OPI APP SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 B by OPI

Mike Gentile, Independent Suppliers Group

September/October 2021

“ im OPI es pa is ab sen ctfu 30 ou ti l r ye t r al ep ar es inf or s o el or tin f le m g tim rs at . A e in ion bs ly ou fo ol an r c r a ute d om nd ly m un ity ”

out ble our rld and hts nts ess nts ere ted

BIG INTERVIEW

“Thank you for your partnership, support and friendship over the years and for being the glue that holds our industry together”

CELEBRATING thirty years of OPI

INSIDE THIS ISSUE l RAJA reels in Viking l ODP ploughs on with spin-off plans l State of our industry l The international rise and fall of the big boxes

l 30 years in OP: Steve Haworth & Cezary Monko l Defining moments l Changing of the (Top 100) guard l What lies ahead l Young talent: 30 under 30 l Stamping resilience l Packaging update l Message from the Great White North l NAOPA 2021

CONTENTS 30

22 Big Interview Keep calm and collaborate is Mike Gentile’s message to dealers 34 Feature Industry peers look at the state of our sector in various regions 40 Focus Charting the international rise and fall of the big boxes 48 Interview EVO's Steve Haworth: be bold and keep it simple 57 Interview Cezary Monko on 30 years in the same company – of sorts 64 Feature Interesting, iconic, best-selling? The products we sell (or sold)

Big Interview: Mike Gentile, Independent Suppliers Group When OPI last spoke to Mike Gentile for a Big Interview in 2018, there was much talk about a ‘bigtent philosophy’. Since then, the tent has grown immeasurably. Now solely at the helm of the merged Independent Suppliers Group following the departure last year of Mike Maggio, Gentile had little time to dwell on the new status quo, having already been thrust into the middle of a global pandemic several months earlier. Many years of experience, an unflappable disposition, and a razor-sharp focus on the independent dealer channel have enabled him to keep calm and guide the group’s members towards a post-pandemic world. FOCUS: OVER AND OUT

72 Feature Defining moments of the past three decades 80 Spotlight Who are the industry leaders of the future? OPI highlights the top 30 under 30 candidates 88 Category Update Disruption? Yes, but COVID has also brought opportunities to the mailroom and packaging sector 92 Category Update As the pandemic has left its mark, the stamping category is trying to bounce back 96 Opinion Message from the new leader of Canada’s Basics Office Products 98 Event: North American Office Products Awards The NAOPA are back – here’s the 2021 shortlist 105 Feature The workplace of the future – what will it look like? Three brave individuals put forth their ideas

REGULARS 5 Comment 6 News 112 5 minutes with... Heike Dieckmann 114 Final Word Jérôme Perhaut

September/October 2021

Office Depot’s Viking acquisition came two years after the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) had blocked the merger of Staples and Depot in the US. Faced with increased competition in their home markets, this decision was a catalyst for the US big boxes to develop their international operations, especially Depot, which had been weakened by the Staples takeover saga. Ironically, it was a similar FTC decision 20 years later that hastened their departure from the international scene. But what went wrong in the interim? And clearly something did go wrong, otherwise we wouldn’t be looking at the retreat of the US power channel.

69 Feature All change in this year’s Top 100

COMMENT The OPI team EDITORIAL Editor Heike Dieckmann +44 1462 422 143 heike.dieckmann@opi.net Deputy Editor Michelle Sturman michelle.sturman@opi.net News Editor Andy Braithwaite +33 4 32 62 71 07 andy.braithwaite@opi.net Freelance Contributor David Holes david.holes@opi.net

SALES & MARKETING Chief Commercial Officer Chris Exner +44 7973 186801 chris.exner@opi.net Head of Media Sales Chris Turness +44 7872 684746 chris.turness@opi.net Digital Marketing Manager Aurora Enghis aurora.enghis@opi.net

EVENTS Events Manager Lisa Haywood events@opi.net Event Programmer Sophie Carus sophie.carus@opi.net

PRODUCTION & FINANCE Studio Joel Mitchell joel.mitchell@opi.net Finance & Operations Kelly Hilleard kelly.hilleard@opi.net

PUBLISHERS CEO Steve Hilleard +44 7799 891000 steve.hilleard@opi.net Director Janet Bell +44 7771 658130 janet.bell@opi.net

Making a difference

he business supplies sector has witnessed enormous upheaval and change since the first issue of OPI rolled off the press in late 1991. The many editorial submissions to this special 30th anniversary edition from industry leaders, past and present, bear testament to that and I sincerely thank those contributors for their support. What hasn’t changed is our sector’s sense of community and collective desire to not just sell pens and paper – or hand sanitiser – in the face of what has often been commercial adversity, but to make a difference in our wider communities. I’ve been fortunate in my 35 years in this space to visit pretty much every major market across the globe and witness first hand the generosity of our industry and its people. I look at the Australian Office Products Charitable Fund which does so much good down under, or the efforts of the National Business Products Industry for City of Hope in the US which has raised over $220 million to help fund research into cures for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases. Closer to home, substantial sums are raised by the craziness of climbing mountains in the UK winter by the Climb of Life gang. I am filled with a sense of pride to participate in such a caring and giving industry community.

Unite to tell the story of how important our sector will continue to be in the wider business environment At the first physical conference I attended in mid-September after the most recent COVID lockdown ended – the BOSS Federation AGM (page 16) – the discussion turned, not for the first time, to the subject of how unsexy our industry is perceived to be by the younger generation. So here’s a rallying cry to today’s leaders: let’s harness our friendships and our ability to set aside competitive differences to join together for a common cause. Unite to tell the story of how important our sector will continue to be in the wider business environment. Spread the word of how it embraces technology and, importantly, what a wonderfully caring and giving community we represent. On behalf of the entire OPI team, thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 30 years. I hope we’ve made a difference too. THE OPI TEAM Steve Hilleard, CEO, OPI The carrier sheet is printed on Satimat Silk paper, which is produced on pulpmanufactured wood obtained from recognised responsible forests and at an FSC® certified mill. It is polywrapped in recyclable plastic that will biodegrade within six months.

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30 Celebrating

thirty years

Office Products International Ltd (OPI) Focus7 House, Fairclough Hall, Halls Green, Hertfordshire SG4 7DP, UK Tel: +44 20 7841 2950

No part of this magazine may be reproduced, copied, stored in an electronic retrieval system or transmitted save with written permission or in accordance with provision of the copyright designs and patents act of 1988. Stringent efforts have been made by Office Products International to ensure accuracy. However, due principally to the fact that data cannot always be verified, it is possible that some errors or omissions may occur. Office Products International cannot accept responsibility for such errors or omissions. Office Products International accepts no responsibility for comments made by contributing authors or interviewees that may offend. OPI is printed in the UK by

September/October 2021

Executive Assistant Debbie Garrand +44 7718 660249 debbie.garrand@opi.net

30 NEWS

Analysis: RAJA ramps up OP

in Italy (with Bruneau) and Spain (Bruneau and Lyreco) and for the UK contract business (OT Group) – it is unlikely these units were of great interest to RAJA. OPI had the opportunity to speak with RAJA CEO Danièle Kapel-Marcovici shortly after the acquisition announcement. She was reluctant to give too much away ahead of the deal closing, and will most likely provide an in-depth strategy update at a press conference in Paris in October. However, she referred to comments she had made in a press release, in which she spoke about driving profitable growth at Viking and achieving synergies in areas such as purchasing, marketing and sales.

RAJA’s B2B direct office products business has taken a giant leap forward after it made a move for Office Depot Europe and its Viking brand

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RAJA Group has cemented its position as a major player in the European office supplies market after agreeing to acquire the remaining businesses of Office Depot Europe (ODE) from private equity firm Aurelius. The transaction – for which financial details have not been revealed – is expected to close at the end of October. Competition approvals have already been given, OPI understands, and there are just a few remaining formalities to finalise. RAJA will then own the Viking brand in seven European markets – the UK, Ireland, DACH (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), the Netherlands and Belgium – plus the remaining ODE contract customers in DACH. Altogether, the deal will add almost €500 million ($590 million) to RAJA’s top line, most of that derived from Viking. Almost 1,500 employees are set to make the switch, while RAJA will also take on two distribution centres, one in Großostheim (Germany), the other in Leicester (UK).

A GOOD FIT The move comes about two years after the France-based packaging specialist bought Staples Solutions’ operations in France, Italy and Spain, which led to the creation of RAJA Office. With the addition of ODE, RAJA Office will have annual sales of around €800 million and a presence in ten countries. Group-wise, RAJA will service more than 2.2 million clients in Europe, with revenues jumping to over €1.6 billion a year. In geographical and business model terms, the acquisition dovetails nicely with the acquired Staples Solutions assets, which currently trade under their former, pre-Staples, brand names: Bernard and JPG in France, Mondoffice in Italy and Kalamazoo in Spain. Therefore, it is now clearer why Aurelius entered into separate agreements for ODE

DEVELOPING POTENTIAL “We have already identified several areas of potential at Viking, and I’m sure we will discover others,” Kapel-Marcovici said. “There is a need to invest in this business, and we will do exactly that.” She hinted at several things which appear to have been taken from the playbook RAJA adopted following the Staples Solutions acquisition: greater autonomy for local management, improving the quality of sales media (internet and catalogues) and expanding product ranges. The latter is not about Viking selling more packaging products, but evolving its offering to better cater to new ways of working: categories such as furniture, workplace collaboration and well-being. A greater emphasis on sustainable products is also something the RAJA CEO is keen on developing.

There is a need to invest in this business, and we will do exactly that The acquisition will no doubt be good news for RAJA Office’s supplier partners. The group has a history of sourcing locally wherever possible and the vast majority of items in the new RAJA-branded office products range come from vendors that manufacture in Europe. There is no reason to believe it will shift from that philosophy with Viking on board. Indeed, it will likely be looking to leverage those supplier relationships following the significant increase in purchasing power. RAJA has breathed new life into the Staples Solutions brands since the end of 2019, despite the challenges of the COVID pandemic. It has also given them a fresh sense of identity, framed within the values and culture of the RAJA family. It will be looking to achieve exactly the same with Viking over the coming months. Some difficult decisions will have to be taken – that’s a given with any acquisition of this nature and size. But we can hopefully look forward to a reinvigoration of the iconic Viking brand in Europe, which for many years led the way in terms of innovation and customer service.

NEWS

Analysis: ODP ploughs ahead with spin-off plans

ODP continues to make progress on its strategy to split into two separate entities Analysts and journalists hoping for something meaningful from The ODP Corporation (ODP) relating to its proposed retail transaction with Staples were left disappointed after the reseller’s second quarter earnings announcement in August. Since Staples (via its owner Sycamore Partners) made a $1 billion offer on 4 June to acquire ODP’s retail and consumer-facing e-commerce operations (officedepot.com), there has been radio silence on the matter from all parties. During the Q2 earnings conference call, ODP Chief Legal and Administrative Officer David Bleisch did speak for a few minutes about the Staples proposal, but we learned very little.

ODP’s Retail division keeps posting strong sales and profit numbers He said the ODP board is continuing to review the offer and that it has been in contact with representatives of Sycamore. However, he didn’t give any indication as to what stage negotiations were at nor when we might be provided with further details.

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AMICABLE NEGOTIATIONS? At least it infers talks are progressing on an amicable basis. Staples had previously said that if negotiations were not successful, it would proceed with a tender offer to acquire the whole of ODP. There has been no suggestion it is preparing to take this course of action. Indeed, it would be a major surprise if it did – Staples wants to buy and ODP wants to sell, so one assumes they are still working through the details and an agreement on the final price. “I think ODP is just marching down its own path to spin off the retail side and then determine if Staples is the best fit or not,” Edgewater Research

Partner Eamon Kelly told OPI. “I would still expect something to get done between the two.” In the meantime, ODP’s Retail division keeps posting strong sales and profit numbers. In its most recent quarterly results, revenue was flat at $914 million despite having 169 fewer stores open versus last year. That suggests a same-store increase in the double digits. Removing less profitable locations, plus initiatives such as a new in-store labour model, helped the unit’s operating profit more than double in Q2 to $44 million, while operating margin climbed by 290 basis points to 4.8%. In the first six months of 2021, Retail made $145 million, a sum which might give ODP some leverage in any negotiations. MAKING PROGRESS Of course, there is no guarantee that ODP and Staples will reach an agreement. With this in mind, ODP continues to make progress with its plans to split into two separate, publicly-listed companies during the first half of 2022. The surviving ODP – to be headed by current CEO Gerry Smith – will consist of several operating companies, including the contract sales channel of ODP’s Business Solutions Division (BSD) – which will be renamed ODP Business Solutions – and its new technology platform, Varis. These will be operated separately. The spun-off entity will be called Office Depot Inc, comprising around 1,100 Office Depot and OfficeMax retail locations and e-commerce site officedepot.com. After the transaction, this business will be led by Kevin Moffitt, currently Chief Retail Officer at ODP. The smart money, however, is still on a combination of more than 2,000 Office Depot, OfficeMax and Staples locations in the US. We will just have to wait and see if it happens before or after ODP splits into two. More intriguing is what ODP’s Varis will be all about and what the future holds for its BSD unit. If Varis is an Amazon Business-style marketplace – and all signs are pointing this way – then it might very well be competing with BSD in the public sector and corporate accounts spaces. Assuming BSD forms part of ODP’s longer-term strategic plans, of course.

NEWS

COS grows again, appoints co-CEOs It’s been an important time for Australian independent dealer COS. Just over three years after it acquired Lyreco Australia and two after strengthening its position in the education sector by purchasing Vital Office, COS has now snapped up Quick Corporate Australia (QCA), the country’s second-largest independent reseller. The deal – effective 1 October – involves QCA’s book of business and inventory, with the majority of its staff also making the switch. COS will use its own distribution facilities to service former QCA customers. These include a new, purpose-built office and warehouse in the city of Perth, where QCA is headquartered. The addition of QCA takes COS’ 2021 sales run rate to around A$275 million (US$203 million). It strengthens its position in the private sector mid-market and in Western Australia, where QCA achieved around half of its A$19 million in annual revenue. News of the QCA acquisition came shortly after COS had announced that

From left: Belinda, Dominique and Amie Lyone

Amie and Belinda Lyone – daughters of company founder Dominique Lyone – were formally instated as co-CEOs on 1 September 2021. Between them, the sisters have 34 years of experience at COS, with Belinda focusing on strategy, sourcing and sales and Amie in charge of the team, service levels and logistics. The COS founder revealed, however, that he wasn’t quite

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ACCO names COO

ACCO Brands has appointed Tom Tedford as its COO and named his successor for the role of President of the company’s North American operations. As COO, Tedford – who joined ACCO in 2010 – will have full responsibility for the sales, marketing and operations of all the vendor’s businesses Tom Tedford and products worldwide. He started his new job on 1 September, continuing to report to CEO Boris Elisman. The last time ACCO appointed a COO was back in December 2010, with Elisman himself taking on the role. That move came as part of the vendor’s senior leadership succession planning. Just over two years later, he was appointed as CEO to take over from Bob Keller. With Elisman now the same age as Keller was 11 years ago, Tedford’s appointment could be in the same vein – although the company made no reference to that possibility in its press release. ACCO selected an external candidate to succeed Tedford as head of its North America division. Roxanne Bernstein started in the post on 7 September, joining from Crystal Farms Dairy. A former Captain in the US Army, Bernstein has held a number of senior sales and marketing roles at Fortune 500 companies such as Kraft Foods, Kellogg’s and Post Consumer Brands.

ready to hang up his independent dealer boots completely just yet. He will step up to the new role of Chairman and will direct his energy on his core passions. These include: strategic acquisitions, market research, the Lyone Foundation, mentoring up-and-coming CEOs, and teaching on the Money & You programme and at the Excellerated Business School for Entrepreneurs.

Kaut-Bullinger to exit retail

German independent dealer Kaut-Bullinger is to exit the retail channel early next year after confirming it will close its flagship location in the heart of Munich. The store – located in a busy shopping area in the centre of the city – has been an iconic part of the German stationery trade since 1970, while Kaut-Bullinger’s retail presence in the city dates back to 1805. When the outlet closes next February, it will mark the end of Kaut-Bullinger’s bricks-and-mortar operations. “The COVID crisis has clearly shown that the stationery retail trade in its current form and size can no longer be the focus of our corporate strategy,” said the reseller’s Group Managing Director Robert Brech. The dealer will now focus its efforts on conducting business online, which currently accounts for around 50% of its revenue. It said its B2B Office + Solutions division will not be impacted by the retail developments.

NEWS

Staples Argentina rebrands

The Staples name has disappeared from the Argentinean business products market three-and-a-half years after the business was acquired by a local distribution company. Staples Argentina was sold to HC Corporation in February 2018 as part of Staples’ strategy to focus on its North American operations. It had begun life in 1997 as Officenet – founded by young entrepreneurs Santiago Bilinkis and Andy Freire – before being acquired by the US giant in 2004. It was rebranded to Staples Argentina in 2011, shortly after Bilinkis had departed. The reseller has now dropped the Staples name in favour of a new brand: ALOT. It operates under a multichannel strategy after moving into retail a few years ago. ALOT has 18 stores in the Buenos Aires area, as well as a strong delivery business that ships to more than 20,000 SMBs in 800 locations throughout the country as well as government and enterprise customers.

ON THE MOVE

Heiko Drews

Steve Smith

Andrea Eli

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ISG distributes millions to members

US dealer organisation Independent Suppliers Group (ISG) distributed Q2 2021 rebates to its members of more than $6.2 million. This was a jump of almost 40% versus the same quarter last year. In addition to the Q2 rebates, ISG also issued a ‘patronage dividend’ to its shareholders of record, with the total amount exceeding Jordan Kudler $1.18 million. ISG Chairman Jordan Kudler said: “These strong rebate and dividend distribution amounts exemplify the benefits of participating in the direct buy programmes that ISG provides to its dealers. “Earlier this year, I had called for unity among our members. Standing behind our supplier partners, buying direct and selling brands delivers results – and distributing $7.38 million to our membership is proof positive.”

Christie Pruett

Stewart Brown

Peter Howard

Paul Smith

European business supplies reseller Schäfer Shop has hired Heiko Drews as Head of International Procurement. He joins the Germany-based group from Hermes-OTTO International, where he spent several years in sourcing roles in both Turkey and Hong Kong. VOW Wholesale has appointed Steve Smith as its new Operations Director. Smith is no stranger to the wholesaler, having managed EVO Group’s (then known as Vasanta) Normanton and Ireland distribution centres from 2009-2015. He succeeds Martin Weedall, who recently took on the same role at sister company Banner. Andrea Eli has taken on the role of Channel Sales Director at VOW. Eli knows the UK independent channel well, having owned Bradford-based dealer Ventura Office Supplies for 12 years before the business was sold to VOW’s parent, EVO Group, in 2018. She takes over from Kathy Briggs, who has joined EO Group as Head of Category. S.P. Richards (SPR) has promoted Christie Pruett to SVP of IT and CIO. She has been with SPR since 2007 and succeeds Brian McGill, who retired after more than 34 years with the wholesaler. Stewart Brown, long-serving Purchasing Manager at Scottish independent dealer Langstane Press, retired at the end of August after 37 years at the company. His duties will be handled jointly by Marketing Manager Gwyneth Hume and Sales Director Graham Taylor. UK print consumables distributor Data Direct has appointed Peter Howard to the role of Business Development Manager. An experienced channel executive, Howard previously spent 15 years at Konica Minolta. Pentel UK has named Paul Smith as Territory Manager for the south and west of England and Wales. He has extensive experience in the writing instruments industry, having previously spent 16 years with Staedtler. He takes over from Richard Smith, who left following a long career with the manufacturer.

New financing for WB Mason Top US dealer WB Mason has agreed new $325 million senior secured credit facilities. They include a $275 million asset-based revolving credit agreement and a $50 million FILO (first in, last out) facility. The funds will be used to repay existing debt and support future growth. Tech Data and SYNNEX complete merger The combination of Tech Data and SYNNEX has been finalised, with the new entity now known as TD SYNNEX. The $7.2 billion transaction has created the world’s largest IT distribution firm, with annual sales of around $57 billion. Lacoste expands reach French independent dealer Lacoste Dactyl Bureau & École (LDBE) has acquired former Calipage member PF Bureautique, located in Toulon. LDBE will now use this deal as a springboard to grow its presence in the south-east of the country. Jan/san merger in the US US jan/san distribution group Envoy Solutions – which includes North American Corporation, WAXIE Sanitary Supply and Southeastern Paper Group – has acquired Daycon Products. Daycon is a 79-year-old distributor of facility supplies and training services located in the state of Maryland. With Daycon, Envoy will employ 2,000 staff, operate a network of 40 distribution centres and service 43,000 customers across the US.

Maxime Brasseur

Paul Smith

Uni and uni-ball brand owner Mitsubishi Pencil Company is investing in the European market with the establishment of a regional headquarters. Mitsubishi Pencil Europe will be based in Boulogne-Billancourt on the outskirts of Paris. Under the chairmanship of group President Shigehiko Suhara, the new unit will be headed by Maxime Brasseur, CEO of the company’s French subsidiary. He will be supported by Paul Smith, until recently Director of Sales and Marketing at Mitsubishi Pencil UK, who has been appointed as Director of Sales. Smith confirmed to OPI that the changes were not a cost-reduction exercise, nor were there any jobs at risk at local subsidiaries. In fact, he said it was more a question of making investments in Europe in order to grow sales and, as such, the company is actually recruiting more staff, both locally and for the European team.

Fifth year for Pink Ream initiative

Sylvamo – the new name for International Paper’s paper business as of 1 October – has entered into its fifth year of supporting the fight against breast cancer with the HP Office Pink Ream campaign in partnership with Think Pink Europe. Consumers will be able to buy HP Pink Ream throughout October – worldwide Breast Cancer Awareness Month – and November. The monies raised will support a variety of breast cancer projects through Think Pink Europe. The Pink Ream campaign was launched in Europe in 2017 with distinctively recognisable packaging for reams of HP Office paper. For each Pink Ream sold, Sylvamo donates €0.10 to European programmes focusing on breast cancer research, awareness and prevention. Since the launch of the initiative, over €450,000 ($530,000) has been raised across the continent.

Wayfair releases B2B numbers

Online furniture giant Wayfair has revealed that its Professional B2B division is now worth more than $1.5 billion in annual sales, about 10% of the company total. The majority of this revenue comes from the US, where Wayfair Professional counts 84 of the country’s Fortune 100 companies as active customers. The division is headed by former Google exec Margaret Lawrence. During the company’s most recent earnings conference call, she said Wayfair Professional’s vision was to be “the destination for all things furniture, fixtures and equipment for every business”. She referred to the “enormous future opportunity” in North America and Europe, where the combined addressable B2B market is almost $200 billion – with just 15% of that currently spent online.

September/October 2021

HNI to open Mexican factory In response to growing demand for office seating, HNI has said it is to open a new office furniture manufacturing plant in Saltillo, Mexico. The 160,000 sq ft (16,000 sq m) facility is expected to employ an additional 250 workers and will begin production in the first quarter of 2022.

Mitsubishi Pencil sets up European subsidiary

NEWS

NEWS IN BRIEF

NEWS

Solid year of progress for BOSS The UK trade body BOSS Federation held its annual AGM on 15 September, the first substantial in-person event for the UK industry since COVID-19 hit in early 2020. The day kicked off with a summary of the past 18 months delivered by Simon Drakeford, the association’s Chairman. Drakeford, CEO of EO Group in his day job, talked delegates through the progress made by BOSS as regards its endeavour to arrest a slow decline in membership and revenues. He pointed to a double-digit rise in income over the past year. That turnaround was almost certainly due to the impressive and swift reaction to the pandemic by BOSS. It rapidly developed a broad suite of new benefits and resources to help its members navigate the uncertainty, all under the leadership of CEO Amy Hutchinson, who delivered a summary of its activity to the assembled audience of industry leaders. With substantial cash reserves in hand, it is certain that we’ll see BOSS enhance its portfolio of tools and services in the coming years, further strengthening its relevancy and standing as one of the premier trade associations of business supplies in the world. Other highlights of the day included a live Zoom interview with the sometimes

rebellious Conservative Member of Parliament for Wycombe, Steve Baker. He delivered fascinating insights – concise and direct – into what policy changes can be expected from the UK government as it tackles the aftermath of COVID. There was also a lively panel discussion featuring three BOSS board members – Steve Haworth (EVO Group), Geoffrey Betts (Stewart Superior) and Frances Stephen (Springfield Business Supplies). The event at the Belton Woods Hotel near Grantham also played host to the annual fundraising day hosted by the BOSS Business Supplies Charity (BBSC). Over 100 delegates enjoyed either a sunny afternoon of golf, or some spa pampering following a rousing and inspirational presentation by entrepreneur Joanne Bonnett. The day wrapped up with a much-anticipated networking dinner and auction, with BBSC benefitting to the tune of almost £15,000 ($21,000), much to the delight of the retiring Chairman Graeme Chapman OBE. Stepping up from January 2022 to replace Chapman as the charity’s head is Martin Wilde, whose current role as Vice Chair will be assumed by OPI’s Finance & Operations Manager, Kelly Hilleard.

