ABS
ABS UK Ltd is a family-run, Halifax-based managed technology services provider delivering managed print, IT support, cybersecurity, cloud, telecoms, and document management to 450+ UK SMEs across education, healthcare, legal, and other sectors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1992
- HeadquartersHalifax, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What ABS does
ABS UK Ltd is a privately held, family-run managed technology services provider headquartered in Elland near Halifax, West Yorkshire. The company delivers managed print services, managed IT support, cybersecurity, cloud (Microsoft 365/Azure), business telecoms/VoIP, and document management (including SharePoint) to more than 450 organisations across the UK, with a primary focus on small and medium-sized enterprises and a vertical mix spanning education, healthcare, legal, construction, charity, manufacturing, retail, and professional services. Its underlying technology stack is anchored by an in-house automated service system that ingests device telemetry and produces billing and service updates on a two-hour cycle, complemented by tightly integrated partner platforms — PaperCut and PaperCut Hive for print management, Bitdefender for device security, Tungsten Power PDF for document productivity, and Microsoft/Google directories for identity — wrapped around Ricoh, HP, and DEVELOP hardware.
Revenue is generated through a mix of recurring managed services contracts (3-year managed print and IT support terms with fixed monthly fees), hardware leasing with included warranties, one-off hardware sales, and resale of third-party software. Go-to-market is sales-led via dedicated account managers, inside sales (phone and website enquiry), free IT/print/cybersecurity audits as lead generation, a £200-Amazon-voucher referral programme, a cross-referral partnership with Crest IT Solutions, and local community sponsorships (Bradford Bulls, Halifax 10K). The ABS Foundation, funded by a portion of every contract, functions as a social-value differentiator and marketing channel. Founded in 1992 (registered company number 02685351) and operating with 11-50 employees, ABS holds ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials, and Cyber Essentials Plus certifications, supporting its positioning as a trusted regional managed services partner.
ABS firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ABS
- Legal name
- ABS UK Ltd
- Website
- https://absabetterway.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1992
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- ABS UK Ltd is a family-run, Halifax-based managed technology services provider delivering managed print, IT support, cybersecurity, cloud, telecoms, and document management to 450+ UK SMEs across education, healthcare, legal, and other sectors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where ABS is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Halifax
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
ABS business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Managed Print Services: Comprehensive managed print services including printers, photocopiers, fleet managed print, and print management software (PaperCut). Delivered through leasing arrangements with service included, typically 3-year contracts.
- IT Support & Services: Managed IT support including proactive monitoring, security, helpdesk, cloud solutions (Microsoft 365, Azure), IT audits, and hardware support. Most clients move to fixed monthly costs based on environment size and complexity.
- Cybersecurity Services: Cybersecurity offerings including penetration testing, Cyber Essentials certification, ISO 27001, phishing simulation, staff training, and cyber insurance advisory services.
- Telecoms: Business telecoms and VoIP solutions providing voice communications services.
- Document Management: Digital document storage and SharePoint document management solutions.
- IT Hardware Sales & Leasing: Sale and leasing of IT hardware including devices and infrastructure. Flexible leasing options with predictable monthly payments and easy upgrades, 3-year warranties included.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Fixed Monthly IT Support |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Managed Print Contract |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | IT Hardware Leasing |
| Other | Other | Referral Reward |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
ABS product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ABS provides managed print services, managed IT support, cybersecurity, business telecoms (VoIP), and document management solutions to UK businesses. Services are delivered through leasing arrangements, fixed monthly subscriptions, and on-site/remote support, with hardware sourced from partners such as Ricoh, HP, and DEVELOP.
Product overview
ABS is a managed IT, print, and technology solutions provider offering an integrated portfolio of services. The core offering includes Managed Print Services (photocopiers, printers, leasing, fleet management) and IT Services (managed IT support, hardware, cloud solutions via Microsoft 365/Azure, IT audits, helpdesk). These core services are supplemented by Cybersecurity (penetration testing, Cyber Essentials/ISO 27001 certification support, phishing training), Document Management (digital storage, SharePoint), and Telecoms (VoIP). ABS also resells Tungsten Power PDF as a complementary document productivity tool. The company operates through technology partnerships with Ricoh, HP, and DEVELOP for hardware, and integrates with PaperCut/PaperCut Hive for print management, Microsoft Entra ID/Google Workspace for identity, and Bitdefender for printer security.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Managed Print Services Comprehensive managed print solution providing printers, photocopiers, and ongoing servicing with predictable costs, proactive monitoring, automated consumables ordering, maintenance, and service support.
- Photocopier Leasing
- Fleet Managed Print Centralized management of print fleets across multiple locations, providing unified monitoring, reporting, and maintenance for organizations with distributed printer/copier assets.
- Refurbished Photocopiers and Printers
- Managed IT Support Proactive monitoring, security, and unlimited IT support services available 24/7 to keep business systems reliable, secure, and running smoothly with hybrid on-site and remote support.
- IT Hardware and Technology Solutions Supply and support of business IT hardware including devices and infrastructure, helping organizations select and implement appropriate technology solutions.
- Cloud Solutions Secure, scalable cloud services including Microsoft 365, Azure, and backup solutions for flexibility, resilience, and business continuity.
- IT Helpdesk and Service Desk Responsive IT support resolving issues quickly to minimize disruption with 2-hour average helpdesk response and local engineers across the UK.
- Penetration Testing Cybersecurity service that tests organization defenses by simulating attacks to identify vulnerabilities before malicious actors can exploit them.
- Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus Certification UK government-backed certification schemes providing organizations with guidance on basic cyber hygiene and independent external testing of security controls.
