www.technologyreseller.uk THE MAGAZINE & ONLINE CHANNEL NEWS & RESOURCE FOR MSPS, IT RESELLERS & SUPPORT PROVIDERS VIEW FROM THE CHANNEL PAGE 14 With Ian Anderson of Park Place Technologies TECHNOLOGY RESELLER AWARDS 2025 PAGE 26 All of this year’s winners PAGE 8 How ECS is making waves as a distributor of IT products Q&A TECHNOLOGY RESELLER MAGAZINE IN PRINT & ONLINE SINCE 2016 IN PRINT & ONLINE SINCE 2016 IN PRINT ONLINE SINCE 2016
Why Spitfire’s One Network? Are you at risk from: • Poor device visibility and erratic management? • Requirement for third party remote access? • Default or weak passwords? • Software security updates? • Transmission of unencrypted data? One Network uses MPLS to combine mobile, fixed line and cloud connectivity into a secure private network. A low cost, no fuss, business and IoT solution that is both invisible and unreachable to external threats. Easily built using whichever primary and backup access components are required to connect your sites, users, devices and servers - wherever they may be located - without the need for time consuming VPN tunnel configurations. What could be simpler, or safer? Call us today, to find out more. www.spitfire.co.uk/iot-security Telecoms and IP Engineering Solutions for Business since 1988 Innovative • Flexible • Reliable • Supportive • Cost Effective Sales 020 7501 3333 • Partner Services 020 7501 3150 VOICE INTERNET I O T W A N www.spitfire.co.uk Key Benefits No public internet traversal Avoid need for encryption MPLS private networks available Fixed or dynamic IP addresses Private APN available Invisible and unreachable to external threats Looking for mitigation with one easy, cost effective and time efficient solution ? Worried about IOT security?
03 CONTENTS technologyreseller.co.uk ISSN 2632-9301 (Print) ISSN 2632-931X (Online) Technology Reseller is published by Kingswood Media Ltd., 7 Amherst House, 22 London Road, Sevenoaks TN13 2BT • Tel: 01732 759725 Email: [email protected] www.technologyreseller.co.uk No part of Technology Reseller can be reproduced without prior written permission of the publisher. © 2025 Kingswood Media Ltd. Editor: James Goulding 07803 087228 · [email protected] Publishing Director, Social Media and Web Editor: Neil Trim 01732 759725 · [email protected] Advertising Director: Ethan White 01732 759725 · [email protected] Events & Commercial activities: Paul Johnson 01732 759725 · [email protected] Account Manager: Jeff Root 01732 759725 · [email protected] Designer: Brian Cloke 07484 288189 · [email protected] If you no longer wish to receive Technology Reseller magazine, please email your details to [email protected] Register online To receive your regular FREE printed copy of Technology Reseller Magazine simply fill in our online registration form at www.technologyreseller.uk/register Read Technology Reseller online, on tablets and smart phones www.technologyreseller.uk Join us : Follow us technology-reseller-magazine technologyreseller.co.uk 04 Distribution News Giacom extends welcome to MSPs affected by Microsoft CSP shake-up 08 Q&A Technology Reseller talks to Lauren Rabbitte about ECS’s fast growing IT distribution business 10 Reseller News Digital transformation group merges Jumar and Concept to create TXP (Technology x People) 14 View from the Channel With Ian Anderson, Senior Director of Partner Sales EMEA at Park Place Technologies 16 Cover story How Voiceworks is aiming to disrupt the UK’s UCaaS market with a channel-only approach 18 Cybersecurity Highlights from the UK leg of WatchGuard’s Real Security for the Real World global roadshow 19 M&A What Elovade’s acquisition of Brigantia means for the UK cybersecurity distributor and its MSP partners 23 Events Paul Johnson reports from the first PrintIT Reseller and Technology Reseller Golf Society event of the year 24 Software Monday.com prepares for continued growth with move to larger London premises 26 Technology Reseller Awards 2025 All the winners from May 22’s glittering awards ceremony 32 60 seconds With Sarah Goodchild, UK CEO of Heimdal 34 Signage How Cobal is using innovative printing technology to help clients like Westcoast strengthen their brand identity and create more engaging workplaces 37 Tech Digest A roundup of new developments from established and emerging technology vendors 40 People New faces, new places Page 04 TECHNOLOGY RESELLER MAGAZINE IN PRINT & ONLINE SINCE 2016 IN PRINT & ONLINE SINCE 2016 IN PRINT NLINE SINCE 2016
01732 759725 DISTRIBUTOR NEWS 04 Certes appoints Kompingo as UK distribution partner Certes, a leader in data-centric cybersecurity and post-quantum protection, has appointed Kompingo to bring its compliance-ready DORM (Data Protection and Risk Mitigation) solution to UK partners. DORM enables resellers to address needs such as regulatory compliance (GDPR, DORA, NIS2), ransomware resilience and post-quantum data protection by ensuring data remains completely protected, even if attackers breach the network. Kompingo Director Toby Caton said: “Certes Quantum Safe DPRM solution is exactly the kind of partner we look for – innovative, relevant and focused on solving real problems impacting businesses today. With ransomware wreaking havoc across industries and regulations tightening, businesses can’t afford to rely on outdated perimeter models. Certes empowers our partners to go beyond traditional perimeter protection and offer a solution that ensures data remains secure, regardless of when, or where a breach occurs. This is a high‑growth opportunity, and we look forward to accelerating Certes’ channel presence in the UK.” … TD SYNNEX and Cyberseer alliance to boost partners’ Google security capabilities TD SYNNEX is aiming to accelerate partner capabilities in Google Cloud Security and boost their ability to deliver advanced threat management solutions through a new partnership with Cyberseer. Cyberseer provides a comprehensive offering on Google Cloud Security, including SOC services for Google SecOps, Google SecOps SIEM, SOAR and Threat Intelligence options, plus incident response and threat intelligence support to mitigate advanced threats. As part of the end-to-end support for partners, TD SYNNEX will provide access to the full Google Cloud suite of IaaS, PaaS and SaaS solutions and Cyberseer will provide expert pre-sales consulting, professional services for installation and 24x7 management on Google security. Garath Lauder, Cyberseer Founder and Director, said: “As a qualified Google Cloud Security services partner, Cyberseer has the deep expertise that Google partners need to elevate their understanding of Google security and unlock new potential. Our highly skilled team is looking forward to working with TD SYNNEX, reaching out