www.printitreseller.uk PRINT, MFP, SOFTWARE, SERVICES, DOCUMENT & CLOUD NEWS & INFORMATION FOR VARS, CONVERGED RESELLERS & MFP DEALERS ISSUE 125 · 2025 PRINT IT RESELLER MAGAZINE IN PRINT & ONLINE SINCE 2011 WORKPLACE Lauren Mottram picks her favourite work tools PAGE 18 VOX POP Print predictions – part three PAGE 22 NEWS FEATURE Xerox to acquire Lexmark PAGE 29
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PRINTITRESELLER.UK 3 COMMENT On December 23, Xerox announced it had agreed to acquire Lexmark for $1.5 billion - this move is undoubtedly the biggest disruptor to the market since the HP/Samsung deal in 2017 which was valued at $1.05 billion. The transaction between the two print industry icons is expected to close in the second half of 2025. The combined company is expected to serve more than 200,000 clients in 170 countries and have a market share among the top five firms globally in various print segments. Following on from the big reveal of the 2024 PrintIT Award winners last issue, we asked the worthy recipients what being recognised with a PrintIT Award means to them – you can find out on page 39. This month, we feature the third and final part of our annual print predictions feature (page 22), where more of the industry’s leading vendors share their thoughts on what 2025 will hold for the print and IT sectors. Also in this issue, Lauren Mottram, Marketing Manager at Fidelity Energy, picks the work tools she uses every day and couldn’t do her job without (page 18). This month’s Q&A is with Jack McPhillips, Director, Digital Office Group, and PITR spent 60 seconds with Frankie Green, Digital Marketing Executive, Nuvem Solutions. If you’ve got any news about your business to share, would like to be included on our monthly VOX POP panel, have a compelling business success story or simply wish to comment on any industry issues, please get in touch with me at: [email protected] Michelle Ryder, Editor Editor’s Comment Register online To receive your regular FREE printed copy of PrintIT Reseller Magazine simply fill in our online registration form at www.printitreseller.uk/register Read PrintIT Reseller online at: www.printitreseller.uk Join us : Follow us @print-it-reseller-magazine PRINT IT RESELLER MAGAZINE IN PRINT & ONLINE SINCE 2011 PrintIT Reseller is published by Kingswood Media Ltd., 7 Amherst House, 22 London Road, Sevenoaks TN13 2BT • Tel: 01732 759725 Email: [email protected] www.printitreseller.uk No part of PrintIT Reseller can be reproduced without prior written permission of the publisher. ©2025 Kingswood Media Ltd. 04 Bulletin Research highlights 06 Bulletin Where do you take yours? 08 Bulletin News from the channel 16 People A round-up of new hires 18 I couldn’t do my job without... Lauren Mottram picks her favourite work tools 20 A decade in print Mark Webb shares his print experiences over the past decade 22 VOX POP Print predictions – part three 26 Focus on: What’s New A round-up of recent product launches 29 News Feature Xerox to acquire Lexmark 30 Cover Story Toshiba Tec takes action against plastic pollution through new collaboration with CleanHub 32 Research UK slips in global cybersecurity rankings 34 Q&A Rowan Jeffreys-Hoar, Director of Partner Sales, Ricoh UK 36 Events Fujifilm official APEOS MFP UK launch event 39 PrintIT Awards Find out what winning means from the 2024 winners 48 View from the Channel Jack McPhillips, Director, Digital Office Group 50 60 seconds with… Frankie Green, Digital Marketing Executive, Nuvem Solutions 2025 ISSUE 125 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 Issue 125 ISSN 2055-3110 (Print) ISSN 2055-3129 (Online) 20 24 Royal Lancaster · December 3
01732 759725 4 BULLETIN Top office arguments A new survey of 2,000 UK office workers conducted by BizSpace has uncovered the most contentious issues causing friction in workplaces across the UK. Almost half (42%) of workers admitted that arguments over office temperature are their biggest source of frustration. 37% of respondents said noise disruptions from colleagues are the most grating issue. One‑third (31%) pointed to arguments about dirty dishes and leftover food in shared spaces as a major annoyance, while a quarter of workers cited passive-aggressive emails or unnecessary CCs as sparking office conflicts. www.bizspace.co.uk Research conducted by the Cloud Industry Forum (now under new management and has morphed into Tech Industry Forum) revealed that ESG and sustainability is important to the majority, (86%) of businesses when deciding which cloud vendor to work with, with almost half (44%) considering it extremely important. Data from the 2024 report indicates that organisations value ESG highly, with 40% of respondents reporting that IT sustainability is an important project for their organisation. Avoiding automated chatbots ServiceNow, the AI platform for business transformation, has highlighted the challenges brands face in dealing with today’s tech-savvy consumers, with almost four out of five people (77%) looking up tips and ‘hacks’ online to avoid speaking to a chatbot when engaging with customer service. Just under three-quarters (73%) also turn to friends and family for advice on how to avoid automated customer service. ServiceNow’s research demonstrates that British consumers have become experts in avoiding interactions with tech solutions such as chatbots. Three out of four people (75%) say that they opt to press no menu options at all on customer service lines in the hope that this will get them through to a human being. The dedication among consumers to embracing these hacks is so strong that one in two (49%) admitted to having posted advice online on how to sidestep automated responses. Simon Morris, VP Solution Consulting at ServiceNow said: “This research and the very existence of these ‘hacks’ reveal that businesses have yet to figure out how to get their customer experience right. Automation is here to enhance customer service and help increase both customers’ and agents’ satisfaction. For this to happen though, companies must get the right mixture of ‘high-tech’ and ‘high-touch’, one where AI and workforce work hand in hand rather than compete.” www.servicenow.com Katun recognised for sustainability efforts Katun’s EMEA division has been awarded the