OfficeMax
Encyclopedia
OfficeMax is an American office supplies
retailer that was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Naperville, Illinois
.
, by Bob Hurwitz and Michael Feuer. Hurwitz served as executive chairman and chief executive officer
and Feuer was the president
and chief operating officer
. On July 5, 1988, OfficeMax opened its first retail store in the Golden Gate Shopping Center in Mayfield Heights, Ohio
; this location still remains open. Hurwitz left the company in 1993 and Feuer became the chairman and chief executive officer.
OfficeMax grew by acquisition with Office World first in November 1990 with Office World executive and Montgomery Ward
becoming minority shareholders. In 1990 Office Square stores were purchased from Kmart
, in exchange for a 22% equity stake. In 1991, Kmart
increased its stake in OfficeMax to 92%. In January 1992, OfficeMax acquired five sites from Highland Superstores in Boston. OW Office Warehouse, a Virginia-based regional chain, was acquired in June 30, 1992. The company then acquired BizMart, its largest acquisition (104 stores) to date, in 1993 from Intelligent Electronics. On August 16, 1993, Officemax joined Kmart and most of its other specialty stores in the "largest power center" in Utica, Michigan
and joined by Best Buy
. OfficeMax acquires a 19% stake in Corporate Express, a contract stationer. In May 1994, Kmart put a plan in front of its stockholders to sell 20% to 30% of each of its specialty store subsidiaries shares on the open market to pay down debt and fund future expansion of the subsidiaries. Kmart's shareholders turn down the proposal at their June 3 annual meeting. In November 1994, FurnitureMax store within a store concept begins testing in the Ceveland market. In 1995, Kmart sold off 51% of OfficeMax shares, spinning off the company and became a NYSE-(OMX)-publicly-traded corporation, based in Shaker Heights, Ohio
.
for CarMax
, its used car business. For the next few years OfficeMax and its rivals, Staples and Office Depot, continued to open new stores, saturating the market segment. With the planned merger of Office Depot and Staples in 1996, the company moved to increase store openings over the next year with 57 opened in the first quarter of 1997.
OfficeMax developed regional delivery centers, and invested in its super-regional PowerMax distribution centers in Las Vegas, Nevada
, Hazleton, Pennsylvania
, and Birmingham, Alabama
after litigation began with previous logistics and shipping provider. A small sized store concept, OfficeMax PDQ, test was launched in Woodmere, Ohio in late June 1998. All the while OfficeMax was losing the most money of the three. In 2001 through 2003, OfficeMax began closing under-performing stores in some neighborhoods and in regions where it didn't have a strong presence. However OfficeMax was acquired in 2003 by Boise Cascade Office Products Corporation, which had a nationwide office supply delivery operation based in Itasca, Illinois
.
centers from CopyMax to ImPress Print & Document Services. This change was primarily to prevent customers from getting the idea that it was only a copy service. In late 2006 the company rolled out a new branding for their printing and finishing service after finding that ImPress Print & Document Services was too sterile of a name. The current name for the printing department is OfficeMax ImPress. As part of a strategic partnership with VistaPrint
, announced in 2007, ImPress is an OfficeMax-branded web site for small business printing based on VistaPrint
technologies.
The furniture
section of the retail stores is often marketed separately as FurnitureMax, though officially only a few stores have true FurnitureMax sections, characterized by much larger selections than normal OfficeMax stores. OfficeMax currently has over 1000 retail stores in the United States (including Puerto Rico
) and 43 locations in Mexico
, in addition to an online retailer in the United States. In October 2004, Boise Cascade completed its sale of its paper, building products, and timberland assets. In February 2008, Boise Cascade spun off its paper, packaging, newsprint and transportation operations, including OfficeMax, to a new company, Boise Inc.
Boise Cascade, which bought OfficeMax in 2003, also owned the Cuban Electric Company before it was seized by the Cuba
n government. Boise Inc. is the largest property claimant in Cuba.