to the Google partner community and helping them to develop their knowledge, expand opportunities and increase revenues.” https://uk.tdsynnex.com/ … Ege expands IoT offering Independent wireless electronics distributor ege is to bring an expanded range of scalable IoT products and services to its partner network through a new partnership with IRIS Secure IoT Solutions. Steve Hankey, Head of Commercial and Vendor Management at ege, says that teaming up with IRIS will enable its expansive UK partner network to integrate smarter, more connected solutions. He said: “IoT represents one of the largest areas of growth in the telecoms sector and ege will help to lead the charge for businesses requiring IoT solutions.” Giacom prepares to welcome MSPs affected by Microsoft CSP shake-up Specialist cloud marketplace provider Giacom has responded to Microsoft’s recently announced changes to its Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) programme with a commitment to support affected partners and ensure a smooth transition. On 1st May, Microsoft informed its partner network that from 1st October 2025 it will raise the annual revenue threshold required to maintain a direct relationship from just over $300,000 to a reported $1 million. The change is expected to affect a significant number of MSPs, many of which will now need to move from a direct to an indirect model. For these partners, the shift may also involve changes to billing, support access and programme eligibility. Oliver Gardner, Head of Microsoft Alliances at Giacom, said: “Microsoft’s new CSP rules will present challenges for some partners, but they don’t have to be disruptive. In fact, this change represents a valuable opportunity not just to meet new requirements but to streamline operations, boost profitability and expand your Microsoft-based service offerings. “By moving into the indirect channel, partners can immediately access a richer set of resources, support structures and routes into Microsoft programmes that they may not have had before. With a tailored onboarding pathway, deep Microsoft expertise and a UK-based support model built exclusively for the channel, we’re enabling MSPs to make the switch seamlessly and to come out stronger on the other side.” Giacom, which became the UK’s largest provider of Microsoft licences to SMBs with its acquisition of intY in December 2023, supports thousands of MSPs in building scalable, profitable Microsoft practices, with a channel-only model that prioritises recurring revenue and long-term growth via a single platform, Cloud Market, that enables partners to provision Microsoft cloud services alongside cyber security, communications and connectivity solutions. Giacom has already put in place a dedicated onboarding pathway for providers impacted by the change, backed by technical and commercial teams that understand the operational and financial implications of moving away from direct. The company says its automation tools and bespoke setup options replicate existing workflows, ensuring migrations are seamless and internal systems remain uninterrupted. Giacom.com Oliver Gardner Aldous Systems to distribute Boom conferencing products Video conferencing manufacturer Boom Collaboration is looking to expand its footprint in the UK collaboration market with the appointment of Aldous Systems (Europe) as a UK distribution partner. The Aylesbury-based distributor of networking, security, access control and AV equipment will supply Boom’s complete portfolio of conferencing products, including videobars, cameras, audio solutions and connectivity options. Boom Co-founder Holli Hulett said: “Our platformagnostic portfolio covers all types of room environments and is ideally placed to help Aldous and their customers take full advantage of new market opportunities and embrace the video conferencing market fully for the first time.” boom.co Holli Hulett, Jason Aldous, Damien Winters and Freddie Hörnkvist
DISTRIBUTOR NEWS continued... technologyreseller.co.uk 05 Network Group podcast launched Find out what it really means to be part of Network Group by listening to the Network Group LBWWLI (Lean Back While We Lean In) podcast. Hosted by Austen Clark, Network Group Events Director and CEO of Jera IT, the first episode includes contributions from Allison Cooney, Technical Director of Cusken Sync IT, Craig Atkins, Managing Director of 1-Fix, and Daniel Shone, Managing Director of Apex Computing. Watch it on YouTube (https://bit.ly/4kUZY9z) or listen on Spotify (https://spoti.fi/4kwDtrK). … Distology brings Flare dark web threat intelligence to the channel Distology, a specialist distributor of cybersecurity solutions, has strengthened its threat intelligence portfolio with the addition of Flare’s proprietary external threat monitoring platform. Purpose-built for enterprise and MSSP security professionals who need early warning of exposed corporate credentials, stolen data, ransomware planning and attack infrastructure, Flare’s security intelligence platform provides real-time alerts, extensive API access and intuitive workflows to support red teaming, executive monitoring, incident response and attack surface and vulnerability management. Kobi Hunn, Solutions Engineering Manager at Distology, said: “The platform provides unparalleled actionable intelligence on external threats, but what really stood out when I used the platform was how simple it was to use. Intelligence was surfaced clearly, and it was up and running in no time. For our customers and partners, it offers a proactive threat-hunting capability and greater peace of mind in an increasingly complex landscape.” www.distology.com … Keepnet and Torq partner with Infinigate Infinigate Group, which posted a 17.5% rise in revenue to €2.7 billion in its financial year 2024-2025, including 9% growth in Europe, putting it on track to reach its €5bn target for financial year 2027‑2028, has announced new distribution agreements with Keepnet, provider of an extended human risk management platform, and Torq, a cybersecurity company specialising in AI-driven hyper automation for security operations. The Keepnet platform and the managed services provided by Keepnet and Infinigate as part of their European distribution agreement help organisations to reduce the impact of employee-linked threats, insider risks and social engineering by building a security culture with AI-powered multichannel phishing simulations, adaptive training and automated phishing response. Infinigate is also distributing Torq HyperSOC, a purpose-built solution that harnesses the power of the AI-powered Torq Hyperautomation Platform to automate, manage and monitor critical SOC responses at machine speed. In addition