Independent Stationers, the Indianapolis-based office products group with more than 500 locations across the US, has announced its intention to leave global buying group BPGI from 1 January next year.
BPGI chairman Claude Ackermann stated, "We regret the decision of Independent Stationers to resign their membership from BPGI but thank them for their support and collegial relationship during these past 16 years. We wish them all the best and success in the future."
Ackerman added that BPGI is in the process of hiring of a new "high-calibre CEO", whose first task will be to visit all of the members and meet with vendors to fully understand their needs and value expectations.
BPGI, with annual end-user sales of more than US$10.5 billion, is the third largest office products channel and the world's largest consortium of buying groups. Its member reseller groups represent almost 4000 independent office products dealers globally. BPGI consists of 22 buying groups in 14 countries worldwide.
Independent Stationers, a foundation member of BPGI, is comprised of hundreds of independent office supply dealers with more 500 service locations across the US.
Independent Stationers is the second major US member to depart after TriMega made a similar announcement last year, leaving Canada's Novexco as the sole North American member of BPGI. Novexco's managing director Robert de Montigny told OPI that his group was still evaluating its options.
