Hammer has launched Hammer AI Works, a programme for UK channel partners working on artificial intelligence projects.

The initiative combines a partner portal, a laboratory for demonstrations and proof-of-concept work, and access to specialist support across sales, technical design and data science. It is designed to address common barriers to AI deployment, including fragmented data, skills shortages and infrastructure complexity.

Through the launch, Hammer is repositioning its role beyond hardware and software distribution by building a broader network around AI delivery. That network includes vendors, resellers, integrators, AI consultants and independent software vendors, with an emphasis on linking strategy, design, implementation and deployment.

At the centre of the programme is the Hammer AI Works Portal, described as a community hub for collaboration, knowledge sharing and opportunity development. Alongside it is the Hammer AI Works Labouratory, where partners can run live demonstrations, test proof-of-concept projects and validate AI architectures before wider deployment.

The laboratory is intended to give partners a practical setting to assess use cases and reduce the risk of design failures. The programme also provides access to pre-sales solution architects, dedicated AI specialists, and a network of data science and AI consultants.

Channel focus

The launch reflects a wider shift in the technology channel as distributors and service providers move from supplying products to supporting complete project delivery. In AI, that shift has become more urgent as customers try to move systems from early experiments into day-to-day operations.

Many organisations have struggled to move beyond pilot projects. The market has been marked by a large number of limited trials that have not translated into production systems, often because data readiness, infrastructure demands and specialist expertise have proved harder to resolve than expected.

Hammer is positioning AI Works as a way to bring those elements together in a single structure. The programme also includes access to vertically focused software vendors and support from the Hammer Integration Centre for integration, hardware and networking design.

Adam Blackwell, Director of AI, Server, and Advanced Technology, Hammer, said: “AI has moved from a ‘nice-to-have’ to a strategic imperative, yet the complexity of the landscape remains a significant barrier. With Hammer AI Works, we aren’t just distributing technology; we are providing the roadmap and the engine. Our new Labouratory and ecosystem of specialists allow our partners to stop experimenting in isolation and start delivering production-ready solutions at scale.”

Broader model

For channel partners, the model is intended to create a route from opportunity identification to technical validation and deployment support. That matters in AI projects, where commercial discussions often begin before customers have clear views on data quality, compute requirements, model integration or sector-specific software needs.

By bringing alliances, technical advisory staff and external consultants together under one programme, Hammer is aiming to make it easier for partners to access the range of expertise a typical AI project requires. The inclusion of specialist consultancies and industry-focused software providers suggests the company sees sector use cases as an important part of moving AI deals from concept to implementation.

The laboratory is likely to be one of the most visible parts of the launch. In practical terms, facilities for running demonstrations and testing architectures can help partners show customers how systems might work before larger spending decisions are made. That could also reduce reliance on slide-based pitches in a market where buyers increasingly want evidence that projects can be deployed and maintained.

The partner portal serves a different function by creating a shared environment for the various participants in the ecosystem. If used actively, it could help distributors, resellers, integrators and software suppliers exchange information on opportunities and technical requirements more quickly.

Skills gap

The launch also highlights a shortage of specialist AI skills. Many resellers and infrastructure partners are still building internal expertise in data science, model deployment and AI governance, creating openings for distributors and consultancies to provide support.

AI Works includes dedicated specialists across alliances, sales and technical advisory, as well as pre-sales solution architects. It also provides access to data science and AI consultants, reflecting the fact that many projects need outside expertise at the design stage as well as during implementation.

The wider aim is to help partners guide customers through strategy, architecture and deployment without having to source every element themselves. That approach may appeal particularly to mid-market channel firms that have customer relationships and infrastructure knowledge but lack large in-house AI teams.

Partners using the laboratory will be able to run live demonstrations, validate AI use cases and architectures, engage customers through guided sessions, and build confidence in solution design and delivery.

Cooper & Franklin Limited, based in the village of Fencott near Kidlington, has gone into members’ voluntary liquidation after its owners resolved to close the company.

The firm, incorporated in May 2007, specialised in the development of building projects and was registered and trading from a Kidlington address.

A general meeting of shareholders on Friday, March 27, passed resolutions to wind up the company voluntarily and appoint insolvency specialists Antony Batty & Co as joint liquidators.

