OPI TALK

Brother UK Managing Director Phil Jones explains how his organisation has been planning for a return to the office, why it is implementing a hybrid working policy going forward and what this means for the look and feel of the company’s headquarters near Manchester. He also issues a rallying cry to office products resellers, calling for them to ensure they are supplying the products and services customers want, and that their digital capabilities are able to meet expectations. Episode produced by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

Cezary Monko, President of ACCO Brands EMEA, looks back at some of the key moments in his almost 30-year career and gives his take on the state of the industry today. One of Cezary Monko’s first jobs was when he was hired as Sales Manager for Esselte’s fledgling Polish operations at the start of 1992. Back then, he was pretty much a one-man band, criss-crossing the country in his car to grow the company’s customer network. Today, he is responsible for around 2,500 staff as President of ACCO Brands EMEA – which now includes Esselte following its acquisition in 2017. In this episode of OPI Talk, Monko reflects on the key developments in the European business supplies channel over the years, including the arrival and departure of the US-owned big boxes, the rise of e-commerce and the recent impact of COVID. You can read more about Monko’s views of the industry – past, present and future – in the bumper 30th anniversary issue of OPI magazine, which can be viewed online here. Before you listen to the podcast, are you sure you know how to pronounce Monko’s first name, Cezary? The correct pronunciation might surprise you!   Episode produced by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg  

OPI speaks to Mike Tucker about IOPFDA’s new relationship with cleaning association ISSA. Towards to the end of last year, it was confirmed that the Independent Office Products and Furniture Dealer Alliance (IOPFDA) – which includes NOPA – had merged with worldwide cleaning association ISSA. OPI News Editor Andy Braithwaite caught up with IOPFDA Executive Director Mike Tucker for more details of this partnership and what it means for IOPFDA and its members.   Episode produced by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

In this OPI Talk podcast, we feature part of an interview that OPI CEO Steve Hilleard and News Editor Andy Braithwaite conducted with Sean Shine, CEO of Ireland-based Paragon, and Steve Horne, CEO of OT Group, the entity created following Paragon’s acquisition of those SPOT assets. If, like many in the office products industry, you had never heard of Paragon until last year, this podcast will give you a better understanding of the group. You will also learn why it decided to acquire OfficeTeam, ZenOffice, Spicers Ireland and certain other assets, and what the underlying problems were at SPOT that forced it into administration. Make sure you are subscribed to OPI to read more from this interview in the January/February 2021 issue of OPI magazine and online at opi.net. It will cover topics such as the strategic priorities for the OT Group, how it is responding to market conditions in the UK, adapting to work from home and dealing with Brexit, plus its new relationship with the EOSA purchasing organisation. Note: this interview was conducted in December 2020, before it was publicised that Steve Horne will be stepping down from his role as CEO of OT Group, effective the end of March 2021.   Episode produced by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

Leading office and business products vendor ACCO Brands recently reported its 2024 earnings. A few days after those results were published, OPI Talk's Andy Braithwaite caught up with CEO Tom Tedford for a look back at ACCO’s performance and for an update on some of the company’s initiatives to return to growth.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg  

OPI has just published its latest Influential Women in the Business Products Industry list. One of those featured is Kristy Howe, SVP at US workplace furniture supplier Safco, a Liberty Diversified International (LDI) company. In this podcast, Kristy talks about her first 18 months at Safco, the launch of a new LDI brand called Onsemble, return-to-office and channel trends, and the importance of sustainability.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

January 2025 marks Steve Hilleard’s 30th anniversary at OPI. To celebrate the occasion, Steve is the subject of the Big Interview in the forthcoming January/February issue of OPI magazine. As a teaser, here is an extract from that interview, with Steve speaking to Shaun Tidman, Head of Sales at Avery UK.

PBS Global Solutions (PGS) is a subsidiary of PBS Holding. It was formed following PBS’s acquisition of the former Staples Global Accounts Team in 2021. The business is led by experienced contracts exec Ian Kirton, supported by a team based in the Polish city of Gdansk. At the end of November, Kirton spoke to OPI Talk, shortly after PGS had held its first-ever in-person partner event in Amsterdam.   Episode recorded and produced by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

A few weeks ago, Brother announced it was the first print OEM to begin the remanufacturing of inkjet cartridges. To find out more, OPI Talk spoke with Craig McCubbin, Managing Director of Brother Industries UK, who is responsible for the company’s Recycling Technology Centre in the town of Wrexham in north Wales.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

In its capacity as an Official Supporter of the Paris 2024 Olympics, Lyreco France is delivering tens of thousands of items of office furniture to dozens of locations. What has this meant in terms of organisation and logistics? What have been the main challenges? How is Lyreco France delivering on the project’s sustainability goals? What will it mean for the company once the Games are over? Eric Avril, Managing Director of Lyreco France, answers these questions and more, just three weeks before the Games are due to begin.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

