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Retro BOSS Awards
reflecting history?
Partying with paperclips as
an iceberg imperils future?
The BOSS Awards ceremony has been a wonderful celebration of excellence for over 40 years. But it's tired, too narrow, too predictable lacking in innovation and broadline business supplies' expansion? Maybe still relevant in stationery and office supply, but in our view 10 years behind the US market category development. Full nomination preview here, first...
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R i c o h review:
Running on empty?
Low profitability in growth
& declining print markets
Japanese based Ricoh the $17Bn print and digital managed services giant announced plans to conduct a 'Strategic Masnagement Review' led by independent directors. The key issues are low profitability in the growth digital office services business; and the declining printing business. Full anaysis here, first...
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Antalis acquires
OptiGroup's paper
Largest & 15th rollup raises
questions abt exit strategies?
Leading European paper and packaging merchant Antalis has agreed to acquire OptiGroup’s Papyrus paper-distribution operations across ten European markets. Is this consolidation a distraction from the market demand decline or a diversion from the organic revenue demise and exit strategies of both businesses. Full story here, first...
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EVOcative fears
of failure inflame
Narrowline. Bad svc levels.
No investment.17yrs losses
EVO Group the management owned OP distributor (inc.VOW, Banner, Staples, Complete, Exertis) reported 2025 financials 6mos later than usual. After 17yrs of decline: core sales halved, zero profits, poor service levels, little range development; the BIG persistent question is: how long will 'vulture' lenders tolerate poor performance from ceo Andrew Gale's team? Full analysis here, first...
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Graham Cundick,
Viking legend dies...
Top international merchant
Helford #1 brand developer
Really sad and tragic news. Graham Cundick the master merchandizer was Viking legend Irwin Helford's first international executive appointment back in 1990. For 8yrs he led the UK, European & Australian expansion building sales way beyond US revenues. We pay tribute to Graham, along with industry leaders and friends who last met with him for dinner in July...Updated daily
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MillerKnoll: Hybrid
office growth slows
Prices hide -40% volume fall
v'19. Global retail improving
Miller Knoll the recently relegated #2 US furnituremaker, maintained its focus on hybrid offices, but with limited success. Can interim CEO Jeff Stutz be more transparent than his predecessor? He said "We delivered strong earnings, above expectations, reflecting solid execution" Really profits were down, yet GP was +3.2%/points from price hikes? Full report analysis here, first
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Böttcher blocks
expansion plans
Huge U-turn for self styled,
fast growth proclaimer
German €1Bn sales business supplier Böttcher has abandoned plans to expand into the Austrian market, saying the cost and regulatory burden no longer makes sense. Udo Böttcher ceo/founder, said "Another market can bring compliance costs before additional sales generate a return". Very strange admission? Full story here, first...
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BOSS/Gfk study
beyond parody?
OP Industry needs growth
support not graveyard data
The BOSS/Gfk Panelmarket report is out tracking product categories in the Office & Stationery sector. This micromarket data appears to completely ignore that the macro market is down over -50% since 2019. 'Fiddling while the home burns' is an obvious observation? What members want is more market analysis of the huge opportunities in broadline business supply. Full story here, first...updated
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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...
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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...
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