prestigious Environment Betterment Award at the RT Global Imaging Industry Awards. The award recognises Katun’s significant contributions to sustainability, including its commitment to the circular economy through remanufactured products, recycling programs, and initiatives like the Print It, Plant It reforestation program. Katun was also honoured for the invention of the ecoKAP Toner Cartridge, which features a patentpending cap designed for reuse, further enhancing the company’s environmental impact. www.katun.com This ranks equally with other areas of business such as security and cloud migration and is second only to artificial intelligence (42%). Despite this, when deciding on whether or not to work with a cloud service provider, cost is still king, being the most important priority for 45% of respondents. Next, 41% referenced the availability of services and 39% mentioned partnering with a trustworthy company as being key factors, all ranking more highly than sustainability credentials (28%). However, the research also found that 49% of organisations said they would always reject a prospective vendor if they gave a poor response on their ESG and sustainability strategy. 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. David Terrar, Tech Industry Forum’s CEO said: “Cloud service providers should take note that a large proportion of businesses are prepared to reject partnerships on the basis of sustainability alone and should ensure they are setting themselves high standards in this area. Those companies able to demonstrate clear consideration of sustainability issues will stand ahead of those relying on the prospect of cost savings alone.” https://cloudindustryforum.org ESG valued as high as security and cloud migration projects David Terrar
Things just got personal Favourite Actions Easier Administration MyQ X 10.2 now has a fully redesigned UI that can seamlessly streamline your workflows and elevate your entire printing experience l Save your custom workflows for faster access. l Save your frequently performed tasks, such as printing and copying with your chosen preset configurations. l Scan direct to your specific destination folders. l Customise actions by editing, renaming, cloning and reordering them to suit your specific needs and preferences. The MyQ Theme Editor enables IT admins to edit the design of the MyQ embedded terminal by using built-in themes or creating custom themes. To find out more please visit www.myq-solution.com
01732 759725 6 BULLETIN BULLETIN Where do you take yours? We’re all about championing print at PrintIT Reseller, which is why at the beginning of last year, we launched the ‘Where do you take yours?’ challenge. We’ve really enjoyed seeing where our magazine travels with YOU over the last 12 months and because it’s been so popular, we’ve decided to keep it going We want to see where you take your issue – whether it's atop a mountain, on a deserted beach, or even in the heart of a bustling city – we want to see where our magazine travels with YOU! So, get the camera out and send me a pix of yourself reading PrintIT Reseller in the most unusual, far-flung spot you can find, and you could be featured in our next issue! We can't wait to see the incredible places our magazine ends up in 2025. Please send your pix to me at [email protected] Never let it be said that I don’t practice what I preach. Just before the PrintIT Awards, I enjoyed a three-day spa break at the fabulous Ragdale Hall with my friend Jackie Evans, and of course, we got a pix next to the legendary bell in front of the hall that dates back to the early 1900s. The PrintIT Reseller team attended the Fujifilm official APEOS MFP UK launch event on December 3, at Landing 42, The Leadenhall Building, London. We are delighted to showcase a number of our avid readers who took time out to check out what else is new in printers and printing on the day. Tim Muckart, Director of Channel Sales at Vasion Anthony Sci, President and CEO, Keypoint Intelligence
PRINTITRESELLER.UK 7 BULLETIN Nik Modi, MPS Sales Manager, Westcoast Andy Moffitt, Former CEO, Aurora Ryan Mitchell, Print and AV Director, Westcoast Mark Bridger, Service Manager and Mike Murphy, Director at PBS Group Hiro Matsui, Manager DT Europe at Fujifilm Gary Organ, Head of Device Technology, Fujifilm UK Nigel Eaton, General Manager, MyQ James Pittick, Channel Sales Director, Paralogic Channel Technology Services
01732 759725 8 BULLETIN Apogee raises £4,300 for Dementia UK Apogee Corporation’s annual Christmas Charity Advent Calendar saw its employees raise an impressive £4,300 for Dementia UK. The raffle featured prizes donated by Apogee’s partners and suppliers, such as an Amazon tablet, a Poly headset, and a £150 M&S voucher. The Christmas Charity Advent Calendar has been a company tradition since 2018 and will return in December 2025 as part of Apogee’s commitment to driving a wide range of fundraising opportunities to positively impact charities and organisations. The funds raised will make a real difference to Dementia UK’s vital work. For example, dementia specialised nurses – also known as Admiral Nurses – provide practical and emotional support to patients and their families, making them a lifeline for those in need. £3,066 is enough to fund a year’s worth of professional and service development for an Admiral Nurse, ensuring their skills and expertise remain at the cutting edge of dementia care. Dom Gryszan, Director of Marketing at Apogee, said: “We were delighted to support Dementia UK this year and raise vital funds for such an important cause. Dementia is a condition that touches so many lives and knowing that our contributions will help Admiral Nurses continue their incredible work is immensely rewarding.” https://apogeecorp.com KRL Group backs charity’s Mischief of Rats George Baker, Managing Director of KRL Group who is living with the same cancer that killed his father, is backing a campaign to help others by improving medical scanning services for a range of life-limiting conditions. Baker has adopted the Daisy Appeal – which has raised around £23m since it was set up in 2000 to fund treatment for cancer, heart disease and dementia – as his company’s charity of the year. He will also sponsor a giant rat in the latest animal sculpture