In March 2024, the US General Services Administration awarded contracts for its Commercial Platforms Programme. Along with household names Amazon Business, Staples and Grainger, four small businesses were also given awards. OPI Talk spoke with two of these: San Diego-based Pacific Ink, led by Jaime and Alex Mautz, and Glass Commerce, a Silicon Valley start-up founded by Paola Santana. Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg  

Leading consumer and business products vendor ACCO Brands recently reported its 2023 financials. In this episode of OPI Talk, Andy Braithwaite caught up with ACCO CEO Tom Tedford to discuss the 2023 results as well as some recent developments at the company – including its divisional restructure and some category exits. Episode recorded and produced by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

A series of interviews from the show floor at Ambiente 2024 in Frankfurt, Germany. Mega consumer products show Ambiente took place in the German city of Frankfurt at the end of January. Following the demise of Paperworld as a standalone event in Frankfurt, this was the second year that Ambiente had included a special Working section for the traditional office products segment. OPI News Editor Andy Braithwaite spoke to a number of exhibitors to get their impressions of Ambiente Working and for a general business update. The podcast concludes with the thoughts of Messe Frankfurt’s Julia Uherek. The exhibitors featured are: Acme United, Novus-Dahle, Durable, Djois, Hopax, Tesa, and Edding.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

OPI catches up with Mike Gentile shortly before he steps down as CEO of leading US dealer group ISG. Earlier this year, Mike Gentile announced he would be leaving ISG after almost 20 years at the organisation, most of that time as CEO. In this interview, recorded at ISG’s headquarters in November, Gentile reveals what his future plans are, looks back at the highlights of his tenure at the dealer group, and gives his thoughts on some of the key issues impacting the independent dealer channel in the US.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg  

If you are an OPI subscriber, you should have seen or even received the latest issue of OPI magazine, which is our annual Green Thinking issue. In keeping with that sustainability theme, for this podcast, News Editor Andy Braithwaite spoke with Bernhard Cantzler, the Marketing and Sales Director for Mondi’s Uncoated Fine Paper (UFP) business in the EMEA region. While many are quick to point out the environmental benefits of paper, this podcast covers some of the thornier issues related to papermaking, including the use of recycled versus virgin fibres, processes such as de-inking and bleaching, and the use of carbon offsetting to achieve sustainability goals. More on Mondi UFP’s sustainability initiatives can be found here.   Episode recorded and produced by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg  

OPI’s first chance to speak with incoming ISG CEO James Rodgers. It’s all change at the top of ISG, the biggest business products dealer group in the US, with long-time CEO Mike Gentile set to retire in a few weeks’ time. Succeeding him is 44-year-old James Rodgers, who joins the organisation following a successful career charging up through the ranks in both the office and facilities products distribution channels. In a visit to the ISG head office near Chicago (IL), OPI News Editor Andy Braithwaite had the opportunity to speak to Rodgers and ask him for his early impressions of the group and his thoughts on the independent dealer channel.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

OPI Talk speaks to Ken Sweder following the closing of the transaction that has brought together leading US facilities and jan/san distributors BradyIFS and Envoy Solutions. The biggest deal this year in the jan/san distribution space is undoubtedly the one that has created a $5 billion group in the US – known, for the time being at least, as BradyIFS + Envoy Solutions. Leading the combined companies is Ken Sweder, and OPI News Editor Andy Braithwaite had the pleasure of catching up with him on a Teams call less than two weeks after the merger had been completed to find out what his plans are.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

Andy Braithwaite is joined by OPI Director Janet Bell to look at the upcoming OPI Global Forum taking place in Chicago. It promises to be another excellent OPI Global Forum, with a packed and relevant programme awaiting delegates who will gather at the Swissotel in Chicago from 5-7 November. In this episode of OPI Talk, OPI’s Janet Bell discusses some of the Forum’s highlights, including the hot topic of AI. There is a discounted delegate rate for the Global Forum that expires on 6 October. To take advantage of this, head over to the event’s website for more details. The full agenda of the Forum can be found here. www.opi.net/gf2023     Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

On 9 August, ACCO Brands CEO Boris Elisman announced he would be retiring as CEO of the company effective 1 October, with COO Tom Tedford stepping up to succeed him. Elisman has been with ACCO for 18 years, the past ten as CEO, and has been a regular guest on OPI Talk over the past three years – indeed, no one has taken part more times than him. In this episode, recorded on 14 August, Elisman looks back over his time at ACCO, reflecting on how the company has changed and navigated the ever-evolving market conditions. He also gives his take on current business trends and ACCO’s performance in the second quarter.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

As the US state of Arizona sweltered in temperatures exceeding 110°F (43°C), OPI Talk spoke to Ian Wist, General Manager of leading independent dealer Wist Business Products and Equipment – which is headquartered near Phoenix.   Episode recorded and edited by Andy Braithwaite Music by: Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r... Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg