OPI TALK opitalk

Leading consumer and business products vendor ACCO Brands recently reported its 2023 financials.
In this episode of OPI Talk, Andy Braithwaite caught up with ACCO CEO Tom Tedford to discuss the 2023 results as well as some recent developments at the company – including its divisional restructure and some category exits.
Episode recorded and produced by Andy BraithwaiteMusic by:Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r...Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

A series of interviews from the show floor at Ambiente 2024 in Frankfurt, Germany.
Mega consumer products show Ambiente took place in the German city of Frankfurt at the end of January. Following the demise of Paperworld as a standalone event in Frankfurt, this was the second year that Ambiente had included a special Working section for the traditional office products segment.
OPI News Editor Andy Braithwaite spoke to a number of exhibitors to get their impressions of Ambiente Working and for a general business update. The podcast concludes with the thoughts of Messe Frankfurt’s Julia Uherek.
The exhibitors featured are: Acme United, Novus-Dahle, Durable, Djois, Hopax, Tesa, and Edding.
 
Episode recorded and edited by Andy BraithwaiteMusic by:Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r...Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

OPI catches up with Mike Gentile shortly before he steps down as CEO of leading US dealer group ISG.
Earlier this year, Mike Gentile announced he would be leaving ISG after almost 20 years at the organisation, most of that time as CEO.
In this interview, recorded at ISG’s headquarters in November, Gentile reveals what his future plans are, looks back at the highlights of his tenure at the dealer group, and gives his thoughts on some of the key issues impacting the independent dealer channel in the US.
 
Episode recorded and edited by Andy BraithwaiteMusic by:Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r...Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg
 

If you are an OPI subscriber, you should have seen or even received the latest issue of OPI magazine, which is our annual Green Thinking issue.
In keeping with that sustainability theme, for this podcast, News Editor Andy Braithwaite spoke with Bernhard Cantzler, the Marketing and Sales Director for Mondi’s Uncoated Fine Paper (UFP) business in the EMEA region.
While many are quick to point out the environmental benefits of paper, this podcast covers some of the thornier issues related to papermaking, including the use of recycled versus virgin fibres, processes such as de-inking and bleaching, and the use of carbon offsetting to achieve sustainability goals.
More on Mondi UFP’s sustainability initiatives can be found here.
 
Episode recorded and produced by Andy BraithwaiteMusic by:Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r...Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg
 

OPI’s first chance to speak with incoming ISG CEO James Rodgers.
It’s all change at the top of ISG, the biggest business products dealer group in the US, with long-time CEO Mike Gentile set to retire in a few weeks’ time.
Succeeding him is 44-year-old James Rodgers, who joins the organisation following a successful career charging up through the ranks in both the office and facilities products distribution channels.
In a visit to the ISG head office near Chicago (IL), OPI News Editor Andy Braithwaite had the opportunity to speak to Rodgers and ask him for his early impressions of the group and his thoughts on the independent dealer channel.
 
Episode recorded and edited by Andy BraithwaiteMusic by:Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r...Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg

OPI Talk speaks to Ken Sweder following the closing of the transaction that has brought together leading US facilities and jan/san distributors BradyIFS and Envoy Solutions.
The biggest deal this year in the jan/san distribution space is undoubtedly the one that has created a $5 billion group in the US – known, for the time being at least, as BradyIFS + Envoy Solutions.
Leading the combined companies is Ken Sweder, and OPI News Editor Andy Braithwaite had the pleasure of catching up with him on a Teams call less than two weeks after the merger had been completed to find out what his plans are.
 
Episode recorded and edited by Andy BraithwaiteMusic by:Extreme Energy by MusicToday80: https://soundcloud.com/musictoday80/r...Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...Music provided by Free Vibes: https://goo.gl/NkGhTg