Print in the Channel - issue #6

PRINT inthechannel.co.uk

Issue #6

Epson TM-M30II available from

Epson TM-M30II May exclusive offer of 4 year warranty. Offer valid until the end of May 2023. Find out more here.

VIDEOCONFERENCING SOLUTIONS AD

Show your customers why sustainability matters to their business Make Lexmark your sustainability partner

When it comes to sustainability, print is often a missed opportunity.

Reduce your impact on the environment and improve your bottom line. You can minimise costs by keeping devices in use longer and save on supplies through Lexmark’s digitally informed supply chain operations. Lexmark’s print system was designed with long-life imaging components to save resources, reduce waste and require less maintenance, saving you money over the life of each device.

Lexmark devices are produced using materials derived from sustainable sources and designed to have minimal impact on the environment throughout the print lifecycle.

Lexmark’s sustainable product lifecycle

Sustainable design

Responsible reuse and recycling

Efficient use

Sustainable design Lexmark products are designed to have minimal effects on the environment throughout the entire life, including manufacturing and distribution.

Extra memory, multi-core processing power

Security upgrades

Advanced energy-efficiency features and toner conservation capabilities

Our sustainable design features include:

Set up some time with our account manager today to learn more!

Sturdy, industrial metal frames

Considerate material selection

Incorporated, reclaimed post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic

Onboard sensors to assess toner levels and service needs

Jessica Hood Jessica.Hood@exertis.co.uk

Long-life imaging system components, including high-yield Unison™ toner cartridges

Supplies designed for reuse and recycling

Speak to an expert Basingstoke 01256 707 070 Burnley 01282 776 776 store.exertis.co.uk

00 02

COMMENT

Health and efficiency Businesses are always seeking greater efficiencies, and the print industry continues to provide it in numerous ways.

While being in business is never easy, the past three years have been particularly trying for many sectors. The pandemic, followed by a sustained economic downturn married to spiralling costs of energy, materials etc means that many managing directors and chief financial officers (sometimes the same person in small businesses) are counting the pennies like never before. Fortunately, manufacturers and resellers in the print channel have been alive to this and is providing many ways for businesses to become more efficient and save money. For instance, printers are becoming increasingly energy efficient, such as with low power modes, sleep modes or heat-free inkjet printing, which means they use less energy and resources, which keeps costs down. Of course, this also helps with a company’s sustainability goals, which is of increasing importance and often goes together with efficiency savings. For more on this, see page 36. But efficiency isn’t just about saving energy, it is also about working smarter and freeing

up employees’ time from repetitive tasks to work on other things that can help to add to the bottom line. This is where document management and workflow solutions come in. Increasingly, businesses are turning to digital solutions rather than paper-based, which can ensure data and documents are quickly, easily – and logically – stored, in a place where anyone that needs to can access them, wherever they may be working. But finding the right solution can be difficult, which is where resellers have a crucial role to play to guide customers to the most effective solution for their needs. Read more on p22. But paper still plays a major part in many businesses, which is why shredding retains a vital role. However, there are still a significant number of businesses that don’t appreciate the need for confidential shredding, especially when done by those working from home. This is something that resellers need to emphasise in conversations with customers. See more on p33. Mistakes with shredding can be costly, but so can mispricing in retail businesses. This is still a common error and impacts on the bottom line, which can be ill-afforded and is why many businesses are now turning to point of sale technology to eliminate these types of errors. With so many businesses in the sector, it presents a big opportunity for resellers willing to take the plunge and sell into it. But it isn’t a difficult market to break into, if the reseller does their research and offers the right products, as is explained on p26. As always, this issue is packed with features, and I hope you enjoy the issue. I always like to hear feedback on what is – or isn’t – covered in the magazine, so please drop me a line at dan@printinthechannel.com – likewise if you want to get involved in editorial in the future.

Dan Parton

Every quarter we make an award for the best campaign run in the magazine. This quarter UFP has been chosen as the winner. See page 45 for more on the award.

winner Q1 · 2023

best campaign

CALLING ALL BRANDS

Support your Channel Distributors and Resellers by using the new FREE Stock in the Channel functionality: “Authorised Distributors”. Click here to learn more

printinthechannel.co.uk

00 03

CONTENTS

News You should know p6 EKM Profile Growth & Change p12 Printada! Profile Back to basics p16 Warehousing Challenges Top 10 essentials p19 Document Management & Workflow Reseller’s role p22 PoS Labelling Technology solutions p26 Shredding Security risks p33 Energy Efficient Printers Increased demand p36

Energy Efficient Printers – p36

In this international piece, Ricoh explain the value of security management when working with outsourced partners across continents. Secure Document Management – p43

Growing awareness of environmental issues, along with a focus on reducing costs, means that energy efficient printers are in increased demand – and manufacturers have responded to this, giving plenty of features for resellers to highlight to customers.

EKM Profile – p12

EKM Global was recently acquired by TD SYNNEX but it is business as usual for the managed print services provider.

PoS Labelling in Retail – p26

Profile MyQ p41

Secure Document Management Across continents p43

MPS: Did you know... – p48

MPS Did you know... p48

Liam Fitzgerald, head of commercial channels & MPS service delivery at Brother UK, outlines three key features of managed print services that are often overlooked by resellers.

