v54 · 2022 www.technologyreseller.co.uk THE MAGAZINE & ONLINE CHANNEL RESOURCE FOR MSPS, IT RESELLERS & IT SUPPORT PROVIDERS PAGE 20 Q&A EVENTS View from the Channel PAGE 22 PAGE 19 What are the key growth areas in large format displays? Samsung’s Andy Haywood tells all Exertis highlights consumer tech at inaugural Exertis Exclusive event With Ashley Hamer, Chief Innovation Officer at Stratas Meet Your 2Connect of the Future Launches Contact Centre Offering with – A Global CCaaS Specialist Bringing Enterprise Grade Cloud Voice & Teams Voice solutions Portfolio Launch Event 1st November in partnership with 1Gb Leased Line for just £129 pm Find out more – see p33
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In association with: MAGAZINE &WEBSITE TECHNOLOGY RESELLER CATEGORIES Note: Award categories may be subject to change VENDOR AWARDS n Audio Visual Vendor of the Year n Cyber Security Vendor of the Year n Cloud Services Vendor of the Year n Communications Vendor of the Year n Network Vendor of the Year n Software Vendor of the Year n Print Vendor of the Year (MFPs/MPS) n Document Workflow Vendor of the Year DISTRIBUTOR AWARDS n Audio Visual Distributor of the Year n Cyber Security Distributor of the Year n Cloud Services Distributor of the Year n Communications & Networking Distributor of the Year n Software Distributor of the Year n Hardware Distributor of the Year n Print/MPS/Scan Distributor of the Year RESELLER AWARDS n SMB Reseller/MSP of the Year ( Turnover up to £5m) n Mid-Enterprise Reseller/MSP of the Year ( Turnover £5m to £10m) n Enterprise Reseller/MSP of the Year ( Turnover £10m to £20m) n Corporate Reseller/MSP of the Year ( Turnover £20m+) n Reseller/MSP Install of the Year ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS n Account Manager of the Year n Industry Leader of the Year n DEI Champion of the Year PRODUCT & SOLUTION AWARDS n Hardware/End Point Device of the Year n Software Solution of the Year n Communications Product of the Year n Hybrid Working Solution of the Year n Service Desk Solution of the Year TECHNOLOGY RESELLER SPECIAL AWARDS n TR Award for Sustainability n TR Award for Innovation n TR Award for Tech Services & Implementation Provider Entries open soon and we would encourage you to enter as many categories as you see fit to increase your chances of winning – it’s FREE to enter. If you’d like more information on the Awards, the Award categories or how to enter, please contact our events team: events@ technologyresellerawards.co.uk or call 01732 759 725 The distributor awards will be voted for categories by Technical Reseller magazine readers The Technology Reseller Awards 2023 are here to recognise and celebrate the massive contribution that technology vendors, distributors, MSPs, resellers and service and maintenance companies make to UK plc and to the wider community. The Technology Reseller Awards will once again honour the achievements of businesses throughout the IT channel, highlighting best practice , sustainability and innovation to inspire everyone who works in, or with, this extraordinary, vital industry.
technologyreseller.co.uk If you no longer wish to receive Technology Reseller magazine please email your details to [email protected] COMMENT 05 With the storm clouds gathering, it was heartening to read the latest ChannelWatch report from IT market intelligence company CONTEXT, which shows that IT resellers across much of Europe and beyond are still largely positive about the future. In its annual poll of more than 5,300 B2B and B2C resellers in Europe, Turkey and South Africa, 62% said they expected their business to perform better over the coming 12 months, only slightly down on last year’s figure (67%). Just 10% expect to do worse. These are pretty remarkable figures, especially when you consider that the survey was conducted in April to July, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and at a time when rising inflation and energy costs were hitting the headlines. Then I read the small print and saw that Europe meant France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Baltics, Nordics, Portugal and Poland, but not the UK. I wonder how UK responses might have changed the picture. Yes, Europe has its own problems, but I can’t help feeling that ours are greater, and were even before September 6 when Liz Truss became PM. As a rule, IT resellers in the UK tend to have a positive outlook. One reason might simply be that they work in IT. According to a new survey by Experis, a leader in IT professional resourcing, more than one in four UK adults wish they worked in the tech sector. Many tech businesses will wish the same. The skills crisis came up in almost every conversation I had at last month’s Tech Live event, and it didn’t make any difference whether I was talking to a vendor, ISV, reseller or MSP. Everyone seems to be struggling with the same problem. In the IT sector, as Markus Rex explains in our feature on managed services on page 30, the skills shortage is being compounded by the rapid pace of technological change, which means there is a constant requirement to upskill and specialise. This is something of a double-edged sword for MSPs that benefit from demand from end users customers unable to recruit enough IT talent, but who require their own in-house expertise to meet that demand. Channel services organisations can help, as we explain on page 30, but what happens when they face the same problem? As ever, it comes back to education, education, education, with a great dollop of automation thrown into the mix. James Goulding – Editor, [email protected] Technology Reseller is published by Kingswood Media Ltd., 10 Amherst House, 22 London Road, Sevenoaks TN13 2BT • Tel: 01732 759725 Email: [email protected] www.technologyreseller.co.uk No part of Technology Reseller can be reproduced without prior written permission of the publisher. © 2022 Kingswood Media Ltd. Design: Sandtiger Media www.sandtiger.co.uk v54 · 2022 technologyreseller.co.uk Comment Register online To receive your regular FREE printed copy of Technology Reseller Magazine simply fill in our online registration form at www.technologyreseller.uk/register Read Technology Reseller online, on tablets and smart phones