Vol 100 issue 11 2016

NOVEMBER 2016 R50.

inc vat

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE STATIONERY, HOME AND OFFICE PRODUCTS ASSOCIATION

My Office Magazine www.facebook.com/shopsa.ZA

Go back to basics with

back to school

100 CORRECTION PENS & TAPE www.pentel.co.za

our for all y kes… mista e answer! has th l e t n Pe NO MESS•NO WASTE•NO FUSS

SOUTHERN AFRICA’S FIRST MAJOR INDUSTRY-LED TRADE EVENT FOR STATIONERY AND OFFICE SUPPLIES

CO-LOCATED WITH

THE INDUSTRY’S MOST ANTICIPATED LAUNCH IF YOU ARE A SUPPLIER OF: • • • • • • • • •

Office Supplies School Articles Gift Articles & Wrapping Packaging Office Paper Printers, Computers & Multimedia Artist Supplies Party or Festive Articles Personalised Corporate Gifts

Then this event is the perfect platform for you to showcase your products to thousands of targeted buyers.

2,000+ upscale visitors over the two days, from industries including: • Wholesalers • Retailers • University/Schools

• Office Buyers • Distributors • Services

• Industry • Government

4 – 5 July 2017 Gallagher Convention Centre, JHB Join the industry: Call us today and secure your involvement : +27 21 700 3524 | : tanya.jackman@spintelligent.com

WWW.AFRICANSTATIONERYEXPO.COM

Contents the Southern African Association for Stationery,

In every issue

home and Office Products (shop-sa). It was first

02 EDITOR’S LETTER

published in 1916. The stationery and office supply

03 DREAMING OF A NICE CHRISTMAS Aki Kalliatakis

My Office magazine is the official magazine of

industry is a fast-changing environment. We aim to write and select articles that will both inform and benefit readers, keeping them abreast of current and future market trends.

The magazine is read by over 25 000 buyers and sellers of stationery and office products each

06 POPI’S EFFECTS ON IT ASSET DISPOSAL Dr Peter Tobin 07 BROADEN YOUR HORIZONS Gavin Moffat

FIRST PUBLISHED IN 1916

30 ARTS AND CRAFTS

Rob Matthews - robm@icon.co.za

www.myofficemagazine.co.za | www.facebook.com/shopsa.za

04 NO TRAIN, NO GAIN Dr Ivan Israelstam

month.

PUBLISHER

Vol 100 | November 2016

34

ECO NEWS

36

INDUSTRY NEWS

03

38 EVENTS 47 CRIME ALERT

EDITOR Leigh Richter - leigh@shop-sa.co.za ASSOCIATE EDITOR AND MARKETING Wendy Dancer - wendy@shop-sa.co.za

Features

NATIONAL OFFICE

08

Design and Layout: Vanessa Bentley New Membership: Wendy Dancer Johannesburg Office PO Box 3226, Parklands, 2121 6 Edward Street, Kensington B, Randburg, 2194

10 IS BACK-TO-SCHOOL BROKEN? The back-to-school season as we know it could become a thing of the past 12

BACK-TO-SCHOOL NECESSITIES A guide to all the BTS basics

32

THE RETAIL RUSH: A SURVIVAL GUIDE

Tel: + 27 11 781 0088 / 89 Fax: + 27 11 781 2828

IT FOCUS Learning goes digital

07

Email: info@shop-sa.co.za Website: www.myofficemagazine.co.za CONTRIBUTIONS Letters and editorial contributions are welcomed and should be addressed to the editor at editor@ shop-sa.co.za. Publication cannot be guaranteed and is subject to space and the editor’s discretion.

THE LEGAL BIT Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy the publisher and editor cannot accept responsibility for supplied material. The opinions of contributors are not necessarily those of shop-sa. Copyright is strictly reserved and no part of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher.

Stationery sponsored by

Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation

PRINTED BY Colorpress (pty) ltd.

12

10 Marketplace 19 WIN THIS! 29 WIN THIS! 39 PRODUCT SHOWCASE 31 WEB BUTTONS 40 BUYERS’ GUIDE 48 PUNCHLINE

Office paper sponsored by

Published by

Punchline

Don’t forget to enter our Win this! competitions on page 19, 29 and 48

editor’s letter

It’s time

stationers

went back to school

here is big change on the horizon for the stationery industry, and no one is quite sure how significant it will be.

In 2014, the South African government drafted the National Policy for the Provision and Management of Learning and Teaching Support Material (LTSM) for public comment.

The policy is intended to guide the provision and management of LTSM, including textbooks, home economics equipment and science laboratory equipment, and is aimed at all levels in the system, from the Department of Basic Education (DBE) to provinces, districts and schools. This will affect all public (government) schools in the country.

The policy is being rolled out to schools on a provincial level, and appears to be

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starting in earnest in the 2017 school year.

What this means for the industry in general is a matter of debate, but it draws attention to a chronic problem in the stationery sector: a lack of ability to deal with the new.

As an industry, especially in South Africa, there is a noticeable resistance to change. It seems that those in the office products space only innovate when there is no choice but to do something different – and by then it may be too late.

It’s time to start an open discussion about the changing nature of office products; the customers who buy them; and the legislature that governs it.

Read more about this topic, as well as some industry comment, in our article on page 8.

And while the future may seem a little uncertain at present, there is no doubting the fact that back-to-school (BTS) is the

most important season of the year for many in the industry. Our article on page 12 looks at all the most essential items, from pens and pencils to maths sets, exam pads and punches.

Another important aspect of BTS is adequate store management. Your customers want a pleasant shopping experience in a well-stocked, clean and orderly store. Brush up on all you need to do to make your store the place to be in our story on page 32.

We’d love to hear from you, so drop us a line on editor@shop-sa.co.za and let us know what is going on in your company and the industry in general.

Lei g h

Until next month

Vol 100 - November 2016

customer care

I’m dreaming of a nice

Christmas

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few years ago my little boy got a letter from Father Christmas.

Well, not really from Father Christmas, but from a young lady who worked in a small toy store in Johannesburg. He had his heart set on a Thomas the Train set, but after exhausting all the big chain stores to buy this elusive toy without success, we were desperate. The last thing we wanted to do was disappoint him.

By a pure stroke of luck, we walked into a small independent toy shop, and explained our predicament to the young assistant. She told us that there was no stock in the whole country, but then almost conspiratorially she leaned forward and said: “I’ll tell you what I’ll do. While the two of you go and look for toys to put under the tree, I’ll write him a letter from Santa Claus, and I’ll explain that the elves and helpers worked 24/7 to keep up with the demand, but just didn’t make it. And then I’ll tell him not to worry because Santa is coming back. Then next year, when the stock comes in, I’ll call you and you can give it to him then.”

With a great sense of relief we chose our gifts and returned to pay, by which she had produced a beautiful letter.

Sometimes it’s easy to forget what it means to be human, especially as we get caught up in the problems that we experience every day. Christmas can bring back the lost spirit of warmth.

Today consumers face a perfect storm of rising fuel prices, rampant food inflation, www.myofficemagazine.co.za

new toll fees, ever-expanding utility bills, labour discord and political turmoil.

Christmas reminds us that there are people worse off than we are, and your business can be a beacon of hope or an oasis of comfort during the busiest time of the year.

Offer customers extraordinary experiences that they will appreciate and remember long after these dreadful times are over. Consumers may not revere companies and brands like they used to, but that doesn’t mean that you should stop trying.

Here are a few examples: • Get the basics right – shopping is really a hassle in most people’s lives.

Make sure you’re easy to do business with; products are easy to find; the store is easy to navigate; and that you and your staff treat them well.

• Be innovative – what problems and headaches do your customers have that you can help them with? For example, at the end of every month hundreds of people move house.

Give them your empty boxes.

• Help them save money – no business likes to give away money, but a cleverly-timed discount can create long-term loyalty. What information can you share with them that will help them to be more effective in their lives, and stop wasting time and money on unnecessary things?

• Be helpful – even when the problem hasn’t got anything to do with you.

The old adage that “a friend in need is a friend indeed” appeals to people.

Look for ways to help them when they are stressed, sick, or are in some other plight.

• Get clever with apps – as a

self-confessed computer moron, I shouldn’t be giving you advice about what your smartphone can do for you, but I do know that they offer unprecedented convenience.

Charmin, an American toilet paper company, has an app that lets you find the nearest loo. Tescos and others already offer customers a chance to purchase groceries from venues like train stations and airports just by pointing your finger at a screen. Many companies get to know you and can make recommendations based on that knowledge.

• Be charitable – you don’t have to make donations to charity, and there are other ways to make sure good happens. If you really don’t have any cash reserves, how about “donating” each member of your staff for a day to assist at a children’s home?

In this challenging economy, business owners and retailers need to deliver a “wow” experience if they plan to get loyal customers. As SA economist Azar Jamine states: “Businesses need to wake up to the fact that just making money is an empty goal without contributing to the betterment of life of your fellow human beings.” I couldn’t agree more.

And it won’t surprise you to hear that not only did we buy a few hundred rand worth of toys and then go back about four weeks later to spend another R600 on the train set, but ever since then we have returned to that shop to buy presents for birthday parties for other kids in the class. n ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AKI KALLIATAKIS

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labour law

No train, no gain

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raining is both a national imperative and an operational necessity for employers. However, those employers with limited funds find it difficult to decide what training to invest in and where to get the training.

The answer to this problem lies in the principle that the training should be provided by someone who is both a labour law expert and a training expert.

This will ensure both that the content of training is right and that the necessary learning is fully passed on to those that need it. In this way the employer gets maximum value for money.

For example, if an employer is about to invest in labour law/industrial relations training for management it shouldn’t automatically assign its HR officer to do the training, even if this will be the “cheapest” option – unless the HR officer is in fact the best expert in labour law and training that the employer can find.

In our experience HR officers are not always the best choice for providing labour law training for the following reasons: • HR generalists are not necessarily training experts. While they themselves may understand the material and develop IR skills they do not always have the expertise to put these across. Corporate IR practitioners sometimes feel embarrassed to use outside training professionals. While this is understandable it should not be allowed to stand in the way of skill development, particularly in an area as vital as industrial relations.

• Those HR/IR practitioners who do have some training skills often implement the training in an academic or theoretical way. That is, they either stand up and talk about labour relations, or refer the line managers to Eurocentric text books that have

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•

•

•

little relevance to the South African shop floor. The training is often omits relevant practical exercises and employer specific role plays and case studies. And very seldom is the training ongoing. The result is that the line mangers undergoing this “training” gets stuck at the theoretical knowledge stage and does not develop the skill necessary to apply the knowledge effectively on the shop floor and in the disciplinary hearing room.

It should be kept in mind that, firstly, should the in-house HRR practitioner conduct the training badly they will get the blame for it. Secondly, where an expert external trainer is used then the internal HRR practitioner will still get the credit for high quality training provided that they ensure that the initial training is properly followed up. Train the trainer courses are also available.

Senior and line managers at whom the training is targeted often have the attitude of “let the expert handle daily disciplinary problems, I’ll just mess it up”. But the implementation of discipline is an integral part of line management’s function and no manager can turn down the opportunity to add to their skills. It is therefore important that the training is offered in such a way that the line managers see it as a tool for success, and that it is presented in a fresh and stimulating way geared towards facilitating the manager’s effectiveness and status.

Management is under “too much pressure to waste time on training”.

The typical South African line manager and supervisor is much more a doer than a manager. But to say that a manager has no time to undergo training means that the manager is not delegating tasks sufficiently. Too many managers get caught in the vicious circle of being too busy “doing” and therefore having no time to manage and to develop management skills, and this itself

is a problem which may have to be addressed via management training.

• When line managers do attend IR or labour law training they forget what they learned after a week. The training programme therefore needs to be designed professionally in order to ensure long term retention and effective application on to the job.

• Some line managers believe that unless their employees receive the same training as they do the exercise will be a waste of time.

These managers are perfectly correct because, where employees are not trained on the LRA (for example) or get their input from union meetings, they will look at labour relations from a very different perspective to that of the manager.

• Insufficient funds are budgeted for such training. lt is a never-ending source of wonderment to us that employers are not prepared to spend a few hundred rand on training a manager but do not mind taking the risk of having to spend tens of thousands of rands on going to the Labour Courts. We have represented countless employers taken to court because a manager mishandled a shop floor grievance or disciplinary matter and the employee was unfairly dismissed. In some cases, because the line manager mishandled the matter, the line manager gets fired for incurring unnecessary legal costs.

The company then faces another unfair dismissal case. Employers often lose potentially good managers this way at great cost, whereas proper training could have avoided the whole mess.

