AI video conferencing company Owl Labs has agreed a distribution partnership with UK-based IT distributor Westcoast Limited to expand availability of its hybrid meeting solutions across the UK and Ireland, with the full Meeting Owl and Owl Bar product ranges to be carried through Westcoast's Unified Communications division. The agreement, reported by NTB Kommunikasjon, targets the persistent technical friction that continues to undermine hybrid meeting productivity across British and Irish workplaces.

Research from Owl Labs' State of Hybrid Work report found that 79% of workers lose time in meetings due to technical difficulties, including camera setup and connectivity failures. The partnership is designed to reduce that burden by making Owl Labs products simpler to source, deploy and support through an established reseller network.

The deal follows the launch of the Meeting Owl 5 Pro, a 360-degree camera, speaker and microphone device built for enterprise environments, offering a single-cable BYOD experience and certified for Microsoft Teams.

Frank Weishaupt, CEO of Owl Labs, said: "Technology should not be a barrier to hybrid work. Our partnership with Westcoast represents a significant step in our UK growth strategy, aligning our products with a distributor that shares our dedication to customer success."

Sam Armstrong, Unified Communications Business Manager at Westcoast, said: "As demand for hybrid working continues to grow, our partners and customers are seeking reliable, intuitive solutions that drive productivity and collaboration."

The agreement is non-exclusive, meaning Owl Labs partners retain the option to purchase through existing distribution channels alongside Westcoast.

Get the complete picture on the partnership and Owl Labs' expansion plans.