www.technologyreseller.uk Join us : Follow us @techreselleruk www.facebook.com/TechnologyResellerMag technology-reseller-magazine Editor: James Goulding 07803 087228 · [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 01732 759725 · [email protected] Art Director: Nick Pledge 07767 615983 · [email protected] ISSN 2632-9301 (Print) ISSN 2632-931X (Online) 06 What’s New The month’s best new products and services 08 Working Together This month’s round-up of new distribution agreements 09 Distributor News Infinigate announces third acquisition in as many months 12 Reseller News Lyreco quadruples size of electric vehicle fleet 19 Events Exertis holds inaugural consumer tech showcase 20 View from the Channel With Ashley Hamer, Chief Innovation Officer, Stratas 22 Q&A Andy Haywood highlights key growth areas in Samsung’s display business 26 Research Print and the office of the future 28 Tech Live 2022 Tech Live keynotes and roundtables now online 30 Managed Services Synaxon helps IT providers survive the skills crisis 32 Cover Story Meet the 2Connect of the future 34 Cybersecurity CybelAngel moves into external attack surface management space 39 People New faces, new places 42 I couldn’t do my job without... Josephine Liang picks her favourite work tools 43 My Life in IT We ask Chris Ross, CRO at Barracuda Networks, about his life in IT
Bang & Olufsen is expanding its business-to-business product range with the launch of a Zoom-certified wireless headset designed specifically for hybrid workers. Meeting growing demand for multi-purpose devices, the Beocom Portal combines high-quality Bang & Olufsen sound, an attractive lightweight design and compatibility with popular communication platforms. 01732 759725 06 INNOVATIONS What’s New Compact air purifier Indoor air quality specialist Rensair has brought out an affordable, WiFi-connected air purifier for smaller indoor spaces. Ideal for SMEs, conference rooms, doctor/ dental surgeries, classrooms and homes, the Compact uses HEPA filtration and germicidal UVC light to remove more than 99.97% of pathogens and other airborne particulate matter, including bacteria, pollen, dust and mould. Five airflow speeds and 360-degree outflow enable clean air to penetrate the entire room no matter where the unit is placed. An accompanying smart app enables users to programme multiple Compact devices to adjust fan settings automatically according to prevailing particle concentrations, switch to the maximum setting between scheduled meetings, or start/stop based on location and time. Real-time alerts can be set to manage maintenance schedules and to reset the filter monitor after the filter has been replaced. www.rensair.co.uk B2B with a Bang Cloud explained Managed web hosting provider Cloudways has compiled a Cloud Hosting Glossary with definitions of 50 common cloud computing terms. Suitable for everyone from cloud novices to business leaders and experienced cloud specialists, the glossary provides straightforward explanations of each term along with more in-depth information and realworld use cases. www.cloudways.com/en/ resources/cloud-hosting-glossary Data sovereignty Multi-cloud data management specialist Veritas Technologies is introducing UK-hosted SaaS versions of its archiving, eDiscovery and Supervision solutions, including Enterprise Vault.cloud, Merge1 (content collection), Advanced eDiscovery and Advanced Supervision. Backed by Microsoft data centres in the UK, the new offerings are being launched to meet the needs of regulated and public sector organisations that recognise the benefits of a SaaS approach to data management but which also need to retain data sovereignty. Veritas Technologies will be offering existing EV on-premises customers subsidised migrations to the cloud via its Direct Migrator solution. veritas.com Built-in flexibility With Bluetooth 5.0 and NFC connectivity, a USB audio interface and the ability to attach headsets when privacy is required, the new Snom C300 speakerphone has builtin flexibility. It can be operated via seven touch keys or a smartphone app, with choices confirmed via the LED display and audio announcements. It provides 24 hours’ talk-time and five days’ standby time and includes a USB port for charging the device or a smartphone. The Snom C300 and the company’s new Snom A330 M/D headset are part of a new range of devices being launched for hybrid workers. www.snom.com Government approval PPDS, global provider of Philips professional displays, has achieved Trade Act Agreement (TTA) compliance for its 4K UHD digital signage and videowall displays. For the first time, Philips professional displays, including Philips 4K D-Line digital signage and Philips X-Line videowall displays, can be specified for US government projects at a federal, state and local level. Designed for 24/7 usage and offering military grade security, the displays can be configured and customised to suit any space, from videowalls in reception areas or a control room to wayfinding displays in corridors and collaborative installations in offices, meeting rooms and cafeterias. Ppds.com Lecture mode Konftel’s flagship conferencing speakerphone has been enhanced with a wireless link to approved headsets connected via a DECT base station, giving users total freedom of movement within a room. Offered on the Konftel 800 via a free software upgrade, ‘lecture mode’ will initially only be available with Jabra Engage 65 headsets. Support for other wireless headsets will be enabled in future firmware releases. When the presenter talks, the Konftel 800 automatically mutes all its microphones bar the headset microphone. Once the presenter has stopped talking, speakerphone microphones are unmuted enabling all in-room participants to be heard. Remote participants can be heard through the headset at all times. www.konftel.com