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Paperworld Middle East points to Africa growth prospects

Research recently commissioned by Paperworld Middle East says that the stationery market in Africa will grow by more than $600 million over the next six years. The Africa Stationery Market report predicts the continent’s stationery consumption to reach a value of $5.04 billion by 2027, growing at an average annual compound growth rate of 2.4% from its current $4.39 billion valuation. It cites a booming education sector throughout the continent and upscale commercial sector investment as the reasons for the uptick in demand. According to the research, South Africa – where office inventory is set to reach 14.83 million sq m (150 million sq ft) by the end of this year – Egypt and Nigeria account for the lion’s share of the stationery and office supplies demand. Education represents 60% of overall sector demand in Africa. And although the COVID-19 pandemic has slowed demand, with schools being forced to close, the sector is expected to rebound by the end of this year. The report also notes that Africa’s stationery market is largely import driven, with Dubai being the major export hub. That is obviously music to the ears of the Paperworld Middle East organisers, with the show – next scheduled for December 2021 – based in the United Arab Emirates.

Primo Water invests in UK firm US-based beverages giant Primo Water (formerly Cott) has purchased a minority interest in growing UK water company Sipple Hydration Stations. Sipple is a provider of water refill points and reusable bottles for workplaces and high-traffic areas, such as train stations, airports and shopping centres. Primo said the investment would enable it to participate in the growing UK market and offer Sipple’s water stations in other markets where the US company already operates.

NEWS

OPI 30TH ANNIVERSARY

30 years of OPI news OPI has proudly been covering the breaking international stories in our sector for the past 30 years. Here’s a selection of key developments that have helped define and shape the industry since 1991. Enjoy this little trip down memory lane

1990s

1993: Office Depot enters contract stationery channel 1994: Mark Baccash launches the Office 1 franchise operation 1996: Staples attempts to buy Office Depot for the first time. The deal was finally abandoned in June 1997 after it was blocked by the US Federal Trade Commission 1997: David Guernsey creates BPGI 1998: Staples buys the Quill Corporation from company founder Jack Miller, paying $685 million, while Office Depot coughs up $2.7 billion worth of shares to acquire Viking as both big boxes target the direct mail order channel 1998: Esselte acquires Leitz for almost $340 million 1999: Netherlands-based Buhrmann, under the leadership of Janhein Pieterse, acquires Corporate Express in a deal worth $2.3 billion

Jack Miller

2010s

2000s

2000: Boise Cascade Office Products sells its European business to France-based Guilbert for $320 million 2001: USOP files for Chapter 11 2003: Boise Cascade buys (and rebrands to) OfficeMax 2007: The Vasanta Group (now EVO Group) is created when Electra Partners buys Kingfield Heath and ISA 2008: Staples buys Corporate Express (formerly Buhrmann) for $2.65 billion

Janhein Pieterse

Mike Maggio (l) & Yancey Jones

2011: Spain’s Unipapel agrees to buy Spicers’ continental European operations for more than $250 million, while Better Capital purchases Spicers UK & Ireland 2013: Office Depot acquires OfficeMax 2014: 3M abandons its pursuit of Avery after regulators oppose the deal 2015: Amazon Business is launched 2016: Staples again fails to acquire Office Depot due to antitrust issues. Both companies consider the future of their international operations 2017: Staples is bought by private equity firm Sycamore Partners 2018: North American wholesalers S.P. Richards and Essendant are set to merge until Sycamore-backed Staples steps in to acquire Essendant 2019: Independent Suppliers Group, Pinnacle Affiliates and TriMega Purchasing Association merge to form the world’s largest independent dealer group 2019: ADVEO collapses

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2020s

2020: Turmoil in the UK as Spicers goes into administration 2020: Yancey Jones and Mike Maggio lead the buyout of S.P. Richards 2021: The final pieces of Staples Solutions and Office Depot Europe are sold off by their private equity owners

30 BIG INTERVIEW

KEEP CALM &

collaborate A fervent advocate of the independent dealer channel, Independent Suppliers Group CEO Mike Gentile urges his members – and our various industry constituents – to be open-minded and embrace the changes that are needed to succeed in an ever-evolving sector

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n 2018, when OPI last spoke to Mike Gentile for a Big Interview, there was much talk about a ‘big-tent philosophy’. Since that time, the vision has come to pass, and the tent has grown immeasurably. Now solely at the helm of the merged Independent Suppliers Group (ISG) following the departure last year of Mike Maggio, Gentile had little time to dwell on the new status quo, having already been thrust into the middle of a global pandemic several months earlier. Many years of experience, an unflappable disposition, and a razor-sharp focus on the independent dealer channel (IDC) have enabled him to keep calm and guide the group’s members towards a post-COVID world. OPI CEO Steve Hilleard spoke to the long-standing and highly-respected US industry executive for this extended celebratory 30th anniversary issue – and, of course, ahead of the much-anticipated Industry Week, powered by ISG, which is due to take place in Orlando, Florida, this November.

OPI: ISG, as it stands currently and in its previous iterations, has been featured many times in OPI over the years, so let’s start with the present. What does ISG look like in the middle of 2021? Mike Gentile: Right now, we have 794 members. We lost some dealers in the past few months due to attrition and M&A activity. ISG is a big-tent organisation for several entities. As a member-owned cooperative, we have approximately 570 shareholders, but we also have Access members which are non-shareholders. Those members value the programmes and services that ISG offers. The group further comprises IS Contract – our contract furniture group; INTEC, our technology and managed services group of resellers; Federal Base Supply Stores; and national accounts organisation EPIC Business Essentials.

Overall, we do over $500 million in direct buy, with combined member revenues of $6.9 billion. Our mission statement is that “ISG empowers its members with purchasing programmes, sales and marketing tools, and leverages the combined size, strength, knowledge and experience so its members can succeed in their marketplace”. OPI: How would you say the numbers are trending, year on year? Obviously, you have the pandemic effect to figure out, but is the underlying trend moving forward? MG: Our membership count is somewhat linear. We lost members due to M&A activity in the channel and some dealers closed their doors, but fortunately, we also added 28 new dealers. Some are non-traditional OP resellers. In 2019, we did close to $540 million in direct buy, so during the pandemic we were down approximately 18%. But we are coming back now because members are buying more direct, and we have added many new suppliers. OPI: The purpose of the merger with TriMega Purchasing Association and Pinnacle Affiliates was to reduce redundant operating expenses across the three groups and leverage dealers’ combined strengths. To what extent have those two primary objectives been achieved so far?

BIG INTERVIEW Mike Gentile

[The merger] took over $1 million out in operating expenses [...] It amounted to a 42% reduction in combined costs

OPI: Anything pressing on the agenda you haven’t accomplished yet? MG: Where do I begin? Technology is a key issue for the entire IDC. As a group, we would like to streamline our internal processes to further reduce operating expenses and create greater efficiencies for our members and suppliers. ISG will continue to grow through strategic alliances and partnerships. We also scaled back our support staff significantly – now we need to reinvest again in many areas. OPI: In May, we had the news of what seems like a bit of a splinter organisation – Supply Chain Investment Group (SCIG). What is that group of predominantly larger dealers aiming to achieve, and what impact will it potentially have on ISG and the bulk of your membership? MG: One wonderful thing about the IDC is that it’s made up of incredibly creative and entrepreneurial people. They’re always exploring if there are better ways of doing things to be more competitive. This fiercely independent aspect also means it’s sometimes like trying to keep frogs in a wheelbarrow. And that’s fine because

September/October 2021

MG: The merger occurred in July 2019, and it’s been an interesting two years. We had a change in leadership when Mike Maggio moved on to S.P. Richards (SPR) and we also had – or still have – a pandemic. It meant we had to pivot. Everyone believed in the merger – it was done for the right reason, and we had the right people in the room making it happen. We combined two operating systems and created a group of 800 members. We took over $1 million out in operating expenses – this included a reduction in headcount, headquarters expenses and synergies in various areas. It amounted to a 42% reduction in combined costs. We improved our supplier programmes by leveraging the consolidated purchasing power. In addition, we shortened the time for rebate distribution so we can get these into the hands of our members sooner, particularly during the pandemic. We also had the ability, through our strong financial position and the support from many of our suppliers, to extend payment terms

during the pandemic. I would say, all in all, not a bad story during difficult times.

Mike Gentile BIG INTERVIEW

the wheelbarrow is moving forward. I’m not complaining, because this is why the IDC is resilient and vibrant. That said, SCIG has assured us its initiatives will complement ISG and not create a conflict at all. The hope is that a rising tide will raise all boats.

enhancing the value of the wholesalers’ ability to service the IDC? If there is, it could result in lower cost of goods and more efficient service levels to our members. I’m confident such a model can be developed with the right parties involved that have common goals and interests.

OPI: Even more recently, there was news about your RDC. Who initiated this change of RDC partner from Essendant to SPR? MG: You know the trials and tribulations we’ve had with the RDC model over the years. The fact remains that the RDC is cost-effective and more operationally efficient for dealers to buy direct. They can lower their inventory investment, increase their inventory turn, and increase working capital. This is what it’s all about. Without delving into too much history, when we got out of this business as a group, what was United Stationers at the time said it would be willing to act as our 3PL. The ten-year contract we had was up for renewal, we discussed it last year and Essendant didn’t want to continue with the current model. ISG, meanwhile, did not want to abandon it in its entirety because of the clear benefits, so we put out an RFP and sent it to four potential parties. Two responded: SPR with a concept very similar to the current RDC model, Essendant with a different idea. There are a few very effective dealer group RDC models across the globe – I had a chance to visit many of them during my term as Chairman of BPGI. No model should be stagnant, it must be flexible to meet the ever-changing market and our members’ needs.

OPI: This has been a topic at industry events for years and nobody’s nailed the specifics yet. What comprises these costs you’re referring to, and what model would eliminate them? MG: There’s very effective technology in the market today that could be utilised to streamline the logistics and supply chain process which, quite frankly, hasn’t materially changed in decades.

OPI: What specifically did Essendant propose that ISG wasn’t happy with? Is it this carton programme, announced almost at the same time as the switch to SPR? MG: Yes, it is. It’s called the Essendant Carton Program (ECP). It’s a programme with a defined product list. No direct manufacturer rebates – just a net programme. OPI: Is that the only difference? MG: It’s the primary one. The RDC model is rebateable and our dealers get direct buy credit from the manufacturer.

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OPI: Is the new arrangement set for another ten-year period? MG: No, not as long. We will continue to morph into other models we think would be operationally and cost-effectively beneficial to our members.

OPI: What would you like to see? MG: Well, there are many stranded costs and process duplicity in our supply chain that burdens suppliers and challenges them to be more competitive to our members. My question: is there a more streamlined supply chain model that could be developed and implemented which would reduce suppliers’ soft and hard dollar distribution costs they incur to service the IDC while also

Is there a more streamlined supply chain model [...] which would reduce suppliers’ soft and hard dollar distribution costs they incur to service the IDC? At the same time, it’s important to enhance product category e-content currently unavailable to independents. I always refer to this as the ‘dealers’ digital dilemma’. Next, manufacturers should partner more with the wholesalers because they have the distribution capabilities needed. A dealer group should not be in that business if those services are available in the channel already. But you’re absolutely right, we’ve discussed this at numerous OPI forums. Most industry stakeholders agree, then all the head-nodding ends because we get wrapped up in our own issues or feel threatened by the need to change. So many in our industry talk about the need to change but are hesitant to do so themselves. Doing nothing is not an option anymore. I am committed to exploring proactive strategies with any interested industry partner.

Mike Gentile BIG INTERVIEW www.opi.net

OPI: If there’s one positive to come out of COVID, I guess it’s that it’s given us all a sense of renewed vigour and purpose. What’s your pandemic-related view of the impact on the overall landscape of the industry and, in particular, the IDC? MG: It’s obviously caused significant personal sacrifice and professional angst for many, let’s not forget that. But it’s also been a bit of a wake-up call in our industry in terms of expanding the product categories we go to market with. ISG added 17 new suppliers and we did it fast. We were faced with an unprecedented situation in April 2020. No one went to work. End-user demand for the products we sell or the services our dealers provide just flat-out ended. I doubt any company had this scenario in its business plan. There was no choice – our members had to pivot. They enhanced their e-commerce systems. We helped with numerous webinars on how to do it. They adjusted their delivery and service offerings, and they re-configured their sales organisations. Zoom replaced many phone conversations. As for ISG, we accelerated our quarterly rebate distributions and extended payment terms, with the help of our supplier partners.

OPI: I’m sure some dealers did what you’ve just mentioned better than others. What qualities differentiated the successful ones from those now in danger of going out of business? MG: Part of it has to do with geographic location in the US. Many dealers that were significantly impacted by the pandemic really stepped up. Others had stressed balance sheets so COVID caused them to closed their doors. A dozen or so ended up selling to fellow independents while some sold to the national competition. The M&A activity by Staples and Office Depot was their only source of growth because of their already severely stretched operating models. I will candidly say I am confident and optimistic that the IDC remains resilient and will come out of this period stronger.

OPI: How nervous are you about more casualties once the full effects of this pandemic have come to fruition and the stimulus and financial relief measures are finally behind us? MG: It’s a concern. This is why we’re constantly networking with our members so if someone is seriously thinking of selling and divesting, we might be able to find them a suitor within the group. At the same time, we’re going to continue to grow our group with other ancillary and adjacent entities, in essence expanding ISG’s tent. OPI: Can you give any specifics? MG: There are many disparate groups within the jan/san industry, for example, or within safety, breakroom, school supplies and MRO. We continue to have discussions with a number of these groups to establish the viability of alliances, possibly some M&A activity, etc. You’ll see more of that happening in the next 12 to 18 months. Again, the pandemic has been a stimulus for those discussions. OPI: You mentioned EPIC Business Essentials at the start of our chat. EPIC’s customer demographic – large corporate accounts – has arguably been worse affected than some others. How’s EPIC 2.0 trending, and what are you hoping for as we exit this dreadful period? MG: So far this year, 31 new dealers have been participating in the programme, making it a total of over 270 members. We added 19 supplier business partners. They believe in the model, and we now have some financially supporting it. And we’ve added 157 new accounts in 2021. To your point about how it was affected by the pandemic, a significant percentage of the account portfolio within EPIC is education and the public sector, so the answer is significantly. Both verticals are coming back now thankfully, and we expect a very robust back-to-school season, for instance – we’ve already been seeing this in our sales figures for July and August. We have been able, with the financial support from the ISG board and our supplier partners, to

Mike Gentile BIG INTERVIEW

enhance our e-commerce Orderpoint platform so it’s a hybrid platform, whereby orders are systemically sent to a servicing dealer. We’re implementing this model right now, sort of EPIC 2.5. We want to work with the wholesalers on this because there’s an opportunity to help reduce their supply chain expenses by eliminating some of the costs of drop shipments which they do on behalf of dealers. Why not give that order to a local dealer to provide quality local service to that account, along with local sales representation?

Dealers are willing to pay for technology if there’s value in it OPI: Does the substantial increase in participating dealers impact the harmony within the group of affiliated dealers? Once you start getting several independents in one particular metropolitan area, is it a problem sharing the business out fairly? MG: We thought this could be an issue when we first started the programme years ago, but it hasn’t been. Dealers feel threatened by the national competitors, especially by their predatory pricing schemes. But they value the local service their fellow dealer offers. As long as we select the right members to provide the right service, we win most of the time.

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OPI: Back in 2018 and before the merger, EPIC Business Essentials had sales of about $60 million. You said at the time it was scalable to $300 million. Is that figure still achievable post-COVID and, if so, what sort of timescale would you put on it? MG: If we’re able to effectively implement the enhanced Orderpoint model and grow within healthcare, regional commercial accounts, the public sector, and partner with our wholesalers, it’s very achievable. Particularly with what’s happening with the national big boxes, I think the timing couldn’t be better for us to scale to over $550 million.

OPI: You said before technology was an area where dealers are still comparatively inadequate. Has COVID changed that? MG: Well, COVID increased awareness that e-commerce capabilities within the IDC needed to be enhanced, but it didn’t address some of the core deficiencies. One of them is content – I’ve said this so many times before. The independent dealer goes to market with a content load on their front end that is determined by the wholesaler. The wholesaler decides what the dealer can sell to the end user. That’s not how Staples and Depot go to market – no one tells them what they’re going to sell. Their content is based on end-user demand, as it should be. We surveyed our major manufacturers, asking them how many SKUs they syndicate to the big box competitors and Amazon as opposed to the wholesalers. The wholesaler figure was 30%, 40% or 50% lower – they didn’t want the content for the

other SKUs because they don’t stock them. This madness has to change because, if end users don’t see the SKUs on dealers’ websites, they think they can’t buy them. Where does the end-user go? Well, we know the answer to that question. OPI: Are we going to see some change here? Mike Maggio, a former colleague of yours, has heard you raise the point many times. MG: I am optimistic that SPR recognises what I’ve referred to as the aforementioned dealers’ digital dilemma, and is willing to work with us and other parties in our channel to enhance the e-content our members can go to market with. The next question is: how does the dealer source these products, how does the supply chain work, how can it all be done efficiently? If we can get the right people in the room and think about what’s best for the dealer, it’s very doable. And then we all win! I can see the heads nodding while people are reading this. There are a lot of complicated things in the world – this isn’t one of them. OPI: From a dealer technology perspective, accusations have often been levelled at the software providers, saying they haven’t done enough to keep the technology as world class as it should be. Talk to them and they bemoan the fact that dealers don’t like spending money on technology. Who’s right and who’s wrong or is it a mixture of both? MG: You’ve nailed it – there’s always a lot of understandable finger pointing. The OP industry is not a growth industry for ECI, for example, and this provider has performed well under Ron Books’ leadership to diversify into many verticals which have been accretive to that entire organisation’s profitability. But at the same time, it has not been as proactive or progressive in enhancing the technology for our channel. Dealers are willing to pay for technology if there’s value in it.

Mike Gentile BIG INTERVIEW

SPR is exploring other types of programmes and synergies which, hopefully, dealers will be able to evaluate soon. All told, I would much rather have a duopoly in our industry, with wholesaler choices, than a monopoly, particularly if it is a monopoly owned by our members’ largest competitor.

I would much rather have a duopoly in our industry, with wholesaler choices OPI: That aside, what are your other high-priority objectives right now? MG: We want to collaborate more with others in our industry – DCPG, AOPD and Office Partners – as well as adjacent category buying groups and associations. Again, it’s a case of getting the right people together and ascertaining what we can collectively do for the benefit of all of our members.

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OPI: Before we talk some more about the generic industry landscape, I just wanted to ask you about Industry Week in November. How are plans shaping up for that? MG: Our registrations are ahead of schedule. We’ve developed seminar content based on feedback from our members. And, as you know better than anyone, we’re going to have a general session hosted by a certain Steve Hilleard. People will be on the edge of their seats. Seriously though, we’re encouraged for now and are praying that COVID will not throw a monkey-wrench in the works and stop us from moving forward as aggressively as we would like to. There’s so much we have to do with our membership that is difficult to do in any other format than a live, in-person annual meeting.

OPI: I’m looking forward to it and very much hoping that your government will let me in. Let’s talk about the industry landscape and stick with the wholesalers for a moment. How have they performed throughout COVID? MG: First up, huge credit to Yancey Jones Sr and Mike Maggio for acquiring SPR during a pandemic and then managing it through a very difficult time. Both wholesalers have been constrained with supply chain issues, particularly with imports – it’s affected their service levels and line fill and consequently our members. As regards Essendant, some would say the acquisition by Staples’ owner Sycamore Partners has not yet delivered on many of the promises made. Part of that is obviously COVID related and Essendant is trying to resolve it. The wholesaler has implemented the ECP as we discussed earlier, and our members are taking advantage of it.

OPI: What’s your view on the ongoing discussions between Office Depot and Staples? MG: We now have enough pieces of the puzzle to kind of know what the final picture will look like. This would most likely be Sycamore being successful in acquiring Depot’s retail operations and integrating them into its fold. ODP will become a B2B distributor only, a standalone public entity. I used to work for a company – Boise Cascade Office Products – that was strictly B2B, so it feels like going back in time. OPI: Boise had a wholesale business as well at one point in its history. MG: And we divested it and became strictly B2B. When you strip out all the retail SG&A expenses, you can operate more efficiently and be more strategically focused. ODP will probably want to go in that direction and invest more into the procure-to-pay technology platform managed by some very talented people like Prentis Wilson. It’s a different B2B sales cycle, but worth exploring, and the company could come out of this more focused than it is right now. OPI: This platform – Varis – has not really been spoken about much yet, but as you say, Prentis and some other well-paid individuals have joined the team there. MG: It’s interesting. When I was at Boise, we were ahead of our time in terms of what we wanted to do – have an integrated supplier portal – but the technology did not exist, just the stagnant traditional ERP platforms. Going to enterprise accounts with a total ERP procurement system which reduces the number of vendors you do business with streamlines your processes, decreases your procurement costs, and lowers your overall cost of goods. The technology exists today and what Varis is hoping to do is integrate it into its enterprise system. It is all about execution. It might be a strategic opportunity for Depot. The greatest competitive threat is within the Fortune 100 space which many ISG members don’t play in. But there could potentially be synergies for some dealers to collaborate with Varis. OPI: To what extent are Depot’s and Staples’ interests in dealers – let’s just call it their federation strategies – a concern for you? MG: We’re not going to be able to prevent people that own dealerships from exploring options for themselves and their families, be that for succession reasons or because of balance sheet challenges. What we can do as a member-owned cooperative is to increase the services and value we provide.

Mike Gentile BIG INTERVIEW

Again, it’s all about synergies. As much as I consider Staples and Depot competitors, I view Amazon as the greatest threat. Maybe there are some opportunities to all work together and gain mutual benefits? OPI: So, no type of collaboration is off the table is what you’re saying. MG: Correct – but that is up to ISG’s Board of Directors and the membership. One should not disregard anything. Some people would disagree, but I think that’s very insular and narrow-minded. OPI: Let’s move to another large entity – what’s your view on WB Mason? MG: I have known Leo Meehan for most of my career and competed against him aggressively at Boise, and our members compete against him now. I have the utmost respect for him and his team. They’ve done a tremendous job building that brand and growing the business. Obviously, COVID has been a significant blow to his top line. WB’s succession plan will determine what happens. It’s a hugely creative and entrepreneurial organisation. The thought of acquiring that company and having it ingested by a Staples or a Depot – I don’t know what would happen to that brand and its market share. OPI: You do, you’re just too polite to say it. MG: OK, we saw what happened with some previous acquisitions. But more recently with some of these dealer purchases, they’ve left them alone. How long this will continue is the question.

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OPI: There’s always the temptation to go in and see if you can make some efficiencies. MG: I’ve been there and done it with Boise. We made numerous acquisitions and integrated every one of them. We changed branding and cultures – rightly or wrongly – all with the objective of reducing cost and creating synergies. We lost business and some good people while doing it.

OPI: The last major group in our industry are the vendors. What have the past couple of years been like in terms of manufacturer support, as you’ve taken ISG through the various facets of integration? MG: I have been extremely pleased with the support that our key suppliers have given us. Many stepped up right after the merger and especially during the pandemic to provide what we needed and asked for: extended terms, accelerated rebate payments, development of new products, etc. Vendors understand that independents sell and value their brands. We will continue to focus on this at ISG and work with those suppliers investing in resources – by that, I mean field reps, in-house support staff and marketing resources – to our members rather than reducing them. Contrary to what some may think, it’s not just about rebates, but about paying attention to the IDC, creating value and keeping it competitive. Many manufacturers have done that and we’re going to recognise them during Industry Week.

