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BULLETIN
VOW scoops double
award win
VOW picked up two prestigious awards at
the NEMO Refresh ’17 conference held at
the Beaumont Estate in Windsor.
The awards presented at the evening gala
dinner included Wholesaler of the Year 2017 and
Stand of the Show.
SPOT Sailing Regatta
raise £2,000 for BOSS
charity
After an ‘affluent day’ of sailing on the
Solent, SPOT Sailing Regatta attendees
both suppliers and dealers dug deep
to help support industry people less
fortunate than themselves.
Towards the end of the event, a fundraiser
was held for the BOSS Business Supplies
Charity, which provides welfare grants to
support former employees of the stationery
industry affected by challenging circumstances.
Attendees gave generously to this worthy cause.
Smart Print Services
first to invest in
Xerox press
Kent-based design and print provider Smart Print Services, which was recently acquired by
Smart Office Solutions has become the first company in the UK to roll out the new Xerox
Versant 180 as it looks to boost its print capabilities.
The installation of the new device allows Smart Print Services to expand its offering to cover a wider
scope of high quality digital print services and products. With a stronger digital print offering, the company
is now able to concentrate its efforts on broadening its customer base in the growing SMB market, in the
Kent and Rochester area, without compromising on quality or speed.
The business will use the Xerox Versant 180 to run bigger production jobs and produce near-
litho quality at high speed. Since the installation, Smart Print Services has already seen an increase in
productivity because of the device’s ability to run offline around the clock using planned jobs, and therefore
get prints out to market quicker.
Midshire upgrades Manchester Airport Control Tower
Dubbed the best office in Manchester
when unveiled in 2013, the latest upgrade
to the Control Tower at Manchester
Airport has been handled by Midshire.
The company has just completed a complex
IT installation at the Tower to accommodate
the building’s innovative window system. With
a crucial 360-degree panoramic view Control
Tower operators use leading edge radar monitors
and displays to manage take off and landings,
but uninterrupted visibility via a state-of-the-art
window system is key.
Each pane of glass in the Control Tower is
hinged in the middle at either side, so they can
be turned a full 360-degrees and be cleaned
regularly with minimum disruption to operations.
The Tower is home to more than 70 different
systems, 100 computers, plasma touch displays
and other communications equipment, which is
used to monitor weather, control mapping and
flight traffic. Midshire used desk mounts, pole
girders and articulated brackets to enable all
IT equipment, monitors and screens to move in
multiple directions and not impede access to the
rotating windows.
MSP strengthens
commitment to public
sector in Scotland
Annodata is just one of eight suppliers
to be awarded a position on the
National Framework for the provision of
office equipment to the Scottish public
sector, in recognition of the Managed
Services Provider’s economically
advantageous solutions. Earning a place
on the framework will enable Annodata
to act as a trusted advisor to the public
sector in Scotland and underpins its
commitment to these organisations.
The Scottish National Framework for Office
Equipment is designed to achieve the best
value for the total spend within the Scottish
public sector and offers consistent national
pricing for a full catalogue of office equipment
products, including multi-functional devices
and services.
ABS announces major acquisition
Elland-based family business, ABS UK has
acquired Sapphire Business Solutions
as part of a planned UK expansion
programme. The North Wales company
specialises in providing comprehensive
technology solutions, including digital
copier and printer services.
Brett Abson, Sales Director at ABS UK said:
“Acquiring Sapphire Business Solutions has allowed
us to further extend our geographic reach without
additional recruitment. Several of our existing
service clients have operations in Wales and/
or the North West and therefore this merger will
allow us to provide them with even better support
while accessing a predominantly technologically-
demanding commercial client base.”
Additionally, Sapphire Business Solutions has
a long-established relationship with both Develop
and Samsung, partnerships which match ABS UK’s
developing engagement with these manufacturers.
Abson added: “The cornerstone of our offering
has always been an unwavering dedication to
the highest standards of support – Sapphire
was cut from the same cloth so the fit was both
uncomplicated and obvious.
“The acquisition also strengthens the business
moving forward, adding around £10,000 per
month in service revenue alone as part of an overall
£350k to £400k per annum increase in turnover.”
ABS UK has a detailed growth strategy which
includes doubling the size of its current client
base, the acquisition of Sapphire is the first of
three planned purchases over the next 18 months.