technologyreseller.co.uk 07 INNOVATIONS Carbon neutral for life Lexmark is addressing the print needs of eco-conscious small and medium-sized businesses with the launch of its first CarbonNeutral-certified printers. The two flagship models in the Lexmark GO Line series of small footprint devices – the B3442dw mono printer (£249) and the MC3326i colour MFP (£389) – are carbon neutral-certified right out of the box, with no additional fees to pay. Carbon neutrality covers the printers’ full lifecycle including production, transportation, use and retirement. The B3442dw is also one of eight models supported by the new Lexmark OnePrint Subscription service, which monitors and manages devices and automatically ships genuine Lexmark toner when a replacement is needed. www.lexmark.com Pay it again, Sam Subscription management and billing platform Recurly is now available on Google Cloud Marketplace, enabling Google Cloud users to integrate the solution with their own platforms, from within their Google Cloud environment. Thousands of companies across digital media, streaming, publishing, SaaS, education, consumer goods and professional services rely on Recurly’s all-in-one, integrated platform to automate subscription billing at scale and to manage subscriber accounts. https://recurly.com Toner on tap HP is saving time and money for small businesses by expanding its HP Instant Ink subscription service to include automatic deliveries of replacement ink or toner to multiple printers in multiple locations, on one bill. Supported printers include HP’s new LaserJet Pro 3000 and 4000 series printers with HP+. These 35 and 42 pages per minute devices can also help protect forests through HP’s Forest First initiative. For every page printed for the life of the printer, HP will contribute to the restoration, protection and responsible management of forests in collaboration with NGO partners like World Wildlife Fund. www.hp.com In the Zone Logitech has launched new webcams and headsets designed to meet the needs of hybrid workers through a combination of business-grade quality, style, affordability and compatibility with leading conferencing platforms. Brio 500 webcams and Zone Vibe headphones also make it easier for IT managers to support remote and hybrid workers, for example through integration with Logitech Sync, which allows admins to update firmware and troubleshoot problems remotely. Both ranges are certified carbon neutral and have high levels of postconsumer recycled plastic www.logitech.com Intelligent healthcare Purple, the Manchester-based technology company backed by Sir Terry Leahy, former CEO of Tesco, is aiming to help the NHS improve service levels, reduce waste and cut waiting times with the launch of its ‘Intelligent Healthcare’ app. The asset tracking and navigation tool enables healthcare workers to keep track of hospital equipment and medicines through an interactive map and, if necessary, find their way towards assets with the help of the app’s integrated wayfinding. Purple says that nurses spend at least one hour of every shift searching for critical pieces of equipment and medication and that every year £300 million of medicines are wasted. Flat out brilliant Panasonic has introduced a ‘flat’ version of its popular TOUGHBOOK N1 rugged Android handheld for last-mile delivery drivers, warehouse employees and field service technicians. One of the thinnest and lightest handheld devices in the 4.7in category, the MIL-STD810G-tested TOUGHBOOK N1 Flat has an integrated camera-based barcode scanner and can also be paired, via Bluetooth, with a wearable barcode reader. For document capture, proof of delivery and webcam use, there is an 8MP rear and 5MP front camera, while an optional Pen enables more accurate signature recording and recognition capabilities. https://business.panasonic.co.uk/TOUGHBOOK-N1 From bedsit to worksit Jarvo, the self-styled Airbnb for work, is ready to revolutionise remote working after hitting its Seedrs investment target in just 42 seconds, smashing the previous record of 96 seconds set by Monzo Bank back in 2016. Through its platform and app, Jarvo aims to help householders generate extra income by making unused, work-ready residential space available to remote workers in their area. Founder Daniel Hillman said: “The traditional office space is dead, and while co-working spaces have opened up a world of collaboration, they also bring a host of challenges with them. They’re rigid, expensive and require lengthy commutes. Work in the future needs to be decentralised, diverse and truly sustainable.” Since it was founded in 2021, more than 1,000 homeowners have signed up to list their spare space on the platform; more than 13,500 users are waiting to discover new workspaces in their area. www.seedrs.com/jarvo/coming-soon
01732 759725 08 WORKING TOGETHER In a new distribution agreement with Atos Unify, technology advisor 186Kloud has become an official ‘Unify Office by RingCentral (UO) Master Broker’ for the UK and Ireland. Stephen Hackett, Chief Executive Officer of 186Kloud, said: “As the market and demand for unified communication services delivered and consumed from the cloud continues to grow into the mid and enterprise markets, 186Kloud are excited to go to market with trusted technology vendor Atos Unify and their Unify Office offer.” Unify Office by RingCentral, delivered by Atos Unify, is a born-in-the-cloud, mobilefirst communication solution that offers next-generation messaging, video and telephony services and cloud collaboration. www.186kloud.com On-hold messaging provider Audio Productions (AudPro) is extending its reach through a new distribution agreement with Pragma that will enable the latter’s network of reseller partners to boost margins, increase revenue and reduce customer churn through Messaging on Hold solutions. Will Morey, Chief Executive and CoFounder of Pragma, said: “Messaging on hold is a great addition for our reseller partners to add additional recurring revenue services into their iPECS Cloud UCaaS proposition. AudPro’s channel-only model complements Pragma’s perfectly, and we wouldn’t recommend anyone else for MoH.” AudPro and Pragma are supporting resellers with a new partner toolkit that will enable them to run MoH marketing campaigns and educate customers on the benefits of professional on-hold messaging. [email protected] In an extension of its long-standing partnership with infrastructure software provider Progress, Exertis Enterprise is providing reseller partners with access to more of the company’s world-class infrastructure solutions, including Progress WhatsUp Gold IT infrastructure monitoring software and the