It is crucially important to get the training right the first time. A badly-trained manager is worse than one who has no training at all. Therefore, the cost of not using the right trainer far outweighs the need to save pennies by taking second best. n ACKNOWLEDGEMENT DR IVAN ISRAELSTAM

Vol 100 - November 2016

POPI

POPI’s effects on IT asset disposal

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any organisations have a limited understanding when it comes to IT asset disposal (ITAD) and the dire consequences the Protection of Personal Information Act 2013 (POPI) could have on failure to comply with the requirements of the Act. The POPI Act when in effect will hold organisations liable for the safety of the information they process. Fines for non-compliance can be up to R10million, with civil claims and reputational damage implications as well.

Not only is the introduction of mandatory protection of personal information a potentially huge challenge, but now organisations are being prompted to rethink how they approach the re-use, recycling or recovery of their e-waste.

In addition, the National Environmental Waste Management Act 2008 (NEMWA 2008) and the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 (CPA) also have a bearing on sound IT asset disposal.

How will the act change the role of IT asset managers?

The POPI Act will see the IT asset manager play a more active role in the overall security posture of the organisation, and play a role as a compliance officer rather than being simply a financially-oriented or operations-oriented professional. Asset managers will need to understand the requirements of the POPI Act and develop their own knowledge and skills as well as those of their organisations.

What are the biggest challenges facing organisations in managing their IT assets?

There needs to be the right level of funding to protect IT assets by using appropriate tools, techniques and

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technologies, while recognising that there is not unlimited budget to achieve the required level of protection. Balancing the security issues associated with IT assets include those owned by the organisation; and those which are “bring your own device”, which the organisation does not own but is nonetheless liable for if these devices are permitted to process (capture, store, distribute) the organisation’s personal information.

What does the POPI Act say about ITAM? Although the POPI Act does not explicitly mention IT assets at all, the POPI Act Condition 7 (section 19 to 22) requires a responsible party (the organisation that processes personal information) to prevent loss or damage to personal information (section 19 (1) of the Act) and (section 19 (2) of the Act) to conduct a risk assessment and establish and maintain appropriate safeguards (section 19 of the Act). ITAM forms a key part of both the risk assessment and appropriate safeguards. This applies to assets either directly owned by the organisation, BYOD devices or devices used by Operators (service providers).

The significance of ITAM is that where IT assets are not appropriately managed organisations are likely to expose themselves to additional preventable risks of loss of personal information. This should be expected to result in action by the Information Regulator as well as other stakeholders. ITAM should be clearly seen as part of the whole personal information ecosystem, part of the information lifecycle.

Auditability is paramount to maintaining control and also provides the necessary feedback that will reduce costs, shortages and negate the whole compliance process. For example, if a hard drive is lost during transportation, it may contain the personal information of thousands of clients or employees. The loss of personal information could be detrimental to any business, this is why it is so important to

be fully compliant.

There are companies that offer ITAD as a core function. These players can help you find the metrics to convey a secure asset disposition plan’s ROI to budgetminded superiors. Moreover, once the job is under way, your partner will provide complete documentation of the disposal process. You’ll rest assured that security regulations are being met.

Reputable asset disposal service providers should develop effective solutions to address everyday challenges, beginning with the risks associated with data loss.

Handover of retired equipment should be immediate to avoid the inevitable loss that occurs in IT storerooms.

Ideally, there should be a project management system that offers the following: • Developing a secure chain of custody for the assets; • Minimising storage to prevent shortages; • A call centre to schedule hardware collection; • Packaging; • Secure transportation; • On-site data elimination; • Mobile hard drive destruction; • Data destruction compliance certificates; • E-waste disposal compliance certificates; • Asset buy-back; • Trending reporting; and • An audit trail.

If your service provider can deliver all this with clear and transparent charges, you are on the right track. However, if you don’t have a service provider that understands that data loss may lead to reputational loss, you are probably at risk. n ACKNOWLEDGEMENT DR PETER TOBIN WITH WALE AREWA OF XPERIEN @SAPOPITALK

Vol 100 - November 2016

business savvy

Broaden your horizons

My wife and I were fortunate to travel to Vietnam and Cambodia recently. These two countries are likely to provide you with a counter-Western-culture experience, and it was an amazing adventure. And while not a travel article, this is about providing ourselves with an opportunity to recalibrate with a view that is much wider than #feesmustfall, poverty, crime, corruption and the daily work treadmill.

Stepping away from our lives, the bond, car repayments, school fees and the many other daily responsibilities and must dos (if that’s at all possible) allows us to see and experience the world in a different way.

By the way, this can be done without leaving the country, although it seems the easiest way to illustrate the point.

It’s this change in perspective that is an invaluable aspect of encouraging change for ourselves. I hear a chortle from some readers – encourage change – who would www.myofficemagazine.co.za

© Galyna Andrushko/123RF.COM

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here is nothing quite like a bit of international travel to remove you from your comfort zone and provide you with a set of new experiences. Sights, smells, cultures, people, food and traffic are part of a recipe that gives you a perspective very different from your everyday world.

ever want to do that?

Past columns would lead you to believe that I live for change, which I do not. I do, however, understand that change is a good thing and on many occasions it is required.

Evolution is an important aspect of being human; learning, growing and becoming better at being people. We can’t generally do that if we see the world from the same perspective each day: drive the same roads; listen to the same radio station; follow the same people on Twitter; or watch the same friend feeds on Facebook.

Change is uncomfortable but it is only in the discomfort that that the foundations for change are laid.

Vietnam is a culture quite removed from ours in many ways and yet similar in others.

They are a generally patriarchal society with pockets of communities that are matriarchal. They appear to have a family structure that is largely intact with children living with parents and grandparents as part of the same family unit. HIV has had a statistically insignificant impact so a sense of family is still strong. We found that grandparents and older individuals appear to have an important role in their society, with many still being active at an advanced age. This may also have its roots in socioeconomic realities as the past 40 years has not allowed many individuals to build up any kind of retirement plan.

Their use of mopeds and scooters as carry-everything vehicles was a great

fascination to us. They have 100% import duties on all imported vehicles and therefore cars are way out of reach of the average person. A moped is the primary mode of transport in just about all situations.

We saw a range of ingenious uses – five people being transported; a fridge being moved from one place to another; the moving of huge bundles of rice, pigs, sheep, chickens, ducks and according to one person, a water buffalo, to market.

The moped is used to transport infants, tow bicycles, sleep on and for pretty much any other use you could imagine (or not).

Seeing this ingenuity was an injection of joy. I take for granted the tools I have to do my job and live my life. I often underestimate just how little I can get by on and what I can use to get the job done. The Vietnamese are a stoic and highly resilient people who have endured a lot, and seeing their ability to make do with what they have in a resourceful manner was inspiring. I returned with a renewed sense of vigour for my life and an understanding that perspective brings. I hope I can be open-minded and imaginative for at least a couple of months before my day-to-day life robs me of those feelings of excitement. Who knows, maybe longer? n ACKNOWLEDGEMENT GAVIN MOFFAT @GAVINMOFFAT

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IT focus

Learning goes digital

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t has never been easier to educate yourself: all anyone needs is access to a mobile phone or a computer, and the Internet. Here are a few digital learning platforms to help you hone your mental skills, whether you’re a student in school or an adult simply looking to improve your mind.

Cognition.Online Coined the Uber of private tutoring, Cognition.Online is an app that comes at a time when South Africa’s failing education system desperately needs some innovation.

Cognition.Online is an app-based platform that connect students and tutors in a unique way.

Using an intuitive system, it merely takes a moment to request a lesson based on all the necessary information. Tutors that meet the requirements are then able to actively apply for these requested lessons.

Based on previous ratings from other students and the tutor’s brief profile, a student is able to select help from a list.

Director Kyle Dodds says Cognition.

Online forms matches between student demand and tutor supply at a price the market defines.

“You request a lesson, we get it in front of the right tutors, they bid, and you choose, pay and get better marks.

“With Cognition.Online, tutors and students are able to connect based on their location. Innovative pairing ensures available tutors fit your criteria and will then be able to apply for the job. It’s just up to you to choose who you would like,” he explains.

To ensure a high level of competence, all tutors are screened and approved. The app allows available tutors to apply for lessons instead of students sifting through lists of unavailable tutors.

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“We have tried our best to keep the process of booking a tutor as simple as possible. In a few simple steps you are able to have a tutor at your doorstep. So all you have to worry about is your schoolwork or tutoring the lesson,” he concludes.

Toca Lab This fun game aims to teach kids age seven and up about the Periodic Table of Elements, but it doesn’t hold their hand to do it. Instead, it gives them all the tools needed to perform their own experiments, and it’s up to the kids to find out what each piece of lab equipment does and how elements react to them.

Kids are given an oscilloscope, a centrifuge, a Bunsen burner, a cooling agent and test tubes to play with, and they must follow the hints the app gives them to complete the experiments needed to unlock the next element. It’s not at all easy, though, but the challenge provided will certainly encourage enquiring minds.

EveryCircuit If you’re learning about electronic circuits, this app will prove invaluable in helping your understanding of the course material.

It allows you to set up digital circuits that respond just as they would if they were real, effectively putting a prototyping, testing and troubleshooting tool in your hands that can be used to test your theories on circuit construction and composition.

The free app works well enough, but the paid-for version has a lot more circuit components to work with that will prove invaluable to anyone serious about learning more about circuit construction.

IQ Test Preparation IQ tests were once difficult to study for, but that’s no longer the case thanks to the Internet and its boundless wealth of knowledge. However sifting through all of

the info online can be quite an arduous task.

What you need is an app that gathers together some of the more common IQ tests that you can take before the real thing to prepare your brain for what’s to come.

That’s exactly what IQ Test Preparation does. Its attractive interface presents you with intelligence tests like number patterns, mental arithmetic, logical reasoning and more, plus it gives a lot of feedback to let you know how certain answers were reached which in turn will help you sharpen your own mental skills.

Most importantly, it’s a lot of fun to run through the problems and see how well you could potentially do on a real IQ test.

Khan Academy This free app for iPads lets you learn just about anything, for no money whatsoever.

It presents the huge range of information on offer in a simple yet elegant interface that’s as easy to navigate as reading and pressing, and it encompasses everything from Maths to Science to Economics and Finance and more, all presented beautifully and in great depth.

Basically, if you’ve ever had a hankering to go back to high school to learn the fundamentals all over again, or to simply refresh your memory, all you need to do is set aside a few weeks of your life, fire up this app and consume all of the information within.

It’s a stupendously useful tool for high school students, and is broad enough to satisfy the requirements of many different school syllabi regardless of their geographic location.

RSA Grade 12 Exam Papers This free app is ideal for Matric exam preparation. Download past exam papers used in government exams in South Africa. This app has the backing of the Department of Basic Education. n Vol 100 - November 2016

industry insights

Is backto-school broken?

The back-to-school season as we know it could become a thing of the past if government rolls out its planned LTSM strategy

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raditionally, the backto-school season has been one of the biggest for the stationery industry. But a new plan by the Department of Education could see this lucrative period become a thing of the past.

New regulations In 2014, the South African government drafted the National Policy for the

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Provision and Management of Learning and Teaching Support Material (LTSM) for public comment.

The policy is intended to guide the provision and management of LTSM, including textbooks, home economics equipment and science laboratory equipment, and is aimed at all levels in the system, from the Department of Basic Education (DBE) to provinces, districts and schools. This will affect all public (government) schools in the country.

LTSM is defined as a variety of learning and teaching materials used in classroom.

These range from teacher- and learnercreated resources to commercially

produced classroom resources such as wall charts, workbooks, textbooks, e-books, readers, stationery, science kits, dictionaries, encyclopaedias and so on.

A recent article by The Daily Maverick discussing e-tenders and the procurement process stated that in education, procurement centralisation had reduced the costs of a year’s learning material and stationery pack to R130, down from R460, for each of the country’s 12-million pupils.

What is a minimum schoolbag?

This pack is known as the “minimum schoolbag”, and is determined by grade Vol 100 - November 2016

industry insights

and subject. It includes, among other things: • Exercise books • Exam pads • Pens • Pencils • Sharpener • Eraser • Ruler • Scissors • Glue stick • Pencil case • Flip file According to a Gauteng Education MEC, Panyaza Lesufi, the Gauteng Department of Education has appointed three service providers in the province for the management and distribution of LTSM for the 2017 school year. These companies are Zylec Investments (textbooks), African Paper Products (stationery) and Palm Stationery Manufacturers (stationery).

Bongani Rainmaker Logistics will be responsible for placing orders with these service providers.

A circular published by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education indicated it will be distributing “stationery items in the form of phase-specific learner packs for use in 2017” to selected schools. It also indicated that schools may utilise the “LTSM Other” allocation to supplement “non-learner stationery items such as photocopy paper, teachers’ files and stationery for classroom use”.

