As 2024 comes to a close, Office Products News looks back on a year that held few surprises.

 

Except for the sudden passing of industry pioneer Dominique (Dom) Lyone, founder and chairman of Complete Office Supplies, 2024 was, more or less, business as usual.

 

The big end town was once again dominated by Officeworks, whose PR department worked overtime announcing a raft of initiatives, headed by the launch of an expanded business loyalty program, the Box of Books acquisition and a sustained new store roll-out.

 

The 'big blue box' celebrated its 30th anniversary with another increase in annual revenue to more than $3 billion.

 

Premier Investments thought twice about a spin-off of fashion stationery chain Smiggle but acted quickly to eject CEO John Cheston for unnamed misconduct prior to his announced resignation date.

 

Another publicly-listed player Winc ANZ got a rosy report card form US owner Platinum Equity.

 

In New Zealand, The Warehouse Group's Warehouse Stationery saw sales slide sharply along the parent company's ousted CEO Nick Grayston.

 

Dealer group Office Choice raised a few eyebrows with its purchase of member outlets while ASA added Illawarra Office Supplies as a new member in Wollongong.

 

Office Choice, Office Brands and GNS passed on this year’s combined trade show but have announced plans for a 2025 event in Cairns, with the support of “preferred suppliers”.

 

Buy-outs in the dealer group ranks included COS’ purchase of Tosco Business & Education, followed by the takeover of educational supplier Kookaburra, and Paperchase’s acquisition of Total Office National.

 

In August, David Williamson, former national merchandising manager at dealer group Office Choice, resurfaced at GNS Wholesale as head of merchandise and marketing, 

 

Among the more notable retirements during the year were Pilot Pen’s Scott Thornton, WH Annett’s Peter Annett and ACCO’s ‘Mr Stationery’ Roy Leggo.

 

Below is a sample of some of the other news items that made it into the OPN newsletter:

 

January

Officeworks cops a social media blast in Perth over a delivery glitch that saw one online customer receive an order of 38 back-to-school items in 23 separate  boxes. 

 

“Could someone please tell me the logic behind Officeworks delivery system,” the parent posted on Facebook.

 

“I ordered my kids booklists for the year and this is how it was delivered - 23 boxes for 38 items,” she said. 

 

February

Office Choice Limited (OCL) announces the completion of a landmark acquisition - Rosebud Office Choice. 

 

"This initial acquisition is a major step in the execution of our '2023 & Beyond' vision, underscoring our commitment to expansion", CEO Brad O'Brien said. 

 

March

Hamelin Brands acquires the Opal Australian Paper stationery business, which includes  the Olympic exercise books portfolio and the Optix coloured paper range.

 

The sale follows Japanese-owned Opal’s exit early last year from the white paper office paper market, which resulted in the company’s sale of its envelope business to the Camerons Group in September and the acquisition of the Reflex copy paper brand by Double A last October.

 

April

Office Choice Limited appoints independent director Mark Ashby as chairman, succeeding Daniel Kelly, who remains on the board as deputy chairman.

 

Ashby, an experienced corporate consultant who is also a non-executive director at Cash Converters, joined the Office Choice board at the beginning of 2023. 

 

May

Staedtler (Pacific) announces a partnership with leading distributor Dynamic Supplies, with the aim of expanding the company’s customer footprint.

 

“This partnership represents a significant step forward in our mission to make Staedtler more accessible to existing customers far and wide, especially in our seasonal peak of back-to-school when access to stock in a timely manner is paramount to the success of our customer base,” Nicholas Lee, managing director of Staedtler (Pacific,) said.

 

June

Office Choice Limited acquires Victorian Office Choice dealer Global Office & Warehouse Solutions, located at Carrum Downs near Frankston in Victoria.

 

The purchase follows OCL’s acquisition of Rosebud Office Choice in February. In November, OCL buys Peninsula Office Supplies on the Mornington Peninsula

 

July

Kim Collard, managing director of Perth-based Indigenous office products supplier Kulbardi, is named ‘Elder of the Year’ in the 2024 NAIDOC Awards.

 

August

Dynamic Supplies forms another strategic alliance, this time with ACCO Brands, resulting in more than 900 products being added to the distribution company’s portfolio.

 

Tweed Heads-based dealer Mega Office Supplies is recognised for its online marketing capabilities by winning a 2024 Australian Women’s Small Business Champion Award.

 

Nadine Harnack, CEO of Mega Office Supplies and partner of the Tweed Heads company’s principal Marty Bate, accepted the 'Champion Award for ‘Online Business’  

 

September

Complete Office Supplies follows up its acquisition of Tosco Business & Education by purchasing Kookaburra Education Resources.

 

Based in West Mayfield (a suburb of Newcastle), Kookaburra is a privately-owned business established 35 years ago.

 

October

Dominique (Dom) Lyone, founder and chairman of Complete Office Supplies, passes away suddenly after suffering a suspected stroke. 

 

COS is Australia’s largest family-owned and operated office and education supplies business with annual revenue of more than $300 million, more than 600 employees and warehouses in every state.

 

November

The Australian Office Products Charitable Fund ended 2024 on a high by raising more than $130,000 in cash, stock and book packs on behalf of a range of children’s charities.

 

The total includes proceeds of more than $30,000 from this year’s Christmas charity lunch in Sydney, attended by more than 160 guests.

 

IMAGE: Available on Amazon/Oscar Berg.