Page 20 - BOSS Today Issue 29

Special Report - Presentation & planning

Show And Tell that is gaining some momentum It’s a very strong brand, and Riding The Recovery
Such is the breadth of the as part of this move upmarket is we do strong promotional As the economic recovery
market in product terms that its glass boards, as Keen explains: activity with it every single continues, Partridge is confident
exact size is unclear, not least “Glass has great eraseability and year. Everybody uses Outlook that Bi-silque’s investment in
because the OP industry is just is a growth segment, delivering to manage their day and their its Bi-office brand – and in this
one of many channels selling design, style and functionality in diary, but teams still like a visual category – will be rewarded: “I
these items. Nevertheless, Steve the office.” reference on the wall next to think the future of the market is
Keen, Senior Director of Global Demand for some other their desk, so they can see very, very buoyant: the recession
Product Marketing at Acco, ‘traditional’ viscom product immediately what is going on.” is behind us now, so there’s
believes that demand for these categories is partly being Partridge agrees: “People still more building going up. Part
products remains strong: “In the sustained by regulatory like to do traditional planning of demand for these products
office of today, communication requirements which demand with the magnetic planners: does tend to be linked to
and collaboration are the keys to that businesses inform staff we still produce a variety of building and specifiers, so once
success. Whiteboards remain the through public display, as those kinds of products, right there is more money about,
easiest way for groups to plan Partridge explains: “Noticeboards, the way through from the people want to redecorate and
and share ideas.” Partridge agrees: felt boards and cork boards are weekly, monthly and perpetual refurbish, and quite a lot of these
“The company has grown about the next biggest part of the products. They’re still used a products tend to come into that
16% year-on-year for the last market; people need to display lot in factories and production, arena.” Keen agrees: “The big
11 years. This is a market which and see things. If you look in because while people like to opportunity for growth will be
is in growth, despite everyone canteens and inside warehouses see these things on a computer, as businesses recover. Offices
talking about the paperless you will see a lot of lockable there’s nothing better than a will be refurbished and updated
office, because people still like to cabinets that people put their visual notice on a wall. We know to reflect the needs of the
communicate: they like to see, employee notices in.” that there are a lot of specifiers modern working environment.
they like to draw. These products and facilities managers who are This will include both digital and
are great if you’re brainstorming Carry On Planning looking at the type of products analogue solutions.”
ideas: they are a very quick and Furthermore, despite the move that we manufacture to go into Indeed, there will also be
easy way to put a point across towards technology in the their units.” healthy opportunities in this
visually.” workplace, Keen believes that Of course, it is not just category for OP resellers in the
However, as office technology there is a place for traditional workplaces in which these future, as Keen points out: “These
has moved inexorably on, so has planning boards: Keen agrees: items are used, as Partridge products are good revenue for
the nature of these ‘traditional’ “Our Sasco planning boards points out: “A big part of an OP dealer, because they give
viscom products. Explains are doing extremely well. It’s all our business goes through an opportunity to sell multiple
Partridge, “Dry wipe boards about repeat purchases: every education resellers: we have products, rather than just a
are the biggest percentage of year people want their Sasco a specialist catalogue purely single product. If someone is
the market, but we also use planner as an effective means for schools, colleges and buying a dry wipe board, they
technology within these now, of managing a group calendar. universities.” are more often than not re-doing
so we have interactive boards.
We’ve taken something quite
traditional and moved it into the
21st century.” Furthermore, as
Keen points out, there has been
some product development
even within traditional dry
wipe boards: “We did quite
a lot of research looking at
consumer pain points in terms
of whiteboards – things like
erasing and ghosting, and the
management of accessories –
and in 2013 launched a new
range called Prestige 2, which
successfully addresses those
issues. We want the consumer
to recognise the benefit of
something with design appeal
to it, and Prestige 2 delivers this.”
Indeed, one part of the market

20 BOSS TODAY | September/October 2015

BOSS issue pres and planning.indd 4 08/09/2015 11:49