to its use of Natural Language Processing (NLP) to accelerate security event investigation, triage and remediate at scale and automate complex processes, Torq HyperSOC uses cutting edge Agentic AI capabilities, including a comprehensive OmniAgent capable of deep research, planning and execution, to deliver near human-level critical analysis and precision auto-remediation. www.infinigate.com … EfficientEther and Scalefusion now available from Prianto Prianto UK, a QBS Technology Group company specialising in the distribution of virtualisation, security and emerging enterprise software solutions, has expanded its product portfolio for resellers, SIs and MSPs, with the EtherAssist AI assistant from EfficientEther and the Scalefusion device management platform from ProMobi Technologies. EtherAssist is designed to enhance the efficiency of MSPs and IT departments, reduce downtime and free up resources by providing rapid, AI-powered diagnostics and real-time data insights to swiftly identify and resolve issues. It can also be used by IT teams to develop custom automation tools using its built-in intelligence and knowledge base, integrating seamlessly via APIs and PowerShell to extend functionality and tailor automation workflows. Scalefusion’s platform simplifies device management and security across diverse endpoints (smartphones, tablets, laptops, rugged devices, digital signage) through a unified ‘one pane, one agent’ approach. www.prianto.com Arrow named EMEA Distributor of the Year by Equinix Equinix, provider of a globally interconnected portfolio of highperformance data centres that enables secure, reliable access to cloud, network and IT service providers, has named Arrow Electronics as its 2024 EMEA Distributor of the Year. The award follows Arrow’s rapid onboarding of Equinix, the development of messaging tailored for 12 countries across EMEA and a coordinated launch and partner recruitment that has helped raise awareness of Equinix across the region. Mike Worby, Head of Strategic Alliances for Arrow’s enterprise computing solutions business in EMEA, said: “Together with Equinix, we have supported our channel partners in accelerating digital transformation through scalable, AI-ready, multi-cloud infrastructure. Arrow remains committed to expanding its cloud-first initiatives with Equinix, continuing to empower channel partners and customers to thrive in an increasingly digital world.” arrow.com Mike Worby Ericsson and Westcon-Comstor unlock opportunities in enterprise connectivity Westcon-Comstor has signed a new EMEA distribution agreement with Ericsson that aims to enhance enterprises’ connectivity and unlock growth opportunities for its technology resellers, systems integrators and service providers. The partnership covers Ericcson Enterprise Wireless Solutions, including Ericsson NetCloud, Cradlepoint routers and Enterprise 5G solutions, supported by Westcon’s suite of value-added services spanning education, data-led insights, training and enablement. Daniel Hurel, Senior Vice President, Westcon EMEA Go-To-Market at Westcon-Comstor, said: “This collaboration unlocks exciting new growth opportunities for partners and adds an extra dimension to our networking technology portfolio within the region. We look forward to deploying our value-added services to empower and enable partners, equipping them with additional capabilities as they bring the benefits of the Ericsson Enterprise Wireless Solutions portfolio to their customers.” www.westconcomstor.com Daniel Hurel Kobi Hunn
DISTRIBUTOR NEWS ...continued 01732 759725 06 BlockAPT aims to boost UK&I footprint with Exertis Cybersecurity Exertis Cybersecurity, a sub-division of Exertis Enterprise, is partnering with BlockAPT to bring the latter’s vendoragnostic, self-defending, autonomous cyber defence platform to its community of more than 1,000 channel partners across UK and Ireland. BlockAPT’s central management platform consolidates cybersecurity monitoring, automation, threat intelligence, incident response and policy enforcement into a single, centralised command, providing real-time, end-to-end visibility across an organisation’s entire security stack. Its vendor-agnostic orchestration engine integrates with over 80 leading security tools, giving IT teams and security professionals the power to automate repetitive processes, rapidly detect threats and respond to incidents in seconds, not hours. In addition, the platform’s Automated Configuration Migration (ACM) feature enables organisations to seamlessly migrate data, services, configurations and infrastructure in a few clicks, minimising down time and overcoming friction, risks and barriers when migrating from one cloud to multi-cloud or switching from one vendor to another. Dominic Ryles, Sales & Alliance Director at Exertis Cybersecurity, said: “We are thrilled to welcome BlockAPT to the Exertis Cybersecurity portfolio. Their platform brings exceptional innovation to the cyber risk space, allowing our partners to unlock faster, more intelligent security operations for their customers.” https://www.blockapt.com/ … TD SYNNEX helping partners get on-board with Cohesity and Arctera TD SYNNEX is offering partners access to Cohesity’s cloud-native data management, backup and recovery and security solutions after being appointed a UK distributor by the provider of AI-powered data security and management. Simon Bennett, Managing Director – Advanced Solutions, UK and Ireland at TD SYNNEX, said: “This is an excellent opportunity for our partners to engage with Cohesity, a world-leader in cloud data security. It will enable them to offer customers a dynamic and flexible way to manage, access and protect their data across hybrid and multicloud infrastructures. We are aligning resources and making focused investments to ensure that we are ready to bring partners on‑board with Cohesity and get them up to speed and taking solutions to market as quickly as possible.” He added that, following last year’s merger between Cohesity and Veritas and the addition of Veritas NetBackup and Alta Data Protection to Cohesity’s portfolio, TD SYNNEX would give partners with former Veritas solutions a smooth transition to the Cohesity channel programme. In addition to its partnership with Cohesity, TD SYNNEX is continuing to supply and support InfoScale and Backup Exec solutions that are now owned by Arctera, a separate business created at the time of the Cohesity, Veritas merger. As part of this partnership, TD SYNNEX is introducing a channel-exclusive data protection solution combining Arctera Backup Exec with Wasabi Hot Cloud Storage available via a single SKU from TD SYNNEX. The solution is being launched in the US first followed by other