It is a given that businesses must invest. It is also a given that firms should rebrand themselves to keep ahead of the game. When a company does both at the same time, however, you know its intentions are serious. Rob Mulligan reports.
Paper merchant and stationer, Corbeau Procurement Supplies (CPS), based in Takeley in Essex, has for more than 20 years been providing a service that has evolved into something quite distinctive. Servicing inplant printers mainly within the M25, the company has built a portfolio of products it offers, from paper to dishwashers and from print room consumables to office chairs. The strategy has been developed since the company was launched in December 1994 and business has been won by word of mouth from customer to customer.
However, that is about to change. Investment in a new back office computer system, PRIMA, has freed up time within the organisation to allow it to be more proactive in its sales approach. This investment includes a new website that will allow its customers to order direct without the need for any other interaction, saving time for the customer and allowing the organisation to grow organically. Of course, orders can still be placed by telephone if the customer prefers. The company is also rebranding itself. A whole new livery will be rolled out across its fleet of Mitsubishi Canter lorries. New stationery will complement that. Its new corporate colour highlights its environmental credentials. With a turnover of £4.2 million it only has 12 employees, making it an extremely efficient organisation. In the main, it will still look for blue chip companies as it feels the service it can offer is ideally suited to this type of company.
Chairman Ted Crow explained: ‘In the mid-2000s, companies were worried about their CO2 footprint. We established that we could, and continue to, supply products to them with a much lower footprint then before, helping them to reduce their own footprint. It was important then and it is still important today. By supplying all their office needs we reduce their deliveries from many to just one.’
All of CPS’ lorries are Mitsubishi Canters. These are highly versatile 7.5 tonne vehicles with a small wheelbase making them ideally suited to London’s tight streets.
It mostly concentrates on blue chip customers and those in the legal, finance and education sectors, where its level of service sets it above its competitors.
It will deliver overnight to point of need (indeed to a desk if necessary) and it will deliver anything that its customers ask for.
The company has never been frightened to invest. It was one of the first companies to be cloud-based, allowing its employees to work from anywhere embracing technology and allowing disaster recovery scenarios to be implemented seamlessly if necessary. CPS was also an early adopter of Carbon Clear and has FSC credentials as well. It utilises two purpose-built warehouses along the M11, allowing it to deliver to the heart of London within 25 minutes.
There is no hierarchy within the company and it was pointed out that everyone sells within the business, including the drivers. Ted Crow is partnered by his wife Karen, who is the managing director of the business. Dave Avey and Calvin Hardy are the other directors. Mr Avey has only recently joined CPS from a large paper merchant chain, but his influence is coming through. Paper is an important part of the business, accounting for 70% of turnover but only 30% of the profit. Mr Avey’s aim is to improve that efficiency. This, coupled with the company’s eagerness to grow, is setting the business on an exciting road.
It is also a supporter of the SSAFA (Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families), which is the UK’s oldest Armed Forces charity. Mr Crow explained: ‘We were keen to give something back to our armed forces past, present and future’.
The company is keen to point out that it will always support a customer where possible, so that when the customer asks, ‘can do?’, the reply will always be, ‘will do!’.
