Hamster: New identity for largest Canadian-owned distributor of office supplies and services
Novexco brings BuroPLUS, Club express and all its banners together under a single identity as it pursues growth in the Canadian market
MONTREAL, March 20, 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - Quebec-based Novexco announced today that its banners are adopting a single new identity: Hamster.
The move is part of a strategic plan aimed at accelerating its growth in a market dominated by US-based giants. Novexco is the largest Canadian-owned provider of office supplies and services and is currently the 3rd largest industry player in Canada.
"Companies such as Amazon and other online giants are in a position to attract consumers with very advantageous terms but we have the tools, solutions and logistics to compete with them," says Denis Mathieu, President and CEO of Novexco. "Our people are always thinking solutions. They have been trained to focus on customer service and personal contact. Our large and solid network enables us to adapt and to exceed the expectations of consumers from coast to coast."
Novexco's unique and creative business model, based on a network of five warehouses in major urban centres and more than a hundred local stores, is designed to offset high transportation costs and optimize last-mile logistics, the tallest challenge for all Canadian distributors. The ability to offer quality products at a competitive price on the strength of robust logistics is a major selling point when competing with the e-commerce giants, and Novexco can now guarantee next business day delivery in most parts of Canada.
Incorporating e-commerce into business operations is one of the keys to growth in today's marketplace. That is no daunting challenge for Novexco, which has always kept abreast of market trends. Today, online sales to businesses account for nearly 80% of Novexco's sales and the company is constantly investing to improve and adapt its e-commerce solutions for a unique customer base consisting of governments, small, medium and large businesses, resellers and consumers across Canada.
Creative positioning reflects company's creative edge
In a fairly traditional industry, Hamster stands out with bright colours, a flexible corporate culture and a counter-current creative flair for anticipating the trend. "Like that little thing in our head that is always spinning, we are always looking for the best solutions for our customers," says Mr. Mathieu. Hamster will apply a customer-centric strategy to press ahead with coast-to-coast expansion while preserving quality service and close relationships with current customers.
"Our former banners served us well for 20 years," says Denis Mathieu. "But the marketplace, our customers and our business have changed. We want to reflect that change and project our personality, our creativity and our ingenuity. Bringing our banners together under a single identity will enable us to increase our impact."
It takes agility and ingenuity to be a leader in the fast-changing office supplies business. "On the one hand, demand for some products, such as paper, is plunging. On the other, we have products that didn't exist 10 years ago. For example, people want to work standing up and we are distributing standing desks and table lift mechanisms so they can be productive and healthy at the same time. The industry is being revolutionized and we need to embrace and embody the winds of change," Mr. Mathieu concluded.
About Novexco Inc.
Novexco is a Canadian office, technology and furniture supply distributor owned by its merchants and management, founded in 1996. Its 109 stores in eastern Canada, primarily Quebec, have operated under the Hamster name since March 2018. Its commercial sales division serves Canadian businesses from distribution centres in Calgary, AB, Markham, ON, Laval, QC, Montreal, QC, and Dartmouth, NS. The Hamster network has more than 3,000 employees. Novexco's head office is located in Laval, Quebec. Novexco is a Gold Standard winner in the "Canada's Best Managed Companies" awards.
SOURCE Novexco Inc.
Kim Gradek, [email protected], 514-967-7785; Léa Manuel, [email protected], 514-569-7282
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