In October 2008, OfficeMax began selling a limited selection of its products, mainly school supplies in Safeway
stores nationwide, replacing rival office supply retailer Staples.
The MaxPerks for Business program is intended for any customer. The MaxPerks for Teachers program is a reward program designed for teachers, where cardholders receive $10 for every $75 spent. This program also allows teachers to get school-supply money by letting them give their MaxPerks number to their students, allowing them to receive benefits throughout the school year. In addition, teachers are allowed to purchase twice the limit for sales items.
On January 1, 2010, OfficeMax's ink-recycling program was doubled, to $60 in rewards per month for ink cartridges.
On November 9, 2008, OfficeMax altered its MaxAssurance program to offer a wider range of pricing options specific to the type of product purchased.
Customers can purchase MaxAssurance at point of sale for their qualifying product. In addition, if the consumer wishes not to purchase the plan at that time they can opt to purchase it within a 14 day window. The plan does not have to be purchased with product in hand. Customers can register their plan via the MaxAasurance website for their new product.
area. Customers could bring in old Hewlett-Packard
, Lexmark
, Dell
, or Compaq
ink cartridges, and have them tested and refilled for less than the cost of new cartridges. By July 2006, OfficeMax had outfitted all of their high profit stores with the ink refill machines. Due to the complexity of Canon cartridges, the OfficeMax Ink Kiosk is unable to refill them. This is mainly because Canon uses a colored dye in their cartridges, not ink. The electronic contacts are also digitally altered in such a way that the Ink Kiosk cannot read them.
In 2010, the ink refill program was reinstated and select stores were issued ink refill machines.
In July 2008, OfficeMax restructured its ink recycling program; customers no longer received an instore credit for cartridges returned, instead receiving a $3 reward to their MaxPerks account, maximum $30 weekly.
On January 1, 2010, the program changed again, to include "national brand" ink and toner cartridges, if the ink cartridges have a print head attached, with a maximum of 20 cartridges monthly.
In October 2010, the program changed again; customers could recycle all Dell, Lexmark, and HP brand ink and toner cartridges, except for HP numbers 02, 11, and 88.
Services offered include both in-home and web-based PC restoration, wireless network setup, software and peripheral installation, online data backup, new PC setup and file transfer, and online training for popular office software titles.
In 2010 OfficeMax started offering CTRL Center services in store to compete with in store services from Staples & Best Buy in select stores.
Back for its second year, in October 2008 OfficeMax surprised more than 1,200 teachers across the nation. Other new additions include celebrity involvement and the launch of a new website.
In 2011 OfficeMax announced a donation box, where customers can make their purchases, and allow their chosen items to be sent to a local school chosen by each store's general manager.
In 2008 OfficeMax was targeted by protesters asking it to keep a promise that was made to protect indigenous rights. Logging in Canada
’s Whiskey Jack Forest to supply the paper pulp industry is opposed by the Asubpeeschoseewagong First Nation people.
On June 1, 2008, store employees were given word that the company would be undergoing a massive managerial restructuring. Assistant store manager positions in logistics and sales were merged into one position and all supervisor positions were eliminated. Fewer new positions were created with two key-carrying specialists, in furniture and technology, and a merchandising manager and/or operations supervisor in select stores. Store management (excluding store managers and the ImPress supervisor) were to re-apply and re-interview for the new positions, often receiving lower wages, in order to remain with the company. The company announced the layoffs of 2,700 employees on June 25, 2008.
. OfficeMax now carries trash and recycling cans, Eco binders, natural all purpose and window cleaners and, pencil cases. The products and packaging are made entirely from waste, reducing the amount of garbage going to landfills. OfficeMax offers and stocks more than 1,700 products with recycled content.
In the ImPress department customers can upgrade from 30 percent to 100 percent post-consumer paper for a limited time at no charge. All OfficeMax ImPress self-serve copy machines have been outfitted with "Think in Green" stickers to encourage customers to take advantage of this offer.