Progress Flowmon network visibility and security solution, in addition to the Progress Kemp LoadMaster load balancer solution, which Exertis has distributed for many years. The expanded offering will enable network and system admins to monitor everything connected to each network and to find and fix problems before they impact end-users; gain visibility into the status and performance of networks, servers, storage devices, network traffic, device configurations and applications across on-premises and in the cloud, with a single network interface; and take advantage of sophisticated alerting and reporting capabilities to ensure the availability and security of customers’ applications and websites, while allowing them to scale as their workloads change. Dominic Ryles, Director of Sales & Commercial – Security at Exertis Enterprise, said: “We’re excited to extend our Progress portfolio. The two new additions, Flowmon and WhatsUp Gold, give us the opportunity to better service our partners and their customers with Network Detection & Response (NDR) services and Observability and Monitoring tools, in order to defend against the emerging threats we see in the landscape.” www.exertis.co.uk In a new distribution partnership with Pure Storage, Tech Data is extending the former’s entire portfolio of advanced data management and storage solutions to partners across the UK. The addition of Pure Storage complements Tech Data’s current portfolio of infrastructure products and extends choice to partners and their customers. Working with Tech Data, systems integrators and solutions providers can offer customers a complete end-to-end proposition – from on-premise servers, networking and storage to private and public cloud options and complete management and orchestration of hybrid infrastructures. With its professional services offerings, Tech Data can support partners in delivering consultancy, installation and on-going support and managed services, bridging skills gaps and enabling them to deliver more value to customers and grow their business. Jason Boxall, Senior Vice President Advanced Solutions, EMEA, Tech Data, said: “As the capacity needs of large and mid-sized organisations continue to rise, there are tremendous growth opportunities for partners with Pure Storage. Its high performance solutions deliver the quality and reliability that organisations need to support modern hybrid infrastructures and this agreement enables solutions and systems integrator partners to take advantage of Tech Data’s exceptional services, technical expertise and business development capabilities to support the evolving needs of their customers.” https://uk.techdata.com/ With talk of power cuts this winter, CMS Distribution has added Salicru Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) systems to its enterprise product portfolio. Salicru develops, manufactures and markets products designed to protect industrial, professional and household systems from mains power supply disturbances, while also providing engineering and consulting services to customers. Salicru International Sales Director Eduard Barcelona said: “Salicru are extremely excited to be working in partnership with a forward-thinking, proactive business such as CMS. As demand continues to increase for powerrelated products across all sectors, it’s a strong strategic decision to keep people connected with power and technology.” www.cmsdistribution.com Vectra, a leader in AI-driven threat detection and response for hybrid and multi-cloud enterprises, is building on an existing partnership with Nuvias Group company Cloud Distribution and making the Nuvias Group its sole strategic distributor across the UK. By gaining access to Nuvias Group’s 1600-strong UK partner network, Vectra is hoping to expand from the SMB market into the medium and large enterprise space. Its platform enables unified threat visibility for public or hybrid cloud, SaaS, identity and corporate networks, utilising AI to detect criminal activity and help organisations identify attacks and stop them before they become breaches. Garry Veale, Regional Director UK&I at Vectra, said: “Demand for intelligent, threatled security that can take the pressure off security teams is at an all-time high. The Nuvias Group’s integrated offering will give more organisations the opportunity to use Vectra as part of a holistic solution and reduce their mean time to detect attacks. Working together This month’s round-up of new distribution agreements Will Morey Pragma Dominic Ryles Exertis Enterprise Jason Boxall Tech Data
technologyreseller.co.uk 09 NEWS : Distributors Infinigate, the highly acquisitive value-added distributor (VAD) of cybersecurity solutions, has announced its third acquisition in as many months. Following its merger with Nuvias, announced in early July, and its strategic acquisition of cloud services provider Vuzion, announced at the end of August, the Bridgepoint-backed distributor has declared its intention to merge with Dubai-based StarLink, the leading VAD in cybersecurity, secure cloud and secure networking in the Middle East and Africa (MEA). With 300 employees in 11 countries across MEA, a portfolio of 60 vendors and a customer base of 1,500 resellers, StarLink will give a significant boost to Infinigate’s global ambitions, increasing its headcount to 1,100 and extending its reach to more than 50 countries, with office locations in more than 30. The addition of StarLink’s $500 million in annual revenue will increase total Infinigate Group turnover to an estimated €2.2 billion for 2023. Klaus Schlichtherle, CEO of Infinigate Group, said: “Merging StarLink represents another key milestone on our journey towards becoming a global player. Both Infinigate and StarLink have a long history of market leadership and have significant expertise in the SMB and enterprise sector. As well as being able to offer increased technical know-how, we will be able to leverage StarLink’s experience and relationships across EMEA. The transaction offers a wealth of opportunities for our employees, our partners and our customers.” Following the merger, StarLink will operate under the Infinigate Group banner, with joint founders, Mahmoud Nimer and Nidal Othman, taking up the