Vol 99 issue 03 2015 by My Office

MARCH 2015 R50. inc

vat

My Office Magazine www.facebook.com/shopsa.ZA

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE STATIONERY, HOME AND OFFICE PRODUCTS ASSOCIATION

KEEP IT TOGETHER WITH CLIPS AND GLUES A SIMPLE GUIDE TO PUNCHES AND STAPLERS

CHOOSING A SAFE FOR YOUR OFFICE

Contents My Office Magazine is the official magazine of the Southern African Association for Stationery, Home and Office Products. It is read by over 25 000 buyers and sellers of stationery and office products each month. PUBLISHER Rob Mathews - robm@icon.co.za Kathy Gibson - kathy@futurewave.co.za EDITOR

Vol 99 | March 2015 www.myofficemagazine.co.za/ | www.facebook.com/shopsa.za

NEWS

04 | FINANCIAL BYTES Facts and figures from the business world 34| INDUSTRY NEWS Industry-related news and trade business announcements 36 | ECO PAGES A green sustainability update, sponsored by Mondi

Mercédes Westbrook - mercedes@shop-sa.co.za CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGER Wendy Dancer - wendy@shop-sa.co.za NATIONAL OFFICE Design and Layout: Vanessa Bentley New Membership: Rachel Skink Reception: Ruth Montsho

SALES SAVVY

06 | MARKETING SAVVY Aki Kalliatakis on why customers shouldn’t have to put in a lot of effort to do business with a company 20 | HOW TO SELL: PUNCHES & STAPLERS Boost sales by using our quick and simple guide to punches and staplers

Johannesburg Office PO Box 3226, Parklands, 2121 6 Edward Street, Kensington B, Randburg, 2194 Tel: + 27 11 781 0370 Fax: + 27 11 781 2828 Email: info@shop-sa.co.za Website: www.myofficemagazine.co.za

RETAIL SAVVY

09 | JAN SAN Poisons and other hazardous materials need to be safely stored in the workplace 16 | IT FOCUS A look at the cables and accessories necessary for data transfer 17 | YOU’VE GOT THE POWER Businesses must take action to ensure they have backup power supplies

BUSINESS SAVVY

05 | CHANNEL UPDATE Anton Herbst, CEO of Tarsus Technologies, discusses the process of moving from a boxdropper to a solutions provider 07 | MARKETING LANDSCAPE: GIVE IT ALL YOU’VE GOT Gavin Moffat explains why you shouldn’t treat your life like a practice session 08 | LABOUR LAW: THE LAWS OF ECONOMICS Dr Ivan Israelstam examines how the new labour law amendments could harm the economy

Cape Town Office PO Box 48431, Kommetjie, 7976 Tel: +27 21 780 1209 Cel: +27 78 970 7633 Email: info@shop-sa.co.za CONTRIBUTIONS Letters and editorial contributions are welcomed

ARTS & CRAFT: EASTER Use decoupage to make a beautiful and decorative centrepiece this Easter

and should be addressed to the editor at editor@ shop-sa.co.za. Publication cannot be guaranteed and is subject to space and the editor’s discretion. THE LEGAL BIT Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy the publisher and editor cannot accept responsibility for supplied material. The opinions of contributors are not necessarily those of shop-sa. Copyright is strictly reserved and no part of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of the publisher. Stationery sponsored by

Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation

Office paper sponsored by

Published by

FUTURE WAVE

SPECIAL FEATURES

10 | STATIONERY FOCUS: KEEP IT TOGETHER Life is much easier when you’re organised. We shine the spotlight on those small stationery items that help us keep it together 24 | IT’S IN THE MAIL South Africa’s post and courier service landscape requires careful consideration when it comes to service delivery and accountability 26 | ACCESSING NEW MARKETS Partnerships and joint ventures offer companies the opportunity to quickly gain access to new markets or technologies 33 | EVENTS DIARY An overview of the events and exhibitions coming up in the next quarter

BUSINESS INCUBATORS Businesses can now access an alternative funding solution in South Africa

IN EVERY ISSUE 03 27 38 39 40 48 48

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EDITOR’S LETTER CRIME ALERT WEB BUTTONS PRODUCT SHOWCASE BUYERS’ GUIDE PUNCHLINE FURNITURE - KEEP IT SAFE

MEDIA my office magazine PRINTED BY Colorpress (pty) ltd.

editor’s letter

How creativity connects us

rom the moment we pick up our first crayon or toy, we begin to learn to listen to ourselves. As we grow older, we develop the ability to think for ourselves and listen to our intuition.

The theme of this issue, keeping it together, starts off with our Easter-themed Arts & Craft section on page 29. Crafts are not just for children – they are also a wonderful outlet for adults. Our stationery feature on page 10 is about the small things that make a big difference when it comes to organisation in the workspace. There is a very good reason the paper clip is still used today, and there is no arguing that glue helps us tokeep things together. Our How to Sell this month focuses on the different uses for punches and staplers – items that promote organisation throughout the work day. See page 20 for more. Partnerships and joint ventures (page 26) looks at alternatives ways to grow a business by connecting to other product and service streams, while our advice on business financing (page 28) explores the use of invoice financing www.shop-sa.co.za

investors to give a company a hassle-free boost when fulfilling large orders. Connectivity today means access to power, and businesses need to research and secure alternative means of backup via battery and generators while our national grid is under pressure. Our article on page 17 breaks down the different types of UPSes used in the office. Our Furniture section on page 47 looks at the different types of safes used to store valuables in the office. On page 33 we look at upcoming exhibitions that will showcase new products and services this year. Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to bid the stationery and office products industry farewell as the editor of My Office as I call on my creativity and start my own venture. Remember: don’t forget to play a little every day. Fond adieus

s e d é c r e M my office magazine

financial bytes

CCMA intervention to alleviate strike action Labour relations specialists have welcomed the reviewed mandate of the CCMA, made by way of amendments to the Labour Relations Act and the Employment Equity Act – both making provisions for improving the monitoring of employee rights, eradicating unfair discrimination and promoting equality in the workplace. Both Acts are now effective. The amended law makes it possible for the CCMA to intervene in protracted disputes in the public interest without consent. “The dispute resolution body in the country needs that power. The CCMA has the power to stabilise industrial relations, which at the moment is chaos,” says Jonathan Goldberg, CEO of labour law and HR consultancy Global Business Solutions. “We have deep-rooted fundamental issues and the CCMA can go a long way to get to grips with problems in collective bargaining. With the CCMA’s powers we may see less matters ending up in a strike,” says Johan Botes, director of employment practice at Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr. The United Association of SA (UASA) says the CCMA’s new mandate would encourage less prolonged strikes and, furthermore, the CCMA’s power would now better regulate strikes. “Over the last two years we have seen ministers intervening in collective bargaining, which have prolonged strikes. One needs to leave the expertise to people who can handle it,” says UASA’s Franz Stehring.

Sapo in record R1,3-billion annual loss The three-month strike by the Communication Workers Union (CWU) that was suspended in November is forecast to push the SA Post Office (Sapo) into a record annual R1,3-billion loss for the year ended 31 March 2015. The loss was mainly attributed to a tough trading climate and a decline in customers.

Petrol price decrease brings no relief on fares, food While economists predict the recent petrol price drop is expected to bring 1,5% more disposable income to consumers’ pockets, public transport commuters won’t be enjoying a cheaper ride. SA National Taxi Association manager Bafana Magagula explains that because the taxi industry views petrol fluctuations as being temporary, it will not be adjusting prices with the new petrol price. In respect to food, economist Mike Schüssler says consumers could expect a stabilisation in food prices rather than a dip due to the petrol price.

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WorldRemit simplifies money transfers WorldRemit has announced the launch of an online money transfer to South Africa - a service that enables anyone to send money to any bank account in South Africa using a variety of payment options, including debit card and credit cards. The new service helps customers avoid the high fees normally associated with bank transfers. “Until recently, a mention of money transfer conjured up images of tedious queues at the bank, filling out forms and paying steep fees to wire money back home,” says Ismail Ahmed, CEO of WorldRemit. WorldRemit is redefining this notion with a money transfer platform designed to make money transfer easy and convenient. “We have gone to great lengths to develop an eminently user-friendly and secure Web site, and to ensure that the entire process of registering and doing a transaction takes only a few minutes,” says Richard Igoe, chief technology officer of WorldRemit. “It is a seamless three-step process, where all the customer needs to do is enter the transfer amount, the recipient’s name and bank details, and then pay online. A unique online verification system enables us to identify customers without asking them to fax or e-mail copies of ID documents.”

Bidvest parts ways with Budget Bidvest Car Rental, a subsidiary of Bidvest Group, will cease to operate as Budget car, van and truck rental in southern Africa from 28 February 2015. Bidvest had managed the Budget car, van and truck rental franchise in the southern Africa region for more than 20 years, but the parties decided to part ways earlier this month. Bidvest South Africa CEO Lindsay Ralphs says: “Both parties are fully committed to ensuring no disruption to customers and partners alike. Over the coming month, Bidvest will embark on the launch of Bidvest Car Rental, a truly and ‘Proudly South African’ domestic car and van rental business.” “This has been an amicable decision that we believe will continue to serve the needs of all our local and international customers. Both parties are fully committed to collaborating to ensure we continue to provide the same high level of service to all our customers,” says Troy Warfield, Avis Budget Group EMEA commercial and licensee director.

Vol 99 - March 2015

channel update ACKNOWLEDGMENT ANTON HERBST

Sowing the seeds The IT channel is seeing green shoots after years of hard work, and it’s encouraging

t feels as though it’s been almost 10 years of planting seeds in the channel around the need for a move from droppers of kit (box droppers) to solution providers. If you’re in the channel and you’ve heard the speech about moving away from the pure commodity play to a solutions play, then you’re in great company.

It has been a long, and at times frustrating, journey. At Tarsus we have clearly understood the need to provide our customers with all that they require in the way of products, services and solutions. The challenge has been that the future holds a world where the simple sale of hardware and software is a lose-lose game with an ever-decreasing margin. Little value is placed in the box, and there is an increasing value shift towards the solutions and services around it. Having said that, we do not hold ourselves up to be perfect. We’re learning, just as the rest of the channel is, and we do believe that we are seeing green shoots. A green shoot in this context is a sign of a shift, change or adoption of new business offerings - such as vertical solutions like cloud. www.shop-sa.co.za

We see channel players that are focusing on services and solutions, with their hardware almost a side business. In fact, a friend recently suggested that at some time in the not-too-distant future, the channel might well give away free hardware to its clients in order to secure the more lucrative services and solutions part of the ICT pie. Now that’s commoditising IT. At the heart of this conversation, though, is the understanding that IT is just an enabler – and it, like us, must add value somewhere along the food chain. A PC does not perform any IT miracles. It is merely a device that can be used. What it is used for becomes the magic, and if we use it to drive a data analytics program within a customer’s business that helps them identify who their most profitable clients are and how to best sell to them, then it adds value to the business. Here is an overview of our current context: • Slow economic recovery; • Change in structure and demographics of our economy; • Wintel ecosystem under pressure from Apple and Google; • Rapid change in how and where technology is sold, consumed and applied;

•

The impact of virtualisation, mobile and cloud on traditional channel; and • Market factors drive consolidation, but customers want specialisation and business enablement. Within this context it is understandable that many businesses believe that it is time to harvest as much as they can, as opposed to sowing through skills and systems investments that will allow them to run a non-commodity based business. We’re in a space where we need to be thinking about innovation, looking at the new value chain that is going to be tomorrow’s reality. We need to be taking advantage of how technology is going to transform our customers’ landscapes, the impact of a proliferation of channels and devices and the market shifts created by access to literally thousands of internationally available services and products. How do we prepare for all of these shifts? We need to do this in a collaborative manner where our roles remain distinct and where we each bring value to the table. It’s not only possible to take advantage of our current market conditions but, as the green shoots in the channel begin to show, some companies are already partnering for a better future.

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marketing savvy ACKNOWLEDGMENT AKI KALLIATAKIS

Easy does it

Ensure that your customers don’t have to put in a lot of effort to do business with your company

n today’s chaotic world, many customers feel they need to jump through hoops to complete even the simplest transaction. I have previously written about how business needs to identify how customers experience the ease - or difficulty - of interacting with a business at four different levels: physical effort; intellectual complexity; emotional frustration; and time wasting.

I have summarised what needs to happen based on the value of certain activities and interactions to your customers – and to your company. It works something like this: • In the normal cycle of activities that occur with your customers there are things that will add value or be valued by your customers. Called the “cool” things, they refer to products, delivery, services and/or the personal experiences. There are also “uncool” things which cause unhappiness and require major effort in the physical, conceptual, emotional and timewasting dimensions. • “Cool” and “uncool” things exist within your company. Those things that add value for your business, make customers more loyal, increase profitability, reduce cost to serve, prevent poor quality and waste, and that make both managers and employees happy are cool. The uncool things are those activities that upset both managers and employees, that erode profitability, create havoc for everyone, and add little or no value for the company and its people. Many of these are legacy issues inherited from the past, but which nobody has challenged. When you combine these two dimensions into a simple grid, there are four resulting quadrants, and you can then make some good decisions about what you want to do with these.

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Uncool for both customers and the company Customers dislike these things, and so do people in the company. They add no value for either party, and are often forced on both parties. When you don’t have a choice on these matters, look at ways of simplifying how they are achieved. Many touch points are extraneous, and often nobody knows why they continue doing them. These must be ruthlessly eliminated, for they cost money, cause unhappiness for customers and demoralise your people. Uncool for customers, cool for the company Often there are important things that add value for the company, but not for customers. This is where your business needs to simplify as much as possible. “Simpler” and “faster” are good goals, and usually means the company saves itself money and hassle too. Cool for customers, but not cool for the company Customers often have special needs and requests that are a hassle for the company. It may be that you have to hire more people, or do repetitive tasks. This is where you ask if there is some way you can automate the

request or create a “self-service” option. Today customers use the power of the Internet and “the crowd” to do stuff that would create havoc in the past. There are hundreds of opportunities, and phone apps will make it essential that all companies offer some form of self-service for customers who want it. Cool for both customers and companies This is the area where future opportunities for success lie. They involve innovation, and perhaps even challenging current rivals in your industry to find new, unexplored things that nobody has ever offered. You may even find a new group of unserved or under-served customers. Who would have thought that the indoor Cirque di Soleil would have become more popular than traditional circuses – even without the animals? Or that Mr. Delivery would become such a successful company by doing what has been done for thousands of years - delivering stuff from A to B - but focusing only on restaurant food? Take a hard look at your business and your customers, and ask them what they like and don’t like about doing business with you. Those insights may help you to create an unbeatable competitive edge.

n The cool-uncool grid

Cool

Simplify

Make it easier to do business with you

Company’s reaction

Eliminate

Uncool

Leverage opportunity Use value innovation

Automate

Kill all “dumb Migrate as much contacts” at root as possible to cause self-service Uncool

Cool

Company’s reaction/attitude Vol 99 - March 2015

marketing landscape ACKNOWLEDGMENT GAVIN MOFFAT

Give it all you’ve got Don’t treat your life like a practice session

y youngest daughter was a competitive swimmer at club level. She is a naturally gifted swimmer – which is another way of saying that she could swim really fast without too much effort. This meant that she didn’t take her six-days-a-week training sessions as seriously as she could have because, with a kick, she could turn on the speed.