trail which will be unveiled across East Yorkshire during 2025, and he hopes other businesses will join in. Mischief of Rats has been devised by the team which has previously delivered Larkin with Toads, A Moth for Amy and Puffins Galore! The inspiration for the latest project was Hull musician Mick Ronson, who died from cancer in 1993. The mischief of vibrantly decorated rats, each standing six feet tall, will be appearing in locations across Hull and East Yorkshire in summer 2025. Sponsored by local business, the rats will be auctioned to raise much needed funds towards the cost of a new state-of-theart scanner to add to the life-saving facilities that have been provided by the Daisy Appeal at Castle Hill Hospital since 2008. Baker said: “I see the charity of the year commitment and the sponsorship of a rat as sound investments on behalf of the people living in our region. My dad died from myeloma in 1979. I’ve been ill with it since 2010 and the fact I’m still here is evidence of the medical advances that have been made. Castle Hill has done a lot for me. The consultants there have been brilliant and I felt I should give something back.” He continued: “Our team will be taking on all sorts of challenges including cycling and running as part of our charity of the year campaign. The sponsorship of Mischief of Rats is specifically aimed at raising funds for the new scanner. The organisers have already secured quite a few business sponsors and hopefully they will sign up many more. People need to understand that these illnesses can strike anybody at any time – family, friends and colleagues – and we now have a better chance than ever to detect them.” www.krlgroup.net Focus Group commits to growth, innovation and market leadership Focus Group has reinforced its commitment to strategic growth, innovation and market leadership, with three significant appointments to its board of directors. Neil Hall has joined the business technology solutions provider as Chief Executive Officer, bringing over two decades of industry experience to the role. Chris Morris, who currently serves as CEO of Citation, one of the UK’s most respected providers of compliance and HR services has been appointed a Non‑Executive Director. The company has also named Peter Sweetbaum as Chairman. Sweetbaum’s previous role as CEO of Content and Cloud saw him guide the business through a period of substantial growth and strategic development. His extensive expertise in IT services and cloud solutions positions him well to support Focus Group as it continues to build on its market‑leading position. Hall said: “I’m excited to join Focus Group at this pivotal moment in its evolution. The company has built an impressive foundation in business technology solutions and I see tremendous opportunities to accelerate our growth while deepening the value we deliver to customers. With our strengthened board and talented team, we are well-positioned to become the partner of choice for organisations navigating their digital journeys.” https://focusgroup.co.uk
PRINTITRESELLER.UK 9 BULLETIN TD SYNNEX to offer HP | Poly solutions TD SYNNEX has been selected as a UK distributor for HP Hybrid Systems and Poly’s portfolio of collaboration solutions. All endpoint devices and peripherals will be available to UK partners with immediate effect through TD SYNNEX. For professional audiovisual and systems integrator partners, this includes pre-sales consulting, installation, and support, for HP | Poly’s immersive meeting room solutions which will be offered by TD SYNNEX Maverick. The agreement will make use of TD SYNNEX’s extended reach in the UK, enabling partners to take advantage of the performance and quality of HP | Poly’s meeting room and hybrid work solutions, and enhanced interoperability with key unified communications and contact centre platforms. HP partners will be able to offer Poly solutions alongside HP hardware and services, such as laptops, displays, software and services, to provide comprehensive UC and hybrid work solutions for their customers. “TD SYNNEX’s exceptional reach and expertise in AV and IT channels makes them an ideal partner to expand the reach of HP | Poly solutions in the UK”, said Neil Sawyer, SVP and Managing Director HP Northwest Europe. “Together, we’re helping businesses create seamless, integrated collaboration experiences for every workspace and meet the demands of today’s hybrid workforce.” https://uk.tdsynnex.com Five-year trading deal VOW and EO Group have agreed terms on a new five-year trading agreement for VOW to continue to be EO Group’s key business supplies wholesale partner. This represents a major commitment from both parties and the continuation of a close trading relationship. VOW will continue to deliver and manage its fully integrated supply chain of products, enabling EO Group to focus on continued growth. VOW Managing Director Adrian Butler said: “We are delighted to sign this new agreement with EO Group. We do not take the loyalty of our customers for granted, and we believe we have a compelling proposition to help EO Group grow and develop its business over the next few years. We are excited by the opportunity.” Kath Briggs, EO Group Global Buying Director added: “Having built a strong business relationship over the last five years, we are delighted to have signed a new agreement with VOW, allowing us to strengthen our relationship further and focus on common goals and objectives to take our business forward.” www.vowwholesale.co.uk, https://eo-group.co.uk Arrow Electronics has expanded its distribution agreement with NetApp to include NetApp Keystone Storage-as-a-Service (STaaS) across the EMEA region. Under the new agreement, Arrow will distribute NetApp’s Keystone STaaS, which offers flexible, on-demand storage consumption models. Keystone STaaS supports file, block, and object storage, allowing customers to manage their data storage needs in a cost-effective manner without the burden of asset procurement and management. The service is designed to streamline time-tomarket by reducing the complexity of storage infrastructure while maintaining control over performance, capacity, and costs. This extension reflects Arrow’s continued commitment to providing the channel with access to flexible and scalable data