regions. Its benefits include seamless end-to-end protection across physical, virtual, cloud and SaaS environments; flat pricing with no egress fees; stronger margins and a simplified sales motion for channel partners; and streamlined procurement and deployment through one order form, one invoice and one vendor relationship. https://uk.tdsynnex.com/ … Liferay now in AWS Marketplace Digital experience platform provider Liferay has launched the Liferay DXP in AWS Marketplace, enabling Amazon Web Services customers to streamline the purchase and management of Liferay within their AWS Marketplace account. Liferay DXP integrates content management, commerce and workflow automation to build unified sites for digital purchases and customer service, while also enabling organisations to modernise their digital presence and leverage user data across customer portals, intranets and public websites through AI-driven personalisation and digital transformation tools. liferay.com e92plus takes on Smarttech247 VisionX Cybersecurity VAD e92plus is giving partners the opportunity to capitalise on growth in managed detection and response (MDR) by partnering with Smarttech247, a multi-awardwinning MDR company. Smarttech247’s VisionX platform combines threat intelligence and MDR to provide actionable insights, 24/7 threat detection, investigation and response. It also integrates with key data security solutions, such as advanced Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) and Data Detect and Response (DDR) to help businesses identify, classify and secure sensitive information and respond to data incidents in real time. Mukesh Gupta, CEO of e92plus, said: “The volume of data is increasing exponentially and organisations need to protect and secure that data from a variety of threats and attacks. Smarttech247’s platform provides an automated, proactive service that our partners can take to their customers that enhances their existing technology stack.” www.e92plus.com Mukesh Gupta Exertis sharpens gaming focus Specialist distributor Exertis is sharpening its focus on the gaming market with the recruitment of two industry experts from Game. Rachel Town is joining the distributor’s gaming business unit as Xbox and Gaming General Manager, reporting to Stephen Duke, Sales and Commercial Director, while Neil Cartwright, reporting to Town, takes up the position of Business Manager responsible for Software and Digital. Town’s predecessor, Gemma Walters, has been promoted into a new Head of Gaming role and will report to Business Development Director Barry Sales, the most recent addition to the Exertis consumer leadership team, who will report directly to Jon Sutherland, Managing Director of Exertis Consumer. www.exertis.co.uk Rachel Town Gemma Walters Barry Sales Dominic Ryles Exertis Cybersecurity
01732 759725 08 DISTRIBUTION because you can be a website and just list items, but to move that stock on you need to build trust with dealers and IT resellers/MSPs. TR: What, in your experience, do your reseller customers expect from you as a distributor? LR: I’d say they want fair and honest pricing, alongside a knowledgeable and responsive customer service support team. They want to interact with someone who manages their account, rather than simply being directed to a call centre, or asked to place an order online. We are still very traditional in the sense that whether you are from the managed print or IT hardware side you will be assigned an account representative with an array of product knowledge and understanding. That personal relationship is crucial and not what they get from the wholesalers they have traditionally bought from. Our customer service, value for money offering, responsiveness, stock availability and prompt, reliable delivery are all strengths of ours... plus the fact that we offer a complete solution: you can buy your IT hardware from us; you can buy toner cartridges from us; we’ll recycle your customers’ used IT and consumables; and we have software that allows you and your customers to monitor that recycling and access valuable data while maintaining compliancy with the WEEE Directive and Environmental Regulations. TR: Are you mainly selling IT products to managed print providers or are you exploring other avenues? LR: We’re also targeting pure IT specialists. I think that’s why we’ve grown our IT business so quickly, added to the fact that there are substantially more IT companies in comparison with MPS providers – almost double the number of IT providers per MPS provider in any given location. Technology Reseller (TR): I know ECS as a remanufacturer and recycler of printer parts and consumables. How did you get into the distribution of IT products? Lauren Rabbitte (LR): ECS has always been involved in recycling and remanufacturing. That’s our business model. We collect used empty cartridges, reuse the cartridges and produce a remanufactured product. We test all products at our in-house facility within the UK before release to the market, ensuring a high-quality product with optimal performance. That business is great for us, but as part of our evolution we wanted to expand into the technology sector. If there’s a managed print device in an office, then that dealer should also be competing for IT hardware contracts, including for routers, laptops and VOIP phone systems. You’ll often find dealers have two branches to their business; they’ll have an IT arm and a completely separate managed print arm, when actually those two areas go hand in hand. TR: When did you start diversifying into the distribution of IT products? LR: We started making connections with manufacturers last year and we’ve been expanding our offering ever since. It’s quite a diverse offering and has grown a lot in the past three months (see advertisement on page 33 for list of product categories). Cisco is the most recent vendor to come on board, with its VOIP Phone system. Ubiquiti is another new one. Routers are a big area for us – Draytek, Netgear and Zyxel were the first products we took on because our Operations Director, who has a background in IT, recommended them. One of the things vendors like about us as a distributor is that we understand their products. We’re not just listing items for the sake of it. We understand the products and we know how to sell those products. That’s really important, At Technology Reseller we hear a lot about the opportunities in diversification at a time when technologies and distribution channels are converging. One company demonstrating the benefits of this approach is Effective Consumable Solutions (UK), more commonly known as ECS, an award-winning remanufacturer, recycler and distributor of consumables and parts for printers and MFPs. ECS recently expanded its product and services portfolio to include IT hardware, in order to offer MPS providers an additional revenue stream. Traditional IT resellers and MSPs are now also able to access this offering, with the promise of competitive pricing, short lead times and excellent customer service. James Goulding finds out more from Associate Director Lauren Rabbitte. Lauren Rabbitte With Lauren Rabbitte, Associate Director of ECS Q&A
