ISSUE 95 · 2022 www.printitreseller.uk PRINT, MFP, SOFTWARE, SERVICES, DOCUMENT & CLOUD NEWS & INFORMATION FOR VARS, CONVERGED RESELLERS & MFP DEALERS Entries now open www.printitawards.co.uk Turn down the heat How one small change can have a positive impact on the road to net zero
2 0 2 2 At each event there will be a prize for Overall Highest Score for the Day, Longest Drive and Nearest the Pin. At the final event the top 6 players from the first three rounds will play for Overall Golfer of the Year 2022. All other players will still be able to play for Overall Highest Score for the Day, Longest Drive and Nearest the Pin. The PrintIT Reseller and Technology Reseller Golf Society is open to everyone; Resellers, Dealers, VARs, System Integrators and Vendors – the maximum number of players being 72 at each event. The top two players from each of the first three events will play to become the Overall Golfer of the Year 2022 at the final event taking place at the Warwickshire. The Golf Society is open to everyone no matter what your handicap is... so don’t be shy. Come and join us. & The four events for this year... The First round took place at Belton Woods Golf Resort on the 12th May. The Third round will take place at Wyboston Lakes Resort on the 14th July. The Second round will take place at The Welcombe Golf Resort on the 9th June. The Final round will be played at the Warwickshire on the Kings Course on the 22nd September. The is cost per event is £99 per player or £396 per four ball + VAT. SPONSORSHIP If you would like to discuss the opportunities available, please call Martin on 01732 759725 or Paul on 07887 944433, email [email protected] If you would like to join us at any of the events please email [email protected] or call Paul on 07887 944433
Don’t let the opportunity to enter the PrintIT Awards 2022 pass you by. Entering is simple and straightforward, simply visit www.printitawards. co.uk and register your details. You can view all of the entry criteria for each category online. See page 22 for a summary of each award and what the judges will be looking for in a winning entry. The event of the year will take place Tuesday December 6 at the Royal Lancaster, London. Tables are selling fast, if you want to reserve a spot please contact either Ethan or Neil. In this issue, we shine the spotlight once again on security. Quocirca’s Zero Trust Security Trends 2022 study found that zero trust security strategies are rapidly gaining momentum among medium- and large-sized businesses – page 20. In other news, Social Print & Copy CIC – an Edinburgh-based social enterprise, which delivers transparent and fair priced printing, photocopying, document and digital solutions to third sector organisations across Scotland has become an official Canon reseller – page 30. And Coterie has used a grant from Innovate UK to launch the Coterie Community – a dedicated vendor-agnostic forum for partner and channel marketers that is run for (and by) its members (page 33). James Gilmore, Head of Product & Design at directprint.io, picks the work tools he uses every day and couldn’t do his job without (page 18). This month’s Q&A is with AdamWilson, Chief Sales Officer, Aura, and PITR spent 60 seconds with Eric Crump, Director of Strategic Alliances, Ringdale. 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 us at: [email protected] Michelle Ryder, Editor PRINT.IT Reseller is published by Kingswood Media Ltd., 10 Amherst House, 22 London Road, Sevenoaks TN13 2BT • Tel: 01732 759725 Email: [email protected] www.printitreseller.uk No part of PRINT.IT Reseller can be reproduced without prior written permission of the publisher. © 2022 Kingswood Media Ltd. Design: Sandtiger Media www.sandtiger.co.uk 04 Bulletin What’s new in printers and printing 16 People A round-up of new hires 18 I couldn’t do my job without... James Gilmore picks his favourite work tools 20 Zero Trust ZTNA security strategies gaining momentum 22 PrintIT Awards You’ve got to be in it to win it 26 Focus on: What’s New A round-up of recent product launches 30 Partnerships Social Print & Copy CIC partners with Canon 33 Marketing Coterie secures Innovate UK grant 34 Circular IT Flex IT announces a new era 39 Tech Live Tech Live 22 takes place September 13 42 VOX POP Is cloud technology firmly in the mainstream? 48 View from the Channel AdamWilson, Chief Sales Officer, Aura 50 60 seconds with... Eric Crump, Director of Strategic Alliances, Ringdale ISSUE 95 · 2022 printitreseller.uk 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 If you no longer wish to receive PrintIT Reseller magazine please email your details to [email protected] Read PrintIT Reseller online at: www.printitreseller.uk Join us : Follow us @PrintITReseller Issue 95 ISSN 2055-3110 (Print) ISSN 2055-3129 (Online) 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] Group Sales: Martin Jenner-Hall 07824 552116 · [email protected] Art Director: Nick Pledge 07767 615983 · [email protected] Advertising Executive: James Trim 01732 759725 · [email protected] COMMENT PRINTITRESELLER.UK 3 ZERO TRUST Page 20 ZTNA security strategies gaining momentum CATEGORIES
