PRINT, MFP, SOFTWARE, SERVICES, DOCUMENT & CLOUD NEWS & INFORMATION FOR VARS, CONVERGED RESELLERS & MFP DEALERS 20 25 Royal Lancaster · December 2 www.printitreseller.uk ISSUE 135 · 2025 PRINT IT RESELLER MAGAZINE IN PRINT & ONLINE SINCE 2011 Winners Revealed See page 22
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04 Bulletin News from the channel 12 Bulletin Where do you take yours? 16 People A round-up of new hires 18 I couldn’t do my job without... Sarah Evans picks her favourite work tools 20 A decade in print Mark Asbridge shares his print experiences over the past decade 22 PrintIT Awards 2025 winners revealed 26 Focus on: What’s New A round-up of recent product launches 29 Events Win with Westcoast 32 Cover Story Lexmark expands BSD‑exclusive A4 printer lineup 34 Research Managed print services redefined 36 Partner Conference Brother encourages resellers to drive MPS success 39 Dealer Profile Certa MPS celebrates 10 years 40 VOX POP Print predictions – part one 46 Industry Insight Nicola Yates, Head of Channel, Kyocera Document Solutions UK 48 View from the channel James Pittick, Channel Sales Director, FUTERA 50 60 seconds with… Rebecca Earath, Account Manager & UK Director, CO3 Technologies COMMENT Welcome to the final issue of 2025! On December 2, we were delighted to host over 500 guests at the PrintIT Awards evening held at the Royal Lancaster in London. You can find out who the 2025 winners were on page 22. Congratulations to all of the nominees, the overall winners, and those who received a highly commended award. We’ll include a full report on the event and hear how it feels to win a PrintIT Award in the winners’ own words, next issue. This month, we feature part one of our annual print predictions feature (page 40), where some of the industry’s leading vendors share their thoughts on what 2026 will hold for the print and IT sectors. Also in this issue, Sarah Evans, EMEA Programme Marketing Manager at PaperCut, picks the work tools she uses every day and couldn’t do her job without (page 18). This month’s Q&A is with James Pittick, Channel Sales Director, FUTERA, and PITR spent 60 seconds with Rebecca Earath, Account Manager & UK Director, CO3 Technologies. 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 135 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 135 ISSN 2055-3110 (Print) ISSN 2055-3129 (Online) PRINTITRESELLER.UK 3
01732 759725 4 Dupliq attends Essex Festival of Business Dupliq showcased managed print services alongside Konica Minolta’s new AI-powered Nurse Assist system - an intelligent solution for fall detection and patient monitoring at Essex Chamber of Commerce’s Festival of Business, which took place at Chelmsford City Racecourse. The event brings together businesses from across the region to celebrate innovation, growth and collaboration, and for Dupliq, it marked a significant milestone. Following a management buyout and rebrand in late 2024, the Festival of Business is its first event appearance under the Dupliq name. Director Ross Tippett said: “We’ve worked closely with the Chamber for years, and this is the perfect platform to reinforce our presence, reconnect with familiar faces, and introduce ourselves to new ones. It’s not just about leads – it’s about visibility, relationships, and showing people who we are and what we deliver.” Although Dubliq is a relatively new Konica Minolta partner, its team has extensive knowledge and experience in working with the technology manufacturer across multiple previous ventures and continues to champion its technology and service ethos. www.dupliq.co.uk iNREACH tree planting day For its 2025 annual tree planting day, iNREACH team members and partners Bubble Creative Solutions and Silverstone returned to a local farm in Little Horwood and planted over 500 trees of various species to help populate the patch of land. It has now planted nearly 1,000 trees with the local landowner. The company has partnered with Treeapp to reduce its own and its clients’ carbon footprint by planting trees. During its time working with Treeapp, it has funded nearly 15,000 trees being planted across the globe. www.inreachgroup.co.uk BULLETIN 50% increase in joint business Konica Minolta is celebrating the first anniversary of its successful renewed partnership with UTL Document Solutions – following its acquisition in October 2024 – with an impressive 50% increase in joint business. This milestone marks a transformative year of enhanced growth, innovation, and customerfocused collaboration under the leadership of Managing Director Darren Pickering and Customer Service Director Bernadette Pickering. “We’re thrilled to have achieved 50% additional growth since joining forces with Konica Minolta,” said Darren Pickering. “Our team’s unwavering commitment to customer success, combined with access to cutting-edge technology and solutions, has enabled us to deliver even more outstanding service, enhanced productivity, and exceptional value for our customers.” With a dedicated and growing team and satellite offices supporting clients nationwide, UTL remains deeply rooted in its local community. Many customers are located within a 10 mile radius of its Epping headquarters, enabling fast, responsive service and tailored support. The leadership team’s combined experience in sales and customer service has shaped a business model that prioritises understanding customer needs and delivering measurable value. “UTL’s strength lies in being a