management solutions, enabling business agility and operational efficiency for customers. Mike Worby, EMEA Head of Strategic Maverick adds to signage portfolio TD SYNNEX Maverick has signed an extended agreement with Samsung for its leading range of professional displays including large format display (LFD), LED, interactive flat panel (IFP) and hospitality TV solutions. Partners in the UK and Ireland will now be able to purchase the full range of Samsung professional displays from TD SYNNEX Maverick, while benefiting from its pre-sales support, value-added services (including specialist installation) and expertise to maximise their opportunities. In addition, Samsung display partners will be able to make use of the unrivalled stockholding, logistics, and financial options offered by TD SYNNEX. As part of the agreement, TD SYNNEX is also offering and supporting Samsung’s cloud-based Visual eXperience Transformation (VXT), solution, which makes it simple to incorporate digital signage into existing infrastructures. Mark Glasspool, Senior Director, UK and Ireland, TD SYNNEX Maverick, said: “We are genuinely excited about adding Samsung’s professional display to our signage proposition and working with partners to grow their sales. We see this is a huge opportunity, both for TD SYNNEX Maverick and our partners, particularly in the fast-growing digital signage market and the hospitality market. Samsung adds considerable further strength to our portfolio and enables TD SYNNEX Maverick to offer the very best choice of options to all professional AV and B2B IT reseller partners.” https://uk.tdsynnex.com/maverick Alliances for Arrow’s enterprise computing solutions business said: “This expanded offering gives our channel partners more flexibility and scalability in data management, helping ensure they can respond effectively to evolving business needs. By incorporating Keystone StaaS, we can help our customers optimise their storage infrastructure with cost efficiency and high performance.” www.arrow.com Arrow expands distribution agreement with NetApp Mike Worby Mark Glasspool
01732 759725 12 BULLETIN Distribution agreement Northamber has announced a new distribution agreement with EkkoSense, a global leader in AI-powered data centre optimisation solutions. This partnership will enable Northamber to offer EkkoSense’s innovative software to its resellers, expanding its portfolio of cutting-edge IT infrastructure solutions. EkkoSense data centre optimisation software uses real-time data, AI and machine learning to optimise the energy efficiency and thermal performance of data centres, leveraging gaming technology to present data in an intuitive way to support intelligent decision-making. “Partnering with Northamber is an exciting milestone for us. While our solution is already used by major organisations internationally, including Virgin Media O2, Three UK and Telehouse, this new partnership will enable us to significantly expand our reach in the UK market,” EkkoSense Global Director Matthew Farnell said. “We believe Northamber will enable more Edge sites to benefit from the EkkoSense Effect – to save cooling energy and carbon, reduce risk and increase capacity – all with rapid ROI. We particularly look forward to helping more businesses and sites in the academic and public sectors optimise the efficiency of their data centres and provide them with automated ESG reporting,” he added. www.northamber.com/ekkosens Extended UK and Ireland partnership Infinigate Cloud has expanded its seven-year partnership with cybersecurity company Mimecast. As Mimecast’s first MSP Distributor in UK&I, Infinigate Cloud will lead the company’s expansion efforts in the region. To meet growing demand for flexible managed security services, Infinigate will give its 2,500-plus MSPs access to Mimecast’s full MSP portfolio, helping them to protect customers with a cloud-first email security solution. MSPs and MSSPs will also be able to take advantage of Mimecast’s Partner ONE MSP Program through the Infinigate Cloud platform. Denis Ferrand-Ajchenbaum, Chief Growth Officer at Infinigate and MD of Infinigate Cloud, said: “We are delighted to trailblaze Mimecast’s new MSP distribution programme and be the first distributor in the UK to bring this offering to channel partners, representing a sizeable opportunity for growth for all involved. This fits perfectly with our role and mission as a Managed Security Services Distributor (MSSD).” www.infinigate.com TD SYNNEX has created an exclusive resource that partners can use to demonstrate Microsoft Copilot in action. The Copilot CloudLab Experience is an online resource that uses a mix of real-world applications and interactive content to help customers understand how Copilot AI works and the benefits it can deliver to them and their organisation. After being trained and enabled on the resource by TD SYNNEX’s Microsoft experts, partners can make use of the Copilot CloudLab Experience to book and run their own secure customer demonstration sessions, which can Driving growth through diversification Despite ongoing challenges in the industry, 2024 has seen Integra members outperforming market trends predominantly through expansion into categories beyond general office products. Focusing on diversification, Integra has continued to broaden its supplier network, offering members more growth opportunities across an increasing range of categories. During 2024 a host of new suppliers have been successfully introduced into the group’s portfolio including Slingsby, Northwest Tea, Flashy Cactus, CTS Wholesale, Xexos and Standivarius. Integra has seen a 20% increase in non-office product categories. To support its diversification programme, Integra collaborates closely with key partners to ensure members have access to standardised data, training, and marketing collateral to be able to sell effectively. Aidan McDonough, Integra’s CEO, said: “Integra is here solely to support its members. As the industry continues to evolve, independent dealers are having to adapt quickly. This is where we can help – by anticipating new trends and introducing new initiatives. We are looking forward to an exciting 2025 and all the opportunities that brings.” www.integra-business.co.uk be pre-configured by TD SYNNEX’s Copilot