OPI: The flipside of this is compliance. Are dealers supporting those programmes and complying with the terms? How do you get people who are naturally independent to conform? ISG’s Chairman Jordan Kudler not long ago made an impassioned plea to your membership, asking people to get behind the vendors. Are you making progress here? MG: Compliance can be defined in several ways. You can count on one hand the number of product categories with multiple suppliers now. This used to be very different a few years ago – you had four or five filing suppliers, four or five binder vendors, etc. You don’t have that nowadays. At the end of the day, dealers have to meet the needs of end users, and these end users have product preferences. There are too many knock-off brands out there in private label that are deteriorating the value of brands, particularly what’s coming out of Staples, Depot and Amazon. Where compliance comes in is in terms of supporting the brands; it’s not about a couple of categories where you have numerous suppliers. Manufacturers have to constantly adjust their product specs and price, so the brands don’t cost significantly more than the private label. Some, of course, are in a difficult situation because they make the private label too. They are creating this dilemma themselves. Easy for me to say, of course, I don’t have a private label. Yet. OPI: (laughs) Let’s see if this comment comes back to bite you! Before we wrap up, anything you’d like to say about US Communities? MG: We don’t refer to it as US Communities now. It’s Omnia Partners, which is an all-encompassing co-op of multiple categories. We have a healthy relationship with Omnia, and we will grow it – that’s about all I can say. OPI: OK, final question then: what do you see yourself doing five years from now? MG: I hope to be on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, sailing through the canal. And maybe I could write a guest column for OPI every so often. OPI: That sounds like a great plan. Thanks for your insights Mike – it’s been a pleasure talking to you. And hopefully, we can continue the conversation in person in November!

30 FEATURE

Onwards &

UPWARDS

OPI asked four well-known industry personalities for insight on where the business supplies sector is right now in their region and what lies ahead

US – BILL CARDONE

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ver the past 30 years or so, the business supplies sector has gone through many changes. Within the past five years alone, over 25% of the top 50 independent dealers in the US have disappeared. Whether that’s because they’ve been purchased by the ODP Corporation, Staples or another reseller, or indeed succumbed to other pressures such as COVID-19, the independent dealer channel (IDC) is not as large or significant as it once was. Smaller independents have also been acquiring each other, and I believe we’ll see more changes over the next 18 months as consolidation continues. How much energy is left in those businesses that haven’t already pivoted because they don’t possess the resources, customer base or the technology? Or, if they have, has COVID-19, work and learn-from-home and the Amazon effect created some permanent shifts?

MOUNTING PRESSURE It’s not solely about the IDC. The entire industry has been altered on numerous levels, most recently due to COVID. From a manufacturer’s viewpoint, we’ve got to figure out what reseller relationships are going to look like. We still want to be connected to our customers, but clearly need to understand the best way to interact with them without disrupting their business. The sector is also dealing with the Amazon component which has dramatically modified our landscape and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. There’s only a handful of big OP manufacturers left, and I think the value propositions being brought to the table and the conversations they’re having with resellers are different now because of e-commerce and the secular decline of ‘traditional office products’. The ongoing uncertainty surrounding COVID and the expectations arising from hybrid working is loading further strain on the industry. The longer office staff work from home, the more Amazon wins. If there is a major swing towards a hybrid model, dealers must figure out quickly

how to successfully service customers at home. In the near term, there are external pressures to contend with, the most notable being the supply chain. Currently, it’s a case of securing certain materials to manufacture products. But even if you are able to get materials, it’s impossible to acquire a container. Assume a container can be obtained, you may be unable to hire a trucking company. But if you do succeed with this too, it doesn’t have drivers. Everyone’s in the same boat, so to speak, therefore, we must be patient and do our best under the current circumstances. OUT OF THE COMFORT ZONE Despite the stresses, the prognosis is far from dire. The diversification of the business products sector was already in progress, and the pandemic merely served to propel it forward at an unprecedented pace. This is a good thing – it forced us out of our comfort zones and this needs to continue. Dealers and their sales representatives need to move quickly from the carpet to the contract to become ‘solutions-based’ entities, whatever that might look like. Undoubtedly, the industry has more than proven how resilient it is, especially the IDC. Looking ahead, I have every confidence in dealers with succession plans. Many of these have already been implemented, with some dealerships having been passed on to a second or even third generation. These new leaders are doing a fantastic job pivoting their businesses. That said, many of us should take a step back and rethink certain processes which have been upheld for years. I’m talking about the old catalogue world versus pandemic-induced practices like videoconferencing and hosting virtual sales meetings. Ultimately, the industry needs to move to where the puck is headed, not where it is now.

Bill Cardone is VP of Commercial Sales at US office supplies manufacturer TOPS Products

For more of Bill Cardone’s thoughts on the state of the US business supplies industry, listen to OPI Talk – visit opi.net/podcast

ongratulations! OPI is turning 30 and has been expertly serving and inspiring changes in the office environment for over a quarter of a century. And the transformations have been immense. We said goodbye to the fax machine, and hello to smartphones and tablets. However, it’s not just the technical equipment that has evolved, so too has how and where we work. The secret to the staying power and success of those in the business supplies sector – OPI and Durable included – lies in the willingness to tackle new challenges and look ahead. To understand the current and future state of our industry and continue to offer efficient solutions for the modern world of work in the decades to come, it is critical to focus on the megatrends that are relevant to the office environment. Above all, this includes significantly greater flexibility in terms of the tools used, location and time. COLLABORATION Work-from-home was established almost instantly as a practical alternative to a desk in the corporate office when COVID-19 arrived. In the past year, the percentage of people homeworking ranged from 60% in Northern Europe to 30% in Eastern Europe. The pandemic certainly turbocharged this development, but while there are still many homeworkers, numbers are dwindling again as lockdowns ease. Ultimately, globalisation requires teamwork, flexibility and operating in networks. Speed is of the essence when it comes to coming up with innovative ideas and solutions, and only teamwork will achieve the pace that’s needed. In modern working scenarios, employees are assembled specifically for the task at hand. Often, some members work in offices, while others are based at home. A handful might even be located in other countries, and the line-up may also include external experts. How do they all collaborate? In many cases, analogue communication remains a crucial element, but digital is growing. 89% of European companies expect online meetings to increase by between 100-500%, according to an international study conducted recently. As such, efficient software solutions are just as vital to a team’s success as the correct kit for videoconferences and other communication methods.

CO-WORKING Leasing an office can be quite a costly proposition, especially in cities with high rents. Although the pandemic has temporarily slowed the co-working trend, freelancers and the self-employed still account for up to 30% of the working population in Europe. The shared locations they may use remain in demand and are growing in popularity. Besides providing a workplace whenever it is needed, serviced office environments give users opportunities to talk shop and work alongside people from other disciplines. Companies, too, are harnessing the benefits of cross-departmental spaces and provide shared workspace in their buildings. Mobile storage solutions such as drawer boxes and portable furniture units increase flexibility by ensuring staff have the utensils and documents they need close to hand at all times.

Rolf Schifferens is Managing Director of Germany-based office products vendor Durable

It is critical to focus on the megatrends that are relevant to the office environment WORK-LIFE BLENDING As we move forward, employer ‘branding’ is one of the biggest challenges for European organisations as the competition for good staff becomes tougher. How do you attract talent to your business? For the younger generations, high wages are no longer the sole criterion – work-life balance is now a main priority. The freedom to choose where and when they carry out their job and being able to adapt both to their private lives is essential for today’s young talent. Identifying office trends early and responding appropriately will become increasingly vital. I have no doubt that there’ll be plenty more on this topic in forthcoming issues of OPI.

September/October 2021

HEALTHY REMOTE WORKING Where do I want to work today? At the office, at home or in a café? The ability to choose a location gives employees greater freedom in their professional and private lives. However, wherever ‘work’ is, ergonomics plays a key role, as illustrated by a survey conducted by German health insurance companies in August 2021. Results revealed that 25% of all sick days in 2020 and the first half of 2021 were due to back pain. This is 8% more than in previous years

when far fewer people were working from home. These problems are preventable with proper equipment, such as monitor mounts and tablet holders which promote back and eye health.

FEATURE State of the Industry

EUROPE – ROLF SCHIFFERENS

State of the Industry FEATURE

SOUTH AMERICA – NATALIA GASTALDO onsidering the current economic scenario, I would say that we are undergoing a period of recovery in South America. Our performance indicators are evolving positively and are now more robust. While all countries have experienced a slight sales decline over the past year or so, businesses are starting to enjoy growth following lockdowns. SUPPLY CHAIN PRESSURES However, the stationery and retail sectors are unfortunately tremendously understocked, which is being exacerbated by the increase in the cost of international air and sea freight and the shortage of containers. Other modes of transport are also causing huge inconveniences and are suffering from escalating costs. For instance, to help combat COVID-19, governments of some countries bordering Brazil decreed that truck drivers must be tested for coronavirus when crossing the borders, causing delays. All these supply chain pressures have already added a few percentage points to inflation, and the issue of high freight costs persists with no normalisation as yet on the horizon. Despite this, it is increasingly noticeable that the region is heating up again as vaccination programmes roll out and students return to classes. In addition, demand for organisational and technology products for the home office, as well as for those employees returning to the workplace, is steadily rising. There is increasing business confidence from SMBs and economic recovery is continuing as governments offer emergency aid. All this bodes well for the future of our industry. As Brazil represents the largest country on the continent and the strongest market economically-speaking, it is worthwhile looking at what’s going on here. The country offers a great deal of opportunity for both B2C and B2B

segments, and while the stationery and office products sector is huge, it is also undergoing significant transformation. DIGITAL EVOLUTION Although there is no specific data available, it is a fact that new online stationery retailers emerged during the pandemic to respond to consumer demand – many of these had never engaged with e-commerce before. Recent research indicates 70% of Brazilians utilise social networking platforms, with an astonishing 96% using WhatsApp. Figures suggest almost 70% of the population was online in 2020. For the first five months of 2020, online sales rose by 57%, with May soaring by 75% as COVID-19 took hold. This year, eMarketer predicts e-commerce retail sales will increase 37% across the continent to just under $85 billion, with Argentina representing the fastest-growing market, rising 79% over 2019. In Brazil, the estimated growth is 35%, according to eMarketer, while Ebit/ Nielsen suggests 2021 sales will hit R$110 billion (US$20.3 billion), up 26% over 2020. As a result of the pandemic, the use of technology in the home office is becoming prevalent, and companies are more comfortable with the concept of a flexible working model. In a post-COVID world, this will result in the creation of extra co-working spaces. Additionally, more firms are offering to kit out their employees’ home offices, boosting the importance of desktop accessories and workplace essentials. One final point revolves around sustainability. We see consumers posting comments about environmental issues, particularly recycling. Companies are now more engaged with and sensitive to social and environmental initiatives – they’re much higher up on their agenda.

Natalia Gastaldo is Marketing Manager of Brazil-based office products manufacturer Acrimet

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UK – ROBERT BALDREY

ommentators have remarked how COVID-19 has hastened existing trends, and the effect on the UK business supplies industry has been no different. The rise of the internet and the subsequent digitisation of the workplace, an effect which has precipitated a steady decline in traditional stationery items over the past decade, was massively accelerated as people creatively used technology to facilitate working remotely. Products that have been helping to compensate for reduced OP demand over the years, such as coffee and water, were also hit as a result of people not purchasing these from regular suppliers while working from home. Hybrid working, a rising trend pre-coronavirus, gained huge momentum, with most organisations currently looking to establish a 3:2 day office/

home pattern in the future. This undoubtedly boosted the growth of online organisations geared up for residential deliveries like Amazon Business during 2020 and 2021 as individuals sought easy access to goods. However, this trend may have slowed as some traditional contract players are adapting to the new situation. RESTRUCTURING The pandemic has definitely accelerated the number of shareholders looking to improve their results. Cerberus selling its Staples UK contract business to EVO and its Staples 3PL distribution division, including the Rockingham distribution centre, to Wincanton, is

Robert Baldrey is Contract Chief Sales Officer at Office Depot Europe

ADAPT OR DIE The market is clearly moving to one with fewer operators, with Staples and Office Depot becoming trading brands rather than separate companies, and a large number of resellers being acquired or disappearing. At a recent conference I attended, it was confirmed there are only around 1,000 business supplies resellers in the UK now. I can remember not so long ago when this number was around 3,000. Undoubtedly, there are prospects for those firms which adjust to the changing world. Hygiene in

the workplace will likely remain a key area of focus for the foreseeable future. Businesses are also wrestling with the task of adapting to a permanent change to hybrid working. This presents possibilities, from supplying mobile products that employees can easily use wherever they are, through to office reconfigurations for companies requiring more collaboration workspaces.

The challenge for everyone is to adapt to the new reality or die

FEATURE State of the Industry

an example. Aurelius, meanwhile, sold its Office Depot UK contract business to OT Group along with the Ashton distribution centre. There is still too much capacity in the UK market, and this consolidation activity aimed at driving economies of scale and efficiency savings in a declining sector will most likely continue. We are bound to see a gradual consolidation of adjacent channels (such as Paragon entering office products from the print and marketing supplies channel) as customers seek to realise efficiencies from combining their purchases through one supplier. We can likely expect company failures in the upcoming months as government financial support is removed and sales of pandemic-related items like hand gel and masks – which have propped up many businesses – settle down to more normal levels.

It seems inevitable that global warming will drive an increased focus on low carbon items and services, a trend only a few firms appear to be taking seriously at the moment. Finally, employee well-being and mental health are much higher on the agenda in most boardrooms as we exit the pandemic. This, I believe, is both a test and an opportunity for all of us to address properly. I might be accused of overstating things, but I do believe we will look back at this period and recognise it as a moment when the world of work changed irrevocably. The challenge for everyone is to adapt to the new reality or die. I am optimistic that the imaginative and nimble, and those completely focused on the customer, will survive.

September/October 2021 39

30 FOCUS

OVER and OUT e end of both Staples With 2021 marking th te epot Europe as separa D ce ffi O d an ns tio lu So raithwaite takes a look entities, OPI’s Andy B e US power channel at the rise and fall of th fice products stage n of players on the Europea

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ive or take a few years, the international expansion and then retrenchment of the US-owned office products powerhouses, often still referred to as the ‘big boxes’ or, some time ago, the ‘power channel’, tie in nicely with the 30-year history of OPI. Indeed, one of the most common themes running through this magazine’s pages over the decades (and, since 1999, the opi.net website) has been industry consolidation. And that is something which, in Europe and on a global scale, has been heavily influenced by the actions of US behemoths. The list initially included the likes of Viking, Boise Cascade Office Products (BOP), US Office Products and Corporate Express (CE), but it eventually became a two-horse race as Office Depot and Staples gradually took out the competition.

THE BEGINNING Going back to 1991, OPI’s year of creation, and the OP reseller channel was still highly fragmented, with the biggest trends arguably the rapid growth of the superstores in the US and the start of a consolidation frenzy in the contract segment. Ironically, if we are to talk about a global player in those days, it was not a US firm, but Netherlands-based Buhrmann-Tetterode (BT) – which would eventually become Corporate

Express – that was leading the way, acquiring dealers both in Europe and the US. However, as former Office Depot EVP Doug Ramsdale notes, the landscape was starting to change and the industry was breaking out of its shell, with one US leader in particular setting out on its international journey. “The beginning of the ‘going public’ craze in the industry at the same time as the rapid expansion of the superstores underlined that a higher growth rate justified a much higher multiple – and growth became a god,” he says. According to Ramsdale, one of the first companies to sense it had plateaued on its home patch was Viking. After doing his homework on the UK market during an attempt to acquire direct marketer Neat Ideas in 1990, CEO Irwin Helford decided to take his brand across the Atlantic.

“Our International business has enormous growth potential across all brands and channels, and we plan to continue to allocate a disproportionate share of our capital to accelerate our growth potential outside of North America, especially in Europe.” Bruce Nelson, CEO, Office Depot, Annual Report 2002

Brient, Man aging Direc tor, Dudley Statio nery, OPI 20 00

FOCUS Global Power Play

“I’m sure Stapl es will move inex orably into every sector of the UK marketp lace. I think the scale and success th e st ores have in the USA , tying that in w ith mail order, give the company a range of weapons to use. In time, the will have a grea stores ter share in the UK, and one w ill cross-fertilise th e other.” David

the road to profitability a much longer one. But again, the market entrance of this US firm was a wake-up call for the local incumbents. “The arrival of Viking was like a tsunami,” recalls Danièle Kapel-Marcovici, CEO of RAJA Group, which has just inherited the Viking brand as part of its Office Depot Europe acquisition (see News Analysis, page 6). “Its pricing structure and fanatical customer service turned B2B on its head. We learned a lot from this operator and made improvements in areas such as direct marketing, and customer and product segmentation.” Ramsdale adds: “Irwin realised that, although there were differences between Europe and the US, and between European countries, the desire for great service and great value was common. He adopted an expensive country-by-country approach, not a one-size-fits-all.”

Viking forced us to up our game on merchandising, promotions and pricing management “The superstores’ philosophy was, ‘we do one thing, we do it well, and we can do it anywhere’,” suggests Ramsdale. “The problem was, they couldn’t in Europe. The place was foreign in four key respects: real estate was difficult to find and expensive; labour cost more and was less flexible; marketing costs were higher and it wasn’t as effective; and brand preferences and loyalties were different.” In the mail order channel, following hot on Viking’s heels in the European market, was Reliable, which was soon acquired by BOP.

September/October 2021

To say this shook up the market would be an understatement. Those who have been around long enough will surely recall the sense of panic in the UK dealer community and packed meetings at industry association BOSS. “Viking brought an intense customer focus: better service, easy returns, great pricing for small businesses and sophisticated marketing,” comments Ramsdale. Speaking from a supplier’s point of view, long-serving Avery executive Jonathan Smith, who was still at 3M in the UK in 1990, concurs. “Viking forced us to up our game on merchandising, promotions and pricing management – areas that had not been top of our agenda before this player arrived,” he says. Instrumental in leading Viking’s charge overseas was Graham Cundick, the company’s first-ever employee in Europe. He got the business up and running in the space of just a few months. Incredibly, by the end of 1990, it had raked in £30 million (more than $50 million at the time) in sales and had already broken even. “That was sensational – unheard of,” he says today. Encouraged by its successful UK market entry, in mid-1991, Viking turned its attention to continental Europe. Whether France was the best choice is debatable. Higher labour costs, unionised employees, established players such as JM Bruneau and JPG – all these factors made

THE FLOODGATES OPEN Spurred on by Viking’s success, others soon followed. Staples was the first, bringing its superstore concept to Germany in 1991 when it took a 48% stake in fledgling chain MAXI-Papier; a few months later, it partnered with Kingfisher to open stores in the UK. Office Depot arrived shortly afterwards via a licensing agreement in Poland, followed by a joint venture with Carrefour in the French retail space.

Below: Staples attempts brand consolidation

The US player began to snap up companies across the continent, acquiring the UK’s Neat Ideas in 1995, soon followed by JPG in France and Spain’s Kalamazoo. BOP’s European operations were later bought by acquisitive contract stationer, France-based Guilbert, in 2000. The Americans weren’t the only ones chasing growth, and Guilbert was determined to keep them at bay – although it wasn’t quite how things played out. In a similar vein, BT – which changed its name to Buhrmann in 1998 – was also flying the European flag. Already a force in the US, in 1999, it paid $2.3 billion for CE which, by that time, had run into trouble after a period of rapid growth. The purchase made it the largest pure B2B player globally as we entered the new millennium, although it still lagged behind Guilbert in Europe.

WHAT WENT WRONG? Office Depot’s Viking acquisition came two years after the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) had blocked the merger of Staples and Depot in the US. Faced with increased competition in their home markets, this decision was a catalyst for the US big boxes to develop their international operations, especially Depot, which had been weakened by the Staples takeover saga. Ironically, it was a similar FTC decision 20 years later which hastened their departure from the international scene. But what went wrong in the interim? And clearly something did go wrong, otherwise we

“You would think that the US and the UK would be similar, but having worked in the UK a lot over the past seven years, it’s still a very different market.” Ron Sargent, CEO, Staples, OPI 2006

September/October 2021

MULTICHANNEL MOVES In the early days of this consolidation process, the lines were still clearly drawn as to who was doing what. The superstores were opening stores, mail order resellers were buying up catalogue companies and contract stationers were becoming, well, larger contract stationers. The aforementioned BOP/Guilbert deal was the beginning of a key trend which was already having a major influence on the make-up of the global OP market: the rise of the multichannel reseller. Again, it was the US that had been leading the way as the superstores,

craving growth, moved into the B2B space by acquiring dealers en masse and elbowed into the catalogue business. This included Office Depot’s acquisition of Viking in 1998 in a deal worth $2.6 billion. Overnight, it transformed Depot into the world’s largest OP reseller and made it a powerhouse in Europe, doubling its sales in the region. M&A activity didn’t stop there, of course. Staples went toe-to-toe with Viking in Europe when it bought Guilbert’s direct businesses in 2002. A year later, Guilbert’s contract operations were acquired by Office Depot, while Staples won back the global number one crown when it took over CE in 2008, after a protracted takeover process that also saw Lyreco get involved.

1990 l Viking enters the UK; breaks even in its first few months of trading 1991 l Staples invests in German office superstore brand MAXI-Papier; partners with Kingfisher to develop stores in the UK l Viking enters France 1993 l Office Depot signs a retail licensing agreement in Poland, with stores opening the following year 1994 l Boise Cascade Office Products (BOP) buys US-based Reliable 1995 l Office Depot forms a joint venture with Carrefour to open stores in France l BOP, via its Reliable brand, acquires UK catalogue business Neat Ideas 1996 l Guilbert acquires Niceday in the UK and Walther & Sohn in Germany 1997 l Office Depot enters Hungary l BOP acquires JPG 1998 l Office Depot buys Viking in a $2.6 billion share deal l Guilbert becomes part of the Pinault-PrintempsRedoute (PPR) group l BOP buys Spanish catalogue reseller Kalamazoo 1999 l Buhrmann acquires Corporate Express (CE) l Staples expands its retail presence with the purchase of Sigma Burowelt (Germany) and Office Centre (Netherlands, Portugal), taking its store count in Europe to 120

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EUROPE’S PATH TO CONSOLIDATION...

Right: Brand refresh for Viking in 2011

Global Power Play FOCUS www.opi.net 44

CONTINUED... 2000 Guilbert becomes the number two contract player in Germany when it buys Hutter. It also purchases BOP for $320 million l Office Depot launches its Business Services Division in Europe 2002 l PPR sells Guilbert’s direct brands (Bernard, JPG, MondOffice, Kalamazoo & Neat Ideas) to Staples for $809 million l Viking expands in Switzerland, Spain and Portugal 2003 l Office Depot buys Guilbert’s contract business from PPR for $950 million 2004 l Office Depot acquires licensee in Hungary; enters the Swedish market through an alliance with AGE Kontor & Data l Staples adds 59 stores in the UK with the addition of Globus Office World; buys Malling Beck in Denmark and Kontorslagret in Sweden 2006 l Office Depot acquires Czech reseller Papirius 2007 l Guilbert France becomes Office Depot Business Solutions 2008 l Staples buys CE 2011 l Office Depot acquires Svanströms in Sweden 2012 l Staples announces European restructuring 2013 l Office Depot sells Hungarian business 2015 l Office Depot announces deals in Romania (Austral Trade) and Malta (Complete Supplies) l

th Guilbert, but I think “We got what we wanted wi of putting together we underestimated the job in our enthusiasm, the [these] organisations and, similar-sized companies challenges involved in two ng together. But a lot with different cultures comi . It took us longer than we of these issues are behind us s more distracting than would have hoped and it wa ink we finished the year we would have liked, but I th middle of it.” stronger than we were in the ent, Charlie Brown, Presid

wouldn’t be looking at the retreat of the US power channel. Was it a question of bungled acquisitions, trying to grow too quickly, flawed geographical and channel strategies, a lack of focus, a failure to adapt to changes in the marketplace, secular declines in core products, value-draining price wars? Or perhaps all of the above to some extent? It’s difficult to pinpoint one particular factor. Certainly, as Cundick points out, Viking’s success did not end when it changed hands and it was allowed to plough its own furrow. “[Then Office Depot CEO] Dave Fuente was adamant there would be no US execs coming over to run the business. He understood that

onal, OPI 2006 Office Depot Internati

Peter Damman is an industry veteran who has held senior positions at Viking, Office Depot, CE and Staples in Europe. “Multichannel strategies were not successful,” he argues. “They made matters too complex. Things began to go wrong for Office Depot after it acquired Guilbert and for Staples following its acquisition of CE.” Cezary Monko, President of ACCO Brands EMEA, is sympathetic as regards the challenges these businesses faced. “When you make an acquisition, there are two things you can do: you can integrate it fully and strip out all the local expertise, or you can rely on it. “I don’t believe they ever really knew which was the right path to take. And that’s not a

If you don’t get the support, understanding, and time and patience of the headquarters, you’ll probably fail the culture, brand values and the service proposition were all different.” Avery’s Smith notes: “For me, an inflection point was when Staples and Office Depot thought they could treat the whole of Europe as one trading entity. They tried to standardise everything – products and packaging, for example – across all countries and they treated Europe as one single market.” On the same theme, Ramsdale adds: “By the time the lessons were learnt, it was too late. In business terms, there is no such thing as a global or a European customer. And when it came to people policies, development, and all the things a successful business has to get right, the one-size-fits-all, top-down approach also showed itself to be a failure.”

criticism; it’s very difficult. However, if you don’t get the support, understanding, time and patience of the headquarters, you’ll probably fail. I don’t think they ever really had a chance.” (For more on Monko’s views on key industry developments over the past 30 years, see Interview, page 57). A PERFECT STORM Adrian King, Partner at Australia-based AXS Partners, has an intimate knowledge of the office products industry in Australia, New Zealand as well as Europe. He takes a macroeconomic, bird’s-eye view on the demise of the US big boxes in both regions, and argues that the writing was on the wall when the global financial crisis hit in 2008.