true value-add partner,” said Bernadette Pickering. “We listen closely to our customers, supporting their digital transformation journeys, and deliver a personal, no-fuss service that builds trust and long-term loyalty.” Cameron Mitchell, Head of Indirect Sales at Konica Minolta added: “UTL has revitalised its offering with a strong focus on personal service and standout support. Together, we’re stronger - combining UTL’s expert local teams with Konica Minolta’s technical depth and national reach.” www.utlds.co.uk Carbon Group launches Capture AP software Carbon has announced the launch of Capture AP, a cloud-based accounts payable solution, designed to reduce inefficiencies of manual invoice processing and give finance teams more control and visibility. Built in partnership with SmartOffice, and delivered with Carbon’s hands-on digital transformation expertise, Capture AP is tailored for businesses seeking both scalability and simplicity. It helps automate and streamline the entire AP process from invoice upload to payment, delivering cost savings of up to 80%, increasing compliance, and reducing administrative tasks. “Capture AP brings smart automation to a part of finance that’s long been manual and is now in need of digitalisation in line with how modern finance teams operate,” said Digital Services Director Ryan Green. “It’s more than invoice automation software. Our goal is to help businesses modernise their operations while reducing their impact on the environment. The launch of Capture AP adds to our portfolio of energy‑efficient, costeffective digital solutions for our clients across the UK and reinforces our commitment to helping companies embrace future‑ready technology.” www.carbon-group.co.uk Ryan Green BULLETIN
So reliable, your customers can buy it and forget it. And you can sell it and forget it. We make work, work. Introducing a desktop printer for SMBs, which is so simple to set up and manage, your customers won’t need any further support from you. And with a 3 year warranty as standard on selected models*, it truly is a win/win. * T’s & C’s apply. Registration required. ©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/prbuy
01732 759725 6 BULLETIN UK first install for Data Direct Data Direct has installed the cutting-edge Mutoh HA-1642 water-based UV printer at its Bradford showroom and is inviting dealers to visit and experience it in action. This is the first installation of the sustainable, high performance wide-format solution in the UK. This installation strengthens Data Direct’s position as the UK’s newest Mutoh distributor, supporting the dealer channel with demonstrations, training, and end-to-end commercial support. The HA-1642 sets new standards in environmentally friendly printing. Using Mutoh’s AquaFuze water-based UV technology, it delivers exceptional colour vibrancy and durability while dramatically reducing odour, energy use, and ecological impact compared with traditional solvent or resin systems. Peter Cowan, COO at Data Direct said: “We’re thrilled to be the first in the UK to showcase this incredible new technology from Mutoh. The HA-1642 redefines what’s possible in wide-format printing, combining sustainability, performance, and profitability for the dealer network. We welcome all our partners to see it in action and explore the exciting opportunities it presents.” www.datadirect.co.uk Pan-European agreement TD SYNNEX has announced a pan-European agreement to offer environmentally responsible mobile, laptop, and lifestyle accessories from dbramante1928, all verified through the EU Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology. dbramante1928 is a provider of premium accessories made from certified recycled materials, verified under the Global Recycled Standard (GRS). With a strong presence in global retail and telco channels, the company is now expanding its focus to B2B markets through TD SYNNEX’s extensive European market reach. Partners, across retail, telco, corporate, and SMB segments, can now access a full range of device accessories, carry solutions and charging devices, with production and distribution methods that reduce carbon emissions compared to conventional alternatives, verified through the PEF-based lifecycle assessments. “dbramante1928’s product line meets the growing demand for eco-conscious alternatives in both consumer and enterprise markets,” said Luc Van Huystee, Vice President, Mobile and Consumer Electronics, Europe, TD SYNNEX. “This is a win-win opportunity, enabling our partners to enhance their offerings while supporting environmental goals.” TD SYNNEX will support the launch with special deal pricing, bundling opportunities, and integration into its pan-European channel programs. https://uk.tdsynnex.com Luc Van Huystee TD SYNNEX strengthens managed print offering TD SYNNEX has extended its partnership with Vasion Print. The new agreement expands the partnership from North America to partners in Europe who can now access Vasion Print’s cloud-native SaaS print management solutions. Brandon Lieberthal, Vice President, PCs, Print & Supplies, Europe said: “Vasion Print’s SaaS solution represents a significant advancement in how businesses manage their printing infrastructure. For partners, this is a fantastic opportunity to bring a differentiated and highly relevant solution to their SMB customers. With increasing demands for security, flexibility, and scalability, Vasion Print’s solutions allow resellers to offer their