experts, ready for partners to deliver. There are various pre-built scenarios, simulations, and scripts – all of which are available to partners that sign-up. As well as being able to showcase the technology, partners can provide personal logins for their customers and set them tasks and challenges that will encourage them to explore the potential benefits of using Copilot. Partners enrolled on Destination AI, TD SYNNEX’s AI development programme, will also be able to make use of the Copilot CloudLab Experience. Darren Dixon, Business Unit Director – Software, UK, TD SYNNEX, said: “The Copilot CloudLab Experience is all about bringing the benefits of AI alive for users and showing them exactly what the technology can do for their business. It can be a challenge to articulate how AI will deliver real benefits and as all partners know, a good demonstration can make all the difference to the buyer. With the CloudLab Experience, they can demonstrate the transformational power of Copilot and make a really positive impression on customers.” Denis Ferrand-Ajchenbaum TD SYNNEX launches new online resource Darren Dixon https://uk.tdsynnex.com
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01732 759725 14 BULLETIN Virtual demonstrations Katun’s official launch of its Arivia MFPs in Europe was supported by an innovative Mixed Reality Room, which enabled the company to make its first sales of the new product line. The Mixed Reality Room is a 3D virtual showroom developed in collaboration with interactive marketing group, Mixed Reality Rooms by ABS Answered. This unique tool allows potential partners to interact with local Katun representatives, learn about the company, and explore Arivia products in-depth – from wherever they are located. “We are thrilled to introduce our Arivia MFP product line using this cutting-edge technology,” said Heidi Boller, General Manager of Katun Europe, Middle East and Africa. “This virtual experience allows attendees to discover our products and engage with us in a personalised way, no matter where they are located. It highlights Katun’s innovative approach and commitment to delivering exceptional partner experiences.” From November 18 to December 9, 2024, 113 registrants participated in 15 Mixed Reality Room sessions across Europe. Jon Palin of Elmdale Maintenance Limited shared his experience as an attendee: “The mixed reality presentation was a fascinating and unique way to explore the new range of equipment Katun was promoting. The augmented reality experience allowed me to explore the products and interact with the equipment remotely. It was a great way to dive deeper into the product’s features and specifications.” https://katun.com 10 years of partnership Konica Minolta and Leeds University Business School are celebrating 10 years of partnership, with the global technology company having provided advice and support to over 500 students that have taken the university’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) postgraduate qualification, which teaches advanced business management and leadership skills. The company’s support of the MBA programme is led by Milan Lakhani, Director of Transformation (DX) and Partner, ESG at Konica Minolta, who regularly joins students to share insights and advice from real world business scenarios as well as setting challenges for the students to consider. Dr Richard Hodgett, MBA Director at Leeds University Business School said: “Konica Minolta has proven to be a critical partner in the ongoing evolution of the Leeds MBA and its continued success in world ranking – our MBA was recently ranked by QS as 9th in the UK and 72nd in the world. The Team at Konica Minolta has proven to be incredibly helpful in providing and structuring projects that allow the students to apply the theory they have learnt on the programme in a practical environment, beset with all of the nuances, complexities and contradictions of strategic management in the real-world context of a large, complex and sophisticated mutinational company.” Supporting students at Leeds University Business School is part of Konica Minolta’s ongoing ESG commitment to support the community and the next generation of business leaders. www.konicaminolta.co.uk Epson manufacturing facilities awarded RBA Platinum Epson manufacturing sites in the Philippines and Malaysia have both been awarded RBA Platinum recognition under the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) Validated Assessment Program (VAP), adding to its other manufacturing sites that have already achieved RBA Platinum. This achievement highlights Epson’s continuous commitment to responsible business practices and excellence in corporate social responsibility. The RBA is dedicated to promoting ethical business conduct across global supply chains, and the VAP is a key assessment program that evaluates manufacturing facilities against the RBA Code of Conduct. This includes critical areas such as labour practices, health and safety standards, environmental responsibility, and ethical business behaviours. Independent third-party firms approved by the RBA undertake thorough assessments and score facilities based on compliance with these standards. Epson’s commitment to CSR is underscored by successful VAP assessments across multiple sites in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, China, and the Philippines, with several achieving Platinum status. Platinum recognition is reserved for facilities that have achieved a perfect score of 200. www.epson.co.uk Canon included on framework Canon UK & Ireland has been included in the University of Essex framework for the provision of Multifunctional Print Devices and Associated Digital Transformation Solutions. Managed by Dukefield Procurement Ltd, this comprehensive, single-lot, value-driven and collaborative framework is designed to meet all printing and digital procurement requirements for educational establishments and the wider public sector. In addition to acquiring MFDs, the framework provides access to a comprehensive suite of digital transformation solutions. These solutions leverage the latest market hardware, software, services and solutions to deliver efficient and effective digital transformation for end users. Canon’s successful inclusion was based on meeting a number of important evaluation criteria including value for money, quality and capability benchmarks, in the framework’s solution categories. Stephen Moody, Sector Director, Education at Canon UK & Ireland said: “We’re excited to be a supplier of choice and believe that with the new University of Essex framework, we’re able to support even more institutions with their print and document management needs.” www.canon.co.uk
