An entrepreneurial services company is making a name for itself in the office products sector and it's not all about rubber bands.

 

Having achieved significant growth in the office products sector in recent years – highlighted by securing preferred supplier status with dealer groups Office Brands and Office Choice – Bounce Rubber Bands is now looking at a broader horizon.

 

Bounce Rubber Bands is part of the CostSmart group, a B2B company that services corporate businesses, franchises, institutions and SMEs.

 

Based at Tuggerah on the NSW Central Coast, CostSmart was founded by Mark Moffett 15 years ago and in that time it has broadened its base to provide its customers with a disparate range of products and services.

 

Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak the company appointed an experienced marketing executive in Michelle Thomas, who spoke to Office Products News about her new role and the company’s plans for the future.

 

Firstly, can you provide some background on yourself and your role at Bounce Rubber Bands/CostSmart?

 

I have 18 years’ experience in strategic marketing, sales growth and business analysis working across a multitude of industries including mining and engineering, information communication and technology, building and construction and tourism. 

 

I am excited by the opportunity to be working within the office products space and the opportunities this industry presents, especially to resellers.

 

I was first introduced to Mark and his team seven years ago, when I working for a mid-sized manufacturer supplying the building industry. 

 

As a marketing manager, looking after multiple showrooms across NSW, multiple brands and a sales team of account representatives, I was time poor to say the least. 

 

Mark and the team acted as an extension of my team by sourcing and looking after the supply of all my non-core product needs. 

 

The customised e-store enabled me to roll out online ordering for the different departments across the company, freeing up the manual and time intensive process in managing over 400 staff orders across multiple locations. 

 

I was able to achieve cost savings by utilising the various strategies and product offerings supplied by the Costsmart / Bounce team. This also was a lifesaver many times with requirements for last minute requests or short notice events. 

 

It is a challenging time to start a new role with the coronavirus pandemic however I am remaining optimistic and ready to take on the challenge whole heartedly.

 

What is the background to Bounce Rubber Bands and its connection to the CostSmart group?

 

Mark started Lianavale Pty Ltd in 2004 when he identified a gap in the SME market for quality business analyst and supply services. 

 

He saw the exceptionally large profit margins being applied by his former employer and competitors and had a deep belief this practice was unjust. He aimed to therefore bring quality products to his clients at a fair price. 

 

In 2010, Lianavale underwent a name change to reflect the scope of services provided and this was the beginning the CostSmart brand. 

 

A true testament to CostSmart’s products and service offering is it its retention of their original clients from our beginnings over 15 years ago.  

 

We pride ourselves in delivering quality products, exceptional service and staying true to our core values of presenting our clients with genuine cost savings and improved business efficiencies by working as an extension of their team. 

 

Lianavale had been providing the Australian market with rubber bands since 2006 but it wasn’t until 2017 that a recognisable brand name was created. 

 

This was a result of an increase in demand from our established clients requesting to be aligned with a reputable and distinguishable brand, hence the creation of Bounce Rubber Bands. The brand has been experiencing fantastic growth over the past two years as a result of being onboard as the preferred supplier to the Office Choice and Office Brand dealer groups.

 

While Bounce Rubber Bands has made solid inroads into the OP market,  the company has a number of businesses that offer potential revenue opportunities for OP dealers and resellers – can you provide some examples? 

 

While our resellers are our primary business and our biggest focus, we have found opportunities in new industries that our OP dealers and resellers could also find of value. 

 

These have come in the form of florists, finance, corporate, food, agriculture, packaging, industrial, education and media.

 

Alternative industries provide an enormous scope for OP dealers to expand their service offerings. We have an online ordering system with real-time stock capabilities which all our customers find great value in. We understand the need to provide excellent products and services and aim to have all orders processed and dispatched on the same day we receive them. 

 

In terms of new categories and additional products of interest to the OP market – are you able to expand on plans to develop this side of the business?

 

New opportunities have been presenting themselves by way of existing customer demand however would prefer to leave this question for now, given the challenges being presented in the wake of the current COVID-19 crisis.

 

PHOTO CAPTION: Managing director Mark Moffett (top left) and the team at CostSmart, photographed prior to the social distancing restrictions.