The way forward for the stationery industry While the government has arguably struggled www.myofficemagazine.co.za

with service delivery in the past – most memorably with the Limpopo textbook debacle of 2012 – they are now ramping up efforts to deliver on promises. Procurement has been made more efficient and less corrupt through the e-tender platform, and tender information is publicly available so that service providers are held accountable. It may not happen next year, or even in the next five years, but the chances are good that LTSM will be rolled out across all nine provinces by 2022.

Figures from 2013 show that there are 11 975 844 learners in 24 136 public schools, while there are only 513 804 learners in 1 584 independent (private) schools. This implies an enormous loss of consumers for which parents need to buy stationery.

However, stationers in South Africa have had a mixed reaction to the news.

“I am no back-to-school expert, but I would venture to suggest that the effect of this policy would not be as impactful on stationery retailers as one might imagine,” says Bill Bayley, MD of Rexel.

“The bulk supply of contract stationery to government schools has for many years effectively bypassed the stationery dealer network. My understanding is that large manufacturers have found an alternate route to market which, for the most part does, not involve stationery retailers.”

Despite differing viewpoints, it is apparent that the stationery industry will need to rethink its position in the market if it is to survive this onslaught on its most lucrative season of the year. n my office magazine

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back to school necessities

Back to school

necessities A comprehensive look at the back-to-school basics that every child needs

Write it Pens The most common pen used at schools are ballpoint pens that contain black or blue ink. Ballpoint pens dispense ink by channelling it down a plastic reservoir over a small, hard ball which is free to roll on contact with paper. The ink dries almost immediately on contact with paper and is not prone to smudging or leaking, which makes it perfect for use in a school setting. These pens have the advantage of being reliable and affordable. They also last longer than other types of pens.

Retractable pens have a spring-loaded ink cartridge which retracts and extends outside a protective housing. This protects the inside of pencil bags and pockets by ensuring the nib does touch fabric and leak ink onto it.

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Pencils Pencils are one of the most-used stationery items, especially in the lower grades. Most commonly available as a graphite core in a casing of wood, they are a classroom staple. Some pencils have an eraser attached to the top.

Pencils have an alpha-numerical grading.

The H stands for hardness, while the B stands for blackness. The number refers to the degree of softness or hardness. For school use, HB pencils are recommended and are the writing instruments of choice for children up to Grade 4. This is because work can easily be erased and redone, such as when learning to write.

Pencils are now available in a synthetic resin which resists splintering, breaking and chewing. They are also made from recycled materials.

Another type of pencil is the clutch pencil, or mechanical pencil. They are usually made of plastic and contain graphite that can be moved forward down a barrel. There are those that hold the lead and push it forward during use, and those that hold the lead in place and are moved forward with a top or side button, or a twist or shake mechanism.

The clutch pencil can hold thicker leads (2mm to 5,6mm) while some pencils offer several mechanisms that fit into the same cylinder housing to offer a range of thicknesses (0,3mm to 0,7mm) within one shaft.

Clutch pencils are useful because they do not require sharpening and they offer a constant line thickness. They are often used by older children in subjects that involve draughtsmanship.

Vol 100 - November 2016

back to school necessities

Note it Exam pads Exam pads are used all around the world by students and teaches alike. They are available in a standard format of ruled A4 paper with a red margin down the left-hand side, and two regulation punch holes. Generally, exam pads have 80 or 100 pages. They have a soft-cover front and a slightly stiffer back of cardboard, so students are easily able to take notes on the move.

Exercise books Exercise books are similar to exam pads in that they contain sheets of lined, ruled paper. However, instead of punch holes the pages are stapled together in the form of a book. Exercise books can be soft-cover or hard-cover, and are available in standard sizes of A4 and A5 in 72 pages (or more). Special exercise books also exist for specific subjects like

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mathematics and accounting. These may contain grid or graph paper.

Photocopy paper Modern classrooms often require each child to bring in a ream of white paper for the printer or photocopier. Inkjet and laser printers use cut sheet paper, ranging in size from A5 (148mm x 210mm) up to A0 (841mm x 1 189mm) in speciality printers. Variations are offered in thickness, smoothness or a combination thereof.

A standard ream of paper has 500 sheets.

Poster board Ideal for classroom projects, especially in the lower grades, poster board is large, brightly coloured and slightly heavier than standard paper. It makes excellent project posters and is ideal for arts and crafts.

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back to school necessities

Colour it Pencil crayons Pencil crayons are a classroom staple.

They consist of narrow, pigmented cores surrounded by a wooden cylindrical case.

They are available in a wide range of colours and their pigment cores can be wax- or oil-based. The barrel of a pencil crayon can be round, hexagonal or even twist-up. Standard varieties come in packs of 12s and 24s, but they are also available in comprehensive art packs of 100 or more colours.

Felt-tip pens These pens, colloquially known as kokis, have a porous tip of fibrous material and are available in a wide variety of colours.

The smallest, finest-tipped markers are used for writing on paper, while mediumtip markers are often used by children for colouring and drawing. The larger markers are used for writing on boxes or files.

Highlighters also fall into the felt-tip pen category. These pens contain fluorescent inks that can be used to mark up other

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text. They are available in a wide variety of colours, with the most popular being blue, green, pink and yellow.

Gel pens A gel pen uses ink in which the pigment is suspended in a water-based gel. This makes the ink thick and opaque, allowing it to show up clearly on dark surfaces. Gel ink does not bleed through most papers.

However, these pens are prone to smudge more, due to the ink being wetter. They also skip occasionally, as the ball is less evenly coated with ink, and they are more likely to leak. Gel pens use more ink than other types of pens, and therefore require frequent refills or replacements. Because gel pens come in a wide range of colours, including metallic and pastel shades, they are well suited to art or colouring project.

They are not ideal for everyday writing in the classroom setting.

Wax crayons and oil pastels Affordable and available in a vast array

of colours, wax crayons are a favourite among school children. Crayons are made primarily of white clay called kaolin, wax or fatty acids, and dyes.

They are harder than oil pastels because they contain more fillers.

They can be sharpened and they do not smudge as easily. Wax crayons are available in boxes of different quantities, and cover all the colours of the rainbow.

Oil pastels differ from wax crayons by the amount of pure wax they contain.

The higher the wax content, the greasier and less chalky the oil pastel will be. Modern oil pastels are made with pigment dissolved in fossil wax.

Shelf life is improved with the addition of non-drying oil, such as mineral oil.

High quality oil pastels contain large amounts of wax. They are available in a wide array of colours. They are not ideal for younger school children as they are very messy and smudge and break easily.

Vol 100 - November 2016

back to school necessities

Measure it Rulers Desk rulers are used to rule straight lines, measure length or act as a guide for cutting with a blade. Standard school rulers are 30cm in length and are made from wood, plastic or metal. Smaller sizes, such as 15cm and 20cm, are also available. Measuring marks are painted onto the surface of the ruler, usually in centimetres and millimetres on one side and inches on the other.

If being used for a specialised function, rulers can also have a raised centre piece with which to hold it in place.

Rulers come in many different colours and may have designs or pictures on them. Some rulers even have cut-out shapes which form templates, and are transparent so the user can see what they are doing through them.

Modern rulers are shatterproof, meaning they don’t splinter and fragment when broken. This is for safety reasons.

Maths sets Math sets form an important part of the school curriculum’s stationery requirements. Standard sets usually

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include a self-centring compass, a 9cm pencil, a 30cm folding rule, a mechanical pencil, a metal sharpener, an eraser, a protractor and two set squares. Nine- and 15-piece technical drawing sets provide the bespoke tools required for specialise subjects in the higher grades.

Calculators Calculators are required by school children as they advance from primary to secondary levels of schooling.

They help to solve simple or complex mathematical calculations. Modern, ergonomic designs have angled screens and soft rubber buttons for easy input. They come in a variety of colours and run on batteries. Scientific calculators are required by high school children for maths, science and chemistry. Containing an entire screen, instead of just a display for a row of numbers, scientific calculators are capable of displaying multiple calculations at once. They can be used to calculate sophisticated conversions and statistics. Variable data is held in the calculator’s memory, and can be retrieved at a later date.

Vol 100 - November 2016

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back to school necessities

Stick it

Glue One key back-to-school item is a glue stick: they’re a classroom staple throughout the world.

They have a number of advantages.

They are non-toxic and non-acidic, which means they can be safely used by children and do not yellow over time.

They are considered a low-bonding adhesive, and are used on various types of paper, such as cardboard, foam board and poster board. The adhesive in a glue stick dries clear, and is used for applications like labelling, art projects and scrapbooking. Glue sticks are generally made from a range of similar ingredients, although the exact proportions are particular to the manufacturer. This results in the varying quality of each brand. Most ingredients found in glue sticks are fairly safe and act as thickeners, binders and smoothers.

Acrylic polymer is the ingredient which helps the glue stick to dry quickly. It gives the adhesive strength. It is non-toxic and non-explosive, and remains colourless.

Polyethylene glycol is a binder. It aids

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lubrication and prevents the adhesive from drying out.

Sodium stearate is one of the primary ingredients in glue sticks and is responsible for the opaque white colour.

Glue sticks are easy to use, don’t make a mess, are non-toxic and acid free. For this reason they are ideal for classroom use, especially in lower grades. Craft glue is a white or clear liquid adhesive that is slightly stronger than a glue stick. It is ideal for use in art class or for poster board projects, and can be used on paper, wood, fabric, foam and some types of plastic. Look for craft glue that is nontoxic and quick-drying glue.

Sticky tape Also known as adhesive tape or sellotape, this is a clear type of tape with an adhesive coating at the back to make it tacky. Sticky tape is a type of pressure-sensitive tape, meaning that it is sticky without any heat or solvent for activation and adheres with the application of light pressure. Sticky tape is available in a range of different-sized

rolls, as well as in different widths. For use in the classroom, sticky tape on a dispenser is a good idea. The dispenser not only provides protection for the tape, but also has a slightly sharp edge on which the tape can be cut. Some types of sticky tape have perforations for easy tearing.

Prestik Known generically as mounting putting or adhesive putty, Prestik is a classroom staple. In other countries it is call Blutack or Patafix. It is a re-usable puttylike pressure-sensitive adhesive made of a synthetic rubber compound that is non-toxic, non-hazardous and noncarcinogenic. It doesn’t shrink or dry out, which makes it ideal for use in the classroom.

Prestik is commonly used to attach lightweight objects such as posters or sheets of paper to walls or other dry surfaces in classrooms and offices.

It is often packaged in separate strips for convenience, and can be re-used in the classroom.

Vol 100 - November 2016

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Organise it Erasers Erasers are another back-to-school essential for those that use pencil regularly. Vinyl (or plastic) erasers are the hardest type of erasers. They are ideal as an all-purpose eraser. They erase almost everything and are found in most pencil bags. However, their toughness means that they tear all types of paper very easily. Vinyl’s durability and flexibility result in minimal crumbling. These erasers often come in white and can be found in a variety of shapes.

Other types of erasers, such as kneaded erasers, might be required by children who take art classes. The erasers found on the end of pencils are often pink in colour, and are used to remove graphite pencil on paper. It does this by shedding itself as it lifts the pencil marks. They are usually made from synthetic rubber. This type of eraser is ideal for scholars who need to remove standard pencil marks. If used over-aggressively or on a lightweight paper, such as tracing paper, this type of eraser will cause tears.

Correction fluid Correction fluid (or white-out) is an opaque, liquid product that is designed to cover mistakes made while writing in pen, typing or photocopying markings on paper. Typically, it is applied to paper

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using a brush but it can be purchased in the form of a tape. This becomes a backto-school essential in the higher grades where pen is used. It is the neater option for correcting mistakes.

stapler. These can fasten up to 20 sheets at a time, but they will be bulkier in the school bag.

Staplers come in a variety of shapes and colours.

Sharpeners Sharpeners on back-to-school lists are generally the hand-held variety.

Sharpeners feature either a single opening for standard pencils or a double opening for larger art pencils, with a blade to shave the wood surrounding the lead to sharpen the point. Many sharpeners come fitted into a case which collects the shavings. They are available in an array of sizes, shapes and colours. Most pencil sharpeners have a blade attached to the body with a screw, which can be tightened, loosened or replaced.

Punches A punch is ideal for binding presentations in a file or folder and allows for organisation and filing in a classroom setting. Generally speaking, school children will only require a two-hole punch. These are used for two-ringed files.

Other important aspects of a punch are its sheet capacity, size and ease of use.

Staplers The most popular back-to-school staplers are the small, pocket-size variety that fit easily into a school bag. Many feature a handy built-in staple remover. They can staple up to 12 sheets of paper at a time.

To avoid jams, only the recommended staple type and size for the model in question. Do not staple above the stated sheet capacity; instead, consider a bigger model, such as a standard desktop

Pencil cases A pencil case (or pencil box) is a back-toschool essential. Used to store all manner of stationery, such as pencils, sharpeners, pens, glue sticks, erasers, scissors and rulers, pencil cases can be made from a variety of materials such as plastic, wood, cotton, leather or metal. Pencil bags are usually soft and have a zipper.

