United Stationers
Encyclopedia
United Stationers is the largest wholesale
distributor of business products in North America
, with sales in of nearly $5 billion. In 2011, it ranked 467 (previous rank: 439) out of the Fortune 500
companies. United Stationers is made up of multiple divisions: United Stationers Supply Company (business products), LagasseSweet (janitorial and sanitation Products), Azerty (technology products), ORS Nasco (industrial products), and MBS Dev (software). United Stationers is headquartered in Deerfield
, Illinois
with employee size 250 - 499.
United Stationers sells to a broad spectrum of customers, including office products dealers; contract stationers; office products superstores; computer products resellers; office furniture dealers; mass merchandisers; mail order companies; sanitary supply, paper and foodservice distributors; drug and grocery store chains; e-commerce merchants; oil field, welding supply and industrial/MRO distributors; and other independent distributors. It serves a reseller community of 30,000. The company maintains nearly 70 warehouses supporting its different divisions and is able to boast next morning delivery for almost 100,000 products it carries to every state in the continental United States for orders entered as late as 5PM the previous evening. Its focus on operational excellence has given the company an average line fill rate
of better than 97%, a 99.6% order accuracy rate, and a 99% on-time delivery rate.
The current officers of the company include:
In December of 2010, United Stationers announced that P. Cody Phipps, the company's Chief Operating Officer
, would become president and CEO when Richard W. Gochnauer, CEO, retired at the annual shareholders’ meeting in May 2011. .
United Stationers offers a number of private label brands to its reseller community. These brands include Innovera (tech products), Windsoft (sanitary paper products), Universal (office products), and Alera (Office Furniture).
To provide the capital to further its growth, United Stationers went public in 1981. In 1984, the Company established MicroUnited to capitalize on the growth in the computer supplies sector. The company's MicroUnited division focused on the distribution of peripherals and supplies to computer products resellers. United Stationers recognized that its marketing programs and distribution infrastructure would be attractive to customers within other industries. Therefore, the company established its United Facility Supply Division in 1994 to participate in the distribution of facility maintenance supplies.
As competition in the late 1980s intensified within the office products industry, consolidation at all levels of the industry became commonplace. In June 1992, United Stationers acquired Stationers Distributing Company, a $425 million office products wholesaler in Fort Worth, Texas. This transaction made the Company a $1.5 billion wholesale distributor.
In March 1995, the Company merged with Associated Stationers, a $475 million general line wholesaler.
On April 3, 1998, United Stationers acquired Azerty, a $350 million wholesaler of computer consumables. Azerty was founded in April 1983 by Marvin Frackt as the US subsidiary of Inter City Papers Limited of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Bill Dueger was the first manager of Azerty, reporting to Marvin Frackt. Subsequently, the company's MicroUnited division was merged into Azerty. In July 2000, United Stationers increased its geographic penetration in Canada by purchasing Azerty Canada, a $115 million computer consumables business. The company was renamed Azerty/United Canada after merging the Azerty and United operations.
To broaden the Lagasse division's reach, the company completed the acquisition of Peerless Paper, a $75 million wholesaler in the janitorial/sanitation industry, in January 2001.
In May 2005, Lagasse completed the purchase of Sweet Paper, a $250 million distributor of janitorial/sanitation, paper and food service products. This acquisition expanded Lagasse's product line and enhanced its scale and infrastructure in key markets.
On March 31, 2006, United Stationers decided to sell its Canadian division. In June 2006, the company completed the sale of certain assets associated with its Canadian division.
To diversify and expand its product and customer base, United Stationers acquired ORS Nasco, a $285 million wholesale distributor of industrial supplies, on December 21, 2007.
On March 1, 2010 United Stationers successfully acquired their first technology company, privately owned MBS Dev, a Colorado
-based software provider. A Microsoft Certified Partner
, MBS Dev will retain its name and operate as a separate unit within the larger company.