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01732 759725 16 BULLETIN : PEOPLE Interim CEO After nearly four years in the CEO role at Aurora, Andy Moffitt has decided to leave the business. Martin Oxley has been appointed as the new Interim CEO. Oxley is a business leader with a superb track record in dynamic high-growth PE companies and has served as CFO since joining the firm three years ago. He previously held transformational directorship roles across multiple sectors, 15 years of which have been in IT services. Aurora Chairman Robin Stanton-Gleaves said: “I am delighted to confirm Martin as our new Interim CEO. Martin is a dynamic, results-oriented leader who has a tremendous background of experience and an impressive record of innovative yet pragmatic management in highly leveraged firms, consistently delivering growth and enhanced profitability. I look forward to Martin realising the full potential of Aurora which is to become a recognised leader in managed services, delivering growth and value for its shareholders. “I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Andy Moffitt for his leadership and contribution to Aurora, and to wish him well for his next step. Andy joined Aurora in 2020 as Service Director before taking the CEO role in 2021 and the changes he made to the company means Aurora is better positioned for advancing into the next stage of growth.” www.aurora.co.uk Elliot rejoins Allied Telesis Chris Elliott has rejoined Allied Telesis as Vice President, Partnerships and Alliances, responsible for executing a strategic partner strategy for company expansion across Asia Pacific, North America, Central America, and EMEA. He is also tasked with managing the Northern European Sales Region including the UK, Nordics, and Benelux. “I am thrilled to get back in the Allied Telesis family, where I previously held sales management roles from 2016 - 2021. I’m very much aligned with the company’s culture and mission, and I know we are primed for aggressive global expansion. I’m excited to lead the channel team in executing on that growth,” he said. Elliott previously worked as EMEA Channel Director for Ruckus Networks, and Channel Manager at Extreme Networks. www.alliedtelesis.com Leadership transition at M-Files M-Files has appointed industry veteran Jay Bhatt as its CEO. The appointment comes with the closing of the majority recapitalisation led by Haveli Investments, an Austin-based technology-focused private equity firm, and Bregal Milestone, a European software private equity firm. CrossParadigm Capital, an independent investment firm led by Bhatt, was a significant participant in the transaction. Bhatt joins M-Files with an extensive history of operational excellence and a proven track record of helping software businesses scale, develop powerful go‑to‑market capabilities, and achieve best-in-class service and support while also investing in product innovation. He previously served as CEO of both private and public software companies, including Alfresco Software, Blackboard, and Progress Software and prior to that led the Architecture, Engineering and Construction business at Autodesk. Former CEO Antti Nivala will transition to the full-time role of Chief Innovation Officer and will continue to play the critical role of shaping the vision and innovation of M-Files’ knowledge work automation platform. Additionally, Nivala will continue to provide strategic direction as Chairman of the Board. “Two decades ago, when we founded M-Files, the goal was to help knowledge workers to work smarter. I am proud of the work we have done to enable our customers to make real progress toward doing so,” Nivala said. “For our next phase of growth, we are now in an ideal position with the right team in place to capitalise on a vast market opportunity.” “The ways we gather and deploy knowledge is evolving at an unprecedented pace, and M-Files is uniquely positioned to empower organisations to transform the way they manage, access, and leverage their information to boost their organisations’ productivity and drive informed decision-making. I credit Antti and the M-Files team for the blood, sweat, and tears that go into building a market leader, and I look forward to partnering with our new investors and leadership team to take M-Files to the next level,” Bhatt added. www.m-files.com Executive promotions at Westcon-Comstor Westcon-Comstor has announced a series of promotions within its senior leadership team. Russell Blackburn, who previously held a senior role on the Cisco-focused Comstor side of the distributor’s business, takes on the newly created role of Senior Vice President, Digital Sales. Atul Damani has been elevated to the role of Chief Data Officer, driving Westcon-Comstor’s data and AI strategy and the growth of partner-focused analytics offerings intelligent demand and partner insights. Daniel Hurel has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Westcon EMEA Cybersecurity and Next-Generation Solutions, with an expanded remit to identify and nurture high-growth vendors, market segments and technologies and Runa Macleod has been made Senior Vice President, Global Marketing. www.westconcomstor.com Chris Elliott Jay Bhatt Martin Oxley
