www.printitreseller.uk PRINT, MFP, SOFTWARE, SERVICES, DOCUMENT & CLOUD NEWS & INFORMATION FOR VARS, CONVERGED RESELLERS & MFP DEALERS ISSUE 121 · 2024 PRINT IT RESELLER MAGAZINE IN PRINT & ONLINE SINCE 2011 WORKPLACE PAGE 18 Donna Reid picks her favourite work tools Entries Now Open www.printitawards.co.uk 2024 Get ready for the biggest show in town Royal Lancaster · December 3 Find out who made the shortlists PRINTIT AWARDS PAGE 22 20 24 Royal Lancaster · December 3 PAGE 48 VIEW FROM THE CHANNEL Ryan Green, Digital Services Director, Carbon Book Your Seats Now!
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COMMENT The PrintIT Awards judging panel came together on September 2, to discuss and debate which companies deserved to win a 2024 PrintIT award. I have to say it was no easy feat, not only did we receive a record‑breaking number of entries this year, but the quality of the submissions was top-notch too, which made our jobs a whole lot harder. Congratulations to everyone who made the shortlists (check out pages 22 to 25) - that in itself is something that should be applauded, and I look forward to revealing the winners and celebrating your successes at the Royal Lancaster on December 3. If you haven’t already booked your place, call us on 01732 759 725, download the booking form at www.printitawards.co.uk or email us at [email protected]. Also in this issue, Donna Reid, UK Sales Manager at ECS, picks the work tools she uses every day and couldn’t do her job without (page 18). This month’s Q&A is with Ryan Green, Digital Services Director, Carbon, and PITR spent 60 seconds with Autumn-Rose East, Solutions & IT support Technician, UTAX. 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 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. ©2024 Kingswood Media Ltd. Design: Sandtiger Media www.sandtiger.co.uk 05 Bulletin Where do you take yours? 06 Bulletin What’s new in printers and printing 16 People A round-up of new hires 18 I couldn’t do my job without... Donna Reid picks her favourite work tools 20 A decade in print Andy Muskett shares his print experiences over the past decade 22 PrintIT Awards Find out who made the 2024 shortlists 26 Innovating for success Peter Cowan talks about Data Direct’s focus on sustainability 29 Q&A David Hamblen, Sales Director UK&I at Altkin 32 Data Protection James Goulding talks to Jerry Mumford about Keepit’s growing presence in the UK 34 Research MPS providers must evolve and diversify 36 Dealer Profile Agilico adopts circular‑first business model 39 Interview A conversation with Intermedia Cloud Communications 42 VOX POP The state of the channel – part one 46 Industry Insight LeAnne Foley, Head of Indirect Sales at Toshiba Tec UK 48 View from the Channel Ryan Green, Digital Services Director, Carbon 50 60 seconds with… Autumn-Rose East, Solutions & IT support Technician, UTAX 2024 ISSUE 121 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 PRINT IT RESELLER MAGAZINE IN PRINT & ONLINE SINCE 2011 01732 759725 PRINTIT AWARDS 22 20 24 Royal Lancaster · December 3 The judging process has now concluded, and we are delighted to announce the shortlists for the PrintIT Awards 2024. The winner in each category will be announced during the awards evening on Tuesday December 3 at The Royal Lancaster Hotel, London We are very proud to count some of the industry’s leading figures on our judging panel and thank them for their time and valued insight. This year’s judging panel comprised: Experienced Marketing Leader Nigel Allen; Christian Burton, Founder & CEO, Pipeline Upgrade; Eric Crump, Director of Strategic Alliances, Ringdale; Senior Marketing Consultant Sofia Dahlqvist; Paul Derry, Former Owner, ASL; Louella Fernandes, CEO, Quocirca; Alison Haley, Marketing Specialist, Tangerine Design and PR; Brendan Perring, General Manager, IPIA; Experienced Business Leader Mark Smyth; Julian Stafford, Former Managing Director, Midshire; James Teather, former Group Commercial Director at Dataquest and Sales Director at CCE; and David Tulip, Managing Director, Network Group. Thank you to everyone who took the time to enter this year. The standard of entries was extremely high this year and it was no easy feat whittling the submissions down to create shortlists in each category. Congratulations to all of the companies and individuals listed across the next few pages, and we look forward to revealing the winners at the 2024 PrintIT Awards do in December. OUR 2024 GOLD SPONSORS OUR 2024 SILVER & BRONZE SPONSORS Issue 121 ISSN 2055-3110 (Print) ISSN 2055-3129 (Online) 01732 759725 4
PRINTITRESELLER.UK 5 BULLETIN Where do you take yours? We’re all about championing print at PrintIT Reseller, and over the past few months, we’ve loved finding out where our magazine travels with YOU. This month we feature several industry stalwarts taking time out to catch up on the latest news at Tech Orbit 2024, the premier UK tech event of the year from Northamber Group, which took place on September 19 at Epsom Downs Racecourse. We’re delighted that so many of our readers are taking on the challenge and sending us pix of them reading PrintIT Reseller in unusual settings. Keep them coming!! Please send your pix to me at [email protected] Andrew Cowling, Channel Marketing Manager at PFU (EMEA) Limited – a Ricoh company Martin Pain, Document Solutions Business Unit Manager, Northamber Robbie Trower, Sales Manager UK & Ireland | Benelux | Nordics, Kodak Alaris Paul Callow, Fidelity Energy Sustainability remains a crucial focus Research conducted by the Cloud Industry Forum found that 86% of businesses report that environmental, social and governance (ESG) and sustainability is important to their organisation when deciding which cloud vendor to work with, with almost half (44%) considering it extremely important. This second figure is up from 30% in 2023, indicating that despite media reports of ESG being put on the backburner by many companies, they remain committed to continued sustainability efforts. The data from this year’s report indicates that organisations value ESG highly, with 40% of respondents reporting that IT sustainability is an important project for their organisation. This ranks equally with other areas of business such as security and cloud migration and is second only to artificial intelligence (42%). This continued emphasis on sustainability is supported by the finding that 79% of organisations are now measuring the carbon footprint of their existing data storage infrastructure in the cloud. According to the data, 47% of organisations have already been measuring this for more than 12 months, and just 7% indicated that they do not have any plans to measure this in the future. Further, organisations are taking crucial steps to reach net zero despite economic constraints, with 87% of organisations planning to reach net zero by at least 2050. More than a quarter (26%) of respondents plan to achieve the milestone before 2030. On the whole, businesses are largely positive about their sustainability credentials, and this is growing year on year. 31% of respondents now believe the sustainability of their organisation’s IT emissions is ‘established and mature’, a figure that has increased from 16% in 2023. https://cloudindustryforum.org