“I think the economy is certainly having an impact on Staples and the entire industry. This is probably the most challenging economic period we have been through in the history of our company.” Ron Sargent, CEO, Staples, OPI 2008

Global Power Play FOCUS www.opi.net 46

CONTINUED... 2016 l FTC blocks Staples/ Office Depot merger; both resellers announce strategic reviews of their international operations l Aurelius acquires Office Depot Europe l Staples sells its UK retail operations to Hilco 2017 l Cerberus acquires Staples Europe, which becomes Staples Solutions 2019 l Office Outlet, the rebranded Staples UK retail business, collapses l PBS Holding acquires Office Depot’s Central & Eastern European business unit 2020 l Office Depot Nordics is sold in an MBO l Office Depot Europe sells its direct and contract arms in Spain to Bruneau and Lyreco, respectively l EVO Group’s Banner buys the book of business of Staples UK 2021 l Office Depot France goes into administration and is eventually acquired by a consortium led by dealer group Alkor l Lyreco purchases Staples Solutions units in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Austria and Poland l Bruneau buys Office Depot Italy; Paragon acquires the Office Depot contract business in the UK and Ireland l Staples Solutions sells its retail business in Portugal to Firmo, Staples Finland to Wulff and Staples Benelux to Standard Investment l RAJA Group acquires the remaining assets of Office Depot Europe, which include the Viking brand

“If you want an authentic and unique go-to-market strategy, you need to leverage the strength of your brands. I did say at the OPI European Conference in 2006 that we were considering integrating the Viking brand into the Office Depot brand. Maybe I shouldn’t have said that, especially with the reaction that we were going to ‘kill’ the Viking brand, but I was trying to be honest and share the things we were thinking of.”

Dirk Collin, President, Office

Depot Europe, OPI 2011

“The ‘tyranny of distance’ is an overriding macro theme to this whole issue,” he says. “When there is growth and it’s going well, expand overseas. When things start to go wrong, it is human nature to focus on what’s closest to home.” He continues: “It was a perfect storm. You had a maturing sector, then the financial crisis came along and hit the B2B market while Amazon was making inroads at the same time, nibbling away at B2C. [The big boxes] progressively took their eye off the ball on the international scene as they tried to win the war

culture while operating in a specific market. Make your money by winning the customer, not watering the soup.” Reading this article, you may think it’s more about Viking in Europe than Staples or Office Depot. This wasn’t the original plan but, when you look at it, the period from 1990 to around 2004 was arguably as good as it got for the US power players in Europe – and that was largely down to Viking. In its heyday, it was likely generating more than $1.5 billion in annual revenues in Europe and EBITDA margin is believed to have been

When there is growth and it’s going well, expand overseas. When things start to go wrong, it is human nature to focus on what’s closest to home on their own turf – which was a more familiar and bigger market.” He concludes: “The main beneficiaries have been well-run, local, highly focused, culturally attuned independent operators.” Despite his earlier comments, Ramsdale says history should not be too hard on the office products sector. “Just look at Walmart in Europe and others that have tried to expand internationally,” he notes. “It’s not easy.” However, he still calls the whole story “a pity”, adding: “Viking had the formula: hire people who can absorb and apply a common

in the healthy double digits. When Office Depot CEO Bruce Nelson referred to the company’s “highly profitable” International operations in its 2002 Annual Report, he probably wasn’t thinking about the retail stores in Japan. THE FINAL CURTAIN In 2016, when the FTC blocked the second attempted merger between Staples and Office Depot, it signalled the end of their international ambitions. The ‘tyranny of distance’ came home to roost as they each focused on how to stay relevant in their home markets of North America.

Jamie Fellowes, CEO, Fellowes Brands, OPI 1996

“Will the change over the next ten years be as dramatic as the past decade? Probably not.” Tom Stemberg, founder, Staples, OPI 2011

They had been counting on bringing their European operations together, but this was effectively scuppered by local antitrust regulators who had ruled against a combination of their contract units as part of the FTC investigation.

When the RAJA acquisition was announced in August 2021, it concluded a period of multiple transactions Enter private equity firms Aurelius and Cerberus, which quickly concluded the respective takeovers of Office Depot and Staples in Europe (although Staples’ UK retail arm had already been sold off in a separate deal to Hilco).

FOCUS Global Power Play

“An argument could be made that the launch of OPI coincided with, and played a significant role in, accelerating the formation of the global OP market.”

The fact private equity got involved at all showed there was still money on the table. They were buying sizeable businesses – Office Depot Europe was bringing in around €2 billion ($2.4 billion) and Staples Europe approximately €1.7 billion – these entities could potentially be broken up and sold off. Which is exactly what has happened over the past four years. When the RAJA acquisition was announced in August 2021, it concluded a period of multiple transactions involving strong, Europe-based players. It has certainly changed the face of the continent’s business products landscape. And hopefully, after years of cutbacks and underinvestment, what will follow next is a fresh approach and some much-needed, renewed entrepreneurial spirit.

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30 INTERVIEW

The voice of

EXPERIENCE:

keep it SIMPLE

In the first of two interviews with much-respected and high-achieving individuals who have shared OPI’s 30-year journey through our industry, Heike Dieckmann speaks to Steve Haworth, CEO of the UK’s EVO Group of Companies

times, having been in some more peripheral verticals where, quite frankly, I could have hidden and just waited for the pension, is hopefully a good example of how special our space is. As a sector, we are big enough to have scope and scale to be interesting, but small enough to really make a difference.

eing bold and keeping it simple – these are two attributes that have successfully guided Steve Haworth through his long career. And never have these qualities been needed more than now, he says, at a time when our industry is in desperate need of reinvention – and a good dollop of self-confidence.

OPI: What’s your recollection of the major milestones during your career? SH: The US big boxes coming to Europe in the early to mid-1990s was definitely a big one. It’s probably safe to say they’ve failed in their quest (see also Focus, page 40).

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OPI: You graduated in 1992, just under a year after OPI was born, then joined ISA International which ultimately, many years and iterations later, became part of what’s now the EVO Group of Companies. How would you summarise the past three decades? Steve Haworth: Loved every minute. Wouldn’t change a thing. Still learning every day. Met some amazing people. These are the good bits. What distresses me is when we talk our industry, our people and our quality down. We’re as good as anybody else and I think we compare really well with other sectors. The fact that I’ve come back to the heart of this industry three

As a sector, we are big enough to have scope and scale to be interesting, but small enough to really make a difference

I would go as far as to say that the whole globalisation or pan-Europeanisation of the industry hasn’t really worked. But so many entities going down that path – Spicers is another good example – was certainly another milestone. I would also highlight the entry into the market of consumables – EOS to begin with – as being massive. And it took us a long time to work out that

Steve Haworth INTERVIEW

consumables can be anything. They aren’t just ink and toner, or indeed office products. I think we still wrestle with what the definition of our industry is and its constituent parts, in terms of channels and their scope, manufacturers and definitely products. What we so often refer to as ‘adjacent’ categories need not be adjacent at all, they are completely part of what we should sell and be involved in. Clearly, the entry of Amazon in soft terms – or Amazon Business in hard terms – has been a huge influence. It’s been positive, I would argue, because it forced people to think carefully about e-commerce and all it entailed. In that same vein and above everything else perhaps, the advancement of technology has shaped our sector. When I started my career in the early 1990s, everything was done on paper record cards – we probably had two or three computers in the entire building at ISA. Look at where we’re now, most recently exacerbated by COVID-19. Technology progress is inexorable and getting faster and faster.

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OPI: You’ve just mentioned the omnipresent COVID. That’s been a real gamechanger for many. Have there been plenty of these ‘bang, out of the blue’ moments in your opinion? SH: The pace of change from a macro landscape has always been fast, but we seem to have made it gradual because of our inertia and inability to react aggressively. We didn’t have that luxury with the pandemic. If there’s anything we can learn from big events such as the 2007/2008 financial crisis and now of course COVID-19, it’s that we have to react more dynamically and assertively to change. If you don’t embrace it, you’re dead, or at the very least struggling. We hear about these examples all the time – Kodak, taxi firms, hotels – they just weren’t quick enough in their thinking and reactions, and the likes of Apple, Uber and Airbnb have been laughing all the way to the bank ever since.

We are a platform to connect any manufacturers or brands with people who want to consume their products, and we do that in a variety of different ways with a variety of different services We need new blood and fresh ideas. I look around the room at every event, every conference I attend and every board I sit on, and it’s all the same pale and stale people. That isn’t good for the future of our industry. I guess it depends how you define the ‘industry’. It’s been a long, windy road for EVO, charted over the years in OPI and on opi.net

OPI: What is your definition? SH: I would define it by the services we provide, not by the products we sell, or the customers or suppliers we deal with. From an EVO perspective, there is simply no limit – we are a platform to

EVO would not have survived the pandemic without operating a multichannel model. Because we do, we’ve thrived

Who do you most admire in the industry? Without a shadow of a doubt, a person called Dave West. I worked with him at Pitney Bowes between 2007 and 2009. I’ve never met anyone else with this ability to take what looks like a complicated business model, simplify it and achieve success. He was an incredibly hard taskmaster, but he was the one person everybody wanted to get a “well done” from because it meant so much when you did. Best piece of advice? Again, it goes back to Dave West and I hope it’s rubbed off on me. Keep it simple. The quality of a leader is determined by his/her ability to take complicated things and break them down into their simplest components so they are actionable and measurable. Results will follow.

d before he starte Steve Haworth ts career his office produc

Proudest moment of your career? Becoming CEO at EVO, no question. I joined ISA International straight from the jobcentre in Bradford, Yorkshire, in 1992. Being asked in 2016 to lead what had become of that business was my proudest moment. Most difficult business decision? Specifically, it’s hard to tell people they haven’t got a future in the business because it so directly affects families, lives, etc. More generally speaking, it’s deciding what not to do. You’re often confronted with a sea of opportunity and options, and it’s difficult not to jump on every bandwagon and always focus on the things you should be doing. Have a strategy, stick to it. If the strategy is wrong, change it. Don’t jump around from one crazy idea to the next. Favourite office product? I like a good stapler. But also – evidence of where the industry is headed – my digital to-do list in Microsoft Outlook that I can synchronise with all my devices and keep everything and everyone on task. I should be saying it’s pen and paper, of course, but that wouldn’t be true. Dream job? I’ll be honest, when I entered this industry in 1992, it wasn’t my dream to work in telesales at ISA selling telex and fax rolls. I’m a technical linguist. My whole education drove me to be a technical translator and that’s what I wanted to do, specifically in the aerospace industry. During my first 18 months at ISA, I was still applying within the EU for technical translation jobs in that field. It took me that long to realise I wasn’t good enough. So here we are, nearly 30 years later. What do you most value about OPI – if anything? Your ability to bring people together on a truly European and global basis, facilitating meetings with senior executives that you typically wouldn’t get to talk to. I can give you a very specific example – the OPI European Forum in Berlin in 2019. At that event, I had a chance to meet and talk to Dolph Westerbos. It led to the acquisition of Staples’ book of business in the UK a year later. There are plenty of other things you do very well, but this is definitely the highlight for me.

September/October 2021

OPI: Let’s talk some more about EVO, the model you have and what, as you’ve just said, the company is trying to do. I remember a time when the term ‘conflict of interest’ was looming large over every operator that didn’t follow the straight channel dissection route. Certainly in the developed markets, you were either a wholesaler, a dealer, a contract stationer, etc. Mixing created conflict. Now the lines are blurring for so many – what’s your view on channel conflict? SH: The importance of this debate subsided years ago. I’m not going to deny the fact that people will say it theoretically still exists, but they quite possibly need a reality check. If we ever needed a real-life example of where having breadth, the ability to work across markets, channels and products has come to the fore, it’s COVID. EVO would not have survived the pandemic without operating a multichannel model. Because we do, we’ve thrived. EVO’s predecessor Vasanta started with a hybrid model back in 2007. Everything that’s happened since – economic and financial crises, the advent of new technologies, the rise in consumption of certain categories, the decline in others, COVID – has validated the multichannel hybrid model. When sensitively managed and organised, it works well. Different entities cater well to different audiences, we are very clear on that at EVO. When it comes to dealing with people on a transactional basis, in the local community, there is nobody better at doing it than independent resellers. They need wholesale support.

30 YEARS IN A NUTSHELL

Steve Haworth

OPI: You’ve just said we needed fresh blood – are there not enough potential new leaders coming through in your opinion? SH: There are plenty of young leaders coming through, but we need to give them their opportunity and a voice. I don’t think we have enough forums and platforms for these people to make an impact, for instance, especially when they are so guided by how they see the traditional way the industry is being led. A really balanced approach is needed, with respect to age, gender and all manner of diversity. As an example, BOSS’s Leaders of the Future forum is a fantastic initiative, as is all the work this industry association is doing with promoting women in business. But there needs to be more and we have to engage with it and support it.

INTERVIEW

connect any manufacturers or brands with people who want to consume their products, and we do that in a variety of different ways with a variety of different services.

Steve Haworth INTERVIEW

National independent resellers are brilliant at working with private sector contract customers – fine, we can do that. One of the biggest missing links we’ve had at EVO up until the transaction with Staples Solutions’ UK business was the consumer market online. We’ve now opened that up. It doesn’t really conflict with the rest of the B2B channels we’re in, but it’s something our manufacturers were desperate for us to do. If we don’t do it for them, they will find somebody else which decreases our relevance. Staying relevant is so important and it means moving on and trying new things. It doesn’t mean that there isn’t room for traditions and long-term relationships – they are massively valuable and can never be replaced by anything. So, having answered your question in a very long-winded way, we don’t speak about conflict anymore, but we are most definitely sensitive to it.

We are not in a sector where you can coast, where growth comes automatically. We have to work for it, spend time and energy on it

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OPI: Let’s look forward. Where are we headed? SH: We’ve recently had some big catalysts for change – first Brexit, then COVID. I’m the wrong person to comment on Brexit, to be honest, because it’s been brilliant for us. That said, given how long we talked about it before it actually happened, I was shocked by just how unprepared so many companies and individuals were. As regards COVID, there are a lot of things we changed at EVO and continue to change as a result of the pandemic. But even though we obviously couldn’t predict what was to unfold, none of these things were new, and it’s quite embarrassing from a leadership perspective that it’s taken us so long. Take Microsoft Teams. We’ve had it for three years, but hadn’t really adopted it. COVID gave us the reason to do so – now we can’t imagine life without it.

All in all, I think there’s never been a bigger opportunity for those who want to grasp it and look forward. By the same token, it’s also a time of huge threats for the zombies who aren’t prepared to come out from under the rock and think differently. The threat is particularly acute now, as government support packages end, loans and debts have to be repaid, and so on. We need to redefine our industry based on the services, relationships and solutions that we can offer to consumers. Let’s not talk about the terminal decline in the use of paper or all manner of office products. Instead, highlight the services: one point of contact, one invoice, one delivery; reducing the impact on the environment; being able to react to urgent demands for products like never before... We are not in a sector where you can coast, where growth comes automatically. We have to work for it, spend time and energy on it. OPI: Final thoughts from an industry veteran? I know you hate that term… SH: Be clear about what you’re good at, but also what you’re not good at. It’s ok to say “no, that’s not us, that’s not our competency”. At the same time, be bold and learn new things – within your competencies. And remember, it’s not a popularity contest. It’s hard work to be bold and ahead of the game. But the rewards will be amazing and make it all worthwhile.

INTERVIEW 30

EVOLUTION,

not revolution

Being in the same industry for 30 years is remarkable; working in the same company – without having the vested interest of owning it – equates to unadulterated dedication. Although that’s perhaps not how Cezary Monko would describe it…

ur second interview with a true industry icon, who has coincidentally been a long-time friend and staunch supporter of OPI, is Cezary Monko, President of ACCO Brands EMEA (for the other interview with Steve Haworth, see page 48). Monko’s career, of course, started at Esselte, the originally Sweden-based manufacturer which has gone through bouts of M&A activity over the years and was bought by ACCO Brands in 2017. Monko recently spoke to Andy Braithwaite for an OPI Talk podcast (visit opi.net/podcast). This is an abridged version of the chat which charts the trials and tribulations of a vendor that went out on a progressive limb in a largely unexplored territory. In the process, it found a leader who has spent all of his career being just as progressive, with a pragmatic attitude and a global, yet very local, outlook.

OPI: You started out as a Sales Manager at Esselte in Poland, now you are President of ACCO Brands EMEA, responsible for approximately 2,500 people and €600 million

For a Western company with an international reach to invest in a Central European market [...] was innovative at the time OPI: So is this a rags to riches, obscurity to fame, kind of tale? CM: (laughs) Not quite. But it was a time of tremendous change in my home country. For a Western company with an international reach to invest in a Central European market – we weren’t even in the EU back then – with a full-blown subsidiary was innovative at the time. Not many companies did that; in fact, the only other player doing the same I recall was 3M. My remit in the early days was to explore the market’s opportunities – there were no big actual and imminent sales expectations. I was doing a lot of research and found there was plenty of demand in this geography which, incidentally, was thriving and developing very quickly.

September/October 2021

OPI: Almost 30 years in the same company – of sorts. How does that feel? Cezary Monko: It’s flown by. I, of course, never expected to last as long as I did when I joined Esselte almost 30 years ago, but it’s definitely been the best career I could ever have hoped for.

($709 million) of turnover. That’s quite a climb up the corporate ladder. CM: I guess it is. When I started, I was Sales Manager, but the title was bigger than the role. I wasn’t managing anything – I was just a one-man band with a car.

Cezary Monko INTERVIEW I began to sell and the potential became obvious to my bosses – they started to take this particular part of the world seriously. Esselte invested in a manufacturing plant in Poland and, from dipping its toes in the water, it suddenly became a real player and then a leader in the market. Being part of that growth period was terrific and very exciting. OPI: What were the star products back then? CM: Almost exclusively traditional filing products, with the lever arch file being the absolute hero – it was our top seller. Everybody needed this item, it was on practically every order and we were very well recognised for it. As a result, margins were much better too in those days! It wasn’t quite a one-product show, but almost.

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OPI: Who were your customers? CM: Initially, they mostly comprised importers that were buying from other Esselte subsidiaries. I added a few local distributors and then some Polish companies. I spent a lot of time in the car and on the road, visiting customers. I had a fax machine and then – the big technology breakthrough – a modem connected to somewhere. I think it might have been Sweden. The real change happened when the large international cash-and-carry wholesale clubs started arriving from Germany. Makro, bought by Metro Group in 1998, was the first. These operators had a modern infrastructure and contemporary solutions. We had no existing relationships with them, so had to up our game, increase our expertise and invest more.

OPI: Winding forward to the present, what have been the biggest and most significant changes in the marketplace that shaped the company? CM: I don’t think there has been anything radical per se. It’s just evolution guided by

Main image: the latest iconic Leitz lever arch file, the Leitz 180̊ Recycle. Inset: Leitz 180̊, the strongest lever arch file in the world in 2006

macroeconomics. Recessions, economic growth, expansion – they are all fairly predictable. We’ve also always found that most of the trends arrive from the US. And as a company with an international outlook, you paid attention to what was happening in this part of the world – OPI magazine and its coverage of this market helped enormously in my view. As such, you had a pretty good inkling of what was to come in Europe a couple of years later.

I truly believe that the only real and unexpected change over the past 30 years is happening right now – the COVID-19 pandemic The big boxes arriving from the US was a huge deal. But it tended to happen by country or region. Typically, the UK was first in Europe, then the Netherlands, Germany, France, etc. We’ve always had time to adapt and find some kind of balance. The same was true when Amazon appeared. It’s all been gradual. Very importantly, the strong representation of local champions in many markets inevitably helped to balance and offset some of the pressures from the global developments. It never felt like a revolution. I truly believe that the only real and unexpected change over the past 30 years is happening right now – the COVID-19 pandemic. The rest comes down to trends, exacerbated or influenced by macro or microeconomics. OPI: In summary, how did ACCO Brands deal with the crisis? CM: In stages is the honest answer. The first one was to react to the lockdowns and all they

Cezary Monko INTERVIEW www.opi.net 60

entailed. Then we had to work on a strategy to move forward – much of May and June last year was spent on it. We changed a lot of products and put more emphasis on channels that were actually open. Then, from July last year until now, we’ve had 13 consecutive months of growth versus 2019 and 2020, respectively. We are extremely proud of how well we’ve come through this difficult and totally unprecedented period. OPI: Why do you think you managed the process comparatively well? CM: Flexibility and pragmatism. As a company, we are channel agnostic. It’s really important and means we respect everybody and we can work with everybody. So when the circumstances dictated that some channels were unfortunately closed, we could work with others, online being a good example. We had the infrastructure, equipment and people. We immediately started investing very heavily in our online team – a lot of young and talented people. And we invested in our products, massively. The focus was on the consumer working from home. What might they need? Computer accessories, smaller office machines, desktop supplies – it’s quite a long list. We were very proactive in terms of facilitating flexible working for employees as that was a trend already, even before COVID. So the step further to allow people to completely work from home for a given period wasn’t a huge leap. It was a challenge, no doubt, because it was a race and there wasn’t time for hesitation. We basically identified a small number of key priorities and then went for it. OPI: You mentioned local champions earlier, how they create balance and perhaps keep global operators at bay. We’ve seen the demise of Staples Solutions and Office Depot in Europe, with France-based RAJA Group now owning a sizeable chunk of those businesses. It’s multinational too, yes, but still family-owned and European. Do you think this kind of operator provides a good balance for ACCO Brands in the market? CM: It remains to be seen. Whatever we say about the likes of Depot and Staples, they controlled and serviced a considerable part of the market. We will closely monitor what replaces them. What’s important to me is a higher rate of understanding of the importance of the specific European regions and the European companies within them. These are obviously criticisms that have been levelled at the former US big boxes for many years – Ron Sargent himself admitted to a certain corporate arrogance in a very self-deprecating way. The slightly triumphal approach and a disregard of and disrespect for the strengths of local markets and players is an example. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against American companies – I happen to work for one. But European companies are closer to the market

30 YEARS IN A NUTSHELL Industry person you most admire? No comment on this one. Not because there isn’t anybody, but because I feel there’s been so much pressure on companies and people over the past 18 months. Everything they do is viewed through the pandemic lens right now and I don’t want to judge them from that perspective. Any candidates I would come up with might not ‘pass’ at this particular time – even great people have problems and struggle. Your work philosophy? If you believe in something, just do it – it’s better to ask for forgiveness than for permission. Your biggest regret? Esselte was contemplating buying ACCO Brands in 2008 or 2009 and we didn’t go through with it. Then the opposite happened a few years later. Make of this statement what you will! Most difficult decision you’ve ever had to take? It relates to the same topic. When Esselte was sold to ACCO in 2017, I had to make a decision about my future. I stayed on the board and recommended that my closest peers do the same. They did. We were given the opportunity to continue to manage the business. In hindsight, it was the right decision, but it wasn’t an easy one at the time. Funniest, or perhaps most embarrassing moment? I started at Esselte on 1 April 1992 – April Fool’s Day. I was sent to our factory in Copenhagen, Denmark, as part of my induction programme and met the plant manager and many of my colleagues there. We spent four hours that day talking about lever arch files: features, colours, components, pricing, customers, competitors – anything and everything. The problem was I had no idea what a lever arch file actually was – I knew the term for a binder in Polish, I knew it in German, but not a clue in English. When I told the manager this five years later, he couldn’t believe it. Goes to show you don’t need to know a lot – just let people think you do. Most memorable moment of your career? That’s easy – when I was given the Industry Achievement accolade at the European Office Products Awards in 2016. This is something that is quite often bestowed on people who are nearing the end of their career, but I hopefully have several years to go still. It was a huge recognition for me, and a real moment of pride, no doubt about it. Alternative job? Maybe politician. But I’m glad I didn’t venture down that path and persevered with what I did.

Cezary Monko winning the Industry Achievement award

Cezary Monko INTERVIEW www.opi.net

and the consumer, partly because, quite simply, they are consumers as well. Whether it’s RAJA or other entities, there will be new champions and heroes, and they very much won’t be exempt from potentially failing in the future either.

