Staples Drops Corporate Express Name from Australian Business

As reported by ARN, Staples will no longer be using the Corporate Express brand name in its Australian business. As of October 29, 2012, the line will be rebranded as "Staples Australia," for the purpose of capitalizing on the Staples brand name and bringing Corporate Express' operations further in line with Staple's international operations. From the ARN article:

"It will be 'business as usual' as far as the day-to-day operations of the company go, said Corporate Express National Sales Manager IT solutions, Karl Sice. Sice is now head of Staples Technology Solutions.

The rebranding was an 'obvious decision' aimed at taking advantage of the parent company's global brand as its customer base becomes more global, said Sice, noting that the company has been operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Staples' since its acquisition in 2010."

Corporate Express was once the parent company of Corporate Express Promotional Marketing (CEPM), one of the largest promotional products distributors in the industry at the time (posting revenues of $247 million for its 2007 fiscal year, its final year of independent operation). After Corporate Express' purchase by Staples in 2008, it was integrated into Staples Promotional Products division and the CEPM brand name was dropped. Staples' use of the Corporate Express brand name in its Australian business was one of its last public uses.

For more information, read the ARN article in full or visit www.corporateexpress.com/fact_sheet.html.