Retail businesses are doing all they can to boost efficiency and margins, and using point of sale labelling technology solutions can help them to achieve this.

Top Trending Brands & products p50

CONTENTS

Warehousing Challenges – p19

Editorial Dan Parton 07941 979 845 dan@ printinthechannel.com Elliot Mulley- Goodbarne 07910 441 024 elliot@ printinthechannel.com Head of Sales Martin Jenner-Hall 07824 552 116 martin@ printinthechannel.com Publishing Director Justin Penn 07816 573 186 justin@ printinthechannel.com Written permission from the publisher is required before any part of Print in the Channel can be reproduced. © 2023 In the Channel Media Ltd.

Workflow Systems – p22

Warehouses face many challenges to keep up with changing industry

Document management and workflow systems are becoming increasingly popular in many businesses as they look to increase efficiency and free up employees from mundane, repetitive tasks.

expectations, and using new technologies can help with this – which resellers need to be aware of when selling to companies that use warehouses.

Printada! Profile – p16

Printada!’s back-to-basics approach for managed print services is gaining in popularity, especially among small- to medium-sized businesses.

MyQ has thrived in recent years with its print management solutions, mainly through being quick to identify and then fulfil the needs of a changing marketplace.

Shredding – p33

Published by: In the Channel Media Ltd Company registration number: 14363401 Registered office address 14-18 Heddon Street, Mayfair, London, United Kingdom, W1B 4DA In conjunction with:

Paper documents pose a security risk to business that can be easy to overlook, which is why confidential shredding, especially in hybrid workspaces, is a necessity to keep a business’s data secure and comply with GDPR.

Profile: MyQ– p41

printinthechannel.co.uk

NEWS

Sustainable tech disposal app saves more than a million units from landfill

More than a million units of obsolete IT hardware have been saved from UK landfill thanks to a tech disposal app launched in 2020. The app, developed by circular IT provider Stone, a Converge Company, aims to support businesses with the sustainable disposal of their unwanted IT assets. Since its launch, the Stone 360 app has been downloaded more than 31,000 times and has saved more than 1.2 million units of unwanted IT from landfill via a combination of refurbishment and recycling. A study by Uswitch in 2022 found that the UK generated 23.4kg of e-waste per capita – the second-highest amount in the world. If all the e-waste generated by the entire UK population was to be stacked up, it would be the equivalent to stacking more than 1,200 double-decker buses. Last year saw the Stone 360 app undergo its second iteration, which has helped organisations meet important regulations on hardware waste disposal with its ability to classify any items that contain harmful substances and identify those that can be successfully refurbished. In partnership with Ecologi and The National Forest, Stone plant one tree for each collection of unwanted IT equipment.

App users can track their contribution to tree planting through the app, as the trees are planted in the ‘virtual woodland’ on Stone360. Since launch, Stone has planted more than 6,400 trees and its partnership with The National Forest will result in 400 trees being planted every year, in addition to quarterly donations that are used to improve biodiversity across the forest as well as woodland management. “Since the launch of the Stone 360 app in 2020, we’ve seen a revolutionary change in the way our customers have increased their recycling efforts,” said Craig Campion, director of IT asset disposal sales at Stone. “By enabling quick and easy collection and responsible disposal at our world-class ITAD facility, we’ve seen the app downloaded more than 31,000 times. We will continue in our mission to work with our customers to create a sustainable future for the next generation.” Sheryl Moore, head of sustainability at Stone, added: “Electronic waste is a very real and pressing issue for our environment. We all need to do more to protect the planet and as a provider of IT hardware to the public and private sector, we are committed to helping organisations correctly dispose of their end-of-life IT. The Stone 360 app has been transformative in our efforts to do that.”

Stone 360 app

Sheryl Moore head of sustainability

stonegroup.co.uk

Konica Minolta announces availability of AccuroShine 3600 with iFoil One digital hot-stamping

Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK) Ltd has announced its AccurioShine 3600 inkjet spot UV coater, with the digital hot-stamping iFoilOne in-line module, powered by MGI’s innovative varnish technology, is now available. The AccurioShine 3600 enables in-house spot UV varnishing, from prototyping to full production, without the need for screens, plates or dies. The AccurioShine 3600 utilises ground-breaking technology for adding 2D and 3D multiple coating and dimensional texture effects in a single pass. With a maximum supported paper size of B3+ (364mm x 750mm), the AccurioShine 3600 is perfect for enhancing business/name

cards, greeting cards, photobook covers and packaging on demand, creating an impactful and unique print experience for customers. The fully digital AccurioShine 3600 features industry-leading artificial intelligence registration technology and an eco-friendly LED curing system, all in a compact size. When combined with the iFoilOne in-line hot foil stamping module, a range of never seen before high-impact finishing effects are possible including personalised embossed foil. The AccurioShine 3600 also supports variable data printing (VDP), adding more impact to tickets, personalised packages and labels, invitations, one-to-one marketing and more. Job changes are made easy with the

Jon Hiscock head of production and industrial printing

konicaminolta.co.uk

NEWS

AccurioShine 3600’s VDP barcode scanner. Simply scan the code from a pre-printed sheet and it instantly selects the corresponding TIFF file already stored on the workstation. Furthermore, combining the scanner with the Automatic PDF File Converter provides a seamless workflow which takes files from PDF to the output tray in minutes. “With the shift to digital printing, more emphasis is being placed on digitalising prepress and post-press processes, alongside on-demand short run printing,” said Jon Hiscock, head of production and industrial print at Konica Minolta. “By combining the

AccurioShine 3600 with other Konica Minolta digital colour printers, our customers not only grow their business in new ways, but also add value to their customers, by providing

cost-effective, impactful, premium short-run embellishments to their day-to-day print jobs.” The AccurioShine 3600 and iFoilOne are available now. Both products will also be demonstrated together at The Print Show 2023 in September.