01732 759725 6 BULLETIN Agilico team take on the Great North Run On September 8, roughly 30 of Agilico’s team laced up their trainers for the iconic Great North Run, raising more than £22,000 for Alan Shearer Foundation. The company whose Northeast HQ is based in Team Valley, Gateshead, had runners from right across its various UK sites. The funds raised by the Agilico team will benefit the Alan Shearer Centre, a specialist respite, residential and social facility dedicated to providing support and resources for people living with complex disabilities and acute sensory impairments. For many of Agilico’s people this was their first Great North Run. The iconic 13 mile run from Newcastle to South Shields tested many of them. Agilico North Director Warren Colby said: “Running for me isn’t fun, but it’s necessary to raise the funds we want to make an impact for this cause which means so much to us all here at Agilico. And it truly inspired our training efforts! I would like to thank everyone for their donations; it is so appreciated!” Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer added: “We are delighted to have the support of the Agilico team. They have been unwavering in their support of the Foundation for a considerable time, and we are incredibly grateful for their efforts. Their fundraising is vital for the Foundation’s sustainability, and their commitment to training and participating in the run is equally impressive.” The Great North Run is synonymous with charitable causes, raising an estimated £25 million for charity each year. www.agilico.co.uk Parallel Group celebrates four-year anniversary In August, Parallel Group celebrated four years in business. Growth has been a consistent theme for the firm and over the past year, it has doubled the number of machines in the field and added new customers to its MPS contracts. Highlights over the past twelve months include expanding its team in technical services and sales and the appointment of Operations Director, Wendy Sharp. Parallel also opened a new office in Cardiff to further expand its reach and has plans to relocate HQ into a new space in November this year, allowing it to bring its operations and offices together under one roof. Managing Director Gavin Auckland said: “Over the past year, we’ve achieved some incredible milestones. There are so many, that it’s nice to sit and reflect on how far we’ve come as a business. Winning the Reseller of the Year award at the PrintIT Awards in December 2023 was a massive highlight and is a real testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team. It’s one thing to believe in what you do, but it’s another to be recognised by the industry for your efforts.” The company supports The Muscle Help Foundation with their Muscle Dreams initiative, which has seen the development of its Managed Print for Muscle Dreams programme. This donates a percentage of every MPS contract to this incredible cause that provides experiences for children with muscular dystrophy. In addition, Parallel has sponsored numerous sports teams, including Evergreen FC, a young boxer, a tennis club and two gymnastics clubs, and made a donation to fund a place for a young musician at a specialised music school. The team also participated in the YMCA Leicestershire Big Sleep Out and sponsored their charity golf day, contributing to their mission of supporting vulnerable individuals in the community. Auckland continued: “Looking ahead, we have ambitious growth plans, including potential acquisitions that will further solidify our position in the market. Our progress has been remarkable for a business that started in the middle of a global pandemic. As we celebrate this milestone, I want to thank our incredible team, our loyal clients, and our supportive partners. Here’s to four years of success and to many more years of growth and innovation ahead!” https://parallel-group.co.uk Poplar extends Ricoh partnership Digital print service provider Poplar Services Printers has strengthened its longstanding partnership with Ricoh by becoming the first UK company to install both the Ricoh Pro C9500 and Pro C7500. This further investment into Ricoh services will enable Poplar to increase its capacity, increase its offering to 11 digital colours, as well as expand into the short-run packaging market. Poplar will leverage the 5th specialty colours capability of the new Ricoh systems, complemented with a flatbed cutter and neon technology software The adoption of these latest systems marks a significant milestone for the PSP, enabling it to offer new capabilities such as value add printing, special finishes and stand-out quality with the use of 5th colour, which was not possible with the previous technology. www.poplarservices.com
