Xeretec and Qodea active on M&A front

Xerox’s largest UK partner Xeretec has moved to pick up First Copy Corporation, a long-standing concessionaire for the vendor.

The deal, the terms of which were not disclosed, provides Xeretec with more reach and underlines its position as major player for the vendor across Europe as a Xerox Platinum Concessionaire Partner. 

Both firms have been around since 1991, and the deal will provide Xeretec with a solid customer base and opportunities to add its managed print services into the mix.

“First Copy has built its reputation on trusted relationships and dedicated local service,” said  Steve Hawkins, CEO of Xeretec. “We’re proud to carry that forward, while introducing the added strength of Xeretec’s broader offering. From award-winning print expertise to a full suite of IT services, we’re here to deliver even greater value, insight and support to help customers succeed in a rapidly evolving digital world.”

One of the areas where there is already potential is to offer First Copy customers access to Xertec’s expertise around production print.

“What sets us apart in production print is our ability to deliver far more than just the hardware,” added Hawkins. “We provide intelligent, joined-up solutions that optimise every stage of the print process – from pre-press workflows through to advanced finishing. We understand the critical role this technology plays in our customers’ operations and are committed to exceeding expectations every step of the way.”

Xeretec has also been developing its managed print service proposition and reacting to customer demand for digital workspace solutions to ensure it can tap into growth markets.

Elsewhere, Google cloud consultancy Qodea has also been using mergers and acquisitions (M&A) to extend its reach, picking up Beyond from Next 15 Group.

The acquisition gives Qodea a presence in North America and provides a platform for the business to support a growing base of global customers looking for consultancy expertise beyond the UK and Europe.

“This marks a pivotal moment in Qodea’s growth story,” said Alan Paton, CEO of Qodea. “The pace of technological and experiential change is only accelerating, and businesses need partners equipped to not just understand that shift, but to stay ahead of it. This acquisition is the next step in an ambitious growth and M&A strategy that will cement Qodea as leaders in helping businesses to thrive through change with frontier technology.

“It also launches our North American presence with a premier team trusted by some of the most recognisable brands in the world like Google, Snap and Paramount Pictures. By combining their front-end design and data science expertise with our deep cloud engineering capabilities, we are creating a transatlantic powerhouse equipped to deliver intelligent, impactful products for our clients. The opportunity ahead is vast, and this is just the beginning,” he added.

In response, Matt Iliffe, CEO of Beyond, said the tie-up would benefit the business and its customer base: “We’re joining Europe’s leading Google Cloud partner to build a new kind of technology company designed to help businesses stay ahead. This move significantly expands our ability to deliver transformative AI and Google Cloud solutions, ensuring our clients can navigate and thrive in the next era of technology. We couldn’t be more excited to build what’s next together.”