UTAX (UK), the Swindon-based office equipment firm, has appointed Wade Lewis to the newly-created role of channel sales manager for IT & distribution.
Wade’s principal task is to create and develop strategic partnerships with IT resellers across the UK looking to develop an MPS (managed print services) offering for their clients. 
He was previously channel business development manager for rival Ricoh. UTAX (UK), based on the Shrivenham Hundred Business Park, is the country’s largest office equipment partner-only network.
Wade, pictured, said: “My primary focus is to ensure that our partners really understand the value of our MPS offering; that it’s more than just an optional service that’s offered with our hardware and that it’s a real opportunity for them to create sales growth through building long-term partnerships with IT resellers.”
Wade believes that the future in many workplace environments will lie in UTAX customers looking to incorporate MPS to consolidate and manage their systems more efficiently and securely.
“Using my experience in this sector, I believe that IT resellers will benefit from having the added capability, backed by our technical support team, to offer their customers the opportunity to integrate their office devices into their own IT systems.”
UTAX (UK) managing director Shaun Wilkinson said: “Wade is widely respected within the industry and will certainly enhance the growing level of service and support we provide our partners and their customers.”
“We’re no longer working in a ‘print and copy’ environment. We all have to be far more focussed on the software and value-added services we provide, whilst ensuring the client’s hardware is compatible and fit for purpose.
“In the long-term, our primary aim is to ensure that every UTAX partner is in a position not just to sell hardware, but to provide software solutions that meet their clients’ managed print objectives.”