technologyreseller.co.uk DISTRIBUTION 09 indicate you are missing out on print volume and revenue. TR: On the print side, your model is to take back used printers, parts and consumables and, where possible remanufacture and reuse items. Do you do that with IT equipment as well? LR: That’s something we’ve been asked quite a bit, including by the manufacturers themselves. Right now, we are so busy remanufacturing printer cartridges and consumables that we don’t have the capacity for it. But we are all about the circular economy and it’s something we’d love to be able to do in the future. Even though we’re not currently remanufacturing or refurbishing IT equipment, with our recycling service absolutely nothing is sent to landfill. TR: You opened a European distribution hub last year. Has that been successful for you and are you using it to distribute IT products to customers in Europe as well? LR: Yes, it’s been really good for us, because we do a lot of business in Europe, especially in Ireland and Italy. Taking Ireland as an example, we can now direct ship from our European hub in France to Ireland in 48 to 72 hours, whereas competitors are taking anywhere from five to 14 days. We can also send items directly to customers’ client sites for a fee that’s very competitive with the rates people would pay for direct shipment in mainland UK. TR: Finally, how do you plan to develop ECS’s IT distribution business in the next 12 months? LR: By building on our existing momentum, to accelerate growth and to expand our reach. Key priorities are to increase our IT offering with new vendors and additional product lines and to develop relationships with more IT resellers and MSPs – to start conversations with them, conduct price reviews and put together full packages to help them with their quotes and tenders. TR: Have you been able to persuade any of the IT companies you’ve targeted to diversify into print? LR: We get the odd introduction to partners they work with on the print side, but the main thing we’ve picked up from those IT companies, apart from IT hardware sales, is the recycling service we offer and the Atom dealer software including the My Greener Side customer portal we have developed for it. Used laptops and hard drives need to be disposed of correctly, with full data erasure and appropriate certification. We do all that in-house and our software allows dealers and their clients to access detailed information, including waste transfer notes, giving them reassurance that all data has been erased and everything has been recycled correctly. They appreciate the fact that we provide full traceability on recycling so that they can be sure they are covered from a compliance perspective in order to avoid legal action and potential unlimited fines. TR: Do IT resellers come to you primarily because they need to buy equipment or because they need to recycle their customers’ used devices? LR: Generally both, and they usually go hand in hand. When we started the recycling service, we hadn’t yet developed the software that works alongside the service. This software has been a gamechanger for IT resellers and managed print providers, which, as well as providing clients with detailed information on the recycling of their devices, serves as a useful sales tool. Once one of our collection boxes on a customer’s premises is full and returned to us via our licensed waste carrier FedEx, we itemise all its contents, which, in the IT world could be old cables, routers, laptops, hard drives etc., and upload all that information onto our Atom portal where the dealer can see the processes that each item has undertaken in order to be recycled correctly. Say the list includes one HP laptop, three cables, a router, a Utax cartridge, a Sharp cartridge and a Samsung printer. If you’re not supplying any of those elements, your sales team can start a conversation with the customer: Who’s supplying the Samsung printer? Can I get you a better rate? Can I do the Managed Print for you? Or if you are already doing the managed print and you see a type of cartridge you haven’t supplied, that would Desktops drive PC market growth as AIready notebooks start to gain ground CONTEXT has reported strong year-on-year growth in desktop PC revenues across European distribution in April & May 2025, outpacing notebooks in both unit and revenue performance. According to the global market intelligence firm’s SalesWatch report, desktop PC revenues rose by 22% yearon-year in the first two months of Q2, with unit growth closely mirroring revenue. In contrast, notebook revenues increased by a more modest 7%, with unit growth at just 3% year-on-year. Marie-Christine Pygott, senior analyst at CONTEXT, said: “Desktops have been the standout performer over the past six months. Their share of total PC revenues in early Q2 reached nearly 17%, the highest level in CONTEXT’s two-year reporting period. This reflects both a longoverdue refresh cycle in commercial environments and the typical spike in demand ahead of major OS support deadlines (in this case the end-ofsupport for Windows 10).” In the notebook segment, growth is more nuanced, according to CONTEXT. Countries such as Germany, the UK and Poland are performing well, unaffected by the decline in education sector purchases that skewed comparisons in markets like France, Spain and Italy. UK distributors report stronger momentum driven by Windows 11 upgrades, with commercial and consumer segments both contributing. Meanwhile, AI-ready notebooks featuring dedicated NPUs (neural processing units) are slowly shifting the market landscape. These accounted for 40-41% of notebook volumes in recent months, although demand is still primarily shaped by the arrival of new processor generations, not customer pull. Notably, Copilot+ devices have climbed from 5% of AI-capable notebook sales in January to 13% in May, led by Intel’s Lunar Lake systems in the commercial space. “The rise of Copilot+ devices is one of the most important trends to watch in the second half of 2025 and moving into 2026,” said Pygott. “Adoption is still early-stage, but momentum is gradually increasing and we’re expecting this to accelerate as use cases multiply and prices come down.” www.contextworld.com To find out more please, call 01427 700 700 or visit www.ecs-uk-ltd.co.uk Marie-Christine Pygott
