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DEALER PROFILE
38
The firm was established by Managing
Director Les Kerr in 1990. Originally
called Intrukt, it was rebranded as
ZenOffice in 2009 to reflect the firm’s
mission to deliver the tools and
resources needed by customers to
reach their full potential.
Over the years, the company has
expanded its product and services
portfolio, diversifying into print and design
services and joining forces with Interior
Partners Ltd (IPL) to offer a complete range
of commercial interior solutions. These
specialist services now generate around
35% of the firm’s annual turnover.
The company today comprises four
divisions: Business Supplies; Print and
Design; Business Interiors and Exteriors;
and Managed Print Services.
Expanded role
Two years ago, Bruce Davie joined the firm
from wholesaler Spicers as Commercial
Director, with a brief to oversee the
Business Supplies Division. At the end of
last year, the company announced that,
following a review, it had extended Davie’s
role to cover the whole group.
At the time, Managing Director Les Kerr
said: “As our business becomes increasingly
diverse, this change will bring several
benefits. It will allow us to make sure we
take full advantage of synergy opportunities
between divisions, aid communication and
improve corporate governance.”
“As the business got bigger, it was
evident that we needed more strength
on board to facilitate growth,” explained
Davie. “It makes strong commercial sense
for me to assume responsibility for logistics
and purchasing across the group to ensure
we don’t miss any tricks when going
for the massive growth push we’re all
committed to.”
Under its existing five-year plan,
ZenOffice aims to achieve turnover of
£20m by 2017. Following an excellent
trading year in 2014, with a particularly
strong second half and a turnover of
£14m, Davie has little doubt that the
group will hit this target.
“We might even do it this year, two
years ahead of schedule,” he said. “If all
our divisions deliver on their plans, we
expect to be turning over somewhere
between £18 and £20m in 2015.”
Acquisition trail
Much of the Group’s growth comes from a
successful acquisition strategy. In the last
15 years, it has acquired nine companies,
including Baron Stationers at the end of
last year. The Heywood-based stationers
now offers customers the complete range
of ZenOffice products and services, with
Manchester-based ZenOffice, one of the UK’s largest independent office
suppliers, serving over 3,000 clients across the North West and employing
around 85 staff, is celebrating its 25th anniversary.
ZenOffice celebrates 25
years of sustained growth
ZenOffice taking over its after-sales support,
including deliveries, invoices and servicing.
“We’re operating in a mature market and
you’ve got to work really hard to achieve
organic growth,” said Davie. “By acquiring
businesses that are a good fit, we’ve been
successful in realising our targets, and we
are always looking for new opportunities to
expand and grow the business.”
In 2012, the company became the
only Xerox Authorised Concessionaire in
Manchester with Print Partner Services
Accreditation in recognition of its world-
class managed print services delivery. This,
says Davie, was a major coup for the firm.
“When you consider we were
essentially an office products provider
with no experience in print, undergoing
rigorous assessment and securing that
accreditation speaks volumes about our
professionalism,“ he said. “We are the
fastest-growing start that Xerox has ever
had in the UK. The turnover in that division
last year was £2.2m.”
Community focus
ZenOffice is active in its local community:
it is a major sponsor of Oldham Athletic FC
and supports England and Great Britain
international hockey player and London
2012 Olympic bronze medalist Nicola
White, providing funding to enable her to
lease and insure her car.
In addition, it is halfway through
a year-long charity partnership with
Cancer Research UK. It has pledged to
raise £10,000 for the More Tomorrows
Campaign, a collaboration between Cancer
Research UK, the University of Manchester
and The Christie NHS Foundation Trust,
and has already raised almost £7,000 of
this target, which will help to fund the
new Manchester Cancer Research Centre
(MCRC) in Withington.
Last year, ZenOffice recruited 10%
more staff and was also a finalist in the
Oldham Business Awards and the BOSS
Awards in the Dealer Excellence category.
For Managing Director Les Kerr,
ZenOffice still has a lot more to offer. He
said: “Over the next few years, I would
like to see ZenOffice grow exponentially
through acquisitions, creating value-added
partnerships and expanding our portfolio
of products and services.”
We’re
operating
in a mature
market and
you’ve got
to work
really hard
to achieve
organic
growth...
Les Kerr, Managing Director &
Bruce Davie, Commercial Director
