Technology Reseller v40

01732 759725 18 NEWS : RESELLERS Tim Westbrook Kerv announces fifth deal in last 10 months In its fifth and largest deal in 10 months, Kerv, a cloud-centric Managed Service and Infrastructure Transformation Provider, has acquired cloudThing, a specialist in Microsoft Dynamics & Power Platform and bespoke software development. The acquisition of cloudThing, one of the fastest growing tech companies in the UK according to The Sunday Times Tech Track 100 , gives the group combined revenues of £35 million, 800 customers and offices in London, Birmingham and Bangalore, India, while also trebling headcount to 330 employees. cloudThing will operate as a division of Kerv, with current COO Stuart Harper assuming the role of cloudThing Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Kerv was formed in July 2020, in partnership with mid-market private equity house LDC, following the £30 million merger of three cloud transformation businesses: DoubleEdge, Foehn and Metaphor. Since then, it has also completed the acquisition of UCNS Managed IT. www.kervgroup.com www.cloudthing.com Banishing the blues Lancashire-based IT specialist Blue Orange has launched a ‘See Clearer, Work Smarter For Longer’ project to promote the health benefits of HP E-series monitors featuring always-on blue light filters. Blue Orange MD David Silous-Holt said: “We want more of our customers to discover the comfort of HP Eye Ease, with the company’s first built-in, always-on blue light filter comfort monitors.” Daisy named Sales Team of the Year Independent telecoms supplier Daisy Communications has been named Sales Team of the Year by unified communications expert Gamma in recognition of its consistently high sales, delivery against KPIs and readiness to sell new solutions and technologies, including Daisy Hosted Voice, which was introduced by the Platinum Partner in 2019. Daisy Communications CEO Dave McGinn said: “This is a real achievement for everyone at Daisy Comms and it’s something we’re really proud of. To be awarded Sales Team of the Year for 2020 recognises the efforts and dedication shown by our teams across the business. Over the past 12 months, our performance in delivering hosted voice, SIP and other solutions provided by Gamma have helped our customers navigate an incredibly challenging year and emerge stronger and better equipped to build a better Britain, together.” www.kervgroup.com • www.cloudthing.com Microsoft partner Silverbear, which works exclusively with the membership sector, is hoping to boost project knowhow with the publication of a new guide co-authored with Mark Williams, founder of programme and project management consultancy Wyeden. A project sponsor’s guide to digital transformation aims to give project sponsors working within the membership sector a better understanding of what is expected of them and what they should expect from others as they embark on digital projects. The report covers six areas – setting a vision, building consensus, investing in skills, managing incentives, provisioning resources and developing an action plan – and provides a methodology covering what project sponsors need to know and do to ensure the success of a digital transformation initiative. Mark Williams said: “Although aimed at the project sponsor, A project sponsor’s guide to digital transformation is really for anyone within business or IT project teams who think they might want some help. It’s an informative, versatile and easy-to-use guide that acts as a project compass, a checklist and can even be used as part of a mid-point review.” Silverbear, provider of an integrated membership solutions platform built on Microsoft Dynamics, is the only CRM provider in the UK to hold five accreditations from Microsoft. With clients such as the Royal College of Nursing, the Natural History Museum and the Institute of Directors, it processes £440 million in member subscriptions every year and has almost 4.5 million members under management. www.silverbear.com/Sponsors-Guide Silverbear boosts project knowhow with new guide Stone Europe set up to tackle e-waste in Europe Circular IT provider Stone Group is expanding its IT asset disposal service across Europe in partnership with Ingram Micro Commerce & Lifecycle Services. The launch of Stone Europe will enable organisations in France, Germany, Holland and Spain to arrange for the sustainable disposal of unwanted IT assets through the Stone 360 app, which has been translated into French, German Dutch and Spanish for this purpose. Stone Europe will collect customers’ unwanted IT devices and take them to Ingram Micro’s IT asset disposal facilities, where they will be securely wiped clean of data and either refurbished for resale or recycled. In the future, Stone Europe plans to extend the service to other countries and enable European customers to buy IT solutions from Stone Europe as part of a 360-degree approach to IT procurement and disposal. Stone Group Director Tim Westbrook said: “Since the launch of the Stone 360 app in the UK, we have managed to save over 150,000 broken or redundant IT items from ending up in landfill. We’re one of the few IT resellers to take full responsibility for the kit we sell to our customers by investing in our own ITAD facility and the app to make it as easy as possible for our customers to dispose of their unwanted IT securely and sustainably. We have launched Stone Group Europe to help other territories manage their e-waste more effectively.” Displaylite and MMD agreement Touchscreen and display specialist Displaylite is to supply the latest Philips touch monitors in the UK. The agreement with MMD covers Philips Touch Glass, In Cell and Open Frame monitors. With a 70,000 MTBF, 3-year warranty and 48-hour onsite swap- out warranty, the touch monitors are suitable for a variety of applications including Point of Information, Point of Sale and Kiosks and Industrial Control Rooms. Key features include SmoothTouch technology, an articulating stand and an optional bracket for securing a mini-PC. www.displaylite.co.uk