ExaClaire explains
continued decline

Paper and Stationery maker
reports parallel market drop

Exacompta Clairefontaine the French based paper and stationery maker reported disappointing H1'26 results. Secular market decline and poor 'back to school' demand exacerbated its future survival. Can Francois Nusse turn around the -20% decline since 2020? Full story here, first...

Is 'Working From
Home' Working?

Do bosses agree/disagree

 
flexibility boosts productivity?

The evidence about whether flexible working improves productivity is mixed, but many businesses have already made up their mind. The UK government wants to make it harder for employers to block flexible working requests, with hybrid work becoming the norm. We discuss the findings of TheTimes' economics-business editors team...

Softcat secures
1st US acquisition 

“Capability, scale, culture,
a compelling combination"

Leading UK IT solutions provider Softcat's ceo Graham Charlton tells CRN about its 2nd acquisition and its first in the US. "It  took a 5yr search screening multiple targets. This was the right fit given the combination of capability and culture” he says. Full story here, first including what's next...

Stiff'emall Sycamore
reneges WARN Act

Vulture closes Essendant
robs employees 30days pay

As ProficiencyPost reported exclusively on 3 Aug'26 vulture Sycamore confirmed closure of Essendant stating it would pay 60 days WARN Act severance to 15Oct for 400 employees. On 27Aug, it announced shutdown on 1Sep, plus an illegal 30 days cut of employees pay and benefits. We understand a law firm is moving forward with a class action to force rectification. Full story here, first...

AMZN accelerates
same day delivery 

'Project Mercury' would grow
FC's to 1000 hubs by 2031

Amazon is preparing a major expansion of its same-day delivery infrastructure in the US. Project Mercury, would grow fulfillment to more than 1,000 local hubs by 2031, up from 85 currently. Meanwhile, old competitors like Staples are promoting slow, inept service on half the business supply range? Full story here, first...

WHSmith offside
as US stores slide

Messy customer svce fails to
dampen airport convenience 

Troubled international news and stationery retailer WHSmith reported a flat trading update for FY'26. New exec chairman Leo Quinn said “Solid peak trading and initial self-help to deliver full year profits in line with expectations" Really disappointing comment? Full analysis here, first...

3M's new 'forever
chemicals' case?

PFAS Water liabilities $12Bn;
EarPlugs $6Bn. What's next? 

Plaintiffs say ‘forever chemicals’ in turnout gear increase risk of cancer by absorption and inhalation. A federal judge said more than 20 defendants including 3M, DuPont and Honeywell ⁠face claims by firefighters who said their protective gear was contaminated by toxic “PFAS”.  Will the huge claims anchor 3M's already receding innovation and stalled growth even further? Full story here.first...

Staples: Makes
choices HARD?

New campaign obsolete
v AMZN one source era

40yrs after opening its first store, Staples marks its anniversary with a new promot campaign. It's built around "the idea businesses have a choice on how work gets done: Hard way v Easy way". Too late given Staples' slow half-service reputation? Full analysis here, first...

Add CXP Services
for Future success

Lessons from leaders in tech:
Customer Productivity... First!

"The IT services market in the channel is bigger than the hardware market. It was 10yrs ago and still is!" writes Alex Tatham ex-MD of IT distributor Westcoast. Resellers in the business supply market have traditionally been 'box shifters'. Now they need to offer managed productivity services – strategic and technical. Can they step up? We case study the ones that have...later today 

Personalization
beats fast product?

McD: “Price important, but
CXP paramount to customers"

After spending $M's on digital kiosks and mobile-ordering systems, fast-food chains are discovering most customers just want somebody to take their order at the counter and do so in a friendly way, according to executives, market-research, reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.  A huge lesson for transactionally minded resellers in the business supply market. Full story here, first...