10 01732 759725 RESELLER NEWS Ekco strengthens cybersecurity offering with Predatech acquisition Ekco, a security-first managed service provider, has expanded its cyber security capabilities and established a new office in the North-West with the acquisition of Predatech, a Manchester-based cyber security consultancy specialising in penetration testing and assurance services. The company’s fourth acquisition in 18 months aligns with its long-term strategy to enhance its security services by integrating advanced cyber security assessment and testing capabilities, including penetration testing. Founded in 2020 by Jason Johnson and Michael Fotis, Predatech has expertise in CREST-accredited penetration testing, Cyber Essentials & Cyber Essentials Plus assessments and helping clients to achieve ISO 27001 certification. As part of the integration, Predatech will operate as a dedicated security unit within Ekco’s MSSP division, ensuring continuity for its existing clients and giving it access to Ekco’s wider customer base and end-to-end security services, including cloud security, backup and disaster recovery, endpoint protection and managed detection and response (MDR). Lee Driver, VP of Managed Security Services at Ekco, said: “Predatech’s expertise in penetration testing and compliance services is a perfect addition to Ekco’s MSSP offering. This acquisition not only strengthens our security capabilities but also gives us presence in Manchester and the North-West, an important hub for innovation and cyber security talent.” www.ek.co www.predatech.co.uk … TitanHQ and Redstor merge to create CyberSentriq European private equity firm Bregal Milestone has created a cybersecurity and data resilience powerhouse by acquiring TitanHQ and merging it with existing portfolio company Redstor to form CyberSentriq, an integrated cybersecurity and data protection platform purpose-built for MSPs and their customers. The unified platform is targeting $100m in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) by 2028 through organic and inorganic growth. Redstor and TitanHQ cybersecurity and data protection solutions are already used by 3,000 MSPs to protect 150,000 small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) worldwide. John Hales, Managing Director of Bregal Milestone, said: “SMBs face increasingly sophisticated AI-driven cyber-attacks, and MSPs urgently need integrated solutions to combat these challenges. By uniting the exceptional strengths and proven track records of Redstor and TitanHQ, CyberSentriq stands ready to lead the next wave of cybersecurity innovation, providing MSPs and their clients with a complete cyber offering for offensive and defensive security, threat mitigation and recovery.” The platform includes AI-driven threat detection, cloud-based backup and recovery, advanced email and web security, security awareness training, and secure email archiving and encryption. www.CyberSentriq.com … Multi-vendor stacks the new normal, says JumpCloud High-growth MSPs are breaking away from Microsoft-only stacks, as multi-vendor becomes the new normal. So says JumpCloud, provider of a unified identity, device and access management platform, following a survey showing that 90% of UK MSPs already support at least one non-Microsoft productivity suite. According to its 2025 MSP Performance Report, 70% of UK MSPs now manage a mix of Windows, Mac, Linux and Chromebooks and 74% of high-growth MSPs support both Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. While MSPs are embracing a multivendor approach, obstacles remain, with 38% citing vendor lock-in as a major frustration that limits their ability to meet diverse client needs. Other challenges include finding skilled IT talent, cited by 38% of UK MSPs as a top challenge, SaaS sprawl and shadow IT. Almost half (48%) of UK MSPs cite SaaS complexity as a major challenge to efficient scaling, and as many as 40% still lack a formal Shadow IT policy, exposing clients to security blind spots from unmanaged apps and BYOD usage. Digital transformation group launches new business modernisation brand Digital services provider Jumar and specialist IT resourcing firm Concept, effectively private equity firm Aliter Capital’s digital transformation group, have merged to become TXP (Technology x People). The two business have been brought together to support mid-market organisations in financial services, healthcare, retail and the public sector with a combination of IT consultancy, technology development and resourcing. TXP CEO John Antunes said: “There’s a significant opportunity to support mid-sized organisations in which internal IT teams may not have the resources or some of the specialist skillsets to drive the growth and innovation they need. This gap isn’t being addressed by traditional larger systems integrators, and yet it’s critically important for mid-sized organisations to avoid a piecemeal approach to business modernisation. TXP strives to solve their most challenging problems with a joined-up approach to technology and people.” TXP areas of expertise include legacy modernisation (with a specialism in Gen transformation), application development, cloud, data services, AI and cybersecurity. Clients can use TXP to deliver a full end-toend project or scale and augment their teams as needed using the company’s flexible resourcing model which provides short- or long-term access to specialist talent from a candidate database of over 140,000 IT professionals. TXP is headquartered in Birmingham, with regional offices in Dudley, Milton Keynes and London. It currently employs 180 fulltime staff but is planning to double its workforce over the next three to four years through a mix of organic growth and strategic acquisitions. The first of these, announced one week after TXP’s launch, is the acquisition of Metatech, a Newcastle-based specialist in IT automation solutions for Gen, the model-based development CASE (ComputerAided Software Engineering) tool underpinning mission-critical legacy systems across the banking, insurance, and government sectors. www.txp.co.uk Xalient achieves Arctic Wolf Gold status Xalient, a global specialist in the convergence of identity-driven security and networking, has achieved Gold Partner Status with Arctic Wolf, giving it enhanced access to Arctic Wolf’s latest cybersecurity tools, resources and support. Built on open XDR architecture, the Arctic Wolf Aurora Platform operates at a massive scale and combines the power of artificial intelligence with world-class security experts to provide 24×7 monitoring, detection, response and risk management. Martin Mascarenhas, EMEA Vendor Partner Director at Xalient, said: “This partnership between Arctic Wolf and Xalient combines our strengths in cybersecurity and managed services to help organisations proactively identify and mitigate cyber threats while improving their cyber resilience. Together, we deliver tailored security strategies that meet the unique needs of each of our customers’ businesses.” John Antunes Lee Driver Ekco