PRINTITRESELLER.UK 7 BULLETIN Nathan Bradley marks 10 Years with XBM XBM Field Service Engineer, Nathan Bradley has marked his 10th anniversary at XBM. Recruited as XBM’s first apprentice engineer in 2014, Bradley has progressed to become one of the business’s most skilled field service engineers. Bradley has covered several regions during his 10 years with XBM. He has serviced printers and MFPs from London to the Argyll peninsula on the west coast of Scotland. He enjoys the technical side of his job but, sometimes fortunately, does not mind time behind the wheel either and says that the last leg of the journey through Argyll on the A83 seemed to take forever, but at least the scenery was great. XBM Managing Director, Richard Taylor presented Bradley with his 10 year service award, congratulating him on the quality of his workmanship and saying he was an asset to the business. https://www.xbmltd.com Aurora secures ISO 27001 Aurora Managed Services has achieved its successful ISO 27001 certification for 2024. This accreditation underscores its unwavering commitment to the highest standards of information security and data protection. In addition to this standard, Aurora has also obtained the Cyber Essentials and CE+ standards as well as the IASME accreditation. CEO Andy Moffitt said: “I am thrilled to announce that we’ve achieved ISO 27001 certification with flying colours. My thanks go to Peter Smith and the IT Team for their exceptional work. This accreditation is not just a badge; it’s a testament to our modern, secure operations and our commitment to providing clients with peace of mind.” The ISO 27001 certification highlights several key benefits for Aurora’s clients including enhanced security, proactive risk management, continuous improvement to stay ahead of evolving security threats and adherence to legal and regulatory requirements. The certification journey involved a thorough audit process, including gap analysis, ISMS implementation, and rigorous internal and external evaluations. www.aurora.co.uk Document digitalisation Konica Minolta and its managed print partner Paradigm Business Solutions have delivered SL Environmental with a document digitalisation solution that addresses its paper document storage needs, whilst ensuring full data security and rapid retrieval. The nationwide specialist asbestos removal and surveying contractor can generate up to 1,000 document pages for a single project, which the company is required to retain for 40 years. As a consequence, the company had accumulated 200 filing cabinets full of paper documentation. To overcome SL Environmental’s physical storage and document retrieval challenges, Paradigm Business Solutions recommended Konica Minolta’s bizhub C360i multifunctional print device in combination with the Filestar document management software, to begin a new process of document digitisation. Today, new documents are scanned and securely stored in a single cloud-based repository, reducing the need to retain paper. The SL Environmental team can search and retrieve documents in minutes using keywords, tags, or metadata, instead of trawling through filing cabinets. Sean O’Leary, SL Environmental Managing Director said: “The results have exceeded our expectations, and we are thrilled with the positive impact on our business. This has provided us with an approach that perfectly aligns with what we needed, delivering much-needed efficiency and importantly, peace of mind.” Paradigm Business Solutions Director Rob Carey added: “Because of its close partnership with Filestar, Konica Minolta’s MFDs are perfectly suited to work with this powerful but easy-to-use software. This is ideal for a business such as SL Environmental where the small team must be time-efficient in effectively processing documentation.” According to Cameron Mitchell, Business Leader for Indirect Channel at Konica Minolta, the project succinctly demonstrates the power of digitalisation and the benefits of working with the expert installation and support of Paradigm Business Solutions in close partnership with Konica Minolta. www.paradigmbusiness.co.uk Matrix champions decade-long partnership with Portsmouth FC Matrix IT is championing its decade-long partnership with Portsmouth FC after securing a prestigious new three-year deal. The Fareham-based IT MSP has been a long-standing partner of Portsmouth FC since 2014, demonstrating a deep-rooted commitment to supporting the local community. With Matrix’s growing presence within the region’s sporting scene, the significant milestone coincides perfectly with Portsmouth’s venture into the EFL Championship. As part of its work with Portsmouth, Matrix IT monitors the club’s IT systems to detect and address potential issues before they impact operations, as well as provides match day support to ensure all technology, such as ticketing systems and broadcasting equipment, operates seamlessly. Additionally, the organisation has provided consultancy services to enable Pompey to achieve Cyber Essentials certification each year. This certification signifies that the club has taken proactive steps to protect against common cyber threats while providing a recognised standard of assurance. “Matrix has become not only our IT partner but an extension of Pompey’s IT department,” said Darren Parker, Head of IT at Portsmouth FC. “Their comprehensive IT services and strategic support have enabled the club to improve our overall IT infrastructure, meaning that we can focus more on football and less on technical issues.” https://mtxit.com (l-r) Richard Taylor, Managing Director XBM and Nathan Bradley, XBM Field Service Engineer Andy Moffitt
01732 759725 8 BULLETIN Distology expands as-a-service programme Distology has announced new additions to its ongoing as-a-service programme. The first is a finance-as-a-service offering that enables partners’ customers to spread the cost of their cybersecurity investments via affordable, fixed payments over a flexible period, eliminating the need for upfront lump-sum payments. Hayley Roberts, CEO of Distology, said: “It’s a privilege, in this tough economic climate, to offer customers a third option for securing the technology they need to protect themselves without worrying about what it means for their bottom line. Alternative finance options like this are crucial to protecting their future success.” The second is a bespoke PR-as-a-service programme. Distology has partnered with agencies that have a wealth of experience in channel and cybersecurity who can offer a cost‑effective monthly retainer, alongside the option for bespoke services based on a vendor and partner’s needs. These latest offerings come hot on the heels of Distology’s incubation service, in partnership with Colition, announced earlier this year. Together, the growing list of services allows Distology to go beyond just offering the latest cybersecurity solutions; now, it can provide a fully realised suite of additional support services