Commercial Business Equipment

What Commercial Business Equipment does

Commercial Business Equipment Ltd (trading as CBE Ltd) is a privately held, family-owned office equipment supplier headquartered in Leyland, Preston, UK, founded in 1989 by Neil Moores. The company sells, leases, rents, and services multifunctional photocopiers and wide-format printers, primarily under the Develop (Konica Minolta sub-brand) and Canon lineups, with pricing tiers ranging from £25 to £105 per month depending on machine speed and configuration. Revenue is generated through a mix of recurring channels: 3-5 year leases, rolling monthly rentals, cost-per-copy managed print solutions bundling consumables and maintenance, outright equipment sales, on-site repair services with a four-hour response SLA across the North West, and consumables (toner and ink) sold for next-day UK delivery.

The technical stack centres on Develop Ineo and Konica Minolta multifunctional devices with print/copy/scan/fax, touchscreen operation, Wi-Fi, AirPrint, and duplex finishing options, complemented by Canon TA-20, TM-200, and TM-300MFP wide-format printers for A0/A1 output. CBE has also developed proprietary in-house software systems for remote monitoring of field equipment and proactive consumables delivery, and offers WoLMobile, a smartphone-based visitor management software with QR code sign-in, badge printing, and pandemic screening features.

Commercial operations are run through direct sales (website quote forms, phone at 01772 822777, and on-site consultations), with distribution concentrated in the North West, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Cheshire, and North Wales, supported by 30+ city-specific SEO landing pages for broader UK reach. Customers include BAE Systems, BBC, ITV, and R&A alongside manufacturing, legal, accountancy, construction, and SMB segments. All senior roles (Sales Director, Field Service Director, Service Director) are held by members of the Moores family, and the company has explicitly rejected acquisition offers from national chains in favour of remaining independent.

Name

Commercial Business Equipment

Legal name

Commercial Business Equipment Limited

Website

https://cbe-ltd.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Commercial Business Equipment (CBE Ltd) is a family-owned UK office equipment supplier selling, leasing, renting, and servicing Develop/Konica Minolta photocopiers and Canon wide-format printers for businesses across the North West, Lancashire, and Yorkshire, with 3-5 year leases, managed print, and on-site repair.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Office Equipment and Managed Print Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Printing (32312)

SIC

Printing Trades Machinery & Equipment (3555), Service Industries For The Printing Trade (2790)

akta.pro primary industry

Production & High-Volume Printing Systems (HDACAEAJ)

Keywords

• Photocopier leasing
• Managed print services
• Office equipment supply
• Wide format printing
• Photocopier repair

Headquarters

HQ city

Leyland

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Photocopier Leasing: Long-term lease agreements typically 3-5 years, allowing businesses to spread costs of photocopiers with fixed monthly payments. Customers get new equipment with full service and maintenance included.
2. Photocopier Rental: Flexible monthly rolling contracts for short-term or temporary needs. More flexible than leasing with ability to upgrade or change machines without penalties.
3. Managed Print Solutions: Cost per copy pricing covering all consumables, maintenance, repairs, and preventative maintenance. Customers pay a small cost per copy and receive all service, parts, toner and maintenance included.
4. Photocopier Sales: Outright purchase of new or reconditioned photocopiers with optional maintenance packages.
5. Photocopier Repair Services: On-site repair and servicing for photocopiers and printers with four-hour response time target over the North West region.
6. Toner and Ink Cartridges: Sale of toner cartridges and ink cartridges for all photocopier machines with next business day delivery throughout UK.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Commercial Business Equipment (CBE) supplies, leases, rents, and services multifunctional photocopiers, wide format printers, and related consumables to UK businesses. The company offers Develop Ineo (Konica Minolta) colour and black-and-white photocopiers, Canon and Epson wide format printers, and toner/ink cartridges, available through outright purchase, 3-5 year leasing, rolling monthly rental, or fully managed cost-per-copy service plans bundled with on-site repair and maintenance.