Office supplies
Office supplies is the generic term that refers to all supplies regularly used in offices by businesses and other organizations, from private citizens to governments, who work with the collection, refinement, and output of information .The term includes small, expendable, daily use items such as...
retailer that was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Naperville, Illinois
Naperville, Illinois
Naperville is a city in DuPage and Will Counties in Illinois in the United States, voted the second best place to live in the United States by Money Magazine in 2006. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 141,853. It is the fifth largest city in the state, behind Chicago,...
.
History
On April 1, 1988, OfficeMax was founded in Cleveland, OhioCleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, by Bob Hurwitz and Michael Feuer. Hurwitz served as executive chairman and chief executive officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
and Feuer was the president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
and chief operating officer
Chief operating officer
A Chief Operating Officer or Director of Operations can be one of the highest-ranking executives in an organization and comprises part of the "C-Suite"...
. On July 5, 1988, OfficeMax opened its first retail store in the Golden Gate Shopping Center in Mayfield Heights, Ohio
Mayfield Heights, Ohio
-External links:*...
; this location still remains open. Hurwitz left the company in 1993 and Feuer became the chairman and chief executive officer.
OfficeMax grew by acquisition with Office World first in November 1990 with Office World executive and Montgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward is an online retailer that carries the same name as the former American department store chain, founded as the world's #1 mail order business in 1872 by Aaron Montgomery Ward, and which went out of business in 2001...
becoming minority shareholders. In 1990 Office Square stores were purchased from Kmart
Kmart
Kmart, sometimes styled as "K-Mart," is a chain of discount department stores. The chain acquired Sears in 2005, forming a new corporation under the name Sears Holdings Corporation. The company was founded in 1962 and is the third largest discount store chain in the world, behind Wal-Mart and...
, in exchange for a 22% equity stake. In 1991, Kmart
Kmart
Kmart, sometimes styled as "K-Mart," is a chain of discount department stores. The chain acquired Sears in 2005, forming a new corporation under the name Sears Holdings Corporation. The company was founded in 1962 and is the third largest discount store chain in the world, behind Wal-Mart and...
increased its stake in OfficeMax to 92%. In January 1992, OfficeMax acquired five sites from Highland Superstores in Boston. OW Office Warehouse, a Virginia-based regional chain, was acquired in June 30, 1992. The company then acquired BizMart, its largest acquisition (104 stores) to date, in 1993 from Intelligent Electronics. On August 16, 1993, Officemax joined Kmart and most of its other specialty stores in the "largest power center" in Utica, Michigan
Utica, Michigan
Utica is a city in Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,577 at the 2000 census. The 2008 Census Bureau Estimate places the population at 4,924.- History :...
and joined by Best Buy
Best Buy
Best Buy Co., Inc. is an American specialty retailer of consumer electronics in the United States, accounting for 19% of the market. It also operates in Mexico, Canada & China. The company's subsidiaries include Geek Squad, CinemaNow, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales, and, in Canada operates...
. OfficeMax acquires a 19% stake in Corporate Express, a contract stationer. In May 1994, Kmart put a plan in front of its stockholders to sell 20% to 30% of each of its specialty store subsidiaries shares on the open market to pay down debt and fund future expansion of the subsidiaries. Kmart's shareholders turn down the proposal at their June 3 annual meeting. In November 1994, FurnitureMax store within a store concept begins testing in the Ceveland market. In 1995, Kmart sold off 51% of OfficeMax shares, spinning off the company and became a NYSE-(OMX)-publicly-traded corporation, based in Shaker Heights, Ohio
Shaker Heights, Ohio
Shaker Heights is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the city population was 28,448. It is an inner-ring streetcar suburb of Cleveland that abuts the city on its eastern side.-Topography:Shaker Heights is located at...
.