respective roles of CEO and President of the MEA-Region. www.infinigate.com Infinigate expands footprint in Middle East and Africa Klaus Schlichtherle Rik Hubbard The power of BIM Datech Solutions, the Autodesk-focused business of Tech Data, has signed an agreement with iOFFICE + SpaceIQ that will enable Autodesk partners to tackle the challenges customers have around hybrid work and sustainability with an integrated building lifecycle management solution. The solution comprises iOFFICE + SpaceIQ’s all-in-one Archibus workplace management platform, which empowers building professionals to manage and optimise space, operations and maintenance, and the Autodesk AEC Collection, which provides designers, engineers and contractors with a set of BIM and CAD tools supported by a cloud-based common data environment for project delivery from early-stage design through to construction. Nick Stefanidakis, VP Alliances & Channels for iOFFICE + SpaceIQ, said: “Our partnership with Datech gives Autodesk partners the opportunity to offer Archibus alongside BIM solutions. With tighter integration of BIM data and deeper insights into operations and workflows, professionals can make more informed design choices. They can create environments that optimise efficiency, comfort and sustainability and provide the capability to adapt to unexpected change for their end user customers.” In September 2021, Autodesk announced a strategic investment in iOFFICE + SpaceIQ as part of its efforts to bring BIM and digital twin technologies to the full building lifecycle. www.TDSYNNEX.com Exertis launches phone system Exertis has launched a cloud-based unified communications platform in partnership Boom Coms that customers can pay for by monthly subscription through the Exertis Cloud Platform. Suitable for businesses of all sizes, Exertis Voice brings together Softwareas-a-Service, class-leading technology products, a deep analytics layer and an intuitive portal that allows resellers to provision and manage their customers and end user customers to interact with the product. Customers can access the deviceagnostic platform in a number of ways, such as via Microsoft Teams, CRM systems and end point devices including IP phones, mobiles and desk phones. Rik Hubbard, Exertis Cloud Services Director, said: “The synergy between our Cloud business unit and Pro AV business unit is an exciting proposition for Exertis Voice. There are millions of businesses which are still using on-premise networks for their telephony, but with big changes to set-ups like these as a result of the forthcoming switch off of ISDN and PSTN, it’s important that businesses research cloud providers now to ensure no disruption to their systems in the near future. The flexible and programmable features that Exertis Voice can provide offer the ideal solution for customers of any size to make their telephony cloud-based.” www.exertis.co.uk This is a logical next step to expand on the great work from Cloud Distribution.” Midwich has added Yealink video conferencing solutions to its portfolio of Unified Communications and Collaboration Solutions (UC&C). These include the A20 and A30 meeting bars; the UVC all-in-one video bar range; and the MVC range for Microsoft Teams Rooms. Ross Floyd, Division Director at Midwich, said: “Yealink’s video conferencing solutions help organisations to overcome the challenges associated with physical distance while improving communications and collaboration between members both internally and externally. This addition bolsters our offering of a complete workspace collaboration solution for resellers from Midwich.” www.midwich.com Cybereason, the XDR company, has appointed Infinigate Group as sole distributor of the Cybereason Defense Platform in Europe, which helps defenders detect and predictively respond to cyberattacks at speed and scale. The Cybereason Defense Platform analyses more than 23 trillion securityrelated events per week, five times the volume of any other solution in the market. Using its patented MalOp (Malicious Operations) detection engine, it reveals the full attack story across every device, user identity, application and cloud deployment. Frank Koelmel, General Manager of EMEA at Cybereason, said: “Infinigate’s network of partners, their agility and their capacity across Europe was a key driver for Cybereason signing an exclusive distributor agreement. We believe this partnership will boost Cybereason’s growth in Europe and potentially in other regions in 2023.” www.infinigate.com In a new agreement with Securit International, a family business based in Almere, the Netherlands, Deflecto Europe has taken on UK distribution of the company’s range of products, including chalk markers, chalkboards, menu holders, barrier systems and information display & signage. Deflecto Managing Director Adrian Mayes said: “We will be working closely with the Securit team to offer a wide portfolio of products to new channels including trade, retail, online, hospitality and B2B.” www.deflecto.com
01732 759725 10 NEWS : Distributors Spicers opens trade counter for dealers in Greater Manchester area Wholesale office products and workplace supplies specialist Spicers has opened a dedicated trade counter at the firm’s Ashton-Under-Lyne HQ to meet the needs of dealers in the Greater Manchester district and surrounding areas. The official opening of the facility follows a ‘soft launch’ to two long-standing customers, which resulted in a 176% rise in sales on those accounts. Located in Spicers’ recently reconfigured 275,000 sq ft North-West site, the space includes a customer-facing trade counter, seating area, refreshment machines and toilets for drivers collecting from the new facility. The trade counter enables customers to place multiple orders from 1,000s of SKUs throughout the working day, with collections from 7 a.m. the next morning. Spicers Sales Director Steve Morley points out that Spicers is the only wholesaler in the UK to offer this service, which it plans to develop further in the future. He said: “The second phase of this development will allow dealers to place ‘emergency orders’ throughout the day, which will be available for collection two hours later. This will enable local dealers to provide