Joint-CEO Belinda Lyone explains why QCA is a ‘good fit’. 

 

Complete Office Supplies has a three-point growth plan to expand its revenue base following its acquisition of Quick Corporate Australia’s office supplies business.

 

COS’s newly-appointed joint-CEO Belinda Lyone (pictured) told Office Products News that the company was committed to further growth, based on three pillars – new customers, category expansion and strategic acquisitions.

 

“We love this industry and growth is the plan,” she said.

 

As reported earlier this week, COS has acquired Perth-based Office Choice member QCA for an undisclosed sum and will take over servicing QCA’s customer base from 1 October.

 

Lyone said the QCA business will be integrated with COS’s operations during the interim period and the QCA brand will ultimately be phased out.

 

“We are currently meeting members of the QCA team and we hope to take as many people over as we can,” she said. “We are growing and we need good people so we will be making offers to QCA staff.”

 

Lyone said the acquisition of QCA, which has facilities in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney, was not only a “good fit” nationally but particularly timely in Perth, where COS has just opened a much larger warehouse facility at Wangara.

 

Lyone added that QCA will strengthen the company’s position in the mid-market, again particularly so in QCA’s home territory Western Australia.

 

In 2018, COS acquired Lyreco and more recently in 2019, it acquired Vital Office which contributed to its growth in the education market. 

 

COS is the second-largest B2B office and education supplier in Australia, competing against Winc Australia/New Zealand, owned by US-based private equity investment firm Platinum Equity.

 

Kulbardi joins Office Choice 

 

Dealer group Office Choice has advised its members that notwithstanding the QCA sale and the continued industry consolidation, Office Choice will continue its partnership with indigenous office supplies firm Kulbardi both as an Office Choice member / reseller and a provider of the exclusive Bibbulmun private label product range.

 

As a result of the QCA sale, QCA CEO Darren Hayes will step down as a director on the Office Choice Ltd board. 

 

COS announcement

 

Below is the full press release, issued by COS yesterday:

 

COS continues on the growth path with strategic acquisition of QCA Australian office supplies company 

 

COS has purchased the business of QCA, Office Choice largest independent dealer, continuing COS on the path of strategic growth. 

 

COS has demonstrated continued annual growth through consistent customer acquisition and category extension however over recent years has been more actively pursuing acquisition opportunities as well. 

 

As a privately-owned Australian business, COS is the second largest B2B office and education supplier in Australia, competing against Winc owned by US-based private equity investment firm Platinum Equity. COS was founded in 1977 by the current CEO Dominique Lyone and is joined today by his two daughters Amie and Belinda Lyone, who on 1st September will transition to Co-CEOs and Dominique will step up to the role of Executive Chairman. 

 

COS employs over 450 Aussies and delivers to thousands of government agencies, businesses and schools every day. 

 

Founder and CEO of COS, Dominique Lyone says; “We are a proud Australian family-owned business, which I established 40 years ago selling typewriter ribbon and carbon paper in Western Sydney. 

 

Acquiring QCA will help continue our growth and success and give Australian business a strong alternative to buy from an Australian owned company.” 

 

“Blending the COS and QCA business and teams will offer QCA customers great value. Customers will be delighted that COS is a clear Australian owned and operated with significant buying influence to deliver competitive prices, a larger product range, world class website, and a leadership team that is passionate about “The Customer Experience”, concludes Mr Lyone.

 

 “Sharing values with a family service-based mindset and combining QCA and COS expertise, I am convinced COS is the right choice to look after our loyal customers who have come to expect a personalised service", said Darren Hayes,

CEO of QCA. 

 

“I’ve been impressed by QCA’s loyal customers and staff and the commitment to personalized service. 

 

This acquisition of QCA will help the COS brand to expand into the Western Australian market exponentially which is great timing as we have just invested in a purpose-built distribution centre as well as continue to cement our offer in the mid-market nationally,” said Mr Lyone. 

 

COS takeover the servicing of QCA customers effective 1st October 2021.