customers a seamless, efficient, and secure print management experience, without the complexity of traditional print infrastructure.” Vasion’s solutions are available in UK, Germany, Nordics, and Benelux, expanding across the rest of Europe in the coming months. https://uk.tdsynnex.com Hammer Distribution partners with Liqid Hammer Distribution (formerly Exertis Enterprise) has announced a new partnership with Liqid, the global player in softwaredefined composable infrastructure for datacentres and edge environments. The agreement brings Liqid’s software-defined GPU and CXL-based memory solutions to Hammer’s partners across the UK & Ireland, Benelux, and Nordics, empowering enterprises to overcome power, cooling, and scalability challenges as AI adoption accelerates. “This partnership gives our clients a flexible, scalable, and efficient way to build on-premise infrastructure that rivals public cloud agility,” said Adam Blackwell, Director of AI, Server & Advanced Technology at Hammer. “Liqid’s technology is perfectly positioned to meet the exponential demand for AI-ready infrastructure. This collaboration reinforces our commitment to providing market-leading solutions that deliver tangible business outcomes.” www.hammerdistribution.com BLOC national conference pre-sale open Member pre-sale for the BLOC national conference taking place on June 18, 2026, is now officially open. The event will feature engaging keynote sessions, unparalleled networking opportunities, and access to the largest supplier exhibition yet. Attendees will gain strategic insights, explore new business opportunities, and connect with fellow members, industry partners, and the BLOC team. Early bookings are encouraged, with members getting in quick being able to take advantage of special pre-sale benefits, including a free room upgrade and an exclusive prize draw with a chance to win some fantastic prizes! Exhibitor packages will be released shortly for all BLOC key partners. https://bloc-group.co.uk
PRINTITRESELLER.UK 7 Toshiba accelerates cloud innovation Toshiba America Business Solutions has strengthened its cloud portfolio by acquiring Youmebee, Ltd., makers of directprint.io cloud-native print management solutions. The move reinforces Toshiba’s commitment to delivering open, flexible, and secure print infrastructure for today’s hybrid work environments. Beyond serving as a core component of Toshiba’s Elevate Sky print management platform, directprint.io provides a robust standalone SaaS solution for organisations operating across multi-vendor fleets. The acquisition ensures continued investment in the cloud platform’s growth while preserving its independence and vendorneutral approach. To support this vision, Youmebee will remain a standalone company focusing on developing cloud-first, AI-driven print, document and workflow solutions, under the brand name Coreza moving forward. The directprint.io product itself will be rebranded as Coreza Print in the coming months. The acquisition aligns with Toshiba’s successful managed print as a service (MPaaS) strategy, which recognises the realities of multi-vendor environments across enterprise and small-to-medium-size businesses. The directprint.io platform is uniquely capable of supporting this landscape by offering true vendor-agnostic support across all major print brands, cloud-native architecture that eliminates print servers and reduces IT complexity, seamless integration with identity providers, productivity suites, and security frameworks and real-time analytics for usage, cost, and sustainability insights. https://business.toshiba.com Xerox named as a supplier on NHS framework agreement Xerox has been named as a supplier on NHS Shared Business Services’ (NHS SBS) Digital Workplace Solutions 2 Framework Agreement. The framework provides a compliant and efficient route for NHS and wider public sector organisations to procure the latest digital tools and services. As a named supplier, Xerox will provide NHS organisations with access to secure IT hardware, software, and digital services that support modern, connected healthcare environments. These solutions help streamline workflows, strengthen data management, and create efficiencies across NHS operations. The framework also supports the adoption of AI and the IoT to drive greater productivity and smarter use of NHS resources. www.xerox.co.uk Konica Minolta hosts TechGirls event Konica Minolta welcomed Year 8 students from local schools for its annual TechGirls event which took place last month at its Client Engagement Centre (CEC) in Houghton Regis. Building on the success of last year’s Ada Lovelace Day celebration, the 2025 event continued the company’s commitment to increasing female representation in the tech industry and supporting the local community. The initiative is part of its broader diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy, which includes ambitious 2030 targets such as reducing the Gender Pay Gap to zero and achieving gender parity in leadership and recruitment. Marta Moreira Rodriguez, Balance Network Lead said: “Events like TechGirls are vital for breaking down barriers and showing young women that there is a place for them in STEM industries. By connecting students with real role models and hands-on experiences, we’re helping to shape a more inclusive future for technology.” www.konicaminolta.co.uk Sharp Europe unveils unified brand proposition Sharp Europe has announced the launch of its ‘One