By Andy Slawetsky – Office equipment resellers and channel partners gathered in Las Vegas for Xerox’s Partner Summit, a three-day semiannual conference that drew more than 500 people, more than twice the attendance of the previous show. Reinvention was an underlying theme—both for Xerox and for the print industry in general, which is dealing with consolidation in terms of OEMs and resellers.

During his opening session the first morning, the crowd went crazy when Xerox CEO Steve Bandrowczak declared, “You’re either going to be consolidated or you’re going to be the driver of consolidation. And I promise you, we are going to be the driver.”

A Welcome Reception and a Product Showcase

Attendees kicked off the summit with an evening reception in the product fair area, where Xerox showcased everything from compact A4 desktop devices to larger production presses outfitted with high-end finishing options. The fair itself felt like a technology playground, buzzing with demonstrations of advanced print management tools, color production hardware, and new software aimed at making managed print services simpler for end users. The product fair was open throughout the event and you had to walk through it to get to the stage where the executives gave their presentations, ensuring there were always demonstrations going on. There was even a FreeFlow Joe sighting!

The Aston Martin Aramco Formula One car was on display, flexing Xerox’s recent sponsorship of the famous racing team. The tie-in to data, analytics and even the last-minute printed documents used by the drivers before they speed off at over 200 MPH was a not-so-subtle nod to Xerox’s capabilities. This was echoed on the last day by Rob Bloom, Chief Marketing Officer of Aston Martin Aramco Formula One, who delivered a keynote about performance and precision—two attributes Xerox clearly wants to align with its own brand.

There was also a small area where sponsoring partners like Distribution Management, ECI Software Solutions and others had people on hand at tables where dealers and resellers could chat to learn more about their programs.

The CEO and President: Turnaround Credentials

The following morning, Bandrowczak took the stage alongside President John Bruno. Both leaders have reputations for orchestrating major turnarounds at previous companies, and they spoke openly about Xerox’s past financial challenges. Activist investor Carl Icahn had long pressured the company toward short-term returns, but after a significant buyout last year, Xerox says it finally has room to invest in longer-term strategies.

Those strategies include major acquisitions. Last fall, Xerox purchased IT Savvy (soon to be rebranded as Xerox IT Solutions) to strengthen its offerings in managed IT services. Now, the company is on the verge of closing its deal with Lexmark. Assuming they finalize the purchase, Xerox will effectively become a manufacturer again—particularly for the A4 line—after years of relying on other vendors to co-develop products. Bruno noted that bringing Lexmark under Xerox’s umbrella could open new possibilities for dealers in pricing, supply chain, and product availability.

“Taking Back A3” in a Shifting Market

Despite acknowledging an overall decline in the print market, Xerox leadership insists there’s still runway to grow. Part of the plan involves “taking back A3” as well as  doubling down on production equipment and integrated services that streamline large-scale printing operations. Attendees were repeatedly encouraged to think bigger: if the market is shrinking, Xerox intends to grab a larger piece of what remains.

Office equipment resellers and partners appreciated the renewed commitment to product development, along with the planned integration of Lexmark’s hardware manufacturing. The concern, however, is whether Xerox can truly outpace the broader decline in print volumes—a question the leaders addressed by pointing to new revenue streams in IT and digital workflow services.

Sponsorships, Sustainability, and APAC Expansion

Throughout the conference, Xerox leaders highlighted the company’s recent brand partnerships and expansions. Beyond Formula One, the company spoke about its sustainability dashboard for managed print services—an area they claim differentiates Xerox in an increasingly eco-conscious market.

During our interview with Jacques-Edouard Gueden, Executive Vice President & Chief Channel and Partner Officer, we discussed Xerox’s expansion into the Asia-Pacific region. With the FUJIXEROX joint venture dissolved in 2021, Xerox now has the freedom to make independent moves in APAC, marking a new era in Xerox’s global strategy.

IT Services: A New Chapter for Dealers

One of more interesting topics discussed by Xerox was its push into IT services. By acquiring ITSavvy, Xerox aims to help partners diversify beyond the traditional hardware-and-supplies model. The presentation on this topic stressed practical offerings like cloud solutions, cybersecurity, and collaboration tools—areas that promise recurring revenue and deeper customer relationships. Who doesn’t want to go deeper in their accounts?

“Managed print services remains central to our DNA,” Deena LaMarque Piquion noted, “but we’re going to keep adding layers that make us—and our partners—sticky.”

Xerox pledged that training, marketing materials, and simplified portals are on the way. PS, Xerox’s IT services are already knocking on the door of $1B in annual revenue.

Hats, Nightlife, and Wrapping Up

Of course, no Industry Analysts coverage would be complete without a What’s Happenin’ hat sighting or two. John Bruno seemed to like his! The summit’s social side culminated with an over-the-top dinner at a hip Las Vegas nightclub, complete with sponsor logos projected onto multi-story screens.

Day 2 had more presentations, including the one from Aston Martin. Working with a Formula One brand like this reminds me of the old days when Xerox sponsored Ducati racing, built motorcycles with Arlen Ness and had some swagger. In some ways, that feeling and excitement is back.

Terry Antinora finished the morning presentations with product updates. Refreshes will be coming across the board and some legendary brands are retiring after many years of service. Xerox is upgrading to a better, faster, newer platform and the Nuvera will go the way of other legendary products like the 1090 and iGen3. I hope they keep that Arlen Ness bike, which, last I checked, still sits in the lobby of the Gil Hatch Center for Customer Innovation in Webster, NY.

Final Thoughts

Even though I am writing this article as the stock sits at a 52 week low, I still feel encouraged after listening to two days of presentations and chatting with senior executives and resellers. As an industry analyst, I look at them differently than financial analysts and while they may have problems to work out, they do seem to have a strategy.

What have they done since their last dealer conference?

• Got activist investor Carl Icon out of the company, allowing them to focus on long term goals instead of short term gains
• Acquiring Lexmark, bringing back their own manufacturing, a robust A4 line, a new A3 line and hundreds of reseller partners, most of whom Xerox does not yet work with
• Acquired ITSavvy, moving Xerox firmly into managed IT services as a nearly $1 billion company
• Invested heavily in AI, working towards turn key products resellers can offer their customers

Overall, dealers and partners seem cautiously optimistic. The company’s leaders have staked their reputations on making the turnaround happen. They’ve done it before. Can they do it again? They’re definitely working on it.

SOURCE Industry Analysts Inc.