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01732 759725 18 WORKPLACE I couldn’t do my job without… Lauren Mottram, Marketing Manager at Fidelity Energy picks the tools she uses every day and couldn’t do her job without Lauren Mottram 1 Decaf tea The start of the day is usually busy with getting our cat fed, having breakfast, getting ready, and making sure my daughter is organised for the school run. When I get to my desk, I like to start the day by checking emails and our LinkedIn over a cup of tea. I decided to cut out caffeine around two years ago to help with overall well‑being and sleep and have not looked back. There is no immediate energy boost of course, but I find I don’t miss the inevitable mid-afternoon crash! 2 Well-being It has taken me a while to figure out how to fit exercise into a working mum’s schedule, but I now make sure I make time for my health and well-being. I pre-book my two body balance classes at the start of the week to ensure I go, as it’s tempting to stay at home in the evening, especially when it’s cold and dark, but I know that I will benefit from them. I find swimming also gives me the chance to have a clear mind and think through new ideas I can use within my role. 3 Planning I am very organised, and always work using a detailed project plan. With often many conflicting priorities to manage, having a plan ensures that I can effectively re-schedule and re-prioritise as new tasks arrive, while making sure that important deadlines don’t get missed. I also find it useful to block out my own time in my Outlook calendar to ensure I have space to focus on tasks I need to concentrate on. 4 Nature There has been a lot reported recently around the benefits of nature, and I could not function without being able to enjoy the outdoors – be that watching the birds in my garden or tending to plants, a short walk at lunchtime to get some fresh air, or sitting taking in the rays on a sunny day (when we get one!). 5 Purpose Working in marketing, I have always wanted to ensure that I work within organisations that have a positive purpose and a mission I believe in, as I think the best campaigns come from really being behind what a company stands for. Within my role at Fidelity Energy, I have the opportunity to engage businesses with green energy and sustainable solutions they can implement to work towards net zero, and this is incredibly rewarding. https://fidelity-energy.co.uk
01732 759725 20 to now Head of Sales – all within the same company. PITR: And the low point? MW: I’ve enjoyed every minute of working for UTAX, but it’s hard to get away from the negative effects of COVID and the issues that resulted with personal connection, supply problems and a shift in customer behaviours. A sales manager’s job is inherently very face-to-face and I found that having my role restricted by these outside forces was difficult. PITR: What (or who) has had the greatest impact in the sector in the last 10 years? MW: The improvement in the hardware since joining UTAX has had an enormous impact on our business. It has continually improved to adapt to the needs of the industry and will continue to in future as well. In terms of personal impact, Shaun Wilkinson, the Managing Director of UTAX UK, has had the biggest impact in guiding me through my entire career at UTAX. He has been my constant boss PrintIT Reseller (PITR): You’ve been working in the print and IT industry for more than ten years. What led you to enter the sector? Mark Webb (MW): I have always worked in sales and a job move 25+ years ago caused me to enter the industry by chance. I sold computer consumables for nine years, before moving to Worcester. I then worked in sales for a further four years and started with UTAX UK in 2008. My interest was initially in sales as a role and not about the product, but I’ve very much enjoyed being a part of the industry. PITR: What was your first job? MW: My first job was working for an insurance broker based just outside London, selling car insurance. PITR: What has been the high point of the decade? MW: The high point has been my career progression during my time with UTAX. I’ve moved from being an Area Sales Manager, to Regional Sales Manager, INTERVIEW A decade in print Mark Webb, Head of Indirect Sales, UTAX UK, shares his experiences over the past decade, what he’s learned, and the highs and the lows of our unique and challenging industry Mark Webb and mentor for 16 years, which I think is rare in the industry and the world of work now. PITR: If you could change one thing about the last decade, what would it be? MW: I think I could have adapted quicker to changes in internal technology and tools that make my job easier, including sales processes. They say it’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks, but we’re making progress! PITR: What has been your proudest moment of the past 10 years? MW: My proudest moment was definitely taking over sales in Ireland from Shaun. It was daunting and a lot of responsibility was passed over to me, but I’ve proven myself and made it my own. I’m grateful I was trusted to do it and continue to do it now. PITR: Sum up the decade in three words. MW: Challenging. Fun. Surprising. www.utax.co.uk
Adam Zoldan When is the right time to push the button? Timing is everything, and the most common question we are asked is around when is the perfect time to sell your business, raise funds or seek investment. The right time is subject to a wide range of factors, the vast majority of which are completely outside management and shareholders control As advisers, it is Macro factors that probably have the biggest impact on our business. Examples include the significant rise in interest rates which reduced the number of buyers willing to make acquisitions, large capital investments from end-users were delayed which impacted growth for channel players across the spectrum. and for those that remained in the market, the higher cost of capital was reflected in valuations and resulted in an overall fall in deal volumes. This continued until there was market confidence that rates had peaked and this stability has seen deal volumes grow again Tax changes behaviour, and we recently experienced this following the budget which saw an increase in the rate of Capital Gains Tax. This came into force on 1 November 2024 and during the Q3 2024, deal volumes jumped by a whopping 40% as shareholders looked to lock-in a lower tax rate on the sale of their assets. Interestingly, during this time most of the professional services industry involved in transactions – including lawyers, due diligence advisers and tax advisers was running at full capacity. As a result this was not a great time to start a transaction process as Buyers and Investors would not have had the resources at hand to execute a deal. Despite these external factors There are also a number of factors well within the control