The changing attitudes of UK workers returning to the office after two years of home working during the pandemic should prompt a rethink of how offices are designed, with a special focus on privacy for individuals at work. That’s according to the latest research from eFax, the cloud-based fax solution for businesses, which found that 42% of workers are already struggling with a lack of privacy in the workplace. While the research did find that a third of office workers appreciate being able to access technology at work, 28% find it harder to concentrate, and 16% actively dislike the lack of privacy compared to home working. www.efax.co.uk BULLETIN Privacy and security concerns dominate Gathering data for decision-making Almost three-quarters (71%) of financial services organisations are now using web scraping to gather external data to guide their decision-making. This is one of the key findings from a new Oxylabs white paper, which demonstrates how web scraping is shaping the sector. Oxylabs surveyed 500 UK-based and 501 US-based senior data decision-makers from UK and US financial services companies, gathering insights on attitudes towards data collection in the sector. Internal data (74%) remains the most popular source for businesses, but there are clear signs web scraping is set to overtake it in the near future. Over two-thirds of respondents (68%) plan to increase their data budgets in the coming year, while 80% believe they will focus more strongly on web scraping in the same period. Other methods, such as third-party data aggregators (used by 56%) remain an important part of the data-gathering ecosystem but are now a long way behind web scraping and internal data. Despite web scraping’s rise, there remain some concerns among decision-makers about how to implement it in a safe, cost-effective, and compliant manner. Almost four in ten (38%) state risk and legal complications as the main factors discouraging them from using web scraping. Alongside this, 36% are concerned about budget constraints or the need to introduce complicated new technology, and 34% believe they lack the technical know-how to make web scraping a success. https://oxylabs.io/ Self-doubt in the workplace A study commissioned by Trachet – a business advisory firm helping entrepreneurs accelerate growth – has unveiled a workforce riddled in self-doubt, with 34% of Brits stating they often feel lonely in the world of work due to their workload. The report entitled “From Burnout to Earnout ”, found that nearly 1-in-3 (30%) are suffering from imposter syndrome, which is hindering their ability to run their businesses effectively. Other findings include: n 44% of British Gen Z state they often have feelings of self-doubt or imposter syndrome which make it hard for them to lead their team effectively. n 34% of Brits find that in running their business, they have no one to support them, they do all key tasks alone and that disconnects them from their passion. n 62% would be happy to compromise their career aspirations/business goals in order to preserve their mental health and avoid burnout. www.trachet.co Knowledge and experience need to ramp quickly A new study from Outsystems entitled: “Cloud-Native Development: Ready or Not? What IT Executives and Developers Say,” reveals that while analysts expect a sharp rise in cloud-native development globally, more than half of respondents (53%) still don’t know much about it. Based on the global survey of more than 500 IT leaders and developers across industries, including cloud-native leaders (those who currently use cloud-native) and laggards (those who do not), the OutSystems report pinpoints the current state of the technology, in terms of its adoption, challenges and opportunities. Key findings include: n Knowledge Gap – While 72% of respondents expect that the majority of their apps will be created using cloud-native development by 2023, only 47% of them know a lot about it. n Unexpected Challenges – Cloud-native leaders say that selecting the right tools/ platforms (52%), and architectural complexity (51%) are the top two challenges of cloud-native development, whereas cloud-native laggards rank these significantly lower. n Talent Need – Both cloud-native leaders and laggards agree that engineering team growth is a necessity – and a struggle. Respondents share the need for talent across 13 different roles, from back-end, full-stack, and mobile developers to enterprise architects and designers, with cloud architects standing out as a critical role to fill. n Low-Code Advantage – Cloud-native leaders see low-code platforms as winning partners in their cloud-native journeys, with 60% saying low-code platforms are “very good” or “excellent” tools for cloud-native implementation. More than seven in ten (72%) cloud-native leaders work with low-code platforms already. “Cloud-native technology unlocks new possibilities for application speed, reliability and massive scale – if it’s done right,” said Patrick Jean, CTO of OutSystems. “Many businesses are showing a delta between their desired future state and their current knowledge and expertise. Our research reveals that most businesses don’t know enough about cloud-native’s challenges and don’t have the staff to successfully implement it. The answer lies in highperformance low-code tools that can help speed and simplify the path forward and dramatically improve the way they build and manage apps for the future.” www.outsystems.com 01732 759725 4 Choosing the Right Scraping Solution in 2022: Essentials You Need to Know This guidebook will introduce you to various scraping solutions present on the market, their key features, and factors to consider when choosing scraping resources depending on a company’s needs and goals.