OPI: This is a perennial discussion point, but it seems apt to discuss it for this special issue of OPI. We’re moving away from the term, but it’s still frequently used – the office products industry. What’s your view on the description of our sector? CM: It’s obsolete or should be. And what we’re currently going through is the best example to illustrate it. The office is a building, right? Well, a lot of those buildings are empty now, but we are still selling, end consumers are still buying, and everybody in the middle of that supply chain still has a role to play. The term is far too restrictive. In fact, it diminishes our efforts and the enormous expertise we have across the industry – knowledge of consumers, channels and trends, among so many things. This image problem we have also affects who we can attract to our sector because we are seen as an old industry – I would argue it has been a self-perpetuating trait. I work for a good company which offers opportunities, so I speak from experience when I say this. But there is such a multitude of seemingly more exciting, competing sectors which attract young talent that it’s hard. Overall, diversity is a challenge. ACCO Brands employs predominantly men, for instance. We would like to change that and are working really hard at it. And yes, we do have young people coming through and going up the ranks

very successfully, but calling yourself an office supplies company certainly holds you back from the outset, no doubt. We have to change the message, but then we also have to walk that talk once we’ve done it. I think we have a lot to offer. We work with some incredibly sophisticated and advanced systems in our operations and many on-trend products. Our latest young recruits are excited to learn about both. And they thrive. But there should be many more of them – in every ‘office supplies’ company out there.

The decision-making power in our space […] is moving from the office manager, corporate buyer or merchandiser to the consumer OPI: Finally, as regards trends and evolution, what do you see coming round the corner? CM: Again, I believe COVID has accelerated an already existing trend because of all the enforced homeworking. The upshot is that the decision-making power in our space, however you want to define it, is moving from the office manager, corporate buyer or merchandiser to the consumer. And by this I don’t just mean the understanding of the product with all the content now required, but the actual ordering too. This development, which has already started thanks to the pandemic, will only continue and become more dominant in many geographies – it’s the evolution from a professional office market to a consumer market. Whether we like it or not, it’s happening.

30 FEATURE

THE PRODUCTS WE SELL

What are the office products that we remember the most? Industry peers and the OPI team have been putting their heads together and come up with an eclectic mix of the interesting and iconic – and some best-sellers to boot

Bulldog clip “I have seen many products come and go, but some have been around for centuries and still have a useful purpose. The humble pencil has been around since the 1600s, the stapler since the 1800s and the versatile bulldog clip since the early 1900s. We have many core lines that were pretty much ‘right first time’.” – Tina Russell, Director of Purchasing, Nemo and Office Club

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Macintosh Classic “In October 1990, Apple launched the Macintosh Classic, a sub-$1,000 computer. I was working at Björsells (which became Staples and is now part of Lyreco), which was a Macintosh reseller, and thought it was a great opportunity to sell within our industry. Our Mac department and Apple Sweden said this was out of the question. We all know what happened to Apple after this...” – Michael Alfinson, Procurement Manager, AllOffice

Post-it Note What started life as the the humble Press ’n Peel, me co be s ha te No it stPo 3M. a global success for ay tod , 80 19 Launched in 00 4,0 n tha re mo there are . cts du pro it stPo

FEATURE Iconic Office Products

USB flash drive Launched at the end of the 1990s, USB flash drives became ubiquitous in the 2000s. With their ultra-portability, ever-expanding storage capacity and cheap price, they were a favourite giveaway at events and exhibitions.

Rexel Auto Feed shredder ACCO Brands introduced the world’s first Auto Feed shredder to the market in 2008. Says Mark Griffiths, Director of Neon Orient: “The Auto Feed shredder was based on true consumer insight and featured groundbreaking technology. It was not without some false starts, but provided huge consumer benefits and is still going strong today. You can tell it’s a good thing as this is now the category standard.”

HP LaserJet The first HP LaserJet was released in 1984, creating an entirely new printer market. During the 1990s, it became a very popular printer choice for offices and schools. It still is.

FriXion pen “Smooth writing, erasable and wonderful colours. I never imagined FriXion pens would make it into the top 10 so quickly! Not long after they launched, Customer Services called me to explain that a client had gone to a meeting, taken notes, left the notebook on the dashboard of the car (in the sun)... and the information had disappeared. The customer was distraught. A quick call to Pilot and we had a solution – put the notebook in the freezer! The words reappeared.” – Andrea Kenna, Sr Director Core Categories for Category, Commerce Platform & Data Management, Office Depot Europe

September/October 2021

Pandemic products COVID-19-related products such as hand sanitiser and face masks are now business supplies staples. Also included in this category are air purifiers, which were already becoming popular in the workplace before the pandemic. Designed to help create healthy indoor air spaces as part of the overall well-being trend, air purifiers are now perfectly positioned as a potent tool in the fight against airborne viruses such as coronavirus. In fact, the AeraMax Pro from Fellowes Brands and the Leitz TruSens range are both North American Office Products Awards (NAOPA) 2021 finalists (see page 100 for the full NAOPA shortlist).

Iconic Office Products FEATURE

Mobile phones “The big ‘stone in the pond’ has been technology and the ripples have been felt everywhere, both personally and across our industries. As an example, it was in 1991 that I was the proud owner of a brand new British Telecom Ivory ‘transceiver’. You don’t always recognise the significance of a new thing until much later. Also, in those days, the idea of a photocopier in a home was unthinkable. 20 years later, a copier, printer and scanner device was almost expected. Now, we are emailing, scanning, PDFing, Googling, WhatsApping, all from highly portable mobile devices – we’re doing practically everything but printing.” – Steve Robinson, General Manager, UK & Ireland, Safescan Sit-stand desk As employers have edged towards making the office a healthier environment for staff, the popularity of ergonomic furniture has risen alongside it. Especially sit-stand desks are becoming more and more sophisticated, with integrated software designed to encourage movement throughout the working day. As a result of the pandemic and increased work-from-home, sit-stand desks are now frequently requested in all working environments.

THE WRITE STYLE The OPI team loved these pictures so much we couldn’t resist sharing them. By way of background, John George, Managing Director of JGBM – and son of company founder John George Sr – says: “JGBM started out as the sole UK distributor for Silver Reed typewriters, then Sanyo dictation machines were added.”

John George Sr with the newly launched Silver Reed 25CE Golfball typewriter in 1980.

Heading off to a dealer in 1981 with an urgent order for three Silver Reed manual typewriters.

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John George in 1983 with an EX55 Daisywheel launch poster on the wall.

Coffee Sales in the breakroom category were going great guns for dealers before March 2020, with coffee leading the way. As employees slowly return to the workplace, they will likely need their cup of joe even more. Thankfully, vendors have upped their game with expanded coffee options, including all-important touchless technology for coffee machines from companies such as Nespresso Professional.

Interesting to note that the two brands in the photo – Silver Reed and Sanyo – no longer exist.

FEATURE

CHANGING of the GUARD

A phenomenal 22 personalities in the 2021 edition of our Top 100 are new entries, the highest figure since OPI started compiling the list 20 years ago – another anniversary incidentally. But this unprecedented churn might not be due to the most obvious reason – by Andy Braithwaite

CHANGED LANDSCAPE IN EUROPE Well, not entirely. While the pandemic is creating unique challenges for the business products industry, the leading resellers around the world are proving to be a pretty resilient bunch – down, but most definitely not out. What has had a big impact over the past 18 months are the divestment

strategies of the now-former private equity owners of Office Depot and Staples Solutions in Europe. The sell-offs of the two iconic brands have been completed and these pan-European entities are no longer part of the Top 100. In their place, we have some new ‘local champions’ emerge, such as Firmo (Portugal), OT Group (UK), Office Centre (Netherlands) and Office Depot Nordics. All of these have acquired former big box assets and contribute to the changing reseller landscape in Europe (for more on the international rise and fall of the big boxes, see ‘Focus’, page 40). On the other side of the Atlantic, huge changes could be just around the corner. Surely, it’s just a matter of time before Staples and Depot’s retail operations combine which, in turn, raises questions about the future of their B2B divisions. We shall see, but we are still missing a name against Staples Inc following the departure of Sandy Douglas earlier this year. BRING IN THE NEW GUARD It’s good to see some younger faces making their first appearance on the list as family-owned companies successfully complete their transitions to the next generation of leadership. A shout-out here goes to Plate in Germany as Ingo Schmidt takes the helm and to Australia’s COS, where Belinda and Amie Lyone are now co-CEOs. Take a look at the Directory section of opi.net, where you can read the updated profiles of all our 2021 Top 100 candidates. On the topic of remarkable individuals in our sector, also read our Spotlight in this special celebratory issue where we focus on the younger generation – the potential new guard (page 80). Who are the Top 30 under 30?

September/October 2021

or the past couple of years in our annual Top 100 introduction, we’ve been suggesting that it’s a ‘pivotal’ time for the business products industry – well before the word ‘pivot’ began to be used extensively as a COVID term. In 2019, this was mainly due to structural changes in the US while, in 2020, it seemed that coronavirus would have a profound impact across all channels. It would certainly not be out of place to use the adjective again as we move into the final quarter of 2021. Second, third and even fourth waves of COVID-19 have meant a delay in many parts of the world to what was being touted as the ‘new normal’ in the workplace. While some markets have seen a recovery in 2021, other regions have been hit by further lockdowns. And at the time of writing, there were still grave concerns about the consequences of the Delta variant which is casting further doubt on the timing of office re-openings. All this is adding fuel to the fires that are the shift to e-commerce and the acceleration of digitisation. Speak to any well-known vendor and they will probably tell you Amazon is their fastest-growing customer account. Therefore, COVID must be behind the large number of new entries, right?

Top 100 FEATURE

EUROPE

This year’s list of the Top 100 personalities in our industry, split into five geographic regions.

AMERICAS Jaime Alverde Losada CEO, Office Depot de Mexico NEW David Boone CEO, Staples Canada José Mário & Thiago Britto Chairman & Managing Director, Inforshop Harry Dochelli President & CEO, Essendant Tony Ellison CEO, Shoplet.com Sean Fleming CEO, Distribution Management Alexandre Gagnon VP, Amazon Business Paulo Garcia Managing Director, Kalunga Mike Gentile CEO, Independent Suppliers Group John Givens CEO, Office Source & Technology David Guernsey CEO, Guernsey Matthew Hebert CEO, Office Partners Kevin Johnson CEO, Warehouse Direct Lauren Jones CEO, The Supply Room Yancey Jones & Mike Maggio Executive Chairman & CEO, S.P. Richards NEW John Kenworthy CEO, Storey Kenworthy NEW Ian Landy President, Basics Office Products Mark Leazer Executive Director, AOPD Sid Lerman President, The Weeks Lerman Group DG Macpherson CEO, Grainger Denis Mathieu CEO, Novexco Leo Meehan CEO, WB Mason Mike Motz CEO, Staples US Retail Gerry Smith CEO, The ODP Corporation Jennifer Smith CEO, Innovative Office Solutions Jason & Robert Tillis President & CEO, Imperial Dade NEW To be confirmed CEO, Staples Inc

AFRICA/MIDDLE EAST Trevor Girnun Managing Director, Waltons Craig Noyle & Garry McCluskey Directors, Inovocom NEW Baderuddin Panakkat Category Head, Al Nabooda

ASIA Xavier Etienne Managing Director, Lyreco Asia Shailesh Karwa & Sharad Dalmia Co-CEOs, WorkStore NEW Hidekuni Kuroda CEO, Kokuyo Akira Yoshioka CEO, Askul

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AUSTRALASIA

NEW Nick Grayston Group CEO, The Warehouse Group Sarah Hunter Managing Director, Officeworks NEW Adam Joy CEO, Office Brands Peter Kelly CEO, Winc NEW Amie & Belinda Lyone Co-CEOs, COS Brad O’Brien CEO, Office Choice Grant Sheridan CEO, Office Products Depot Joe Taylor CEO, NXP

Adriano Alessio General Manager, In Ufficio NEW Matthias Baumann CEO, MTH Retail Andrew Beaumont Managing Director, Exertis Supplies Tim Beaumont Managing Director, Nemo & Office Club Carlos & Rafael Benavides Managing Directors, Comercial del Sur NEW Laurent Bertrand CEO, Lacoste Dactyl Bureau & École NEW Peter Birks CEO, Ryman Sergey Bobrikov Founder, Komus Udo Böttcher Managing Director, Böttcher Robert Brech Group Managing Director, Kaut-Bullinger NEW Jeanette Bresitz Managing Director, Office Friendly NEW Rui Carvalho CEO, Firma Richard Coulson CEO, Complete Business Solutions Simon Drakeford CEO, EO Group NEW Frank Egholm CEO, Office Depot Nordics Dr Benedikt Erdmann Chairman, Soennecken NEW Dan Fati CEO, Dacris László Fehér Managing Director, Corwell George Gerardos CEO, Plaisio Gert Gerber Managing Director, Office Supplies Denmark Xavier Guichard CEO, Manutan Group Philippe Guillotin Managing Director, ADVEO Steve Haworth CEO, EVO Group of Companies Joe Hemani Chairman, Westcoast José Hernández Sanchez General Manager, Carlin Arthur & Simone Hindmarch Joint Managing Directors, Commercial Group NEW Andrew Jones CEO, OT Group Danièle Kapel-Marcovici CEO, Raja Group Alper Kisa Vice General Manager, Akçay Group Greg Liénard CEO, Lyreco Aidan McDonough Managing Director, Integra Business Solutions NEW Michael Müller SVP Printing, ALSO International Patrick Murphy CEO, Codex Paul Musgrove Managing Director, Nectere Niklas Norström CEO, AllOffice Bruno Peyroles CEO, Bureau Vallée Elina Pienimäki CEO, Wulff Group Nicolas Potier Managing Director, Bruneau Laurent Proy Managing Director, Alkor Group Ferdinando Rese President, Errebian NEW Ola Rosquist CEO, RKV Jörg Schäfers & Axel Hennemann Joint Managing Directors, Büroring Richard Scharmann CEO, PBS Holding Hans Schmid President, Printus NEW Ingo Schmidt Managing Director, Plate NEW Marc-Derek Schönberger CEO, Office Centre Jean-Yves Sebaoun Managing Director, Fiducial Office Solutions Miroslaw Szydlowski Managing Director, PBS Polska Arnold Theuws Managing Director, Quantore Igor Trifonov CEO, Samson Jan Van Belleghem Managing Director, Interaction Frank van Zanten CEO, Bunzl Thomas Veit Managing Director, soft-carrier Francesco Villa General Manager, Buffetti Group Dmitry Vinogradov CEO, Merlion Vaida Volkavicius CEO, Officeday Michael Voll CEO, Despec Nordics NEW Maria Zesch CEO, TAKKT

30 FEATURE

The STAGE is YOURS After 30 years of reporting on developments in our sector, OPI is raising the curtain to those who make it what it is – our readers. What is your take on these past three decades? Read on…

MICHEL VAN BEEK, PRESIDENT EMEA & ASIA PACIFIC, FELLOWES BRANDS

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For over three decades, OPI has developed into the centrepiece of the industry for insight, perspective, communication and relationships. As we reflect back on your early days in 1991, it seems like worlds away. Both Staples and Viking had announced expansion plans into Europe and Fellowes Brands had just launched the world’s first personal shredder to expand and evolve our own business and brand. Since that time, trends, companies and people have come and gone – but OPI has remained as a relevant and value-building contributor to our industry Over the past 30 years, there has been a constant discussion around the fact that office technology would eliminate the need for paper documents. Remarkable then how paper and paper-related products still play a significant role today. Nevertheless, things are changing faster than ever before. Both new technologies and hybrid working are bringing significant challenges but also major opportunities to our industry.

Focusing on growth and higher-margin products is hugely important. Congratulations and thank you for your partnership, support and friendship over the years, and for being the glue that holds our industry together.

Thank you for your partnership, support and friendship over the years, and for being the glue that holds our industry together

The OPI team would like to sincerely thank all the contributors for their recollections, anecdotes and insights. We were overwhelmed and humbled by your generosity, kindness and, quite simply, love for our industry as well as OPI. We could have filled many more pages with your memories, but sadly ran out of space. So please visit the Magazine section on opi.net to find out what the likes of Casey Avent, Bruno Peyroles, Stewart Barton-Taylor, Eric Smith, Paul Ventimiglia, Sean Starkey, Stuart Seymour, Clem Restaino, Peter Achterberg and many more have to say about the highlights, challenges and moments of joy of the past 30 years.

I started to work in this industry in 1986 as the new Head of International Marketing at Stabilo. There wasn’t an email system in the company and sales meetings were supported by plenty of handwritten overhead projector slides. Having previously worked in disruptive markets such as consumer electronics and mobile communications, I was sure the dynamics caused by technical innovations would hit the office products space too. That certainly was the case for some categories, but for writing instruments I was wrong.

We’ve probably all ridden on the crest of one wave only to find that, at a pivotal moment, we jump onto another one. For me, an example of this happened in the 1990s when 3M was selling huge volumes of overhead projectors. Practically overnight, it started selling huge volumes of multimedia projectors. Paper clocking in cards used to be the de facto standard. Now Netherlands-based, family-owned Safescan is at the leading edge of fingerprint and facial recognition clocking in systems that use cloud-based technology – the realm of Tomorrow’s World (Editor’s note: a UK science and technology TV programme) 30 years ago! Much has changed over the decades, but what hasn’t altered is the need for and the benefit of the personal touch. A highlight for me from the 1990s was when I worked with a 3M salesman called Eric Magee. He took a huge new product order from a hardened purchasing director because she loved the fact that Eric arrived with a sample box labelled as ‘VIPs Only’. He had written the message on the box in the car park before we went in – he was a class act! One of the happiest and most special memories I have is an ‘OPI moment’. It was at the European Conference in Cannes, France, in 2000. I can still vividly remember, after an excellent event, having an absolute blast in the evening singing along to the piano magic created by Geoff Betts, another great industry character with a very personal touch. Managing change has been a huge challenge for everybody in the past 18 months. Technology has undoubtedly been a massive enabler. However, keeping that personal touch has never been more important. I’m looking forward to another 30 years of great memories – Steve Hilleard and all our friends at OPI are central to keeping those connections alive and strong.

JOHN DONAGHY, MANAGING DIRECTOR, DISCOUNT OFFICE NATIONAL I can still remember reading OPI for the first time in 1991. It was a black-and-white newsletter which gave us Australians a real insight into the global office products industry. It was enlightening to find out what was happening in and to our sector on a regular basis. The timing of the publication was a masterstroke as our space was changing so quickly. No doubt, a highlight for me was the inaugural OPI conference in Palm Springs, California, in 1995, and meeting all these industry leaders that normally we just read about down under. I must have behaved badly, as I never got invited back! Congratulations to all the team at OPI for surviving 30 years in this industry – no easy feat.

September/October 2021

Market change in our category has not been caused by technical revolutions, but by sociocultural change. How people work, live, communicate, spend their free time or solve challenges with collaboration are the driving forces for our segment. Of course, technical innovations are needed, but they have to be strongly connected to consumer insights. Consumer centricity has become a growing feature in company strategies, innovation processes, data collection and organisation charts. Global breeding grounds like female empowerment, social media influencers, education and sustainability are powerful drivers of market and category development. OPI, in my view, has always been at the forefront of this evolution. I went to my first OPI conference in Scottsdale, Arizona, in 1997. It was one of many events that took inspiration, networking and know-how to the next level. I remember Irwin Helford and Jirka Rysavy speaking about the same key success factor, but from different angles. It was ‘consumer centricity’. Irwin, for example, was talking about the customised catalogue instead of mass mailings – an early version of today’s must-haves in the e-commerce world. In a coffee break, I heard a gentleman saying: “Our strategy is based on good products, fair prices and reliable service.” I’m not sure if his company is still in business. Over the years, OPI has been the global source of information about the international office products market for me. If topics came up to certain level of interest, OPI had them covered. Many thanks for 30 years of reliable, informative and up-to-date reporting.

STEVE ROBINSON, GENERAL MANAGER UK & IRELAND, SAFESCAN

FEATURE Defining Moments

HORST BRINKMANN, MANAGING DIRECTOR, STABILO

As I reflect on 30+ years in our industry, I think of all the ‘P’s: products, pricing, programmes, promotions, procedures. But the two ‘P’s that are most important to me are the PEOPLE and the PASSION! There are so many people with so much passion I learnt from: Jess Beim, Irwin Helford, Jamie Fellowes, Leo Meehan, Nate Gold, Jay Baitler, Bob Parker, Jim Hebert, Joe Templet, Steve Schwarz and Mike Rowsey are just some who had the most profound effect on my life. They taught me that it’s all about the customer and about being respectful, consistent, kind, collaborative and honest. I have had a great career working for leaders such as Jeff Howard, David Williamson, Steve Schultz, Matt Roberts and Dave Garber, who mentored, coached and worked side by side with me in my sales roles over the past few decades. There are many more names I could add – people who do the same job I do, but for other vendors, or reseller customers that bought from us. They all have an amazing passion for and commitment to what they do and impacted my professional life immensely. Hopefully, in this new world of Zoom calls, millennials in the workforce will continue to value the relationships – I certainly know that I will cherish them for the rest of my life. For Bill Cardone’s thoughts on the current state of our industry, see our Feature on page 34. Or listen to OPI Talk – visit opi.net/podcast

ARNOLD THEUWS, MANAGING DIRECTOR, QUANTORE

When OPI launched in 1991, it was not long after Langstane had become a founding member of the UK’s first marketing group, Basicnet, which was based on the strategies of the successful US group that had originated in Boston. Prior to this, all dealer groups had been focused on buying whereas Basicnet concentrated on marketing. The premise was that, if you sold more, then the buying would take care of itself. Basicnet is long gone now, but at the time and as a leading family-owned, regional office products dealer based in Aberdeen in the north-east of Scotland, we were starting to tune into what was happening across the Atlantic. OPI, with its global coverage, enhanced our ability to glean best practice from around the world and to make sure we were at the forefront of any opportunities that would undoubtedly unfold in a fast-changing industry.

OPI, with its global coverage, enhanced our ability to glean best practice from around the world Then began the great networking events. I was a guest speaker at the 2002 European Conference in Montreux, Switzerland. This created so many opportunities because of the contacts I made there. I was invited to speak at the NOPA Show in Atlanta, US, later that year and the same initial contact led to me being a VIP guest at the 2011 Paperworld China event in Shanghai. Not bad for a shy boy from Aberdeen in Scotland! If it weren’t for OPI, I wouldn’t have had these great experiences and made so many new contacts and friends who I am still in touch with to this day. Many congratulations to Steve and the OPI team for all they have achieved over the past 30 years!

JIMMY CHEN, DEPUTY EXECUTIVE MANAGER, SHINY STAMP Congratulations on your 30th anniversary – it’s a truly remarkable achievement and Shiny Stamp is proud to have taken part in some of the journey. Despite a seemingly mature industry, marking devices are still constantly evolving, with new products being developed to keep up with customer requirements. Shiny Stamp is no exception and consistently strives to improve and launch the best innovations – just as OPI is bringing the best information to its readers.

September/October 2021

30 years ago, there were three cooperatives in the Benelux serving independent office supplies dealers –– Veneka, CIB and Consorpa. 20 years ago, these organisations merged and Quantore was born. The group has evolved hugely over the past two decades and became a market leader in the Benelux with the widest assortment of office products, a highly mechanised warehouse and a state-of-the-art IT infrastructure. The big boxes like Office Depot and Staples have been and gone, and the independent channel is still going strong in our market. We are in a good position for the future, but are now facing competition from online operators. One of the topics rising up the agenda are environmental issues – they are becoming more and more important. To conquer this particular challenge, close cooperation is needed between vendors and resellers in Europe or even globally. OPI has proven over the past 30 years that it has an important part to play in terms of connecting these worlds. This role could become even more important in the next 30 years.

COLIN CAMPBELL, MANAGING DIRECTOR, LANGSTANE PRESS

FEATURE Defining Moments

BILL CARDONE, VP OF COMMERCIAL SALES, TOPS PRODUCTS

Defining Moments FEATURE

DAVID GUERNSEY, CEO, GUERNSEY OPI is 30 years of timely and impactful reporting. It delivers absolutely essential information for and about resellers in our community, with substantive material independents as well as dealer groups need for strategic positioning as the industry continually morphs into something new. I can’t think of a single year when OPI insights and research were not a part of our strategic planning. Much more than merely reporting, the magazine serves resellers as an important resource. Congratulations to the entire team behind this excellent publication for these past 30 years. What a wonderful service you’ve provided with timely, relevant and accurate reporting that both highlight and impact on the independent dealer community. Beyond the magazine, I would also highlight the events held by OPI, one example being the Global Forum – always outstanding in substance and unparalleled in terms of networking opportunities.