RESELLER NEWS technologyreseller.co.uk 11 More positively, MSPs are making good use of automation to improve efficiency: 66% are automating device onboarding and security enforcement, and 72% of high-growth MSPs are actively investing in AI‑driven automation, using it to boost internal efficiency and client service delivery. The 2025 MSP Performance Report is available at https://jumpcloud.com/ resources/2025-msp-performance-report. … Gamma sees clear opportunity in embedded service model Gamma Communications is strengthening its partnership with Clear Business with the provision of a fully managed service for connectivity and voice, delivered under the Clear Business brand. Clear Business provides over 100,000 SMEs with essential services spanning telecoms, broadband, mobile, payment services, energy, water and business insurance backed by local support and expertise. This embedded service model enables Gamma to scale its reach to SMEs while maintaining high-touch delivery through a trusted partner brand. It can also help partners navigate the shift from WLR/PSTN to all-IP. Jon Perkins, Chief Product & Strategy Officer of Clear Business, said: “As a one-stop shop for essential services, we’re committed to removing complexity and delivering real value. Gamma brings the technical expertise and service heritage that gives us and our customers total confidence. With Gamma powering our connectivity and voice services, we’re elevating the service experience and setting ourselves apart in a crowded market.” www.gammagroup.co … Systal builds on multi-millioneuro investment Systal Technology Solutions, a global specialist in managed network, cloud and security transformation, has officially opened its redesigned headquarters and advanced Network Operations Centre (NOC) in Bratislava, Slovakia, following a multimillion-euro investment in its operations. The investment strengthens Systal’s ability to support the management and security of mission-critical IT infrastructure for enterprise clients around the world, by enabling seamless 24/7 integration across its international operations in Glasgow (UK), Tampa (US), Bangalore (India) and Brno (Czech Republic). https://www.systaltech.com. … Advania UK reports 3.3x rise in revenue Advania UK, one of Microsoft’s leading partners in Northern Europe, has solidified its position as a leading force in the UK IT services market, with a 330% year-on-year increase in turnover to more than £450 million, a quadrupling of its client base to 9,500 and an increase in headcount to 1,500 people in more than 20 locations across the UK. Its growth has been powered by the strategic acquisitions of CCS Media and Servium, the former contributing over £273 million in revenue and bolstering Advania’s offerings in infrastructure, cloud transformation, AI and managed services, and the latter strengthening its services offering for the mid-market with managed IT services, IT procurement optimisation and asset management. Geoff Kneen, CEO of Advania UK, said: “The strategic acquisitions of CCS Media and Servium have been pivotal in accelerating our expansion, enabling us to provide a comprehensive and robust portfolio of services. We are not just growing in size, but also in what we can deliver, proving we can be the trusted technology partner to our clients. We are building a powerhouse for the future.” www.advania.com … Softcat named Tenable Partner of the Year Exposure management company Tenable has announced Softcat (UKI) as its Partner of the Year for EMEA and SHI as its Public Sector Partner of the Year. Global award winners include IBM (Global System Integrator of the Year), Siemens Energy (Tenable OT Security Partner of the Year), Telefonica (MSSP Partner of the Year) and AWS (Global Technology Partner of the Year). Winners were announced during Tenable’s fifth annual virtual partner conference, Tenable AssureWorld. www.tenable.com Barracuda UK star performers Five UK&I businesses were amongst the winners at the 2025 Barracuda Partner Awards, held at the cybersecurity provider’s annual partner event, Discover25 EMEA. They were: Phoenix Software (Regional Partner of the Year UKI); Infinigate UK&I (Distributor of the Year); DuoCall MSP (Email Protection Partner of the Year); PMD Data Solutions (Data Protection Partner of the Year); and QuoStar (Managed XDR Partner of the Year). barracuda.com Midland Computers shines at WithSecure Star Awards Telford-based full-service IT solutions provider Midland Computers is celebrating its recent success at WithSecure’s annual European co-security event in Finland, where as well as picking up the Star Award for Best UK Performance 2024 it was shortlisted in the Global Competence Leaders category. Amy Davies, Managing Director at Midland Computers, said: “Being applauded on an international stage is a true testament to the dedication of our team, who work tirelessly to stay ahead of evolving regulations, industry trends and emerging threats, ensuring our customers remain compliant, secure and efficient.” Midland Computers is one of nine WithSecure Silver Partners in the UK. www.midlandcomputers.com Exponential-e to modernise Havant Borough Council infrastructure Exponential-e, a UK provider of cloud, connectivity, communications and cyber security solutions, has been selected by Havant Borough Council to support the modernisation of its IT infrastructure. As part of the three-year Managed Services Provider (MSP) contract, Exponential-e will migrate the Council’s IT systems to a Microsoft Azure Cloud infrastructure and provide a fully integrated solution that encompasses the network and all end user services. All data will be migrated from the Council’s current estate to a new UK-hosted domain featuring dedicated Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and dedicated firewall, managed LAN and Wi-Fi services, all wholly owned by the Council. Exponential-e will provide ongoing management and support of the estate, including the Council’s 680+ PCs and end-user devices, soon to be upgraded from Windows 10 to Windows 11, supported by a fully managed service desk and professional services function. The implementation started in May 2025 and is scheduled to go live in July. https://www.exponential-e.com/industry/government Geoff Kneen Advania UK continued...