Product overview

Commercial Business Equipment (CBE) is a family-run office equipment supplier offering photocopiers, wide format printers, and related services. The core product portfolio centres on Develop Ineo colour and black & white multifunctional photocopiers (a Konica Minolta sub-brand), complemented by Canon and Epson wide format printers for large-format output. These hardware products are available through multiple procurement models: outright purchase, leasing (3-5 year terms), or flexible rental with rolling monthly contracts. CBE also provides managed print solutions (cost-per-copy service plans), on-site repair with 4-hour response, and a separate visitor management software product called WoLMobile. The offering is unified by the company's emphasis on bundled service and maintenance rather than hardware-only sales.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Photocopier Leasing Equipment financing service allowing UK businesses to spread the cost of new photocopiers over 3-5 year terms with fixed monthly payments, bundled with full service and maintenance from CBE's own engineering team.
• Photocopier Rental Flexible short-term and rolling monthly equipment hire for photocopiers, allowing customers to upgrade or change machines without penalties. Ideal for temporary or variable-volume needs.
• Managed Print Solutions Cost-per-copy managed printing service covering all consumables, servicing, repairs, preventative maintenance, remote monitoring, and firmware updates for a fixed per-page fee.
• Photocopier Repair On-site technical service and repair for photocopiers and printers with a four-hour engineer response time across the North West UK region.
• Reconditioned Photocopier Sales and Lease Ex-rental photocopiers that have been fully reconditioned with rigorous component replacement and testing, available for purchase or lease at lower price points than new equipment.
• Toner and Ink Cartridges Full range of toner cartridges and ink cartridges compatible with all photocopier machines, available with next-business-day delivery throughout the UK.
• Develop Ineo+ Colour Copiers Range of A3 and A4 multifunctional colour photocopiers (Develop Ineo+ 250i, 251i, 257i, 301i, 3321i, 361i, 4050i, 451i, 551i, 651i, 751i) with print speeds from 25 to 75 ppm, touchscreen operation, finishing options, Wi-Fi, AirPrint, duplex printing, and network connectivity.
• Develop Ineo Black & White Copiers Range of A3 and A4 multifunctional monochrome photocopiers (Develop Ineo 227, 287, 367, 4051i) with print speeds from 22 to 40 ppm, intuitive touch operation, embedded controllers, and duplex printing.
• Wide Format Printers Large format colour printers and multifunction devices including Canon TA-20 A1, Canon TA-30 A0/A1, Canon TM-200, Canon TM-300MFP L36ei, and Epson SC-T3100 24 inch A1, supporting CAD, architectural, engineering, and construction drawings.
• WoLMobile Visitor Management Software Smartphone-based visitor management solution offering touchless sign-in, badge printing, pre-registration with QR code check-ins, automated notifications, pandemic screening questionnaires, real-time site occupancy reporting, and emergency evacuation support for offices and facilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4-hour emergency response time
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Konica Minolta / DevelopcoreTechnology or IntegrationPrimary equipment supplier for photocopiers and multifunction printers. Develop is a brand of Konica Minolta, a leading global brand in office technology. CBE supplies Develop Ineo photocopiers which are rebranded Konica Minolta machines with features including print, copy, scan, fax, touchscreen operation, and various finishing options.
• CanoncoreTechnology or IntegrationSupplier of wide format printers including Canon TA-20 A1, Canon TA-30 A0/A1, Canon TM-200, Canon TM-300MFP models. Canon is a leading brand in large format printing technology.
• EpsonsupportingTechnology or IntegrationSupplier of wide format printers including Epson SC-T3100 24 inch A1 printer. While CBE no longer actively stocks Epson, they can still assist with enquiries for Epson products.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Sharp UK: UK arm of Sharp, manufacturer of multifunctional office printers and document solutions. Competes with CBE in the MFP and managed print segment, including for the same enterprise and mid-market customers.
• Epson UK: UK subsidiary of Epson, manufacturer of inkjet office and wide-format printers. Already a supply partner to CBE for wide-format devices, Epson also competes more broadly as an OEM in the office and large-format printing categories.
• Canon UK: UK subsidiary of Canon, a manufacturer of office MFPs and wide-format printers. CBE already partners with Canon for wide-format printers, but Canon also competes through direct sales and national service channels in the broader office print market.
• Ricoh UK: UK subsidiary of Ricoh, a global manufacturer of multifunctional printers, managed print services, and document workflow solutions. Competes with CBE both directly (MFP hardware) and through national MPS contracts in the same enterprise accounts CBE serves.
• Konica Minolta Business Solutions UK: The UK arm of Konica Minolta, manufacturer of the Develop-branded MFPs that CBE resells. As both OEM partner and broader-market incumbent, Konica Minolta competes directly with its own dealer channel through direct sales and national MPS contracts.
• Xerox UK: UK operations of Xerox, offering multifunctional printers, managed print services, and document technology. Overlaps with CBE across MFP sales/leasing and managed print, often competing for the same enterprise and SMB customers.
• Kyocera Document Solutions UK: UK subsidiary of Kyocera, manufacturer of ECOSYS multifunctional printers and managed print solutions. Competes with CBE in the office MFP and managed print market, often via dealer channels that overlap with CBE's geography.

Direct peers

• Pure Office Solutions: UK independent office equipment dealer providing photocopier leasing, managed print services, and document solutions to businesses. Closely mirrors CBE's combination of hardware supply, recurring lease/managed print contracts, and regional service coverage.
• Printerland: UK photocopier and printer retailer offering sales, leasing and managed print services across multifunctional devices from leading manufacturers. Directly comparable product catalogue (MFPs, leasing/rental plans, service) and customer base to CBE.
• Altodigital: UK-based independent photocopier and managed print services provider offering multifunctional devices, leasing, and on-site support. Operates a similar dealer-and-service model targeting UK businesses, with comparable revenue streams from leasing, managed print, and consumables.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cbeltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Commercial Business Equipment