MBS Dev specializes in implementing Microsoft Dynamics AX
software for wholesale distribution companies in vertical markets and was named one of Inc. Magazine's
500 Fastest Growing Companies in 2009.
Albany, Atlanta, Baltimore, Birmingham, Boston, Canada, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Ft. Lauderdale, Grand Rapids, Harrisburg, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Memphis, Miami, Minneapolis, Muskogee, Nashville, New Orleans, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Francisco, Seattle, South Bend, St. Louis, St. Paul, Tulsa, Visalia.
Wholesale
Wholesaling, jobbing, or distributing is defined as the sale of goods or merchandise to retailers, to industrial, commercial, institutional, or other professional business users, or to other wholesalers and related subordinated services...
distributor of business products in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, with sales in of nearly $5 billion. In 2011, it ranked 467 (previous rank: 439) out of the Fortune 500
Fortune 500
The Fortune 500 is an annual list compiled and published by Fortune magazine that ranks the top 500 U.S. closely held and public corporations as ranked by their gross revenue after adjustments made by Fortune to exclude the impact of excise taxes companies collect. The list includes publicly and...
companies. United Stationers is made up of multiple divisions: United Stationers Supply Company (business products), LagasseSweet (janitorial and sanitation Products), Azerty (technology products), ORS Nasco (industrial products), and MBS Dev (software). United Stationers is headquartered in Deerfield
Deerfield
Deerfield is the name of many places in the United States. In some cases, these places correspond to the previous locations of "deer fields" created by Native Americans.*Deerfield, Illinois*Deerfield, Indiana*Deerfield, Iowa*Deerfield, Kansas...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
with employee size 250 - 499.
United Stationers sells to a broad spectrum of customers, including office products dealers; contract stationers; office products superstores; computer products resellers; office furniture dealers; mass merchandisers; mail order companies; sanitary supply, paper and foodservice distributors; drug and grocery store chains; e-commerce merchants; oil field, welding supply and industrial/MRO distributors; and other independent distributors. It serves a reseller community of 30,000. The company maintains nearly 70 warehouses supporting its different divisions and is able to boast next morning delivery for almost 100,000 products it carries to every state in the continental United States for orders entered as late as 5PM the previous evening. Its focus on operational excellence has given the company an average line fill rate
Fill rate
Fillrate or fill rate can refer to:* Fillrate, a measure of graphics performance* Service rate, a logistics measure of ordering performance* Fill rate, a logistics measure of inventory effectiveness at meeting demands...
of better than 97%, a 99.6% order accuracy rate, and a 99% on-time delivery rate.
The current officers of the company include:
- Frederick B. Hegi Jr., Independent Chairman of the Board
- Paul Cody Phipps, President, Chief Executive Officer, Director
- Victoria J. Reich, Chief Financial Officer, Senior Vice President
- Timothy P. Connolly, President - Operations and Logistics Services
- Stephen A. Schultz, Group President of LagasseSweet and ORS Nasco
- Todd A. Shelton, President - United Stationers Supply
- S. David Bent, Senior Vice President e-Business Services, Corporate Chief Information Officer
- Eric A. Blanchard, Senior Vice President, General Counsel, Secretary
- Barbara J. Kennedy, Senior Vice President - Human Resources
- Robert Blaine Aiken Jr., Independent Director
In December of 2010, United Stationers announced that P. Cody Phipps, the company's 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"...
, would become president and CEO when Richard W. Gochnauer, CEO, retired at the annual shareholders’ meeting in May 2011. .
United Stationers offers a number of private label brands to its reseller community. These brands include Innovera (tech products), Windsoft (sanitary paper products), Universal (office products), and Alera (Office Furniture).