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BULLETIN SysGroup acquires Orchard Liverpool-headquartered SysGroup has acquired Independent Network Solutions Limited – which trades as Orchard Computers (Orchard). Based in Bristol, Orchard is a managed IT service provider. It has been in operation for over 30 years and has built a loyal customer base totalling over 120 active clients in 2021, covering the south west of England. The business, which generated revenues of £2.1m in 2021, represents customers across a range of sectors, covering both the public and private sectors. Its managed IT services offering mirrors that of SysGroup, providing high quality consulting services and building tailor-made, vendoragnostic solutions designed specifically to meet individual customer needs, followed by ongoing technical support. The acquisition was funded from the group’s existing cash resources and will further strengthen its presence in the south west of England, while complementing the operations in South Wales, with the addition of more than 20 people joining the team. The vendors of Orchard, Ian Terry and Chris Patten, will remain with SysGroup to assist with the handover of customer relationships and integration into the group. Orchard is the group’s second acquisition in a month, following the integration of Edinburghbased Truststream Security Solutions in a deal worth up to £8m. CEO Adam Binks said: “I am thrilled to be announcing our second acquisition of the financial year. Orchard is a well-established, well-respected business with a loyal customer base in the south west of England and I am delighted that we have been able to bring this business into the group.” www.sysgroup.com Computacenter sets net-zero goal Computacenter has announced its new net zero target, which includes Scope 3 emissions, is 2040, ten years earlier than its previous goal. The firm is also aiming to be carbon neutral for Scope 1 and 2 emissions in 2022, five years ahead of its previous target. The reseller’s 2021 sustainability report shows it reduced Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 74% between 2019 and 2021, despite continuing to expand and grow the business during that period. Initiatives and investments which contribute to achieving the carbon neutral milestone in 2022 include: investments in new and existing facilities to reduce electricity consumption; investment in solar generation at Hatfield (1.8m kWh generated in 2021, saving approx. 400,000 kg of annual carbon emissions) and Kerpen (1.5m kWh generation expected in 2022); and the move to electricity contracts from green energy suppliers. In 2021, 73% of Computacenter’s electricity usage came from renewable sources. www.computacenter.com Workflo Solutions sponsors rising star Workflo Solutions is sponsoring 16-yearold Chloe Grant from Perth, one of the hottest young prospects in UK motorsport, as she gears up for the inaugural GB4 Championship – a new motor racing championship for open wheel, formula racing cars in the UK. The Livingston-based company joins forces with Laser Tools Racing and John Clark Motor Group to support Chloe as she moves from the karting circuit into motor car racing on the new GB4 series. She will compete at some of the most illustrious venues associated with UK motorsport in the coming months, including Silverstone, Oulton Park, Snetterton, and Donnington Park. Michael Field, Managing Director of Workflo Solutions said: “Sponsoring Chloe as she steps up to the next level on the motor racing circuit was something we were very keen to do. Her focus and dedication to the sport is incredible and I genuinely believe she has all the makings of a future champion in the years ahead.” www.workflo-solutions.co.uk Apogee joins AGCC Apogee has joined Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce (AGCC). The AGCC collaborates with business of all shapes, sizes and sectors to ensure future economic success in the north east Scotland region. With a direct line into government at all levels, the AGCCs’ political independence allows it to ensure that the voices of SMEs and multinational corporations alike are heard. With aims to improve energy transition, regional connectivity, international trade opportunities and more, the AGCC is paving the road for businesses to succeed – and to do so sustainably. “We were looking for a way to provide value and build on our existing presence in the north east Scotland region,” says Alan Shaw, Regional Account Manager at Apogee. “The obvious way to achieve that was to partner up with AGCC, who have a large and diverse membership who we can collaborate with.” Russell Borthwick, Chief Executive of AGCC, added: “We look forward to working with Apogee to build connections and help it grow its presence in the north east of Scotland.” www.apogeecorp.com 01732 759725 6 (l-r) Alan Shaw, Regional Account Manager for Apogee and Russell Borthwick, Chief Executive of AGCC Francis Thornhill ENTRIES NOW OPEN https://printitawards.co.uk
BULLETIN Exertis expands Barco partnership Exertis has announced an extended distribution partnership with Barco, focusing on its collaboration tool, ClickShare. Exertis’ reach will enable Barco to grow the distribution of its ClickShare devices that enable high quality hybrid meetings and conferences at the click of a button. Jamie Brothwell, Director of Pro AV at Exertis UK, said: “We are delighted to expand our global partnership with Barco into the UK at what is an exciting time for Exertis Pro AV. Through the recent global pandemic, collaborative technology became the fourth emergency service and changed the workplace as we knew it forever. Hybrid working and collaborative workspaces have become an essential part of our daily life. We believe we are well placed to support the incremental growth of Barco’s award-winning ClickShare range to both new and existing customers given our expertise within the IT and enterprise channels, our unique credit offering and our 24/7 services and solutions team.” www.exertis.co.uk SYNAXON UK teams-up with Teemex SYNAXON UK is offering SMB partners in the IT and office products channels the opportunity to streamline their day to day business operations and gain all the advantages that larger competitors already enjoy from end-to-end ERP systems. The