New Way will distribute HMD  smartphones, feature phones, tablets and accessories, supporting customers across retail, reseller, managed service provider (MSP), enterprise and public-sector markets.

The initial focus will be on Nokia feature phones, with the majority of early stock drawn from that range. Nokia feature phones, which sell for around £60, are seeing strong demand in the UK  appeal for value-focused, enterprise and specialist use cases.

New Way says it was selected by HMD for its execution capability and established channel reach. The partnership is expected to improve availability and supply consistency, particularly in segments where reliable access to stock is critical. HMD aims to better support partners operating in both retail and business environments by expanding distribution through New Way.

“This appointment reflects our continued focus on building a strong, relevant mobile device portfolio for the UK channel,” said New Way MD d Nigel Prince,

“Working with HMD allows us to supporpartners with trusted products, consistent availability and the service levels they need to operate efficiently.”

The agreement reinforces New Way International’s long-term growth strategy, which focuses on expanding choice across price tiers and use cases, supporting sustainable demand, and delivering consistent service and availability to UK partners.

Devices will be distributed through the Good Things Foundation’s National Device Bank which provides refurbished laptops, mobile phones and tablets through the National Digital Inclusion Network set up in 2011 to tackle the digital divide at a local level

Reconome will be the charity’s exclusive technology partner and provide a long-term supply of refurbished devices.

The partnership builds on a pilot programme launched three years ago and is intended to move away from one-off device donations towards a sustained reuse model.

Around 7.9 million people in the UK lack basic digital skills,while 1.6 million adults do not have access to a smartphone, tablet or laptop according to Good Things Foundation’s Digital Nation 2025 data, Lack of access to devices is cited as a barrier to education, employment, healthcare and public services.

Reconome sources used IT equipment from corporate partners, which is then refurbished and redistributed through the National Device Bank to community organisations supporting people who are digitally excluded.

The Good Things Foundation has expanded its network of National Digital Inclusion Hubs to 667 locations since April 2022,  During this time it has distributed 28,992 devices, with a further 33,112 people benefiting from shared access within households or communities.

Nick Rawkins, co-founder and chief executive of Reconome, said the agreement would enable refurbished technology to be distributed at greater scale while reducing electronic waste.

Helen Milner OBE, chief executive of the Good Things Foundation, said the partnership would provide a more consistent supply of devices to support people who lack access to digital technology.

The initiative aligns with the UK Government’s Digital Inclusion Action Plan, which identifies access to devices as a key requirement for participation in an increasingly digital economy.

The organisations said the partnership would continue to support national efforts to reduce digital exclusion over the next three years.

The Huddersfield-based Exertis division supplies office consumables, printing hardware, furniture and related products. It,was put up for sale in December as part of Exertis UK’s wider restructuring.

VOW is a lbusiness supplies wholesaler serving resellers and corporate customers across the UK and Ireland. It is part of the evo Group, which provides sourcing, fulfilment, distribution and logistics services to business and public sector organisations.

An Exertis UK spokesperson said: “As indicated in our statement a few days ago, we have now signed an agreement with evo, the UK and Ireland’s leading multi-channel supplier of business supplies and personal needs products, based in Normanton, West Yorkshire.

“As a result, all employees of Exertis Supplies who have not applied for voluntary redundancy will move to evo’s Vow subsidiary when the transaction completes, which we expect to happen within about two weeks. We are delighted for colleagues who will now be continuing their employment with evo/Vow.”

The deal follows a major redundancy programme at Exertis UK after the distributor was sold by former owner DCC plc to private equity firm Aurelius. A review of Exertis UK’s 1,200-strong workforce concluded last week, with the company confirming that fewer than 400 employees will face involuntary redundancy.

]]> https://mobilenewscwp.co.uk/news/article/exertis-secures-new-jobs-for-exertis-supplies-division-staff/feed/ 0 https://mobilenewscwp.co.uk/news/article/exertis-final-redundancy-count-expected-to-be-400/ https://mobilenewscwp.co.uk/news/article/exertis-final-redundancy-count-expected-to-be-400/#respond Mon, 26 Jan 2026 12:19:13 +0000 https://mobilenewscwp.co.uk/?p=179687 Around 400 Exertis UK employees now face involuntary redundancy, compared with the more than 1,000 job losses originally feared. 

The distributor is also in an advanced consultation process with another company, which may see a large number of staff transfer to a new employer as it transitions to a more games-focused portfolio.

An Exertis spokesperson told Mobile News the employee consultation process, concluded last Friday, had been “challenging, but ultimately productive in the circumstances we inherited from our previous owner”.

“During this process, which put all employees at risk, our objective was from the beginning to mitigate hardship,” the spokesperson said. “We enabled an early voluntary redundancy programme, on terms above statutory requirements, to give people more time to seek alternative employment.

“We are also embarking on a new business staffing model, focusing on becoming a specialist, independent distributor. The end result of our efforts is that fewer than 400 employees now face involuntary redundancy at Exertis UK, rather than the more than 1,000 we originally feared.”