AccurioShine 3600

Konica Minolta aims for more than 90% of its products to be made from circulated resources by 2050

Konica Minolta has set significant new environmental goals, including aiming to make its products from more than 90% circulated resources by 2050. It also aims to achieve net zero in Scope 1, 2 and 3 by 2050. “When Konica Minolta published its EcoVision 2050 in 2009, the targets were in line with what were strict standards for the time. However, as the climate crisis exacerbates, these are no longer appropriate,” explained Olaf Jonas, general manager environmental social governance at Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe. “We have therefore committed to setting stricter climate protection targets to fulfil our responsibility as a global company (with more than 39,000 employees worldwide) in regard to minimising our ecological footprint significantly. We also support our customers and suppliers in achieving their environmental goals.” Konica Minolta aims to use more than 90% circulated resources for its products by 2050. These resources are recycled materials and biomaterials. With that goal in mind, the company aims to enable the reuse and recycling of materials as many times as possible to minimise waste and the consumption of natural resources. As of today, its MFPs already use up to 44% and the production printing systems up to 15% recycled materials. Toner bottles use up to 61% recycled materials. In Europe, some countries offer refurbishment programmes for MFPs to be refurbished according to strict standards. Also, part of the collected toner bottles

and cartridges are refurbished and refilled throughout Europe. In the 2021 fiscal year, 11,200 tonnes of end- of-life office equipment were taken back. Of this, 99% was recycled. As part of the World on Loan program, discarded consumables are collected and recycled in the UK. Styrene foam is widely used but has a poorer environmental performance than other materials. Therefore, Konica Minolta has been looking for packaging solutions to replace it. For transport from its factories to Europe, in 2019 Konica Minolta developed a new air cushioning material for packaging and transporting MFPs and production printing devices. By using the lighter, more compact air pillows, the company was able to reduce the weight of shipments by 75% and the packaging volume by 99%. In addition, it is also committed to the use of cardboard. Units shipped from the European warehouse in Emmerich to European customers are simply shrink- wrapped on pallets. Along with its goals towards the use of circulated resources, Konica Minolta is also committed to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and considers Climate Action as the most urgent area for action. The company is continuously working to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions throughout the product life cycle and eliminate waste. In 2005, the company recorded 2,067 thousand tonnes of CO2 emissions; in 2021, the figure was 790 thousand tonnes, a reduction of 61%. In 2050, the company aims to reach the net zero target in Scope 1, 2 and 3.

Olaf Jonas general manager environmental social governance

konicaminolta.co.uk

CONTINUED

printinthechannel.co.uk

NEWS

CONTINUED

The CO2 reductions and the net zero goal have been, and will be, significantly achieved through energy savings. Konica Minolta prioritises as follows: q Avoid and reduce energy consumption and GHG emissions w Substitute GHG-emitting power sources with renewable energy e Compensate unavoidable GHG emissions. Specifically, the energy consumption of its printing devices has continuously decreased over the last few years. The largest energy consumption, more than 60%, occurs when the toner is fixed to the paper. With the polymerised Simitri® V toner used in the bizhub i-series, the latest MFP generation, Konica Minolta has been able to reduce the fixing temperature by about 15°C compared to previous models. Combined with a new fixing device, this helps to significantly reduce the TEC Value. The reduction in power consumption has resulted in the MFPs producing up to 25% less CO2 emissions in operation compared to previous models. Further, Konica Minolta aims to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy. The company has been a member of RE100 since 2019 and is committed to using 100% renewable electricity by 2050, and 30% by 2030. As of the 2021 fiscal year, it sources 8.3% of its electricity from renewable sources worldwide. Konica Minolta’s

European Headquarters and 11 subsidiaries, including the UK, already use 100% renewable electricity. Two of the factories in China already use 100% renewable electricity, which means that more than 50% of the MFPs and all production printing devices for the European market are produced with renewable electricity. In Europe the company compensates non- avoidable emissions and supports climate protections projects aiming to replace fossil fuels by renewable energy such as wind parks with its partner Climate Partner. All projects must meet the Gold Standard VER criteria. Gold Standard VER projects go beyond climate aspects, because they also fundamentally take social aspects into account. With the Enabling Climate Compensation programme, Konica Minolta offers its customers the ability to offset unavoidable GHG emissions for office and production printing devices. Since 2015, more than 50,000 tons of unavoidable GHG emissions were compensated. With its visual Remote Service AIRe Link, which was introduced in 2020, Konica Minolta has been able to save around 310,760 kilometres in 8,900 customer visits across Europe from 2020 to 2022, which corresponds to 140 tonnes of GHG. Finally, where possible, the company is trying to shift transport across Europe from air and road to rail or water.