an unrivalled service against ‘big box’ competitors.” Flexson award Flexson, an Exertis brand and creator of accessories for Sonos products, has picked up the award for Best Rack or Mounting Product at the Smart Building Awards 2022 for its Flexson Wall Mount for Sonos Ray. Perfect for a home cinema setup, the wall mount features Flexson’s cable management system, which channels cables though a non-intrusive hole and chases them into the wall for a tidy installation. The Flexson SRWM has multiple fixing points and a one-part design for a quick and easy installation. www.exertis.co.uk QBS certified as a B Corp business QBS has become one of 5,000 organisations around the world to be certified as a B Corp business in recognition of its high social and environmental performance. Covering the company’s operations in the UK, Germany, France and the Nordics, B Corp Certification is testament to the high standards of verified performance, accountability and transparency in relation to its employees, communities, customers, suppliers and the planet. On its journey to B Corp Certification, the software distributor has already attained ISO14001 certification; followed the SBTi framework; provided environmental disclosure in annual accounts; pledged to net zero; and become the first net carbon neutral distributor in the UK, using only Gold Standard VER (Verified Emission Reduction) offsets. Therese Stevinson, Sustainability and Diversity Officer at QBS Technology Group, said: “After a huge team effort, we are proud to announce QBS is a Certified B Corporation. We found the application process to be an incredibly valuable experience and over the coming years we are looking forward to continuing to make positive changes that will further benefit our stakeholders and wider society.” www.qbstechnology.com Midwich helps staff survive cost of living crisis Midwich has recruited a full-time employee to help develop initiatives to protect its 350+ employees from the cost-of-living crisis. Since the start of September, the AV distributor has implemented a number of measures at its Head Office in Diss, Norfolk, including the provision of supermarket vouchers; fuel vouchers; hot drinks and snacks at the on-site café; hot and cold lunches; everyday necessities such as food, toiletries and cleaning products; family treat bags containing sweets, hot chocolate, popcorn and other items; and firewood. Mark Lowe, Managing Director (UK and Ireland) at Midwich Group plc, said: “We have worked really hard in recent years to continually improve what we offer our people. We have paid particular attention to regularly reviewing salaries and perks. We also operate meaningful incentives like our profit-share scheme and free share awards. In addition to this, if there are small gestures that we can make to help our people whilst the cost of living is high, then we are absolutely committed to doing everything that we can. We have plenty more ideas and have recruited a full-time person to help with this.” www.midwichgroupplc.com Added support from VOW Wholesale VOW Wholesale is enhancing the support it provides to business supplies resellers to help them cope with price inflation, rapidly rising overheads, chronic labour shortages, ongoing supply chain disruption and other challenges. New initiatives on top of VOW’s existing value-added service and support offering include: n An Incremental Growth Rebate that allows resellers to gain up to a 30% rebate on incremental purchases in the Traditional and Facilities categories; n The re-introduction of timed AM dealer drops to provide greater all-round service flexibility and enable qualifying resellers to plan onward delivery on their own vans; n Seamless real-time order tracking with end-to-end scanning for all deliveries made via VOW’s Self-Serve Portal, Truline; n Bespoke product sourcing via VOW’s Self-Serve Portal, with a dedicated team sourcing and quoting on non-stocked items. VOW Wholesale MD Adrian Butler said: “We understand and recognise that times have been tough for our resellers over the past few years, and the challenges seem to keep on coming. We have listened carefully to the open and honest feedback we have received, which has helped us identify some crucial steps towards a more sustainable and collaborative future for resellers, VOW and the industry as a whole. “With our experienced teams behind each initiative, I am excited to see where these developments will take us.” www.vowwholesale.co.uk Adrian Butler
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01732 759725 NEWS : RESELLERS 12 Lyreco electric fleet surge Lyreco, a supplier of workplace products and services, has invested £2.3 million in 50 new Ford E-Transit vans, increasing the size of its electric vehicle fleet to 67. The company already had 17 Renault Master Z.E all-electric light goods vehicles. The Lyreco EV Fleet is being deployed across 13 of the firm’s 24 Regional Distribution Centres, including Dartford, Edinburgh, Manchester and Oxford, as well as at the Lyreco National Distribution Centre in Telford where they will be charged using electricity generated by Lyreco’s own solar panel-powered charging stations. Lyreco has invested more than £124,000 in charging infrastructure across the Regional Distribution Centre network, with plans to install charging stations at Lyreco’s remaining sites in 2023. Since 2013, Lyreco has reduced fuel consumption per delivery by over 31% through route optimisation, fleet improvements, driver training and order consolidation. It has pledged to move to zero tailpipe emission vans by 2028 and aims to be completely carbon neutral by 2030. why.lyreco.com Apogee strengthens ties with the Imps Apogee Corporation is strengthening its ties with Lincoln City Football Club by becoming a bronze sponsor of the men’s football team. In August the managed workplace services provider announced its sponsorship of the Lincoln City women’s team. Lincoln City FC, Britain’s first community-owned football club, is located less than 10 miles from Apogee’s National Operations Centre. As part of its relationship with the club, Apogee is supporting the Lincoln City Foundation which provides a range of activities for young children and people in need. Dom