READ MORE: Cotswolds firm in liquidation after almost nine years of trading

Lawrence King and Matthew Waghorn, of Antony Batty & Co’s Thames Valley office in Little Baldon, near Oxford, were appointed as joint liquidators on the same day.

Their appointment was formally recorded in the London Gazette on 1 April.

According to statutory notices, directors have made a declaration of solvency, meaning all known creditors are expected to be paid in full despite the closure.

READ MORE: Trips cancelled as UK travel company goes into liquidation

Creditors have been told to submit details of any claims to the liquidators by Friday, April 24, ahead of a first and final distribution, after which any remaining funds will be returned to shareholders.

The notices do not give any further details about the reasons for the liquidation beyond the formal resolutions and declaration of solvency.

This newspaper has approached Cooper & Franklin for comment on the liquidation.

TeamSystem has acquired French accounting software provider ACD, expanding the Italian group’s presence in France.

In a separate transaction, it also acquired DIA Yazılım, a cloud software company in Türkiye, as it continues to build its business outside Italy.

ACD develops accounting and management software for accounting firms and related professionals in France. Founded in 2004, it now serves about 3,200 firms, which in turn support more than 1.3 million businesses.

Based in Tours and Aix-en-Provence, ACD generated about EUR €35 million in revenue in 2024 and employs more than 280 people. Its products cover accounting production, practice management, customer relationship management, document management and payroll.

The acquisition gives TeamSystem a larger foothold in a market undergoing changes to administrative and tax processes as electronic invoicing is introduced in stages. Italy has already adopted that model, and TeamSystem has built much of its domestic business around software used by companies and professional firms to manage those requirements.

France is an important market for accounting and compliance software providers because accounting firms play a central role in helping small businesses manage reporting and tax obligations. ACD’s customer base places it firmly in that segment, supplying tools used in the day-to-day operations of professional firms.

Federico Leproux, TeamSystem’s chief executive, said France was central to the group’s plans beyond Italy.

“Given the importance of professional services firms in its economic system and the profound transformation under way in administrative and tax processes, France plays a strategic role in our European growth journey,” Leproux said. “The French context is closely aligned with Italy’s, where electronic invoicing marked a milestone in the digitalisation of companies and SMEs. With the acquisition of ACD, we aim to bring this expertise to France, supporting professionals in their daily activities and helping them navigate the digital transformation.”

Türkiye Expansion

The second deal adds DIA Yazılım to TeamSystem’s portfolio. The Turkish company provides cloud ERP software for small and medium-sized enterprises and supports tens of thousands of users in its domestic market.

DIA Yazılım employs more than 100 people and offers modular software designed to meet SMEs’ operational and regulatory requirements. The acquisition extends TeamSystem’s management software business into another market where it sees similarities with Italy in regulatory and business needs.

Leproux said the Turkish acquisition followed the same approach TeamSystem has used in other countries, growing through local businesses.

“The acquisition of DIA further accelerates our growth in Türkiye. In line with our other key markets, we have adopted a long-term approach based on pursuing targeted investments, capitalising on local expertise and implementing solutions that meet the needs of SMEs, where efficiency and user experience are increasingly driving digitalisation,” he said.

Broader Growth

The two acquisitions come as TeamSystem further expands into European and nearby markets with software for businesses, accountants, and other professionals. It closed 2024 with revenue of EUR €1 billion, up 19 per cent year on year, and had more than 5,000 employees serving around 2.5 million customers.

Its products focus on business management, cloud software, and tools for running internal processes and compliance tasks. The group has positioned itself as a provider to SMEs and professional firms, both in Italy and in selected international markets where regulation and digitisation are reshaping administrative work.

Both France and Türkiye offer sizeable SME markets and established professional services sectors, making them natural targets for software groups expanding through acquisition. In France, mandatory electronic invoicing is changing how companies, accountants and software suppliers manage tax and billing processes. In Türkiye, cloud business software has been gaining wider use among smaller companies.

Advisers on the ACD deal included EY for financial, tax and HR due diligence and Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer for legal work. On the DIA transaction, TeamSystem used Core Finance as M&A adviser, PwC for financial, tax and HR due diligence, and Esin Attorney for legal matters, while DIA Yazılım was advised by Keco Legal and Dora Capital.