Public corporation
In 1995, OfficeMax became one of a handful of companies doing some business on some part of the internet through internetMCI. Kmart sells the remaining 25% of the shares of OfficeMax that it held. On July 14, 1996, a new kiosk program called BatteryMax was test launched in two Phoenix stores. BatteryMax were operated by Batteries Batteries for Everything. OfficeMax also filed lawsuits for infringement for use of the "Max" name against Med Max and Circuit CityCircuit City
Circuit City Stores, Inc. was an American retailer in brand-name consumer electronics, personal computers, entertainment software, and large appliances. The company opened its first store in 1949 and pioneered the electronics superstore format in the 1970s...
for CarMax
CarMax
CarMax is the United States' largest used-car retailer and a Fortune 500 company. The first CarMax used car auto superstore was opened in September 1993. In the fiscal year ending February 28, 2009, more than 350,000 cars were sold; as of August 2010 the company has 103 locations.- Concept :The...
, its used car business. For the next few years OfficeMax and its rivals, Staples and Office Depot, continued to open new stores, saturating the market segment. With the planned merger of Office Depot and Staples in 1996, the company moved to increase store openings over the next year with 57 opened in the first quarter of 1997.
OfficeMax developed regional delivery centers, and invested in its super-regional PowerMax distribution centers in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, Hazleton, Pennsylvania
Hazleton, Pennsylvania
Hazleton is a city in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 25,340 at the 2010 census, an increase of 8.6% from the 2000 census count .-Greater Hazleton:...
, and Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
after litigation began with previous logistics and shipping provider. A small sized store concept, OfficeMax PDQ, test was launched in Woodmere, Ohio in late June 1998. All the while OfficeMax was losing the most money of the three. In 2001 through 2003, OfficeMax began closing under-performing stores in some neighborhoods and in regions where it didn't have a strong presence. However OfficeMax was acquired in 2003 by Boise Cascade Office Products Corporation, which had a nationwide office supply delivery operation based in Itasca, Illinois
Itasca, Illinois
Itasca is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. The population was 8,302 at the 2000 census.In 2009, BusinessWeek rated Itasca as the 'Best Affordable Suburb' in the state of Illinois...
.
Boise Cascade
Following the 2003 acquisition by Boise, OfficeMax has undergone numerous internal changes, including rebranding its copy and printPrinting
Printing is a process for reproducing text and image, typically with ink on paper using a printing press. It is often carried out as a large-scale industrial process, and is an essential part of publishing and transaction printing....
centers from CopyMax to ImPress Print & Document Services. This change was primarily to prevent customers from getting the idea that it was only a copy service. In late 2006 the company rolled out a new branding for their printing and finishing service after finding that ImPress Print & Document Services was too sterile of a name. The current name for the printing department is OfficeMax ImPress. As part of a strategic partnership with VistaPrint
VistaPrint
Vistaprint is a large online supplier of printed and promotional materials as well as marketing services to micro businesses and consumers. In the 26th annual Graphic Arts Monthly 101 listing, the company is the 40th largest and the 4th fastest growing printing company in North America...
, announced in 2007, ImPress is an OfficeMax-branded web site for small business printing based on VistaPrint
VistaPrint
Vistaprint is a large online supplier of printed and promotional materials as well as marketing services to micro businesses and consumers. In the 26th annual Graphic Arts Monthly 101 listing, the company is the 40th largest and the 4th fastest growing printing company in North America...
technologies.
The furniture
Furniture
Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
section of the retail stores is often marketed separately as FurnitureMax, though officially only a few stores have true FurnitureMax sections, characterized by much larger selections than normal OfficeMax stores. OfficeMax currently has over 1000 retail stores in the United States (including Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
) and 43 locations in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, in addition to an online retailer in the United States. In October 2004, Boise Cascade completed its sale of its paper, building products, and timberland assets. In February 2008, Boise Cascade spun off its paper, packaging, newsprint and transportation operations, including OfficeMax, to a new company, Boise Inc.
Boise Cascade, which bought OfficeMax in 2003, also owned the Cuban Electric Company before it was seized by the Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n government. Boise Inc. is the largest property claimant in Cuba.