of management and shareholders that have a huge impact on timing a deal. The most important factor is your own ambition and aspiration for your business – most commonly knowing the value that you want to achieve. The value will typically be calculated by your profit x a multiple The 2 biggest factors that will drive this value are: Size – As company size increases, so does the valuation multiple and being able to demonstrate maintainable organic growth. A key step in timing should be being aware of the approximate size the business will have to be in order to achieve your ambitions. Organic Growth – Growth is a reflection of your company strategy, people, product set and your market sector and is a key factor when any buyer or investor is considering a transaction. When growth remains strong, there is a strong incentive to keep on going, but once a company heads over the peak and particularly if growth slows to zero (or negative) this will have a negative impact on value. The art of the deal is to identify the timing where shareholders feel confident of the sale and achieving their value whilst the buyer or investor feel confident that they can continue the growth journey. Some of the best deals we have completed have come out of the blue, where Investors are looking to get into a particular sector or a buyer needs to fill a particular hole or add a particular expertise. Quite often they will start calling companies they have identified themselves as ideal targets. For many (including Knight) the perfect time for a transaction was actually the perfect time for somebody else. These deals tend to result in premium valuations and a good prospects for management and staff. The key point here is to be ready. If you want to exit the business, start making yourself less valuable and if you want to put your company on a growth footing for investment, invest in people and systems, particularly automation. Above all, if you want your business to get through the transaction process then ensure that you are able to provide high quality consistent management information and understand what will be expected during the transaction and due diligence process. We would be happy to help here! www.knightcf.com BUSINESS BRIEFING PRINTITRESELLER.UK 21 Photo: pixabay.com/aitoff
01732 759725 22 VOX POP Print predictions – part three Here is the third and final part of our annual print predictions feature where more key industry players share their thoughts on what 2025 will hold for the print and IT sectors John Green, Managing Director, Commerce Business Systems: Security is an important priority across the industry and will remain very high on the agenda for next year. With the rising number of ways security can be compromised, it’s a concern for everyone. We know that the combination of digital technology and print workflows creates new entry points for potential threats, but we are helping to reassure our customers by working only with product manufacturers who are constantly developing robust, proactive security measures and support services throughout the ranges we supply, in an attempt to stay ahead of the threats. We’re expecting demand for security to keep growing, and we’re getting ready to meet that demand head-on. In 2025, we’d like to see cost-saving and sustainability become bigger priorities as schools and businesses look for ways to be more efficient, cut costs, and reduce their carbon footprints. However, we know that many people are not fully achieving the sustainability goals they have set, possibly because they’re concerned about the cost implication, so we would also like to see more effort put into improving understanding around this. Our industry has a key role to play here, by continuing to develop low-energy technology and offering recycling options that help people reduce their environmental impact without breaking the bank. We’re committed to being a trusted partner for our customers on sustainability, helping them find practical, affordable ways to work towards net zero. We believe that AI will have its place in print & IT in 2025. We can see where it might help to cut down on service times, making life easier for our customers. We’re keen to see what AI could do but will only adopt it when we see it genuinely benefiting our customers and fitting in with how we do things, and this is the way most of the industry is viewing AI too – with cautious interest. We have seen an increase in the number of our customers wanting to bring all their business systems together in one convenient package, which is one of the reasons we have been diversifying into IT services and telecoms. The current political and economic changes will continue to affect spending over the next year, and this means businesses and schools will keep an even tighter rein on their budgets. However, they are probably more likely to feel reassured trusting one company who can consolidate the supply and management of all their business systems, enabling them to control their systems and manage their spending at the same time. We have not really seen evidence of print volumes dropping, but there are some who clearly are suffering from this. For us, we find that adapting to what our customers need is having a positive effect on our print volumes. We’re still seeing steady demand in sectors like the professions, education and healthcare, where physical printed documents are often needed. We’ve also broadened our services into IT and telecoms, and seeing increased print volumes from these customers, as print is now part of the bigger mix of solutions we supply to them, and we’re seeing growth in the area of mid to higher volume MFPs. While we’re keeping an eye on the trends, we’re in a good position to handle whatever changes come our way. We envisage this continuing into 2025, at least. We are also seeing future opportunities in working and collaborating with like-minded companies in the region with a view to possibly, acquiring additional scope and expertise to expand CBS, our team and business further. https://commercebusinesssystems.co.uk We have seen an increase in the number of our customers wanting to bring all their business systems together in one convenient package John Green
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