HP acquires Printelligent for SMB print services

HP has signed an agreement to buy Printelligent, a provider of managed print services, in order to better target small to medium sized business (SMB) customers.

The purchase, which is expected to close in HP's fiscal third quarter ending in July, will see Printelligent's workforce and assets integrated into the Laserjet and Enterprise Solutions unit within HP's Imaging and Printing group.

HP said that the move will help the company better deliver managed print services to SMB customers via its channel partner network.

Resellers and service providers will be able to take over responsibility for a customer's print environment, including the printers themselves, paper supplies and other consumables, according to HP.

"We are reinforcing our commitment to our channel partners by bringing them a level of technology and experience that is unprecedented in the industry," said Vyomesh Joshi, vice president of the Imaging and Printing group.

Managed print services for the mid-sized market are set to grow significantly in the next five years, according to analyst firm IDC, which predicts compound annual growth rates of 14 to 23 per cent over the period.

It has been a long journey for HP, however. The company set up a dedicated global business unit within its Imaging and Printing Group all the way back in 2009, in a bid to boost direct sales of its managed print services to enterprises.

Financial details of the deal have not been disclosed.