers ahead in a rapidly changing world. Looking ahead, we’re also proud that bizhub continues to champion smarter, more sustainable ways of working, empowering our customers to navigate the complexity of workplace evolution with our trusted technology by their side.” www.konicaminolta.co.uk BULLETIN 150 years of innovation Over the past 150 years, Toshiba Group has constantly risen to meet the challenges of each era - leveraging innovations in energy, infrastructure, devices, and digital domains to address pressing societal issues. From streetlights that illuminated Japan’s modernisation, to home appliances that changed people’s daily life, word processors and PCs that transformed the way people work, and flash memory that laid the foundations for today’s data-driven society – the company has remained at the forefront of change, advancing society through technology. Today, Toshiba continues to confront global-scale challenges such as climate change and aging infrastructure, while pursuing next‑generation innovations such as quantum technology and fusion power. www.toshibatec.co.uk Mark Ash
PRINTITRESELLER.UK 13 ANS targets to boost channel sales Manchester-headquartered digital transformation company and cloud services provider ANS has revamped its partner programmes to boost cloud, digital and security sales within the channel. ANS has structured its partner programmes with industry verticals in mind, offering tailored approaches for MSPs, telco and IT resellers, as well as software providers. The refreshed programmes have been structured to offer partners flexibility, scalability and alignment with business goals. Highlights include enhanced managed services portfolios and cybersecurity offerings within its digital and security partner programmes and tailored cloud transition support and flexible partnership models (co sell, white-label or referral) in its new cloud partner programme, designed to address the evolving needs of VMware partners. The revamp also extends to the company’s referral scheme for IT consultancies, aimed at further engaging this important segment of the partner landscape. Ryan Martin, Head of Indirect at ANS, said: “Our partner programmes aren’t one‑size‑fits-all, they’re crafted to empower our partners to thrive in a more complex, competitive tech environment.” www.ans.co.uk EU RED compliant Zyxel Networks has achieved full compliance across its wireless product portfolio with the European Union’s Radio Equipment Directive (RED) EN 18031 cybersecurity requirements. In a move to enhance digital security across the region, the EU now mandates compliance with EN 18031 cybersecurity standards for all wireless and radio equipment sold in the EU. This landmark regulation elevates cybersecurity to the same level of importance as electrical and electromagnetic safety. With over 30 specific security requirements, including secure boot, access control, software update integrity and traffic monitoring, EN 18031 is designed to strengthen protection for users, data and networks alike. From wireless access points and secure routers to mobile routers, Zyxel Networks’ wireless solutions now meet the directive’s stringent criteria, which helps protect the data and privacy of small to medium-sized businesses across the globe. www.zyxel.com BULLETIN PEAC Solutions acquires topi PEAC Solutions has acquired topi, a fintech company whose fully digital platform enables retailers and manufacturers to offer IT hardware subscriptions to business customers. The acquisition will further expand PEAC Solutions’ suite of online finance offerings as well as its capabilities in the fast growing hardware-as-aservice segment of the asset finance market. Going forward, topi will continue to operate from its headquarters in Berlin Germany, where it will service its existing portfolio of rental customers in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, and Belgium. This approach will ensure continuity for topi customers, partners, and employees, while also benefiting from PEAC Solutions’ global scale and financial strength. “The continued transformation of our industry towards as-a-service-based subscription models is undeniable,” said William Stephenson, Global CEO of PEAC Solutions. “We are confident that this strategic acquisition of topi will be a massive differentiator for PEAC Solutions. It will allow us to deliver an innovative solution to our partners and customers, and it will play an integral role in the ambitious growth strategy that we have for the technology sector and other target markets.” www.peacsolutions.com Engagement programme Lenovo has introduced a new channel engagement initiative - Lenovo 360 Expert Achievers Programme (LEAP), designed to accelerate growth among its UK partners and support their teams in boosting technology adoption for businesses across the country. The programme, aimed at channel sales and technical support staff, is part of a broader strategy to empower its partner network through tailored incentives, resources, and training. By equipping partners with the tools and expertise they need to succeed, it aims to strengthen collaboration, drive business expansion, and deliver greater value to end customers as they embark on AI and digital transformation programmes. Natalie Noor, Director, UK&I Channel & SMB at Lenovo said: “LEAP reaffirms our longstanding commitment to our channel partners and their staff, with an initiative that rewards teams for both driving sales and growing their knowledge.” www.lenovo.com Ryan Martin Natalie Noor William Stephenson Climate targets successfully validated Crayon has had its ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets officially validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). The IT services and innovation company has committed to reducing absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 58.8% by FY2034 from a FY2023 base year. It will also reduce Scope 3 GHG emissions 63.8% per million NOK value added within the same time frame. The SBTi evaluated Crayon’s Scope 1, 2, and 3 near-term targets and determined that its targets are in line with the latest climate science to limit global warming as outlined in the Paris Agreement. Crayon combined with SoftwareOne to create one company on July 3, 2025. Given the recency of the transaction’s conclusion and the ongoing integration, both companies have opted to set separate science-based targets in the interim. www.crayon.com
