Bouncebackability
Reports are all in for Business Supply players in Q4'22. Predictably they show inflated profits but weak sales recovery v pre-Covid 'norm' Q4'19. Proficiency Index reports the Leaderboard of makers, wholesalers & dealers' 'Bouncebackability' performance. It covers 100 leading paper & printer makers, hygiene, foodservice and packaging suppliers, OP/furnituremakers and retailers Updated
Healthy Hygiene
Hygiene is now #1 business supply category alongside technology. Progressive business suppliers: brandmakers, dealers have pivoted into hygiene, safety, foodservice & packaging, WFH-tech & wellness services. Proficiency Index Q4'22 analysis is almost complete with brand volumes slowing, boosted by double-digit price hikes. Updated for KPTissue, Sappi & Suzano. Diversey delayed to 22Mar
Top 50 Women
Marketing to businesses by brandmakers & resellers was traditionally dominated by men. As we celebrate International Women's Day, Proficiency Index recognises the most successful women leaders. This is 16th edition of 'Top 50 Women in Business Supply', the market's real growth achievers, including new entrants from progressive independent dealers.
Office Mkt Legends
It's 10yrs since the top OP mega-independent dealer champs Lyreco's Eric Bigeard and WBMason's Leo Meehan met with Staples CEO Ron Sargent in Boston. We reflected on past glories, Covid, digital transformation and looked forward to a 'hybrid office productivity' future..Updated
Hybrid work future
The contrast in opinions over the 'hybrid work future' & the 'return to work', is stark. New thinking is positive about the huge rise in entrepreneurial productivity. Old thinking believes a return to corporate office control is inevitable. Are corporations underestimating the hollowing out of office space; the time waste and the need to trust workers' motives? Updated
Office Mkt Legends
It's 10yrs since the top OP mega-independent dealer champs Lyreco's Eric Bigeard and WBMason's Leo Meehan met with Staples CEO Ron Sargent in Boston. We reflected on past glories, Covid, digital transformation and looked forward to a 'hybrid office productivity' future..Updated
The Pich perfect
It's 10yrs since we met 80's office productivity champion Bill Pichler (on left w Howard Brown), who built the most admired OP dealer on the planet in the 'Golden OP' era. The beautiful modern Eastman 400sq.ft facility in LA was the centre of innovation in design, hospitality & systems. We recalled the great times with the legend last Monday. Updated
SCJ: Doing the
SC Johnson, the family owned $12Bn cleaning brands giant, has a long history of responsibility on environment and health effects of the chemicals in products. "We’ve often made changes in product formulation before regulations required, even if it hurt sales". CEO Fisk Johnson explains history and progress...
Aramsco conceded
Cleaning & restoration supplier Aramsco, owned by PE firm Odyssey Investment Partners, has made 7 acquisitions over the past 2yrs, but none since May'22. What's happening? Has it been intimidated by the relentless rollups of fellow VC's & FEMSA's Envoy? We discuss progress with ceo Rich Salerno.
United unplugs
There are now less than 50 progressive, productivity service providers in the US/UK business supplies market. That's a huge crash from the 30k traditional, transactional OP dealer community in 1990. We have profiled the best practice successes of WBMason, Innovative, WHouse Direct & Commercial. Now we discuss the progress and plans of UK's United Business Services with ceo Darren Lloyd...
Starbucks' Schultz
"Why is Howard Schultz taking unions so personally? His opposition clashes with his image of Starbucks as a model employer" reports NYTimes' Noam Scheiber and Julie Creswell. This echoes Amazon leaders' attitude who similarly eschew a 'them & us' environment and want direct comms between leaders & associates.
Pro-Link brand's
The OP & Hygiene supply industries continue to be populated by 'buying groups' that offer little market share benefit for brand makers. Meanwhile, there are a number of progressive, marketing driven groups determined to differentiate themselves from transactional giants with a personalized, productivity growth agenda. We discuss Matt Herriot, Pro-Link ceo's progress and plans... Later today
Garten fresh food
DPA: Distribution
Distribution Partners America (DPA) buying group's ceo Zac Haines discusses the biggest challenges facing the organisation post Covid and the initiatives and plans to combat them. We plan to discuss progress with Haines this week and will update asap
Office furniture is
Ben Watson is overseeing the merger of Herman Miller and Knoll, with the belief that good design means good business. “The moment we’re in now, is the most intense that I’ve ever been in my career in furnishings” he said. NYTimes' Ben Birk reports
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