UK reseller UOE has sold its B2B operations in order to focus on its growing high street retailing business.
Effective 1 October, the entire UOE B2B account management team will be transferring over to the Quills Group, a dealer based in Croydon, near London. This is Quills’ second acquisition this year after it acquired fellow Croydon business Evolution Office Group in January.
“UOE and Quills share the same customer-focused attitude as well as common platforms in online technology, national distribution network and many of the same suppliers,” noted Quills Managing Director Andy Efstathiou.
For UOE, the decision to sell its B2B arm forms part of a strategy to focus on its growing high street store and Post Office network in and around north London. It now has seven branches serving more than 1.5 million customers a year and has identified a further seven franchise opportunities over the next 24-36 months.
The stores sell design-led stationery, cards, gifts and essential office supplies, along with services such as printing, binding, copying, laminating, scanning and ID photo printing. The company’s successful retail expansion was recognised when it was named Best Independent Post Office at the 2018 Retail Awards.
As UOE Managing Director Elliot Jacobs explained: “Retail requires supreme focus and extreme execution to achieve success. Until now our business has had two distinct and separate channels providing business supplies and furniture via our commercial sales team, as well as our expanding retail operations. Divesting our B2B division will enable us to focus our entire team on ensuring that we strive to be the very best example of independent retailing on the high street.”
Effective 1 October, the entire UOE B2B account management team will be transferring over to the Quills Group, a dealer based in Croydon, near London. This is Quills’ second acquisition this year after it acquired fellow Croydon business Evolution Office Group in January.
“UOE and Quills share the same customer-focused attitude as well as common platforms in online technology, national distribution network and many of the same suppliers,” noted Quills Managing Director Andy Efstathiou.
For UOE, the decision to sell its B2B arm forms part of a strategy to focus on its growing high street store and Post Office network in and around north London. It now has seven branches serving more than 1.5 million customers a year and has identified a further seven franchise opportunities over the next 24-36 months.
The stores sell design-led stationery, cards, gifts and essential office supplies, along with services such as printing, binding, copying, laminating, scanning and ID photo printing. The company’s successful retail expansion was recognised when it was named Best Independent Post Office at the 2018 Retail Awards.
As UOE Managing Director Elliot Jacobs explained: “Retail requires supreme focus and extreme execution to achieve success. Until now our business has had two distinct and separate channels providing business supplies and furniture via our commercial sales team, as well as our expanding retail operations. Divesting our B2B division will enable us to focus our entire team on ensuring that we strive to be the very best example of independent retailing on the high street.”
