When it comes to any commercial entity, there are 2 aspects which combine towards operation, first being front end and second is the back end. People, technologies, management and so on, go on to make these front and back end aspects, but there is one aspect which often gets overlooked. Broadly termed as the middle end, this aspect consists of machinery, controls and most importantly office stationary. The little knots that the office stationery sector creates actually make the roots of service and delivery stronger.
There isn't any hard and fast rule towards classifying the segment stationary and supplies, but a broadly accepted general classification in the stationary based fraternity is as follows:
* Office educational supplies
* Paper accessories
* Organizers
* Writing stationary
* Attaching office accessories
* Miscellaneous stationery
The sub-segment of office educational supplies consists of board erasers, plain boardroom dusters, magnetic dusters, whiteboards, global, national & local maps, globes, educational models etc. There are many types of multitasking customizations available here. Paper accessories includes all types of notebooks from spiral notebooks to big full-scape notebooks, paper pads, photo papers, printer papers and even other plain papers in all sizes and shapes.
The customizations in this sub-segment (office supplies on the whole) have all gone on to become full-fledged options; an example being the category of envelopes. There is an associated section comprising of paper clips, paper cutter and paper weights which assist this segment of educational supplies.
Next in line is the section of document organizers, commonly dubbed simply as organizers. From document binders to file folders and from paper folders to report covers, all form a part of - document organizers. Card holders, bookcases and desk calendars of multiple sizes are also considered a part of this section. In terms of associated accessories, the role is donned by adhesives, gum, glue stick etc. all of which are used to stick paper and related materials.
Even if most of the offices are run via IT related solutions, there is still a good amount of requirement of writing related accessories. From taking notes in diaries during meetings to writing on small stick notes, we write more than what we think we do. So, the writing based office stationery sub-segment dwells with the following:
* Ball Pens
* Chalk
* Pencil
* Re-fills
* Markers
* Highlighters (can be clubbed here as well as the section of education accessories)
There is a lot of attaching functionality performed via office supplies (paper work to be precise). These aspects are performed via staplers, U-pins, pinch pins (attaching pins), punches, threads etc. There are so many other accessories which cannot be clubbed amongst any of the segments above, and hence are clubbed as miscellaneous office stationery.
These include calculators, plastic cases, plastic file covers, plastic holders of different shapes & sizes and cases for a variety of purposes; the list is endless. In addition, there are some office supplies which have been clubbed as a part of the multitasking phenomenon; a good example is the magnetic duster which also carries space to have the markers and highlighters fitted in.