Some pencil cases, known as space cases, have a hard and rigid shell which protects the items inside. These often have separate compartments to store different items.

Brightly coloured or decorated pencil cases are popular with schoolchildren, and they are available in a wide range of sizes.

Vol 100 - November 2016

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Calendars Calendars are an important classroom tool. Desk pad calendars are great for teachers and staff rooms, offering easy viewing and plenty of room for writing.

Desk pad calendars are ideal for this application as they sit on the user’s desk for easy note-taking. They generally provide a full month in view and offer plenty of space on each day for users to schedule appointments or jot down information. After the month has ended, the user can tear away the desk calendar’s current page to reveal the next month’s page. Desk pad calendars are easy to use and tend to be inexpensive as well.

Wall calendars are also good for classrooms as they hang from a hook that is placed on any wall or flat surface. They are often full of inspirational pictures and messages and are large enough to be seen by everyone and be decorative at the same time.

of styles, sizes and colours, including A4 or A5. A5 is more popular among students who have to carry their bags around with them. They are available in a week-to-view or day-to-page layout.

Academic diaries in different parts of the year may run for a period of 12 calendar months, rather than a straight year. For example, American students would use an academic diary running from August of one year to the August of another.

Diaries Academic diaries are aimed at people who attend school or university. They often contain information pages relevant to students, such as semester or term dates.

These diaries are often ring-bound and come in an extraordinary variety

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back to school necessities Files Different types of files are suitable for classroom use.

Display books – known colloquially as flip files, display books are ideal for displaying and protecting documents in the classroom environment.

Display books contain stiff cardboard or plastic on the front and the bank, with clear pockets on the inside. These neatly-bound books come in a variety of sizes and thicknesses, ranging from A4 to A2 in size, with anywhere from 10 to 50 pockets. Some display books allow you to add or remove pockets as necessary.

Ring binders – these types of files are most typical in the lower grades. Made of hard PVC plastic in an array of colours, they are durable and have two standard rings. The downside of these types of files is that the rings can pinch skin if the user is not careful, and the file cannot hold too much paper.

Lever arch – these files are larger than ring binders and have a special lever to open and close the rings. More documents can be filed in a lever arch, and they are therefore popular with high school students who need to keep portfolios of the year’s work.

Filing pockets These clear pockets are made of tough, durable polypropylene – a clear plastic which can be coloured but is still easy to read through.

Filing pockets are made to go into all different types of files, and generally have a number of different sized and spaced holes punched down the side of the binding edge. This edge is reinforced for improved durability.

Cheaper varieties of filing pockets may only have two punch holes for use in a standard file.

Some filing pockets are available in extra-wide sizes for speciality uses, like technical drawing.

in order to keep it closed.

Plastic folders are available in a large arrange of colours suitable for classroom use.

Plastic folders Somewhere between a display folder and a filing pocket, plastic folders are usually A4 in size and made from a tough, durable polypropylene.

They are shaped like an envelope, and have a flap with a push stud or a piece of string to wind around a post,

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Carry it

T

here are many different types of school bag, and everyone needs some guidance when making a selection. Most importantly, bear the child that will carry the bag in mind when purchasing a bag. Be sure to check whether or not the school has a set of rules regarding the type of bag that is allowed.

Certain schools may not allow rolling backpacks or messenger bags, and some may have specifications with regards to style or colour. Does the person who will be using the bag have a back problem or other medical issues? This is an important point to remember, as certain types of bags may exacerbate the issue.

Backpacks Backpacks are essentially sacks carried on the back and secured with two straps that go over the shoulders. They are spacious, durable, waterproof and are ideal for heavy items such as school books. Weight can be distributed throughout the bag, and it is easier to carry on the back than in the hand.

However, backpacks can be used to carry everything a child needs all the time, leading to an overweight bag that can cause posture problems later on. Experts

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do recommend buying a backpack rather than a bag that’s carried or slung over one shoulder. A backpack made of canvas or nylon will be lightweight when compared to a proper suitcase. The best backpacks have a moulded frame with a padded back and adjustable straps.

Messenger bags Messenger bags are worn over one shoulder with a strap that goes across the chest, resting the bag on the lower back.

They usually contain organiser pockets, ideal for storing different sized items.

They are made of sturdier material than a standard tote bag, making them more durable. They are designed to carry a lot as they were originally used by mailmen and couriers. Messenger bags can be made of waterproof material. Messenger bags are a compromise between tote bags and backpacks. However, carrying all the weight on one shoulder can cause posture problems.

Wheeled bags Wheeled bags are usually backpacks on castors, and are made from waterproof materials such as nylon. They can be up to 1,5kg heavier than a regular backpack, so it is important that you consider the size of the child who will be using it. It should not be too heavy for the child to pull. They are available in a range of sizes, and their capacities vary. Wheeled bags have telescopic handles, and these need to be durable

as they will be used often. The bag needs to have wheels that roll smoothly and don’t stick, and whole thing should be well-balanced so it doesn’t fall over.

Many wheeled backpacks have straps for carrying on the back; however, this is not recommended as these bags are heavy and can cause muscle strain.

Tote bags A tote bag is a large and often unfastened bag with parallel handles that emerge from the sides of its carrying pouch. Tote bags have evolved over the years, and now there are many different types of tote bags to choose from. The original ones were made of canvas, which is highly durable, but they are now also available in cotton (which is lightweight), polypropylene (which is lightweight and easy to clean), or leather.

Consider the size of the tote bag you want to purchase. Sports totes are ideal for children with extra-mural activities.

They are often found in school changing rooms and clubhouses. They range in size from small enough to hold a change of clothes to large enough to hold sporting equipment like cricket bats and pads.

Additional pockets to store smaller items are useful too.

What will the tote bags be used for?

They are not recommended to hold school books and things as they become heavy and are hard to carry for a long period of time without causing muscle strain. n Vol 100 - November 2016

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RBE launches bold new brand identity

R

BE Stationery Manufacturers – the leading manufacturer and distributor of selfcarbonised business books; the PaperSmart range of coloured and patterned paper, board and envelopes; and a comprehensive range of practical and innovative printed stationery products – has taken a bold step towards consolidating its brand identity under a single banner.

“As a relatively small manufacturer, RBE decided it was neither practical nor cost-effective to continue on a dual-brand strategy,” says Roger Bozzoli, managing director at RBE. The company approached The New Black, a progressive design agency in Johannesburg, to work through our existing product range and branding and develop a new brand essence for RBE. “The result is striking in its simplicity, and we feel confident that RBE products will command a greater presence on shelf.

The image will portray a look and feel that demonstrates the quality and the attention to detail we pay in our production and packaging processes,” says Bozzoli.

RBE has grouped its products in five distinctive brand categories, namely: RBE Enterprise, which encompasses the business related products;

RBE Everyday relates to products that are generally used on a day to day basis either at home or in the office; RBE Education, which includes school books, book covers, and other useful school-centred products; RBE Express, which is our printing and related services division of the company; and RBE Elevate, which focuses on products manufactured specifically for the general aviation industry.

“We are already rolling out our product range with the new branding and are planning to complete 90% of our rollout by the end of 2017,” concludes Bozzoli.

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29

arts and crafts

Christmas gift ideas Don’t break the bank this Christmas – break out the craft box instead The festive season is fast approaching and you may be wondering what to buy for friends and family.

Why not make a one-of-a-kind, personality-filled homemade gift from our ideas below:

Images: www.iheartnaptime.net/gift-wrap-caddy/

Image: http://cherishedbliss.com/diy-tea-towels-love-coffee/

Personalised tea towels Gift wrap basket This is such a great idea for the gift wrapping enthusiast in your life.

You will need: • A utensil caddy, such as an aluminium pail or wicker basket; • A mason jar with a cut-out lid for storing twine; • Washi tape; • Bakers’ twine; • A variety of tissue papers, paper ribbons, stickers and gift tags; • Small, colourful gift boxes and bags; and • Scissors, tape or anything else you want to place in the gift.

Arrange all the items in the caddy. Decorate the caddy with ribbon, bows or wrapping paper and put a gift tag on it.

It’s that simple!

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Create a personalised tea towel for daily use or decoration.

You will need: • Plain white or lightly-coloured tea towels or flour sack towels; • An indelible marker, such as a laundry marker; and • A print-out of patterns and/or letters for tracing.

Print out your pattern or letters. Cardstock is nice and makes it a little easier, but regular paper will work too.

Wash and dry the tea towels before writing on them with the marker. Ironing them will help to remove all the wrinkles and creases.

Place the pattern under the tea towel and line it up where you want it.

Using the indelible marker, trace the words and patterns. Be careful not to smudge the marker before it has a chance to dry.

Let the marker ink dry and cure for a few days before washing to ensure that it does not run. If you just want to use them for decoration, you don’t have to wash them.

Vol 100 - November 2016

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Chalkboard serving platter This is a unique idea for the entertainer in your life. Make them their very own customisable chalkboard serving platter.

You will need: • A decent-sized piece of pine suitable for a platter, such as 5cm wide by 30cm long; • Wood stain of choice, such as mahogany; • Duct tape; • Chalk paint or chalk spray paint; • Metal handles and screws; • Wood marker; • Gloves; • Drill; and • Chalk.

Stain the pine board with wood stain. Be sure to use gloves during this process. Allow the stained wood to dry completely.

Once dry, use duct tape to create an even border along the top of the board that the chalk paint will go inside of. Apply more duct tape to the sides of the board as a precaution. Using chalk paint in your colour of choice, paint inside the border and allow to dry.

Once dry, carefully peel away all the duct tape. Attach the handles using a drill and screws.

Give the board and a box of colourful chalk as a gift this holiday season. n www.myofficemagazine.co.za

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31

store management

The retail rush:

a survival guide

W

e are all aware that brick-andmortar stores see increased volumes from November through January as the busy season commences. When students head back to school, office supply retailers face a flood of customers. University bookstores operate at full tilt and supermarkets are full of shoppers.

Online retailers also see a dramatic upswing in sales during this busy period as a steady stream of customers look for bargains.

No matter what segment of retail your business may be classified as, we all have periods of peak sales. Any retail rush is the period of time when retailers are struck with a higher than average number of customers and sales.

For some retailers, it can be quite stressful. For the unprepared, it can be downright disastrous. Before you experience your next retail rush, use the following tips to maximise composure and minimise headaches.

Stock up Make sure the store has plenty of bags,

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Back to school is busy season.

How will you prepare for it? gift wrap, cash register tape, ribbons, ink, gift certificates and all the necessary office supplies.

Examine inventory levels. Review the open-to-buy plan, inspect the store’s budget and re-order any impulse items and other top sellers to capitalise on the extra exposure. Check the currency in the cash registers and determine how much petty cash you should keep on hand.

Clean up If you expect to receive a lot of merchandise for your peak sales period, re-organise and clean up the stock receiving area.

If frequently-used items are accessible, it will reduce stress during the retail rush.

A messy workroom only creates chaos and confusion.

Before it gets busy, conduct any needed maintenance to get the store looking its best. Replace, repair or refinish worn store fixtures. Schedule the floors to be polished or have the carpets cleaned.

A fresh coat of paint will also go a long way to sprucing up walls. Make sure all the lighting is in proper working order.

Store recovery Zoning, recovery or straightening is simply the act of getting a retail store ready for customers. It is the combination of several processes to make the store looks great, and it should be done on a daily basis.

Although it is a continual process, the

majority of it should be done either just before closing or opening of the store.

While part of store recovery can be started during store hours, retailers may find it easier to be done with the doors locked.

This way the staff can safely complete their tasks without hindering shoppers.

Cash wrap area – this is the place where customers are most likely to receive their last impression of the store. It is also where the money is taken, and therefore should always be kept neat and orderly.

Refill bag areas at the checkouts. Any merchandise in the register area should be restocked to the correct location on the sales floor. Clean doors, glass cases, register stands and any other surfaces the customer may come in contact with.

Sweep or vacuum the entryway, including the mats.

Sales floor – by straightening items in your selling area, you’re not only giving your store a neat, full appearance, but you are also deterring theft. When a shoplifter opens a package and takes the merchandise, they generally discard the packaging in the first available empty space.

Filling those spaces during store recovery will add a few more seconds to the shoplifter’s act and hopefully give the employee more time to catch the thief.

Fill up any empty spaces with overstock and back-stock. Straighten all merchandise on the sales floor. Bring all products to the front edge of the shelf or move peg hook items forward to maintain Vol 100 - November 2016

store management

a full appearance. Use both hands as you move along straightening each item. Don’t stop what you’re doing to return misshelved items. Collect the merchandise in a shopping basket or cart and return each item to its correct location as you move around the store.

Collect any damaged or opened packaging, and other trash that has been discarded. Check expiration dates on perishables and other consumable items.