Gryszan, Marketing Director for Apogee Corporation, said: “Apogee have been actively looking for opportunities to support our local communities, and supporting a football club so close to our National Operations Centre was the perfect fit. Alongside our recent partnership with Lincoln Women FC, we’re delighted to be able to support the Lincoln region and wish them every success for the season ahead.” Apogee has also invested in Aylesford FC, the local team to its Head Office in Maidstone, Kent. apogeecorp.com Core expands into Scotland Microsoft-centric cloud managed services provider Core Technology Systems has strengthened its technical capabilities and expanded into Scotland with the acquisition of CompanyNet Limited, a 25-person Microsoft cloud specialist and Microsoft Gold Partner with offices in Glasgow and Edinburgh. Funding for the acquisition was provided by ThinCats, a leading alternative provider to mid-sized SMEs. Gerard Toplass G-Cloud 13 success for The 55 Group Following in the footsteps of Sypro, with its Contract Manager and Risk Manager systems, all brands within Hullheadquartered The 55 Group have gained G-Cloud 13 accreditation within the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) framework. G-Cloud 13 accreditation for procurement specialists Pagabo, social value solutions firm Loop and digital-first training platform Tequ mean that all The 55 Group brands are now able to compete for and deliver cloud services, hosting and software solutions to public sector organisations. Gerard Toplass, CEO of The 55 Group, said: “Gaining G-Cloud 13 status is a fantastic achievement for all our brands. It is a sign of high-quality products, great customer service, being ambitious innovators and being a quality provider in your specific field. Our clients are now able to evaluate, procure, build and manage their assets through accredited products.” Due to go live in November, G-Cloud 13 allows public sector organisations to make purchases via the digital marketplace without having to go through a lengthy procurement or tender process. the55group.co.uk/ Gamma Ball Rally winners This year’s Gamma Ball Rally, the eighth, was the largest yet with 24 four-person teams driving from Brands Hatch to Geneva for a gala dinner and charity auction. Since being launched in 2013, the Gamma Ball Rally has raised more than £750,000 for small charities, including ATE Ghana, which supports individuals in Lawra with small business grants, access to education and support for disabilities, and Special Effect, which uses technology to improve the lives of disabled children. Participating teams have a budget of £750 to spend on buying a vehicle, which they then customise and drive across Europe, overcoming various challenges along the way. Prizes are awarded to winners, runners-up, the ‘best dressed’ and those showing the most ‘team spirit’. This year’s winners were: n 1st place: X Team 1 (Fidelity Group) n 2nd place: Comm Tech Rangers (Comm-Tech Voice and Data) n 3rd place: Squid Pro Quo (Charterhouse) n Spirit of the Rally: Pincom Panther (Incom) n Best Dressed: Mystery Incorporated (Silver Lining Convergence) Redsquid launches Cyber/Kill Following 18 months of in-house development, voice and IT solutions provider Redsquid has launched an all-in-one Managed Endpoint Detection and Recovery (MDR) solution backed by a SOC team of 30+ security professionals. Redsquid Cyber/Kill monitors all activity on customers’ systems 24/7, isolates suspicious devices and user accounts and has the ability to roll back to a previous system state should the worst happen. www.redsquid.co.uk Photo: Chris Vaughan, Lincoln City X Team 1 (Fidelity Group)
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14 01732 759725 NEWS : RESELLERS Axway first for Pro2col Pro2col, the Managed File Transfer (MFT) specialist, has become the first value added reseller of Axway’s enterprise-level MFT portfolio in the UK and Ireland. With comprehensive API-driven integration options and a single pane of glass administration console, Axway can create, monitor and report on complex file transfer flows across old and new technologies, from beginning to end. The solution’s strength in security and governance makes it a popular choice for customers subject to the requirements of frameworks such as HIPAA and PCI-DSS and GDPR legislation. James Lewis, Founder and Managing Director of Pro2col, said: “Axway offers a proven and robust MFT solution that combines the vital requirements of security and compliance with an ambitious roadmap and complex automation engine. This rich feature-set makes Axway the ideal partner to complement Pro2col’s portfolio and help our enterprise-level customers meet their business requirements, particularly those that process large amounts of sensitive data or who operate across multiple countries with differing compliance drivers and local regulations.” www.axway.com • https://pro2col.com/ Alex Tupman XBM takes first steps in ambitious growth plan Managed print provider XBM Limited has taken its first steps on an ambitious expansion programme with the acquisition of iDoc Services Limited, a London-based, UK-wide reseller of Epson and HP printers, copiers and digital document solutions. XBM is already Epson’s second largest reseller in the UK and one of only three Epson Platinum Partners in the UK. XBM Managing Director Richard Taylor said: “Over the last four years XBM has repositioned itself as a leading supplier of sustainable office technology and iDoc Services already has a large number of Epson Heat-Free Business Inkjet devices in the field. As an Epson Platinum Partner, XBM is ideally suited to maintaining and growing that even further. This is a great first step in an aggressive growth plan.” iDoc Services’ existing customers will continue to be supported by manufacturer service teams or XBM’s national fleet of engineers and remote support technicians working from the company’s head office in Leeds and at regional sales and support centres in Newcastle, Manchester, Birmingham and London. Mode rebrands as Espria Connection Capital-backed Mode Solutions has rebranded as Espria, following the integration of IT managed services provider eacs which it acquired in June 2022. The unified