Her last coach did share a gem with us that has made a significant impact on the way in which I do things. He said to her that she needs to train as hard as she wants to compete; to do the training at the same intensity as she would swim in a gala (with obvious attention being paid to what intensity of training is needed at any one time). This philosophy – to go at the training as hard as you would the race – applies to just about anything that www.shop-sa.co.za

we do, every day. We have only one life and we can either live it in practice mode or we can get down to the real thing: train hard, play hard and compete hard. For me this means taking things seriously, no matter what. If I am on holiday then I need to be on holiday - not with an iPad or laptop or checking e-mail all the time. If I am spending time with my family I need to be there, as present as can be. If I am training for a cycle race then I need to spend the time training as hard as I can. If that training means not taking my heart rate above 140 beats per minute, then that’s what I need to do. If I am in a work seminar then I need to be in the room, and not thinking about family. Look around and tell me how many people you see that are treating this life as a practice session, with the potential for a do-over just around the corner? We don’t have another go in the bag. How many people do you see that come to work each day as though they are happy for their work time to be filled with half completed tasks or work that is not up to standard?

How many people do you see at gym or running that look as though they are not quite putting their all into it? Let’s be clear: it’s not about judging. My nine out of 10 effort is different from yours and from that of others. It’s like a spinning class where the instructor says that you need to have your perceived input as eight out of 10. From an outsider’s perspective it may look as though you are not putting in the effort, but for you it’s flat out. It’s about you giving as much as you can at any given time. It’s about me trying to make sure that I remember each day that what I get out is in direct proportion to what I put in. This is where the conversation about putting in the extra mile comes in. Do you? Can you put your hand on your heart and say that at least once every day you go further than was needed or expected? I try. I do fail, but I succeed more often than not, and that’s pretty much where I stand. There’s always one more opportunity to try and one more chance to recommit to practicing as hard as I want to compete. In the end, how you play the game is your choice.

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labour law ACKNOWLEDGMENT DR IVAN ISRAELSTAM

The laws of economics The new labour law amendments could harm the economy

he government’s unsatisfactory service delivery record, coupled with the publicity that the Nkandla scandal has caused, threatens its prospects for the local government elections next year. This is exacerbated by the decision of Numsa, Cosatu’s biggest affiliate, not to support the ANC in the next elections. Therefore the recent signature by President Zuma of numerous frightening labour law amendments appears to be aimed at appeasing Cosatu in the hope of retaining its support at the polls.

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• The positive aspects of the new laws are outnumbered by provisions that will inflict the following severe damage on employers: • Fixed-term employment contracts will be illegal if the employer cannot justify them on grounds that the work itself is genuinely limited in duration. Employers will have to convert all unjustified fixed-term contracts to permanent contracts and give the employees the relevant benefits. • Employers will have to give to fixedterm employees some benefits enjoyed by their permanent colleagues. • Fixed-term employees and those employed via placement agencies will be able to take employers to CCMA if they have a reasonable expectation of being offered permanent employment. • Employers will have the primary legal responsibility for the rights of people placed with them by temporary employment agencies and labour brokers.

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Bargaining councils may charge a levy to finance their dispute resolution services. Thus, employers could be making direct payments to enable employees to take them to conciliation and arbitration. The Minister of Labour now has the power to dictate the representivity thresholds at which employers are required to give trade unions organisational rights. The Labour Minister now has the power to increase actual wages and not only minimum wages. Thus, those employers paying wages well over the legal minimum could nevertheless be forced to pay even higher wages. The Minister is now able to dictate remuneration levels and other employment conditions in industries and sectors that are as yet not affected by sectorial determinations. Prosecution of non-compliant employers has been strengthened; and prison terms and penalties for breaches of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act have been increased, as have fines for Employment Equity Act breaches. Employers are no longer entitled to lodge objections or appeals against Department of Labour Compliance orders. Employers are forced to pay equal salaries to their employees doing the same or similar work unless the discrimination can be objectively justified. Failure to comply with this requirement will constitute unfair discrimination. Employers are no longer able to use their financial circumstances and the lack of available candidates as excuses for failing to implement

affirmative action. Employers will be required to report to the Department of Labour the details of every job vacancy they have and to report when these are filled. • The Department of Labour will be able to offer to all people claiming UIF and to other job seekers vacant positions existing at every employer even where the employer has no intension of advertising the posts. • Brokers/agencies dealing with temporary and permanent jobs will not be able to operate without a licence and such licences could be withheld or revoked should these agencies fail to comply with statutory requirements. Local businesses are stepping up their plans for mechanisation and for moving their workplaces to our northern neighbours and to the far east. Overseas businesses will be more deterred than ever before from investing here in labourintensive projects. The mining and motor industries are on the front lines of this “strikeby” business. The ANC’s stated policy of creating “decent employment” will be contaminated by fast accelerating “indecent unemployment”. The key question that is being asked is, “Even if the ANC does not hold back on the implementation of the National Development Plan, will there be anything salvageable of our economy by the time such implementation is advanced enough to take effect?” As all businesses are being severely affected by these changes, it is time that businesses stands up and takes action. Any business interested in adding its voice to a move for positive reform to our economic system is invited to contact the author on (011) 888 7944, 082 852 2973 or ivan@labourlawadvice.co.za. •

Vol 99 - March 2015

jan san

Storing hazardous substances Poisons and other hazardous materials need to be safely stored in the workplace

xposure to chemicals commonly used in the workplace can lead to both short- and longterm health problems such as poisoning, asthma, dermatitis, chemical burns and skin rashes, and disorders of the lung, kidney and liver. Dust- and fume-laden air can cause lung diseases. Many other common products used at work can be harmful, such as paint, ink, glue, acids, lubricant, pesticides, disinfectants and detergents.

• • • • • •

Due to other dangerous properties, some of these items may also be flammable. Ensure the following procedures are put in place if you handle, store or sell hazardous substances: • Look for the hazardous symbol on the product or warning labels featuring words such as “corrosive”, “poisonous” or “hazardous”. • Look for the supplier’s data sheet of correct handling procedures, or ask the supplier how the product can be used safely. • Check the label for advice on storage, as well as the shelflife of the product. • Identify the toxicity and stability of the substance. • Check the state of the containers. Only use original containers for storing hazardous materials. Never use innocuous containers such as those meant to store food. • Check the state of the labels and replace them if the labels have come off. • Store chemicals in a secure storeroom which can be easily cleaned should there be spills Inside the storeroom, ensure there are proper racking systems which can be clearly www.shop-sa.co.za

labelled. Use a secondary containment system if required, such as drip trays to prevent liquids spreading. Store liquids off the ground where they are less likely to be damaged. Keep incompatible substances separate to prevent chemical reactions. Control flammable substances by ensuring there are no fire hazards in the vicinity. Use regulation safety signage and posters. Train employees on the correct storage and handling of substances. Have a plan in case of emergency. Keep protective clothing and equipment onsite, and make sure there are easily accessible and up-to-date.

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on the shelves

Keep it together Life is much easier when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re organised. We shine the spotlight on those small stationery items that help you keep it together

here is much to be said for the more humble stationery items that populate the everyday work desk. Small but essential, these handy items help us keep work orderly. They have remained office mainstays through the ages.

Clips, fasteners, rings and pins Paper clips Most paper clips are variations of the gem clip first introduced in the 1890s. Recognisable by its basic characteristics of two equal wire loops made into an oblong shape with straight sides, the design integrity of the clip lies in the torsion and elasticity in the wire and the friction between the wire and paper. When a bundle of paper is inserted between the two tongues or loops of the wire, the sheets are gripped and held together. Overload the clip with too much paper and the elastic limit of the wire forces it out of shape. This is why it is important to choose the correct size and material of paperclip for the job at hand. Clips can be made from silver wire, vinyl or plastic, and be coloured-coded, jumbosized, miniature or branded. The gem clip is unlikely to be forgotten in the age of technology as its image was chosen as the standard software icon for an e-mail attachment.

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Nalclips The metal nalclip is similar to the paper clip without allowing for any â&#x20AC;&#x153;slipâ&#x20AC;?. Also known as the paper clamp or magic clipper, and available in small, medium and large sizes, it uses the basic principle of a c-shaped steel clip that produces a pinch-point to hold the paper. It requires a clip niceler to fix it in position. The nalclip slides over a pair of wedges on each side and opens, allowing the paper to enter. It then pinches as the nalclip exits the clip niceler.

Fasteners Fasteners, while manufactured from similar materials as the paper clip, such as metal and moulded plastic, have a wider range of design and use. From sturdy bulldog clips that could clamp a hand to a mug, to the more delicate shape and formal form of the binder or fold-back clip, these devices use a mechanical join to keep two objects together.

Variations include the nifty clipboard for use on the go, which features a clip attached to a board so that work can be done away from the desk.

the in t len ors va doct e r p s old are tr y, a to h s rd dus em oa h pb are in se t i l u C hc s t e . al rs he d nu l files a n a dic me

Box or folder envelope fasteners involve keeping together the sides of an opening of flexible material and are easy and sturdy enough to allow repeated fastening and unfastening. Ideal for keeping loose sheets of paper together and conveniently storing and filing documents, paper fasteners include paper binders, file fasteners, Vol 99 - March 2015

on the shelves

Rubber bands Rubber bands are ideal for holding together sheets of rolled up paper, card and other office sundries. Available in a range of diameters, thicknesses and lengths, they are sold in different sizes and colours. Choose those featuring a high-quality rubber for maximum stretch and longevity. rings and tube clips. These types of paper fasteners are a cost-effective alternative to ring binders and have many uses both in the office and at home. For internal folder use, arch file and ring binders - such as those seen in top-tab or end-tab manila, pressboard, kraft and coloured folders can be ordered with fasteners installed. These may feature a ring, twin pin or U-shaped file fastener that allows you to secure papers within the folder so they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fall about while being able to access, remove and replace documents again easily. These types of paper file fasteners are also available as a standalone mechanism or come with a self-adhesive backing, allowing attachment to a surface of choice, turning it into a file that works like a lever arch binder. Other types of file binders include space clip fasteners, back fasteners and fastener compressors to keep papers flat and smooth. Other styles of fasteners include the trusty metal paper spike for retail style environments where invoices or proof of documentation can be quickly and easily consolidated. File binders made of coloured rigid PVC can also effectively bind a stack of papers together by simply fitting the edge of the paper pack into the top seam and sliding it down. This creates a clip-on spine for light-weight pamphlets. A clear PVC cover can be added to make a quick and professional looking document for meetings or conference hand-outs. www.shop-sa.co.za

Drawing pins Drawing pins, either brass, neon or colour-coded, along with indicator pins and tacks featuring a pin head, also function to hold paper and other items onto pin boards and display areas.

Key rings Key rings and key ring tags which allow name tagging keep keys ordered and indexed when there is a variety of doors to be managed, such as in the facilities management environment.

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Adhesives Glue plays a central role in holding things together. Today’s variety of glues have expanded to include glues for tiles, shoes, finger nails and vehicle decals. They are dispensed via pots, tubes, glue guns, brushes and even aerosols.

decorative applications, scrapbooking, arts and crafts and school projects. A fine applicator is ideal for intricate work, while a wide applicator provides smooth, even coverage on large areas. Art and craft glue in particular offers adhesion to porous materials such as fabric, leather, paper, textiles, wood, cardboard and felt. It is ideal for decorative cards, decoupage and scrapbooking, and can even be mixed with powder paints for finger painting. Adhesive pastes Adhesive pastes can be used in place of nails and screws and is excellent for use in the home and garage, at the office and for school projects. It can also be painted over.

Non-toxic glues Glue sticks are a safe and convenient way for children to apply glue to a number of materials, such as card, crepe, tissue paper, foil, cellophane and photographs. It is quick acting, acid free and won’t stain clothing. Glues used for arts and crafts and in the school environment are also non-toxic and acid-free. They have dual tip applicators and dry clear. They are ideal for

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Clear adhesives Clear adhesives come in a tube and are easy to apply. They are quick-drying and suitable for all types of general office and home purposes. They are acid-free, meaning that it is safe for photographs. Clear adhesives dry quickly, turn clear when dry and don’t yellow. It doesn’t wrinkle or warp paper and is ideal for quick-fix-it type jobs such as fixing cables to a wall. In general, it provides good adhesion to paper, cardboard, leather, glass, ceramics, rubbers and most plastics. This makes it ideal for scrapbooking and school projects. Vol 99 - March 2015

Ask a Sticky Question... 0800 222 400 www.stickyquestions.co.za Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just stick it. Bostik it.

on the shelves Contact glue Contact glue, more commonly referred to as superglue, bonds instantly to non-porous materials such as metal, glass, ceramic, neoprene rubber, and some plastics such as PVC, ABS and polycarbonate. It doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t require mixing and the needle-like nozzle allows for precision application.

Adhesive spray Adhesive spray is packaged in an aerosol format. It is fast-drying and easy to apply to large areas. This makes it ideal for a wide variety of applications, including the crafting sector. It is waterresistant and acidfree, which means it will not yellow paper. Adhesive sprays work well on paper, cardboard, photographs, decoupage, fabric, wood, glass, foam and painted surfaces. It is also useful in 3D modelling, scrapbooking and home decorating.