35 Years +
01732 759725 16 FUTERA expands team FUTERA has announced the newest member of its team – Alex Green who has been appointed as an Account Executive. Green brings several years of proven sales experience, along with a history of building strong customer relationships. www.futera.co.uk Mark Sandison joins Aurora Mark Sandison has joined Aurora as National Operations Director. Sandison has over 20 years of experience in managed print services and will oversee the full spectrum of managed service delivery operations across the UK, optimising customer experience and operational effectiveness. Prior to joining Aurora, he held directorships at several major managed print service organisations, developing and growing their core customer service processes and revenues. Aurora’s Group Service Director, Graham Orr said: “I really am delighted to have Mark joining the Aurora management team. I know from my own personal experience just how talented Mark is, he has great experience and knowledge in every area of managed service delivery and operational leadership, and he will help us drive Aurora to the next level.” Sandison added: “I’m really excited about my move to Aurora, there is a lot of good change happening here. It’s great to see some familiar faces and the right backing to make an impact in the industry. I’m looking forward to bringing the skills developed in my previous endeavours to Aurora and drive for excellent service across the UK.” www.aurora.co.uk Crest IT appoints marketing manager Crest IT has welcomed Joanne Powell to the team as its new Marketing Manager, with a strong focus on lead generation. The company said the appointment is key to support its growth journey: “It’s been fantastic to see how quickly she’s settled in and become part of the team already. Her vision and fresh perspective are inspiring, and we’re excited to see her ideas come to life in the months ahead.” www.crest-it.co.uk BULLETIN : PEOPLE New role for Kerrie Jordan Epicor has named Kerrie Jordan as its Chief Marketing Officer. With a unique blend of senior product innovation and strategic marketing experience, Jordan will lead the company’s global marketing strategy, driving brand growth and customer engagement across the make, move, and sell economy. Since 2023, Jordan has served as Group Vice President of Product Management and ISV Partner Programs at Epicor, where she’s driven the company’s Cognitive ERP roadmap, an AI-driven approach that transforms ERP from a system of record to a system of action and insight. With her appointment to CMO, she will capitalise on the areas where industry-focused product, analytics, and go-to-market strategy converge, speeding innovation and time-tovalue for Epicor customers and accelerating global company growth. www.epicor.com New hire to head up new office Nuvem Solutions has appointed Jack Peacock to head up its brand new Huddersfield office. The company said that the move will help to accelerate its growth in Yorkshire and beyond. www.nuvemsolutions.co.uk PAE expands Cloud Quote expertise Ryan Jones from Cloud Quote is now working with the PAE Business team, bringing a wealth of expertise and a proven track record in transforming the way organisations manage their sales processes. Managing Director Phil Madders said: “Ryan has already supported more than 200 organisations in onboarding and automating their sales processes. His deep experience and knowledge will be instrumental in helping PAE extend the reach of Cloud Quote, ensuring even more businesses can benefit from this powerful solution. The next 12 months promise to be an exciting time as we continue to innovate and deliver greater value to our channel partners.” www.paebusiness.com Mark Sandison Jack Peacock Ricoh launches apprentice board Ricoh UK has launched its first ever apprentice board, a forward-thinking initiative designed to highlight young talent and integrate fresh perspectives into the company’s strategic decision-making. The new apprentice board, which is made up of eight cohorts selected from across Ricoh’s diverse apprenticeship programmes, will act as an advisory body to the company’s executive board and is designed to foster the next generation of leaders. Each apprentice board member will be paired with a senior leader from Ricoh UK’s executive board for mentorship, providing apprentices with exposure to leadership development and strategic decision-making. Chris Hopton, CEO of Ricoh UK and Northern Europe said: “Through the apprentice board, we are placing future leaders at the heart of our business, ensuring their ideas, energy and insights influence our growth vision and strategic direction. It’s a great way to cultivate innovation and fulfil our commitment to creating a workplace where everyone feels empowered to contribute their perspectives and make things happen.” www.ricoh.co.uk Chris Hopton