GREG WELCHANS, PRESIDENT, DISTRIBUTION MANAGEMENT In 1991, I was working for the best dealership ever created – Miller Business Systems. Remember Jim Miller’s The Corporate Coach? I got a call from Jim that he was selling his business to BT Office Products. Time stood still for a moment because I just couldn’t believe the company was being sold. And who could have possibly imagined the transformation of the industry from that point onwards. Our sector has many special people and influencers that have been so important in my career: Jim Miller, Bud Mundt, Jay Mutschler, Paula Jagemann and, of course, Tom Fleming, the founder of Distribution Management. All gave me a chance to work and provide for my family and believed I could do a job for them. Those of us who have witnessed the past 30 years and are still around have a multitude of people they can call friends forever. Thank you OPI for giving our industry a voice and a platform to communicate each company’s value to our community!

JONATHAN SMITH, VP SALES EUROPE, AVERY I vividly remember 1991 as it was the year I joined Avery Myers, which sat alongside Avery Guidex and Avery Labels. At the time, the office products space was still very localised – yes, we already had the first footprints of Staples, Office Depot, Viking and Corporate Express in Europe (mainly the UK), but it was only Lyreco that had started to operate in a coordinated pan-European way. It was a very steady, quite predictable industry showing decent growth year on year and nothing obvious which would disturb that. Nobody had heard of the word ‘digitisation’ – if you were lucky enough to have a car phone, the size of a brick, you were at the cutting edge of technology. What happened in the next ten years at Avery encapsulated what was happening around the OP world everywhere – we consolidated three companies into one in the UK, and we started acting first more European, then global in response to market and customer trends. This was followed by acquisitions around the world to grow our core categories. The OP trade media reflected those earlier times – traditional monthly publications primarily comprising advertising and PR releases. Then along came the punk upstart OPI which dared to offer controversial opinions, gossip, rumour, speculation…exactly what people wanted to read about. The world had changed – there was no going back!

ALAIN JOSSE, GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR, RAJA GROUP Being asked to recall some defining moments of the past 30 years made me dive into my archives where I found a battered copy of the first issue of OPI that I duly read again. After all these years, there certainly was a sense of time travel, but it also helped me remember how I felt when I discovered this then brand new magazine. It was when I joined Viking at the very beginning of 1992, as part of the team that would soon launch the French branch of Viking Direct. Exciting times! What struck me when I first read this new publication was:

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• The scope: the first time I gained valuable information about what was happening in our industry around the world • The accuracy: no complacent reviews and interviews, but real, opinionated insights – precise and digging deep • The tempo: OPI was launched at a great time, when huge movements were taking place in the market. Business models were redefined, massive investments made, new players appeared, old one were tested, then adapted or disappeared.

Having joined RAJA Group some 15 years ago, I saw the scope of OPI gradually getting wider to encompass trends and businesses that go beyond the traditionally accepted definition of the office supplies industry. Once again, the publication proved to be at the cutting edge of the market – more so, in fact, than any other media outlet I can think of. Here’s to a very successful 30 years and to many more to come!

Defining Moments FEATURE

BOB O’GARA, CEO, HIGHLANDS 30 years of OPI and I am lucky to have been around to follow them all. The first few years were the most entertaining. The fancy conferences at the Phoenician in Scottsdale, Arizona, for example, with the outsized egos of men – yes, it was only men back then – trying to win the race to consolidate the OP industry. From a Highlands perspective, the most interesting period has been from around 2010 through today. And while the various events have been fun and useful, it has been the quiet, uncompensated introductions to people facilitated by OPI which have brought the most value to us. Thank you.

BRUCE HAYNES, RETIRED, FORMERLY PELIKAN ARTLINE It was 1995 and for a company specialising in impact printer ribbons, our future was looking a little shaky. An invitation to the first-ever OPI conference provided the lifeline Columbia Pelikan needed. Meeting industry legend Ueli Wolfensberger and his wife Ingrid at the event led to us securing the distribution rights to the Ibico range of binding and laminating machines as well as associated supplies. This deal vaulted us back into mainline office products while the subsequent purchase of Ibico by GBC resulted in a long-term JV between our company and GBC. It saw us become the largest distributor of office products in Australia due to a number of acquisitions, with the company name changing to Pelikan Artline following the purchase of Geoff Penney in 2005. When GBC was bought by ACCO Brands, it ultimately meant that Pelikan Artline sold out to ACCO too. Perhaps the past 25 years can all be traced back to that one meeting in 1996. Congratulations to everybody at OPI on the contribution you have made to this industry.

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FRANZ RATZENBERGER, HEAD OF INTERNATIONAL SALES & MARKETING, COLOP

Congratulations to the whole OPI team on your 30th anniversary. COLOP is exactly ten years older, but we too still feel young. OPI and COLOP have a lot in common: we are both driven by globalisation, creativity and innovation – and we remain hungry for more. Sometimes it’s been easy, other times quite difficult, but I think we’ve grown alongside each other very successfully. Thank you OPI for being our main communications partner for so many years.

JACK REAGAN, EVP, S.P. RICHARDS OPI magazine has been a true game-changer for our industry. Throughout my career, it’s been my go-to place for honest and real industry information, on a global basis. OPI was the first trade publication of its kind to offer opinions on trends and seek insights from key industry executives, which is exactly why it continues to be a must-read 30 years later. As I look back, I remember when I worked at BT Office Products and tried to persuade our senior leadership in Amsterdam to make OPI a priority. I was told: “Do not comment, it will not be around long!” Another time when OPI played a part in my career was back when Mike Maggio and I were first working together at ActionEmco and the company was featured in the ‘Big Interview’ – we both felt as if the wholesaler had finally arrived. Fast forward to July 2020 when S.P. Richards announced its independence – OPI was the first trade publication we called to feature the story, with interviews detailing our future vision.

Your professionalism and integrity are what I have always appreciated as well as the fun you bring to our industry On a personal note, thank you to the entire OPI team for creating the industry’s must-read publication. Your professionalism and integrity are what I have always appreciated as well as the fun you bring to our industry. Cheers to 30 more!

RAFAEL BENAVIDES GONZALEZ, CO-MANAGING DIRECTOR, COMERCIAL DEL SUR The history and evolution of Comercial del Sur is a true reflection of the changes that have happened in our industry over the past 30 years. We’ve adapted many times in order not to lose the direction of our business and the success of these adaptations illustrates the position we have in the market today. When OPI launched, Comercial was just over 30 years old itself. My brother Carlos and I had joined the company on a permanent basis, following university, in the mid-1980s. Consolidation and globalisation have been massive factors in these past few decades, for the industry at large and certainly for our company. We joined the Interaction alliance in 1999, entered Portugal in 2002 and then, most recently, France, first in 2015 through the Rouge Papier network and then again in 2019 with the acquisition of the Hyperburo franchise. The progressive addition of services we offer our customers stems from our desire to provide them with all the tools needed to compete in an increasingly demanding market. It’s not enough anymore to offer a good price, a catalogue and fast service. Being technologically savvy and committing to large investments in terms of enhancing products and services is key to constantly being in the front line and maintaining our leadership position. Here’s to another 30 years with OPI and our beloved stationery and office products family. Just one wish as we’re all exiting such a difficult period: may we recover the personal, face-to-face relationships and the human contact with our peers as soon as possible.

30 SPOTLIGHT

Leaders of

THE FUTURE? To guarantee the future of our industry, we need to attract – and retain – talent from the younger generation. Judging by OPI’s straw poll, there are plenty of promising candidates

arlier in this issue, we spoke to some ‘legends’ of our industry (see Interviews, page 48 & 57), who have shared OPI’s journey over the past three decades. Then there’s our annual Top 100 (page 69) listing the core personalities – globally – in our sector. In the following pages, we shine the spotlight on future stars – those born in these 30 years we’re celebrating who, in their early careers, have impressed their employers and the wider industry with their considerable talents. Whatever channel they work in and whether they are front-end customer-facing or back-end support in their current roles, the future of these individuals looks bright, thanks to innovative, fresh perspectives, outstanding can-do attitudes and sheer hard work. And who knows, maybe some of them will be OP legends when OPI celebrates 40, 50 or 60 years.

MANUFACTURERS

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James Dibou, Brand Manager, ACCO Brands Australia James Dibou has been part of the ACCO Brands family in Australasia for nearly five years. In that time, he has driven the technology channel to become an increasingly large portion of the company’s revenues. Dibou has used his excellent marketing skillset to enhance ACCO’s Kensington brand to achieve significant growth year on year. This, combined with his passion, integrity and drive, has seen him nominated for numerous internal performance recognition awards culminating in the ACCO Brands Australia and New Zealand Employee of the Year in 2019.

Barbora Dočkalová, Junior Product Sustainability Manager, Mondi Group Barbora Dočkalová joined Mondi in March 2020 with a passion to build a sustainable future and the desire to make an impact. Originally from Slovakia, her studies and work experience took her to Mondi in Vienna, Austria. Despite onboarding her during the height of the coronavirus crisis,

Dočkalová quickly got involved in all aspects of marketing such as project and brand management, developing customer journeys, holding webinars and building external partnerships. Throughout her traineeship, the topic of sustainability has been at the heart of many of her responsibilities. Dočkalová started her new role as Junior Product Sustainability Manager in June 2021. Her enthusiasm and hard work has already made her a highly valued team member.

Barbora Dočkalová

Lois Harris, Technical Buyer, Bisley Lois Harris started at Bisley in a four-year product design apprenticeship. She graduated from her BEng Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering apprenticeship degree course with First-Class Honours. Harris is now a Technical Buyer within the vendor’s procurement department due to her knowledge of innovative products and her excellent relationship with Bisley’s suppliers. She still supports

Lois Harris

SPOTLIGHT 30 under 30

Lisa Hölzl the design process and is the technical link for many of Bisley’s customers. Technical Director Paul Ostrolenk says: “Lois is a quiet, well-spoken and unassuming individual, but this belies her steely determination and commitment to succeed. We hope that her positive attitude and dedication to her job has paved the way for more female apprentices to follow in her exemplary footsteps. We see a very bright future ahead for her.” Lisa Hölzl, Product Manager, COLOP Digital Another young recruit in the vendor community is Lisa Hölzl at COLOP Digital. When she joined the Austrian stamping manufacturer in 2018, she wrote her Masters dissertation on the topic of the Development of a new sales concept by a market incumbent like COLOP. Hölzl currently works in the product management team of COLOP Digital. As Head of International Sales & Marketing Franz Ratzenberger comments: “We are happy to have a Generation Y woman as part of our team, especially in what is often a very traditional sector.”

Jérôme Perhaut Margaux Lefaucheux, European Account Manager, AF International AF International’s European Account Manager Margaux Lefaucheux is responsible for all of the company’s private label accounts outside the UK (where she is based), except for the German-speaking territories. Despite this expanded role – she was promoted at the beginning of this year – and an additional workload, her keen eye for detail remains as sharp as ever. Group Marketing Manager Julia Vorley describes Lefaucheux as “innovative, tenacious and adored by her customers for her hard work”. If the name sounds familiar, Lefaucheux was shortlisted for the Young Executive of the Year award at OPI’s 2019 European Office Products Awards. Jérôme Perhaut, Key Account Manager, Fellowes Brands France Jérôme Perhaut joined Fellowes Brands France as a trainee in 2015, having graduated from EM Normandy International Business School. During his time at the vendor, Perhaut has worked in a number of roles, from field sales representative within the air

Lea Scheidig treatment business, to successfully developing Fellowes’ core as well as non-core categories (for more on Perhaut and his views on our industry, see Final Word, page 114). Lea Scheidig, Consumer & Market Insights Manager, Stabilo Lea Scheidig began her Stabilo career three years ago as a workplace student in the R&D department. Here, she learned what customer centricity means for the writing instruments manufacturer – strong consumer integration into its product innovation process, for example, through face-to-face interviews or focus groups. The journey began in Europe but soon extended to China. In order to excel at this challenging task of an intercultural transfer process – especially between two cultures which could not be more different from each other – Scheidig dedicated her Masters thesis to the topic, driven by a passionate focus on the manufacturer’s consumers. She has been working for about a year as Stabilo’s Consumer & Market Insights Manager for the Chinese market, acting as a mouthpiece for its Chinese consumers in all areas of product development.

DEALER GROUPS to study in Europe, so she moved from Australia to Spain. What was intended as a limited period, due to COVID-19, has turned into an ongoing uncertainty. She currently resides in Sweden, waiting to be able to travel home. But during the entire time away, she has continued to work for Office Choice remotely, supporting members as well as staff, and driving the marketing efforts of the business. Most recently, her work was validated by the dealer group’s brand recall market research which showed a significant increase in SME brand recognition and usage.

Annalise Engledow

September/October 2021

Annalise Engledow, National Marketing Coordinator, Office Choice Annalise Engledow has been with Australia’s Office Choice for two years and in that time has become a vital member of the dealer group’s marketing department. As National Marketing Coordinator, she has played a key role in the delivery of its comprehensive strategy in this area, which includes national and digital marketing programmes. Engledow manages the content creation for Office Choice’s social media channels and all member-based email communications. Last year, an opportunity presented itself for Engledow

30 under 30 SPOTLIGHT

Jacob Morgan, Senior Digital Marketer, Office Friendly Fresh from completing his Business Studies degree, Jacob Morgan joined UK dealer group Office Friendly in 2016 as Marketing Coordinator of its KascAid team. He brought with him qualifications in digital marketing, web design, social media management and economics. Over the past five years, Morgan has honed these skills and enhanced his knowledge specifically in the digital marketing arena of the office products sector. He is constantly working with the group’s members to develop comprehensive marketing strategies, helping them to maximise their brand exposure, generate leads and convert sales online. He specialises in website design and build, e-commerce management, SEO, integration projects and omnichannel marketing solutions, all of which he implements on behalf of dealers. Morgan was recently promoted to Senior Digital Marketer. In this role, he takes the lead on projects and continues to work with members to enhance their online presence. Edgars Ozolins, Website Builder, Nemo Office Club Recognising the acceleration in demand for a wide range of online support for its

members, Nemo Office Club earlier this year recruited Latvian-born web expert Edgars Ozolins. With an Economics degree from De Montfort University, Ozolins went on to study Google Analytics, with the idea of forging ahead with a career in e-commerce and front-end web development. The expertise he brings to the UK dealer group has had an immediate impact on improving the functionality and optimisation of members’ existing sites. Responsible for 80+ individual WordPress sites, as well as the development and SEO support for other e-commerce solutions, Ozolins’ contribution has enabled Nemo Office Club to not just provide well-designed websites for dealers, but create real ROI. Ozolins is also part of the Office Circle management team, which includes representatives from strategic multimedia professionals TMWI, and has a remit of delivering an effective and streamlined national website with over 30,000 SKUs. Alex Stone, Head of Sales, Office Friendly Alex Stone is another individual who joined the Office Friendly KascAid team straight after university. First starting as a marketing apprentice, he quickly moved

Alex Stone across to the business development team where he has consistently demonstrated determination and dedication to his role. He has helped members to see the value in Office Friendly’s proposition and manages over 50 of them, developing their businesses and ensuring their success in a rapidly changing market. As a young person, Stone has had to work especially hard to gain the trust and respect of his senior industry peers. He’s certainly achieved that, increasingly being adopted as a business mentor by many of the group’s members. His outstanding performance and attitude were most recently recognised with the promotion to the position of Head of Sales – incidentally coinciding with his seven-year anniversary at the dealer group.

WHOLESALERS

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Niek Derks, European Product Manager, ALSO International Niek Derks is a very recent addition to our industry, having joined ALSO International in January of this year. Derks, as European Product Manager, is part of the wholesaler’s vendor management team. Despite working full time from home, he has very quickly become the go-to person for all things digital. In his first month in the job, he created several world-class tools for his department which have since been widely used across the company.

Niek Derks

Derks’ communication and analytics skills, desire to understand the business and increase his knowledge all bode well for a future leadership position. Saffron Fox, Customer Services Assistant, JGBM Starting at JGBM in a temporary position to cover maternity leave, Saffron Fox works in the returns department at the wholesaler and after a year was offered a full-time position. In that first year, she impressed by converting the customer usage of JGBM’s online returns system from 61% to 98%.

Paula Kastrouni

Paula Kastrouni, Sales Manager, Westcoast Paula Kastrouni has quickly moved through the ranks at UK wholesaler Westcoast, having started as a teenager in 2014 selling products to a range of different resellers. Over time, she has become what Managing Director Alex Tatham describes as “one of the company’s leading sales managers – dedicated to her team, customers and Westcoast itself”. Laura Verbunt, Brother Labelling Manager, JGBM Brother Labelling Manager at JGBM, Laura Verbunt moved to the UK from the Netherlands last year and started her role at the wholesaler in April 2021. In just a few months, her tenacity and drive have resulted in the positive re-organisation of her department, added customers and growing revenues. Verbunt is currently designing and developing a Brother labelling portal website for customers to use as downloadable content while also writing scripts for the wholesaler’s in-house filmed video content.

30 under 30 SPOTLIGHT

RESELLERS Antoine-Louis Cloquet, Franchise General Manager, Bureau Vallée Antoine-Louis Cloquet became the youngest-ever store manager at France-based Bureau Vallée when his father Bernard opened his second store in Saint Dié in the Vosges region in 2012. Having spent a year in Belgium and Luxembourg in some of the group’s other franchised retail locations, he returned to Saint Dié, allowing Bernard to spend more time in his group role as Director of International Development. In 2019, Antoine-Louis bought the family business and now manages a total of five franchised stores, with total revenues of €5 million ($5.9 million) and 19 employees. Kelly Doepker, Interior Designer, FriendsOffice Kelly Doepker is a very recent recruit at FriendsOffice, having graduated from Ohio State University earlier this year. She has clearly hit the road running and impressed not only her immediate design colleagues, but the dealer’s management as well, all in a short period of time. Working efficiently and conscientiously on her own as well as with her team – for example on the new CET design program from HON – she is a fast learner, improving her skills, while also helping existing staff members hone theirs.

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Rollin Guernsey, System Engineer, Guernsey Guernsey is a well-known name in the US business supplies space, most notably so for its founder and CEO David Guernsey. But his nephew Rollin has certainly proved his mettle in the dealership too. Having started in the warehouse doing jobs nobody else wanted to do during school holidays at the tender age of 15, he moved into the IT department where he developed a pick-to-voice system in 2012 as a third-year student at the University of Virginia. He became a full-timer in 2014 following graduation.

Rollin Guernsey

The dealership uses the Microsoft Dynamics (DAX) ERP system where Guernsey is currently the lead developer; it’s a back-end system replete with customisation that he has written to improve performance. The independent dealer’s front-end is also predominantly customised by this IT expert who has quite literally written thousands and thousands of lines of code that positively impact staff, customers and even other dealers – all the way from expanding operational performance to online excellence. Perrine Isenberg, Marketing Assistant, Lacoste Dactyl Bureau & École Perrine Isenberg is Marketing Assistant at Lacoste-Dactyl Bureau & École, France’s largest independent dealer since its merger in 2018. According to Managing Director Laurent Bertrand, she has done an excellent job in helping to produce the company’s new range of catalogues that are very much based on a ‘multi-local’ culture and were developed in the middle of the pandemic. Isenberg’s capacity to remain calm under pressure and her incredible work rate contributed to a smooth process in what was a challenging time at Lacoste Dactyl Bureau & École. Hunter Jordan, Sales Director, Herald Office Solutions Hunter Jordan began working in Herald Office Solutions’ Interiors division in 2014. Over the past several years, he has helped this part of the US dealership almost double in sales, with his own contribution consistently placing him in the top two sales reps of the company. Jordan currently has the role of Sales Director over three divisions – Business Products, Interiors, and Office Equipment – while still maintaining his own book of business. He has served on the Furniture Committee for ISG and worked on advisory councils for various industry vendors.

Hunter Jordan

Joëlline Jouannin, Purchasing Executive, Lacoste Dactyl Bureau & École Joëlline Jouannin has been part of the procurement team at France-based independent reseller Lacoste Dactyl Bureau & École since the end of 2019. She has been on a mission to satisfy customer demands and secure product availability in what has been a very difficult period – in terms of first the company’s merger and then COVID-19. Falko Nils Köhler, Customer Experience Director, Lyreco Germany Working for Lyreco in the German market, Falko Nils Köhler has been with the France-based global business supplies reseller for five years. In his role as Customer Experience Director, he was tasked to develop and implement a holistic digital transformation concept in Germany that includes a highly participative approach. From more transparency and digital awareness to a strategic mindset of customer centricity, Köhler has succeeded in overseeing a major cultural shift for the company in this challenging market. He is currently building an entirely new organisation based on the strategy to help Lyreco home in on this customer focus and reinforce the capacity to deliver best-in-class customer value. Katarina Kollarova, Marketing Content Specialist, Lyreco Another Lyreco employee, Katarina Kollarova joined the reseller following her graduation in International Business Studies in 2018. She quickly stood out with her excellent communication skills, drive and reliability. Last year, Kollarova was promoted to Marketing Content Specialist in the CASH (Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary) region with a particular focus on social media communication. She is highly regarded for her pioneering approach and all-round business acumen.

Falko Nils Köhler

30 under 30 SPOTLIGHT Kelvin Mak Kelvin Mak, Assistant Manager, Supply Chain Excellence, Lyreco Hong Kong Lyreco’s third employee with great promise in these pages is Hong Kong-based Kelvin Mak. Following graduation, Mak spent the first three years of his career as Assistant Planner at Hong Kong International Terminals, one of the largest container operators in the world. It certainly provided him with a solid foundation in managing sophisticated logistics operations. This was followed by positions at several other haulage firms. His tenure at Lyreco is still relatively short, having only started last year. But during this time, he’s proved to be an agile and capable professional who has helped the reseller overcome many pandemic-related challenges. He’s also thrived on leading Lyreco’s digital transformation initiatives in Hong Kong.

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Bayley Mifsud, Indigenous Engagement Lead, Officeworks Since joining Officeworks in 2020 as Indigenous Engagement Lead, Bayley Mifsud has been responsible

Bayley Mifsud

for recruiting 272 new indigenous team members, which is a 3.8% representation of the reseller’s workforce – incidentally the highest within the Wesfarmers Group based on percentage representation. Rather than ‘merely’ recruiting employees, Mifsud has been a key driver in retaining them with a wide range of initiatives. These include: cultural awareness training which was completed by 99.8% of team members and is now mandatory for all new starters; forming relationships with store leadership teams to educate them about the importance of indigenous employment and how to manage it in an appropriate way; support in the development and exaction of a number of events for team members to celebrate key indigenous events throughout the year. Mifsud is also a talented indigenous artist and has been the lead designer in the creation of artwork to be showcased in Officeworks’ new Indigenous Art Otto private label range which is due to launch later this year. Megan Rossi, Furniture Designer, Friends Office As Furniture Designer at FriendsOffice, Megan Rossi has been instrumental in closing a number of large furniture projects for the dealer. Having joined the Ohio-based independent in 2015, she has redesigned several of FriendsOffice’s furniture showrooms and put together programmes and selling tools for the sales team. She’s assisted large universities and healthcare organisations with standards programmes, and led the design initiatives of historic buildings turned into downtown workspaces or entertainment spaces for local banks. Rossi is a mother of three young children and has been through a very

Megan Rossi

tough time in her personal life most recently, but that hasn’t stopped her from always putting the customer first in her job, according to CEO Ken Schroeder. Max Smith, Account Executive, Innovative Office Solutions Max Smith grew up in the office supplies industry and is part of the third generation of the Innovative Office Solutions family business. Son of Jennifer and Brooks Smith, he has been immersed in this customer-centric dealership for over ten years, thriving on connecting with others and building authentic relationships with customers. He uses his in-depth knowledge of cross-category solutions to uncover client pain points and challenges, and maximises these insights to set them up for future success. Smith has also long been involved in philanthropic community efforts. In 2013, while at Concordia College, he founded the InSports Foundation, a non-profit organisation with a mission to help kids participate in sports. The foundation has since impacted over 44,000 children throughout the Midwest by providing free camps and financial assistance – and to help them stay in the game. Trevor Wist, Procurement Officer, Wist Business Supplies & Equipment Trevor Wist has worked in various roles at Wist Business Supplies & Equipment throughout his degree course at Arizona State University. Upon graduation in 2018, he began full-time employment in the family’s dealership, with a focus on growing the ad specialities category. Sourcing, specification, procurement, and fulfilment of this niche vertical are some of Wist’s current duties, but he’s keen to learn more about the entire channel as his career continues.