Sharp’ unified brand proposition. This new proposition marks a progressive new era of client-centric IT services, managed print, audio visual and workplace design solutions, supported by a portfolio of offerings across AI, business applications, cyber security and digital transformation, strengthened by the integration of managed services provider ITpoint and Apsia, an expert in cloud business applications integration. The launch also brings Sharp Display Solutions Europe into the Sharp Electronics Europe portfolio, allowing the brand to go-tomarket with a vibrant and hyper-connected technology proposition. Joe Tomota, President at Sharp Europe, said: “This business consolidation and brand repositioning is emblematic of where we’re going next. Bringing together Sharp’s expertise in IT services, document and printing services, audio visual technology, and workplace solutions under a single, cohesive identity.” Stuart Sykes, Chief Executive Officer of Sharp UK, added: “This brand repositioning and business consolidation reinforces our leadership in the UK technology market but also acts as a powerful catalyst, empowering our expert teams to connect people and technology more effectively than ever before through our comprehensive B2B solution offering.” www.sharp.eu BULLETIN Kyocera appointed to CCS framework Kyocera Document Solutions UK has been renamed as a supplier on Crown Commercial Service’s (CCS) RM6361 framework which gives public sector buyers access to a wide range of multifunctional devices, software and services, delivered either through direct supply or managed service agreements. RM6361 is the UK’s largest public sector framework for print, managed print services and document solutions. It provides a streamlined route to purchase technology in line with government procurement and sustainability policies to deliver value for money and support environmental goals across the public sector estate in pursuit of net zero. Group Sales Director Steve Doust said: “The new CCS RM6361 framework is significant for Kyocera. It allows us to expand our support beyond the reliable, innovative and sustainable print and document solutions for which we are known in the public sector.” www.kyoceradocumentsolutions.co.uk Steve Doust Joe Tomota
01732 759725 8 Konica Minolta selected for 2024 CDP Supplier Engagement Leader Konica Minolta has been selected for the 2024 CDP Supplier Engagement Leader in the Supplier Engagement Rating for the fifth consecutive year by CDP, an international not-for-profit organisation working to achieve a sustainable economy. Supplier Engagement Rating assesses how effectively companies are working with suppliers on climate change issues based on the companies’ responses to selected questions. The CDP recognition is the result of Konica Minolta’s proactive collaboration with its suppliers to support them with environmental technologies and expertise that help them to reduce their environmental impact, particularly their CO2 emissions and subsequently increase the use of renewable energy sources. Konica Minolta has developed this knowledge through its own environmental impact reduction activities at its production sites. The company has also been included in the FTSE4Good Index Series for 22 consecutive years and named to all of the six indexes adopted by Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) for the nineth consecutive year. These six indexes are the FTSE Blossom Japan Index, the FTSE Blossom Japan Sector Relative Index, the MSCI NIHONKABU ESG Select Leaders Index, the MSCI Japan Empowering Women Index, the S&P/JPX Carbon Efficient Index and the Morningstar Japan ex-REIT Gender Diversity Tilt Index. In addition, Konica Minolta has been included into the MSCI Selection Indexes, the world’s leading ESG index. www.konicaminolta.co.uk Canon recognised as print security leader Canon Europe has once again been recognised as an Industry Leader in Quocirca’s 2025 Print Security Landscape report, reinforcing its position through a continued focus on security as a strategic priority for customers. In an environment where businesses are facing an increasingly complex environment, the report highlights the significant strides that Canon has made with its security strategy – and its ongoing commitment to its customers to deliver a globally consistent offering. The report is based on the views of IT decision-makers across the US and Europe (France, Germany and UK) and provides insights into the strategies of major print vendors. The findings highlight Canon’s security approach which carefully considers the role people, processes, and technology play in securing documents, protecting printers and MFPs – ensuring compliance with data protection regulations. Quocirca also highlights the introduction of its new imageFORCE range. This series of multifunction devices, designed for modern offices, includes advanced security optimisation tools which leverage machine learning, recommending optimal device security settings and effectively minimise security vulnerabilities. www.canon-europe.com BULLETIN CCS framework award for Xerox Xerox has been named a supplier on Crown Commercial Service’s Multifunctional Devices, GovPrint Hardware, Managed Print Provision and Digital Workflow Software Services (RM6361) framework. www.xerox.co.uk Katun wins two 2025 Stevie awards Katun has received two 2025 Stevie Awards for Technology Excellence. Katun earned the following recognitions for its launch of