Images: Permoseal

Wall adhesives Wall adhesives such as sticky putty, prestick, mounting tack, sticky dots and Velcro are also useful for keeping posters and directional signage in place and visible.

The hand-sized quick drying contact glue - also known as super glue provides instant bonding for items such as metal, glass, ceramic, and rubber. Its handy pen format allows for precise placement of small or large drops, with instant bonding in almost any emergency situation. Cold glue Known as cold glue, this polyvinyl acetate-based glue sets quickly and is a universal bonding agent used for woodworking, furniture, leather, felt, cloth, board and paper, and other porous surfaces.

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Vol 99 - March 2015

cables to go brought to you by

VGA, or HD15, is the analogue connection used to connect computers and laptops to projectors or additional monitors. In light of the Analogue Sunset, VGA is considered a legacy connector and will be replaced with a digital HDMI or DisplayPort connector in the near future.

VGA HDMI is the most popular audio/video connection for most consumer electronics today. The HDMI signal carries digital audio and video at resolutions up to 4k supporting Ultra HD and is the digital replacement for analogue video standards. C2G has HDMI cables, Mini HDMI cables, Micro HDMI cables, HDMI adapters / converters, extenders, and much more. DVI products from C2G include cables, adapters, extenders and splitters, all for use with devices and displays with DVI connectors on them. Use these DVI products to send high-deďŹ nition, 1080p video from a DVI-enabled device to a display.

HDMI and DVI Cat5E/Cat6/Cat6a

Cat5e, Cat6 and Cat6a patch cables are used for Ethernet connections and include booted, non-booted, crossover, shielded and bulk offerings. In addition, couplers and cable management products are available for extending your signal and organising your network.

leaders in high performance cabling and connectivity products trade enquiries: ronel 011 467 0227

IT focus ACKNOWLEDGMENT searchmidmarketsecurity.techtarget.com, en.wikibooks.org, mobileoffice.about.com, www.howtogeek.com

Mobile access to data Direct, realtime access to your data – wherever you may be – and speedy ways to transfer it are the cornerstones of the modern office

Remote data access (RDA) is a communications protocol for remote database access that has been adopted as an international standard. It provides standard protocols for establishing a remote connection between a database client and a database server. For a business, this means access to information in realtime for upload, saving and sharing, wherever employees may be. Home-based companies get access to the Internet through remote access to an Internet service provider (ISP); a dial-up connection through a desktop, notebook or handheld computer modem; or a dedicated line between a computer or a remote local area network and the “central” or main corporate local area network. A dedicated

line is more expensive and less flexible but offers faster data transfer rates. Integrated services digital network (ISDN) is a common method of remote access from branch offices since it combines dial-up with faster data transfer rates. ISDN provides digital connectivity; enabling customers to establish digital end-to-end connections through the public switched telephone network (PSTN). This digital dial-up service enables users to transmit information such as voice, data, video and images over a telephone line. Communicating with digital technology, instead of the traditional analogue type, results in higher speed, capacity and productivity, as well as crystal clear voice and sound quality. Wireless is a term used to describe telecommunications in which electromagnetic waves (rather than some form of wire) carry signal over part or all of the communication path. Wireless is easy to set up and compatible with most types of devices. It does not limit the connection to just one device. A cable modem has two connections: one to the cable wall outlet and the other to a PC. It provides modulation between analogue and digital signals. Either as

an external device or integrated within a computer, it is more complex than a telephone modem. In addition to the faster data transfer rate, an advantage of cable Internet access is that it is a continuous connection. WiFi allows computers, smartphones, or other devices to connect to the Internet or communicate with one another wirelessly within a particular area, such as a home or office. The security configurations range from none at all to fairly secure. Common examples of wireless equipment in use today include smartphones and pagers providing connectivity for portable and mobile applications; global positioning systems (GPS) allowing access for cars, trucks, ships and aircraft; and cordless peripherals such as a wireless mouse, keyboard or printer. Bluetooth was specifically designed for mobile use and is a technology that uses the global wireless standard enabling convenient, secure connectivity for an expanding range of devices and services. It is less draining on a device’s battery and consumes less power to do the same job as WiFi. It is also fairly secure and an excellent method for tethering.

What is tethering? Tethering is the use of your smartphone (or other mobile device that’s connected to the Internet) as a modem for another device, usually a laptop or a WiFi-only tablet. It provides an Internet connection on the go, wherever there is no free WiFi available. An FTP server is a software. HTML application running the file transfer protocol (FTP), which is the protocol for exchanging files over the Internet. It allows you to copy

files between two computers that are on the same local network. FTP can transfer files between any computers that have an Internet connection, and also works between computers using totally different operating systems. A network attached storage (NAS) device allows you to access shared files over the Internet. Working like mini file servers, they allow you to connect to a home network, usually via Ethernet cable to

a home router. They are great for file sharing and backups for multiple computers. An external hard drive connected to a home router also allows remote file sharing. However, for remote accessing of files without having to set up any hardware, consider cloud computing services and dedicated file syncing services such as Dropbox. They are specifically designed to keep important documents accessible while on the go.

n order for mobile employees and travelling sales reps to do business efficiently, the modern office needs to be mobile. That means providing easy, remote access to computers, files and smart devices, as well as a means to save data. The way in which your employees transfer data is an important part of the modern work environment.

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Vol 99 - March 2015

backup power

You’ve got the power

ACKNOWLEDGMENT www.inverter.co.za, www.howtogeek.com, www.facilities.net.com, www.backuppowersystems.co.za

Businesses must take action to ensure they have backup power supplies

n order to remain productive during the current energy crisis - which promises to continue for some time - businesses will need to consider backup power supply systems.

A UPS system An uninterrupted power supply (UPS) system protects equipment from power fluctuations, as well as the possibility of data loss resulting from sudden outages and power surges. A UPS in itself is not adequate as these devices do not run for longer than an hour and a half, whereas the typical length of a power outage is generally between four and five hours.

If the UPS battery is completely drained, it can take as long as a week to fully recharge. If the power fails more than once in a seven-day period, the run time of the UPS will be affected. UPS systems range from desktop units that supply enough power to keep a lightweight desktop computer running for 10 minutes without wall-supplied power, to walk-in freezer-sized units deployed in data centres to keep an entire bank of servers running. The most important step in your UPS selection will be to ascertain your power needs before spending any money on equipment. There are three main UPS design types available: • A standby UPS unit charges its battery and then waits for the mains power www.shop-sa.co.za

to drop off, mechanically switching to the battery backup (about 20 to 100 milliseconds) in order to maintain the running of the equipment. • A line-interactive UPS unit has a similar design but includes a special transformer which makes it better at handling brownouts and power sags. • An online UPS unit completely isolates the devices attached to it from the wall power by continuously filtering the wall power through the battery system. • Because the attached electronics run completely off the battery bank, there is never any power interruption. A UPS is therefore critical for ensuring continued security of important machinery and data.

circuitry that changes direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) voltage so that devices can continue to receive power from another source. The input voltage, output voltage, frequency and overall power handling will depend on the design of the specific device. The size of the inverter will depend on the power in watts (or current in amps) of the appliance/equipment you want to run. You need to know both the continuous rating in watts or amps and the peak/surge rating in watts or amps. Most inverters include a generator transfer switch. They are designed to operate with a generator or interruptive power source and are ideal where other means for charging the batteries is available (such as solar panels or external battery chargers).

Generators Standby generators offer a reliable solution to extended outages. As a permanent installation they will provide uninterrupted backup for days. They connect directly into the electrical mains and are powered by an external fuel supply, such as natural gas, liquid propane or diesel.

An automatic transfer switch is able to disconnect power from the mains on detection of an interrupted service and, once safely off the grid, start up the generator and transfer backup power. Inverters An inverter is an electronic device or

The power stored in the batteries is readily available to be used by a suitably sized power inverter to provide a 230V AC power supply needed by all critical office equipment. The benefit of power inverter units over proper UPS systems is that you can size your own battery pack to it, thereby providing you with as many hours of backup as you need. As every company is different, it is advisable to assess your own needs before discussing it with an established service provider. Once you have done this, the service provider will be able to suggest the type of unit your business should be looking at.

my office magazine

Staples

23/23

23/13

23/8

24/6

26/6 No. 56

Pages

200 pages

100 pages

50 pages

20 pages

30 pages

ST2076B

ST2076

ST2066B

All staplers except Heavy Duty Staplers

ST2067B

ST2079M

12.7mm 12.7mm

12.7mm

22.7mm 12.5mm

8mm

12.5mm

12.7mm 6mm

Actual Size

ST3032B

6mm

Staplers

Stands vertically or horizontally

how to sell

A pinch and a punch Boost sales by using our quick and simple guide to punches and staplers

Staplers The first known stapler was made in the 1700s for King Louis XV. Each staple was inscribed with the insignia of the royal court. As paper use increased, so too did the need for the stapler. These days a stapler is an essential piece of office equipment. Helping your customers choose the right one involves looking at the key aspects of size, capacity and use. Hand-held staplers are an essential retail and office supply item and come in compact sizes and shapes for everyday use. Staple guns, suited to packaging tasks and DIY projects in and around the office or home, feature a high tension spring which enables tacking to a range of base materials and is an ideal tool for decoration and

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repairs. Long reach staplers should be considered if you need to make up booklets, since they allow the teeth to reach the centre fold. On average, a standard desktop stapler can fasten up to 20 sheets at a time, while a heavy-duty stapler is suitable for stapling 100-sheet office documents comfortably. Small, pocketsize staplers can fit into a student bag or backpack and some feature a handy, built-in staple remover too. They can staple up to 12 sheets of paper. Electric staplers feature an automatic arm that triggers when paper is inserted. For security purposes, always ensure you purchase a model with a safety switch to prevent accidental operation. For customers in busy environs, buying a stapler with a security loop is advisable. This ensures that the stapler wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be stolen or misplaced. Portable staplers offer a keyring attachment allowing them to be clipped to a work bag or mobile work station. The larger sizes have higher

stapling capabilities and an integrated staple storage compartment in order to keep extra staples handy. Portable electric staplers operate on battery power or AC adapters and come with a display to indicate when to add new staples. Staples are supplied or available to purchase with the stapler model of choice. Remember that the higher capacity staplers also need larger or high-capacity staples to reach through the larger stacks of paper. Heavyduty staples come in a variety of leg lengths, and usually feature sharper teeth. The thicker the stack of papers to be stapled, the longer the vertical

Vol 99 - March 2015

how to sell legs of the staple must be to ensure it is correctly clinched. They also come in staple cartridges for easy loading. For the office professional, colour co-ordinated staples ensure aesthetic continuity in printed reports. When loading staples, there are many options to consider: a bottom loader, where the base of the stapler is removed and staples are inserted; a topload stapler which allows you to open the top of the stapler; front-load staplers that have a staple magazine that pops open from the front; and back-load models which have a staple tray that

extends from the rear of the stapler. To avoid jams, advise your customers to use only the recommended staple type and size for the model in question. They should not staple above the stated sheet capacity. If the stapler will be used by multiple users, customers should consider purchasing one with a jam-free mechanism. Staplers come in many shapes, sizes and colours. Customers can further personalise their choices by buying a stapler with a name plate on which to engrave their details. Customers who are environmentally conscious might

be interested in purchasing a stapler manufactured from 100% post-industrial recycled plastic. They often come in recycled cardboard packaging, printed with petroleum-free, soy-based inks. As with any purchase, advise your customers to look for a product guarantee that suits their needs. Aside from the stapler itself and additional staples, another point on which to upsell is a staple remover. In claw, scissor, pen and easy-glide remover shapes, they quickly and effortlessly remove staples without damaging the documentation.

Stapler usage Light-use staplers are typically simple machines made of lightweight materials. They have basic features and are intended for occasional use, such as for home use, study and infrequent filing. Regular-use staplers are reliable machines made from more durable materials, mostly metal. Added value features include: flat clinch staple finish; low force mechanisms which reduce effort by up to 50%; an ergonomic design; and soft-feel touch points for comfort. Heavy-duty staplers are designed to be strong and sturdy, and are built to work with high-capacity paper documents. These staplers are made from hard-wearing, durable materials and are designed to staple more than 60 sheets of 80gsm paper. Staplers for specialist use give consumers the ability to complete the more unusual jobs, such as booklet stapling and tacking.

Stapling mechanism types Permanent clinch is the most popular stapling mechanism. This mechanism delivers a long lasting, closed staple clinch. Opening the staple requires a staple remover. Flat clinch is a value added stapling mechanism which lays the staple legs flat against the paper, thereby cutting filing space by as much as 30%. Pinning is available on staplers whose anvil can be swivelled. Paperwork is then temporarily secured in a pinning fashion, making it easy to release the documents by hand. Tacking is a form of stapling used for fastening paper or textiles to bulletin boards or wooden surfaces. The ends of the staple are not bent over, but sunk vertically into the backing material. - Bill Bayley, MD at Rexel Office Products

Selling points of staplers Stapler size Half-strip staplers are smaller and compact and hold a half strip of staples (approximately 105 staples). Half-strip staplers are sold to students or to home office users where desk or briefcase space is a consideration. Full-strip staplers can be loaded with a full strip of staples (approximately 210 staples), which is better for the customer as they will have to refill or reload less often. Full-strip staplers are more popular for high-volume office use. Stapler type In South Africa we tend to categorise staplers as being plastic or metal. This categorisation refers to the outer cladding of the stapler, as the working parts in both cases are made of metal components. It is generally accepted that metal staplers are more durable and therefore better suited to high-volume office use. www.shop-sa.co.za

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how to sell

Punches The first hole puncher was patented in 1886. Since then, punches have been a common form of office equipment.

