We’ve all heard it before, and Larry White is well aware of the talk track. The topic in question is the notion that the OEM pool is simply too big to support the office technology reseller community, and that consolidation is the answer.

However, the May 18 announcement that Toshiba Tec Corporation, the parent company of Toshiba America Business Solutions (TABS), and Ricoh had agreed to carve out a joint venture (JV) that will combine manufacturing operations may have signaled the genesis of a movement among office tech OEMs, but not in a way that was anticipated. In the end, resellers of these lines may benefit tremendously from the combined expertise and technology innovation, and the OEMs behind the curtain will reap considerable cost savings as a result.

In his early days, David Lynch was a hockey player, which makes a lot of sense. He has the steely gaze and square jaw of a punishing defenseman who could clear the net front and mix things up with opponents to set the tone of a contest. Hockey, like other sports, dictates that in order to be successful, a team requires individuals who play specific roles necessary to produce desired outcomes—not unlike the recipe for excelling in the business world.

Hockey players are renowned for talking about the players in “the room.” It’s seemingly in the context of the locker room, but really it’s about the culture and the ideology embraced by members of the organization. “The room” can be a fragile thing; it requires consistency and like minds, and any additions/subtractions to the core of the team can prove disruptive to that chemistry. Thus, as he has risen to become COO of Repeat Business Systems (RBS) in Albany, New York, Lynch is mindful of the makeup of his team and their willingness to buy into what RBS is trying to accomplish. In that sense, Lynch is proud of the championship-caliber culture he has helped foment.

Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A. Inc. (Konica Minolta) is proud to announce the latest additions to its bizhub i-Series, the bizhub 950i and 850i. The new A3 high-volume monochrome multifunctional peripheral (MFP) devices are designed to provide the capabilities of a small-scale print shop within a single unit suitable for an office space.

The bizhub 950i and 850i offer the usability customers have come to expect from the i-Series, including a consistent user experience between engines, even for businesses with mixed fleets.

Team Standley is excited to announce that it is expanding. On June 1, Standley Systems acquired Verity Group, a Dallas-based technology solutions provider. The acquisition will significantly expand Standley Systems’ resources in North Texas and enhance its ability to serve clients in the region.

Verity Group has been providing comprehensive technology solutions to businesses in Dallas for over three decades. Verity has built a strong reputation for its expertise in print and document management solutions. By acquiring Verity Group, Standley Systems will be able to offer an even broader range of services to its clients in the metroplex.