HP announces enhancements to Amplify Program

HP has announced several new partner benefits and program enhancements to its Amplify Program aimed at driving greater agility, simplification, growth and collaboration. From November 1, all HP products, solutions and distribution across its portfolio will be integrated into the HP Amplify Program, delivering one global platform as the foundation for partner engagement. “The HP Amplify program represents the industry’s first to reward partners across performance, capabilities and collaboration and we’re looking forward to integrating our evolving and expanding portfolio into the Amplify Partner Program as of our new fiscal year,” said Kobi Elbaz, general manager, HP Global Channel Organization. “Amplify will continue to serve as the foundation for partner engagement and we will continue to enhance the program based on the evolution

of our portfolio, changing market dynamics and most importantly, partner feedback.” HP has also unveiled two new elements in the HP Amplify program, including the More for More benefit and compensation program, and Fast Lane joint demand generation process. Aimed at driving an increase in sales across the HP portfolio and deliver a more satisfying and complete customer experience, the More for More enhancement will leverage a rate multiplier to boost compensation for qualified partners. The new Fast Lane joint demand generation process simplifies reimbursement of marketing development funds via an automated process for claims and payments, dramatically improving the turn-around time and overall experience for eligible partners. More for More and Fast Lane will be deployed in the Amplify partner program from November 1.

Kobi Elbaz general manager, HP Global Channel Organization

hp.com

NEWS

Toshiba launches new colour label printer

Toshiba has broadened the spectrum of its barcode printing solutions portfolio with the addition of the new BC400P colour label printer. The BC400P industrial colour label printer combines high speed, high print quality and high durability to create solutions for customers wanting to produce their own on- demand colour labels. Toshiba has more than 20 years of providing colour solutions to their Workspace Solutions customers and now bring this expertise to industrial labelling customers.

“With the launch of the BC400P colour label printer we have expanded the choice available to our Auto-ID Business Partners” said Deyon Antoine, product manager of Barcode Printing Solutions, Toshiba Tec UK Imaging Systems. “Our new colour printer fits perfectly into our industrial line-up. Designed for producing large volumes of labels the BC400P is the ideal solution to deliver on-demand colour labelling for industrial customers. “All the benefits our customers have by working with Toshiba today are now applicable for colour labelling applications.”

Deyon Antoine, product manager, Barcode Printing Solutions

toshibatec.co.uk

directprint.io launches cloud-based print management and monitoring software

Cloud ISV directprint.io has expanded its SaaS offering with the launch of directprint. io RED. Available exclusively through the channel, directprint.io RED is a cloud- native, scalable print management and monitoring platform, built on a predictable pricing model and available as a white-label product. directprint.io RED helps dealers to unlock additional revenue streams with vendor- agnostic print management, monitoring and access control, to existing deployed workgroup and copier devices, regardless of whether the units are leased or previously purchased. It also brings Sharp OSA Embedded applications to enable authentication, print/ copy tracking as well as print/copy limiting to the Sharp BP and MX model ranges. Cloud-based pull-print enables convenient job collection without the need for on-premise servers. directprint.io has taken all the rich feature- set that its direct SaaS solution offers and added advanced printer monitoring capabilities and alerts for printer status, device health, paper levels, volumes, toner levels and more. “Cloud migration continues to top the priority list for organisations looking to digitally transform to support business growth,” said David Jenkins, CEO of directprint.io. “With the launch of directprint.io RED, we’re empowering partners to grow their business in the cloud. directprint.io RED enables

resellers to modernise their customers’ print infrastructure, improve their security posture and reduce costs. And with our white-label service option, partners can package a complete managed print solution that keeps their brand front and centre.” directprint.io RED enables resellers to quickly and effectively deploy, secure, control and track print in the cloud. Key benefits include an easy adoption cycle and migration path. directprint.io RED is built around a universal print driver that includes advanced finishing options (stapling, hole punching, booklet creation, etc.) for more than 5,000 printer makes and models – making it ideal for customers operating a ‘old and new’ multi-vendor fleet. The platform also supports receipt and label printers. directprint.io has received validation as a Sharp Compatible software product and the platform is pre-configured for more than 500 Sharp models. “At directprint.io we’re committed to helping partners drive revenue and profit as they help customers leverage all of the benefits of migrating print to the cloud,” David added. “directprint.io RED is designed to secure recurring revenue streams for new hardware sales, plus there’s an additional revenue opportunity when partners add customers’ legacy print devices to the platform. “Our channel-exclusive offering is available on a per-device pricing model with no user limitations, and as a white-label service option.”

David Jenkins CEO

directprint.io

printinthechannel.co.uk

NEWS

TD SYNNEX launches sustainability ecosystem

TD SYNNEX is launching a Sustainability Ecosystem that will bring UK and Ireland partners together to learn how they can reduce their carbon footprint and develop and deliver solutions and services that will help their customers to move towards their own net zero carbon (NZC) goals. The programme will bring together partners who have an interest in or solution for sustainability at regular face-to-face workshops. As well as giving them the opportunity to hear from leading IT industry innovators on sustainability, these gatherings will act as knowledge development and networking events for partners that have complementary solutions or services and access to markets. As part of the initiative, TD SYNNEX has created a Sustainability Workshop framework, which can be delivered to groups of partners. This is designed to help partners reflect on the key issues around sustainability and how they can take measures to drive down their carbon impact and help customers to do the same. “Sustainability has become a crucial factor for all businesses,” said Neil Cornish,