Trevor Wist

Oliver Rowles, Customer Care Manager, Prima Software Oliver Rowles joined Prima Software in 2014. Over the past seven years, he has worked his way through the customer care department to become the company’s UK & Ireland Account Manager. Recently, he was promoted to the position of Customer Care Manager, reporting directly to the board. During his time with Prima, Rowles has also achieved IT & Telecoms Level 2 & 3 qualifications and last year the ILM Team Leader Level 3 qualification. He regularly organises and hosts customer user group meetings, webinars and training events, taking full responsibility for all content and delivery. His greatest strength, other than a great understanding of reseller operations and the channel, is an ability to form relationships with all of Prima’s clients. He listens with empathy before applying his excellent knowledge to always deliver the best solution possible to customers. Rowles is also a shining example to those around him, making him the

perfect fit to excel in his current role as part of which he line-manages six other customer care consultants. Joseph Thomas, Client Onboarding Manager, Prima Software Joseph Thomas has spent all his professional life at Prima Software and started as an apprentice in the company 11 years ago. He’s now a trusted member of the management team and also reports directly to the board of directors. Having worked in the customer care department for several years, his technical knowledge and communication skills defined his next role as a Client Onboarder, managing new customers moving to Prima from their incumbent system. Thomas became so accomplished in this position that he was then promoted to manage the team of client onboarders. During his time with Prima, Thomas has also continued to study hard to add to his qualifications, and amassed a variety of diplomas in a range of IT applications. He always leads by example and has incredible enthusiasm to face any task.

When OPI canvassed opinion for this list of up-and-coming professionals in the business supplies space, the response was delightfully comprehensive and wide-ranging. Although busting the 30 limit, here are a few more impressive individuals from three organisations who deserve a special mention.

SPOTLIGHT 30 under 30

THE ONES TO WATCH

SOFTWARE PROVIDERS

Bureau Vallée, France l Valentin Satta, Country Manager Belgium Lacoste Dactyl Bureau & École, France l Valentin Bachelier, Programming Analyst l Morgane Morin, Deputy Manager – Customer Sales Services l Romain Ruffaud, Logistics Manager JGBM, UK l Liam Forbes, Warehouse Operative l Amy Fox, Sales Admin Assistant l Matt Rogers, Warehouse Operative

September/October 2021 87

30 CATEGORY UPDATE

Post

PANDEMIC?

The mailing and packaging category has suffered huge disruption over the past year, but as the dust begins to settle, new opportunities are arising – by David Holes

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oronavirus has caused massive changes in people’s procurement behaviour. In a recent BOXpoll study by Pitney Bowes in the US, 47% of the public said they now shop online more than before COVID-19 struck. This has inevitably contributed to a huge surge in parcel shipments. There is also more mail moving between businesses, with a separate survey of US companies revealing that half of the organisations questioned had experienced an increase in both parcel shipments and conventional post. This is particularly prevalent in the healthcare and professional services sectors. Data released by the Royal Mail in the UK, meanwhile, confirms there has been a resurgence in our appreciation for physical post. As we’ve all been at home to receive letters, they have provided a welcome distraction. 40% of respondents said being in lockdown made them realise how important mail is, with many now giving it much more attention than they used to. Consequently, while businesses involved in this product category have had to react to new ways of working and deal with the disruption to supply chains, COVID hasn’t had the catastrophic impact that other sectors have experienced.

POSITIVE SIGNS Flexibility and a willingness to adapt swiftly has been key, according to Bren Standell, Commercial Director at mailing equipment specialist Quadient – formerly Neopost – in the UK and Ireland. “A lot of our supply and distribution comes from Europe. There was initial disruption at the ports, with prices of shipments increasing substantially because companies were bulk ordering which was taking up space in the lorries.

“We had to manage that quickly and find new logistics companies to be able to fulfil customers’ orders. We now consolidate orders and ship just twice a month. This has lengthened lead times, but it brings costs down for our clients, and is better for the environment.

The decline in paper mail has been more than matched by the rise in parcel volumes “For our business, the decline in paper mail has been more than matched by the rise in parcel volumes. Prior to 2020, e-commerce accounted for about 19% of retail sales. During the initial lockdown, it shot up dramatically to about 33%. This has now stabilised back at around 25%, but is still expected to grow steadily. Many consumers who never shopped online previously became comfortable doing so, and retailers are accordingly adapting their channels to provide faster and greener delivery options.” Avery in the UK has had a relatively good past 18 months throughout the pandemic. “We were impacted significantly by one of our top customers going into liquidation,” says Marketing Manager Kristine Humphreys. “But the business shift to e-commerce has continued and our production teams have been running throughout with no downtime required.” “The fact most of our products are manufactured here in the UK has helped. Deliveries of those items we do acquire from abroad were delayed by the Suez Canal incident but, that aside, we’ve had no major disruption in operations and service.”

Bren Standell

Mailroom & Packaging CATEGORY UPDATE www.opi.net 90

The rise in global parcel volumes has also benefitted manufacturers providing products that indirectly support the mailing sector. ACME United Europe supplies cutters which slice through packaging and the plastic banding that straps boxes together. Managing Director Georg Bettin refers to double-digit growth for these items: “The cutter business is growing quickly, fuelled by the number of parcels being sent,” he reports. “The move to homeworking provides a further advantage – increased shipping to residential addresses means even more parcels to open.” THE HOMEWORKING PHENOMENON Indeed, the enforced shift to work-from-home (WFH) has also stoked demand for technologies that can help. As Ryan Higginson, UK & Ireland Country Leader of Sending Technology Solutions at Pitney Bowes, explains: “Many conversations with clients that took place early in the pandemic were around helping them maintain business continuity while traditional workplaces were closed. Financial services companies and government agencies, for example, were two industries which needed to keep sending mail. Without access to the right technologies, this was labour-intensive and costly if you’re doing it from home. “Consequently, we saw a rise in demand for our offsite print and mail services – Hybrid Digital Mail and Print – whereby clients send us digital documents via a cloud-based platform, and we do the rest: printing, mailing, fulfilling, tracking and reporting.” In addition, WFH has meant the need for smaller pack sizes, with sales of blank labels, in particular, increasing significantly. To meet customer requirements, Avery has expanded its product range by 10-15% and extended its online support provision with size guides, printing

Ryan Higginson

instructions and ‘how to’ blogs on using its free design software. Humphreys calls the past 18 months the ‘age of entrepreneurs’, having noticed a significant rise in the number of people setting up their own businesses. “We’re helping them power up these new ventures by providing guidance on how a label can enhance the products they sell and better communicate their brand identity,” she says. “We recently ran a ‘business boost’ competition to offer funding and support for one lucky start-up. In 2022, we will be further expanding our visibility in this area.” A reduced basket size has definitely been one of the side effects of WFH. UK wholesaler VOW has introduced smaller packs of envelopes to help homeworkers with limited storage space, for instance. It’s also noticed a heightened interest in packaging products with 30% or more recycled content, prior to the new plastic tax that will come into effect in April 2022.

Minimising human interaction includes limiting the number of people wandering around the office and delivering parcels T3L Group is not a huge player in the category, selling predominantly presentation, organisation and filing products, but the vendor is reporting sales growth through this vertical and anticipates further prospects going forward. “We’re monitoring changing work practices across the 45 countries we operate in. The trend towards hybrid working, with a couple of days a week spent in a home office, is very strong,” according to Group Marketing Director Benjamin Baruteaud. “It’s a disruption which we see as an opportunity and a chance to reinvent ourselves.” THE FLIPSIDE Unfortunately, the explosion in homeworking and the resulting rise in parcel deliveries is having negative effects too, going beyond the aforementioned demand for more environmentally friendly packaging products. Says Quadient’s Standell: “25% of CO2 emissions and 20% of traffic volumes in urban areas now come from delivery vans, so it’s important deliveries succeed on the first attempt. “Another trend on the rise is ‘porch piracy’ – parcels stolen from doorsteps or residential communal areas. Last year in the UK, ten parcels were lost or stolen every minute – this equates to over five million people affected. More secure solutions are necessary. We’re seeing demand for extra ‘away-from-home’ options, including parcel shops and lockers which ensure safe delivery.” All the packaging needed is having detrimental effects too. A lack of raw materials for corrugated and polystyrene products has resulted in multiple price rises already, with increasing transport costs culminating in a double whammy. “Demand is

September/October 2021

CATALYST FOR CHANGE The pace of digital change over the past 18 months has been turbocharged by the pandemic. Consultants McKinsey estimated that in 2020 businesses, on average, accelerated their digital transformation at the equivalent pace of seven ‘normal’ years. “Thankfully, the technology was there to support this,” says Higginson. “There’s no doubt that, had COVID hit a few years earlier, it would have been far more disruptive to our personal and working lives. “Products such as cloud-based shipping platforms – accessible from anywhere with a wifi connection – are now being used by our clients to compare delivery options, print labels, track parcels and manage shipping costs, all from their home offices. Businesses are also benefitting from the digital connectivity and mobility which drives a lot of our sending technology.” According to Standell, with the pandemic hopefully in retreat, companies want to incentivise employees to come back into the office space, offering amenities which make them feel safe. Consequently, he is noticing larger numbers of businesses automating their mailroom operations with smart technology, to reduce human contact and support a hybrid workforce. In addition, IT departments are distributing more equipment to their employees, to lessen the burden on the post room and achieve a full audit trail. “Minimising human interaction includes limiting the number of people wandering around the office and delivering parcels,” he remarks. “We are speaking to some of our corporate customers, setting them up to use parcel lockers for more than just inbound deliveries but as internal hubs, where business equipment can be handed over interdepartmentally.” While the business supplies industry has been in huge turmoil over the past 18 months, the mailing and packaging category has arguably weathered the disruption better than most. And fleet-footed companies are seizing the opportunities to push this sector ahead.

CATEGORY UPDATE Mailroom & Packaging

still outweighing supply,” says VOW’s Marketing Director Helen Wade. “Further price hikes are expected throughout the year as demand grows, particularly in the lead-up to Christmas.”

30 CATEGORY UPDATE

The past 12 months have left the stamping sector reeling, but inherent resilience within the industry, coupled with some nimble footwork, sees the category expecting brighter days ahead – by David Holes

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he stamping manufacturers OPI spoke to for this feature all had one thing in common: they were badly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, suffering declines in sales that could have been existential in normal times. However, the global nature of the crisis meant everyone found themselves in the same boat. In many instances, government interventions have softened the persistent blows and kept businesses afloat.

SALES HIT As Franz Ratzenberger, Head of International Sales & Marketing at Austria-based COLOP, freely admits: “The pandemic had a big impact on our business. When it first hit, our order intake for traditional products decreased by 40% within days and remained at a low level for several months. We operate in more than 130 countries across the world, and in the worst-hit areas, sales dropped to practically zero. The priority was to survive. “We had to curtail production capacities accordingly, but thanks to swift help from the Austrian and Czech governments – where we have manufacturing facilities – we were able to offer our employees reduced working hours.” It was a similar story at fellow Austrian manufacturer Trodat. “COVID-19 hit the industry hard and put a stop to our long-standing success story, with lengthy lockdowns in many countries leading to a dramatic decline in stamp purchases,” says Global Marketing Director Stefan Cancik. “Thankfully, our international reach meant we were able to compensate for losses in some countries with successes in others. Also, disciplined crisis management has given us confidence that we will make it through these difficult times.”

German metal stamp vendor Reiner had a slightly different experience, according to Director of Sales & Marketing Gerolf Heldmaier. “It has not been a good time for anyone in the industry, with delayed and reduced demand affecting our large export share,” he reflects. “It was crucial we remained flexible and showed understanding with loyal, long-term partners. Fortunately, our core business of marking devices remained largely unaffected because food and industrial production continued in most markets.” Now that the pandemic is receding somewhat, both Reiner and COLOP are reporting knock-on effects on raw material costs and prices. “There’s currently an incredible price rally in commodities,” says Ratzenberger. “Some important materials are very scarce, plus transport and packaging costs have risen massively. Consequently, we’ve had to raise prices like many other companies in the office products sector, though hopefully, these bottlenecks will improve over the coming months.” Keith Betti, General Manager at US distributor Consolidated Marking, adds that the current global shipping backlog is creating the biggest challenge to its supply chain. Consequently, the company had to adjust its inventory so it’s better positioned to insulate its distribution partners from the disruptions. SHIFTING PATTERNS As in many product categories, the shift to homeworking is also affecting this specific sector, with the sourcing process for business supplies – to meet the needs of non-office based employees – undergoing a fundamental change. “The big winners will be companies that best address these new requirements,” remarks Ratzenberger. “Those showing a strong online presence have already benefitted from a huge boost. By offering

Stamping CATEGORY UPDATE

items specifically aimed at home workers, we will successfully deal with these changes.” Cancik sees this trend as a big issue for the stamping category: “The transition towards work-from-home doesn’t look like changing any time soon, so we must concentrate on these new target customers and develop appropriate applications for them.” That said, there’s a certain nostalgia for the pre-pandemic ways of doing business and not everyone regards the current remote nature of relationships as a positive development. “If online meetings, with hundreds of webinars, are how we permanently choose to operate in the future, a huge amount has changed,” reflects Heldmaier. “We will certainly miss the direct marketing activities and on-site project discussions we used to have with customers.”

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RAFT OF OPPORTUNITIES Still, the ill-wind that is COVID has certainly blown in some potential opportunities too. COLOP was able to increase sales and launch new products in some growth areas, including its arts and crafts range, with special items such as the Protect Kids Stamp which is aimed at helping children follow hygiene advice. An imprint on the palm using dermatologically certified ink is designed to remind children to wash their hands regularly. The ‘virus monster’ imprint should no longer be visible in the evening, because it disappears after about five washes. In addition, the company continues to see strong and increasing demand for sustainable and ecological products, with its Green Line becoming a bestseller in many countries. Items with special hygienic properties have also experienced a renewed upswing as a result of the pandemic. Microban stamps offering antibacterial protection, for instance, have recorded a considerable surge in popularity. The focus on maintaining a healthy, COVID-secure environment has generated particular interest in Reiner’s new generation of jetStamp 1025 handheld printers. Known as the ‘Sense’, they incorporate the ability to measure various physical aspects, including body temperature, indoor air quality and humidity. The measured value can then be printed on documents such as a health passport or even

Reiner’s jetStamp 1025 handheld printer

directly onto objects themselves, making results tangible, visible and permanently traceable at all times. Following enquiries from interested customers, the company is now looking at incorporating a weight-measurement sensor into the device as well. “The pandemic has exposed different needs,” says Heldmaier. “For example, manufacturers of disinfectants or masks have shown strong interest in our jetStamp Sense products, with potential applications in vaccination centres, too.”

The pandemic has posed an enormous challenge for all of us [...] but good sales development can be seen A BETTER FUTURE Despite the trials and tribulations of the past 18 months, it’s clear that the dominant stamp manufacturers are weathering the storm and are positive about the period ahead. “We are very satisfied with our current development,” says Ratzenberger. “Our key metrics are already slightly higher than in 2019, despite there being important regions of the world, like South America and India, where business bounce-back after COVID-19 has been very slow.” Cancik agrees: “The pandemic has posed an enormous challenge for all of us, but Trodat remains a solid, healthy, global company that continues to be a reliable supplier of outstanding products. Some countries are still massively affected, but in markets such as Germany and China, good sales development can be seen.” Betti adds that while sales remain lower than pre-COVID levels, Consolidated Marking is now on a steady rebound: “There may still be disruption from future virus surges. However, we expect modest growth in this category from now on.” On a cautious note, Reiner believes it may not be able to assess the full impact of the pandemic on the vendor until 2022. For now though, it is also pleased with the level of enquiries from potential new sales partners which are coming from various overseas markets. “The world is big and offers many opportunities,” concludes Heldmaier. “Let’s keep our fingers crossed that international business will soon be possible again without all the restrictions.”

30 OPINION

MESSAGE from the Great White North

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hat an extraordinary time to be in our industry. While we have all shared the same experiences, fears and trepidations of a global pandemic, the path forward is brimming with possibilities. I am certain that our sector could face its first meaningful renaissance and opportunity for genuine market growth in recent memory if we can properly identify needs and retain customers. With the reality of hybrid working, there are many emerging work locations that our membership can target to become the supplier of record, for instance. And it’s not just replacement business of consumables and furniture, but rather brand new locations as the home office is returning with a vengeance.

But then again, so is the competition. Never before have this many companies been able to hang a virtual shingle and be in the business supplies space as quickly as is occurring now. Then there’s the world of ‘co-opetition’, with manufacturers also wanting to sell directly to our customer base. These are definitely exciting times to enjoy the intellectual and strategic challenge of finding a long-term, sustainable competitive advantage.

BACK TO BASICS While new in my role at Basics, it means coming back to an industry I had the pleasure of experiencing 25-30 years ago as a young marketing pup for Grand & Toy (see Top 100 – New Entry). The mid-1990s marked an unusual period, with price increases on paper occurring six or seven times in one year once. Actually, that sounds quite familiar right now. It was the start of the mass dealer/retailer explosion, with the arrival of Staples – Business Depot at the time – and the failed effort of Office Depot to gain a foothold in the Canadian market. Many of the brand leaders on the product side, meanwhile, have shown great resilience and strong strategic planning, as the names at the top of the leaderboard have remained the same. At its very core, the industry has not changed dramatically, as it is still the fundamental of identifying customers and making sure our service and price models meet their needs. What is different, of course, is the communication platform of how we let our customers know about our offerings. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn were little more than either a twinkle in someone’s mind or an incubator business that had not yet reached its potential. The internet was there, but not nearly as fully developed, and no one had harnessed its power the way many operators have today. What is also exciting for me to see since I was last here is the steady expansion into new product categories. Whether it is the opportunism of PPE, the move to jan/san or breakroom products, all manner of facilities management requirements, or the options surrounding a wireless home office or commercial space, the potential is endless.

THE NEED FOR PARTNERSHIPS While there will always be a healthy negotiation over price, supply chain and logistics between supplier and dealer, now is also the time for strong strategic partnerships and conversations about how to keep that elusive end-user satisfied. As customer loyalty diminishes, creativity and value need to be constantly modified to retain business. We’re heading into the new, uncharted territory of a post-pandemic world – let’s see what elements of a hybrid model will stick. Our three member organisations – Basics Office Products, Canadian Independent Stationers and Guild Stationers – are alive and strong and we are most certainly excited about the possibilities that this future holds. As I return to this industry, congratulations to OPI for achieving its 30th anniversary milestone – you were here when I first dipped my toes and continue to offer a platform for sharing ideas, learning about best practices, and being a steady voice in an otherwise fractured marketplace.

Ian Landy, President, Basics Office Products

Never before have this many companies been able to hang a virtual shingle and be in the business supplies space

TOP 100 – NEW ENTRY Ian Landy is a newcomer to the OPI Top 100 (for more, see also page 69), having replaced the retired Bob Hodan as President of Canadian dealer group Basics Office Products in May 2021. That said, South Africa-born Landy – he moved to Canada when he was eight years old – actually spent a few years in our industry, honing his marketing skills at Grand & Toy, currently part of the ODP Corporation. He returns to our sector, in charge of Basics’ 18 dealers, with three strategic objectives: assist them in providing their customers with a seamless and transparent suite of ordering alternatives which meet today’s hybrid business needs; create efficiencies and productivity among the three dealer banners that also include Canadian Independent Stationers (27 members) and Guild Stationers (58); and introduce marketing tools for the vendor community to maximise their presence among end consumers.

30 EVENT

Back once again:

NAOPA 2021

NORTH AMERICAN OFFICE PRODUCTS AWARDS PREVIEW

ollowing a brief hiatus in 2020 due to coronavirus, the much-anticipated North American Office Products Awards (NAOPA) are back with a bang. There are a few exciting changes for the 2021 awards, including a new industry partnership and updated categories. The NAOPA are organised by OPI and, for the first time, in association with Independent Suppliers Group (ISG). Now in their 11th year, the winners will be presented during the eagerly awaited Industry Week ’21, powered by ISG, taking place in Orlando, Florida, from 7-12 November (for a preview of Industry Week, see OPI July/August 2021, page 48). Unsurprisingly, there have been tweaks to the awards to reflect the current industry situation, with five main product categories representing the much broader array of business supplies available within our sector. The shortlisted entries for NAOPA 2021 span the full gamut from traditional office products to the latest in technology, as well as innovations in cleaning, disinfecting and sanitising to help combat COVID-19 in the workplace. The shortlist for the Best Product categories and Innovation of the Year is as follows:

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BEST PRODUCT – CORE BUSINESS PRODUCT 3M – 3M CLAW Drywall Picture Hanger 3M – Post-it Flex Write Surface Avery – Avery PermaTrack Metallic Asset Tag Labels COLOP – e-mark Kensington – UVStand Monitor Stand with UVC Sanitization Compartment

BEST PRODUCT – FACILITIES, BREAKROOM, SAFETY & INFECTION CONTROL 3M – Scotch-Brite One Step Disinfectant & Cleaner ACCO Brands – Leitz TruSens Z-3500 Smart Air Purifier Fellowes Brands – AeraMax Pro Kensington – UVStand Monitor Stand with UVC Sanitization Compartment OttLite Technologies – OttLite Sanitizing Desk Lamps

BEST PRODUCT – FURNITURE & DESIGN C-Line Products – Chair Cubbies Ghent – Pointe Mobile Glassboard & Partition Special-T – CORE by Safe-T Special-T– LINK Flip & Nest Collaboration Table Victor Technology – DC830B 3ft Electric Height Adjustable Standing Desk BEST PRODUCT – TECHNOLOGY COLOP – e-mark Kensington – StudioCaddy with Qi Wireless Charging for Apple Devices Kensington – VeriMark Guard Fingerprint Keys OneScreen – OneScreen GoSafe Xebec – Xebec Tri-Screen 2 INNOVATION OF THE YEAR 3M – 3M CLAW Drywall Picture Hanger 3M – Post-it Flex Write Surface Kensington – StudioDock iPad Docking Station Kensington – StudioCaddy with Qi Wireless Charging for Apple Devices Newell Brands – Sharpie S-Gel Pen

There have been tweaks to the awards to reflect the current industry situation [...] representing the much broader array of business supplies

For more information about the North American Office Products Awards, please visit opi.net/naopa2021

As with previous years, the NAOPA are split into two sections – vendor and individual awards, the latter of which comprise three accolades: Young Executive of the Year, Professional of the Year and Industry Achievement. These awards focus on people who have made outstanding contributions to the independent dealer channel in the North American business supplies industry. One of the highlights of the product-related vendor awards is the popular People’s Choice (details of all the finalists can be found on pages 100-103), which is open to OPI readers in the US and Industry Week attendees. All NAOPA winners will be revealed during Industry Week.

NAOPA 2021 EVENT

Pick the BEST

You have the power to help choose your favourite product(s) in the 2021 People’s Choice award. You have two votes and it’s easy to select those you think deserve the accolade by voting online at www.opi.net/peopleschoice2021. For more details on the North American Office Products Awards, visit www.opi.net/naopa2021 3M – 3M CLAW DRYWALL PICTURE HANGER 3M’s Claw Drywall Picture Hanger requires no tools and is a heavyweight solution with the ability to hold up to 45 lbs. All that is required to securely place items is to mark, push and hang as the engineered hardened steel claws lock securely into the drywall.

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3M – POST-IT FLEX WRITE SURFACE The Post-it Flex Write Surface quickly transforms a work surface into a whiteboard. Designed as a one-time wall application for long-term use, it sticks to a variety of surfaces. Dry erase and permanent markers can both be used and wiped clean. It is also safe for use with common disinfectant sprays.

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3M – SCOTCH-BRITE ONE STEP DISINFECTANT & CLEANER Offering a smart way to clean, Scotch-Brite One Step Disinfectant & Cleaner acts as a 5-in-1 all-purpose solution that cleans, disinfects, degreases and deodorisers hard surfaces. It even sanitises soft surfaces. Essential in today’s workplace environments, it kills 99.9% of bacteria in seconds and is approved for residential, healthcare and institutional usage.

ACCO BRANDS – LEITZ TRUSENS Z-3500 SMART AIR PURIFIER ACCO Brands’ TruSens Z-3500 Smart Air Purifier offers unique features such as PureDirect dual airflow and a SensorPod remote air quality monitor. The TruSens app provides real-time indoor and outdoor air quality levels, allows users to control scheduling and fan speed, and order supplies. The app also works with Alexa. AVERY – AVERY PERMATRACK METALLIC ASSET TAG LABELS Avery PermaTrack Metallic Asset Tag Labels provide a fast, affordable and easy way to create custom heavy-duty metallic asset tags/labels, barcode labels, equipment tags, property tags and nameplates. The tags can be made on demand with a laser printer and are chemical and abrasion-resistant, waterproof, and print smoothly without skewing, jamming, or static buildup.

COLOP – E-MARK COLOP’s e-mark is a portable printing device that is battery operated, based on inkjet technology and works in combination with an app. It is now available in three editions – the e-mark, e-mark create and e-mark secure. The app includes a barcode, QR code generator and a desktop version. A special printer driver enables print jobs to be sent directly to the e-mark from software such as Microsoft Word, web browsers and photo editing programs.