History
The company was incorporated in 1922 under the name Utility Supply Company. During the early 1930s, the company published its first office products catalog. The concept was such a success that the business was further expanded with the opening of its first retail store in 1937. In the early 1950s, in addition to its catalog and retail operation, management recognized growing opportunities in the office products wholesale business. In 1970, the company opened its first state-of-the-art distribution center. As time passed, the Company found it difficult to compete as both a retailer and wholesaler. So, in 1978, the retail operations were sold and the Company began to operate exclusively as an office products wholesaler.To provide the capital to further its growth, United Stationers went public in 1981. In 1984, the Company established MicroUnited to capitalize on the growth in the computer supplies sector. The company's MicroUnited division focused on the distribution of peripherals and supplies to computer products resellers. United Stationers recognized that its marketing programs and distribution infrastructure would be attractive to customers within other industries. Therefore, the company established its United Facility Supply Division in 1994 to participate in the distribution of facility maintenance supplies.
Mergers and acquisitions
To expand their line of business, on October 31, 1996 the company acquired Lagasse Bros., Inc., a wholesaler of janitorial and sanitation supplies.As competition in the late 1980s intensified within the office products industry, consolidation at all levels of the industry became commonplace. In June 1992, United Stationers acquired Stationers Distributing Company, a $425 million office products wholesaler in Fort Worth, Texas. This transaction made the Company a $1.5 billion wholesale distributor.
In March 1995, the Company merged with Associated Stationers, a $475 million general line wholesaler.
On April 3, 1998, United Stationers acquired Azerty, a $350 million wholesaler of computer consumables. Azerty was founded in April 1983 by Marvin Frackt as the US subsidiary of Inter City Papers Limited of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Bill Dueger was the first manager of Azerty, reporting to Marvin Frackt. Subsequently, the company's MicroUnited division was merged into Azerty. In July 2000, United Stationers increased its geographic penetration in Canada by purchasing Azerty Canada, a $115 million computer consumables business. The company was renamed Azerty/United Canada after merging the Azerty and United operations.
To broaden the Lagasse division's reach, the company completed the acquisition of Peerless Paper, a $75 million wholesaler in the janitorial/sanitation industry, in January 2001.
In May 2005, Lagasse completed the purchase of Sweet Paper, a $250 million distributor of janitorial/sanitation, paper and food service products. This acquisition expanded Lagasse's product line and enhanced its scale and infrastructure in key markets.
On March 31, 2006, United Stationers decided to sell its Canadian division. In June 2006, the company completed the sale of certain assets associated with its Canadian division.
To diversify and expand its product and customer base, United Stationers acquired ORS Nasco, a $285 million wholesale distributor of industrial supplies, on December 21, 2007.
On March 1, 2010 United Stationers successfully acquired their first technology company, privately owned MBS Dev, a Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
-based software provider. A Microsoft Certified Partner
Microsoft Certified Partner
A Microsoft Certified Partner is an independent company that provides Microsoft-related products or services.Microsoft Certified partners provide Microsoft services on behalf of Microsoft worldwide spanning many fields including OEM, Education, Software providers and Technical Support.Microsoft...
, MBS Dev will retain its name and operate as a separate unit within the larger company.
MBS Dev specializes in implementing Microsoft Dynamics AX
Microsoft Dynamics AX
is one of Microsoft’s enterprise resource planning software products. It is part of the Microsoft Dynamics family.-History:Microsoft Dynamics AX was originally developed as a collaboration between IBM and Damgaard as IBM Axapta. IBM returned all rights in the product to Damgaard shortly after the...
software for wholesale distribution companies in vertical markets and was named one of Inc. Magazine's
Inc. (magazine)
Inc. magazine, founded in 1979 and based in New York City, is a monthly publication focused on growing companies. The magazine publishes an annual list of the 500 fastest-growing private companies in the U.S., the "Inc...
500 Fastest Growing Companies in 2009.
Company locations
United Stationers maintains company locations in the following cities:Albany, Atlanta, Baltimore, Birmingham, Boston, Canada, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Ft. Lauderdale, Grand Rapids, Harrisburg, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Memphis, Miami, Minneapolis, Muskogee, Nashville, New Orleans, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Francisco, Seattle, South Bend, St. Louis, St. Paul, Tulsa, Visalia.
Further reading
- "Big interview: Cody Phipps", Office Products International magazine, March 1, 2010. The interview is with Cody Phipps, President of United Stationers.