ecosystems business manager, UK, TD SYNNEX. “Our partner network already includes companies that have specific skills and capabilities in this area, such as MSPs running green data centres, partners offering sustainability analytics and reporting software, and expert consultancies. By bringing these organisations together and adding our own knowledge and services into the mix, we will accelerate understanding and enable new partnerships and solutions.” The TD SYNNEX Sustainability Ecosystem will be formally launched at an invitation-only event, with open meetings being scheduled for all interested partners at a later stage. Sustainability Workshops can be organised by arrangement with the ecosystems team. Partners that subsequently want to conduct their own full assessment can make use of the NZC consultancy service offered by TD SYNNEX in partnership with specialist consultancy, Arete Zero Carbon. This assesses a partner’s own emissions (Scope 1 and 2), and that of their supply chain (Scope 3) and provides a plan detailing practical and actionable strategies to help the partner achieve NZC emissions.

Neil Cornish ecosystems business manager, UK

uk.tdsynnex.com

Zebra Technologies debuts new solutions at LogiMAT

Digital solution provider Zebra Technologies Corporation has given a European debut for its new electronic temperature sensors and Zebra Picking Plus application programming interface (API) for SAP Extended Warehouse Management (EWM) at LogiMAT, a warehousing event in Stuttgart, Germany. The full temperature sensor solution, including the new ZS300 sensor, ZB200 Bridge and Android Sensor Discovery app, further expands Zebra’s opportunity to transform environmental exposures into customer insights. Using these sensors, manufacturers, wholesalers, transportation and logistics operators in the food, pharmaceutical and healthcare industries now have cloud-based visibility into a range of environmental factors, including temperature monitoring and moisture detection. This will enable them to know if products have been maintained within appropriate conditions across the supply chain. The sensors help improve profitability by allowing users to take corrective action in real time and maximise

their productivity with a more efficient data logger.

Zebra’s Picking Plus API is designed to seamlessly work with SAP EWM cloud. It enables Zebra channel partners and application developers to offer a browser- based mobile experience that transforms highly repetitive warehouse workflow tasks – both inbound and outbound activities that frontline workers must routinely complete – to increase usability and efficiency. It extends the power of Zebra’s Enterprise Browser, an open- source standard technologies application supporting the most popular enterprise operating systems like Windows® and Android® and runs on virtually all of Zebra’s enterprise mobile computers. Zebra Picking Plus improves productivity as it allows scanning of inventory barcodes while in motion within the warehouse as the cloud- based SAP database is automatically updated. In addition, Zebra Picking Plus eliminates the risk of data entry mistakes associated with manual database entries.

zebra.com

Finally a way to make money on A4!

Why sell a printer ...When you can introduce a Printada! subscription & make up to

£2,500! Contact us to become a dealer today!

Become a dealer today call us on 01274 065 200 To find out more visit www.printada.co.uk or email info@printada.co.uk

printinthechannel.co.uk

EKM PROFILE

Growth and change

EKM Global was recently acquired by TD SYNNEX but it is business as usual for the managed print services provider, which is now focused on growth in the UK and across the world.

Growth focus The focus for EKM Global is now on growth, especially in Europe, the Middle East and Asia (EMEA), the US and Latin America. “We are growing quickly in EMEA, having secured major new customers in the Middle East recently,” Ian says. “But EKM Global is growing across the globe. We are in 104 countries and have more than 2,000 resellers – of which about 1,000 are in the US. We now have 20 languages in the system – the last one we added was Finnish – and have the capacity to add more as necessary.

For Ian Silvester, the past few months have seen many changes personally, as he has stepped up to a new role at EKM Global, following the departure of founder Colin Bosher after the completion of a deal that saw TD SYNNEX acquire the company, but he is content for EKM Global’s customers to see very few changes – apart from upgrades to the company’s services. While TD SYNNEX now owns the shares of EKM Global, as Ian notes, the company remains a separate legal entity. “This means that our data remains our data and our customers’ data remains our customers’ data,” he explains. “This is important because customers don’t want their data shared. “The relationship we have with TD SYNNEX works well, as it means that we’ve got a backing of a big partner, but we still have the flexibility and nimbleness of a small company. It also means there has been no real difference for customers.” As mentioned, there have been some changes in personnel at the top and additions to the team, especially within the team that runs EKM Insight, the company’s MPS software infrastructure. Ian, as director of product management and customer care, now heads up EKM Insight and has been building the team to help achieve his growth ambitions for it.