FELLOWES BRANDS – AERAMAX PRO AeraMax Pro air purifiers are localised, smart air filtration systems. They have patented EnviroSmart and PureView technologies that continuously scan and analyse rooms, purifying the air with visible results.

The AeraMax delivers 3-5 air changes per hour, based on room size and shared space, while the True HEPA filtration system removes 99.99% of all airborne contaminants.

GHENT – POINTE MOBILE GLASSBOARD & PARTITION Ghent’s Pointe Mobile Glassboard & Partition takes collaboration to the next level with its double-sided glass writing surface. With a powder-coated steel frame, the configurable dual-purpose mobile glassboard can be daisy-chained to multiple units through its built-in connectors to create a space divider.

EVENT NAOPA 2021

C-LINE PRODUCTS – CHAIR CUBBIES C-Line’s Chair Cubbies help solve a key pain point in a learning environment – space. Eliminating clutter and maximising space, Chair Cubbie organisers instantly create a storage area directly on the back of a student’s chair. The dual pocket holders are available in four different sizes and turn a chair into a valuable school supplies repository. Reinforced stitching ensures durability, while the included insert can be used for identification purposes.

KENSINGTON – STUDIOCADDY WITH QI WIRELESS CHARGING FOR APPLE DEVICES Designed exclusively for Apple, the StudioCaddy with Qi Wireless Charging for Apple Devices is a versatile solution that maximises desktop space while keeping all devices charged, organised and within reach. The dual Qi charger works with any Qi-enabled iPhone and AirPods, with additional USB-A and USB-C charging ability for an iPad, iPad Pro and Apple Watch.

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NAOPA 2021 EVENT

KENSINGTON – STUDIODOCK IPAD DOCKING STATION Ideal for creative professionals, the StudioDock enables users to get the most from their USB-C iPad Pro 11”, iPad Air or iPad Pro 12.9”. Elegantly designed, it offers a seamless magnetic attachment and rapid charging. In addition, StudioDock includes Qi wireless charging and supports a single 4K HDMI 2.0 video and a monitor. It has four USB ports (one for charging), an audio jack, a Gigabit Ethernet jack and an SD card reader.

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KENSINGTON – UVSTAND MONITOR STAND WITH UVC SANITIZATION COMPARTMENT The UVStand Monitor Stand with UVC Sanitization Compartment safely, easily and efficiently helps sanitise keyboards, mice, trackballs, mobile phones and other devices, while promoting healthy posture and optimal comfort. It can be used to store desktop items, but also just as a laptop stand.

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KENSINGTON – VERIMARK GUARD FINGERPRINT KEYS Kensington’s USB-C and USB-A Fingerprint Keys feature end-to-end security with Match-in-Sensor Fingerprint Technology. This isolates and secures all fingerprint data in the sensor, so only an encrypted match is transferred.

Both are FIDO2 and FIDO U2F certified and provide strong single-factor (passwordless) dual, multifactor and Tap-and-Go support. The compact design offers a protective cover and keyring hole for transport when not attached to a device.

NEWELL BRANDS – SHARPIE S-GEL With a sleek, elegant design, the Sharpie S-Gel is a high-performance gel pen. Delivering an exceptional writing experience thanks to its no smear, no bleed technology, it features a contoured rubber grip and best-in-class ink. The S-Gel collection is available in a range of point sizes, ranging from ultra-fine to bold, with a choice of five gel ink colours and various barrel designs. ONESCREEN – ONESCREEN GOSAFE OneScreen GoSafe is an entryway management device that uses biometric technology for scanning and recognition to help businesses keep employees and visitors healthy and safe. GoSafe features include hands-free rapid and secure temperature scanning, mask detection, prescreening questionnaire, and 99% accurate facial recognition without a mask. It also offers employee attendance and time clock integration, badge printing and live remote assistance.

SPECIAL-T – LINK FLIP & NEST COLLABORATION TABLE The LINK Flip & Nest Collaboration Table offers six surface shapes – rectangle, half-round, crescent, trapezoid, presentation and quarter round – and 16 preset configurations for maximum flexibility and mobility. With easy-to-use ganging clips, LINK tables can be connected in infinite ways for effective space utilisation, while tight nesting enables space-saving storage when not in use.

SPECIAL-T – CORE BY SAFE-T CORE by Safe-T operates as a one-stop resource to create a COVID-19 safe environment consisting of three 120° workstations and allowing each person to be seated six feet apart. At the centre is a medical-grade air purifier system. Barriers extend 30” above the work surfaces and are made from durable PET material. They are antibacterial and sound dampening. A central steel power hub provides removable panels for easy access to wiring and power.

VICTOR TECHNOLOGY – DC830B 3FT ELECTRIC HEIGHT ADJUSTABLE STANDING DESK Victor Technology’s standing desk surface allows room for essentials such as a monitor, laptop, keyboard, mouse, etc, while being small enough to fit in tight workspaces. It provides up to four different sitting or standing heights with a smooth, electric operation. The desktop will support a weight of up to 110 lbs.

XEBEC – XEBEC TRI-SCREEN 2 The Xebec Tri-Screen 2 is a portable dual-screen laptop monitor that adds two additional screens to any modern laptop using a patented tensioning mechanism. This creates an ultra-compact, lightweight and portable multiscreen setup. Weighing just two pounds, the Tri-Screen 2 folds up for easy storage and has a telescoping adjustable kickstand built into the housing. It offers an efficient cable system as the inputs are moved to the inside corners of the screens, decreasing cable lengths by 70%. A new adapter connects through a single USB-A connection per screen.

EVENT NAOPA 2021

OTTLITE TECHNOLOGIES – OTTLITE SANITIZING DESK LAMPS OttLite Sanitizing Desk Lamps use patented SpectraClean visible light disinfection (VLD) technology to continuously sanitise workspaces. VLD utilises a narrow band of light wavelengths to reduce bacteria and other organisms by inactivating them so they cannot reproduce and infect. The lamps also feature ClearSun LED technology which has been shown to reduce eyestrain by 51%.

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FEATURE 30

Office

ORACLES

Predicting what’s going to happen is never an easy task, but OPI asked three brave souls to put forth their ideas on the workplace of the future – by Michelle Sturman

efore March 2020, if you had asked anyone to describe how the office would operate over the coming years, they would probably have been able to rattle off quite a few trends with no problem. Then came the pandemic which, as we all know, turned things on their head in terms of pretty much everyone’s working life. But the big question is whether COVID-19 really has radically altered any original workplace trends that we expected

to happen over the next decade or so, or if it has simply fast-tracked the inevitable? To try and answer this, the following pages feature an interview with futurist Liselotte Lyngsø about changes COVID-19 has wrought on her office 2030 predictions, while Brother UK’s Phil Jones imagines the workplace of 2040. Finally, FSIoffice’s Beth Freeman investigates the opportunities changes may present for dealers.

LISELOTTE LYNGSØ, MANAGING PARTNER, FUTURE NAVIGATOR Back in 2018, futurists Liselotte Lyngsø and Yesim Kunter offered insights into the office in 2030 and the 2100s, covering aspects such as workplace culture, design, attire, and women in the workforce (read the original article ‘Office Space Timeline: Past, Present and Future’ on www.hubblehq.com). Pretty much all the predictions were spot on in terms of the direction the office was headed, ie a sustainable, individualised and creative workspace where technology will be prevalent, coupled with more co-working and homeworking. OPI recently talked to Lyngsø to find out what, if anything, has changed regarding the future of the office following the coronavirus pandemic.

September/October 2021

OPI: What are the biggest changes to the office you’ve noted that have been brought about by the ongoing COVID-19 crisis? Liselotte Lyngsø: What I’ve really noticed is a new trend in employees taking their pets to work. There was a big surge in buying dogs for companionship during the lockdowns and while working from home, and they now want them in the office. It’s providing people with so much happiness that businesses don’t want to compromise on this. There is, of course, a flipside in having to deal with potential allergies, etc. Another interesting aspect is the change in eating arrangements. When employees are together in the office now, they want break times to be something a little more special. Because of this, we’ll see a lot more open space used as areas to eat together, relax and socialise, or conduct a working lunch. It will certainly be more than just grabbing the odd cup of coffee.

OPI: In 2018, you mentioned how the 2030 office would be greener and more sustainable. The latest IPCC report is fairly scary. I would imagine this puts sustainability even higher on the agenda. LL: Absolutely. And sustainability has many faces. We obviously need to be serious about dealing with our CO2 emissions. In addition, it is about spending less time travelling overall, but increasing mobility and providing flexibility when we finally do hit the road. On this last point, we really need to figure out how to be much better at conducting online meetings. It’s equally vital to talk about eco-buildings. For example, the use of smart ceilings that track where we walk, or sensors able to personalise indoor climates. This kind of technology can help with hygiene protocols, but also the environment, as the building is only heating or cooling places where people actually are. Other aspects involve smart cleaning where intelligent robots, for instance, will detect where people have been and only disinfect or sanitise those areas. All of this will become increasingly important, especially as we are much more aware of office cleanliness and hygiene because of coronavirus.

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The Office of the Future FEATURE

I think it is interesting to see that we’re moving away from just measuring company success purely in monetary terms. In other words, calculating the performance of the business more holistically and factoring in sustainability and how well people are thriving. As humans, we must continually learn new things so it’s crucial for us to think about the future office like a fitness centre. When you go to your place of work, it needs to make you stronger mentally, physically and socially, which feeds back into the brand and cultural connection with the business. It will become essential for a company’s workplace to illustrate its fitness as the main competition will be somebody’s home. OPI: Talking of the home, the move to hybrid working was most certainly accelerated because of the pandemic. I imagine this has clearly changed the trajectory of the office of the future. LL: It’s like the cork has popped out of the champagne bottle and everybody’s having a party. However, the principles of hybrid working vary considerably, from country to country, culture to culture, and business to business. Some employees are working in an extremely controlled environment, while other employers have embraced it. Much of it comes down to trust. I’m Danish, and the Danes have a very high level of trust in each other which has worked well for homeworking. In other countries, such as the US, there is more distrust which has led to employers remotely monitoring their staff.

A lot depends on whether people are working to a clock – the time slaves, or a compass – the time owners. The latter relates to people who decide how, when and where they want to work. So now, we’re starting to see battles between the time owners and the time slaves. However, we’re not going to simply move from one model to a different one. The best way to explain this is by looking at hotels and Airbnb. Before Airbnb, our choice was whether to sleep in a three-star or a five-star hotel and have room service or not. Overall, hotels were pretty much the same. With Airbnb, you can sleep in a tree or on a boat, or have a fully-equipped kitchen. Hotels realised there were many ways in which people wanted to sleep. The same is happening now with hybrid working as businesses start to understand there can be a multitude of different types of workplaces. One category that’s exploding right now is co-working spaces – they are certainly interesting options for digital nomads. Offices are places for socialising and collaborating, even if it’s just at a local pop-up space. As a futurist, I’ve been talking about the reshaping of the office for ages, wondering when it’s going to happen. It’s great that employees are finally actually talking about the workplace of their dreams. OPI: Any final thoughts? LL: Office products suppliers mustn’t keep telling the same old story to a new world, but transform their communications as well.

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PHIL JONES, MANAGING DIRECTOR, BROTHER UK

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In the past 18 months, you could argue that we’ve seen a seismic shift in the way organisations are run. Much of the working practice change was predicted long ago and has accelerated due to the pandemic. But what of the future beyond 2021? Is there more we can anticipate in terms of developing our businesses and propositions to stay relevant? Back in 2013, we asked the Future Foundation to imagine an office in 2040. Some of the insights help inform the direction of travel for how companies may be ordered in the future. Let me share some of those with you. Four major themes within workspaces were predicted in the coming two decades: 1. Human/human (asynchronous technologies which allow us to work effectively). 2. Human/space (synchronous environments for human creative output/collaboration). 3. Human/information (how data is dynamically served). 4. Human/machine (the role of AI/RPA and machines).

HUMAN/HUMAN Getting the most out of people will move on from motivation to understanding ‘health’ using advanced analytics. With robots performing repetitive task-based work, the value of human creativity will increase and with that, so must our ability to appreciate those within our businesses. We are only a small step away from the ability to aggregate employee health data, understanding sleep or an underlying pattern of stress. Just look at the individual analytics we can now derive from Apple Watches, Fitbit or Whoop devices such as heart rate variability and stress scores. This rich data is the future currency of health and well-being initiatives.

The Office of the Future FEATURE

If employers had access to such information at any time, health and well-being interventions could be prescribed at entity and/or individual level. However, there are many moral issues to discuss around this type of use of personal data. Taking health data one step further is the example of electronic ink wallpaper. If the wallpaper senses a high-stress score or low levels of sleep, it will change the atmosphere in a room to lift your mood – all of this happening through the intelligent use of real-time information. The ability to not only create the right environment, but also provide the tools and measure sentiment dynamically will be key. Things to watch out for/consider: • Smart wallpapers • Real-time sentiment analysis • Real-time micro-manufacturing for fast prototyping

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HUMAN/SPACE The concept of an ‘office’ will become quite fluid given the number of destinations we will end up in as future ‘roam’ workers, wandering all over the place in the active pursuit of our day-to-day responsibilities. Described as ‘liquid workspaces’, they’re not just about the physical but also the virtual and how they intertwine. The role of a physical location is becoming diluted with massive ramifications for cities, the property market and employers. A workspace will become fully virtualised, digitally recreating what you currently tangibly experience, 24 hours a day, with co-workers from all over the globe. Things to watch out for/consider: • Virtual reality meeting spaces/organisations • Retinal displays (images projected straight onto your retina via laser) • Always-on business models

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HUMAN/MACHINE Even with the presence of robots, the worth of human beings is still strongly felt: someone needs to write the code, come up with the ideas, run the organisations and deal with the people. The march of the robots is clearly building momentum and it will present many issues for society, eradicating a generation of blue-collar and administrative workers. It’s the so-called ‘white-collar apocalypse’. For industry, it’s about where the ‘human premium’ lies and how that is monetised/optimised. Finding the right balance to stay competitive will be key. Things to watch out for/consider: • Fully automated point-to-point supply chains (machine-controlled logistics including final mile drone delivery) • Automated workplace monitoring (observing stress, environment, output) • ‘Virtual colleagues’ – AI avatars (think virtualised Siri)

HUMAN/INFORMATION With the data dizziness we all now experience in our daily lives, imagine a future where the volume of that information you need to process doubles, triples or quadruples – and our already frazzled brains being asked to do more. Real-time visualisation will be key, as well as access on the move. This will require a seamless integration of technology built on data networks. From the moment we step out of the door, the expectation is that the fabric of data networks will be seamless, strong and synchronous regardless of where we are. Things to watch out for/consider: • Advanced AI data simulations integrating all areas of our life • Wearable computing/explosion of Internet of Things devices (everything connected) • Ubiquitous high speed, global data links

A workspace will become fully virtualised, digitally recreating what you currently tangibly experience WHAT ROLE DO WE AS AN INDUSTRY HAVE TO PLAY? The enormous coming together of technologies and data to provide integrated work/life experiences is emerging very quickly. A granularity that will be hard to come back from, but the journey there will likely be quite arduous given the privacy issues it will entail. We’ll see the death of distance when it comes to recruiting people to join our businesses. Instead, we will be chasing the sun around the world, and switching on our support services, sunrise by sunrise, in markets we never dreamed we could access. That’s an exciting prospect, but will bring many cross-cultural ramifications and potentially a whole new line-up of global competitors in your backyard. The industry needs to be able to consult with employers about such macro issues, their back-office systems and organisations. Services will be key, alongside consulting and deployment – EaaS or Everything as a Service. The mantra will be skills, skills, skills. Maybe the legacy to leave is a sector full of digitally capable individuals with a shared mental map of the future that delivers on the opportunities and drives new, recurring revenues. The future is bright. It’s digital. It’s ubiquitous, and it’s coming. See you there.

The Office of the Future FEATURE

BETH FREEMAN, EVP, FSIOFFICE After 18 months of remote work and rapidly changing environments, most of us are ready for some stability. Then comes the realisation that this is probably not likely to happen any time soon. As companies are still determining what a return to work may resemble, many of us in the office products industry are trying to look further ahead to imagine what the workplace might look like in five to ten years. Will we even still need them? If only we had a crystal ball… First, let me cover myself by admitting I’m no expert here, so don’t hold me to any of this! Having said that, I believe there are three main areas to consider when thinking about the future of the office: environment, technology and people. While these are probably not too surprising, I’m convinced that they will have a major impact on the workplace in the broadest sense over the next decade.

People are the most complex piece of the 2030 office of the future puzzle ENVIRONMENT The Europeans have led the way in terms of sustainability, with the rest of the world playing catch up, However, now there is finally a growing emphasis in the US as well, backed by large corporations with more than just words. A key factor behind this is the pledge from car manufacturers to go all-electric over the next decade, if not sooner. With more people working from home and the related reduction in road transportation and people in the workplace, creating truly sustainable offices is becoming more realistic.

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TECHNOLOGY We are all far more comfortable with technology that connects us around the world than we were prior to COVID-19. As a result, it’s easier to work from anywhere, so there is less need to go into the workplace or even gather in one space – this will ultimately reduce the number of people regularly occupying the traditional office space. However, when you are in the office, technology will play a more critical role than before. While we know that businesses

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will only continue to reduce the amount of paper and paper-based products used, they will also become increasingly wireless. This brings opportunity for us! PEOPLE People are the most complex piece of the 2030 office of the future puzzle. The current work-from-anywhere wave will remain a permanent mode of working for some. However, people need people. During lockdowns and the more intense periods of the pandemic, there have been serious mental health implications stemming from the isolation created by our physical worlds shrinking so quickly and drastically. This effect – from a work perspective – has probably been the most pervasive in younger generations who have struggled immensely with being alone. Knowing this, companies will seek ways in which to provide connections for employees, and the office is the best place for this. As such, the office of the future will cater to the need for people to interact as there’s little point in travelling to work to do the very same thing you can do from home: work with a screen and hold video calls all day. It will once again become a vibrant place to be that encourages live, face-to-face interactions. OFFICE 2030 All these environmental, technology and people requirements will come together to create the ‘new’ workplace. We will likely see comfortable spaces for people to casually gather. Due to fewer employees in the office on a daily basis, larger spaces for training and meetings may also be incorporated, so that organisations can accommodate their workforce for in-person events. In some cases, these may even be shared with or rented out to other companies. Wireless technology will continue to increase and with it will come an array of desirable products in the office for easier charging, presenting and sharing. This is definitely an area where the business supplies industry has an opportunity to grow, along with sustainable items which will perhaps be mandated, rather than just desired, by customers. These are just some ideas of what we may see in 2030. One thing is for sure – the office will continue to evolve, and our industry will continue to progress alongside it.

30 5 MINUTES WITH... Heike Dieckmann

CAREER Q&A Describe your current job. I edit OPI. That’s the short answer. If you weren’t doing your present job, what else would you like to be doing? Be a travel writer. Or, had I been any good at the sciences in school, something in medicine.

What’s your life philosophy? I take my guidance from Friedrich Nietzsche, Kanye West and Kelly Clarkson: “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Describe yourself in one sentence. Hopefully not too annoying and not lazy – lazy people are extremely annoying. What’s your most prized possession? I wouldn’t say I ‘own’ them, but definitely my three boys – or young men even. What’s your worst trait at work? My OPI colleagues would undoubtedly say expansive emails. Personally, I think that a fully formulated sentence is a beautiful thing in a world of acronyms and emojis.

Hei ke Dieckmann, OPI

Favourite book? I won’t pretend I read life-changing books. Anything by Harlan Coben gets my vote. Best time of the year? Easy – CHRISTMAS. Ask OPI’s Janet Bell.

Your childhood ambitions? Master the English language and travel a lot.

What’s your guilty pleasure? I make no apology – Strictly Come Dancing.

Best way to spend the weekend? Lie-in, dog walk, pub lunch, rugby match, crackling fire, board games, red wine – not necessarily in that order. That’s winter. Summer? Camping. Properly. Under canvas. Beer.

What is on your bucket list? Many things. Seeing emperor penguins in Antarctica is at the very top.

Your favourite film? The Shawshank Redemption. It’s fiction, so perhaps best not to read too much into it, but the words ‘extreme adversity’ and ‘resilience’ spring to mind. Early bird or night owl? I’m too old for either extreme now. In bygone days, definitely night owl.

Best holiday destinations? I have two favourite memories. Trekking in Argentina and Chile (1999), and safari in Botswana (2019) – both utterly awe-inspiring in totally different ways.

Best moment in your career? The moment it started, when I packed my fresh-out-of-college bags in Northern Germany and came to the UK in 1991. By pure coincidence, the same year OPI was born. Worst moment in your career? No comment. The industry personality you most admire? I’m supposed to be unbiased, so not allowed to answer that either! Your best piece of advice to someone who has recently joined the industry? First, hang on in there – it’s immeasurably more interesting than the still common description ‘office products’ suggests. Second, try to always underpromise and overdeliver, not the other way round. If only it were that easy…

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If you could change one thing about the industry, what would it be? Its ‘OP’ description. We’re getting there though.

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Favourite office product? OPI, of course. A useful tool that helps to get the job done.

30 FINAL WORD

The BEAUTY of

PROGRESS

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oung people – a somewhat vague term in itself, I would argue – are often asked: What, if anything, do you find interesting about our industry? For me, and specifically in my role as Key Account Manager for Fellowes Brands in France, the answer is easy: first the search for and then the provision of concrete solutions to customers. I mean that both from a distribution as well as product perspective. These solutions and how to offer them have changed, even during my relatively short time in this sector. Digital, for example, does not undermine the fundamentals of marketing and customer service, and I would certainly say that digital awareness and savviness is essential to attracting young talent. New entrants complement what is often regarded as a very traditional industry – it’s not an either/or situation. Amazon or Bureau Vallée, for instance, have each in their own way changed sales methods and customer relations. Our sector is not immune to a generic and widespread resistance to change – it’s obvious in every channel I deal with. Naturally, it’s vital to make end consumers understand the benefits of innovative solutions. From a distribution point of view, what most satisfies end users is the ability of distributors to offer them an efficient omnichannel experience. A customer may today want to physically go to a store to obtain information and tomorrow, that same consumer will use a digital channel to complete the purchase. The advances in teleworking and homeworking – massively exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic, of course – have required rapid and significant adaptations on the part of distributors and manufacturers in our profession.

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THE SEARCH FOR INNOVATION On the product side, real innovation is ultimately rare. But it’s there. One notable development I would highlight in our space has been the rapidly growing importance of well-being in the office. By wanting to reconcile work and health, entire ranges of innovative products have emerged, including air purifiers that improve air quality in office spaces and all manner of ergonomic equipment. It has opened up completely new categories and markets to companies such as Fellowes which, by the way, still relies on its core range to finance product development. Document shredders and binding machines remain hugely important to the organisation, in part so we can develop innovations in the area of sit-stand desks, monitor arms, etc.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT It’s companies visualising opportunities for growth and grasping them that make jobs attractive to young people. I joined Fellowes France as an intern in 2015, at the end of my Masters from EM Normandy International Business School. I first participated in the commercial development of our air purification range, then gradually took charge of Fellowes’ superstore clients with a focus on ergonomics, becoming Key Account Manager at the beginning of last year. I had actually worked with several other manufacturers in our industry in previous work experience roles during my studies. These included Henkel, Staedtler and Deflecto where I was placed in various settings to acquire a broad set of business skills with an international, commercial outlook.

Jérôme Perhaut, Key Account Manager, Fellowes Brands France

It’s companies visualising opportunities for growth and grasping them that make jobs attractive to young people All these jobs allowed me to learn about the market, see how it operates and how vendors bring new solutions to consumers. Fellowes Brands became one of my priority targets when I finished university because it’s always struck me as a very dynamic company. By dynamic, I mean progressive, innovative and open to change – it’s in its culture. The changes in the various positions I’ve been assigned to demonstrate Fellowes’ ability and desire to support me in my personal development. I would like to mention Country Director Emmanuel Lombard and International Key Account Manager Charles Drevon-Balas in particular here. Their support, quite frankly, only further strengthens my desire to succeed and prove that this trust is justified. My ambition is to continue to progress and contribute to the future of Fellowes Brands by stepping up the development of core as well as non-core category products. It is said that 80% of people resign from their jobs for managerial reasons, not because of the role itself. Food for thought? I, for one, consider myself very lucky to be in this industry and this company. Jérôme Perhaut is also listed in our ‘Leaders of the future?’ Spotlight, see page 80.

NEXT ISSUE Special issue

THINKING FEATURING:

• Interviews and viewpoints • Sustainability best practices • Research • Latest innovations

OPI APP SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 B

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