for its vendors and partners. www.distology.com AWS official training partner TD SYNNEX has been authorised as an Amazon Web Services (AWS) official training partner. This follows the recently announced extension of the strategic collaboration agreement between the two organisations. TD SYNNEX’s partners can now drive their AWS education and accreditation through AWS-authored training and certification programs delivered by expert trainers either online or in person. These partners can access the training via the TD SYNNEX Academy website, the distributor’s online resource for all vendor-specific training and certification content. Stephen Ennis, Vice President, Technology Acceleration, Europe, TD SYNNEX, said: “We are delighted to have achieved AWS authorised training partner status. TD SYNNEX is focused on enabling our partners to accelerate their skills, achieve the required accreditations, and ultimately grow their businesses. This milestone underscores our commitment to providing the highest levels of support and resources to our partner network on AWS technologies.” TD SYNNEX Academy supports partners in achieving accreditations and accelerating their technology skills via a wide range of technical training courses and certification programs, delivered by authorised instructors with deep AWS knowledge and expertise. Furthermore, TD SYNNEX Academy offers AWS Skill Builder, a digital learning environment with access to hundreds of courses allowing partners to gain experience in an AWS Management Console sandbox, explore game-based learning and take AWS Certification Official Practice Exams. https://uk.tdsynnex.com Specialist services from Maverick TD SYNNEX Maverick, a specialist professional audiovisual and collaboration business of TD SYNNEX has been appointed as a distributor for Salamander Designs, one of the foremost manufacturers of specialist wall and freestanding display mounts and office technology furniture, giving professional audiovisual resellers in the Microsoft Teams Rooms ecosystem more added-value potential. “TD SYNNEX Maverick will be offering partners access to demonstration facilities along with expert consultancy, design and installation support on Salamander Designs’ products. Together, they provide a compelling proposition,” said Mark Glasspool, Senior Director, UK and Ireland, TD SYNNEX Maverick. https://see.tdsynnex.com Robust performance for Midwich Midwich Group has announced its interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2024. The company reports an increase in revenue of 5.8% (7.5% at constant currency) to £646.1m and a significant improvement in gross margins to 17.3% from 16.3% in the prior year, driven by continued shift in sales mix towards technical products, in line with the Group’s strategy. In addition, acquired businesses contributed 8.7% growth (at constant currency) with organic revenues down 1.2% despite market share gains. www.midwich.com Hayley Roberts Mark Glasspool Stephen Ennis Integra partners with CTS Wholesale Integra Business Solutions has announced a new partnership with CTS Wholesale, further expanding the range of print and stationery available to members. With over 500,000 products stocked at its UK based warehouse and direct end-user deliveries, CTS can support members on a nationwide basis. As part of the agreement, members also have access to a dedicated customer service team to provide specialist technical product advice. EDI capability, Fusion and Open Range data will simplify ordering and enhance members’ ecommerce. Garry Wright, Sales Director of CTS Wholesale, said: “We are thrilled to be announcing our new partnership with Integra and to be able to provide members with a trade only opportunity to grow sales. We’re on an exciting journey at CTS Wholesale as we continue to expand our ranges and services. We look forward to working together with Integra members and helping to make a difference.” www.integra-business.co.uk
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01732 759725 10 BULLETIN Brigantia to host conference at Twickenham Stadium Cybersecurity distributor Brigantia will host its biggest-ever annual partner conference at the iconic Twickenham Stadium in October. Over two days, Brigantia will welcome partners, industry peers and leading vendors to the incredible venue in London. Director Angus Shaw said: “Our annual partner conference has grown year on year, and it’s very exciting to welcome our community to a dedicated two-day event. It will be set in an incredible venue and a unique opportunity to connect with industry leaders and peers and discover the latest in the cybersecurity channel. I can’t wait to welcome our community to the event, and I’m certain it will be a huge success.” Vendors confirmed for the event include Keeper, Hornetsecurity, Redstor, Heimdal, Octiga, Sendmarc, KnowBe4, CyberSmart, Parallels, Conceal, ITagree, Rootshell, Terra Computer, and The Zensory. www.brigantia.com Racing together to support GOSH A group of Westcoast employees laced up their running shoes to take on the Vitality London 10,000 – all in support of its charity of the year, Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH). GOSH is a world-leading children’s hospital that provides vital care to children from across the UK. Its groundbreaking teams ensure that children facing life-threatening illnesses receive the best possible care and, for many of the distributor’s team members, it’s a deeply personal cause. Along the route, participants took in some of the city’s most famous landmarks, including St Paul’s Cathedral and Big Ben before reaching the finish line located in front of Buckingham Palace. If you’d like to support the Westcoast team, please visit www.justgiving.com/team/ westcoastlimitedvitality10k TD SYNNEX progresses corporate citizenship goals TD SYNNEX has released its latest Corporate Citizenship Report, marking another milestone in the company’s ongoing commitment to social responsibility initiatives. This year’s report builds on the comprehensive framework established in the inaugural report and details the strides made in embedding these priorities into operational practices. The report highlights both an increase in electricity derived from renewable sources and a combined Scope 1 & 2 emissions reduction by approximately 30%. “It’s