Early hole punchers were manual and handheld, and could only cut a single hole at a time. Now consumers are spoiled for choice, with a wide range of modern models to choose from. Knowing your punches will help you to help your customers make the right choice. A punch is ideal for binding presentations in a file or folder. It allows for organisation, filing and retrieval of all paper and cardboard related projects,

reports and documentation. The number of holes that your consumers require will depend entirely on their filing system. Punches with one-, two- and three-hole capabilities are perfect for organising papers within an individual book ring, three-ring binder or standard file. Single-hole punches are also used at events to punch tickets to prevent them being redeemed twice. They are also used within loyalty programmes, where a customer is issued a card and each time a purchase is made, a hole is punched to mark the progression of purchase and reward stages. Two-hole punches are used for tworinged files, as seen in small offices and learning institutions. Three-hole punches make it easy to use the standard printer paper required to be filed in three-ringed notebook files. Another important aspect of a punch is its sheet capacity. Heavy duty punches are capable of taking up to 160 sheets

at a time. They are suited to large scale projects, such as those found in the corporate and manufacturing industries. These models require virtually no effort when punching stacks of sheets, getting the job finished quickly and accurately. Electric punches offer ease of use, as no physical exertion is required by your customer to punch holes. Portable electric versions are also available for use at events or exhibitions or when moving between departments within a large enterprise. Electric punches are automatic and effortless, and are ideal for frequent use on large jobs when speed and accuracy are critical. Electric binding machines also offer a punching capability as part of the binding process. Lever handle punches are adjustable to punch anywhere from two to seven holes. They feature a heavy base for stability, a calibrated position guide and a removable paper pan to dispose of offcuts.

anomaly in the way that it names its paper punches. A Rexel V210 is a value two hole, 10-sheet capacity punch. A Rexel P265 is a premium two hole, 65-sheet capacity punch. A Rexel P425 is a premium four hole, 25-sheet capacity punch. So why the names: value and premium? Value punches are all metal, standard specification, strong and robust. They will get the job done. They offer no valueadded features as entry level price points are important to maintain. Premium punches are as strong and robust and they offer value-adds such as ergonomic design and soft touch points for comfort; attractive silver black or silver blue colours

for aesthetic appeal; patented paper alignment indicators that ensure accurate punching; a confetti release gate which obviates the need to remove the plastic base to throw away punched paper chads; and an angled base for easy paper insertion. The paper guide has a visible window for ease of setting. The premium punch handle has a lock down feature for easy desk drawer storage. These premium punches are so good you will want to hide them from potential punch pinchers. - Bill Bayley, MD at Rexel Office Products

Selling points of punches There is no standard in South Africa with regards to the accurate categorisation of paper punches. One would think that punches with a sheet capacity of about eight would be described as student punches. Light-duty punches would have a capacity of 10 to 12 sheets. Mediumduty punches would be in the region of 20 to 35 sheets, while heavy-duty punches would offer 40+ sheet capacity. No such logical luck. Where one manufacturer may describe a 30-sheet capacity punch as being medium duty, another brand may describe their punch of similar capacity as heavy-duty. Rexel has attempted to address this

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Vol 99 - March 2015

how to sell

Antique staplers and punches

WE HAVE WINNERS Epson L210 Printer Competition - Neville George, Georgen Office Little Logbook Competition - Elize Engelbrecht, Silveray Stationery Company www.shop-sa.co.za

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mailing services

It’s in the mail

ACKNOWLEDGMENT www.parceljet.co.za; www.techfinancials.co.za

South Africa’s postal and courier service landscape requires careful consideration when it comes to service delivery and accountability

uch of the country has been affected by the current state of the South African Post Office (Sapo) and, following a tumultuous year of strikes, it is clear that the state-owned company is struggling.

The switch to electronic mail and the advent of smartphones has also affected its levels of income. The majority of South Africans now use digital platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and WhatsApp, to keep in touch with friends and family and send mailers, invitations and product brochures to business

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associates. Possibly the only purpose the post office still serves is for the processing of car licence renewals; when local firms sell shares to the public; and the delivery of invoices and bills – although these are increasingly available electronically. In the past there have been suggestions that the state privatise Sapo and sell 60% to PostNet, following the successful privatisation model of Deutsche Post in 1995. Today Deutsche Post DHL is the largest courier in the world. As an independent division of Sapo, Speed Services Couriers provides an overnight express parcel network in southern Africa, with a cost-effective counter-to-counter option connecting

multiple destinations. Facing an uncertain future, private mailing services such as PostNet, owned by OneLogix Group, is taking up the slack as South Africa’s largest privately-owned counter network in the document and parcel industry. Last year it celebrated 20 years of service in South Africa, providing courier, copy, digital print, stationery, shipping and more to both consumers and businesses. Vol 99 - March 2015

mailing services Courier services Private freight and courier services have entrenched themselves in the country, transporting and delivering documents, packages and larger shipments of products for companies who need the rapid service, accountability, security, signature, committed delivery times and tracking that regular mail does not offer. Complicated delivery arrangements or delicate packages also require experienced couriers and advanced logistics to keep businesses happy. In a competitive market, couriers must offer flexible services in order to survive. With the controversial Uber already taking on parcel delivery services in Manhattan, New York, it might not be too far in the future that South Africa has a new contender. In December, Amazon announced its intention to deliver packages to customers using drones. Google recently demonstrated its own drone-based delivery service, using a fixed-wing aircraft to deliver packages including chocolate bars, dog treats and cattle vaccines to farmers in the Australian outback. German delivery firm DHL has reportedly beaten the tech firms to the post, announcing a regular drone delivery service for the first time.

Tips when using a courier service •

•

www.shop-sa.co.za

Choose a courier service that specialises in your area and has a proven track record. The size and network of the courier service will determine the frequency to your area and turnaround times to be expected. Clarify the type of service you will need upfront. Will it be on account, require a collection on a daily basis and at a fixed time, or be on an on-demand or as-needed basis? Determine what type of courier service you will need. For speciality deliveries, such as for the legal and medical field, there will be special requirements. Specifications such as shipping and handling will need to be explained in order to keep the delivery chain in flow. Reputation of the company is key, as it could affect your own company’s reputation for service delivery.

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joint ventures ACKNOWLEDGMENT www.parceljet.co.za; www.techfinancials.co.za

Accessing new markets Partnerships and joint ventures offer companies the opportunity to quickly gain access to new markets or technologies

here is merit in the saying “don’t put all your eggs in one basket”. With multiple income streams and multiple partners all working together, the opportunity for business synergy and success is greater. This not only lightens the financial burden, but it can improve the overall quality of your products, services and reputation.

Whether planning a start-up or looking to extend your product or service offering, a joint venture or new partner offers certain advantages, especially if the project is too large or complex for a company to manage on its own. If the project requires speciality skills or abilities that are not present in the company already, or if the skills and expertise of the company can only be developed through the association with a more experienced company, then a joint venture is key. Partnerships For SMMEs, a partnership may be more suitable than a joint venture. Here, each partner is contractually bound to one another to operate a joint, profit-generating business, with each partner contributing money, goods or services to a fund, and an agreement exists that any profits made will be shared between the partners as per their contract. Affordable to set up, start-up costs are low and there is usually more capital available for the business, with each partner specialising in certain aspects of it business. Partners can also provide moral support and allow for creative brainstorming. A partnership should feature the following: • Each partner must make a contribution to the partnership. • It does not have a juristic personality separate from the partners. Each

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•

partner can bind the partnership. If the partnership’s estate is sequestrated, the estates of the partners can follow unless the partners undertake to pay the debts of the partnership. The profits and net assets are usually distributed amongst the partners on dissolution of the partnership in proportion of their respective interests. The life of the partnership is not separate from the lives of the partners (so if one partner dies, leaves or is declared personally insolvent the partnership becomes null and void). On dissolution, the assets are liquidated, creditors are paid and partners must stand in for any shortfall. The partnership is not a “person” for tax purposes and is not taxed as a company would be. There are no statuary audit requirements.

Joint ventures A joint venture is a type of partnership that has many of the same advantages and disadvantages of a general partnership but which can fulfil those money-producing business streams or services that one company don’t have time or the affinity for. A joint venture is a quick way to gain access to new markets or technology, as an alternative to making an acquisition. Reputation is an area affected by joint ventures, and many large companies now rely on partnering up with other companies, especially smaller ones, as a way to innovate by outsourcing their marketing, service centres or research and development efforts. The most lucrative type of joint venture usually involves at least two of three key elements: a product; a promotion; and a market. A joint venture should include the following: • A structure created by a contract or

• •

by the creation of a separate entity; Partners that see themselves as equals; and Proper documentation for assets or intellectual property contributed by participating parties must exist. This includes the development of any new technologies created by the joint venture itself.

How to choose a business partner Don’t make your decision on the mere fact that you like the person or that they are your friend. Ensure their vision matches yours and that you carry the same values towards running a business. Ensure they bring valid, relevant skills to the table. Set out clear deliverables for each of you. Understand and respect each other’s strengths and weaknesses and be willing to be flexible. Ask questions such as: • How the business will be financed? • Who will do what work? • What happens if a partner dies? • What happens if one or both partners want to dissolve the partnership? Create a legal agreement - never rely on verbal agreements. Discuss what the future will look like should one of the partners become insolvent, die, retire or want to sell.

An example of a joint venture is Starbucks. The company partnered with Barnes and Nobles bookstores in 1993 to provide in-house coffee shops, benefiting both retailers. Three years later, they partnered with Pepsico to bottle, distribute and sell the popular coffeebased drink, Frappacino. The StarbucksUnited Airlines alliance resulted in their coffee being offered onboard airlines in Starbucks-branded cups. Vol 99 - March 2015

crime alert ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Police criminality impacts business security

www.timeslive.co.za; www.irr.org.za

According to a recently released IRR report, SAPS involvement in crime is at an ‘alarming’ level

recent report from the Institute for Race Relations (IRR), entitled The Broken Blue Line 2 - which follows up on its 2011 publication The Broken Blue Line - indicates the “alarming” extent to which South African Police Service (SAPS) officers are involved in planning and executing serious and violent crimes.

This follows on from the latest crime statistics, which cover the period from 1 April 2013 to 31 March 2014, showing that business robbery is up by 13,7% with 2 238 more attacks year-on-year. Car hijacking is up by 12,3% with 1 231 more attacks than the previous year. The SAIRR has proposed solutions, including restoring respect for the chain of command within the police; appointing university-educated officers to lead specialised units and police stations; and establishing a new investigating agency in the department of justice that is dedicated to probing police criminality. “The choice of police commissioner in Riah Phiyega is so utterly inappropriate that it cannot instil confidence in other members,” states the report. While welcoming criticism, Phiyega says society should not make it

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impossible for police to do their work. She called on the public to partner with the police in the fight against crime. Deputy Minister of Police, Makhotso Sotyu, says they have forged strong community policing forums. However, she urges communities to be more forthcoming with information. Nkosinathi Nhleko, Minister of Police, reiterates this, saying the issue of community partnerships is key in fighting crime. Nhleko has indicated that the recommendations contained in the NDP need to be implemented. These include the need for the police to be professionalised and supported by a multi-sectorial and multi-disciplinary National Policing Board to guide a process of transformation. It also requires senior police managers to be assessed against clear standards to determine whether they have the expertise, skills and integrity required for the posts they hold. This has been welcomed by crime and safety analysts. The SAIRR report found that lower levels of confidence in the police service had resulted in middle-class communities turning to the private sector for security, while poorer communities resorted to vigilante justice. The SAIRR says there had been “no significant decline” in police criminality since its previous report, released in 2011. Police had been using their

service weapons to commit crimes and the incidences were not isolated, but appeared to form patterns. The SAIRR says the SAPS needs strengthening and that police appointments need to be “made on merit and not in terms of race or political loyalty”. Evidence in the report showed that one out of every 100 police members has a criminal record. “That’s over 1 400 serving police officers,” says Frans Cronje, the institute’s chief executive. Dr Johan Burger of ISS says armed robberies are on the increase and showed no sign of abating. He laments the troubled Crime Intelligence Unit’s inability to cope with the spike in these crimes. Burger says the increase could be a result of the black market changing, with criminals turning their focus from jewellery shops to electronic shops. “The market could be in Africa or outside of Africa, and this could be the reason why there is a change in trends in this regard and why electronics are being targeted.” He says one of the measures that can be taken by stores is to limit the amount of stock they hold. Speaking about the spike in recent mall attacks, Business against Crime South Africa’s chief executive Simi Pillay-van Graan says they intend introducing a number plate recognition system that will alert police to a stolen vehicle as it enters a business premises.

SILVER SPONSORS:

Keeping shop-sa members abreast of criminal and fraudulent activity in the stationery and office products industry To sponsor the Crime Alert page contact 011 781 0370 REPORT CRIME AT wendy@shop-sa.co.za Renew your Crime Alert sponsorship today! Call Wendy Dancer on 011 781 0370 to book your logo placement on the Crime Alert page as an industry leader in transparency, information sharing and anti-crime business ethics. www.shop-sa.co.za

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business incubators

Cash injection Businesses can now access an alternative source of funding in South Africa

usinesses of all sizes invariably come up against the age-old problem of not having cash on hand to fund orders. The consequences of this can be devastating. We think that sales cure everything, and a healthy order book is the main ingredient of a successful business. Not necessarily. Unless you have access to financing so you can deliver on those sales and orders, you may as well not have generated them in the first place. Best practice says plan ahead so you can act quickly to meet new demands.

Let’s paint a picture so we can best understand this dilemma that your business could be faced with. For example, your business has been happily ticking over and making a decent profit. You have a handful of faithful clients that are not slowpoke payers and mostly settle your invoices in 30 days. Your sales person runs into your office waving a firm order from that large retail chain to supply all stores nationally with your product. Finally you’ve landed that whale of a client. Is it time to pop that champagne cork? Perhaps not. You now have to buy in all the materials and grow staff to manufacture that large order. Although you might have funds to cover the aforesaid production, you will have to wait anywhere from 45 to 90 days to get paid by your client once the order is delivered. If you do need funding the obvious choice would be to approach your bank; however, the reality is that many businesses are either too new, too small or too inexperienced to gain conventional funding from the big banks in South Africa. There are myriad other reasons why banks would not be able to offer you financing, from mismatched credit and risk profiles to low levels of equity. Now the large order is worth nothing and you don’t have access to capital to weather the storm. The obvious choice would be to approach one of the invoice discounting houses. Although banks and specialist factoring

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houses offer these funding services, in the main they require that you give them your entire debtors book and sign your company into year-long contracts. All is not lost as a new global player, the Interface Financial Group, entered the South African market in 2013 and say they are now able to offer a flexible lifeline to SMEs. Their unique invoice discounting service overcomes these issues, offering businesses quick access to capital, without the need for monthly repayments, giving up part of their company or handing over yhe entire debtors book. In its simplest sense, invoice discounting is where you sell your unpaid invoice or invoices, depending on the amount of capital you need to raise, to a company at a discounted rate. Unlike factoring, you can often sell or discount a single invoice as opposed to your entire ledger with an ongoing factoring arrangement. Wimpie Sevenster, Interface Financial group master licensee in South Africa, says, “In the past couple of years we’ve seen a significant rise in the number of small businesses - from construction companies and manufacturers to recruitment companies and IT solutions providers - availing of our services and I expect to see it continue to increase in the years to come. The reason for this is simple: these businesses have reliable customers, who pay on time but for any number of reasons they are considered too high a risk by the banks perhaps because they haven’t been trading long enough or they are engaged in an industry that the bank does not finance.”