Ian Silvester director of product management and customer care EKM Global

ekmglobal.com

We’re working with many dedicated managed print services resellers, but we’ve also got programmes with distributors. “ ”

“We’re looking to gain volume in the US and in Europe,” says Ian. “We’re working with many dedicated managed print services resellers, but we’ve also got programmes with distributors. The Open MPs programme is one with TD SYNNEX and that’s being pushed heavily into IT solutions providers that haven’t got any print experience. Their key market is servers, desktop, support routers and such like.” EKM is working with distribution partners to put packages together that they can sell to their resellers. “We’re working very closely with them in the UK, EMEA, the USA and Latin America,” says Ian. “We’re just doing a programme with one of the big reseller distributors in Latin America that want to offer the services their resellers. So that’s going to

EKM PROFILE

grow, hopefully exponentially, in that region.” In the UK, EKM Global is growing its managed print services software, including technology to ensure it can integrate with more back end purchasing systems. “There’s a lot of ERPs out there, especially in Europe, and we plan to get integrations with those,” Ian says. “We’re also constantly adding more features into the programme. We’ve got some larger features we’re adding in now, but after that we’ve got a whole roadmap of incremental gains, which, when you’re talking about things that occur in large volumes are really important. If we can reduce the time to do a job by 10 seconds or reduce the number of clicks to complete an action – for example, if you can take ordering a consumable from three clicks to two clicks and you’re doing that 1,000 times a day you reduce the time it takes for that operator to work the system. And if you can reduce it to zero clicks then you’re laughing, which is our goal on a lot of these things. These things really build up savings over time. “We work very closely with our distributors and resellers and the bigger ones we have one-to-one sessions with, and we ask them what they want, and this is something that often comes up.”

the summer, will enable customers that have Power Bi – an interactive data visualisation software product developed by Microsoft – to pull data from their ERPs and from the Insight software and merge the two together. “This will be incredibly powerful for them. Some customers already do it now, either through direct links into the data that we’ve provided for them, or they use reports that we’ve created. But putting a Power Bi connector is just going to make it easier for them to just drag and drop what they need, whereas now, they must do a little bit more work on things like SQL. This is what customers have been asking for.” Sustainability Sustainability is another increasing concern for customers, and EKM Global is helping them to recycle and reduce their carbon footprint. “We’re partnering with people to look at the new European directives on recycling of consumables and things like that,” says Ian. “We’ve also got some programmes coming on board that will help with that green agenda in terms of recycling inks and toners as well. We’ve also got things like a mobile app that uses augmented reality support to help customers with the maintenance of their print portfolio, which helps to reduce the number of times engineers must travel to a customer site, thereby reducing carbon emissions that would have been created by driving a van there.” With so much going on, the future for EKM Global is bright – especially with the backing of a global players such as TD SYNNEX – and Ian is looking forward with confidence as the company continues to provide what customers want.

A lot more customers are micro analysing their data, looking at the yields, from toners and such like, are those customers getting enough clicks to modify it? We’re providing a lot more reports to people to do that. “

”

Analysis Customers are also increasingly asking EKM Global for solutions to help them to micro analyse their data. “A lot more customers are micro analysing their data, looking at the yields from toners and such like, are those customers getting enough clicks to modify it? We’re providing a lot more reports to people to do that.” Ian adds that upcoming releases, slated for

printinthechannel.co.uk

Scanning frequency For business processes requiring frequent scanning, a dedicated Canon document scanner delivers significant productivity benefits over alternative methods.

Personal

Desktop Workgroup

DR-C230 DR-C240

DR-S130 DR-S150

P-208II

P-215II

DR-F120

R10

R40

RS40

DR-C225 II

Scanning & Paper Handling Document Size (Simplex/Duplex) A4

8 ppm / 16 ipm

15 ppm / 30 ipm

20 ppm / 36 ipm

12 ppm / 14 ipm

40 ppm / 80 ipm

25 ppm / 50 ipm

30 ppm / 60 ipm 45 ppm / 90 ipm

30 ppm / 60 ip 45 ppm / 90 ip

B&W

Speed 200 dpi A4

8 ppm / 16 ipm

10 ppm / 20 ipm

10 ppm / 18 ipm

9 ppm / 10 ipm

30 ppm / 60 ipm

25 ppm / 50 ipm

30 ppm / 60 ipm

30 ppm / 60 ip 45 ppm / 90 ip

Colour

20-sheets ADF Business Card Slot

60 Sheets (80g/m²) 40 photos

50-sheets ADF Flatbed

60 Sheets (80g/m²)

Feeder

10-sheet ADF

20-sheets

45-sheets ADF 60-sheets ADF 60-sheets AD

Suggested Daily Volume

Approx. 500 scans

Approx. 4000 scans

3500 scans 4000 scans

100 scans

500 scans

1000 scans

1500 scans

Optical Resolution

600 dpi

600/1200 dpi

600 dpi

Connectivity & Software

USB 3.2, WiFi USB 3.2, WiFi LAN Windows, Mac Linux CaptureOnTouc Pro CaptureOnTouc Job Tool COT Admin Serv (DR-S150 only COT Admin To (DR-S150 only A4 Flatbed. Only work wit USB connectio Wi-Fi and LAN connection is n supported.

Interface

USB 2.0

USB 3.0

USB 2.0

Windows, Mac, Linux

OS Support

Windows, Linux Windows, Mac Windows, Mac Windows, Mac

CaptureOnTouch CaptureOnTouch Lite Cardiris

TWAIN Driver CaptureOnTouch

CaptureOnTouch Pro Kofax VRS (DR-C240 only)

Software (for Windows)

CaptureOnTouch Lite

TWAIN Driver CaptureOnTouch

CaptureOnTouch Cardiris

CaptureOnTouch

Readiris Cardiris

Physical Features & Options

Consumables: Carrier Sheet For delicate or important photos Accessories: Exchange Roller Kit