In October 2008, OfficeMax began selling a limited selection of its products, mainly school supplies in Safeway
Safeway Inc.
Safeway Inc. , a Fortune 500 company, is North America's second largest supermarket chain after The Kroger Co., with, as of December 2010, 1,694 stores located throughout the western and central United States and western Canada. It also operates some stores in the Mid-Atlantic region of the Eastern...
stores nationwide, replacing rival office supply retailer Staples.
MaxPerks customer reward program
OfficeMax offers a customer reward program, called MaxPerks where customers can earn cash back for future purchases. There are two types of MaxPerks programs: MaxPerks for Business and MaxPerks for Teachers.The MaxPerks for Business program is intended for any customer. The MaxPerks for Teachers program is a reward program designed for teachers, where cardholders receive $10 for every $75 spent. This program also allows teachers to get school-supply money by letting them give their MaxPerks number to their students, allowing them to receive benefits throughout the school year. In addition, teachers are allowed to purchase twice the limit for sales items.
On January 1, 2010, OfficeMax's ink-recycling program was doubled, to $60 in rewards per month for ink cartridges.
MaxAssurance
MaxAssurance is a service that OfficeMax offers on furniture, electronics and, computers. Notably useful for the purchase of printers, this service will cover accidental damage on behalf of the owner. The only things that MaxAssurance does not protect against are loss, theft, and intentional damage. MaxAssurance is also offered on a wide variety of products (including but not limited to): Cameras, Computers, Shredders, Printers and furniture. Also, many other products qualify for MaxAssurance such as GPS Units, Business Telephone Systems and Laminators.On November 9, 2008, OfficeMax altered its MaxAssurance program to offer a wider range of pricing options specific to the type of product purchased.
Customers can purchase MaxAssurance at point of sale for their qualifying product. In addition, if the consumer wishes not to purchase the plan at that time they can opt to purchase it within a 14 day window. The plan does not have to be purchased with product in hand. Customers can register their plan via the MaxAasurance website for their new product.
Financial rebound
In early 2006, OfficeMax closed 110 under-performing domestic stores, and opened 70 new stores with the new award winning "Advantage" store layout. The "Advantage" store design is designed to be more customer friendly and includes improvements in all major departments inside an OfficeMax store. The company plans to remodel most or all of its stores to the new Advantage layout.OfficeMax ink refilling kiosk
Starting in 2005 and ending early 2006, OfficeMax tested a semi-automated ink refill station in their stores in the ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
area. Customers could bring in old Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard Company or HP is an American multinational information technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, USA that provides products, technologies, softwares, solutions and services to consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses and large enterprises, including...
, Lexmark
Lexmark
Lexmark International, Inc. is an American corporation which develops and manufactures printing and imaging products, including laser and inkjet printers, multifunction products, printing supplies, and services for business and individual consumers...
, Dell
Dell
Dell, Inc. is an American multinational information technology corporation based in 1 Dell Way, Round Rock, Texas, United States, that develops, sells and supports computers and related products and services. Bearing the name of its founder, Michael Dell, the company is one of the largest...
, or Compaq
Compaq
Compaq Computer Corporation is a personal computer company founded in 1982. Once the largest supplier of personal computing systems in the world, Compaq existed as an independent corporation until 2002, when it was acquired for US$25 billion by Hewlett-Packard....
ink cartridges, and have them tested and refilled for less than the cost of new cartridges. By July 2006, OfficeMax had outfitted all of their high profit stores with the ink refill machines. Due to the complexity of Canon cartridges, the OfficeMax Ink Kiosk is unable to refill them. This is mainly because Canon uses a colored dye in their cartridges, not ink. The electronic contacts are also digitally altered in such a way that the Ink Kiosk cannot read them.
In 2010, the ink refill program was reinstated and select stores were issued ink refill machines.