channel services organisation has worked with Teemex, a UK-based specialist in business automation, to integrate its Teemex Cloud ERP solution with the SYNAXON EGIS stock, pricing and ordering aggregation platform. The solution is now available for MSP, reseller and retailer partners to deploy, providing them with a simple, effective and affordable way to automate and streamline their every-day business processes. “Fully cloud-based, Teemex Cloud ERP is a completely off-the-shelf, end-to-end solution specifically designed for use in the hi-tech distribution and retail sector. It’s ideal for SYNAXON UK members,” said Mike Barron, Managing Director, SYNAXON UK. Rajindra Ranaweera, Director, Teemex, added: “Teemex Cloud ERP has been specifically designed for the kinds of business that SYNAXON UK supports, and we see this as a perfect alliance. Our solution enables small and medium-sized channel businesses to transform their every-day operations, deliver higher levels of service and reduce their costs. SYNAXON UK has established and trusted relationships in the channel community. By working together, we can really help MSPs, resellers and retailers to streamline their operations and gain real competitive advantage.” www.synaxon-services.com Integra announces partnership with Beaverswood Integra has announced a new partnership with Beaverswood, a manufacturer of products to improve the efficiency, safety and sustainability of the workplace. With over 1,700 SKUs available across 30 product groups together with expert advice and marketing support, members will be able to maximise on the additional opportunities available from warehousing and logistics to the office, education and public sectors. Beaverswood’s Business Development Manager, Chris Bevis, said: “We’re excited for this new partnership which opens up a whole new world of opportunity for Integra dealers, giving them access to a simple range of products that expand the offering beyond the traditional office workplace.” www.integra-business.co.uk Dual award win Tech Data was presented with two major awards by Veeam Software at the recent Veeam UK Partner Summit. The distie was named as Distribution Partner of the Year 2021 and Aggregator of the Year 2021. Both accolades reflect the continued investment by Tech Data and the tremendous job that its specialist team has been doing – and continues to do – for Veeam partners. Backed by continued investment in resources, new automated processes and an enhanced Software Store, Tech Data grew its Veeam sales through partners last year by around a third. VCSP (Veeam Cloud & Service Provider) sales grew even faster. It’s the second year in succession that Tech Data has been named as Veeam Distribution Partner of the Year in the UK. Matt Child, Managing Director, Advanced Solutions, UK and Ireland at Tech Data, said: “This is a great acknowledgement of the hard work and positive, can-do attitude of the whole Veeam team at Tech Data. Over the past year, we have really helped partners to position Veeam solutions and migrate customers successfully to the cloud. The specialism, focus and knowledge of our team is second-to-none and that’s really why these awards are merited.” www.techdata.com Morphisec signs CMS Distribution CMS Distribution has signed an exclusive partnership with Morphisec to distribute its cybersecurity products and services in Europe. Morphisec offers IT and security professionals peace of mind by stopping ransomware, fileless malware and other advanced attacks from the endpoint to the cloud. Nick Bailey, Alliance Director, CMS Distribution said: “Morphisec brings a different approach to endpoint protection with its breach prevention made easy solutions. Their defence in depth architecture means resellers can offer customers this great prevention solution operating seamlessly with existing layers they already paid for.” www.cmsdistribution.com PRINTITRESELLER.UK 7 Mike Barron Matt Child
BULLETIN Tech Data enhances OpenMPS Tech Data has launched an enhanced version of its OpenMPS managed print service, providing partners with improvements in data visualisation, more control of end customer pricing, and additional safeguards against fraud. OpenMPS is a simple, vendor-neutral service that empowers partners to manage their end customers’ existing printing devices – whether they are being used in the office or in employees’ homes. Partners can quickly set-up automated shipments of supplies to their customers, and monitoring of print devices is performed through a simple app that customers can install on their networks and/or client devices. New smart dashboarding has been added providing partners with a graphic representation of all their OpenMPS customers. Improved capability to set end customer pricing allows partners to define a price for each customer or order, and to build a complete customer report, showing full details of all cartridges shipped. Enhanced data checking ensures all essential information is provided, such as the customer’s delivery address, helping to maximise service levels and reduce any risk of fraud. Partners can now receive auto-alerts when orders are placed, and faster search capabilities help to streamline processes. All the improvements are available to all Open MPS partners immediately. Chris Bates, Business Unit Manager, Print and Supplies at Tech Data, UK and Ireland, said: “OpenMPS has been extremely well received and many partners are already using it to provide a simple managed print services to their customers. Based on their feedback, we have made a number of enhancements and improvements that increase efficiency and help them deliver an even better service and more value to their end-user customers.” www.techdata.com Integra announces new conference date Integra’s ‘Strength Through Unity’ National Conference will now take place on Thursday 17 November at The Hilton, St George’s Park. The change follows a request by the venue owners, The FA, to hold an unscheduled England senior men’s football camp. Marketing Director, Sian Haskell, said: “We’re happy to have finalised an alternative date for our conference at this exciting venue and look forward to seeing our members and key partners there on November 17. We will be announcing further details shortly including a fantastic