business brings together a comprehensive range of integrated digital workspace solutions under one brand, including managed IT, cloud, communications and connectivity, hybrid/ remote working and document solutions. Alex Tupman, CEO of Espria, said: “IT outsourcing is now well established as a key driver of increased business agility and resilience. Our unique offering, underpinned by a dynamic, fresh brand, brings together an extended range of digital solutions designed to help businesses power their digital transformation and workspace.” He added: “Business leaders can focus on what matters most for them – managing built-up debt, reducing costs and growing revenues, safe in the knowledge their IT infrastructure is operating efficiently and securely.” Tower Leasing to back Flotek growth strategy Flotek, the fast-growing South Wales-based IT Managed Service Provider, has secured substantial backing from Tower Leasing to fund its growth strategy, which includes an established pipeline of acquisitions set to complete by the end of the year. Tower Leasing has already supported Flotek’s acquisition of legal and professional services specialist IT provider Gower Business Systems, which extended the company’s geographical reach and added £1.2m in revenue to the company. Jay Ball, CEO of Flotek, said: “This backing from such a force as Tower Leasing is an endorsement of our business model and management team at Flotek, and a real boost to the buy and build growth strategy we’ve set out.” www.flotek.io A helping hand The Birmingham office of IT support and cyber security consultancy Urban Network has donated four new high spec PCs to the charity free@last for use in its Nechells community centre. John Street from free@ last says the charity will use the PCs as part of its campaign to combat digital poverty. He said: “We’ve created a drop-in hub where locals of all ages can get access to computers and receive help and training from another of our strategic partners, Digital Innovators, a local company who have someone on-site daily. The sessions are proving popular with attendees ranging from 12-80 years of age.” Softcat win IT infrastructure and services provider Softcat has won a £4 million device contract with Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Working as an extension of the Trust’s Digital Services delivery team, Softcat will provide the new 640-bed Royal Liverpool University Hospital with end-user devices, peripherals, pre-staging, deployment, engineering and recycling services. Softcat, with nine offices throughout the UK and Ireland, is an approved supplier on more than 50 UK&I government frameworks. softcat.com John Street receives the PCs from Urban Strategic Account Manager Robert White XBM MD Richard Taylor and former iDocS MD Mark Moore shaking hands on completion of the deal Kerry Howells and Jay Ball
technologyreseller.co.uk 15 The new PressIT360 is released from Panasonic providing a true meeting experience volume of speech and the length of the utterance. Focus may be delayed or not performed depending on the situation. The slim shape and seamless fabric netting create a discreet appearance that is unobtrusive even when placed in the centre of a conference table or room. The camera captures the participants' faces at an optimal angle of incidence without overlapping with the computer, so you can concentrate on the discussion without worrying about the equipment. There is a tripod mount for the base of the camera should you wish to elevate the IT360 in anyway. The sound covers the entire room and the microphone adjusts to pick up sound from the person speaking to give a true unobtrusive meeting room experience with no drop out in sound quality. The technology works within a 5m radius seamlessly. The IT360 also comes with a range of advanced features which allow you to tune your meeting depending on situation or circumstance. More detailed settings, such as camera position adjustment and image quality changes, can be made on the laptop or PC. The PressIT app built into the unit can be installed on a laptop or PC to perform detailed settings which include: n Display of camera images n Video control (zoom in/zoom out, tilt up/down, pan left/right) *May not work on some models. n Image quality adjustment n Speaker operation test n Firmware update and version confirmation. Supporting operation systems for the PC app are Microsoft Windows (Windows 10/11) and macOS. A true flexible device suited to work in any business environment the IT360 is must for any modern hybrid working environment. business.panasonic.co.uk/visual-system The PressIT360 comes with a 360 degree camera and speakerphone which is packed with nice features to enhance and give you that true meeting room feel. The IT360 truly supports a hybrid working environment being very versatile and easy to set up. All you need to do is connect the USB-C cable to any laptop or PC and you’re ready to meet! There is no need to set up and prepare any other equipment which can often be complicated and troublesome. The IT360 comes with a variety of meeting modes which you can select depending on the situation: n dual view – 360 degrees view of room focusing on 2 people in the room n single view – focus on a single speaker n multi view – focus on up to 4 people in the room with person speaking highlighted by use of an indicator bar n surround view – 360 degrees view divided into 2 180 degree half screens n stable view – allows you to display the image with a fixed focus like a web cam perfect for focusing on things such as a whiteboard. Five different video modes allow meetings to proceed with the camera layout best suited for communication. For example, by using Multi view, a green bar indicating the speaker is lit on the PC on the remote worker, making it easy to recognize the speaker. Remote work participants will be able to read the expressions on the office side of the room and know when to speak up. The focus on the person speaking is automatically optimized according to the Panasonic Connect IT360 PRODUCT PROFILE Diameter 64 mm (2.52") Height 285 mm (11.23") Weight approx. 950 g (2.1 lbs) EDITOR’S CHOICE AWARD PANASON I C P r e s s I T 360
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