Check all signage and replace any missing tags, labels or signs.

Dust the tops of racks, cases and other fixtures with a clean dust rag. Don’t forget to clean the base shelves and the bottom of fixtures. Sweep the aisles, vacuum carpets and mop the floor.

Stock room – we all get busy taking care of business and may easily neglect this area of the retail store. As the saying goes, “out of sight, out of mind”. The time to pay attention to the stock room is during store recovery. Clear work areas, empty trash cans and dispose of empty boxes.

Work out any merchandise in the stock room to the correct location on the sales floor if possible.

Organise hangers, pricing guns, tagging guns and all other store supplies. Keep emergency exits free of clutter.

Office space – because this location is usually out of sight from the customer, retailers may neglect this area as well.

Plan a few minutes in the store recovery process to clean up the office. www.myofficemagazine.co.za

Secure deposits, petty cash and any other monies. File invoices, receipts, bills and all other paperwork for the day.

Create computer backups, if necessary.

Other areas for recovery – store recovery should also include cleaning areas such as restrooms (really important), the break room and fitting rooms. There should be no merchandise in any of these areas and each area should be spotless. Remember, the bathroom is not an extra storage space.

The time spent on store recovery will vary by the size of the retail store and the number of employees. Keep a checklist of the process handy to make sure each area has been completed.

Staff up Train the new staff well before the season begins. Be sure to schedule enough employees during peak periods. As the number of people who walk in goes up, it is important these new customers don’t take attention away from the regular customers.

Assign a section of the store to each employee and make it their responsibility to keep it ready to sell at all times.

Remember, the more often store recovery is done, the less there is to do.

Shoplifting may be a bigger threat at this time, so consider hiring or increasing the store’s security.

Rest up Remind your employees (and yourself)

that in order to have a positive atmosphere for customers, they must be well-rested, pleasant and prepared to deal with any difficult situation.

The best way to beat stress is by getting plenty of rest.

Remember to maintain break schedules during the retail rush. Just 10 minutes away from the sales floor can renew a salesperson. Plan a party to celebrate with staff after the hectic period is over. They should be rewarded for their hard work too.

After the rush Expect to see a number of returns immediately following your store’s retail rush. Naturally, the more you sell, the more returns you may receive. Depending on the size of your retail store, consider allocating a specific area or one or more employees solely for returns. This will free up remaining staff members to deal with other customers, turn returns into sales and help prevent return fraud.

Once the rush is over, you’ll have a chance to relax and catch your breath, even if only for a moment. Unless your business closes after the busy season, you’ll want to evaluate and measure the performance of sales and staff. Then it is time to begin preparing and planning for the next peak season! n ACKNOWLEDGEMENT SHARI WATERS AND MATTHEW HUDSON FOR WWW.THEBALANCE.COM

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eco news

Plants help the office

flourish

A

recent study has shown that having plants in the office boosts productivity; helps promote concentration; absorbs pollutants; and can even mitigate the number of sick days taken by staff.

How plants help Psychologists have found that introducing greenery to spartan workplaces can lead to a 15% rise in employee output.

Both staff concentration and satisfaction increased as air quality improved. This may be due to the fact that plant foliage absorbs air-borne pollutants, filtering dust and bugs, and improving air quality.

Researchers from Cardiff University monitored two large commercial offices in the UK and Holland. After plants were brought in, overall productivity improved by 15% within three months, the Journal of Experimental Psychology reports.

According to the study, “data from the present findings indicate that a green working environment is consistently more enjoyable for employees, more conducive to concentration, and more productive for the business than its lean equivalent”.

All that was required was enriching a previously spartan space with plants.

Lead researcher Marlon Nieuwenhuis, from Cardiff University’s school of psychology, says: “Our research suggests that investing in landscaping the office with plants will pay off through an increase in office workers’ quality of life and productivity.

“Although previous laboratory research pointed in this direction, our research is, to our knowledge, the first to examine this

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in real offices, showing benefits over the long term.

“It directly challenges the widelyaccepted business philosophy that a lean office with clean desks is more productive.”

The scientists think that plants’ biology may have something to do with the significant impact on workers’ wellbeing.

Some studies have even found that a high number of pot plants in an office can reduce the number of sick days taken by staff.

“The recent trend of creating sanitised, spartan, uncluttered offices simply does not make people more productive. The lean, pared-down office is not best for concentration or worker comfort despite the thinking that no distractions mean greater concentration,” says Linda Trim, director at Giant Leap, a workplace specialist.

An alternative theory is that people perform better in more pleasant environments, partly because managers give them the impression that they are investing in their welfare, creating a greater incentive to work hard on the company’s behalf.

“A green office says to employees that their employer cares about them and their welfare. Adding plants will pay off through an increase in office workers’ quality of life and productivity,” says Trim.

Dr Craig Knight from the University of Exeter, who also worked on the study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology, says: “Psychologically manipulating real workplaces and real jobs adds new depth to our understanding of what is right and what is wrong with existing workspace design and management.

“We are now developing a template for a genuinely smart office.”

Top plant picks

Spider plant Perfect for high shelves and hanging baskets, the low-maintenance spider plant thrives in partial sun or shade – making it ideal for your cubicle or windowless office. As an added bonus, spider plants carry loads of benefits for improving indoor air quality and reducing stress at work, as noted by researchers from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

A report published by the university’s Co-operative Extension Service cited the humble spider plant as one of the top varieties for removing VOCs and other pollutants from indoor air.

Air-cleansing plants also boost relative humidity and decreases particulate matter (dust), which can have a relaxing effect on workers and reduce common allergy symptoms.

Indoor air pollution is a major problem in many offices and the spider plant is highly effective at cleaning the air. This makes the spider plant the number one office plant pick.

Vol 100 - November 2016

eco news

Lemon balm Super-fragrant lemon balm plants can tolerate full sun or full shade, meaning they’ll be happy even if the nearest window is all the way across the office. In addition to being seriously hardy, research suggests that having a lemon balm plant around may also improve your mood and boost workplace wellness.

An Ohio State University study showed that while the scent of lemon doesn’t carry the medicinal healing properties touted by some aromatherapy proponents, its sweet smell did show a clear mood enhancement. So, for the often stressful office environment, it certainly couldn’t hurt.

Sydney – one of Australia’s top tech institutions – indicates this pick may also be good for your health.

Researchers from the university’s Centre for Environmental Sustainability listed philodendrons as one of the top varieties for freeing indoor air of VOCs and excess carbon dioxide, which can be harmful to human health. The study cites allday exposure to VOCs and high CO2 levels (even at imperceptible levels) as a frequent cause of headaches, drowsiness and loss of concentration. So, adding an air-cleansing variety like this one could go a long way to boosting productivity at work.

www.myofficemagazine.co.za

Golden pothos

Peace lily

Philodendron

The lush and leafy philodendron is nearly impossible to kill and research from the University of Technology,

NASA and the US military, concluded that peace lilies removed more VOCs from the air than nearly any other houseplant.

Since then, its cleansing properties have been recognised by researchers at the University of Minnesota, Penn State University and National Chin-Yi University of Technology in Taiwan, just to name a few.

Peace lilies love the shade, so they’ll do just fine even far away from a window.

This eye-catching variety is also one of the best plants for improving indoor air quality, according to NASA research. A 1989 study published by BC Wolverton, an environmental scientist working with

Golden pothos was also noted by NASA researchers as a top air-cleaning plant, and it’s famously low-maintenance to boot. Its lovely heart-shaped leaves removed up to 73% of VOCs and other pollutants from sealed chambers as part of the NASA study, and the plant experts at Better Homes & Gardens called the variety “one of the best indoor plants for low-light situations” – making it perfect for your desk. n ACKNOWLEDGEMENT WWW.EARTH911.COM

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35

industry news

The Southern African Association for Stationery, Home and Office products (shop-sa) held its annual general meeting on 13 October 2016 at the Kolok premises in Ormonde, Johannesburg.

Rob Matthews, owner of IT Online and publisher of My Office magazine, opened the meeting with a discussion of the way forward for print media. Declining revenues and a lack of advertising was highlighted, and a number of solutions were put forward, including cutting distribution costs by circulating an e-magazine, which could be personalised to the recipient.

Chairman Hans Servas then took the

holds AGM

floor, beginning with the apologies, then presenting the chairman’s report and moving onto the way forward for shop-sa.

He cited poor participation in events as well as dwindling advertising support for My Office magazine as hindrances to the success of the association, which is in its centenary year. As there were no new board nominations, the AGM confirmed the remaining, current board for 16/17, namely: Hans Servas (chairman); Allan Thompson; Bill Bayley; Clive Heydenrych; Dion Botma; and Philip Venter.

It was agreed to outsource or co-opt members/individuals for special projects, such as effective communication by

digital media.

Servas then presented a summary of the Office Products International (OPI) report 2015/2016, focusing on the state of the office products industry in key world markets. Some interesting trends were noted, including a rise in the sale of writing instruments in some markets, as well as the growth of Amazon and e-tailers in most countries surveyed. A decline was reported in most markets in traditional office products, specifically paper- and filing-related.

In closing the meeting, Servas appealed to members to support the upcoming Centenary Sports Day on 8 November.

Chairman’s report 2016 The board, consisting of Allan Thompson of Kolok; Bill Bayley of Rexel; Clive Heydenrych of Trodat; Dion Botma of Leather Solutions/Krost; Philip Venter of DOS; Paul Naidoo of AZ Trading; Yvonne Agnew and Anna-Marie Revelland of Pentel; and Hans Servas as chairman, met four times during 2015/2016. At least six board members attended all meetings.

The change in membership cycle (July to June) and reduced fees were implemented, with the response being reasonably successful.

To create awareness of shop-sa’s centenary year (2016), a number of features and adverts were run in the My Office magazine. Attempts to feature companies which have been in business in our industry from the start did not achieve the result we had hoped for.

Events organised during 2015/2016 were: • A Quiz Evening for member companies was arranged at the Schwabinger Stuben Restaurant and Pub. The idea was to get members to send teams to have a fun evening and compete against each other. This could have happened once a quarter, culminating with a shop-sa champion team. Unfortunately, response was poor, resulting in the cancellation of the event.

• The shop-sa Executive breakfast was held at the Bryanston Country Club on 28 August. The speaker was David Shapiro of Sasfin. Turn-out was very good and all enjoyed the insights provided by Shapiro with regard to Brexit, currencies and worldwide technology trends, and the resulting changes to the investment landscape.

• The annual sports day is planned for November and hopefully this year participation will allow us to go ahead, unlike last year which had to be cancelled as there was too much industry activity during September and October. Apart from a great golf and bowling day, it is one opportunity for members and staff to network and sponsors to gain exposure.

The new auditor, Jeremy Garden, produced audited results timeously and at reasonable cost.

Even though membership income (no comparison to last year due to the change in cycle) and commission from IT Online (My Office) was lower, reduced expenses and a higher interest

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received generated a small profit, and cash-on-hand increased by 10%.

There is consensus that the content and appeal of the magazine is excellent. However, there has been a downward trend in advertising support which not only affects the commission income for the association but also the viability for IT Online to publish the magazine.

We appeal to past and present advertisers to utilise the magazine to reach their audience, which is our industry’s only trade monthly and is sent out to the most comprehensive mailing list in the industry.

A weekly online newsletter was introduced which is topical and hugely informative, supplementing the My Office magazine.

The reduced fee structure helped to maintain a reasonable membership which, including dealer group members, stands at around 400.

Most key suppliers and dealers are members of the association, which is crucial for us to maintain an industry presence for another 100 years in a very challenging environment.

There are a number of companies who should belong to shop-sa, and we hope that after canvassing them they will come on board.

However, without involvement, support and interest for initiatives and events the chances of survival for any association are very slim.

Thank you to the board members who participated and provided input at all meetings, and thank you to those who are willing to continue.

Yvonne, Anna-Marie and Paul have decided to step down.

Thank you for your contribution.

We hope that a few new, fresh faces will step up and help to drive your association.

Hans Servas Chairman Vol 100 - November 2016

industry news

Art Board now offers FORMCard

Art Board has announced that it has been named sole distributor for new product, FORMcard – a handy, pocket-sized card of strong, meltable bio-plastic that you can use to make, fix and modify the world around you.

Just drop it in a cup of hot water and it’s ready to use. Keep one in your wallet, toolbox or kitchen drawer so that it’s always around when you need it.

• FORMcards are instant – they’re ready to use once cool, so you can fix things quickly in emergency situations.

• FORMcards are strong – like nylon, they can be used for long-lasting solutions, such as making hooks.

• FORMcards are re-usable – once you’ve finished with your project just melt it back down again and use it for something else.

FORMcards are sticky – if you take them straight out of water, they will Recommended stick to some plastics, such as for retail price for a emergency side mirror repairs. three-card pack is • FORMcards are non-toxic – they are made from a starch-based bioplastic that is totally non-toxic.