the Arivia MFP product line in 2024 and its continued commitment to excellence: Executive of the Year: Silver Stevie Award for Technology Excellence – awarded to Kuoying Wang, CEO of Katun, and Management Team of the Year: Bronze Stevie Award for Technology Excellence – awarded to Katun’s leadership team. Over 1,500 nominations from organisations of all sizes in 36 nations and territories were submitted this year for consideration in a wide range of tech-related categories, including Company of the Year, Educational or Research Institution of the Year, Technical Innovation of the Year, Technology Breakthrough of the Year, and more. More than 160 professionals worldwide participated in the judging process to select this year’s honorees. www.katun.com Nutanix launches Partner Central Nutanix has launched a modern, intelligence-driven platform designed to revolutionise the partner experience. Nutanix Partner Central is designed to simplify daily interactions and give partners clearer visibility into their business with Nutanix. Instead of toggling between multiple systems or waiting on updates, partners now have a single hub to track key activities in real-time. At launch, it offers dashboards for sales opportunities, Elevate program tracking and rebates tools that give partners immediate insight into where they stand and where new opportunities exist. The aim with Nutanix Partner Central is straightforward: bring the most critical information into one place so partners can make faster, better-informed decisions and focus on driving growth. In the months ahead, Nutanix Partner Central will expand with complete insights on customer renewals, an AI-powered assistant to help close deals faster with PartnerGPT, role-based views, an updated Partner Locator, demand generation insights, and personalised dashboards, features shaped by partner feedback to ensure the platform evolves in ways that matter most. www.nutanix.com
Get in touch for more information: 01189 734 564 | [email protected] | data-direct.co.uk SimplyRecycle... Convenient & simple WHAT WE DO FOR YOU Easy-to-use online portal to book services All services done on your behalf by our recycling partner Waste Transfer Note & Certificate of Recycling documents provided Recycling boxes delivered direct to your customers All makes and models can be recycled All printer consumables - including drums, fusers, waste toner containers Genuine recycling with reuse & recovery of materials Recycling collections directly from your customers DISTRIBUTOR & MPS FULFILMENT SPECIALIST
01732 759725 10 PaperCut highlights partner excellence and collaboration PaperCut has announced the winners of its 2025 Pinnacle Awards, which recognise authorised partners who have shown outstanding commitment to its values, growth initiatives and customer first philosophy over the past year. This year, for the first time in the award’s history, the top honour, the PaperCut Pinnacle Award was presented to two co-winners ecoprintQ and Bluemega. Bluemega was recognised for its consistent alignment with PaperCut’s strategic goals, willingness to invest in the future, and its deep spirit of collaboration. ecoprintQ was honoured for its professionalism, mature and caring culture, and achieving over 20% year-overyear growth while staying completely aligned with shared goals. In addition to the Pinnacle Award, PaperCut recognised partners across four key categories that reflect the core drivers of the print management industry and ecosystem health. Net New Customer Club: ecoprintQ was recognised as one of the top five partners for securing the most new customers year‑on-year. Proactive Support: Bluemega was honoured for embodying the customer first principle. Renewal Champion: ecoprintQ was awarded for best-in-class maintenance & support renewals globally. Growth in Engaged Partners: Selectec was recognised for successfully growing the density of engaged resellers within their ecosystem. www.papercut.com Katun partners with Close the Loop Katun has announced the launch of Katun Collects, a new core collection and recycling program for the European market. The initiative, developed in partnership with global sustainability solutions provider, Close the Loop, represents a significant step forward in supporting its commitment to circular economy principles. Katun Collects is designed to streamline the collection and responsible recycling of used toner cartridges, components, and core parts – including returns from Katun Arivia MFPs. By recovering valuable materials and reducing waste, the program will play a pivotal role in minimising environmental impact across the product lifecycle. The program will initially be available to selected customers across Western Europe and the UK, with a focus on print and office technology industry partners. Plans for wider expansion across additional EMEA regions are already in development. www.katun.com Donna Reid to run Edinburgh Marathon 2026 ECS Sales Director, Donna Reid will be running the Edinburgh Marathon in 2026 to support Leuchie House, a charity dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by neurological conditions. An accomplished marathon runner, Reid had vowed to hang up her running shoes for good after completing the 2024 London Marathon and the 2025 Manchester Marathon, however, inspired by the mission of Leuchie House, she’s found the determination to lace up her running shoes once again for a fantastic cause. She said: “The incredible