Russian OP industry celebrates its finest
April 2005–Moscow (RUS):The Russian OP
industry celebrated its top achievers at the second annual Russian office
products awards in Moscow.
The gala event, organised by the Association
of Manufacturers & Resellers of Office & Stationery Products in Russia
(APKOR), brought together award winners from as far afield as Vladivostok in the
far east to Yekaterinburg and Nizhny Novgorod in central Russia, and to Moscow
and St Petersburg in the country’s west.
The top prizes of office
products reseller of the year were taken by Moscow-based Proburo in the $40
million plus category, Gruppa Tovarisch in the $20 million to $40 million
category and E-Bazaar in the $20 million and less category. Other winners
included Moscow-based contract stationer Pragmatic Express, national wholesaler
Bureaucrat and Novosibirsk-based contract stationer F1.
APKOR President
Leonid Spiridonoff said: “Some people were initially critical of the awards but
have since said that they had underestimated how highly valued they have already
become, especially outside Moscow. Two years is a relatively short period of
time but it has already got a certain level of brand awareness and respect.”
The event, which coincided with Skrepka Expo office products exhibition,
was attended by approximately 230 people including a number of international
companies such as Esselte, Canon, International Paper and GBC, and is already
looking set for an even bigger year in 2006.
The decision-making process
was split into a national panel and also regional panels with 28 awards handed
out in all reflecting Russia’s vast geography as well as channel differences.