• FORMcards are small – they will fit in your wallet and they fit in a cup, so you can take them and use them anywhere you can find hot water.

• FORMcards are colourful – this makes them suitable to use in a wide variety of situations.

FORMcards are quick, clean, simple, instant and fun to use.

•

R199.00

Redfern partners with Children’s Hospital Trust Redfern Print Services has partnered with the Children’s Hospital Trust and will be raising funds for the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital from the sale of laser labels. The donation will be in aid of the new Paediatric Intensive Care Unit that the hospital is in the process of building.

Redfern Staff have also been volunteering their time to play with the sick children.

“It is a joy and an honour to support such a worthy cause,” says David Boolsen, founder and director of Redfern Labels.

“Children serve as the inspiration for our stationery and scholastic label lines and it is wonderful to be in partnership with the Trust again.”

Redfern was previously involved in donating to the hospital in 2004, to upgrade the Trauma Unit.

“The Children’s Hospital Trust is so pleased about Redfern Print setting a target of raising R120 000 to help fund the new paediatric ICU at the Red Cross Children’s Hospital. This is a significant target and this incredibly generous donation will substantially contribute to this newly upgraded and expanded life-saving facility for sick and injured children from around the continent,” says Louise Driver, CEO of the Children’s Hospital Trust.

Redfern invites the public to join them in their endeavour to support the new ICU by purchasing www.myofficemagazine.co.za

Redfern laser labels. R1 from each box sold will be donated. For monthly updates on the progress of Redfern’s donation, check the Redfern Facebook Page and Web site.

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37

events

Diarise this

A list of industry-specific events and exhibitions to mark on your calendar 08 November

19 November

SHOP-SA SPORTS DAY READING COUNTRY CLUB, ALBERTON shop-sa will be hosting a centenary Sports Day at the Reading Country Club. Come and join us for golf, bowls, networking and dinner.

TECH EXPO INNOVATORS DURBAN UNIVERSITY OF KWAZULU-NATAL, DURBAN This one-day event showcases products from the IT and technology; electrical and mechanical; industry; engineering; innovation fields in the IT and technology industry.

WOMEN ADVANCEMENT FORUM THE CAPITAL EMPIRE HOTEL, JOHANNESBURG This five-day event will provide words of wisdom and create platforms to let your voice be heard on gender issues. The WAF platform gives you the opportunity to share your life experiences with others, and revels in the shared success of other women.

15 – 17 November

24 November

AFRICACOM CAPE TOWN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTRE This three-day event gathers together senior decision-makers from the entire digital ecosystem in the telecom products and equipment industry.

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my office magazine

04 - 08 December

TECH EXPO INNOVATORS CAPE TOWN V&A WATERFRONT, CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA This one-day event showcases products like product logos and advertising materials; potential radio and television exposure; innovations in computer science, design; and engineering, technology and much more in the IT and technology industry.

Got something going on?

Upcoming event?

Send the details and an image to editor@shop-sa.co.za for publication on our Events page.

Vol 100 - November 2016

product showcase

SCHNEIDER – LINK-IT A genius click-system that links fineliners and fibrepens to one pen. Simply push the barrels with the two arrows at the end facing each other together and create your favourite pen. It is the perfect pen to be used for mandalas, doodling and Zen-Tangle® which is the current trend for adult colouring-in. The rubberised ergonomic and triangular barrel is ideal for a relaxed writing and colouring-in. Both 0,4mm fineliners and 1,0mm fibrepens are available in 16 fancy colours with stylish names in single colours and in sets of 8 and 16 assorted colours in durable, convenient adjustable pencil cases. One can collect, swap and link-it however you want! The Link-It is the first “green” fibre tipped pen combination manufactured of 88% bio-based plastic.

Tel: 021 790 4656 E-mail: arifa@global.co.za Web: www.arifa.co.za

MY OFFICE PRODUCT SHOWCASE To showcase your products here, call Wendy Dancer on 011 781 0088 for pricing and availability.

LEITZ ILAM EASY A4/ A3 LAMINATOR Fully automatic A4 or A3 premium home or small office laminator with unique sensor technology. Recognises document thickness and automatically selects the best speed. Only 5 min. warm-up time. For casual to moderate use.

• Max Pouch 125 (250) micron • LED countdown • Manual Reverse Function • No complicated settings – just on and off • No carrier needed • 45 seconds to laminate one 80 micron A4 sheet • Photo Friendly button • Low Energy Consumption • 5 min warm up-time • 3 Year Guarantee & 1 Year Warranty

Tel: 086 000 7468 ext 2 E-mail: info@dosptyltd.biz Web: www.dosptyltd.biz

w w w . m y o f f i c e m a g a z i n e . c o . z a

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SOURCE PRODUCTS HERE A ADDING MACHINE, POINT OF SALE AND MACHINE ROLLS PaperGeni Rotunda (Pty) Ltd.

ADHESIVES, GLUES AND SPRAYS BIC South Africa (Pty) Ltd. - Correction Fluid, Glue sticks & Super Glue Palm Stationery Manufacturers - New Wave

ART, CRAFT, GRAPHIC AND DRAWING MATERIALS CTP Stationery - A4 coloured poster boards Pentel S.A (Pty) Ltd. - Oil pastels and watercolour paint

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B BAGS AND CASES D.O.S - iStay Flip File - Business cases.

Kolok - Kenton, Port Topmark - School Bags, Laptop Bags, Pencil Cases, Sports Bags, Luggage BATTERIES Kolok - Duracell Nikki Distributors - Duracell Batteries Nikki Distributors - Energizer Batteries BIN RANGE Krost Office Products BINDING ACCESSORIES AZ Trading - Plastic Comb, Wire, Thermal & Covers CTP Donau - Donau files and slide binders, A4 poster board Kolok - Geha binding combs and covers Parrot Products - Parrot Comb Binding Machines Press Products - wire, combs, coil, covers Rexel Office Products - Rexel and GBC

BINDING MACHINES AZ Trading - DSB, Neorel D.O.S - Prima, DSB, Leitz Kolok - Geha binding machines Parrot Products - Parrot Comb Binding Machines Press Products - Bindquip Rexel Office Products - GBC and Rexel ranges

BOARDS BIC South Africa (Pty) Ltd - BIC Velleda School Whiteboards CTP Stationery - Flip Chart Pads Hortors Stationery - Legal Notices i.e.

Basic Conditions & OSH Act and Leave and Absence Chart Kolok - Geha interactive boards Palm Stationery Manufacturers - New Wave Parrot Products - Full range of boards and accessories. Custom boards printed to your specification Rexel Office Products - NOBO whiteboards, pinboards, easels and accessories. Quartet magnetic white/cork boards BOOK COVERS CTP Stationery - Poly Prop Donau heavy duty covers Empire Toy & Stationery - Butterfly paper Gordon’s Productions - contact paper woodgrain, marble, pattern designs. Magic cover back to school clear and coloured self adhesive paper. (4M rolls, A4 and lever arch). Plastic coated brownkraft rolls and pre-cut polythene covers.

Grafton Paper Products Palm Stationery Manufacturers - brown paper rolls, poly rolls, gift-wrap RBE - Papersmart BOOKS AND PADS BSC Stationery - Treeline CTP Stationery - Impala and premier books and pads Hortors Stationery - Legal registers Palm Stationery Manufacturers

Power Stationery - Powerstar RBE - NCR Business Books Rexel Office Products - Colourhide notebooks BOXES AND CARTONS CTP Stationery - Archiving Systems Rexel Office Products Specialised Filing Systems - Archive and Off-Site Tidy Files - Acid free archiving products

C CALCULATORS Kolok - HP Nikki Distributors - Truly calculators Palm Stationery Manufacturers - New Wave Power Stationery - Powerstar Rexel Office Products - IBICO CALENDARS CTP Stationery - Diaries assorted sizes CANTEEN Kolok - Tea, Coffee, milk etc, Sunbeam (appliances) CARBON PAPER AND FILMS RBE - NCR Business Books CARTRIDGES Dis Cartridges - Stockists of generic/original cartridges CD’S, DVD’S AND DISKETTES Kolok - Verbatim, Kenton CLIP BOARDS CTP Stationery - DONAU brand Parrot Products - Masonite and whiteboard CLIPS, FASTENERS AND PINS Grip Binders - Essentials, Stephens, Penguin Tidy Files - Filing solution

Binding doesn’t get any simpler!

CombBind 100

CombBind 110

CombBind C200

CombBind C210

buyers’ guide

See page 46 for contact details

COLOURING BOOKS Empire Toy & Stationery - Empire books Palm Stationery Manufacturers - New Wave

refills and T-card kits, Quartet Monthly/ Weekly planner South African Diaries - For all your diary needs

COMPUTER ACCESSORIES Kolok - Verbatim, Kenton, Port Krost Office Products Pyrotec - Tower Inkjet-laser labels, business cards and photo paper

DICTATION - TRANSCRIPTION Olympus Audio S.A - Digital Voice Recorders, Transcription Kits and Accessories.

COMPUTER CLEANING Kolok - ComputerCare, Multipro Pyrotec - Tower computer cleaning range

Powerhouse Dictation for Philips Dictation, transcription, meeting recording, mini-tapes, foot pedals, accessories

COMPUTER CONSUMABLES CTP Stationery - Full range of DONAU files KMP - for computer consumables Kolok - Penguin (Ribbons, Toners, Inkjets), Till and fax rolls Redfern Print Services - Redfern inkjet/laser/ copier labels and a full range of stationery labels

DRAUGHTING AND DRAWING OFFICE SUPPLIES CTP Stationery - A4 Poster Boards

COMPUTER HARDWARE Kolok - Blazer UPS systems, Geha (Interactive white boards)

EMBOSSERS AND ENGRAVING Rubber Stamp & Engraving Co - Ideal & Trodat Embossers (pocket, desk and electronic), Trotec

CORPORATE STATIONERY & GIFTING Star Stationers and Printers CRAYONS AND CHALKS Palm Stationery Manufacturers - Chalks and Crayons Power Stationery - Powerstar

D DESK SETS AND ACCESSORIES BIC South Africa (Pty) Ltd - Desk Set Solo Delux Krost Office Products Rexel Office Products - Rexel Eco Range DIARIES, PLANNERS AND ORGANISERS CTP Stationery - CTP Brand Hortors Stationery - Legal diaries Rexel Office Products - NOBO planners,

E

F FAX ROLL MANUFACTURERS Rotunda (Pty) Ltd. FILES AND FILING African Filing Systems - Top retrieval filing and arching products BSC Stationery - Treeline, Mobifile CTP Stationery - Full range of quality DONAU brand Flip File - Executive display files, expanding files, Document folders, dividers Palm Stationery Manufacturers - Lever arch, Ringbinder files, Manilla flat folders Grafton/Star Kolok - Geha (Binding machines) Palm Stationery Manufacturers - leaver arch, ring binder files, manilla flat folders.

Pentel S.A (Pty) Ltd. - Display book Vivid, document file, clip file and presentation file Rexel Office Products - Prima and Rexel ranges Specialised Filing Systems - Top Retrieval, Archive and Off-Site Tidy Files - Filing solutions

ENVELOPES AND MAILING BSC Stationery - Leo Envelopes CTP Stationery - Commercial envelopes Global Envelopes - CelloWrapped, peel+seal, Self-Seal, FullGum and Printed Grafton/Star KZN Envelopes - Manufactures of Printed and Plain Envelopes Merpak Envelopes - Complete range of quality envelopes RBE - Papersmart

FOLDERS CTP Stationery - DONAU Brand Palm Stationery Manufacturers - View files, polypropylene & board folders Tidy Files - Specialised

ERASERS & ERASING / CORRECTION FLUIDS BIC South Africa (Pty) Ltd - Tippex tape, bottle and Pen Palm Stationery Manufacturers - Tape/ Erasers Pentel S.A (PTY) LTD - Hi-Polymer and Ain eraser, correction tape and pens Power Stationery - Powerstar

FURNITURE - OFFICE & SCHOLASTIC Krost Office Products - accessories New Era Office cc - Specialising in all office furniture desks, chairs, credenzas, boardroom tables, etc Reboni Furniture Group - Manufacturing and distribution of educational and office furniture

41

FORMS - LEGAL AND MISCELLANEOUS Hortors Stationery - complete range of custom, company, miscellaneous, magisterial, etc.

