LEADERSHIP
I N T E R N AT I O N A L E X PA N S I O N
International expansion: How Greys Office Supplies broke into America BEN MADDEN, Partner at Greys Office Supplies, and Bradley Head, head of sales, enlighten us on how a family-run dealer from Essex ended up doing office fit-outs in New York
W
ho would have thought,
was those relationships, built over years of
GOING INTERNATIONAL
two best mates from
hard work, that eventually led to a five-day
The idea of replicating the good work being
college who started out
contract on the other side of the pond.
done in the UK in other nations came to
selling office products would end up in New
York doing a complete office fit-out?”
Now GOS is eyeing further international
Ben when he was out running. “I always
expansion, but has some exciting projects
have good thoughts when I’m running,” he
on the boil locally, too. Based in Essex, the
explained, “and it was back in 2019 or so
Ben Madden, partner at Grays Office
business has been a family enterprise for four
when I had a brainwave. I thought, if our
Supplies (GOS), has taken his business much
decades, originally set up as an office products
clients in London are so pleased with their
further than he ever expected. Starting to sell
retailer by Ben’s father and nan. But its reach
office setups, why don’t we do the same for
into the City of London in 2018 had already
in the 21st century is proving to be a far cry
them in their offices abroad?”
been transformative for the company, but it
from its humble beginnings.
[22] OCTOBER 2023
www.dealersupport.co.uk
Ben floated this idea with a company