exciting to reflect on a year of growth and corporate citizenship progress for TD SYNNEX amid rapid technological change. In addition to working with our partners, we engaged co-workers across business units and regions to further our environmental and social commitments throughout the past year,” said CEO Patrick Zammit. “Our co-workers are all in on these efforts. From the work of our global Green Teams and our community volunteers, they’ve demonstrated a passion for making a difference at TD SYNNEX and far beyond.” www.tdsynnex.com Westcon-Comstor has been named the 2024 CrowdStrike Global Distributor Partner of the Year. The global technology provider and specialist distributor earned the recognition for its outstanding performance in driving adoption of the CrowdStrike Falcon cybersecurity platform by leveraging its network of 12,000‑plus channel partners across the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Asia-Pacific (APAC) regions. CEO David Grant said: “This award demonstrates both the vitality of our relationship and the significance of the role played by Westcon-Comstor in scaling adoption of the CrowdStrike Falcon cybersecurity platform.” www.westconcomstor.com Merger proposal Integra Business Solutions and Office Friendly Dealer Association have initiated the process of a potential merger, with shareholders from both companies having received communication regarding the merger proposal and the necessary voting requirements. www.integra-business.co.uk, https://officefriendly.co.uk Angus Shaw Comms365 joins the Network Group Comms365 has joined the Network Group, a leading member-owned community of MSPs, IT resellers, and retailers, as a new vendor partner. This partnership is set to further enrich the benefits available to Network Group members, who are dedicated to delivering top-tier solutions across the IT sector. Comms365 brings over 15 years of expertise in collaborating with MSPs, partners, and resellers. Their robust, easy-to-deploy solutions are renowned for providing end-users with the resilience and security necessary for maintaining always-on Internet connectivity, ensuring uninterrupted access to critical business applications. David Tulip, Managing Director of Network Group said: “I am thrilled to welcome Comms365 to Network Group. Their addition will significantly enhance the range of solutions available to our members, offering even greater value and benefits. The expertise and innovative approach that Comms365 brings will not only serve our members and their customers but will also contribute to the ongoing success and growth of the entire Network Group community.” Mike Van Bunnens, Managing Director, Comms365 added: “We’re delighted and excited to be partnering with The Network Group. Having supplied MSPs for close to 16 years, it is great to be involved with this dynamic group of innovators. Joining in the 30th year is special, as it shows that collaborative groups like this work and having spoken to so many members, it is clear they value their membership and the partner vendor introductions that are available.” www.nbg.co.uk David Tulip Patrick Zammit Award win for Westcon-Comstor David Grant
Zero Waste Recycling A Sustainable Future Imagine a world where all the toner cartridges you throw away get a new life That’s the goal of our zero-waste recycling program, and it has significant benefits for our environment Get in touch to find out more data-direct.co.uk | [email protected] 01189 734564 www.simply-recycle.co.uk DISTRIBUTOR & MPS FULFILMENT SPECIALIST
01732 759725 12 BULLETIN ECI enables Whiz Crew to scale up ecommerce services Dublin-based Whiz Crew, a wholesale distributor of compatible printer consumables throughout Ireland, has added its product catalogue to ECI Software Solutions’ FusionPlus office and ecommerce management software. FusionPlus enables users to effectively and consistently populate an ecommerce website with thousands of SKUs by working directly with brand manufacturers and buying groups to aggregate their content, standardise their look and feel and migrate it to their online storefront. The FusionPlus platform is supported by a dedicated team to ensure the data gathered is constantly up to date. James Stacey, ECI FusionPlus Solution Consultant said: “A product website that isn’t fully searchable makes it unnecessarily difficult for end-users to find what they want, which is frustrating and time consuming. FusionPlus changes all that by ensuring the inclusion of every relevant product attribute and making it instantly searchable. “FusionPlus is the leading ecommerce product content provider for more than 1,000 business supply dealers across the UK and Ireland. FusionPlus will empower Whiz Crew dealers to better compete by selling more products and accelerating their transactional processes.” The company has also received a 2024 Tech Cares Award from TrustRadius, a leading platform for independent business technology reviews. The annual Tech Cares Awards program celebrates technology companies that empower their communities and employees with extraordinary corporate social responsibility programs focused on volunteerism, generous donations, community impact, employee well-being and more. www.ecisolutions.com Katun unveils new brand strategy Katun has announced the launch of its new brand strategy highlighting the organisation’s commitment to being a trusted partner in the business technology industry. The new brand strategy revolves around the tagline, ‘Success Made Simple’, which embodies the company’s mission to be a vital partner to clients, making business easier and delivering high quality and innovative technology that transforms the print industry and promotes mutual growth. “This is an exciting time for Katun as we unveil our new brand strategy focused on empowering our clients and simplifying their business operations,” said Kay Fernandez, Vice President of Global Marketing. “Our new branding is a testament to Katun’s commitment to providing transformative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our clients. It exemplifies Katun’s proven reputation as a trusted partner that provides simplicity and reliability, while also reflecting our vision for the future.” The introduction of the new brand strategy is an important milestone for the company and closely