line up of speakers.” www.integra-business.co.uk 01732 759725 8 Dell appoints Westcoast UK distribution partner Westcoast has been appointed as the UK distribution partner for Dell Technologies, a collaboration it says is set to bring significant opportunities to resellers and their customers alike, through innovation and accelerated digital transformation. Westcoast will offer Dell Technologies’ client solutions product portfolio including notebooks, workstations, desktops, monitors and accessories, as well as its IT infrastructure solutions portfolio including storage, server, data protection and HCI. www.westcoast.co.uk Datech signs agreement with Esri Datech Solutions, the Autodesk-focused business of Tech Data has signed an agreement with Esri that allows for the distribution of a joint offering from Autodesk and Esri to support building information modelling (BIM) and geographic information system (GIS) cloud collaboration throughout the EMEA region. The joint offering consists of ArcGIS GeoBIM technology from Esri coupled with Autodesk BIM Collaborate Pro. The new relationship gives partners addressing the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) market the opportunity to extend their offering, drive higher revenues and profitability, and deliver more value to their end-user customers. www.techdata.com Vimeo extends Exertis partnership Exertis has extended its partnership with video solution provider Vimeo to cover the whole of Europe, after a successful relationship in North America. Vimeo’s enterprise platform provides businesses with a range of functional and security solutions for video and content management. The multiple features of Vimeo Enterprise enable customers to live stream for internal events and communications, webinars, video monetisation, as well as allowing for the sharing and distribution of video content either in a closed group, or publishing to a wider audience. Resellers will be able to join the Vimeo Partner Scheme through their Exertis account manager, bringing a unique cloud subscription service for their customers; as well as partner stack deal registration, how-to guides, and access to the Vimeo pre-sales team to support qualified opportunities. Derek McDonald, Global Director of Channel Sales at Vimeo, said: “Partnering with Exertis has enabled us to reach customers with success across North America, and now, thanks to its distribution reach, we’re excited to extend our unique offering into Europe. We look forward to continuing to work closely with Exertis and utilising its value on top of our professional video management tools, to allow businesses to boost the power of their communications through our video solutions.” www.exertis.co.uk Recognition for Nuvias Juniper Networks has recognised the Nuvias Group as its EMEA Distribution Partner of the Year. Partner of the Year Awards are part of the Juniper Partner Advantage Program (JPA). The program not only recognises partners for their outstanding performance, but also focuses on partner development through specialisations, certification and enterprise plus and deal registration programs that aim to drive opportunity in the AI-driven enterprise. www.nuvias.com Chris Bates Derek McDonald
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Brother goes platinum three times in a row Brother UK has become the first firm in the UK to retain the Investors in People (IIP) Platinum status three times in a row. The platinum award is widely viewed as the highest recognition a firm can be given in people management in the UK, with just 2% of businesses meeting the rigorous standard. Sam Johnson, Learning & Organisational Development Manager, said: “Our ethos has always been ‘at your side’, which is as true for our employees as it is for our customers. It’s their expertise and experience that drives our business forward, so it’s integral to our success to always review and improve how we can support them. “Achieving the Platinum accolade three times in a row is a huge achievement for us but this one is particularly special. Like every other business, we had to adapt how we support our people quickly through the pandemic and this award is meaningful as it comes at a time when we faced some of our greatest challenges as people and as an organisation.” Brother UK employs 150 people at its headquarters in Tameside, Greater Manchester, where employees stay for an average of 14 years. The company moved to a hybrid working model, where around 90 employees work from the office three days a week instead of five. The new policy came alongside a significant investment to redesign its Greater Manchester HQ to support collaborative working and social interaction, with new break-out spaces and meeting rooms created. Managing Director, Phil Jones, added: “Expectations for employers have totally changed. With such an active jobs market, you have to really offer something that attracts people to your company and our proposition to invest in personal and career growth helps us to do this. Retaining our Platinum status for the third time is something we feel really proud about.” www.brother.co.uk 01732 759725 BULLETIN 10 Pax8 secures new funding Fast growing cloud products marketplace business Pax8, has raised $185 million in new equity capital from new investor SoftBank Vision Fund 2, increasing its valuation to $1.7 billion. Pax8 simplifies the IT buying experience for small and medium-sized businesses through the IT channel ecosystem by connecting 20,000 managed services partners to a transactional cloud marketplace that provides billing, provisioning, automation, PSA integrations and pre- and post-sales support. CEO John Street said: “As we continue to evolve our technology and marketplace to meet the needs of SMBs, the new investment will provide capital to accelerate innovation and continued expansion into new global markets. This strong funding round reflects the powerful work Pax8 is doing to enable and grow SMBs through our partners, employees, technology, education and support.” www.pax8.com Microsoft overhauls partner programme Microsoft has overhauled its partner programme, a move that that will affect the 400,000+ organisations currently delivering Microsoft products and services to customers around the world. The four big changes