Consumables: Separation Pad,

A4 Flatbed NA10,WA10 Network Adapters Carry Case 19W Sleep mode: 1.4W

Consumables: Exchange Roller Kit

A4 Flatbed Carry case

Options

Carry Case

N/A

Feed Roller Accessories: USB Cable

2.5W Sleep mode: 1.5W

2.5W (USB 2.0) 4.5W (USB 3.0) Sleep mode: 1.5W

19.9W Sleep mode: 2.5W

2.5W or less (Energy Saving Mode: 1.5W)

22W or less Sleep mode: 1.4W or less

19W Sleep mode: 1.4W

12.7W Sleep mode: 1.8W

22.5W Sleep Mode: 3.4W

Power Consumption

Weight

0.6Kg

1.0Kg

4.6Kg

Approx. 0.9kg Approx. 2.8kg

Approx. 3kg 2.6Kg / 2.8Kg

2.8Kg

3.3kg

Dimensions (WxDxH)

312.5 x 56.5 x 40 mm

285 x 95 x 40 mm

469 x 335 x 120 mm

285 x 95 x 40 mm

291 x 250 x 245 mm

300 x 156 x 220 mm

291 x 253 x 231 mm

291 x 247 x 242 mm

Importance of scan quality Canon document scanners have been designed to provide the highest possible scan quality. Supported by sophisticated scanning software, they allow the capture and extraction of relevant information for further processing. Therefore, even low quality documents can be scanned into a high quality digital file.

The arrow identifies a feature step-up to the proceeding model 1 A4 landscape Scanning Speed Speedy access to information is critical for any business. Canon document scanners offer a full range of scanning speeds to suit your need in the most e cient and flexible way. For high speed scanning and quick data extraction a dedicated scanner is always the best option.

A4 FLATBED SCANNER UNIT 102 Scan bound books, journals and fragile media up to A4 by adding the simple to connect, via USB cable, optional Flatbed Scanner Unit 102. The flatbed unit works seamlessly with the main scanner in a smooth dual-scanning operation that lets you apply the same image-enhancement features to any scan.

NA10 AND WA10 NETWORK ADAPT Network Adapters that enable users to sha across multiple computers. Delivers enhan seamlessly over either a wired LAN or wire * wireless connection only with WA10 network adapter

Volume of scanning There is no alternative to a dedicated document scanner when it comes to high volume demand. Canon document scanners have been designed to do just that – provide uninterrupted, high quality scanning of large numbers of documents to support your business needs.

Media complexity Canon document scanners have been designed for easy scanning of a wide range of media. Be it size, weight or special material a dedicated scanner can cope with all of these. A dedicated scanner will also help make damaged, creased or faded documents more legible.

Network

Department

Production DR-G2090 DR-G2110 DR-G2140

ScanFront 400

DR-M140 DR-M160II

DR-M260 DR-M1060 DR-6010C DR-6030C

DR-X10C

100 ppm / 200 ipm 1 120 ppm / 240 ipm 1 145 ppm / 290 ipm 1 100 ppm / 200 ipm 1 120 ppm / 240 ipm 1 145 ppm / 290 ipm 1 300-sheets ADF 500-sheets ADF 500-sheets ADF

60 ppm / 120 ipm

80 ppm / 160 ipm 1

130 ppm / 260 ipm 1

pm pm

45 ppm / 90 ipm

40 ppm / 80 ipm

60 ppm / 120 ipm

60 ppm / 120 ipm 1

60 ppm / 120 ipm

80 ppm / 160 ipm 1

130 ppm / 260 ipm 1

pm pm

45 ppm / 90 ipm

40 ppm / 80 ipm

60 ppm / 120 ipm

60 ppm / 120 ipm 1

DF 85-sheets ADF 80-sheets ADF 75-sheets ADF 90-sheets ADF 80-sheets ADF 100-sheets ADF 100-sheets ADF

500-sheets ADF

30,000 scans 50,000 scans 70,000 scans

6000 scans

7000 scans

7500 scans

10000 scans

60000 scans

600 dpi

i i,

USB 3.1 USB 3.1, LAN USB 3.1, LAN

USB 2.0 SCSI-3

Wired LAN

USB 2.0

USB 3.1

USB 2.0

Windows, Mac, Linux

Windows

Windows, Linux Windows, Linux Windows, Linux Windows, Linux

Windows, Linux

CaptureOnTouch Pro Kofax Power PDF Kofax VRS

Administration Tool

CapturePerfect Kofax VRS

CaptureOnTouch Pro Kofax VRS

CaptureOnTouch Pro

ver

y) ool y)

A4 Flatbed NA10,WA10 Network Adapters Carry Case 27W Sleep mode: 1.8W

A4 Flatbed NA10,WA10 Network Adapters Carry Case 23W or Less Sleep mode: 1.4W

th on. N not

A4 Flatbed NA10,WA10

Post Imprinter A4 Flatbed White Platen Roller

Pre / Post Imprinters, Patchcode Decoder, Kofax CGA Card

A4 Flatbed Barcode

Carry case

A4 Flatbed

Network Adapters

25W Sleep mode: 1.9W

32.5W Sleep mode: 2.5W

30W Sleep mode: 2.2W

36W Sleep mode: 2W

41.1W Sleep mode: 2.5W

66.5W or less Sleep mode: 3.5W

125W Sleep mode: 4.5W

4.5kg

2.6Kg

3.2Kg

3.6Kg

6.1Kg

6.5Kg

10.5Kg

25.0kg

39Kg

305 x 282 x 230 mm

313 x 181 x 93 mm

280 x 172 x 178 mm

285 x 180 x 178 mm

424 x 246 x 120 mm

318 x 278 x 185.5 mm

398 x 312 x 191 mm

480 x 569 x 315 mm

528 x 563 x 375 mm

Ability to review output Unlike other scanning devices, Canon document scanners can be directly connected to your computer. This means you can immediately see the scan on your screen and make any necessary amendments or adjustments. Significantly reducing the need to re-scan, and improves productivity and quality of the data captured.

