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A warm welcome awaited Nemo members and suppliers when they converged at Bredbury Hall Hotel, for the Nemo 2009 Catalogue Launch and Conference Exhibition last week. The event was soundly supported by contracted suppliers and over 90% of Nemo members who had travelled extensively from all over the UK despite near ‘Ice Age’ weather conditions.

The 2009 catalogue follows ‘on the heels’ of last year’s BOSS Award winning publication and features a theme of Dinosaurs constructed from office products. In keeping with Nemo’s support of environmental issues within the office, ‘Green’ products feature prominently throughout the catalogue and this year is printed on recycled paper. Amongst other significant improvements is a redesigned Furniture section, which provides better clarity and simplified product selection.

In his address to members and contracted suppliers, Nemo CEO, Adrian Wallis cited a number of positives that had been overshadowed by recent high profile business news. “Although 2009 is going to be challenging, the concern is that the ‘bad news’ culture that has developed in the media misses the positives or they are merely added at the end of each story as an afterthought. Next and Debenhams sales were down pre-Xmas but their share prices shot up as the results were better than originally forecast yet the headline and bulk of the coverage was on the negative aspects and no one was actually surprised by the sales being down! The clear message to our members and suppliers was not rocket science (despite the doom and gloom merchants) as our members have already taken steps to control and drive costs down, control debtors, act quickly to minimise bad debt, increase activity in sales and marketing, talk openly with each other, stay positive and work closely with our contracted suppliers. Because we meet five times a year as a group, our agendas are focused on where members can make extra margin and look at ways to take cost out of their business but also doing it with a bit of humour and a smile!”

An air of cautious optimism prevailed throughout the morning meetings and the
Launch Exhibition later in the day where suppliers had the opportunity to present their new products to the gathered members prompting enthusiastic debate and creating a healthy vocal ‘buzz’.

In true Nemo style the event concluded with an evening meal at a nearby Chinese restaurant where suppliers and members had an opportunity to relax and engage in more informal and light-hearted dialogue.