are: Cessation of the Microsoft partner network and its silver and gold badges. Introduction of the Microsoft cloud partner programme with two qualifying levels: a solutions partner level and a specialisation/ expert level, which enables solutions partners to highlight additional expertise in specific areas. Application of partner designations to six solution areas aligned with the Microsoft cloud: data & AI (Azure); infrastructure (Azure); digital & app innovation (Azure); business applications; modern work and security. Introduction of a partner capability score, a new framework for evaluating partners and tracking their proficiency in the six solution areas listed above based on their performance in four areas: certifications, added customers, successful deployments and overall growth. All existing partners can transition into the new Microsoft cloud partner programme with a base membership and then qualify for solutions partner and specialisation/expert levels by meeting certain standards, measured by their partner capability score. www.microsoft.com SharpenCX announces new global partner program SharpenCX has announced its new global partner program, focused on enabling channel partners to achieve success levels, driving a unique partner experience, creating strategic alignment, and mutually acquiring new logos together. The partner program is a major move for SharpenCX on its mission to deliver engaging agent and customer experiences anytime, anywhere with its agent-first, unified contact centre software. “SharpenCX is committed to creating a pure, frictionless partner experience that will enable partners to close more deals faster, and expand their markets,” says Mike Berlin, Chief Partner Officer. "We're looking forward to continuing to grow our partner community while delivering a world class, modern AI solution for customers.” www.sharpencx.com Milestone for Konica Minolta Konica Minolta is celebrating the 1000th installation shipment for its successful AccurioLabel toner digital printing press less than seven years after entering the labels market. Just two years after announcing the 500th installation, the digital toner-based presses continue to break ground and have helped Konica Minolta achieve a market leading position in digital label presses with a 28% brand market share in Europe in 2021. www.konicaminolta.co.uk SEE THE 2022 CATEGORIES AND HOW TO ENTER PAGE 22
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01732 759725 12 BULLETIN Propack boosts productivity levels Propack Direct Mail has purchased a Canon varioPRINT iX3200, in a bid to increase productivity levels and further drive business growth. The new device will strengthen its print-on-demand proposition and help it attract new customers, whilst supporting the company’s sustainability efforts. The varioPRINT iX3200 has enabled Propack to achieve faster, higher quality prints for its customers. Significant savings have been realised due to the labour-saving technologies the press offers, its high uptime and low inkjet running costs. This has allowed the organisation to increase uptime in production and virtually eliminate paper wastage. The press has also reduced Propack’s need to rely on third-parties for pre-printed litho stock as it can now deliver a fully automated white paper solution. Managing Director Jason Clough, said: “Since its installation, the varioPRINT iX3200 has been producing more work than four of our digital presses combined. Thanks to the new device, we’ve become a more cost-efficient business, and the increased capacity and reliability has meant we can approach new customers with confidence. We’ve also been able to reduce our carbon footprint and boost our print-on-demand offering to deliver an even better service to our existing customers. “The printer is also extremely simple to use,” he continued. “Despite the fact that it’s such an advanced piece of technology, there are no complications on the front end, and we can be confident it will run smoothly.” www.wearepropack.co.uk Brother teams-up with Renovotec Brother UK has expanded its reach into the retail, warehousing, and logistic markets after signing a new partnership with sector specialist reseller Renovotec. Renovotec supplies auto-ID and automated technologies to warehousing and distribution centres across the UK. The company, which generated £50 million in sales during 2021, will now provide Brother’s TJ range of high-volume industrial label printers, the RJ series of mobile devices, and the TD line of desktop models to customers under the new agreement. Ged Cairns, Head of Auto ID at Brother UK said: “This partnership represents a strategic move on the part of both us and Renovotec. We’ve made significant investments in our range of specialist labelling devices in the last few years to help retail and warehouse settings work more efficiently and productively. “Renovotec’s unrivalled presence and expertise in this market allows us to effectively reach major operators with our new and established solutions – at a time when the rise in ecommerce is making labelling technology increasingly essential to smoothly manage order fulfilment.” www.brother.co.uk • www.renovotec.com PaperCut partners with CLA In a move that supports its broader digital transformation plans, the Copyright Licensing Agency (CLA) has announced an overhaul of the manual process used for logging details about copyright-protected material scanned or copied by staff/ practitioners in the education sectors. Working in partnership with PaperCut, it has introduced the CLA Copy Button, a time-saving and digital reporting process. Underpinned by PaperCut MF print management solution – the CLA Copy Button is being deployed in schools, colleges and universities across the UK, helping to collect essential data so the CLA can make payments to the creators it represents. With this new initiative, each time a member of staff makes a copy or scans using a multifunction device) featuring the CLA Copy Button and PaperCut MF, they select the relevant button, then scan the document and enter the number of people the copy is for. This information is sent securely and in real-time to the CLA. The improved workflow efficiency provided by the CLA Copy Button helps reduce the admin burden placed upon teachers