For full specifications, please visit canon.co.uk/imageFORMULA

TERS are access to imageFORMULA scanners nced mobile scanning options and works eless

For full specifications, please visit canon.co.uk/imageFORMULA

PRINTADA! PROFILE

Simple but effective Printada!’s back-to-basics approach for managed print services is gaining in popularity, especially among small- to medium-sized businesses, and gives resellers the chance to make money in a traditionally low-margin part of the sector.

CONTINUED website, it’s easy to go; ‘okay, I’m looking for a colour laser MFP. I probably don’t print 5,000 pages per month, but I know I print more than 1,000. Okay, I’ll go for the 2,500.’ “It is the same for dealers. When it comes to selling it, they can just walk in, have an idea what volume the customer might be printing, and just offer them the subscription then without having to go away and do lots of calculations.” Paul adds that there is another element to the agreement, which he Simple solution Thus Printada! was born, and the concept is very simple. “It is a solution aimed at SMEs including organisations such as charities and churches – basically any organisation with between one and 25 A4 devices,” says Paul. “At the moment customers who have A4 devices are quite limited in the way that they can buy the printers and pay for the cartridges; often they buy the printer outright and then shop around and buy the cartridges. Sometimes they get a good price, sometimes they don’t. We have created a programme that allows a small business operator to procure their print in a more similar way to how a larger enterprise does. This means they can have a fixed price rental subscription for three years and included in the subscription is the printer or MFP plus enough cartridges and consumables – everything that’s required to do a certain number of pages per month, which is set out in the agreement. “Everything is covered under our warranty and maintenance programme as well. If there’s any problems with the printer, we’ll fix it, or, if it cannot be fixed, we’ll replace it.” In keeping with the simple ethos of Printada!, there is a limited range of packages available. “There’s four printers and three different page volumes on offer,” he says. “There are 12 deals, including a mono laser printer and MFP, and a colour laser printer and MFP. Then there are three page ranges: up to 1,000 pages a month, up to 2,500 pages a month, and 5,000 pages a month. “If an end user customer comes to the

Printada! might be a new name to the sector, but it is an embodiment of the phrase ‘good things come to those who wait’ as the idea behind it was first thought of some 17 years ago by the company’s general manager, and industry veteran, Paul Callow. Back in 2006, when Paul worked for a major printer manufacturer, he spotted a niche for providing managed print solutions specifically to small businesses. While the company liked the idea, at the time it didn’t get off the ground, for a variety of reasons – not least that it requires a coalition between a vendor and a distributor for it to work. However, Paul retained the belief that such a solution could work, it just needed the right company at the right time. And so, when he came to work for Data Direct, in discussions with the directors of the company last year the idea came up and they also saw the opportunity, but also, crucially, the chance to bring all the necessary parties together to make it happen. “We started working on it and it came together very quickly,” recalls Paul. “I oversaw the project and together with the team at Data Direct we were able to execute the vision and bring it all together.”

Paul Callow general manager Printada!

printada.co.uk

“

We have

created a programme that allows a small business operator to procure their print in a more similar way to how a larger enterprise does.

”

The OKI printer range is Built to Perform. Built to Create. A4 MONO & COLOUR PRINTERS

PRINT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

Built for maximum speed and efficiency, the easy-to- use B Series provide advanced productivity features in a budget-friendly, compact device. The OKI C650 is a smart, powerful, business A4 colour printer that can help customers save money by bringing more of their out-sourced printing in-house, thanks to it’s impressive print media flexibility.

B512

C650

A3 COLOUR SINGLE & MULTI FUNCTION PRINTERS

The smallest A3 printer on the market, the C800 Series can handle all your printing needs including business cards, pre- cut media, posters, banners up to 1.3m long and beyond. Combining unrivalled media flexibility, ultra-reliability and OKI’s pioneering digital LED technology, this productivity boosting device is perfect for creating professional quality customer facing collateral, as well as day-to-day office documents, in-house, on demand.

C824 | C844

MC853 | MC833

PRO9000 SERIES PROFESSIONAL COLOUR PRINTERS

The OKI Pro Series offer the ultimate in print quality on a wide range of media up to 360gsm and including metallic, textured, waterproof and tear-proof up to SRA3 and 1.32m banners. The Pro95 models offer the additional benefits of CMYK + WHITE or CLEAR GLOSS or WHITE under CMYK!

PRO9431 | PRO9541 | PRO9542

VISIT THE OKI HUB AT EXERTIS TO FIND OUT MORE!

CONTACT JESSICA HOOD, OKI SPECIALIST TODAY 01256 774085 or email Jessica.hood@exertis.co.uk

printinthechannel.co.uk

Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52

printinthechannel.co.uk