aligns with the strategic vision of its global leadership team. The new branding reiterates Katun’s dedication to pushing the boundaries of technological advancement and supporting business success. www.katun.com Ampito partners with Nebula Sustainable technology services firm Nebula Global Services has been selected as a global strategic services partner by transformation and IT solutions specialist, Ampito. The partnership aims to accelerate Ampito’s international growth ambitions by harnessing Nebula’s global network of people, service excellence and technology expertise. Darren Brownfield, CSO, Ampito Group said: “As CSO, my focus is on delivering a service to our customer whereby the complexities of what we deliver is hidden from them and they only see the results. Having a proactive and reliable partner in-country such as Nebula is paramount, and we are excited to explore the new opportunities this combined service offering can bring to our customers.” Pete Murphy, Chief Sales Officer, Nebula Global Services added: “From the outset, Ampito has impressed me with their unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction. From our very first conversation about this partnership, through to the onboarding, the team were focused throughout. At every stage, Ampito made it clear that the client’s needs were their top priority, and coupled with Nebula’s outcome‑focused approach, we have created a best-of-breed customer success experience.” www.nebulaglobalservices.com, https://ampito.com Cohesity expands partnership with CrowdStrike Cohesity has announced an expanded strategic partnership with CrowdStrike to strengthen threat detection and response. This partnership combines Cohesity’s robust data protection capabilities with CrowdStrike’s threat intelligence feeds, setting a new standard for comprehensive cybersecurity in backup and recovery solutions. Cohesity is focused on bringing together the best of the security industry, allowing customers to choose the right solutions for them without sacrificing functionality or adding complexity. This flexibility allows for a more tailored security posture that can adapt to emerging threats and changes in the IT environment. “Our continued partnership with Cohesity and latest joint efforts reflect our shared commitment to cyber resilience,” said Daniel Bernard, Chief Business Officer, CrowdStrike. “To stay ahead, enterprises benefit from streamlining threat intelligence and response efforts while also harnessing their vast secondary data to gain security insights. This integration provides the technology and intelligence they need to reduce risk.” www.cohesity.com Pete Murphy
01732 759725 14 BULLETIN Join the leading players in T-MPS The thermal barcode and label printer industry provides an opportunity to grow your business at existing customers, whilst opening new doors with new ones. In conjunction with PrintIT Reseller, Zebra Technologies, BlueStar and MPS Monitor will be putting the whole Thermal Managed Print Services (T-MPS) ecosystem in one room, on one day, for you to learn and make meaningful connections. You’re invited to join the leading players in T-MPS on November 7 between 10:30am and 14:00pm at the Old Joint Stock Pub & Theatre Venue, 4 Temple Row West, Birmingham, B2 5NY to learn about the wealth of opportunity in print sales outside of the office sector. Attendees will hear from and be able to question experts operating in this market providing the opportunity to delve deeper to give you the confidence to make a tangible impact to your business. The agenda includes expert presentations on the opportunity within the T-MPS ecosystem, a networking lunch and a panel discussion featuring Zebra Technologies - the leading vendor of print and supplies in the label printing market; BlueStar – one of EMEA’s biggest distributors and a leading distributor of specialty electronics and emerging technologies; and MPS Monitor - a leading developer and provider of printer monitoring software for managed print services. This is a first come, first served event. To register, simply visit https://reach. bluestarinc.com/mps-barcode-brilliance Strategic partnership Xerox and Taktiful Software Solutions have announced the intent to form a new strategic partnership to extend their presence in the digital embellishment market. This new alliance will build upon a foundation of successful collaboration, leveraging Xerox digital printing technology and expansive market reach alongside Taktiful’s AI-powered digital embellishment solutions and focus on client‑specific empowerment. “We are excited to join forces with Taktiful to push the boundaries of what is possible in developing new digital embellishment technology solutions,” said Terry Antinora, Senior Vice President, Head of Product and Engineering at Xerox. “Bringing together our respective resources and integrating our advanced AI-enabled technology workstreams supercharge our ability to deliver gamechanging, innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our clients.” In addition to technological capabilities, the partnership will combine complementary development and business resources to create innovative solutions that integrate seamlessly into existing print hardware, software and workflow infrastructures. Through AI-enabled software that lowers cost and drives efficiency, digital embellishments will become more widely accessible, enabling businesses to become more profitable in designing, operating, selling and marketing embellished print. www.xerox.co.uk Quocirca names Ricoh a leader in print security Ricoh has been named a leader again by global market insight and research firm Quocirca in its Print Security Landscape, 2024 report. This recognition underscores Ricoh’s commitment to advancing print security in an era where hybrid work environments and artificial intelligence are reshaping the landscape of traditional print infrastructure. The report highlights Ricoh’s broad portfolio of security-centric products, IT services and solutions that are available in approximately 200 countries worldwide as well as its robust, customised services that are tailored to the security requirements of customers. Ricoh’s deviceagnostic offerings are delivered by a team of dedicated security specialists that build in a comprehensive security