Steljes has announced a breakthrough in audiovisual technology for the corporate sector which, it said, will make it a more lucrative market than the public sector.

Last week, the Surrey-based distributor unveiled three new products from Smart that create a hybrid conference and interactive whiteboard (IWB) system. The beauty of the Smart Hub PE260, Smart Meeting Pro and Smart Hub SE240, according to Steljes, is their ease of use.

Once installed and configured by a reseller, a web or videoconference using the whiteboard can be set up in seconds. This will popularise boardroom-style conference technology, claimed Steljes.

Steljes sales director Mark Bird, said: “We have tried to get Smart into the non-education market for ages. Now we have a product that will make it happen.”

Smart’s hub systems use software, known as Bridget, which allows them to integrate easily with boardroom videoconferencing systems. Bird claimed that unlike traditional videoconferencing, a meeting can be instantly set up, and the systems are a lot cheaper.

With margins at about 25 per cent, and a clear sales proposition, Bird argued this could be the innovation that makes IWBs a corporate and SME product once again.

Daryl Clark, managing director of VAR Matrix Display Systems, which has already been involved in two trial installations, said: “IT departments enthuse about this because they do not have to get involved in supporting it. Resellers can support it remotely. This has great potential.”