Invoice financing: • Saves time – no lengthy credit control processes; • Offers flexibility – better access to finance, allowing for prompt payment discounts from suppliers for greater savings; • Improves service – customer relationships stay secure; • Improves confidentiality – customers don’t have to know about the invoice finance providers’ involvement; and • Boosts growth – as your sales turnover grows, so does your funding line.

Vol 99 - March 2015

arts & craft

The art of decoupage Use decoupage to make a beautiful and decorative centrepiece this Easter

hether real colourdyed eggs in the Greek tradition or Faberge-style eggs fit for a Russian czar, the symbol of Easter is undoubtedly the egg. It represents new life, fertility and rebirth, and is the focal point of crafts and DIY projects for both children and adultsduring this period.

Making a beautiful table centrepiece, decoupage eggs can be customised to your Easter celebration dĂŠcor. Choose between blowing your own eggs or starting off with wooden or polystyrene eggs. Cover the eggs with glue, dip www.shop-sa.co.za

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arts & craft paper cut-outs or gold leaf shapes in water and position them as desired. With glue on your fingers, press the shapes flat. When it’s dry use an artist’s brush to apply two coats of acrylic (water-based) polyurethane. Paint them one side at a time and use a spoon to rest the eggs in as the top half is drying. Add decorative designs with a gold or silver pen markers. Instead of gifting sugary treats and chocolate eggs, inspire the younger artists in the family with a gift of an Easter craft kit. It will inspire their creative imagination and introduce them to crafting concepts. Decoupage is wonderful way for children to create a useful, memory-filled item for around the home. Once all the basic glues, brushes, varnish and paints are in the craft box and the process is understood, children are limited only by their imaginations.

Bring your ideas to life ScanNCut from Brother International is the world’s first home and hobby cutting machine with a built-in scanner. It gives you the ability to scan almost anything and place it into the machine to cut out. Developed with the advanced, cuttingedge technology, ScanNCut changes the way cutting machines are viewed: no more design cartridges; no PC required; and it offers up to 840 built-in designs. The 300dpi built-in scanner can create outline cutting designs from a hand-drawn sketch or original art. It will allow you to precisely cut the shapes or outlines you want in a range of materials, including fabric. Sewing, quilting and appliqué projects are

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aided by the erasable draw function. This allows you to draw your seam allowance and provides precise sewing guidelines. Create custom quilt blocks and cut out several fabric pieces at once. You can easily create patterns and cut materials to use in any crafting or DIY project. Personalise your scrapbooking and paper crafts with custom elements. The ScanNCut is ideal for decoupage, where cut-out items need to be numerous and identical. Vol 99 - March 2015

industry events

Diarise this A list of industry-specific events and exhibitions to mark on your calendar

05 - 08 March

10 - 11 March

HOBBY-X JOHANNESBURG, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA Hobby X Johannesburg, one of the largest and most visited trade shows in South Africa, deals with everything hobby- and craft-related. Taking place at The Dome, Hobby X Johannesburg has some of the most trusted and renowned names exhibiting, showcasing their latest products and services to a wide range of industry professionals such as retailers, interior decorators, artist, craftsmen and handicrafts producers. Visit www.hobby-x.co.za or e-mail info@expotrends.co.za for more information.

THE MOBILE SHOW AFRICA, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA The Mobile Show Africa is a technology showcase exhibition that will be held at Sandton Convention Centre. The main focus of this event is to make mobile a dominant and leading platform for the distribution of information. The Mobile Show Africa will also focus on how technology can revolutionise the healthcare sector.

RETAIL WORLD AFRICA JOHANNESBURG, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA Retail World Africa will take place at Sandton Convention. It aims to provide a platform where innovative revenue streams can be explored and evaluation of key technologies done. The central focus of this event is implementation of successful retail systems for supermarkets, health and beauty stores, general merchandise, leading retail brands, franchises and department stores.

18 - 19 March COMMERCIAL AND DIGITAL PRINT EXHIBITION, DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA The Commercial and Digital Print Exhibition will take place at the International Convention Centre in Durban, South Africa. This event showcases products like commercial and digital printers, finishing equipment, software, media and consumables in the printing and publishing, paper, and paper products industries.

www.shop-sa.co.za

12 - 15 March SARCDA TRADE EXHIBITION, MIDRAND, SOUTH AFRICA This international trade show for the gifts and handicrafts industry promises to attract more than 600 exhibitors and more than 20 000 visitors from all over the world. The Sarcda Trade Exhibition will provide an ideal platform to the exhibitors to showcase important products like gift presentation, gifts, health and beauty, homeware and decor ware, art and craft, jewellery and accessories.

19 - 22 March DECOREX DURBAN, DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA KZNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finest decor, design and lifestyle expo will provide plenty of design and decor ideas and inspiration by showcasing the latest decor trends. Demos and how-tos promise to inspire a whole new approach to home living.

03 - 12 April THE RAND SHOW, JOHANNESBURG EXPO CENTRE, NASREC South Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest annual consumer show attracts close to a quarter of a million visitors each year. For businesses, the show provides a wonderful opportunity to sell your products, promote your brands, build a customer database and connect with consumers. Contact Lucille Jacobs on (011) 494 3280.

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industry news

Report: e-commerce in South Africa

Ricoh recognised in RobecoSAM Sustainability Award 2015

Effective Measures has released a report on e-commerce in South Africa. They surveyed over 10 000 Internet users with desktop access in South Africa in order to ascertain their online shopping habits. Some of the key insights they uncovered include: • 73,76% of online shoppers will use the Internet to make payments, transfer money and pay utility bills, with 49% doing so at least once a week. • 38,51% of shoppers use their mobile phone for online banking and 23,17% use their mobile phone for online purchases. • Books, airline tickets, hotel reservations, event/concerts/ sports tickets, music and computer software are the most purchased items online. • The main reasons users do not purchase more online are a distrust of online payments systems and a desire to see and feel products before purchasing. The report showed that the majority of online purchases in South Africa were from South African e-commerce sites, with Kalahari, Amazon, Groupon, Bidorbuy and Woolworths being the top five sites shoppers have actually purchased products from.

Ricoh was awarded Silver Class for RobecoSAM’s Sustainability Award 2015. RobecoSAM annually assesses the sustainability of approximately 3 000 major companies worldwide for economy, environment and society, and announces the companies that it is including in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices. RobecoSAM recognises those selected for outstanding efforts in sustainability by granting Gold, Silver and Bronze Class awards in each industry group. The ratings announced in January 2015 consisted of 69 Gold Class companies, 54 Silver Class companies and 112 Bronze Class companies. The computers and peripherals and office electronics industry category, which includes Ricoh, had two companies selected as Gold Class and three selected as Silver Class. Ricoh received the industry’s highest assessment in the innovation management category of the Economic Dimension, which includes R&D, and in the talent attraction and retention category of the Social Dimension, which represents an improved ranking from Bronze Class last year to Silver Class this year.

Canon wins five Winter Pick Awards Canon Europe has received five 2015 Winter Pick of the Year awards, including an Outstanding Achievement in Energy Efficiency and an award for Outstanding Document Imaging Solution Suite from testing and research organisation Buyers Laboratory (BLI). Recognising Canon’s commitment to delivering the very best hardware and software solutions for both consumers and business users, BLI has presented the company with the following awards: • BLI Winter Pick of the Year for Outstanding 51- to 60-ppm A3 Monochrome MFP: Canon imageRUNNER ADVANCE 6255i;

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•

BLI Pick of the Year for Outstanding Entry-Level 21- to 30-ppm A3 Monochrome MFP: Canon imageRUNNER 2202N;

•

BLI Winter Pick of the Year for Outstanding Achievement in Energy Efficiency: Canon i-SENSYS MF6180dw;

•

BLI Winter Pick of the Year for Outstanding A4 Monochrome: Canon i-SENSYS MF229dw; and

•

BLI Winter Pick of the Year for Outstanding Document Imaging Solution Suite: Canon uniFLOW V5.3. Paul Rowntree, European and UK product marketing director at Canon Europe, comments: “We’re delighted that BLI’s rigorous testing methods have once again highlighted the strength and breadth of our office portfolio – particularly in areas such as energy efficiency, where we continue to place our focus as we enhance and expand our range to meet the needs of our ever-growing customer base.”

Vol 99 - March 2015

industry news

VOW reveals 6% sales growth Talking at VOW’s recent Green Light reseller event, MD Adrian Butler said VOW partner sales grew by 15%, pushing its parent group Vasanta to an overall sales growth of 7%. He adds that VOW resellers represented 71% of Vasanta’s 2014 sales. In terms of year-on-year category sales growth, furniture increased by 15,9% and facilities supplies by 11,9%. VOW’s price and contract tender service PACT grew by 9,8%. Butler notes that despite the encouraging growth, the year was not without its challenges. An unsettled market with a spiky and seasonal product demand affected fill rates, while the introduction of new technology slightly affected its high order success rates. Source: OPI

Sappi posts positive first quarter results Sappi has reported a first quarter (Q1) rise in operating profit despite a dip in sales for the period. The company posted operating profit excluding special items of $74-million compared to $60-million a year earlier. Sales dipped to $1,37-billion from $1,49-billion in the year-ago quarter. Sappi says that the weaker euro negatively affected US dollar-denominated variable costs, particularly for paper pulp, while paper exports benefited from the weaker euro, helping to offset the effect of increased pulp costs. Its South African paper business continued to “show steady improvement” while its transition from graphic paper grades to packaging paper saw improved pricing. Sales volumes were flat year-on-year. Sappi CEO Steve Binnie says: “Our outlook for the year, based on current market conditions, is for the operating performance to be broadly similar to 2014. The expected improvement in the paper businesses will be offset by the lower US dollar dissolving wood pulp pricing and the projects at Gratkorn and Somerset Mills. In addition, at current exchange rates the translation of euro and rand results to dollars may be negatively impacted compared to the prior year.” Source: OPI

Staples invokes Obama’s wrath Staples is dominating the headlines again with the news that the company has strictly enforced a 25-hour work week. The Affordable Care Act stipulates that workers clocking 30 hours or more a week are to be provided with healthcare insurance. President Obama was quoted as saying: “I haven’t looked at Staples’ stock lately or what the compensation of the CEO is, but I suspect that they could well afford to treat their workers favourably and give them some basic financial security.” Staples responded by saying the 25-hour week policy had been in place for more than decade. Source: Buzzfeed

www.shop-sa.co.za

Stora Enso in child labour row Stora Enso has been blacklisted by a Swedish state-owned equity fund for the use of child labour in its supply chain. The move follows reports that the manufacturer has failed to stop the employment of children in a subsidiary in Pakistan. Source: OPI

Paper sales down for Mondi Mondi has reported its full year results, including a 10% rise in underlying operating profit. Group sales were largely flat at €6,4-billion ($7,25-billion) while underlying operating profit rose to €767-million, compared to €699-million in 2013. Full-year sales in its uncoated fine paper segment fell 7% to €1,24-billion, while underlying operating profit fell 10% to €148-million. Results in this division were impacted by lower average selling prices in Europe and a significantly weaker Russian rouble, the company says. Mondi Group CEO David Hathorn adds: “Economic growth is expected to remain below historical averages in the regions in which we operate. We expect this slow economic growth to continue to impact on demand for our products in the short term, although underlying industry fundamentals remain generally sound, with supply/demand balance supported by supply-side constraint.” Source: OPI

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eco news

Greening the world one day at a time 2015: The year of sustainable corporate social investment

s consumers become more purchase conscious by choosing brands “with a conscience”, more and more organisations are opting to invest in sustainable corporate social investment (CSI) initiatives as opposed to merely writing cheques.

Sustainable CSI is on the rise and set to become an even bigger buzzword in 2015, according to www.collectacan. co.za. Companies are now responding to consumer demand for brands with a soul – brands and companies that think and act beyond their profit margins and truly invest in the communities in which they operate (and who have more than likely supported them in the past). Can recovery and recycling organisation, Collect-a-Can, is well known as a sustainable environmental initiative that is making a significant impact on people’s lives by uplifting society and educating schools about the importance of a clean and green environment. The preferred beverage can manufacturer, Nampak Bevcan, and aluminium supplier, Hulamin, are both partners of Collect-a-Can as they align themselves

with the work of this green initiative. With the increased focus on sustainable CSI activities in South Africa, organisations are increasingly aligning their CSI initiatives to their business objectives. Organisations often have their own unique focus areas when selecting projects to support – for instance a focus on the environment or on education. However, the shared criteria for all organisations when selecting a CSI initiative is - or should be - whether or not it will make a sustainable difference to the lives of the community members in which it operates. Collect-a-Can actively works with numerous communities nationally, encouraging the public from all walks of life to assist them in their cancollecting efforts, while also providing opportunities that drive socio-economic empowerment. “As an example of the impact the initiative makes, Thys Wanyane - once an informal can collector and now owner of Wanyane Trading Enterprise in Klerksdorp - was inspired by the Collect-a-Can School Competition to collect cans as a means of generating an income. With the assistance of Collect-a-Can, Wanyane is currently a successful business owner who provides employment for a further 12 people,” says Zimasa Velaphi, public

relations and marketing manager for Collect-a-Can. Collect-a-Can has been at the forefront of minimising the negative impact of used beverage cans on the environment for 22 years and contributed to southern Africa’s can recovery rate increase from 18% in 1993 to a current all-time high of 72%. In 2014 alone, South Africa’s environmentally conscious schools collected over 8,4 million cans, as part of the annual Collect-a-Can National Schools Competition. Collect-a-Can has impacted more than 250 000 learners with their National School Competition, where learners are encouraged to collect cans for recycling to create an extra income and/or to stand a chance to win big prizes for their school. “Collect-a-Can only engages in sustainable endeavours that contribute to conserving the environment, while benefiting other national priorities, such as improving education, encouraging entrepreneurship through the ‘Cans for Cash’ initiative and promoting arts and culture,” says Velaphi. If you would like to be part of Collect-aCan’s success and get involved, sponsor or partner with Collect-a-Can, please visit their Webspace www.collectacan.co.za or contact the head office on (011) 466 2939. Collecta-Can is also on Facebook and Twitter.

eco news

Waste tyres used to curb cable theft Cable theft is estimated to cost the economy more than R7-billion a year; however, industrious South Africans are finding new ways to curb this increasing problem. According to Stacey Davidson, director at the Recycling and Economic Development Initiative of South Africa (REDISA), since the REDISA Plan was implemented a little over a year ago, it has been amazing to see how inventive entrepreneurial South Africans are.