strategy that undergoes rigorous assessment, evaluation, and retesting to ensure resilience. In addition to embedded hardware security features, Quocirca acknowledged Ricoh’s strategic acquisitions that have enabled it to develop deep expertise in cybersecurity. Quocirca defines market leaders as vendors who lead the market in both strategic vision and depth of service offering, having made significant investments in their service portfolio and infrastructure, and are supported by strong delivery capabilities. www.ricoh.co.uk IDC recognises PaperCut PaperCut has been named a leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Print Management Solutions Independent Software 2024 Vendor Assessment. The IDC MarketScape noted: “Regardless of company size, organisations in search of guidance about what degree of cloud is necessary or appropriate should consider PaperCut, whose offerings are strong along all stages of an organisation’s journey toward cloud print management.” “We are thrilled to be recognised as a leader again,” said Steve Holmes, PaperCut’s Global Head of Sales and Channel. “This outstanding achievement is a testament to the exceptional collaboration between our PaperCut teams and our valued network of authorised partners and resellers worldwide.” www.papercut.com 21 years of recognition Konica Minolta has been included in the FTSE4Good Index Series, which is one of the most well‑known sustainable investment indexes in the world, for 21 consecutive years. The company has also been named to all of the six indexes adopted by Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) for the eighth consecutive year. These six indexes are the FTSE Blossom Japan Index, the FTSE Blossom Japan Sector Relative Index, the MSCI Japan 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. www.konicaminolta.co.uk
Small printers. Big opportunities. ©2022 Xerox Corporation. All rights reserved. Xerox® is a trademark of Xerox Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. The Xerox® B and C Series of colour and black & white printers allow your customers to work productively whether at home or in the office. Compact, quiet and easy to setup, these competitively priced printers meet their printing, scanning and workflow needs. Drive business for you and your customers: Supercharge productivity: powerful tools to connect users and improve processes. Secure, wireless printing: built-in Wi-Fi plus AirPrint and Wi-Fi Direct® for easy printing from mobile devices and computers. Collaborate seamlessly and securely: empower teams with easy access to folders and files wherever they are. Learn how Xerox can strengthen and differentiate your business today at xerox.co.uk/prbc
01732 759725 16 BULLETIN : PEOPLE Cameron Thomson to lead Avaya in EMEA Avaya has appointed Cameron Thomson as Group Vice President for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) theatre, including Turkey and Pakistan. Thomson joins Avaya off the back of extensive success in regional CX leadership at Alvaria and its previous incarnation, Aspect Software. With extensive knowledge of the theatre and segment of the market, Thomson will enable local teams as they closely support their customers and partners to drive business growth through delivering outstanding customer and employee experiences. “Cameron leads from the front, empowering his teams to overachieve and reach their full potential. His reputation as a customer and partner-first leader within the region will be of great value to the business,” said ML Maco, Chief Revenue and Customer Experience Officer, Avaya. Over the past two years, Avaya successfully completed a recapitalisation and a strategic reset of its customer value proposition and brand promise. More recently, the company embarked on an extensive transformation and has been focused on the revitalisation of its culture, bolstered by a new executive leadership team, and upgrades in talent throughout the company. www.avaya.com DNS promotes Hugh Sutherland Hugh Sutherland has been promoted to Sales Director at DNS. In a statement the company said that since joining the team in 2011, he has demonstrated unwavering dedication, exceptional expertise and an infectious spirit that has made a profound impact on the company. In his new role as Sales Director, Sutherland will lead DMS’ sales, business development and marketing. www.dnslimited.co.uk Sharp appoints new VP of IT Services Sharp has announced the appointment of Roland Singer as its new Vice President of IT Services. The announcement comes as the company continues to establish and expand its IT services business across Europe since its inception in 2021. Singer joins Sharp with more than 35 years of experience in the IT services industry and has been key to developing new models that deliver significant benefits to clients. He takes on the new role following his successful leadership of Swiss IT Services business, ITpoint Systems AG, which was acquired by Sharp in 2021. Over the last few years, he has led ITpoint to successfully support Sharp’s Swiss clients with a sophisticated suite of integrated solutions and managed services for the workplace. In his new role, Singer will be responsible for the strategic expansion of Sharp’s IT Services division in Europe. He said: “I am thrilled to be taking on this new role at such a key time for Sharp’s IT services business. With the team’s expertise and leadership, I am confident we will become a trusted IT services advisor and partner for our clients, helping them navigate the complexities of the IT landscape and make the right choices for their future.” www.sharp.eu Parallel expands team Parallel Office and Document Solutions has welcomed Kevin Few to the team. Few has been hired as the company’s new Service and Logistics Director and brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the team. https://parallel-group.co.uk Trellix veteran joins Semperis Semperis, a pioneer in identity-driven cyber resilience, has appointed Nico Devoti to run its Global Technology Partner Program. Devoti joins Semperis after more than 14 years running Trellix’s Security Innovation Alliance Partner Program. In his former role, he was responsible for recruiting, developing and driving business initiatives. In addition, he designed and implemented the company’s co-sell revenue