01732 759725 30 EVENTS ahead to 2026 and beyond. The event closed with an incredible show from illusionist Fergus Flanagan, proving innovation can be magical. Panel discussion The panel discussion centred on several strategic themes including consolidation, diversification, collaboration and sustainability. Consolidation continues to reshape the market, with major players acquiring smaller resellers, leading to a projected reduction in channel participants by 2026. Westcoast’s acquisition by ALSO was highlighted as a strategic move that expands regional capabilities and supports cross-border service delivery, especially important in the post-Brexit landscape. Diversification emerged as a survival imperative. As acquiring net-new business becomes more difficult, many resellers are expanding beyond print into areas like cybersecurity, AI, and IT services to offset plateauing print revenues. Collaboration was highlighted as a growth lever, with cross-selling and shared services enabling deeper customer engagement. Despite the shift toward services, most agreed that print still accounts for the majority of reseller revenue. While digital workflows and IT services are growing, the transition has been slow. Many resellers still rely on longterm print leases and asset sweating to maintain margins. However, those failing to adapt, risk being left behind. Sustainability was another focal point alongside cybersecurity concerns. In summary, strategic alignment, transparency and adaptability will be critical for resellers navigating a rapidly transforming market. www.westcoast.co.uk Molhoek pointed out Lexmark’s strong sustainability credentials including the fact it has achieved Platinum status by Ecovadis for four years in a row. He stressed the company’s focus on sustainable design as well as its advanced remanufacturing processes. Lexmark devices contain industry-leading levels of postconsumer recycled (PCR) content, are engineered for durability and reliability, and designed to last for seven+ years. He also explained how partners will benefit from Lexmark’s acquisition by Xerox, emphasising the advantages of greater scale, deeper expertise and increased resources. In particular he highlighted why Lexmark is the ideal partner for international companies seeking multi-country MPS contracts. Sustainable, energy-efficient printing Epson’s Dan Wogan presented a compelling case for sustainable, energy-efficient printing. He said that as an indirect sales organisation, Epson provides partners with an opportunity to differentiate around sustainability. Wogan spoke about the potential for partners to educate customers on the commercial impact of sustainability leveraging Epson’s Optimisation Tool. He also highlighted the advantages of heat-free technology, in particular, the fact devices use 80% less energy, incorporate high yield cartridges and have no warm-up time. Attendees also heard from Greg Van Der Gaast, a former hacker turned cybersecurity advisor, who provided a wake-up call on the risks behind innovation. Van Der Gaast then joined Henry Beech, Ryan Mitchell, Dan Wogan, HP’s Rob Taylor and Danny Molhoek for an insightful panel discussion looking Powering your business with AI Craig Hodgson, AI Delivery Lead at Fidra Analytics and Larry Smith BDM Sales Manager at Westcoast, provided an overview of Westcoast’s AI services. The duo stressed that AI services are built around solving business challenges, not pushing technology. The focus is on helping partners to identify value streams, within their own or their customers’ business - areas where AI and analytics can unlock efficiencies, improve customer experience, and sharpen competitive edge. Whether it’s sales conversion insights, predictive maintenance or stock optimisation, the goal is to turn data into actionable intelligence. Hodgson explained that the journey begins with an AI Readiness package, a 10-day engagement to assess use cases and feasibility. Promising ideas then move into a Proof of Value phase, where a minimum viable AI product is developed and tested. From there, partners can scale solutions with ongoing support. Importantly, each phase is fixed-term, fixed-price and vendor-agnostic. In closing, Smith encouraged partners to explore AI within their own operations to streamline workflows, automate tasks and enhance service delivery. He also said that Westcoast has developed a workshop for partners looking to resell and monetise AI. Reliable, effortless and sustainable Lexmark’s Vice President EMEA Sales, Danny Molhoek explored what sets Lexmark printers and MFPs apart, describing the technology as reliable, effortless and sustainable. …continued
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