and the CLA’s admin team, while providing greater data insights into what is being printed or copied and by which institutions, making it easier and quicker to reimburse the originator of the content. Prior to the introduction of the CLA Copy Button, staff had to follow a manual process. Eela Devani, CLA’s Chief Product and Data Officer, said: “The CLA Copy button enables us to automate reporting, saves time and reduces paper waste, which are benefits that align with the organisation’s broader digital transformation goals. Not only will the CLA Copy Button boost the productivity of teachers and CLA admin staff alike, but it will also accelerate the pace at which authors and artists are reimbursed. With published material such as books, magazines and digital resources protected by copyright, we’re excited about this initiative and we’re looking forward to it being rolled out to other sectors in the future.” www.papercut.com New print solution Konica Minolta and UTL London have supplied North London-based Saracens Rugby Club with two Konica Minolta bizhub C250i multifunction devices, along with the PaperCut MF print management software. The solution ensures the club’s print resources continue to be highly reliable and cost-effective, supporting its growing activities in premiership rugby. utlgroup.co.uk • konicaminolta.co.uk tech-live.co.uk 13 September 2022 Business Design Centre · London 22 In partnership with
MPS Monitor has announced the PaperCut NG/MF integration into its analytics Microsoft Power BI platform. Now your Business lntelligence environment will be enriched with further data and info of your fleet devices and a detailed report of your printers' environmental impact. � mPfm ·t JJ Want to try it? • Printer monitori�i�!e �� + PaperCut. Request a demo
01732 759725 14 BULLETIN Quadruple award win TrustRadius has recognised Kofax Power PDF with three 2022 PDF Editor category awards: best relationship, feature set, and value for price. Power PDF was also named a G2 2022 best software awards winner for best office products. www.kofax.com Green initiatives Alibaba Group has joined the Low Carbon Patent Pledge (LCPP), an international platform that encourages the sharing of patents for low carbon technologies, to accelerate the adoption of green technology and the fostering of collaborative innovation by making nine key patents for green data centre technology available for free to external parties. In keeping with its support for green initiatives, Alibaba Cloud, the digital technology and intelligence backbone of Alibaba Group, also aims to have its global data centres running entirely on clean energy by 2030, starting with upgrades to five of its hyperscale data centres in China. alibabacloud.com Recognition for Cohesity Cohesity was named a major player in the IDC MarketScape Worldwide Distributed Scale-Out File System 2022 Vendor Assessment. This is the first year this MarketScape has been published. The IDC MarketScape vendor assessment model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of ICT suppliers in a given market. Cohesity was recognised as a major player based on 12 capabilities and ten strategies criteria and metrics. The company also received a customers’ choice in the 2022 Gartner Peer Insights Voice of the Customer: Distributed File Systems and Object Storage report for the second consecutive year. Cohesity also was recognised as a strong performer in the midsize enterprise market in the report. www.cohesity.com Avaya expands Microsoft partnership Avaya and Microsoft have expanded their global partnership by pairing the Avaya OneCloud portfolio with Microsoft Azure to provide organisations with more options to increase their productivity and customer engagement. Building on the success of Avaya OneCloud Contact Centre as a Service (CCaaS) delivered on Azure, Avaya is now expanding its partnership to include the Avaya OneCloud portfolio on Azure, for customers that want maximum flexibility to deploy in a hybrid, public or private cloud environment. “Our strategic partnership with Microsoft is an important milestone in our continued transformation to a cloud business model,” said David Austin, Senior Vice President, Strategy and Alliances, Avaya. www.avaya.com Is Hybrid working here to stay? Hybrid working or Office-based full time – which works best? One of the biggest shifts we have seen in recruitment over the last two years has been the move to hybrid working. Due to forced homeworking through COVID-19 restrictions, many businesses had to quickly adapt and set up processes to enable efficient home working for staff. For many businesses this meant heavy investment. Laptops instead of desktops, mobile phones, and software to ensure data protection is maintained. But where businesses have spent money, they saved on the costs of running an office. No computers, printers and lights running 12+ hours a day. No constant kettles boiled or air conditioning running. With all this investment and money saved you would expect companies to be committed to hybrid working. But will Hybrid working really be here to stay? Whilst most businesses are offering hybrid working as now, we are slowly seeing a creep back towards fulltime office-based roles. Certainly, when we were out and about in London last week the businesses and office spaces seemed as bustling as ever. So, which will provide the best outcome for your business? There will always be some roles that need to be office based. For most employees and company’s flexibility has worked in their favour. Flexible working can often mean you get more from your employees. Some people still prefer to be office based as they need the structure of 9-5 and a commute. True flexible working is to offer both hybrid and full-time office-based options to employees. In doing so you are allowing them to choose a work environment that will help you (and the employee) achieve the best possible productivity for your business. For advice on recruitment or the current market, speak to Max Levenger or Lynsey Arnold at Henley Executive on 0333 567 4888, or email [email protected]. https://henleyexecutive.co.uk BUSINESS BRIEFING - RECRUITMENT