work Leuchie House does for individuals and families facing neurological challenges compelled me to commit to yet another marathon. Running the Edinburgh Marathon in 2026 for such a meaningful cause is an incredible honour.” https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ Donna-Reid2025 IPIA strengthens print’s community ties With a mission to strengthen the ties that bind the print community together for the long-term, the IPIA’s flagship Recognising Excellence event returned on December 3, at the Crowne Plaza, Stratford-upon-Avon. Bringing the print industry together for a day dedicated to connection, collaboration, and celebration, this year’s event underscores a central pillar of the IPIA’s strategy - to enrich the print community by stimulating partnerships, inspiring innovation, and empowering business growth through shared learning and networking. https://ipia.org.uk Printers, suppliers, technology developers and agencies can network and explore cutting-edge print technology at the Recognising Excellence Expo and Networking Lunch DocuWare AI Hub DocuWare has announced the opening of DocuWare AI Hub. This dedicated research and development hub will serve as a cornerstone for innovation and will play a crucial role in the company’s development of proprietary AI solutions for intelligent document processing and enterprise content management, based on ethical and data privacy standards supporting regulations such as the EU AI Act 2025. The close collaboration of DocuWare AI Hub experts with leading universities and the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) will foster academic partnerships that can quickly integrate the latest research, resulting in cutting-edge, real-world applications. Partners and customers will benefit from an expanded AI offering within the DocuWare product range, including solutions such as DocuWare IDP and the development of AI-based generative search and agentic automation for the DocuWare Enterprise Content Management platform. Dr Michael Berger, CEO of DocuWare said: “The future belongs to applied AI, it enables an entirely new user experience and unlocks additional use-cases and automation potential in enterprise content management. With the acquisition of natif.ai, we secured deep AI expertise at an early stage. The DocuWare AI Hub now unites all our AI knowledge, allowing us to realise innovative technologies and build great products and solutions even faster. This approach not only strengthens our market leadership in cloud ECM but will also ensure us a leading position the field of AI.” https://start.docuware.com BULLETIN
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 12 BULLETIN We’re all about championing print at PrintIT Reseller, so why not join in the ‘Where do you take yours’ challenge? Simply snap a photo of yourself reading the latest issue in the most unexpected spot you can find – whether that’s atop a mountain trail, tucked into a hidden café corner, or even mid–air on your next flight. Send me your pix for a chance to see your face (and your favourite pages) featured in our next edition. Where do you take yours? Brother MPS business partner conference PrintIT Reseller magazine proved to be a popular read at Brother UK’s business partner conference which took place in Manchester on October 23. Phil Johnson, Archway Business Solutions Sam Wright, Exertis Tom Hodson, Brother UK and Dean Birks, OfficeXpress Ayisha Bandali, Exertis Chris Marshall, Commercial Director Brother Europe
PRINTITRESELLER.UK 13 BULLETIN DSales sales summit Last month, DSales held its first-ever sales summit (North) at The Halston, Carlisle. Naturally, guests were keen to read the latest issue of PrintIT Reseller! We want to see where you take your issue and where our magazine travels with YOU! Please send your pix to me at [email protected] (l-r) Adrian Monger, Lindsay Porter and Abbie Lock, Hexa Finance Phil Aubert and Melissa Doran, JGBM Steve Hill, VaultIQ Dave Thompson, Vasion Paul Chadwick, Copy Control Phil White, Brother UK r B2B,
35 Years +
01732 759725 16 SYNAXON UK expands ITS team SYNAXON UK has appointed Markella Corbetta as Category Manager. In this newly created role, her focus will be on growing new business with partners while continuing to build and develop key vendor partnerships. Corbetta joins SYNAXON from Ingram Micro, where she gained more than seven-and-a-half years of experience working as Business Development Manager for Dell and in product management. Mike Barron, UK Managing Director, SYNAXON, said: “As SYNAXON UK grows and develops, we need to ensure that we can support our partners in their efforts to drive sales. We’re delighted to be bringing someone with Markella’s qualities and experience on-board. She will play a pivotal role, working with our key reseller and vendor partners, assisting them in maximising the benefits of our services and successfully addressing new business opportunities.” www.synaxon.com Katun names new CEO Katun has named Chenyi Chiu as its new CEO. Since joining Katun as Chief Strategy Officer in September 2024, Chiu has consistently demonstrated exceptional strategic insight, collaborative leadership, and a deep commitment to driving its continued growth and transformation. In his new role, Chiu will lead strategic initiatives focused on business growth and the expansion of Katun’s product portfolio. He said: “As CEO, I am committed to building on Katun’s strong legacy while advancing