OfficeMax ink recycling program
In 2005, OfficeMax began accepting any empty HP, Dell, or Lexmark inkjet or toner cartridges in exchange for a free OfficeMax-brand ream of paper, with a limit of five per customer per day, or $3 off their purchase. This was changed in October 2006 (due to customer abuse) to only the $3 instore discount. In autumn 2007, Canon opted out of the program. The cartridges were also then required to be brand name to be eligible for the discount.In July 2008, OfficeMax restructured its ink recycling program; customers no longer received an instore credit for cartridges returned, instead receiving a $3 reward to their MaxPerks account, maximum $30 weekly.
On January 1, 2010, the program changed again, to include "national brand" ink and toner cartridges, if the ink cartridges have a print head attached, with a maximum of 20 cartridges monthly.
In October 2010, the program changed again; customers could recycle all Dell, Lexmark, and HP brand ink and toner cartridges, except for HP numbers 02, 11, and 88.
CTRL-Center In Store & Web-Based Services
OfficeMax launched a line of web-based services in 2007. Services are performed by trained CtrlCenter technicians and based within the United States. These services range from virus and spyware removal from a computer to the set-up and installation of a new computer. Customers can bring their desktop or laptop into any participating OfficeMax location for assistance. In addition, many stores will perform a free "PC Checkup" to determine optimal settings and hardware configurationsServices offered include both in-home and web-based PC restoration, wireless network setup, software and peripheral installation, online data backup, new PC setup and file transfer, and online training for popular office software titles.
In 2010 OfficeMax started offering CTRL Center services in store to compete with in store services from Staples & Best Buy in select stores.
A Day Made Better
On October 2, 2007 OfficeMax in partnership with Adopt-A-Classroom surprised 1,000 teachers with a box of supplies worth about $1,200. The majority of the schools selected were Title 1 schools, in which 40% or more of the student body is subsidized with the free school lunch program. The teacher selected was nominated by the school's principal based on merit. The cause program has gone on to win national awards including the Peter Glen Award at the 2008 Retail Advertising & Marketing Association conference.Back for its second year, in October 2008 OfficeMax surprised more than 1,200 teachers across the nation. Other new additions include celebrity involvement and the launch of a new website.
In 2011 OfficeMax announced a donation box, where customers can make their purchases, and allow their chosen items to be sent to a local school chosen by each store's general manager.
Controversies
In 2005, OfficeMax was investigated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in regard to "accounting for vendor income." According to OfficeMax, the company had falsified $3.3 million in rebate claims owed by its suppliers. Six employees were fired in connection with the issue. In early November, 2007, the Securities and Exchange Commission completed the probe and recommended no enforcement action.In 2008 OfficeMax was targeted by protesters asking it to keep a promise that was made to protect indigenous rights. Logging in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
’s Whiskey Jack Forest to supply the paper pulp industry is opposed by the Asubpeeschoseewagong First Nation people.
On June 1, 2008, store employees were given word that the company would be undergoing a massive managerial restructuring. Assistant store manager positions in logistics and sales were merged into one position and all supervisor positions were eliminated. Fewer new positions were created with two key-carrying specialists, in furniture and technology, and a merchandising manager and/or operations supervisor in select stores. Store management (excluding store managers and the ImPress supervisor) were to re-apply and re-interview for the new positions, often receiving lower wages, in order to remain with the company. The company announced the layoffs of 2,700 employees on June 25, 2008.
Going green
In spring 2008 OfficeMax started to sell recycled products for a company called TerraCycleTerraCycle
TerraCycle is a private U.S. small business headquartered in Trenton, New Jersey, which specializes in making consumer products from pre- and post-consumer materials....
. OfficeMax now carries trash and recycling cans, Eco binders, natural all purpose and window cleaners and, pencil cases. The products and packaging are made entirely from waste, reducing the amount of garbage going to landfills. OfficeMax offers and stocks more than 1,700 products with recycled content.
In the ImPress department customers can upgrade from 30 percent to 100 percent post-consumer paper for a limited time at no charge. All OfficeMax ImPress self-serve copy machines have been outfitted with "Think in Green" stickers to encourage customers to take advantage of this offer.