VALLEY FORGE, Pa.--Nov. 18, 2003-- IKON Office Solutions, the world's largest independent channel for document management systems and services, and HP today announced an expanded relationship focused on delivering networked, multifunction peripherals (MFPs) and document management services to companies looking to integrate technology investments and improve productivity and efficiency. Based on IKON's expertise in providing best-in-class document management solutions, consultative approach and extensive sales and service coverage, HP has chosen IKON for distributing HP's new digital, copier-based HP LaserJet 9055mfp and HP LaserJet 9065mfp, and providing complementary document management services. IKON will provide service support for HP's entire family of MFPs through 7,000 service professionals as well as related document assessment and workflow consulting services through IKON's team of analysts and document management consultants. "Copier and printer technologies are rapidly converging on the network, making the digital workplace more achievable than before, and at the same time bringing companies increased opportunities for improved efficiency and productivity through document workflow and infrastructure management," explained Don Dixon, Principal Analyst for Gartner, Inc. "The pairing of HP and IKON in the delivery of MFP technology and network management tools, along with the related services required to design and deploy a workflow solution, represents a strong value proposition for customers," said Charlie Corr, Group Director at CAP Ventures. "Our complete understanding of a customer's environment and the required solution, whether next-generation color or networked multifunctional capabilities, is core to achieving the workflow and productivity improvements and high return on investment customers require," added Cathy Lewis, Senior Vice President of Marketing at IKON. "HP's recognition among customers for reliable connectivity and network management tools is reassuring to decision-makers faced with IT challenges as devices converge on the network. Our expanded relationship with HP complements our work with other trusted, leading technology and equipment providers like Canon and Ricoh as we bring together best-in-class solutions and proven services that solve customers' increasingly complex document-based IT and business problems." IKON professionals will support customers implementing HP MFPs, as a part of the expanded relationship, and offer services ranging from print and enterprise-wide document assessments to workflow and application support and planning essential to taking full advantage of HP's multifunction technology. The new HP LaserJet 9055mfp and HP LaserJet 9065mfp are HP's first offerings in the digital copier-based MFP space and provide full-featured paper handling, cost-effective two-part toner imaging systems and the same trusted print and networking management capabilities that have helped make HP the world's leader in enterprise imaging and printing. Easily connected to networks with HP's proven Web Jetadmin network administration tools, which minimize time-to-deployment and maintenance, the HP LaserJet 9055mfp and HP LaserJet 9065mfp are designed to maximize productivity within large departments and networked print environments. "With two of the industry's leading companies in service and solution delivery to customers, IKON's powerful sales and service coverage, expertly-trained personnel, and experience in multifunction peripheral and document workflow support which complement HP's enterprise printing strategy, we can both better deliver on our customers' evolving needs," said Rich Raimondi, Vice President, HP, U.S. Imaging and Printing Group. The HP LaserJet 9055mfp and HP LaserJet 9065mfp are immediately available through IKON in the United States, with future availability planned in Europe and Canada.