Piet Lombard is one such entrepreneur. In 2010 he opened Scarab Cable Protection, a company in Heidelberg that creates products which deter would-be cable thieves. This includes clam cable protection which acts as an anti-digging device, while wave cable protection is used at high risk tunnels, bridges and railways. “REDISA is not a recycler, but supports companies, both large and small, who recycle waste tyres

into saleable products. Our support for recyclers ranges from business plan development to assisting with Environmental Impact Assessments, and also includes free delivery of waste tyre feedstock to the recyclers. In addition, over the last year and a half the recycler has been receiving an infrastructure development grant of 31c a kilogram, which has helped the company to develop their infrastructure and buy their equipment. By doing so, the recycling company is able to focus on its core business – namely developing its market and making product. “We applaud the work that Scarab Cable Protection has done to date, and the company is certainly proof that there is opportunity to be found in products otherwise disregarded as waste,” says Davidson. As part of the plan, REDISA works with transporters, depots and recyclers. Waste tyres collected by REDISA registered transporters are first sent to depots then to recyclers across the country and turned into various products, including rubber crumb, carbon black and cable protection products. Scarab Cable Protection is one of the 12 recyclers which have benefitted from the 40 541 tonnes of waste tyres collected by REDISA.

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product showcase

REXEL GIANT STAPLER To celebrate our 75th anniversary, Rexel is refreshing the iconic heavy duty stapler. New design - same strength to make light work of heavy-duty stapling. Paper alignment guide for accurate stapling. Comfort grip handle. Low force stapler requires minimum effort. Sturdy metal base. Anti-Jam Mechanism. Compatible with the same staples as the previous model, No. 66/8/11 and 14. Staples up to 100 sheets.

Tel: (011) 226 3300 Fax: (011) 837 9489 Web: www.rexelsa.co.za

REXEL GEMINI STAPLER The Gemini Half strip has been part of the Rexel range for many years. The time has come for a new and sleek look. These plastic clad staplers can staple up to 20 sheets with Rexel No. 56 and Rexel No. 16 staples. Now includes metal plate staple pusher feature.

Tel: (011) 226 3300 Fax: (011) 837 9489 Web: www.rexelsa.co.za

REXEL SIRIUS STAPLER The Sirius full strip plastic clad stapler can staple up to 20 sheets with Rexel No. 56 and Rexel No. 16 staples. Now includes metal place staple pusher feature.

Tel: (011) 226 3300 Fax: (011) 837 9489 Web: www.rexelsa.co.za

ANTI-GLARE & PRIVACY FILTERS Whether you are battling with glossy LCD screen glare of worrying about prying eyes staring at your confidential financial data, 3M screen filters have the solution for you. Both the Anti-Glare and Privacy filters come in a variety of screen sizes for any type of notebook or desktop display. the filters are very eassy to apply with bubble free application, can be reapplied multiple times and it doubles as a screen protector, protecting your display from dirt and scratches. the filter adhesive is optically clear, which means it will not affect your display clarity, and it comes with a convenient storage folder. To clean the product, simply use the enclosed cloth with water.

Tel: (011) 467 0227 E-mail: helpdesk@techexpress.co.za Web: www.techexpress.co.za

w w w . s h o p - s a . c o . z a

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SOURCE PRODUCTS HERE A ADDING MACHINE, POINT OF SALE AND MACHINE ROLLS PaperGeni Rotun ADHESIVES, GLUES AND SPRAYS BIC South Africa (Pty) Ltd - Correction Fluid, Glue sticks & Super Glue Palm Stationery Manufacturers - New Wave Freedom Stationery - Marlin ART, CRAFT, GRAPHIC AND DRAWING MATERIALS CTP Stationery - A4 coloured poster boards Freedom Stationery - Marlin Max Frank - Uni, Artline Pentel S.A (Pty) Ltd. - Oil pastels and watercolour paint

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BAGS AND CASES D.O.S - iStay Flip File - Business cases. Freedom Stationery - Space Case and Marlin Global Bag And Sportswear Manufactures Custom schoolbags ,tracksuits Kolok - Kenton Topmark - School Bags, Laptop Bags, Pencil Cases, Sports Bags, Luggage BATTERIES Nikki Distributors - Duracell Batteries Nikki Distributors - Energizer Batteries BIN RANGE Krost Office Products BINDING ACCESSORIES AZ Trading - Plastic Comb, Wire, Thermal & Covers CTP Donau - Donau files and slide binders, A4 poster board Parrot Products - Parrot Comb Binding Machines Press Products - wire, combs, coil, covers Rexel Office Products - Rexel and GBC

BINDING MACHINES AZ Trading - DSB, Neorel D.O.S - Prima, DSB Parrot Products - Parrot Comb Binding Machines Press Products - Bindquip Rexel Office Products - GBC and Rexel ranges

BOARDS BIC South Africa (Pty) Ltd - BIC Velleda School Whiteboards CTP Stationery - Flip Chart Pads Hortors Stationery - Legal Notices i.e. Basic Conditions & OSH Act and Leave and Absence Chart Freedom Stationery - Marlin Max Frank - Artline Flipchart Markers, Artline, Maxi whiteboard markers Palm Stationery Manufacturers - New Wave Parrot Products - Full range of boards and accessories. Custom boards printed to your specification Rexel Office Products - NOBO whiteboards, pinboards, easels and accessories. Quartet magnetic white/cork boards BOOK COVERS CTP Stationery - Poly Prop Donau heavy duty covers Empire Toy & Stationery - Butterfly paper Freedom Stationery Gordon’s Productions - contact paper woodgrain, marble, pattern designs. Magic cover back to school clear and coloured self adhesive paper. (4M rolls, A4 and lever arch). Plastic coated brownkraft rolls and pre-cut polythene covers. Grafton Paper Products Palm Stationery Manufacturers - brown paper rolls, poly rolls, gift-wrap RBE - Papersmart BOOKS AND PADS BSC Stationery - Treeline CTP Stationery - Impala and premier books and pads Freedom Stationery - Manufacturers Hortors Stationery - Legal registers Impala Vuwa Stationery Manufacturers

Palm Stationery Manufacturers Power Stationery - Powerstar RBE - NCR Business Books Rexel Office Products - Colourhide notebooks BOXES AND CARTONS CTP Stationery - Archiving Systems Rexel Office Products Specialised Filing Systems - Archive and Off-Site Tidy Files - Acid free archiving products

C CALCULATORS Kolok - HP Nikki Distributors - Truly calculators Palm Stationery Manufacturers - New Wave Power Stationery - Powerstar Rexel Office Products - IBICO CALENDARS CTP Stationery - Diaries assorted sizes CALLIGRAPHY Max Frank - Artline CANTEEN Kolok - Tea, Coffee, milk etc, Sunbeam (appliances), Cleansui (water filters and refills) CARBON PAPER AND FILMS RBE - NCR Business Books CD’S, DVD’S AND DISKETTES Kolok - Verbatim, Kenton CLIP BOARDS CTP Stationery - DONAU brand Parrot Products - Masonite and whiteboard CLIPS, FASTENERS AND PINS Freedom Stationery - Marlin Grip Binders - Essentials, Stephens, Penguin Tidy Files - Filing solution

Effortless binding with perfect results CombBind 100

CombBind 110

CombBind C200

CombBind C210

buyers’ guide COLOURING BOOKS Empire Toy & Stationery - Empire books Freedom Stationery - Marlin Palm Stationery Manufacturers - New Wave COMPUTER ACCESSORIES Kolok - Verbatim, Kenton Krost Office Products Pyrotec - Tower Inkjet-laser labels, business cards and photo paper COMPUTER CLEANING Kolok - ComputerCare Pyrotec - Tower computer cleaning range

See page 46 for contact details Rexel Office Products - NOBO planners, refills and T-card kits, Quartet Monthly/ Weekly planner South African Diaries - For all your diary

FAX ROLL MANUFACTURERS Rotunda

needs DICTATION - TRANSCRIPTION Olympus Audio S.A - Digital Voice Recorders, Transcription Kits and Accessories. Powerhouse Dictation for Philips - Dictation, transcription, meeting recording, mini-tapes, foot pedals, accessories DRAUGHTING AND DRAWING OFFICE SUPPLIES

COMPUTER CONSUMABLES CTP Stationery - Full range of DONAU files KMP - for computer consumables Kolok Unlimited - Penguin (Ribbons, Toners, Inkjets,) ,Till and fax rolls Redfern Print Services - Redfern inkjet/laser/ copier labels and a full range of stationery labels

CTP Stationery - A4 Poster Boards

E EMBOSSERS AND ENGRAVING

COMPUTER HARDWARE Kolok Unlimited - Blazer UPS systems, Geha (Interactive white boards) CORPORATE STATIONERY & GIFTING Star Stationers and Printers CRAYONS AND CHALKS Freedom Stationery - Marlin Palm Stationery Manufacturers - Chalks and Crayons Power Stationery - Powerstar

Rubber Stamp & Engraving Co - Ideal & Trodat Embossers (pocket, desk and electronic), Trotec ENVELOPES AND MAILING BSC Stationery - Leo Envelopes CTP Stationery - Commercial envelopes Global Envelopes - CelloWrapped, peel+seal and FullGum Grafton/Star KZN Envelopes - Manufactures of Printed and Plain Envelopes Merpak Envelopes - Complete range of quality envelopes

Narayan Wholesaler - Wholesaler of Quality Envelopes, Peel and Seal RBE - Papersmart ERASERS & ERASING / CORRECTION FLUIDS BIC South Africa (Pty) Ltd - Tippex tape, bottle and Pen Freedom Stationery - Marlin Max Frank - Uni Palm Stationery Manufacturers - Tape/Erasers

DIARIES, PLANNERS AND ORGANISERS CTP Stationery - CTP Brand Hortors Stationery - Legal diaries

CombBind C250 Pro

WireBind W20

Pentel S.A (PTY) LTD - Hi-Polymer and Ain eraser, correction tape and pens Power Stationery - Powerstar

MultiBind 230 Comb & Wire

FILES AND FILING African Filing Systems - Top retrieval filing and arching products BSC Stationery - Treeline, Mobifile CTP Stationery - Full range of quality DONAU brand Flip File - Executive display files, expanding files, Document folders, dividers Freedom Stationery - Edo / Unifile Palm Stationery Manufacturers - Lever arch, Ringbinder files, Manilla flat folders Grafton/Star Kolok - Geha (Binding machines) Palm Stationery Manufacturers - leaver arch, ring binder files, manilla flat folders. Pentel S.A (Pty) Ltd. - Display book Vivid, document file, clip file and presentation file Rexel Office Products - Prima and Rexel ranges Specialised Filing Systems - Top Retrieval, Archive and Off-Site Tidy Files - Filing solutions

FILES MECHANISMS Press Products - Lever arch, Ring binders FOLDERS CTP Stationery - DONAU Brand Freedom Stationery - Marlin Palm Stationery Manufacturers - View files, polypropylene & board folders Tidy Files - Specialised FORMS - LEGAL AND MISCELLANEOUS Hortors Stationery - complete range of custom, company, miscellaneous, magisterial, etc.

PaperGeni

DESK SETS AND ACCESSORIES BIC South Africa (Pty) Ltd - Desk Set Solo Delux Freedom Stationery - Marlin Krost Office Products Rexel Office Products - Rexel Eco Range

FURNITURE - OFFICE & SCHOLASTIC Krost Office Products - accessories New Era Office cc - Specialising in all office furniture desks, chairs, credenzas, boardroom tables, etc Reboni Furniture Group - Manufacturing and distribution of educational and office furniture Specialised Filing Systems - Cabinets, Shelving and Hi-Density

www.rexelsa.co.za ThermaBind T400

SOURCE PRODUCTS HERE G

GUILLOTINES AND TRIMMERS AZ Trading - DSB, Kobra Beswick Office Products - Fellowes, Vivid Maynards Office Technology - IDEAL Shredders & Guillotines – SA Distributors Press Products - BindQuip Rexel Office Products - SmartCut and ClassicCut

LABELS Freedom Stationery - Marlin Nor Paper Pyrotec - Tower stationery, inkjet-laser labels Redfern Print Services - Redfern Inkjet/laser/ copier labels and a full range of stationery labels Specialised Filing Systems - Filing Tidy Files - Filing solutions LABELLING MACHINES Kemtek Imaging Systems - Distributor of Brother P-Touch Labelling System

I 42

INDEX TABBING AND DIVIDERS CTP Stationery - DONAU Brand board and P.P Flip File - Index Tabs, Flip tabs Freedom Stationery - Marlin Grip Binders Palm Stationery Manufacturers Rexel Office Products - Rexel, Mylar and Prima board INKS KMP - for computer consumables. Max Frank - Shachihata, Artline Rexel Office Products - Numbering machine ink Rubber Stamp & Engraving Co - Trodat, Noris fastdry, security, numbering, franking. Laundry.

LAMINATING MACHINES AZ Trading - DSB, Speedlam, Lamiace Kolok - GEHA and Galaxy Parrot Products - Parrot A4 and A3 Laminators Press Products - GMP Rexel Office Products - GBC and Rexel ranges LAMINATING POUCHES AND MATERIALS AZ Trading - A0 to ID card size Kolok - GEHA, Penguin laminating pouches and rolls Parrot Products Press Products - GMP Rexel Office Products - GBC

JANITORIAL Kolok - Goldenmarc (Cleaning products), Brooms, Mops and equipment.

