A small London family business specialising in pens and writing gifts has won the exclusive UK distribution rights for the prestigious German pen manufacturer Online. A consistent market leader in the highly competitive European pen business, Online has awarded the contract to Coles Pen Company, based in Hampstead, North West London.

Modus Group has appointed commercial property guru Geoffrey Lander (pictured) as a non-executive director. Modus Group is one of the UK’s largest and most progressive commercial fit-out, design and build and facilities management specialists with a turnover of some £95 million.

Howard Smith Paper (HSP), part of leading national merchant The Howard Smith Paper Group (HSPG), is delighted to announce that Marketing Co-Ordinator Dasha Tolkacheva (pictured) has recently been awarded a distinction pass in the National Association of Paper Merchant’s (NAPM) Introductory Certificate programme.

Leading stationery manufacturer Snopake has appointed Sue Moscatelli (pictured) to lead the marketing division of the newly acquired Platignum brand.

Océ (UK) Limited, which has been expanding with double-digit equipment growth for the last four years, has appointed a new Managing Director. Bron Curley, currently Deputy Managing Director, takes over from Nico Kooy, who is retiring from the company.

Exhibitors at next April’s Stationery & Office Products Show (SOPX) in London are being encouraged to promote their green credentials, with those who do being identified by the organisers to help buyers. The FSC (Forest Stewardship Council ) will also be exhibiting and on hand to answer questions.

Escalating economic worries, higher prices and tighter spending will combine to make 2008 a much tougher year in the office supplies market, according to leading business analysts Plimsoll Publishing. The company’s senior analyst, David Pattison, looks back at 2007 and forward to the New Year.

Over 30,000 substances above one tonne are placed on the EU market every year but there is limited information available about the hazards and risks to human health and the environment. With the increased public concern over the risks of chemicals a better evidence base is required.

The printable products market is changing and with it, office technologies. Until recently, it has only been PAs and professional secretaries that have needed to worry about finding technological solutions to their printing tasks.

Responding to the market needs of its consumers, Avery® Office Products is supporting all of its printing products with free and flexible software solutions. In recognising the increased opportunities represented by the SME, SoHo and online markets, Avery understands that small businesses need instant solutions.

To help marketers get the right message to the right person, at the right time, Pitney Bowes has launched a new range of fixed-head, high-speed address printing systems in its DA Series, offering frequent and professional mailers enhanced productivity and labour savings. With colour capabilities the printers maximise the value of mailpieces by creating eye-catching and professionally presented communications to drive response rates

Mitsubishi Electric’s Visual Information Systems, a leading manufacturer of high quality display solutions, has introduced the new XD510U, an ultra portable XGA projector that features a new six-segment colour wheel to improve colour performance, making it ideal for a number of applications within both business and educational establishments.

OfficeBridge Plus, Muratec’s low cost document management solution, was a finalist in the recent Document Manager magazine awards in the category of “Workflow Product of the Year”.

Albion Chairs have introduced a new range of office chairs called “Spynamics” which has been designed in a modular fashion to alleviate the symptoms of back pain, offering users a more comfortable and easier working life.

Featuring a unique high yield Dual Black Ink System and DURABrite™ Ultra Ink, the Epson Stylus D120 offers ultra fast document printing because business can’t wait. It also offers high quality and energy efficient printing for small businesses.

Smart POS Solutions Ltd, based in Barnsley, have developed a revolutionary ready to use, all in one Epos system. The system is the first of its kind and is expected to cause quite a stir within the retail sector.

GN, a world leader in innovative headset solutions, has announced that its Jabra GN9350 OC and Jabra GN9330 USB OC are the first long-range wireless DECT headsets optimised for Microsoft Office Communicator 2007. Featuring wideband sound quality, plug and play capabilities and a wireless range of up to 100 metres, the pair join the corded Jabra GN2000 USB OC in a series of optimised Jabra headsets that offer full compatibility with Office Communicator 2007.

Staples makes buying office supplies easy by ensuring that thousands of products are in-stock and easy to find, and by offering consistently fast, easy checkout. Every Staples associate is dedicated to providing busy customers with an easy shopping experience.

Staff training using video, multimedia CD ROM and intranet keeps everyone up to date and satisfies the employer’s obligations for health & safety, ISO14001, environmental awareness, and other training.

Paperworld, the leading international trade fair for office products, stationery, school supplies and graphic arts materials, will take place from January 23rd to 27th 2008. More than 2,400 international exhibitors will be there to meet around 66,000 high quality trade visitors in Frankfurt am Main.

Fellowes, a global leader in the manufacturing, distribution and marketing of office products, has announced that they are to exhibit at Paperworld 2008 in Frankfurt, Europe’s leading office products show.

Pentel has entered into a new sector of the stationery industry by launching an exciting new range of planet-friendly filing products under the name Recycology. As the name suggests the products are made from more than 50 per cent recycled materials, ranging from display books and presentation files, clip files, document organisers, document envelopes and refill pockets.

This year has seen BIC® introduce even more new innovations to the market in writing instruments, correction and marking.

Self-inking stamps were and are the most important products from the Austrian producer COLOP. However, under the heading “Marking Solutions” other ideas have also been developed and created. The newest stamping innovation from this idea pool is the Roller Stamp, and it works just like its name suggests – by rolling.

The average employee spends 400 hours per year searching for paper documents (source: Data Pro Gartner Group) which means a lot of time is being spent by office workers trying to find important information. In fact it has been estimated that professionals spend 50 per cent of their time searching for important information (source: Price Waterhouse Coopers).

Fellowes, the leading supplier of business machines and organisational office accessories, has unveiled a series of innovations and improvements to its leading R-Kive® Premium Range including the launch of the market’s first front opening storage container featuring Fastfold™.

Bisley, the UK’s largest manufacturer of steel storage for the office furniture market, announced that its financial year to July 31st had been its best ever; sales will exceed £80m after the consolidation of European subsidiaries - year on year growth of over 10 per cent.

Smead, a leader in filing and document management for more than 100 years, proudly announces the launch of a new product line – “Evolution” trolleys designed for mobile, highly flexible filing and multi-functional solutions.

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The Springback Binder is a unique binding method providing the perfect way to store loose leaf pages. The Springback Binders allow you to bind your papers by just folding the front cover back on itself, inserting your pages, and when the cover is closed the edges of the papers are gripped tightly.

Spring Fair Birmingham 2008 announces a pioneering new Future Trends Stage in association with WGSN.com, featuring keynote speaker Mary Portas among a stellar line-up of high profile retail and trend experts. Offering exclusive, highly valuable trend and retail information, Spring Fair’s Future Trends Stage will be a major destination and essential viewing for buyers and merchandisers from multiples to independents. Only available at Spring Fair, the future-focused programme of seminars will provide directional insights into what will gear retail for 2008-09.

Office Depot, a leading global provider of office products and services, has been awarded the prestigious Training Initiative of the Year Award, from the Safety and Health Practitioner (SHP), the official magazine of the Chartered Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH).

Choice Media Group started life as a family company in Guildford. It was founded by Paul Andrews in 1998 as a business selling compatible inkjet cartridges primarily to domestic users, and relocated to Watchet, in Somerset, in 2000.