Microsoft hails 'biggest deal of its kind' for UK VAR

Sheffield-based VAR AAG announces £6m deal with Slimming World for bespoke laptops and tablets

Ambitious VAR AAG Systems has announced it has secured a bespoke tablet and laptop deal with Slimming World that Microsoft has called the "largest deal of its kind anywhere in the world".

The agreement will see the Sheffield-based firm provide 5,000 tablets and 4,000 laptops for the UK's weight loss organisation Slimming World and could be worth up to £6m.

The outline of the deal was reported by CRN in November, but now the full details have been announced.

The contract will see AAG more than double its turnover, which reached £5m for its last financial year ending 31 March.

Following the Slimming World deal, AAG's director of sales, technology and innovation, Joey Hemingbrough (pictured centre) said she expected the firm's turnover to exceed £12m for its upcoming fiscal year.

Ther breakdown of tablets comprised 3,000 bespoke devices and 2,000 HP tablets which AAG provided, while the laptops were all custom built.

Hemingbrough said: "We were determined to provide Slimming World with a completely bespoke solution. With the volume of equipment involved, we were able to go direct to the manufacturers in China and have the tablets produced precisely to the specification Slimming World needed, rather than that of a hardware supplier.

"An added bonus was that Microsoft has indicated that they believe this to be the largest ODM [original design manufacturer] deal of its kind. This news has attracted significant interest from many other organisations for whom a complete ODM solution is an attractive option," she added.

Hemingbrough said that following the deal AAG has begun working with Microsoft on mobile device projects, with some "very large clients", such as FTSE 100 companies and police forces.

"On the back of the Sliming World deal, Microsoft approached us, and to my knowledge we are the only partner they are engaged with delivering these kind of solutions in their entirety in the B2B enterprise market," she commented.

Liz Bullimore, IT manager for Slimming World, said: "We are delighted to have worked with AAG Systems to develop this bespoke tablet. Like all our technological developments, this investment has been made with one aim: to further improve the service we give to our much-valued members."