NCS was told last Friday following the last of several unsuccessful attempts by Creo to buy the Newcastle-based firm.

"Creo seems to believe that there is only room for one provider of their equipment and more importantly after-sales service in the UK," said NCS managing director Roger Stockdale.

NCS will continue to offer service and support for Creo equipment once its reseller agreement ends.

It is looking for a replacement platesetter range.

"We were never comfortable with the concept of selling our service business to Creo and not accepting their offers in my opinion was acting in the best interests of our employees and our clients," said joint sales director Richard Bates. "NCS fundamentally disagrees with this and believes the UK market deserves and needs choice."

NCS was a level four Creo dealer, which meant it had access to the firm's entire product range, as well as selling other third-party workflow products.

"As an independent integrator we're helping customers and offering a choice it's fundamental," said joint sales director Tony Newton.

Creo UK sales director Nigel Street said there was no way to continue that was "complementary" to both businesses.

 "I'm and advocate of dealers, I'd like them to be complementary and aligned," said Street.

"They (NCS) were a level four dealer, we won't want one of them again," he added.

Street said it was a UK decision and wasn't part of a wider move towards just selling direct.

NCS has been a major Creo and previously Scitex dealer for 12 years.

Newton said: "We've got 50 years' more sales experience selling Creo than Creo UK's entire sales team."

Pictured, left to right: Newton, Stockdale and Bates.

Story by Barney Cox