Award Winning Digital Solutions: > Online tools providing 24/7 access and quotes > Electronic documentation > E-signature giving you remote access and convenience > Automated decisions on credit submissions > Close deals quickly anytime, anywhere Please visit our Privacy Notice at siemens.co.uk/privacy-notice to understand how SFS will use your data Seamless sales management with our digital solutions We understand that now, more than ever, rapid credit decisions and 24/7 access to financing are essential to proposing new business and managing your portfolio. Your digital solutions need a digital finance partner – siemens.co.uk/vendor-finance
01732 759725 16 BULLETIN : PEOPLE LastPass appoints new CEO LastPass has announced that Karim Toubba has joined the company as its Chief Executive Officer. The cloud security veteran will lead LastPass as it separates from GoTo, formerly LogMeIn, and increases investment to create an even more seamless user experience, modernise go-to-market functions, and continue to build industry leading password and identity management solutions for the company’s customers. Toubba succeeds LastPass’ interimCEO, Mike Kohlsdorf, who will continue to lead GoTo as CEO. Toubba, who served as CEO of Kenna Security, which was acquired by Cisco in July of 2021, brings over 25 years of security leadership and executive management in technology companies to his new role. Under his leadership, Kenna Security leveraged machine learning and data science to disrupt a stagnant market and create a new category of Risk-Based Vulnerability Management (RBVM). He most recently served at Cisco, overseeing the Kenna Security integration, and previously led product and strategy for the Security Business Unit at Juniper Networks. https://lastpass.com Seasoned sales leader joins ExtraHop ExtraHop a specialist in cloud-native network detection and response has announced the appointment of Duncan Butchart as Area Vice President of Northern EMEA. Butchart joins ExtraHop with more than 20 years of business development and sales experience to help the company deliver on its ambitious EMEA growth plans, expand operations, and foster channel and customer relations within the region. Butchart will apply his extensive knowledge of the European technology and sales market to nurture relations and deliver ExtraHop’s solutions across the Northern EMEA. Working closely with the region’s channel partners, Butchart will drive long-term growth for both ExtraHop and its partner ecosystem. The appointment arrives as the latest in a succession of moves by ExtraHop to expand its European operations, with the appointment of Karl Werner as Area Vice President of Central and Southern Europe. www.extrahop.com SnapLogic names Jeremiah Stone CTO SnapLogic has named Jeremiah Stone the company’s new Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Stone is an experienced builder of advanced technology products and platforms that leverage the full power of AI to solve real business problems. He will be responsible for guiding the continued development and future direction of SnapLogic’s Intelligent Integration Platform – with industry-leading AI and machine learning at its core – enabling customers to further speed the integration and automation process to drive breakthrough business results. Before joining SnapLogic, Stone was CTO at Ontrak, where he led innovation in data science, AI, and analytics for clinical, operational, and financial outcomes in the digital healthcare space. www.snaplogic.com Thompson secures new role Technology vendor Daisy Group has announced the appointment of Neil Thompson as its CEO, 12 months after he joined the firm as CFO. Thompson has spent the last 12 months working with Founder and Chairman Matthew Riley, driving the business and leading a strategic review to deliver the next phase of Daisy’s growth. He has helped deliver transformational growth in several executive teams, across various industry sectors, and in both public and privately owned businesses. Prior to Daisy, Thompson was Group CFO at Manchester Airport Group (MAG) helping to create successful international, digital and property development businesses to drive growth, alongside its wideranging airport services. www.daisygroup.com Former Google Cloud and Microsoft exec joins Veeam Veeam Software has hired John Jester as Chief Revenue Officer (CRO). Jester will lead Veeam’s go-to-market growth strategy. Jester joins Veeam after a successful tenure at Google Cloud where he helped build the go-tomarket organisation through his leadership of the customer experience organisation; in this role, he drove cloud adoption and business value for customers, supporting Google Cloud’s growth to over $23B ARR. Prior to Google, Jester spent 20 years at Microsoft leading sales organisations and reimagining the GTM across the customer lifecycle. www.veeam.com NCC announces new CEO Manchester-based cyber security and risk mitigation specialist NCC Group has announced the appointment of Mike Maddison as Chief Executive Officer following Adam Palser’s decision to step down after more than four and a half years in the role. Maddison is currently head of EY’s cyber security, privacy, and trusted technology practice for EMEA, a role he has held since 2017. Maddison will join the Board on 1 August 2022. www.nccgroup.com Gardiner celebrates 25 years Integra’s Finance Director, Kevin Gardiner has racked up 25 years of service. He started his career as an auditor at KPMG before joining Integra on May 1, 1997, as Operations Accountant. He was promoted to the Board as Finance Director in 2018 and has responsibility for all financial and operational aspects of the business. Aidan McDonough, CEO and Carl Dovey, Chairman, presented Gardiner with a gift to thank him for his 25 years of service at the recent board meeting held in Newport, South Wales. McDonough said: “Congratulations to Kevin on his 25 years of service. Kevin plays an invaluable role within the group that has been pivotal to Integra’s success. I would personally like to thank him on behalf of the team for his commitment and dedication to ensuring the business maintains its strong position within the industry. Kevin and his team also work incredibly hard to support our members and key partners.” www.integra-business.co.uk Jermiah Stone Aidan McDonough, Kevin Gardiner, Carl Dovey
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