Now you can do big business with small printers. We make work, work. Our desktop printers for SMBs are packed with features usually only found in big office printers. But unlike those, they’re simple to set up and manage so your customers won’t need any extra support from you. A win/win. ©2025 Xerox Corporation. All rights reserved. Xerox® is a trademark of Xerox Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Partner and prosper with the industry innovator. Xerox offers award-winning technology and innovative print and digital solutions. Partner with us to boost your business and stay ahead in the competitive marketplace. xerox.co.uk/prbig
01732 759725 18 A walk in the veg patch Yes, really. We finally got a team veg patch on the business park where we work and it’s such a great place to go for a lunchtime escape. It’s so exciting to see everything growing so well and so therapeutic too. It’s teamwork in its purest form; watering and tending to beetroot, radishes, lettuce, tomatoes, and herbs, which are making lovely accompaniments to work lunches. And for some reason pulling up beetroots after a hard morning feels so satisfying! The office team The Croxley crew (and their dangerously good snacks) keep everything moving. Whether it’s a campaign, a conversation, or a plate of treats. They bring energy, ideas, and unwavering belief that snacks are a legitimate form of market research. I’m lucky to work with people who motivate each other every day. We’ve hired people just like our printers; reliable, hard-working, and never stopping until the job is done. That may sound a little cheesy but it’s true. I am very fortunate that RISO is a great company to work for, and the team are the best, that’s everyone from our Croxley Park Head Office to our regional offices and those in the field. Team RISO! on the right foot. It’s not just a drink; it’s a reset button in a mug at any time of day. My trusty gel cushion Let’s just say I’ve got enough ‘experience’ under my belt to know the importance of sitting comfortably. With deadlines to meet, strategies to build and ideas to develop, without this squishy bit of genius, I’d be half as focused and definitely not as comfortable by lunchtime. Microsoft Teams Love it or loathe it, Teams has become the glue that holds us together. Whether I’m in our Head Office at Croxley Park or working remotely, it lets the whole team stay connected. Face‑to‑face and emoji-to-emoji. We’re flexible without losing the human side of work. Where else can you have a serious business meeting while your colleague’s cat walks across their keyboard? It helps me stay connected, including with all our partners and our Nordic team, and helps make my working day far more efficient and effective. For me, it’s a handful of small comforts and one very big team that keep things ticking. Here are five things I genuinely wouldn’t be without. Fruit tea bags I like my mornings calm, my deadlines met, and my teabags fruity. Red berry is my current front-runner – shout out to Morrisons, ok and Twinings. There’s something about the ritual of it that helps me start the day WORKPLACE Debbie Callaghan, Marketing Manager at RISO UK, picks the tools she uses every day and couldn’t do her job without I couldn’t do my job without… Debbie Callaghan ...and for some reason pulling up beetroots after a hard morning feels so satisfying!
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20 01732 759725 BUSINESS BRIEFING ScanSnap iX2500 launched PFU (EMEA) Limited, a RICOH Company, has launched its most connected and personal productivity-focused scanner to date: the ScanSnap iX2500 The ScanSnap iX2500 is the perfect personal scanning solution for the modern hybrid worker, launched at a time when 52% of employees embrace hybrid working at least once a week. Undoubtedly, such hybrid workers demand intuitive, fast, and flexible tools – and the iX2500 arrives as a smart extension of the trusted ScanSnap line to fill that gap. It outpaces the existing ScanSnap iX1600 workhorse which has been around since 2021, by balancing speed, simplicity and real-world workflow adaptability. At the global launch, the iX2500 took centre stage in sleek black and white finishes, sitting confidently alongside its ScanSnap siblings in their impressive knowledge suite A Fast Streamlined Experience So what’s new? From the moment you power it on (ready to scan in under three seconds), users will see that the iX2500 has been clearly engineered for frictionless, fast, familiar use. It has a separated large back-illuminated Scan button aside a large easy to use 5-inch LCD touchscreen (the biggest yet) that allows users to access quick jobs or easily create custom scanning profiles for recurring tasks. And that’s good as the PFUE team emphasizethat in using the iX2500, “You don’t need to know IT at all, you just need to know how to push a button.” In practice this means whether you’re sending documents to email, the cloud, or your business apps, the device supports easy to use, familiar drag-and-dropfunctionality. It also has integration with a broad ecosystem of tools including Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, SharePoint, Microsoft Teams, Slack, QuickBooks and other accounting tools. We saw it working with Google Note and the scanning process is indeed simple: Scan > Drag to Destination > Attach for data linkage. So, whatever the workflow, the iX2500 handles it in just three steps (compared to five in previous models). Connectivity is equally enhanced. Users can connect via USB-C, Wi‑Fi 6 (2.4 and 5GHz), and Bluetooth, ensuring seamless integration across laptops, tablets, and smart phones. Setup is simplified through WPS and mobile configuration, aligning perfectly with increasingly decentralised work setups. For today’s workflows, where rapid and efficient data transfer is crucial, Wi-Fi 6 support stands out as a key differentiating factor for document scanners. This makes the iX2500 a truly state-of-the-art device. We are told that this is a platform that has been built to evolve, with several new features being slated for
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