RESELLER NEWS 12 01732 759725 across its Global Hosting and Data Centre business units. It will continue to operate globally, including in the UK, to support its international customer base. Darryl Edwards, CEO of M247 Group, said: “By selling our UK-only connectivity and IT services operations to Convergence Group we can sharpen our focus on delivering greater value to global enterprises. This move enables us to accelerate our expansion into high-growth technology sectors, including IoT and AI inference services, where we see significant future opportunities.” www.m247global.com … MSPs happy with cybersecurity posture despite breaches Over two-thirds (69%) of MSPs in Europe and Australasia have experienced multiple security breaches in the last 12 months despite maintaining high levels of cyber confidence, warns CyberSmart. The 2025 CyberSmart MSP Survey shows that nearly half (47%) of the 900 MSPs surveyed suffered three or more breaches last year. While 76% still have complete or aboveaverage confidence in their organisation’s cybersecurity posture, 80% recognise that they have room for improvement. MSPs also reported high levels of confidence in their customers’ cybersecurity awareness, with 93% expressing confidence in their customers’ overall cyber posture (45% with above-average confidence). More than four out of five respondents (85%) say their customers have at least average cybersecurity knowledge, with 53% rating them as above average or expert. MSPs are less confident in their ability to keep ahead of changing regulations. Only 39% feel ready to offer a solution or guidance to help customers meet cybersecurity regulations, like the NIS2 directive, the EU AI Act and the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA). https://cybersmart.co.uk Digital Space honoured by Fortinet Digital Space has been named Fortinet MSSP Partner of the Year for Europe in recognition of its achievements in delivering managed security services and networking solutions to customers across the UK and Europe. It has been working with Fortinet for seven years and in 2023 was named UK Managed Services Provider of the Year. Richard Beeston, Chief Technology & Operations Officer at Digital Space, said: “This award is not just about a single project; it’s about the way we’ve continuously evolved to meet customer needs and stayed in lockstep with Fortinet’s technology roadmap.” Key to Digital Space’s success has been its strategic focus on Secure Networking, including early investment in emerging technologies such as SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) and SD-WAN. … Raising the bar in IT support Manchester-based MSP razorblue has launched an enhanced business IT support package for organisations that need roundthe-clock service, strategic guidance and enterprise-grade technology. Complete 24.7 combines proactive 24/7/365 support, cutting-edge tools, cyber resilience and expert consultancy across cloud, data, infrastructure and security in one all-inclusive package – backed by dedicated solutions architects and experienced account managers. Mark Wilkinson, Chief Commercial Officer at razorblue, said: “Complete 24.7 is the result of significant investment, strategy and listening. Our clients told us what they needed – and we’ve refined our service to deliver exactly that. This isn’t just a product launch – it raises the bar for what businesses should expect from their IT partner.” Complete 24.7 is being introduced as part of a complete refresh of the company’s services portfolio, which now includes Complete, Complete 24.7 and Complete + Security. www.razorblue.com … M247 Group sells UK-only business M247 Group, an international provider of enterprise-grade infrastructure and connectivity solutions, including hosting, data transport and cloud solutions, has completed the sale of its UK-only connectivity and IT services operations to Convergence Group. The divestment of its UK-only business is in line with M247 Group’s strategic focus on supporting global multi-jurisdictional enterprises and increasing investment in its data centre footprint and the development of advanced services such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and AI inference. M247 is retaining all international operations, including global customers, infrastructure, platforms and services, ...continued Richard Beeston Digital Space AIMS certification for Centerprise IT services and solutions provider Centerprise International Ltd. has become one of the first companies in the UK to achieve ISO/IEC 42001:2023 certification for its Artificial Intelligence Management System (AIMS). ISO/IEC 42001:2023, the world’s first international standard for AI management systems, provides a comprehensive framework for organisations to manage AI risks and opportunities throughout the AI system lifecycle. The certification process involved a rigorous evaluation of Centerprise’s AI governance, risk management, transparency and compliance practices. www.centerprise.co.uk Axiologik achieves B Corp certification Axiologik, the Leeds-based provider of digital transformation services, has capped a successful first half of 2025 by becoming a B Corp business following a rigorous 12-month assessment of its social and environmental impact. It is now one of 2,500 B Corp-certified organisations in the UK and one of 9,700 globally. It also has an ‘Outstanding’ rating from the Best Companies Index. Ross MacGregor, Finance Director at Axiologik, said: “B Corp certification is a reflection of our ongoing commitment to do better. While achieving certification is a significant milestone, it’s just the beginning of our journey. The process has not only allowed us to celebrate our progress, including our commitment to achieving net zero by 2030 and our ISO 14001 certification, it has challenged us to go further.” Since January, Axiologik has increased its headcount by 35% to more than 100. Women now comprise 39% of its workforce, surpassing the UK tech industry average of 27%. By Q4 2025, the company aims to have increased female representation to 45%. https://axiologik.com (l to r) Ross Mcgregor, Finance Director; Ben Davison, Founding Partner; Sarah Bright, People Director; Adrian Stanbury, Founding Partner; Gordon Cullum, Technology Director; Rob Stanger, Founding Partner; Rachel Mcelroy, Marketing Director; and Rob Smith, Commercial Director Mark Wilkinson razorblue
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