innovation, growth and collaboration. Supported by the expertise of our global team, Katun will continue to deliver exceptional value and partnership to our dealers and their customers.” www.katun.com Pete Lunn rejoins Kyocera Pete Lunn has returned to Kyocera Document Solutions UK as Head Sales Lead, a move designed to help accelerate the company’s UK channel strategy and deepen support for dealers nationwide. Looking ahead to 2026, Lunn is calling on more dealers to join Kyocera’s network. Commenting on the current channel climate, he said: “Customers crave reliability and flexibility. Dealers want a vendor who listens and adapts. My priority is to make sure we’re giving partners the support they need to stay competitive, be it through smarter processes or stronger day-to-day collaboration. “The market has become significantly more challenging in the last few years, but that also means there’s a real opportunity for us to reconnect with customers and further develop our peoplefirst approach. Our approach to partnerships is broad and inclusive; we always encourage dealers to reach out directly to explore new opportunities with us.” Steve Pearce, Head of Marketing at Kyocera Document Solutions UK, added: “We’re delighted to have Pete back. He understands our partners, has a strong grasp of the market and appreciates what makes Kyocera special. His experience and energy will play an important part in our next phase of channel growth.” www.kyoceradocumentsolutions.co.uk Pete Lunn Chenyi Chiu Markella Corbetta Senior appointment at TD SYNNEX TD SYNNEX has appointed Andy McCarthy as Sales Director – Major Accounts, UK and Ireland, underling its commitment to the continued enhancement of partner experiences. McCarthy brings more than 27 years of experience working in customer-facing roles within the channel to TD SYNNEX, including seven-and-a-half years as general manager for major accounts at Exertis. He has also held senior sales and account management posts at both Samsung and Sony. Phil Brown, VP Sales, UK & Ireland UK, TD SYNNEX, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Andy to the TD SYNNEX sales team. With his deep industry knowledge, he is ideally equipped to continue developing the strong relationships and trust that we have built with our key accounts over many years.” https://uk.tdsynnex.com Andy McCarthy New role for Rachel Rothwell Rachel Rothwell has taken on a new role as Senior Director of Zyxel Networks with responsibility for overseeing the performance of the company’s operations in France, Italy, and Spain, as well as the UK and Ireland The appointment is part of a reorganisation designed to enhance consistency of strategic execution and pave the way for the next phase of Zyxel Networks’ growth in the EMEA region. For the previous three years, Rothwell has been Senior Regional Director for the UK&I, and prior to that held the post of Regional Director – Southern Europe & UK for almost eight years. www.zyxel.com Rachel Rothwell Two new channel hires at PEAC Solutions With a wealth of experience in both the finance and technology sectors, Jordan Lisle has joined PEAC Solutions as Channel Tech Director to lead its newly established technology team. The company has also appointed Paul Fletcher as Channel Tech Manager. Fletcher has over two decades of experience in both IT and automotive leasing and has held key roles at Lombard, CF Corporate and more recently TD SYNNEX – Tech as a Service. www.peacsolutions.co.uk BULLETIN : PEOPLE
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01732 759725 18 Slack Every company has its choice of internal communication platform, and for us at PaperCut it’s Slack. I’m sure I’m not alone when I say that the volume of messages can be overwhelming, and therefore good housekeeping is important. Putting those challenges aside, I have to admit that I couldn’t do my job without it. Marketing AI Certification course, and the opportunities AI presents for marketing are exciting, particularly in a market where technology is moving at such a fast pace, AI is helping marketeers stay one step ahead. I primarily use it for efficiency, not replacement. It’s an exceptional partner for getting the first draft out. I use it for a variety of things, such as asking for objective feedback on an article I have written, checking grammar and punctuation for specific regional tone, or helping to build out a creative brief structure. It doesn’t always return what I’m looking for, but that’s OK. It’s a learning journey, and the human review is crucial. Something I learnt is to always be polite to it. After all, AI prefers nice people! PaperCutters Last, but most importantly, the people I work with. I’ve never worked at a company quite like PaperCut before. The company truly lives and breathes its CHIN values every day – caring, honesty, intelligence, and being nimble. I’m surrounded by a network of people who are genuinely the smartest. This culture is vital for channel marketing, because to be effective in my role, I need to work with so many different teams, from our channel partner managers to product marketing or technical system architects. I can’t tell you how many times fellow PaperCutters have gone out of their way to help one another. It’s a unique culture and one that I feel incredibly lucky to be part of. www.papercut.com In a hybrid, global company, Slack is an essential link between my colleagues across time zones. It means I can quickly reach teammates whether