Exertis UK’s ongoing restructuring follows several years of weak financial performance, with the business having failed to generate sustainable profits and remaining cash-flow negative well before its acquisition from DCC, according to industry sources familiar with the situation.

Once one of the UK channel’s largest players, Exertis UK has been operating with minimal resilience in a market defined by high volumes and tight margins. Insiders say profitability hovered around break-even for years and deteriorated further in the period leading up to the sale.

Sources close to the transaction suggest the UK arm lagged other parts of the wider group, some of which were performing more strongly at the time. The UK business was widely regarded as underperforming and over-layered from a management perspective, leaving it poorly equipped to absorb demand swings or margin pressure.

The restructuring process triggered alarm across the channel after initial proposals suggested a dramatic reduction in headcount from a workforce previously numbering around 1,200. Those figures are now understood to have been an opening position under UK consultation rules, rather than a final outcome.

The distributor, once one of the UK channel’s largest players, has been operating with minimal resilience in a market defined by high volumes and tight margins. Insiders say the business had been under sustained pressure, with profitability hovering around break-even for years and deteriorating further in the period leading up to the sale.

Sources close to the transaction suggest the UK arm contrasted sharply with other parts of the wider group, some of which were performing more strongly at the time.

Underperforming

The UK business, however, was widely regarded as underperforming and over-layered from a management perspective, leaving it poorly equipped to respond to shifts in demand or margin pressure.

The current consultation process has triggered widespread concern across the channel after initial proposals suggested a dramatic reduction in headcount from a workforce previously numbering around 1,200. Those figures, however, are understood to represent an opening position required under UK consultation rules, rather than a final outcome.

People familiar with the process stress that no decisions on the future scale of the business will be made until the consultation concludes. This is expected to happed towards the end of January. The final structure could differ materially from early projections, depending on discussions with employees, customers, and vendor partners.

Management

While the existing C-Suite executive leadership team has largely exited day-to-day roles, the company continues to operate under an interim structure, with senior managers stepping up to ensure continuity during the consultation period. Operational management is said to remain in place, despite the departure of the former C-suite.

Exertis UK is expected to emerge as a smaller, more specialised distributor, focusing on a narrower set of product categories. The product lines and vendor relationships that will form the core of the future business has yet to be determined and remains subject to consultation outcomes.

Industry observers note that Exertis UK’s situation highlights the fragility of large-scale distribution models in the current market, where small margin shifts can quickly destabilise even high-volume operations. While the business can perform well when conditions are right, sources say the lack of margin headroom leaves little room for error if volumes fall or costs rise.

For now, stakeholders across the channel remain in a holding pattern, with vendors, customers, and partners awaiting clarity on the distributor’s future shape once the consultation process concludes.

The UK technology distributor has informed staff of plans that could reduce headcount from approximately 1,200 employees to around 130, subject to consultation.

The proposals primarily affect the Exertis UK Business & Consumer and Exertis Supplies divisions, with sites in Burnley, Harlow, Elland and Basingstoke impacted. Employees have entered a 45-day consultation period.

In a statement, Exertis said: “Exertis has the opportunity to change structurally and transform into a more agile and specialist distributor that can more efficiently and effectively serve customers’ needs. As a result, employees are entering into a period of consultation. No final decisions have been made, and they will use the consultation period to discuss viable alternatives to potential redundancies. They will work closely with the employee representatives to find alternative options, and all UK employees are given as much information and support as possible during this difficult time. We are confident in the professionalism of our UK team to continue delivering for our partners during the consultation perio

The company stressed that the proposals apply only to certain UK divisions and do not affect all businesses included in the acquisition.

In July. CEO Tim Griffin told Mobile News

“While change always brings ambiguity, I’m comfortable and excited about the opportunities Aurelius presents. DCC was a fantastic owner, but this new chapter is about investing in the future and unlocking potential.”

Aurelius, which completed the purchase of Exertis IT and related divisions earlier this year for around £100 million, has said structural changes are intended to improve efficiency and long-term sustainability, but has not commented on the number of roles at risk.

The proposals follow reports of credit and supplier pressures at Exertis in recent months, alongside senior management departures shortly after the acquisition.

Local MPs have begun seeking clarity on the potential impact on jobs and regional economies, particularly in Basingstoke, as the consultation process gets underway. (More follows)

The global IT distributor has launched AI Game Plan as a new part of its Destination AI  programme. These are workshops run by partners and intended to help enterprise and mid-sized customers decide where AI could make a difference to their operations and which projects are worth investing in first, as many organisations continue to struggle to turn AI interest into real projects.

TD SYNNEX research showing that 45 per cent of partners see not understanding how the technology can deliver clear business benefits for individual customersas the biggest barrier to AI adoption as u

Stepped approach

Partners work with customers to identify business problems or inefficiencies where AI might help. Ideas are reviewed and compared looking at how realistic they are to deliver, impact amd if they fit with the customer’s wider plans. A short list of two or three affordable AI projects os produced, along with a 90-day action plan

Tthe aim is to give partners a repeatable way of having more focused AI conversations, while still tailoring the outcome to each customer.

