GENIE GmbH & Co KG and Olympia Business Systems GmbH are joining forces. From 1 March 2019, the brands of the two leading suppliers of stationery products (paper, office and writing materials) will be distributed by GO Europe GmbH. For this purpose, GENIE GmbH & Co. KG is set to acquire a stake in
Olympia Business Systems Vertriebs GmbH, which is to be renamed GO Europe. The company, jointly managed by Christian Gerth and Heinz Prygoda, will be based in Hattingen, Germany.

The merger of the two companies will strengthen their leading position as suppliers of a wide range of products and accessories for use at home, school and university, and in the workplace. With the core brands GENIE, Olympia and bonsaii, the company will offer a wide range of school items, office equipment, presentation and communication products, organisational tools for work, education and private households. The range, which varies from basic models to high-end products, includes desk and pocket calculators, shredders and laminators, as well as many useful desk accessories. The three brands occupy leading positions in their respective segments in the European market. Customers include stationary retail and specialist retail chains as well as the specialised mail order business – both online and offline. The range is rounded off with the brands Hartig + Helling, babyruf, IOIO and Olympia in the security, consumer electronics and lighting sectors.

Strengthened position in a highly competitive environment
Heinz Prygoda, Managing Partner of Olympia Business Systems Vertriebs GmbH, made the following comment: "The merger of the two stationery suppliers strengthens our position in the highly competitive European retail sector. This enables us to achieve the necessary size to be able to meet highly concentrated customer requirements and maintain this level in the future." The demands placed on delivery scopes, the breadth of the product range and digitalised ordering processes have increased sharply in recent years and require considerable investment from medium-sized suppliers. The larger company will have more scope for this.

Christian Gerth, Managing Partner of GENIE GmbH & Co KG, added the following: "Olympia is one of the most renowned German brands offering office products with over 100 years of history. I am pleased to play a part in continuing the success story in the future. At the same time, I see this partnership as a unique opportunity to give younger brands like GENIE and bonsaii even greater visibility in the retail sector and among end consumers."

About Olympia Business Systems Vertriebs GmbH
Olympia Business Systems Vertriebs GmbH (OBS) in the Hattingen/Ruhr area and its founder Heinz Prygoda have been important distribution partners for Olympia products in the office machine and office system sectors for many years. After AEG sold the Olympia brand rights to Olympia International Holdings Ltd., the distribution rights for Germany and the brand licence for the traditional Olympia name were transferred to the long-standing and successful distribution partner Prygoda for use in Germany in 1997. From 2003 onwards, cooperation was extended to Europe, the former CIS states, the Middle East and North Africa. The services of OBS include product management, marketing, sales, logistics, service and after-sales service.

About GENIE GmbH & Co. KG
GENIE offers a wide range of products for the office, school and household. For over 25 years, the GENIE brand has been a reliable partner to retailers for high-quality items at fair prices. The wide product range consists of desk and pocket calculators, shredders, laminators and laminating foils, cutters for all requirements, note validators and other useful office accessories for the desk. The company's customers also stand to benefit in the private label sector with its own office in Hong Kong and many years of experience as a reliable, Europe-wide supplier of all distribution channels. Numerous global players are already taking advantage of these competencies and can rely on GENIE GmbH & Co KG for comprehensive and professional services in this area.