they are in the UK, Australia or the US and collaborate together, without creating an email chain bottleneck. I do have one rule though: No Slack when I’m on annual leave. Although it can be tempting to have a quick look, I think it’s important to have that distance when spending time with my family and friends. Music There are times during the day, especially when drafting complex channel campaign strategies or analysing data, when I need to focus. Listening to music helps me achieve that concentration. I always have my AirPods with me in the office, or the trusty old radio at home, and will listen to a whole variety of music. I wouldn’t say I particularly like one genre over another; the playlist could range from Johnny Cash’s storytelling to the energy of Tina Turner. The key is finding music that hits that sweet spot of being engaging enough to help creativity without being distracting. AI It’s probably an obvious one, but AI is certainly becoming more of a daily tool for me. I recently completed a Channel Sarah Evans, EMEA Programme Marketing Manager at PaperCut, picks the tools she uses every day and couldn’t do her job without I couldn’t do my job without… WORKPLACE Sarah Evans
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01732 759725 20 PITR: What (or who) has had the greatest impact in the sector in the last 10 years? MA: If you look at our industry over the last 10 years and what’s changed, it’s cloud. The whole way people print and where documents are stored has completely changed. There is no longer a one box fits all kind of answer. Now, it’s about understanding your customers, understanding how they work, understanding where they are on their cloud journey and also understanding what they mean by cloud. I have this conversation with a lot of people, they say we are moving to the cloud but what does that actually mean – is it public, private, hybrid? PITR: If you could change one thing about the last decade, what would it be? MA: Nothing. Because everything that’s happened in the last 10 years has brought me to where I am now, and I wouldn’t want to change that. Sometimes I reflect and think I might do that slightly differently or I might like to have a little bit more time there, but I wouldn’t be where I am today, so I would never change anything. PITR: What has been your proudest moment of the past 10 years? MA: The first is MyQ Showtime, because we all put in an awful lot of work into it, and seeing it all come together was incredible. I was really proud to see everybody achieve what they achieved. The second one hasn’t happened yet, we’re about to release a new update of MyQ X, that’s something that we’ve been working on for the last six months so I will be really proud when that goes live. PITR: Sum up the decade in three words. MA: Challenging. Changing. Rewarding. printers and a print management solution, and I was responsible for managing the print fleet. I started to get to know the engineers and the software side of things quite well, I fancied a change and I really liked the idea of getting into print. The guy who serviced our printers was retiring, so it was pure coincidence that I mentioned I was after a new challenge, which led to me joining Xerox as a hardware engineer and taking on his area. PITR: What has been the high point of the decade? MA: For me, the high point of the decade was joining MyQ. I had worked with them for over eight years as a partner selling their software and I had a great relationship with them. I had a close relationship with all of our partners, but MyQ was slightly different, because I got to work with the developers and I really felt a part of the team. So going from being a partner, to them recruiting me to come and join them was my high point. PITR: And the low point? MA: I know many people would say COVID was the low point, but for me, that period was great. ASL really looked after their employees and I had time with my children that I would never have got anywhere else. The real low point was leaving ASL to join MyQ, because I’d been there for 10 years. I had such a fantastic team and leaving that behind was a lot harder than I initially anticipated. As much as I knew MyQ and I’d worked with them for a long time, the shift from partner to employee was different. It probably took me about six weeks to actually settle in and start to get to know everybody and then start building up those friendships with extended colleagues. So, the low point was leaving my comfort zone within ASL and the relationships that I still have with my former colleagues. PrintIT Reseller (PITR): What was your first job? Mark Asbridge (MA): I was an IT technician at a large senior school. Interestingly, it was the school that I went to. The IT team knew me really well as a student and I told them that I didn’t want to continue into college or go to university, I wanted to work and asked if they had any IT jobs. So, I officially left as a student on the Wednesday and the following Monday, I was an employee. PITR: You’ve been working in the print and IT industry for more than ten years. What led you to enter the sector? MA: That relates back to my first job. We had a fleet of about 100 Xerox Mark Asbridge, Head of Business Consultancy, MyQ, shares his experiences over the past decade, what he’s learned, and the highs and the lows of our unique and challenging industry A decade in print INTERVIEW Mark Asbridge
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