- ISO 27001 Information Security Implementation and certification support for ISO 27001, the international standard for information security management systems.
- Phishing Simulation and Staff Cyber Training Employee cybersecurity awareness training including simulated phishing attacks to test vulnerability and educate staff on recognizing threats.
- Digital Document Storage Digital document storage solutions enabling secure, organized storage and retrieval of documents with backup and compliance features.
- SharePoint Document Management Document management services built on Microsoft SharePoint platform, enabling organizations to organize, collaborate on, and govern documents effectively.
- Business Telecoms and VoIP Telecommunications solutions including Voice over IP (VoIP) services for business communications, providing cost-effective and flexible voice connectivity.
- IT Hardware Leasing Access to latest business technology through flexible leasing options with predictable monthly payments and easy upgrade pathways, including 3-year warranties.
- Tungsten Power PDF PDF editing software (formerly Nuance Power PDF) resold by ABS as an affordable alternative to Adobe Acrobat, providing create, edit, convert, and secure PDF functionality.
Quantifiable outcome
- 2-hour average IT helpdesk response time (2025)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use ABS
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
ABS technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration10 records
AI capability1 record
Feature1 record
ABS partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Bradford BullscoreABS supplies print and copier solutions to Bradford Bulls stadium, academy, and foundation. ABS also serves as Associate Matchday Sponsor each season, providing both technology solutions and sponsorship support.
- RicohcoreTechnology partner providing print and copier technology. ABS works closely with Ricoh to meet customer printing, copying and scanning technology needs.
- HPcoreTechnology partner providing A3 multifunction printers and printing solutions. ABS offers HP printers and utilizes HP security features for print environments.
- DEVELOPcoreTechnology partner providing multifunction printers (MFPs) with green energy efficiency features including LED scanning, dynamic eco timers, and low TEC values.
- Crest IT SolutionscoreAffiliated IT company with shared referral scheme. ABS and Crest IT have cross-referral arrangements where each can refer customers to the other. Crest IT requires minimum £150 + VAT per month for 12-month term for referral rewards.
- PaperCutcoreABS offers PaperCut and PaperCut Hive print management software solutions. PaperCut provides print tracking, secure printing, cost control, and sustainability features. PaperCut Hive is the cloud-based version.
- MicrosoftcoreABS delivers cloud services including Microsoft 365 and Azure, supports Windows migrations, and uses Microsoft Copilot internally for business operations.
- Halifax HarriersminorLocal running club that organized the inaugural Halifax 10K. ABS served as race sponsor, demonstrating community involvement.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
ABS competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Apogee Corporation: One of the largest independent managed print and document services providers in the UK, offering photocopier leasing, managed print, and document workflow solutions to mid-market and enterprise customers — a direct competitor to ABS in the same product category and customer base.
- Focus Group: UK-based managed services provider offering telecoms, broadband, mobile, IT support, and cybersecurity to SMEs — closely comparable to ABS in customer segment (UK SMEs), service mix (managed IT + telecoms + security), and recurring-revenue business model.
- Mirus IT: UK managed IT services and cybersecurity provider targeting SMEs with managed support, cloud (Microsoft 365), and security offerings — a comparable regional MSP with similar customer size, geography (UK), and managed services portfolio.
- Razorblue: UK managed IT services and cloud provider offering managed support, cybersecurity, and cloud solutions to mid-market organisations — comparable to ABS in business model (subscription managed services), UK focus, and SME/mid-market customer base.
- Chess ICT: UK-based provider of managed IT, telecoms, and connectivity services to SMEs — directly comparable to ABS in its bundled managed services approach (IT + telecoms + cybersecurity) targeting UK businesses of similar size.
- Air IT: UK managed service provider offering IT support, cloud, cybersecurity, and strategic IT consulting to SMEs and mid-market — comparable to ABS in target customer, service portfolio, and recurring managed services model.
- Datapac: Irish/UK managed IT services and office technology provider offering managed print, IT support, and document solutions — directly comparable to ABS in its print-plus-IT positioning for SME and enterprise customers.
Broad incumbents
- Ricoh UK: Global manufacturer and direct provider of managed print services, document solutions, and IT services — competes with ABS both as a vendor partner and as a direct provider at the enterprise end of the market.
- Softcat: Large UK IT infrastructure and services reseller and managed services provider — overlaps with ABS on IT support, cloud, and cybersecurity offerings but at substantially larger scale and with a different GTM (larger enterprise customers).
Others
- Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK): Major global vendor of multifunction printers and managed print/document services — operates in the same space as ABS both as a hardware supplier and as a direct competitor for large managed print contracts.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ABS social profiles
Digital presenceABS compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
ABS financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ABS leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
ABS funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ABS M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ABS
What does ABS do?
ABS provides managed print services, managed IT support, cybersecurity, business telecoms (VoIP), and document management solutions to UK businesses. Services are delivered through leasing arrangements, fixed monthly subscriptions, and on-site/remote support, with hardware sourced from partners such as Ricoh, HP, and DEVELOP.
Is ABS a public or private company?
ABS is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was ABS founded?
ABS was founded in 1992. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is ABS based?
ABS is headquartered in Halifax, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does ABS make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Managed Print Services are the primary driver. The others are IT Support & Services, cybersecurity Services, telecoms, document Management and IT Hardware Sales & Leasing.
Who are ABS's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Apogee Corporation, Focus Group, Mirus IT, Razorblue, Chess ICT, Air IT and Datapac. Broad incumbents are Ricoh UK and Softcat. Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK) is listed as an others.
Does ABS have an API?
No public API is recorded for ABS.