MATHEMATICAL GEOMETRY SETS & ACCESSORIES Freedom Stationery - Marlin Palm Stationery Manufacturers Power Stationery - Powerstar MINUTE AND GUARD BOOKS Hortors Stationery - Company registers, minute books and other legal registers

N NUMBERING MACHINES Rexel Office Products Rubber Stamp & Engraving Co - Reiner Dater/Numberer (manual/electronic), Trodat

LEGAL STATIONERY Hortors Stationery - All legal registers, forms, diaries etc LETTER TRAYS Krost Office Products

MARKERS BIC South Africa (Pty) Ltd - Permanent Markers, Highlighters, whiteboard Freedom Stationery - Marlin Interstat Agencies - Edding Max Frank - Artline , Maxi, Uni Parrot Products - White board, permanent and OHP markers. Wide range of highlighters Penflex - White board, flipchart, permanent markers, highlighters Pentel (Pty) Ltd. - Maxiflo, white board marker and paint marker Power Stationery - Powerstar

M MAILING TUBES CTP Stationery

O OFFICE ERGONOMICS Rexel Office Products - Kensington copyholders, risers, footrests, Rexel range of electric staplers and punches which reduces chances of RSI (repetitive strain injury) OFFICE FURNITURE IXAXA Office Furniture - Office furniture (Desks and Chairs) from reception to CEO’S office

Simply faster to the finish... TM

Introducing the new line of Fusion Laminators

Fusion 1000L

Fusion 1100L

Fusion 3000L

buyers’ guide

See page 46 for contact details

OVERHEAD PROJECTION AND ACCESSORIES Kolok - Penguin Transparencies Max Frank - Artline Parrot Products - Data Projectors, OHPs, screens and rear projection film Penflex - Penflex Overhead projector pens Rexel Office Products - NOBO

Rexel Office Products - Rexel HB & Derwent Staedtler SA (Pty) Ltd - Tradition, Wopex, Technical, Clutch Pencils and lead PENCIL LEADS BIC South Africa (Pty) Ltd - Criterium 0.5mm leads Freedom Stationery - Marlin Max Frank - Uni Pentel S.A (Pty) Ltd - Ain lead, standard lead - various grades

P PACKAGING Merpak Envelopes - Postsafe packaging range PAPER AND BOARD Antalis South Africa - Office paper and packaging solutions CTP Stationery - DONAU A4 poster boards Empire Toy & Stationery - Butterfly paper Freedom Stationery Grafton/Star Kolok Unlimited - Geha (paper media), EPSON, HP, CANON, Nor Paper Palm Stationery Manufacturers - Cubes and board Paper World Handmade Paper, Embossed Paper, Specialty Papers, Scented Paper Board, Paper Products Peters Papers - Rotatrim, Typek and Smart Copy Power Stationery - Powerstar RBE - Papersmart Rexel Office Products - Prima Paper & Board TRIBE - TRIBE Inkjet Paper and Film PAPER FOLDING MACHINES Maynards Office Technology - IDEAL Shredders & Guillotines – SA Distributors PENCILS BIC South Africa (Pty) Ltd - BIC Evolution Graphite, BIC Matic Clutch ,Velocity Clutch, Atlantis Clutch, BU4 Clutch Freedom Stationery - Marlin / Edo Max Frank - Uni Palm Stationery Manufacturers Pentel S.A (Pty) Ltd - Hotshot, Mechanical Pencil, Techniclick Pencil. Power Stationery - Powerstar

PENCIL SHARPENERS Freedom Stationery Palm Stationery Manufacturers Power Stationery - Powerstar PENS BIC South Africa (Pty) Ltd - Clic, Crystal, Orange and Prismo Freedom Stationery - Marlin and Edo Max Frank - Artline, Maxi, Uni Palm Stationery Manufacturers Penflex - Penflex ballpoints and rollerballs Pentel S.A (Pty) Ltd - Superb Ballpoint, Energel Pen Power Stationery - Powerstar Staedtler SA (Pty) Ltd - Ball point, Fineliner, Gel and Pigment liner pens PEN CARBON BOOKS Freedom Stationery - Marlin Power Stationery - Powerstar RBE - NCR Business Books PERSONAL STATIONERY CTP Stationery - Home office and personal filing system, diaries Grafton/Star PLANNING BOARDS AND ACCESSORIES Parrot Products - Range of year planners, term planners, maps and in/out boards. custom printed boards designed to specification. Rexel Office Products - NOBO planners

PRINTING Olivetti Imports - Distributors of Multifunctional Printers / Copiers Star Stationers and Printers Kolok - Epson, Lexmark (Hardware), Hp Printers, Oki (Hardware) PRINTER CONSUMABLES Impression Management - Prinart, Logic, Q-Ink, Sanchi, Oliser and ATIKMP - For computer consumables. Ink Spot Suppliers - Suppliers of all brands of inkjet and LaserJet cartridges Kolok - EPSON (inkjet, large format etc), LEXMARK, HP, Brother (Toners and Inks), Oki (Toners, inks and Ribbons), Tally Genicom (Ribbons), Seikosha (Ribbons), Panasonic (Toners and Ribbons), Kyocera (Toners), Printronix (Ribbons), IBM (Ribbons), Ricoh (Toners), Fujitsu (Ribbons) Nor Paper PaperGeni Royce Imaging Industries - Remanufacturers and suppliers of inkjet and laser cartridges Technical Systems Engineering - Suppliers of quality compatible cartridges and bulk inks for Epson, Canon, Lexmark, HP and Samsung

PUNCHES AND PERFORATORS Freedom Stationery - Marlin Krost Office Products Parrot Products - Parrot range of punches Power Stationery - Powerstar Rexel Office Products - Rexel

R RUBBER STAMPS Max Frank - Schachihata X Stampers Rubber Stamp & Engraving Co. - Trodat RUBBER STAMP MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT Rubber Stamp & Engraving Co - AZ Liquid polymer, TROTEC laser engraver, flash system

POINT OF SALE PRINTER ROLLS PaperGeni Rotunda

www.rexelsa.co.za Fusion 3100L

Fusion 5000L

Fusion 5100L

SOURCE PRODUCTS HERE RULERS Freedom Stationery - Marlin Palm Stationery Manufacturers Power Stationery - Powerstar Penflex - PENFLEX rulers

Nikki Distributors - Nikki shredders Parrot Products - Parrot range of value shredders Rexel Office Products - Rexel range Maynards Office Technology - IDEAL Shredders & Guillotines – SA Distributors

SCHOLASTIC SUPPLIES BSC Stationery Sales - Treeline CTP Stationery Empire Toy & Stationery - Butterfly Flip File - Flip File display books A5, A4, A2, A3 Freedom Stationery - Marlin and Edo Gordon’s Productions - contact paper woodgrain, marble, pattern designs. Magic cover back to school clear and coloured self adhesive paper. (4M rolls, A4 and lever arch). Plastic coated brownkraft rolls and pre-cut polythene covers. Grafton Paper Products Impala Vuwa Stationery Manufacturers Max Frank - Artline, Maxi, Uni Palm Stationery Manufacturers Parrot Products - chalk boards/slates Power Stationery - Powerstar Pyrotec - Tower Adhesive Book Cover 45cm x 2m SCISSORS AND CUTTERS Freedom Stationery - Marlin Palm Stationery Manufacturers Power Stationery - Powerstar Rexel Office Products

SPIKE FILES Grip Binders

SHREDDERS AND ACCESSORIES AZ Trading - DSB, Kobra, Roto, Repairs to all makes D.O.S - Kobra Kolok - GEHA entry level and high-end shredders

STAMPS, STAMP PADS AND INKS Rubber Stamp & Engraving Co - Trodat, pre-inked stamps, stamp and fingerprint pads

STAPLING MACHINES AND STAPLES Freedom Stationery - Marlin Interstat Agencies - Genmes Krost Office Products Parrot Products - Parrot range of staplers Rexel Office Products - Rexel range

STENCILS Freedom Stationery

TABLET AND ACCESSORIES D.O.S - Clarys, iStay TAPES Freedom Stationery Palm Stationery Manufacturers

TELEX ROLLS AND TELETEX PAPER Rotunda THERMAL ROLLS Rotunda TONERS AND CARTRIDGES KMP - Computer consumables Kolok - PENGUIN (Inkjets and Laser toners), EPSON, LEXMARK, HP. PaperGeni TOP RETRIEVAL FILING Optiplan a div of Waltons - Paper based top retrieval filing systems Specialised Filing Systems - Total Solution and more Tidy Files - Complete onsite and offsite filing solutions TOYS, HOBBIES AND GAMES Freedom Stationery Pyrotec - Toby Tower Stickers and Activities TRANSFER LETTERING AND SIGNS Parrot Products - Vinyl lettering

STORAGE SYSTEMS CTP Stationery - Archiving Systems Suspension Files Kolok - VERBATIM (hard drives, USB sticks etc), HP Rexel Office Products - Storage boxes Specialised Filing Systems - Filing

STACK SHUT DONE

TELECOMMUNICATIONS Nikki Distributors - Siemens office phones

STATIONERY SUNDRIES - SCHOLASTIC CTP Stationery - DONAU Scissors and cutting knives Freedom Stationery - Marlin, Edo and Unifile Palm Stationery Manufacturers - New Wave Power Stationery - Powerstar

SCRAPBOOKING Rexel Office Products - Trimmers and guillotines Rubber Stamp & Engraving Co - Making memories, Clearsnap, Marvy, Ranger, Bazzill, Carl

The World Leader in Auto Feed Shredding

SLATES Freedom Stationery - Marlin Parrot Products - Whiteboard and chalk board

Tidy Files - Filing solutions

Auto+ 60X

TRANSPARENCIES Kolok - Penguin transparencies for inkjet and laser OEM, Penguin and HP Transparencies Rexel Office Products - NOBO range

Auto+ 80X

Auto+ 100X | 100M

buyers’ guide

See page 46 for contact details

DID YOU KNOW? • The Buyers’ Guide is an affordable way of highlighting your brands while also introducing up and coming new stockists to the trade. • The Buyers’ Guide is a valuable sourcing tool to market your business and the brands that you carry. • To book space, contact Wendy on wendy@shop-sa.co.za or (011) 781 0370.

www.rexelsa.co.za Auto+ 200X

Auto+ 300X | 300M

Auto+ 500X | 500M

Auto+ 750X | 750M

CONTACT DETAILS HERE African Filing Systems 011 896 5279

www.africanfiling.co.za

(

011 624 8000

Box 86173, City Deep, 2049

(

021 521 2400

Box 36964, Chempet, 7442

086 540 6892

info@africanfiling.co.za

0866 101 185

labelling@kemtek.co.za

021 521 2402/3

info@penflex.co.za

Antalis South Africa (Pty) Ltd

Kemtek Imaging Systems - Cape

Pentel S.A (Pty) Ltd

(

011 688 6000

Box 6893, Johannesburg, 2000

(

021 521 9600

Box 181, Cape Town, 8000

(

011 474 1427/8

Box 202, Crown Mines, 2025

011 688 6162

marketing.office@antalis.co.za

021 551 5032

brenth@kemtek.co.za

011 474 5563

www.pentel.co.za

Antalis South Africa (Pty) Ltd - Cape Town (

021 959 9600

021 959 9640

Box 19231, Tygerberg, 7505

Antalis South Africa (Pty) Ltd - Durban (

031 714 4000

031 700 9253

Box 284, Umhlanga, 4320

Antalis South Africa (Pty) Ltd - Pretoria (

012 379 0060

012 379 0052

Box 4013, Pretoria, 0001

Antalis South Africa (Pty) Ltd - Bloemfontein (

051 447 8681

051 447 6765

Box 1795, Bloemfontein, 9300

Antalis South Africa (Pty) Ltd - Port Elizabeth (

041 486 2020

041 486 2219

Box 9088, Estadeal, 6012

Antalis South Africa (Pty) Ltd - Pietermaritzburg (

033 386 2078

Box 1425, Pietermaritzburg, 3200

Antalis South Africa (Pty) Ltd - Botswana (

00267 391 2139

00267 397 5459

Box 1705, Gaborone

AZ Trading

Kemtek Imaging Systems - KZN

Peters Papers

(

031 700 9363

Box 15685, Westmead, 3608

(

011 677 9000

sadlerly@peterspapers.co.za

031 700 9369

Sandim@kemtek.co.za

011 622 6646

www.peterspapers.co.za

Kemtek Imaging Systems - PE

Powerhouse Dictation

(

041 582 5222

Box 15685, Westmead, 3608

(

011 887 1056

info@speech.co.za

041 582 5224

clinth@kemtek.co.za

086 555 3833

www.speech.co.za

Kemtek Imaging Systems - PTA

Power Stationery

(

012 804 1410

PO Box 816, Silverton, 0127

(

032 533 4003

Box 1305, Verulam, 4340

012 804 4286

johlettat@kemtek.co.za

032 533 3254

powersta@netactive.co.za

Press Products

KMP (

021 709 0190

Box 183, Steenberg, 7947

(

011 493 6332

marketing@pressproducts.co.za

021 709 0199

kmppty@iafrica.com

011 499 1019

www.pressproducts.co.za

Kolok Unlimited - Head Office

Pyrotec

(

011 248 0300

Box 4151, Johannesburg, 2000

(

021 787 9600

PvtBag X1, Capricorn Square, 7948

011 248 0381

infojhb@koloksa.co.za

021 787 9791

tower@pyrotec.co.za

Kolok Unlimited - Cape Town

RBE Stationery Manufacturers (Pty) Limited

(

021 597 2700

Box 6385, Roggebaai, 8012

(

011 793 7321

021 297 2799

infoctn@koloksa.co.za

011 793 7348

sales@rbe.co.za www.rbe.co.za

Reboni Furniture Group

Kolok Unlimited - Durban (

031 570 4900

Box 4206, Riverhorse Valley East, 4017

(

086 173 2664

www.reboni.co.za

031 569 6880

infodbn@koloksa.co.za

086 627 7737

sales@reboni.co.za

Redfern Print Services - Cape Town

Kolok Unlimited Polokwane

(

086 111 4407

www.aztradingcc.co.za

(

015 298 8795

Box 862, Ladanna, 0704

(

021 552 9680

Box 403, Milnerton, 7435

011 792 9732

sales@aztradingcc.co.za

015 298 8315

infopol@koloksa.co.za

021 552 9681

sales@redfern.co.za

BIC South Africa (Pty) Ltd

Kolok Unlimited - Port Elizabeth

Redfern Print Services - Durban

(

011 474 0181

PO BOX 43144, Industria, 2042

(

041 406 9900

Box 3163, North End, 6056

(

031 205 9598

dbnoffice@redfern.co.za

011 474 6068

16 Maraisburg Road, Industria, 2042

041 406 9920

infope@koloksa.co.za

031 205 7092

www.redfern.co.za

BSC Stationery Sales

Redfern Print Services - Johannesburg

Kolok Unlimited - Namibia

(

011 420 3250

Box 278, Brakpan, 1540

(

00264 (61)370500

Box 40797, Ausspannplatz, Namibia

(

011 837 4119

Box 1445, Crown Mines, 2025

011 420 3322

sales@treeline.co.za

00264 (61)370525

valne@kolok.com.na

011 837 8917

jhboffice@redfern.co.za

CTP Stationery

Kolok Unlimited - Nelspruit

Rexel Office Products

(

011 226 5600

Box 43501, Industria, 2042

(

013 758 2233

Box 4338, White River, 1240

(

011 226 3300

www.rexelsa.co.za

011 474 9242

sales@versafile.co.za

013 758 2235

infonel@koloksa.co.za

011 837 2781

sales@rexelsa.co.za

D.O.S (Denton Office Solutions)