Working for you

CombBind C250 Pro

WireBind W20

MultiBind 230 Comb & Wire

ThermaBind T400

www.rexelsa.co.za

SOURCE PRODUCTS HERE Specialised Filing Systems - Cabinets, Shelving and Hi-Density

G GUILLOTINES AND TRIMMERS AZ Trading - DSB, Kobra Maynards Office Technology - IDEAL Shredders & Guillotines – SA Distributors Press Products - BindQuip Rexel Office Products - SmartCut and ClassicCut

I 42

INDEX TABBING AND DIVIDERS CTP Stationery - DONAU Brand board and P.P Flip File - Index Tabs, Flip tabs Grip Binders Palm Stationery Manufacturers Rexel Office Products - Rexel, Mylar and Prima board

INKS KMP - for computer consumables.

Rexel Office Products - Numbering machine ink Rubber Stamp & Engraving Co - Trodat, Noris fastdry, security, numbering, franking.

Laundry.

L LABELS Pyrotec - Tower stationery, inkjet-laser labels Redfern Print Services - Redfern Inkjet/ laser/copier labels and a full range of stationery labels Rotunda (Pty) Ltd. Specialised Filing Systems - Filing Tidy Files - Filing solutions LABELLING MACHINES Kemtek Imaging Systems - Distributor of Brother P-Touch Labelling System LAMINATING MACHINES AZ Trading - DSB, Speedlam, Lamiace D.O.S - Tofo, DSB, Leitz Kolok - GEHA and Galaxy Parrot Products - Parrot A4 and A3 Laminators Press Products - GMP Rexel Office Products - GBC and Rexel ranges LAMINATING POUCHES AND MATERIALS AZ Trading - A0 to ID card size Kolok - GEHA, Penguin laminating pouches and rolls Parrot Products Press Products - GMP Rexel Office Products - GBC LEGAL STATIONERY Hortors Stationery - All legal registers, forms, diaries etc LETTER TRAYS Krost Office Products

J JANITORIAL Kolok - Goldenmarc (Cleaning products), Brooms, Mops and equipment.

M MAILING TUBES CTP Stationery

MARKERS BIC South Africa (Pty) Ltd - Permanent Markers, Highlighters, whiteboard Interstat Agencies - Edding Parrot Products - White board, permanent and OHP markers. Wide range of highlighters Penflex - White board, flipchart, permanent markers, highlighters Pentel (Pty) Ltd. - Maxiflo, white board marker and paint marker Power Stationery - Powerstar MATHEMATICAL GEOMETRY SETS & ACCESSORIES Palm Stationery Manufacturers Power Stationery - Powerstar MINUTE AND GUARD BOOKS Hortors Stationery - Company registers, minute books and other legal registers

N NUMBERING MACHINES Rexel Office Products Rubber Stamp & Engraving Co - Reiner Dater/Numberer (manual/electronic), Trodat

O OFFICE ERGONOMICS Rexel Office Products - Kensington copyholders, risers, footrests, Rexel range of electric staplers and punches which reduces chances of RSI (repetitive strain injury) OVERHEAD PROJECTION AND ACCESSORIES Kolok - Penguin Transparencies Parrot Products - Data Projectors, OHPs, screens and rear projection film Penflex - Penflex Overhead projector pens Rexel Office Products - NOBO

Excellence Accelerated Get it right first time, in less time.

Fusion 1000L

Fusion 1100L

Fusion 3000L

buyers’ guide

See page 46 for contact details

P

PENCIL SHARPENERS Palm Stationery Manufacturers Power Stationery - Powerstar

PACKAGING Merpak Envelopes - Postsafe packaging range

PAPER AND BOARD CTP Stationery - DONAU A4 poster boards Empire Toy & Stationery - Butterfly paper Grafton/Star Kolok - Geha (paper media), EPSON, HP, CANON, Palm Stationery Manufacturers - Cubes and board Power Stationery - Powerstar RBE - Papersmart Rexel Office Products - Prima Paper & Board

PAPER FOLDING MACHINES Maynards Office Technology - IDEAL Shredders & Guillotines – SA Distributors

PENCILS BIC South Africa (Pty) Ltd - BIC Evolution Graphite, BIC Matic Clutch ,Velocity Clutch, Atlantis Clutch, BU4 Clutch Palm Stationery Manufacturers Pentel S.A (Pty) Ltd - Hotshot, Mechanical Pencil, Techniclick Pencil.

Power Stationery - Powerstar Rexel Office Products - Rexel HB & Derwent Staedtler SA (Pty) Ltd - Tradition, Wopex, Technical, Clutch Pencils and lead

PENCIL LEADS BIC South Africa (Pty) Ltd - Criterium 0.5mm leads Pentel S.A (Pty) Ltd - Ain lead, standard lead - various grades

PENS BIC South Africa (Pty) Ltd - Clic, Crystal, Orange and Prismo Palm Stationery Manufacturers Penflex - Penflex ballpoints and rollerballs Pentel S.A (Pty) Ltd - Superb Ballpoint, Energel Pen Power Stationery - Powerstar Staedtler SA (Pty) Ltd - Ball point, Fineliner, Gel and Pigment liner pens

PEN CARBON BOOKS Power Stationery - Powerstar RBE - NCR Business Books

PERSONAL STATIONERY CTP Stationery - Home office and personal filing system, diaries Grafton/Star

PLANNING BOARDS AND ACCESSORIES Parrot Products - Range of year planners, term planners, maps and in/out boards. custom printed boards designed to specification.

Rexel Office Products - NOBO planners

PRINTER CONSUMABLES KMP - For computer consumables.

Kolok - Epson (inkjet, large format etc), Lexmark, HP, Brother (Toners and Inks), Oki (Toners, inks and Ribbons), Tally Genicom (Ribbons), Seikosha (Ribbons), Panasonic (Toners and Ribbons), Kyocera (Toners), Printronix (Ribbons), IBM (Ribbons), Ricoh (Toners), Fujitsu (Ribbons), Pantum (Toners) Royce Imaging Industries Remanufacturers and suppliers of inkjet and laser cartridges Technical Systems Engineering Suppliers of quality compatible cartridges and bulk inks for Epson, Canon, Lexmark, HP and Samsung PUNCHES AND PERFORATORS Krost Office Products Parrot Products - Parrot range of punches Power Stationery - Powerstar Rexel Office Products - Rexel

43

R RUBBER STAMPS Rubber Stamp & Engraving Co. - Trodat RUBBER STAMP MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT Rubber Stamp & Engraving Co - AZ Liquid polymer, TROTEC laser engraver, flash system

POINT OF SALE PRINTER ROLLS Rotunda (Pty) Ltd.

PRINTING Kolok - Epson, Lexmark (Hardware), HP Printers, Oki (Hardware) Pantum, Samsung Olivetti Imports - Distributors of Multifunctional Printers / Copiers

RULERS Palm Stationery Manufacturers Power Stationery - Powerstar Penflex - PENFLEX rulers

Star Stationers and Printers Unicopy & Stationers CC - for all your printing & stationery requirements

Working for you

Fusion 3100L

Fusion 5000L

Fusion 5100L

www.rexelsa.co.za

SOURCE PRODUCTS HERE

44

S

SLATES Parrot Products - Whiteboard and chalk board

SCHOLASTIC SUPPLIES BSC Stationery Sales - Treeline CTP Stationery Empire Toy & Stationery - Butterfly Flip File - Flip File display books A5, A4, A2, A3 Gordon’s Productions - contact paper woodgrain, marble, pattern designs. Magic cover back to school clear and coloured self adhesive paper. (4M rolls, A4 and lever arch). Plastic coated brownkraft rolls and pre-cut polythene covers.

Grafton Paper Products Palm Stationery Manufacturers Parrot Products - chalk boards/slates Power Stationery - Powerstar Pyrotec - Tower Adhesive Book Cover 45cm x 2m

STAMPS, STAMP PADS AND INKS Kemtek Imaging Systems - Distributor of Brother Stampcreator PRO Rubber Stamp & Engraving Co - Trodat, pre-inked stamps, stamp and fingerprint pads STAPLING MACHINES AND STAPLES Interstat Agencies - Genmes Krost Office Products Parrot Products - Parrot range of staplers Rexel Office Products - Rexel range

SCISSORS AND CUTTERS Palm Stationery Manufacturers Power Stationery - Powerstar Rexel Office Products SCRAPBOOKING Rexel Office Products - Trimmers and guillotines Rubber Stamp & Engraving Co - Making memories, Clearsnap, Marvy, Ranger, Bazzill, Carl SHREDDERS AND ACCESSORIES AZ Trading - DSB, Kobra, Roto, Repairs to all makes D.O.S - Kobra Kolok - GEHA entry level and high-end shredders Nikki Distributors - Nikki shredders Parrot Products - Parrot range of value shredders Rexel Office Products - Rexel range Maynards Office Technology - IDEAL Shredders & Guillotines – SA Distributors

STATIONERY SUNDRIES - SCHOLASTIC CTP Stationery - DONAU Scissors and cutting knives Palm Stationery Manufacturers - New Wave Power Stationery - Powerstar

STORAGE SYSTEMS CTP Stationery - Archiving Systems Suspension Files Kolok - Verbatim (hard drives, USB sticks etc), HP, Sandisk Rexel Office Products - Storage boxes Specialised Filing Systems - Filing Tidy Files - Filing solutions

THERMAL ROLLS Rotunda (Pty) Ltd. TONERS AND CARTRIDGES KMP - Computer consumables Kolok - Penguin (Inkjets and Laser toners), Epson, Lexmark, HP, Canon, Pantum (toners), OKI, Samsung TOP RETRIEVAL FILING Optiplan a div of Waltons - Paper based top retrieval filing systems Specialised Filing Systems - Total Solution and more Tidy Files - Complete onsite and offsite filing solutions TOYS, HOBBIES AND GAMES Pyrotec - Toby Tower Stickers and Activities TRANSFER LETTERING AND SIGNS Parrot Products - Vinyl lettering TRANSPARENCIES Kolok - Penguin transparencies for inkjet and laser OEM, Penguin and HP Transparencies Rexel Office Products - NOBO range

T TAPES Palm Stationery Manufacturers TELECOMMUNICATIONS Nikki Distributors - Siemens office phones TELEX ROLLS AND TELETEX PAPER Rotunda (Pty) Ltd.

Spend 98% less time shredding*

UPGRADE TO

AUTOFEED *Max saving when using an Auto+ 500X compared to a traditional feed shredder in a similar price level.

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buyers’ guide

See page 46 for contact details

45

DID YOU KNOW? • The Buyers’ Guide is an affordable way to highlight your brands while simultaneously introducing up-and-coming stockists to the trade.

• The Buyers’ Guide is a valuable sourcing tool to market your business and the brands that you carry.

• To book space, contact Wendy on wendy@shop-sa.co.za or (011) 781 0088.

