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Bay Area Battle?
Blaisdells v AAA
Multi-Indie resellers SF mkt
reduced to dual v Amazon
The NCal business supply market has featured many progressive over the past 40 years eg Eastman, Complete. Now, we can only identify two viz. AAA Solutions & Blaisdells. The former has grown mainly through acquisitions, the latter organically. We spoke to Michael Witt at Blaisdells and hope to speak with AAA's Steve Danziger updated
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Wayfair winning
after tariff retreat
Govt withdraws 50% threat
as importers plan price hikes
US Government has delayed tariff increases for imported furniture for an additional year. Home office furniture market leaders like Amazon, Wayfair, Home Depot, Lowes, RH and Lazyboy were all planning huge price hikes from 1 Jan'26 as result of the 50% tax threatened. Full story here first
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Acco advances
AV range at last
Acquires Danish premium,
healthy headset provider
ACCO Brands has entered into an agreement to acquire EPOS from Demant A/S, a leading Danish hearing healthcare company. We believe this is the first strategic acquisition for the Kensington brand this century, confirming ceo Tom Tedford's plan "to invest in markets with better growth profiles". Full story here, first
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MillerKnoll: Hybrid
office growth slows
Prices hide -35% volume fall
v'19. Retail demand picks up
Miller Knoll the recently relegated #2 US furnituremaker, maintained its focus on hybrid offices, but with limited success. Complacent opaque CEO Andi Owen's report lacked transparency "We delivered sales and earnings that exceeded expectations". Full report analysis here, first
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Steelcase deal done
despite legal threat
HNI sales $6Bn. Innovation
threatened; Armbruster out
HNI Corp has completed the acquisition of the much admired, innovative global furniture leader Steelcase to increase sales tro $5.8Bn. A key Steelcase shareholder sued the company over “questionable economics” and “troubling motivations and conflicts of interest" eg outgoing ceo Sara Armbruster monetizing her shareholding. Full story here, first...
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D e p o t defector
detours to Atlas
Expect Federation focus on
OP dealer acq; & Retail sale?
Earlier this year Bryan Wight left beleaguered bigbox ODP Corp to join Midland Industries after 6yrs running its $600m Federation group of 14 OP dealers. Now he's back after VC Atlas Holdings' takeover. Is this an indication that Atlas will sell its rundown retail stores (Sycamore?) and refocus on ramping up its acquisition program of ailing independent OP dealers? Full story here, first
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Will Depot's new
CEO 'strip & flip'?
Smith out! Atlas partner in!
How'll chief stop bleeding?
PE firm Atlas Holdings has completed its acquisition of beleaguered bigbox The ODP Corp in a $1Bn deal. As forecast for years the incompetent ceo Gerry 'Bizarro' Smith has been ousted. The BIG question now: will Atlas make it typically a venture play; or given the dire state of Depot's leadership and customer service be a 'strip and flip'? Watch this space...
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Is Soennecken
solid or sinking?
25th Suppliers' Day updated
on 800 members sales decline
German OP dealer group Soennecken CEO Benedikt Erdmann reported the office market is in freefall. "Given the market, maintaining our (flat) revenue was a success". We estimate sales were down -30% on pre Covid with 2026 expected to decline further, exacerbated by a difficult ERP transition effect on service levels. Full story here, first
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School suppliers
s u b m e r g i n g ?
"Better buying, broader range
benefits from new acquisition"
School Specialty, the $500m in sales supplier, has announced a major acquisition that "brings leading education companies together to deliver a streamlined, comprehensive resource for educators nationwide" stated ceo Ryan Bohr. The former leading school supplier has suffered declining sales and multiple ceo changes over the past 10 years. Can it make the merger work? Full story here, first
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Böttcher blasts
past €1Bn sales
German #2 etailer chases
Amazon's $50Bn revenue
Böttcher Germany's #2 ecommerce office supplier, today announced €1Bn sales, up +20% in 2025. Success comes from broader product ranges and new customers. Udo Böttcher, founder, said "We don't just want to celebrate, but also an opportunity to give back, especially to seniors who have helped build our society " Full story here, first
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