Kolok Unlimited - Bloemfontein

Rotunda

(

060 000 1777

info@dosptyltd.com

(

051 433 1876

PvtBag X01, Brandhof, Bloemfontein

(

021 552 5135

Box 189, Maitland, 7404

086 237 4614

www.dosptyltd.com

051 433 2451

infobfn@koloksa.co.za

021 551 3070

rotunda@iafrca.com

Empire Toy & Stationery

Kolok Unlimited - Botswana

Royce Imaging Industries

(

011 614 2243

Box 261524, Excom, 2023

(

00267 393 2669

PvtBag B0226, Bontleng, Gaborone

(

011 792 9530

www.royceimaging.co.za

011 614 3075

empire@netactive.co.za

00267 317 0762

clemencem@vbn.co.bw

011 792 9480

sales@royceimaging.co.za

Flip File

Rubber Stamp & Engraving Co - Head Office

Krost Office Products

(

021 638 3105

Box 2190, Clareinch, 7740

(

011 626 2067

Box 75401, Gardenview, 2047

(

011 262 1400

Box 931, Wendywood, 2144

021 633 6942

ashly@flipfile.co.za

011 626 2912

sales@krost.co.za

011 262 1414

trodat@rse.co.za

Freedom Stationery - Johannesburg

Rubber Stamp & Engraving Co - Cape Town

KZN ENVELOPES

(

011 314 0953/4

Box 6459, Halfway House, 1685

(

031 465 3992

P O Box 41259, Rossburgh, 4072

(

021 448 7008

Box 931, Wendywood, 2144

011 314 0957

gpsales@freedomstationery.co.za

031 465 1669

info@kznenvelopes.co.za

021 448 7014

cpt@trodat.co.za

Freedom Stationery - Cape Town

Rubber Stamp & Engraving Co - Durban

Max Frank

(

021 557 9152/3

36-38 Silverstone Rd Killarney Gardens

(

011 921 1811

Box 200, Isando, 1600

(

083 377 4109

Box 931, Wendywood, 2144

021 557 9155

cptsales@freedomstationery.co.za

011 921 1569

sarah.schoeman@tigerbrands.com

031 266 1082

dbn@rse.co.za

Freedom Stationery KZN (Head Office) (

032 459 2820

Box 478, Mandini, 4490

032 459 3255

sales@freedomstationery.co.za

Freedom Stationery - East London

Maynards - Olympus Audio S.A / Olivetti Distributors (

0860 00 1922

South African Diaries

sales@maynards.co.za

(

021 442 2340

Box 4862, Cape Town, 8000

www.maynards.co.za

021 442 2341

phoneyman@sadiaries.co.za

Staedtler SA (Pty) Ltd

Merpak Envelopes

(

043 731 2422

Box 14111 West Bank 5218

(

011 719 7700

sales@merpak.co.za

(

011 579 1600

www.staedtler.co.za

043 731 2421

elsales@freedomstationery.co.za

011 885 3174

www.merpak.co.za

011 608 3497

admin@staedtler.co.za

Global Bag And Sportswear Manufactures

Specialised Filing Systems

Narayan Wholesaler

(

031 305 6507

P.O Box 18586, Dalbridge, 4014

(

083 444 0959

031 301 6553

www.globalbags.co.za

011 869 7243

Global Envelopes

narayantextiles@gmail.com

(

011 477 0640

011 477 3528

www.specfiling.co.za

Star Stationers and Printers

New Era Office cc

(

031 465 5544

envelopes@absamail.co.za

(

011 334 2013

Box 10383, Lenasia, 1821

(

031 569 1061

luke@starstat.co.za

031 465 5634

www.envelopes.co.za

011 334 7358

kuban@neweraoffice.co.za

031 569 1094

www.starstat.co.za

Gordon’s Productions

Technical Systems Engineering

Nikki - Cape Town

(

031 705 8713

Suite 69, PvtBag X4, Kloof, 3640

(

0860 006731

cpt@nikki.co.za

(

011 708 2304

Box 1532, Northriding, 2162

031 705 8714

jacquie@gordons.co.za

0800 204868

www.nikki.co.za

011 708 1799

sales@tse.co.za

Grafton/Star Paper Products

Tidy Files

Nikki - Durban

011 943 4210

(

011 262 0777

Box 550, Bergvlei, 2012

(

0860 006731

dbn@nikki.co.za

(

011 262 0780

sales@graftonpaper.co.za

0800 204868

www.nikki.co.za

Topmark

Grip Binders (

011 421 1300

Nikki - Johannesburg orders@tigerpaper.co.za

Hortors Stationery

(

011 837 8045 011 837 7442

www.tidyfiles.co.za info@topmarksa.com

(

0860 006731

jhb@nikki.co.za

0800 204868

www.nikki.co.za

Tower (Division of Pyrotec) - Cape Town

(

011 620 4800

Box 1020, Johannesburg, 2000

Nikki - Pretoria

(

021 787 9600

086 612 4663

orders@hortors.co.za

(

0860 006731

pta@nikki.co.za

021 787 9791

0800 204868

www.nikki.co.za

Tower (Division of Pyrotec) - Johannesburg

Impala Vuwa Stationery Manufacturers (

036 634 1535

Box 389, Ladysmith, 3370

Nor Paper

036 634 1890

impalastat@mweb.co.za

(

011 011 3900

011 011 4099

Ink Spot Suppliers (

011 854 3013

011 852 3013

sales@nor.co.za

Optiplan a division of Waltons info@inkspotsuppliers.co.za

Interstat Agencies - Durban

011 611 1820

59 Lepus Rd, Crown Mines, 2025

011 611 1834

tower@pyrotec.co.za

Tower (Division of Pyrotec) Durban (

031 701 0192

Box 594, Pinetown, 3600

(

011 620 4000

Pencil Park, Croxley Close, Herriotdale

031 701 1285

tower@pyrotec.co.za

086 681 8256

rcurrin@gp.waltons.co.za

Tribe (

011 314 4746 (Jhb)

Box 6280, Halfway House, 1685

021 386 4261 (Cpt)

tribe@global.co.za

031 569 6550

Box 201707, Durban North, 4016

Palm Stationery

031 569 6559

interstat@mweb.co.za

(

031 507 7051

viran@palmstat.co.za

031 507 7053

www.palmstat.co.za

Versafile

(

021 551 9555

Box 36696, Chempet, 7442

PaperGeni

021 557 5456

Capetown@interstat.co.za

(

011 011 3900

info@papergeni.co.za

011 011 4099

www.papergeni.co.za

Interstat Agencies - Port Elizabeth (

041 453 2558

Box 27693, Greenacres, 6057

Paper World

041 453 8504

pe@interstat.co.za

(

012 250 1477/8

info@paperworldsa.com.

012 250 0322

www.paperworldsa.com

IXAXA Office Furniture (

011 392 3628

14 Isando Road Isando

Parrot Products

IXAXoffice@gmail.com

(

011 607 7600

debbie@parrot.co.za

011 615 2502

www.parrotproducts.biz

my office magazine

PvtBag X1, Capricorn Square, 7948

(

Interstat Agencies - Cape Town

Penflex

Kemtek Imaging Systems

(

011 226 5600

Box 43501, Industria, 2042

011 474 9242

sales@versafile.co.za

Vol 99 - March 2015

furniture

Keep it safe We look at some safe storage options for the office

very business requires a safe place to store important documents, data or money. When choosing a safe for your office, it is important to consider a number of factors, including what you will be storing, how much of it you will be storing, your budget and any space restrictions you may have.

Office safes are common in the retail environment, and can be divided into two broad categories based on the type of protection they offer.

Protection against fire Designed to protect the valuables stored inside, fire-rated safes are freestanding and can be large and quite heavy. They provide any business owner with the security of knowing that what is stored inside will be protected in the case of fire. Fire-rated safes are ranked according the amount of time they can withstand heat. While no safe can claim to be completely fireproof, different safes will offer different levels of protection. An ordinary document is ruined by fire at about 230°C, and the average fire burns at about 700°C. Fire-rated safes are able to minimise temperature increases by releasing moisture into the safe. Depending on the type of safe purchased, they provide fire protection for 30 minutes, 60 minutes or 120 minutes. Fire-rated safes are often composite clad. They are made with two thin skins of sheet metal that house a water-retaining medium (such as a mixture of concrete and vermiculite). There is a heat seal on the door which expands during a fire to offer even more protection. External heat will cause the fire retardant medium housed in the safe to expel the water it holds as steam. The steam saturates the contents of the safe, protecting it from the fire for a longer period of time. www.shop-sa.co.za

It is important to note that fire-rated safes are often not ideal protection against theft. This is because the sheet metal retaining walls of the safe are kept thin to reduce heat build-up, while the soft fire retardant medium provides no resistance to direct attacks.

Protection against theft A safe that provides protection against theft is highly secure due to its thick walls and doors and complex locking mechanisms. They are often free-standing, and are bolted to the floor. These types of safes are ideal for confidential documents, business papers and money. They range in size, weight and price, depending on their function. When choosing a safe it is important to consider the response time of law enforcement in the area. The safe will need to withstand the onslaught from an attacker until someone responds to the incident. Highly secure safes will include multiple barriers to prevent lock drilling. They will also have additional locking mechanisms that deploy when someone is trying to force their way in. These types of safes are some of the most expensive. Drop safes Otherwise known as deposit safes, these are very popular in the retail world. Companies that handle large amounts of cash on a regular basis should consider installing a drop safe. These safes have an envelope-sized slot or a drawer to allow money to be deposited into the safe without the need to open it. They may also include an internal locker or a second door, allowing management access to an area not available to other staff. These safes are fixed to the floor and provide reliable, convenient protection and security. A well-designed, well-placed drop safe can reduce internal theft and help businesses save money by streamlining cash handling procedures. Such safes generally do not have a fire rating.

Media safes Media or data safes are installed as a secure place for businesses to store electronic media such as USBs, hard drives, CDs, DVDs or video tapes. They pass stringent tests to ensure the inside of the safe stays below 50°C and 80% humidity. Temperatures of more than 50°C will ruin such media. It is important to note that a fire-rated safe is not a good place to store media. The steam released by a fire-rated safe during a fire will ruin electronic media. Gun safes A gun safe is a freestanding safe with an area especially configured to house weapons. The area for storing guns takes up most of the safe and so there is often not room for additional items. Most gun safes offer good fire protection and are made from thick, heavy metal to protect against theft. The safe storage of items in the office is essential. Business downtime caused by fire or theft can be extremely expensive, if not fatal, for a business. Purchasing the correct safe can help improve business continuity and disaster recovery.

Choosing a safe Ask yourself the following questions when choosing a safe for your office: • What is the value of the items to be stored in the safe? Working out a rand value of the contents of the safe will help you to determine how much to spend on your safe. • What capacity will you need? In other words, how many items do you intend to store in the safe? • Where is the safe going to be located? How much space is there? This will determine the type of safe you can install. • What type of protection is required for your valuable items? • What is your budget? my office magazine

punchline

Caption this! Send us your funniest caption for the photograph below and you stand a chance to win a Rexel Laminator GBC Fusion 1100 A4 valued at R2 000. Send your Punchline and contact details to competitions@ shop-sa.co.za with Punchline in the subject line

Win

The Rexel Laminator is 33% faster than competitor machines, taking just 45 seconds to laminate a standard A4 pouch or 80 pouches per hour, with an additional cold setting for heat sensitive documents. Other features include: • Automatic switch off after 30 minutes of inactivity. • Exit tray keeps pouches straight as they come through the heated rollers for a perfect, warp-free finish • Incorporates SureFlow™ Technology that reduces jamming significantly for stress-free laminating and maximum productivity • Laminates up to A4 size including ID cards, notices and certificates • Modern, compact design is easy to move around and suits most office and home environments • Single touch button interface: simple to use, no previous experience required • Three heat settings • Accepts 2 x 75 micron (150 in total) pouches, 2 x 100 micron (200 in total) and 2 x 125 micron (250 in total).

WIN ME WINNING CAPTION FEBRUARY ISSUE Winning Caption: “Is this our penalty for pegging prices?” - Juliun Pretorius of Van’s Office Supplies

my office magazine

Vol 99 - March 2015

SHOPPING FOR STATIONERY? NEED OFFICE PRODUCTS DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR? LOOK NO FURTHER… My Office magazine – the only accredited publication for the office and home products industry is mailed monthly to office professionals across South Africa. Register on www.myofficemagazine. co.za to receive your free magazine subscription. • L earn about cutting edge office technologies • How to work smarter and faster and with best business practice • Get updates on events, promotions and latest offers • Be inspired by the hottest trends in interiors, furniture, and workplace ergonomics • Do business with accredited industry suppliers. Connect to the largest and most comprehensive database of likeminded professionals in the workplace environment.

Join this expanding community of office professionals, managers, procurement buyers and business owners now when you register on www. myofficemagazine.co.za

My Office magazine is the official publication of the Stationery, Home & Office Products Association of Southern Africa.

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Rexel No.56 Staples joins the family