XERETEC
Wide appeal Xeretec recently completed the acquisition of First Copy, helping to boost an already good year for the company, which is reaping the benefits of diversifying its product offering and helping customers to achieve sustainability targets.
Back in 1991, and within days of each other, Xeretec and First Copy were established. Both went on to forge good reputations within the print sectors, and both successfully operated as Xerox concessionaires. Fast forward 34 years, and the companies have come together, with Wokingham-based Xeretec recently acquiring First Copy as part of its growth strategy. When the opportunity to acquire First Copy came up, it immediately interested Xeretec, says David Smith, Xeretec’s group marketing director. “First Copy’s main market is in East Anglia, which is a greenfield site for us and they are a Xerox concessionaire too, as well as having strength in production print,” he explains. “They are a great fit for Xeretec, with not only mutual value add but also we deliver financial strength to the First Copy customer base, which in a tough industry is important. Additionally, the customer base would have instant access to the wider Xeretec solution portfolio. “It felt like a win-win for both companies and Xerox too. Acquisitions are never simple, but in terms of culture, style,
understanding, learning, value add, it just made sense, so we proceeded.” David says the deal came together relatively quickly, helped by the willingness on both sides to complete the deal. “First Copy is blessed with a loyal customer base especially in production print, so for us to consolidate our presence with them means we can offer so much more to them to help with their broader IT requirements,” he adds. Post-deal, First Copy is keeping its well- established name and branding, with a slight tweak – it is now First Copy IT Ltd. The existing management team and staff also remain in place, helping to maintain consistency for its customers and well- developed local presence. “Where we can add value with scale, support and technology, we’ll do that,” says David. “They are a separate legal entity, wholly owned by Xeretec, but managed by their existing team. We provide additional value through Group functions such as a larger marketing operation and increased analysts and specialist technology support. This includes the National Help Desk in Aberdeen. It’s important to us that they retain their local identity and reputation, and they will continue to operate as a Xerox concessionaire in their own right.” For First Copy customers, it is business as usual and the only difference they should notice is the slight change in name, David says. “It’s hopefully completely seamless,” he adds. “The idea was to try and make that transition almost invisible to the customer base. What they
David Smith group marketing director
xeretec.co.uk
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