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NT Bureau
Chennai, Jan 19:

        Future Office, a subsidiary of Pantaloon Retail group, has acquired the operat-ions and management of Officedge, an online office products company delive-ring services to corporates.

        Providing a one-stop shop through e-procure-ment solutions, Officedge currently services more than 80 large customers in six cities with an offering of 1,200 office products. Backed with an efficient supply chain network, the company extended next-day delivery of office pr-oducts and an on-going savings plan which could be rolled out on a national basis.

        Officedge was co-founded by two professio-nals — Shailesh Karwa and Sharad Dalmia, after they felt an imminent need to organise the highly fragmented market for office products in India. This acquisition would give Future Office a headstart in the $10 billion market of office products in India. 'This buy-out of Officedge fits in with our strategy to being present in different business formats to capture the increasing spend levels by customers.

        We have over the years pioneered many retail concepts and the way we interacted with end customers. Officedge gives us the necessary traction in a growing market,' said Rakesh Biyani, director, Pantaloon Retail India Ltd.

        In JV with Staples Inc Pantaloon group has formed a joint venture with US-based Staples Inc which would allow the former to benefit from the expertise and sourcing network of one of the largest office products company.

        'As Staples expands globally, India represents a growing opportunity for the company,' said Ron Sargent, chairman, Staples Inc. 'The venture with Pantaloon combines local knowledge and leading brand with Staples' best practices and procurement strength,' he said. Comme-nting on the tie-up with Staples, Biyani said through the partnership 'we can become the choice provider of office products in India.'

        The new venture Staples Future Office would serve businesses of all sizes through delivery and cash-and-carry locations, offering a range of office products from core office supplies to printers and computers.

        Future Office, the subsidiary of Pantaloon group, after having acquired Officedge would expand its operations to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Pune, Ahmedabad and Chandigarh.