Working for you

Auto+ 200X

Auto+ 300X | 300M

Auto+ 500X | 500M

Auto+ 750X | 750M

www.rexelsa.co.za

CONTACT DETAILS HERE African Filing Systems

Kolok - Port Elizabeth

(

011 614 9445

www.africanfiling.co.za

7

086 540 6892

info@africanfiling.co.za

AZ Trading (

086 111 4407

www.aztradingcc.co.za

7

011 792 9732

sales@aztradingcc.co.za

BIC South Africa (Pty) Ltd ( 7

011 474 0181 011 474 6068

PO BOX 43144, Industria, 2042 16 Maraisburg Road, Industria, 2042

BSC Stationery Sales (

011 086 2900

Box 278, Brakpan, 1540

7

011 420 3322

sales@treeline.co.za

CTP Stationery (

011 226 5600

Box 43501, Industria, 2042

7

011 474 9242

sales@versafile.co.za

Dis Cartridges (

011 609 3437/9

PO Box 75881, Gardenview 2047

7

011 609 3448

doe01@telkomsa.net

D.O.S (Denton Office Solutions) (

086 000 7468

info@dosptyltd.biz

7

086 237 4614

www.dosptyltd.biz

Empire Toy & Stationery (

011 614 2243

Box 261524, Excom, 2023

7

011 614 3075

empire@netactive.co.za

Flip File (

021 638 3105

Box 2190, Clareinch, 7740

7

021 633 6942

ashly@flipfile.co.za

7

031 205 7092

www.redfern.co.za

Redfern Print Services - Johannesburg (

041 406 9900

Box 3163, North End, 6056

(

011 837 4119

Box 1445, Crown Mines, 2025

7

041 406 9920

infope@koloksa.co.za

7

011 837 8917

jhboffice@redfern.co.za

Rexel Office Products

Kolok - Namibia (

00264 (61)370500

Box 40797, Ausspannplatz, Namibia

7

00264 (61)370525

valne@kolok.com.na

Kolok - Nelspruit (

013 758 2233

Box 4338, White River, 1240

7

013 758 2235

infonel@koloksa.co.za

Kolok - Bloemfontein

(

011 226 3300

www.rexelsa.co.za

7

011 837 2781

sales@rexelsa.co.za

Rotunda (Pty) Ltd. (

021 799 5770

7

021 761 5601

15 Hillstar Avenue, Wetton, 7780 rotunda@iafrica.com

Royce Imaging Industries (

011 792 9530

www.royceimaging.co.za

7

011 792 9480

sales@royceimaging.co.za

Rubber Stamp & Engraving Co - Head Office

(

051 433 1876

PvtBag X01, Brandhof, Bloemfontein

7

051 433 2451

infobfn@koloksa.co.za

Kolok - Botswana (

00267 393 2669

PvtBag B0226, Bontleng, Gaborone

7

00267 317 0762

clemencem@vbn.co.bw

Krost Office Products (

011 626 2067

Box 75401, Gardenview, 2047

7

011 626 2912

sales@krost.co.za

KZN ENVELOPES (

031 465 3992

P O Box 41259, Rossburgh, 4072

7

031 465 1669

info@kznenvelopes.co.za

Maynards - Olympus Audio S.A / Olivetti Distributors

(

011 262 1400

Box 931, Wendywood, 2144

7

011 262 1414

trodat@rse.co.za

Rubber Stamp & Engraving Co - Cape Town (

021 448 7008

Box 931, Wendywood, 2144

7

021 448 7014

cpt@trodat.co.za

Rubber Stamp & Engraving Co - Durban (

083 377 4109

Box 931, Wendywood, 2144

7

031 266 1082

dbn@rse.co.za

South African Diaries (

021 442 2340

Box 4862, Cape Town, 8000

7

021 442 2341

phoneyman@sadiaries.co.za

Staedtler SA (Pty) Ltd (

011 579 1600

www.staedtler.co.za

7

011 608 3497

admin@staedtler.co.za

Specialised Filing Systems

Global Envelopes

(

011 477 0640

sales@maynards.co.za

7

011 477 3528

www.specfiling.co.za

www.maynards.co.za

Star Stationers and Printers

(

031 465 5544

info@envelopes.co.za

7

031 465 5634

www.envelopes.co.za

(

Suite 69, PvtBag X4, Kloof, 3640

Merpak Envelopes

(

031 569 1061

luke@starstat.co.za

jacquie@gordons.co.za

(

011 719 7700

sales@merpak.co.za

7

031 569 1094

www.starstat.co.za

7

011 885 3174

www.merpak.co.za

Technical Systems Engineering

Gordon’s Productions ( 7

031 705 8713 031 705 8714

Grafton/Star Paper Products

0860 00 1922

(

011 262 0777

Box 550, Bergvlei, 2012

Nikki - Cape Town

(

011 708 2304

Box 1532, Northriding, 2162

7

011 262 0780

sales@graftonpaper.co.za

(

0860 006731

cpt@nikki.co.za

7

011 708 1799

sales@tse.co.za

7

0800 204868

www.nikki.co.za

Tidy Files

Hortors Stationery (

011 620 4800

Box 1020, Johannesburg, 2000

Nikki - Durban

7

086 612 4663

orders@hortors.co.za

(

0860 006731

dbn@nikki.co.za

Topmark

7

0800 204868

www.nikki.co.za

(

011 837 8045

7

011 837 7442

Ink Spot Suppliers (

011 854 3013

7

011 852 3013

Nikki - Johannesburg info@inkspotsuppliers.co.za

Interstat Agencies - Durban ( 7

031 569 6550 031 569 6559

(

011 943 4210

www.tidyfiles.co.za info@topmarksa.com

(

0860 006731

jhb@nikki.co.za

Tower (Division of Pyrotec) - Cape Town

7

0800 204868

www.nikki.co.za

(

021 787 9600

7

021 787 9791

PvtBag X1, Capricorn Square, 7948

Box 201707, Durban North, 4016

Nikki - Pretoria

interstat@mweb.co.za

(

0860 006731

pta@nikki.co.za

Tower (Division of Pyrotec) - Johannesburg

7

0800 204868

www.nikki.co.za

(

011 611 1820

59 Lepus Rd, Crown Mines, 2025

7

011 611 1834

tower@pyrotec.co.za

Interstat Agencies - Cape Town (

021 551 9555

Box 36696, Chempet, 7442

Optiplan a division of Waltons

7

021 557 5456

Capetown@interstat.co.za

(

011 620 4000

Pencil Park, Croxley Close, Herriotdale

Tower (Division of Pyrotec) Durban

7

086 681 8256

rcurrin@gp.waltons.co.za

(

031 701 0192

Box 594, Pinetown, 3600

7

031 701 1285

tower@pyrotec.co.za

Interstat Agencies - Port Elizabeth (

041 453 2558

Box 27693, Greenacres, 6057

Palm Stationery

7

041 453 8504

pe@interstat.co.za

(

031 507 7051

viran@palmstat.co.za

Unicopy & Stationers CC

7

031 507 7053

www.palmstat.co.za

(

031 201 8415

122 Che Guevara Road, Glenwood, 4001

7

031 201 8672

sales@unicopy.co.za

Kemtek Imaging Systems (

011 624 8000

Box 86173, City Deep, 2049

Parrot Products

7

0866 101 185

labelling@kemtek.co.za

(

Kemtek Imaging Systems - Cape ( 7

021 521 9600 021 551 5032

7

011 607 7600 011 615 2502

debbie@parrot.co.za

Versafile

www.parrotproducts.biz

(

011 226 5600

Box 43501, Industria, 2042

7

011 474 9242

sales@versafile.co.za

Box 181, Cape Town, 8000

Penflex

brenth@kemtek.co.za

(

021 521 2400

Box 36964, Chempet, 7442

7

021 521 2402/3

info@penflex.co.za

Kemtek Imaging Systems - KZN (

031 700 9363

Box 15685, Westmead, 3608

Pentel S.A (Pty) Ltd

7

031 700 9369

Sandim@kemtek.co.za

(

011 474 1427/8

Box 202, Crown Mines, 2025

7

011 474 5563

www.pentel.co.za

Kemtek Imaging Systems - PE (

041 582 5222

Box 15685, Westmead, 3608

7

041 582 5224

clinth@kemtek.co.za

Kemtek Imaging Systems - PTA (

012 804 1410

PO Box 816, Silverton, 0127

7

012 804 4286

johlettat@kemtek.co.za

KMP (

021 709 0190

Box 183, Steenberg, 7947

7

021 709 0199

kmppty@iafrica.com

Kolok - Head Office (

011 248 0300

Box 4151, Johannesburg, 2000

7

011 248 0381

infojhb@koloksa.co.za

Kolok - Cape Town

Powerhouse Dictation (

011 887 1056

7

086 555 3833

info@speech.co.za www.speech.co.za

Power Stationery (

032 533 4003

Box 1305, Verulam, 4340

7

032 533 3254

powersta@netactive.co.za

Press Products (

011 493 6332

marketing@pressproducts.co.za

7

011 499 1019

www.pressproducts.co.za

Pyrotec (

021 787 9600

PvtBag X1, Capricorn Square, 7948

7

021 787 9791

tower@pyrotec.co.za

Win this! winner

The winner of the Epson LabelWorks LW-300 from Rotunda is Suzi Muller.

RBE Stationery Manufacturers (Pty) Limited

(

021 597 2700

Box 6385, Roggebaai, 8012

7

021 297 2799

infoctn@koloksa.co.za

Kolok - Durban (

031 570 4900

Box 4206, Riverhorse Valley East, 4017

7

031 569 6880

infodbn@koloksa.co.za

Kolok Polokwane (

015 298 8795

Box 862, Ladanna, 0704

7

015 298 8315

infopol@koloksa.co.za

(

011 793 7321

7

011 793 7348

sales@rbe.co.za www.rbe.co.za

Reboni Furniture Group (

086 173 2664

www.reboni.co.za

7

086 627 7737

sales@reboni.co.za

Redfern Print Services - Cape Town (

021 552 9680

Box 403, Milnerton, 7435

7

021 552 9681

sales@redfern.co.za

Redfern Print Services - Durban (

031 205 9598

dbnoffice@redfern.co.za

Congratulations!

46

my office magazine

Vol 100 - November 2016

crime alert

Online card skimming: the new wave

H

ackers have installed credit card skimming scripts on thousands of online stores, including numerous South African platforms, according to a recent article by MyBroadband.

An investigation by Dutch developer Willem de Groot revealed that a host of online stores have been compromised and are stealing users’ credit card details.

De Groot says hackers gained access to the source code using unpatched security flaws.

Once a store is under control of a cybercriminal, a JavaScript wiretap is installed that funnels live payment data to an offshore collection server (mostly in Russia).

“This wiretap operates transparently for customers and the merchant. Skimmed credit cards are then sold on the dark Web,” says De Groot.

He adds that online skimming is very effective, because it is hard to detect and it is nearly impossible to trace the thieves.

International online stores According to De Groot’s research, more than 750 online stores who were unwillingly skimming payment card details for attackers in 2015 are still doing so today, showing that this type of activity

GOLD SPONSORS:

can go undetected for months.

De Groot’s data suggests there are multiple groups engaged in online skimming. While in 2015 there were variants of the same malware code, today there are three distinct malware families with a total of nine variants.

“The first malware just intercepted pages that had checkout in the URL,” he says.

“Newer versions also check for popular payment plugins such as Fire Checkout, One Step Checkout and PayPal.” The malicious code is obfuscated and is deployed using known vulnerabilities in content management solutions or e-commerce software that Web site owners have failed to patch.

What’s worse is that some shop owners don’t seem to grasp the seriousness of these issues or understand their impact.

De Groot gives some examples of the worst answers he has received from companies when he attempted to inform them about the compromises.

“We don’t care; our payments are handled by a third party payment provider,” one unnamed shop owner says.

“Our shop is safe because we use HTTPS,” says another.

While HTTPS protects against man-inthe-middle attacks, where the attacker is in a position on the network to intercept traffic between a user and a server, malicious code runs on the server itself and is served over HTTPS, so it can see whatever information users enter into Web sites.

As for using a third-party payment

processor, “if someone can inject JavaScript into your site, your database is most likely also hacked”, De Groot says.

The good news is that some shop owners are taking action, with 334 stores fixed in a 48-hour period. On the other hand, during the same time period, 170 new stores were hacked.

South African online stores De Groot published the list of 5 900 compromised stores on GitHub, but it was quickly removed.

“After publishing a list of compromised online stores, I was contacted by several persons who claimed their site had not been compromised, and who threatened to sue me,” says De Groot.

However, these sites were all compromised, pointing to archive.org which he says “provides solid proof”.

“I have, prior to publication, submitted all URLs and malware samples to Google’s Safe Browsing team. They have since only acted upon a small portion of the sites,” he says.

He says he understands that being included in the list can be painful for a merchant, but this was needed to prevent the problem from growing.

MyBroadband tested the listed South African Web sites, and all of them were blocked by anti-malware software or browser warnings, and informed all the Web sites before publishing the article. n ACKNOWLEDGEMENT MYBROADBAND; WWW.PCWORLD.COM

SILVER SPONSORS:

Keeping shop-sa members abreast of criminal and fraudulent activity in the stationery and office products industry.

To sponsor the Crime Alert page contact (011) 781 0088.

REPORT CRIME TO wendy@shop-sa.co.za Renew your Crime Alert sponsorship today! Call Wendy Dancer on (011) 781 0088 to book your logo placement on the Crime Alert page as an industry leader in transparency, information sharing and anti-crime business ethics. www.myofficemagazine.co.za

my office magazine

47

punchline

Caption this!

Send us your funniest caption for the photograph below and you stand a chance to win a Rexel Joy A4 Laminator valued at R2 000.

Send your Punchline and contact details to competitions@shop-sa. co.za with Punchline in the subject line

Win

Be Brighter with JOY! Brighten up your laminating with this simple colourful modern laminator. Ideal for occasional use in the office or home environment. Featured with hot and cold settings, it has been designed for use with A4 size pouches up to 2x125 microns. With a compact, slimline design it’s easy to store.

• • • • • •

Max Micron pouch 250 Hot and cold settings Occasional office/home use Jam release Colours: Pretty Pink and Blissful Blue Compact slimline design for easy storage

WIN ME

WINNING CAPTION OCTOBER ISSUE Winning Caption: “There’s a elephant in the room” – Richard Naidoo, Durban

For the BRIGHT T at heart!

Rexel PUNCHLine Working for you

Matching staplers available

www.rexelsa.co.za

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All-Purpose Finder EasyThe Made from 40 micron polypropylene with ultra-sonic sealing for long-lasting durability and Ă&#x;exibility.

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GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME For quality and value that lasts...

It doesn't take long to figure out stationery that isn't going to last.

With Marlin and Marlin Kids products going through a stringent production and testing process, you can rest assured that you're going to get the best possible product at a great price.

That's because at Marlin, we believe in REAL GOOD VALUE. For any queries and assistance, call our Durban branch on 087 350 7861 or email us on careline@freedomstationery.co.za.

Our other branches are located in Midrand, Cape Town, East London and Bloemfontein.