generating model and accelerated global partner co-sales pipeline from zero to more than $150 million. Devoti will oversee the expansion of Semperis’ Technology Alliance Program (TAP), which aligns Semperis’ comprehensive cyber resiliency platform with complementary technologies offered by leading vendors, including Microsoft, IBM, Dell, Trellix, Veritas and Splunk, and others, to expand offerings that protect the identity system before, during, and after an attack. www.semperis.com PPDS creates new role PPDS, the exclusive global provider of Philips digital signage, interactive displays, dvLED and videowalls, professional TVs and AV software, is bringing a European perspective to product development with the creation of the new role of Global Product Management Lead for EMEA. The position is being filled by Andrea Barbuti, who, as PPDS Global Product Manager Total Solutions since 2020, has been instrumental in the development of ‘zero power’ Philips Tableaux ePaper displays. Based in Ghent, Barbuti joined PPDS as an Application Engineer in 2015. www.ppds.com New CEO to drive growth at Exclaimer Exclaimer, a leading email signature management solution, has announced the appointment of Rob Singer as its new Chief Executive Officer. Singer, who has over 20 years of experience leading global teams and driving growth, comes to Exclaimer from Native Instruments and will lead the company into its next chapter of innovation and growth. https://exclaimer.com Cameron Thomson Hugh Sutherland
3RD MAR 6TH MAR •SKI CLUB NETWORK• Oh no...Not again!! Make sure you grab one of the Coolest tickets in town! 3rd to 6th March 2025 If like us, you have a love for the Channel and the Mountains, then this European Event could be for you. Held in the legendary Italian resort and party town of Sauze d’Oulx, for its second outing, will host 50 Channel Movers and Shakers from across the Vendor, Reseller and Distribution Community in the stunning surroundings of the Via Lattea ski area. It is often described as a dream come true for snow lovers offering fantastic Alpine skiing. Extensive state of the art snow making capability also makes Sauze a pretty snow-sure bet. On top of the skiing, this 4-day event will allow you to network and socialise with colleagues, customers and prospects. There is nothing like helping someone down a mountain to create a great bonding experience making colleagues or customers friends for life! Trip includes l Transfer to and from Turin Airport l 3 nights B&B accommodation l 2 Day ski pass l All ski hire (boots-skis-helmet) l Ski and boot storage at Clotes ski lift l 2 x Italian evening meals in traditional trattoria l Après ski refreshments budget £950 + VAT per person (twin or double room occupancy) £1250 + VAT per person (single room occupancy) This is a first come first served event so contact Ethan, Neil or Paul to book your place or ask any questions. Tel: 01732 759 725 or email: [email protected]. [email protected] or [email protected]
01732 759725 18 WORKPLACE I couldn’t do my job without… Donna Reid, UK Sales Manager at ECS, picks the tools she uses every day and couldn’t do her job without 1 Exercise Exercise, fitness, running, and my Peloton are all key ingredients that I need in order to perform at work to the standards that I set myself. It’s really important for me to start my day with some form of exercise – it boosts my concentration, creativity and energy levels, allowing me to fire on all cylinders! If I haven’t exercised, I haven’t started my day right. For me, having a good start to my day makes a world of difference, particularly the feeling of exercising before getting on with my day of work, giving that feeling of having a ‘head start’ over everybody else. 2 Variety and flexibility I couldn’t do my job if my role wasn’t one with a large amount of flexibility and variety throughout my day. I’m really not one for sitting behind a desk staring at my screen all day or using Teams calls to communicate, surrounded by the same four walls. The ability to get up and go to see my clients face-to-face is one thing I absolutely love about my job and couldn’t do without. 3 Downtime We all need a break to be able to perform at our best when it comes to work! In my spare time some of my favourite things to do are spending time with my daughters and friends, whether that be doing a spot of shopping or doing different walks/hikes around the UK. I suppose exercise falls back into this category again, considering I spend a lot of my spare time training for marathons – I recently completed the London Marathon, raising over £3,000 for The Laura Centre and Macmillan in the process! 4 Mobile phone Despite my strong aversion for screens, I can’t go anywhere without my mobile phone – I’m sure this is the same for 99% of people! Whether it’s contacting my colleagues or keeping in touch with clients, I’d be nowhere without it. Having the ability to contact anybody, anywhere, no matter where I am or what I’m doing is vital for me. 5 A schedule I like to think that I’m an incredibly organised individual, and with that, there MUST come a schedule or some kind of organisation, without one I’d be a lost cause! Whether its face-to‑face meetings, calls, Teams meetings, administrative work, presentations… you name it, I need to know when, where and how each and every event will unfold well in advance! 6 Getting out of my comfort zone As you can probably tell, I can’t sit still and like to be on the move doing and trying new things and this translates from my personal life into my work life too. Pushing myself out of my comfort zone is something I’ve always done and will continue to do; taking on new challenges, learning new things, adapting to new situations and developing new skills are all things I really enjoy doing. 7 A fantastic team/partners/ products/values Having fantastic support behind me is arguably one of the biggest factors that I couldn’t cope without. ECS’s team, products, and partners all contribute to my own personal success and ability to perform, which wouldn’t be possible without them. Our company values regarding sustainability are also a huge contributing factor – work is so much easier when it’s something you’re hugely passionate about! Donna Reid Image: pixabay.com/Vika_Glitter
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