Page 4 - BOSS Today Issue 12

GoInG

back to

our roots

The historic venue chosen for this year’s Members
Day is a fitting choice, says Michael Gardner

am writing this just as we gear up here and speak to some of our industry’s most follows with a combined Manufacturers
I at BOSS for the annual BOSS Member’s influential leaders. After the Chairman’s and Resellers and Distributors Forum.
Day, which this year will be a particularly Lunch which follows, we have the BOSS So make a note in your diary for 16 May, and
stunning event. AGM. This year we will be discussing I look forward to seeing you there.
To begin with, we are taking the event our next three-year strategy, which is a While you are at it, it might also be worth
to a new venue, and one that in many very important development for all BOSS leaving a space open for the BOSS Industry
ways takes us back to our roots. The members. Included within the strategy Awards too. Entry forms for these awards,
Stationers’ Hall in London is the home of is the renewal of the BOSS management which are due to take place at the Grange
the Worshipful Company of Stationers and contract with the British Printing Industries Tower Bridge on 18 October, will be going
Newspaper Makers, to give it its full title. It’s Federation (BPIF). The BOSS board is out in the post soon. As anyone who has
an organisation that can trace its roots right recommending that the contract, which been to the event before will tell you, it
back to 1403 when a guild was established is due to expire in July this year, should be is a pinnacle of the industry calendar and
to represent the manuscript writers and renewed for another three years, but this should not be missed. n
illuminators who congregated at set points will be an ample opportunity to discover
or “stations” around St Paul’s Cathedral the new developments the BOSS Federation Michael Gardner
in London. Strange to think that from has in store going forward. The strategy is BOSS CEO
this emerged the words “stationers” and designed to service the industry as a whole,
“stationery”, words which are common right to benefit manufacturers, wholesalers,
around the world today. dealers, contract stationers, retailers and
I believe that those of you who have been service providers and to determine how
to the hall before will have been impressed BOSS and industry leaders can work more
by such a marvellous building. I certainly closely together to benefit the industry.
believe the event we have planned will live Discussion of that issue should certainly
up to the surroundings in every way. lead to a healthy debate. There will also be
The Chief Executives Conference in the much, much more of a chance for discussion
morning will provide an invited audience and making all important business contacts
with an ample opportunity to hear from in the networking session that immediately

correctIon to February Issue

Nexus is the umbrella title for a dealer “group of groups”, trading in the UK and Ireland with combined member revenues of £525m. The group is a
collaboration of like-minded, similarly constituted dealer groups, including NEMO, Network Group, Graphic Dealers, Tara Dealer Group and STAGG
Distribution. This collaboration has created an opportunity for the dealer group members to compete effectively against the power channel
segment of our Industry - much more effectively than they could achieve on their own. Nexus members cover a wide range of sectors, including
traditional stationery, IT, print, graphics, toys and greeting cards, with complementary cross-over offerings, covering all channel sectors. It has a
combined membership consisting of over 160 dealer members, collectively servicing over 48,000 business-to-business accounts, which creates
a powerful voice in the vendor community. Nexus provides its members with real buying power. In turn, their members can rely on competitive
pricing, sometimes the best in the market place. Nexus is currently talking to a number of other complimentary groups that are keen to join.

4 BOSS TODAY | May/June 2012

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