PRINTITRESELLER.UK 33 PARTNER CONFERENCE Sharp hosted 58 of its top tier partners at the Elevate 2022 partner conference and product showcase held on May 19-20 at Old Thorns, Liphook Elevate 2022 at more acquisitions to come. He also announced the company was pushing forward with a new e-commerce platform, as well as replacing the Sharp Academy with a new cloud learning platform for partners. Continued investment in print Next up on the live stream was Alexander Hermann, President of Sharp Information Systems. 50 years on from its first copier launch, Hermann confirmed that the MFP will continue to play a significant role in Sharp’s future. “The future workplace will still require print and we will continue investing in this area,” he said. Sharp previewed its new future workplace A3 MFP Series at Elevate 2022. The fifteen-strong range delivers speeds of 26 ppm to 65 ppm, offers users effortless connectivity and state-ofthe-art security, without compromising commitment to sustainability. In a world-first, the new models feature a native Microsoft Teams connector, meaning employees can easily print from and scan documents to their Teams channels and folders. In addition, the Synappx Go mobile app enables contactless print, copy and scan with smartphones and integration to popular cloud storage platforms. For even greater flexibility, users can wirelessly print from any Wi-Fi enabled laptop, tablet or smartphone natively without the need to set up a wireless LAN. As well as offering a stylish modern look, the new MFPs also provide a range of time saving functions and intuitive ease-of-use. The customisable 10.1-inch tiltable LCD touchscreen control panel offers a consistent user interface common across Sharp’s current range, enhancing the user experience and enabling those already familiar with Sharp devices to be ready to work right away. Designed to be future-proof, the application portal provides software updates and cloud connector apps to ensure users’ MFPs are always up-to-date. Elevate 2022 was Sharp’s first in-person partner conference for a few years. It was clear from the atmosphere in the room, interest in the products on show, and the constant flow of conversation, that the opportunity to meet face to face was welcomed by all attendees. Following a welcome from Dealer Sales Director Paul Leach, guests were invited to watch a live broadcast, streamed simultaneously across Europe, where Sharp Europe’s senior executive team explained how the company’s products and services release the potential of people and how, with its partners, Sharp can help businesses to build for the future workplace. Rob Tung, President Sharp Europe, said that the company had invested in research to explore what customers need and how they work. “Technology made hybrid working possible and the pandemic made it necessary,” he said, adding: “63 per cent of people said that technology makes them more effective outside the office.” Tung explained how Sharp’s ecosystem of smart office devices and services can help businesses to build for the future workplace. The company is established as a credible IT services provider and is committed to support partners looking to extend their offering in this area. He spoke about recent acquisitions and investment in the European Technology Support Centre which provides 24/7 support and hinted State-of-the-art security The new models feature state-of-the-art security to protect each device – and the data it processes. BIOS-based security instantly prevents the device from starting if errors are found, while pre-installed root certificates prevent any unauthorised use of devices. The new devices also integrate with broader security strategies and include BitDefender anti-malware support – making it much easier for IT teams to keep data, devices and networks secure. Sharp’s new MFPs also provide significant environmental benefits, with up to 27 per cent more energy saving compared with previous generations. In addition, smart diagnostics and minimised waste features help to strengthen businesses’ eco-friendly credentials by delivering a superior performance across the full range of environmental concerns. “The hybrid world of work demands greater connectivity and better security – without compromising on environmental goals,” Hermann continued. “This is why we focused on delivering on all of these points with our new MFP range and are committed to developing these for the entire Sharp ecosystem.” Hermann also said that Sharp has and will continue to invest in A4 to complete its line-up, and he also said that the company is prepared to increase that investment if demand is there. Sharp’s new MFPs also provide significant environmental benefits, with up to 27 per cent more energy saving compared with previous generations continued...
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