The Destination AI  programme provides tools and support for partners selling AI-related solutions. AI Game Plan is aimed mainly at partners who have some experience with AI and are actively working with customers on AI projects.

Sergio Farache, Chief Strategy and Technology Officer at TD SYNNEX, said many organisations are unsure how to decide where AI should be used or how to judge whether it is worth the investment. “A major challenge with AI is deciding where it can genuinely help the business and how to get value from the money being spent,” he said.

CMA Technology Solutions is one of the partners using the system . Marty Mackey, VP of Sales and Marketing at the company, said the workshops make early AI discussions clearer and more practical. “The framework helps us have more structured conversations with customers about where AI could make a real difference, rather than talking about it in general terms”

The move expands the distributors Samsung portfolio beyond hardware and into mobile device management and security software.

The distributor has been a Samsung mobile devices distributor for UK business-to-business markets since July last year. The addition of Knox means TD SYNNEX can now offer partners Samsung Galaxy devices and also management and security through a single channel.

Samsung Knox is used by organisations to configure, deploy and manage Samsung mobile devices. Tools cover device setup, policy enforcement and security controls.

James Reed, managing director of endpoint solutions for the UK and Ireland at TD SYNNEX (below), said partners will now be able to add managed deployment and security services to Samsung device sales. He added that Knox was a “natural extension” of the company’s existing relationship with Samsung.

Knox is offered in three tiers; Base, Essentials and Enterprise aimed at different business requirements. Knox has been in the market since 2013 and is used by thousands of organisations worldwide to manage big deployments of Samsung devices.

The appointment further reinforces TD SYNNEX’s focus on endpoint management and security as distributors compete to offer partners more complete device lifecycle and management propositions in the UK enterprise mobility market.

Arif Patel, 57, originally from Preston but now living in Dubai, attempted to steal £97m through false VAT repayment claims on sham exports of textiles and mobile phones. His gang also imported and sold counterfeit clothing worth at least £50m, had the goods been genuine.

The proceeds funded a portfolio of commercial and residential properties across Preston, London and overseas, purchased through offshore accounts and companies. Patel also held assets in Morocco, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

At Chester Crown Court last week, a judge ruled that property worth more than £90m, along with Patel’s Ferrari 575 Superamerica, must be sold. The proceeds will be returned to the public purse.

Patel and his financial enabler, Mohamed Jaffar Ali, 61, of Dubai, were found guilty in their absence of fraud and money laundering after a 14-week trial in 2023. Patel fled to Dubai in 2011 and has not returned to the UK. Both men were sentenced in their absence to a total of 31 years in prison.

The convictions followed a joint investigation by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and Lancashire Police, which has already secured jail terms totalling more than 116 years for 24 other members of the crime group.

Richard Las, Director of HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Service, said Patel had “lived a lavish lifestyle at the expense of the law-abiding majority” but would now lose everything. “Tens of millions of pounds of stolen money will now go back to directly fund public services,” he said.

Assistant Chief Constable Mark Winstanley of Lancashire Constabulary described Patel as the head of a Preston-based organised crime group whose “actions, motivated by greed, directly impacted on the taxpayer.” He confirmed that Ali has also been made subject to a confiscation order of £677,000.

Adrian Foster, Chief Crown Prosecutor for the CPS Proceeds of Crime division, said Patel must pay back £90m or face further prison time. “In the last five years, £478m has been recovered from CPS confiscation orders, ensuring that thousands of convicted criminals cannot profit from their offending,” he added.

Patel’s company, Faisaltex Ltd, was central to the fraud, acting as the hub for counterfeit clothing imports and false export claims. Ali played a key role by laundering the proceeds through offshore bank accounts. Faiseltex is still listed by Companies House.

Carousel fraud is a scam in which goods, usually small high voue ite,s like mobile phones, are repeatedly moved between bogus companies to create fake trading records, Criminals claim VAT repayments on VAT that was never paid.. Its heyday was around 20 years ago before HMRC spent years closing it down

Complete Mobile is  BT Wholesale new project that provides the wholesale channel with portfolio of tariffs designed for mobile resellers to access to EE. It went live last month for new business and migrations from legacy EE contracts.

Offerings to partners include 30-day SIM-only contracts alongside 12-month and 24-month terms to overcome objections from business buyers over longer-term lock-ins wholesale channel.

Complete Mobile allows resellers to brand the mobile service to their own organisation and tailor commercial support. The idea is to help partners move beyond commoditised connectivity and build deeper customer relationships Planned portal integration for SIM management, billing, and reporting will also be available to partner operations.

Cellhire MD Matt Bennett says the initiative will unlock new revenue streams and extend reach and help partners deal with demands partners face in competing with rival wholesale offerings.

“Demand for EE’s network capabilities has surged, and this partnership empowers us to provide more future-ready offerings. This isn’t just about better connectivity. It’s about creating opportunities for partners to unlock new revenues, reach broader audiences, and drive sustainable growth.”

Cellhire claims to be the only company in the UK with wholesale agreements with Vodafone, O2, EE, and Three networks, and is a network provider for the eSIMSmart brand.

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