Workplace360: Let’s start with your career.
Steve Carter: I actually began my working life on the railways. When Swindon was still steeped in its railway heritage, I completed an apprenticeship and qualified as a coach builder. By the time I finished my training, however, the railways were starting to close.
I started as a van driver for PHH International in Swindon, but soon told the purchasing manager I’d be keen to try a role in buying. A few weeks later, the opportunity arose and that’s where my career took shape, eventually progressing to senior buyer.
Then, out of the blue, one of my clients – David Carroll, Managing Director of Accord Office Supplies – called to ask if I’d run their purchasing department. I joined on 4 January 1993. At the time, Accord had just joined the Consortium of Stationery Trade Suppliers – COSTS for short – which would later become Advantia.
I eventually took on the role of Purchasing and Operations Manager at Accord, a position that allowed me to build strong relationships with the Advantia team over many years.
W360: Accord was acquired by office2office (o2o).
SC: Yes – that was in 2008. As a result, I moved to Truline, the logistics arm of the o2o group, led by Steve McKeever, future CEO of Advantia. A few years later, a new ‘break-the-mould’ model was launched whereby Truline handled all logistics, letting dealers focus on selling. When o2o was acquired by evo in 2014, I moved with the team.
If truth be told, it didn’t work out as hoped and Advantia eventually transferred its business to Spicers. That was a pivotal moment for me, as I was offered three roles: to remain with Truline in a more senior position, to move across to Spicers or to join the Advantia head office team. I chose the latter.
Fast forward to March 2020 and I was asked to step into the role of Managing Director. It was a big step, but nothing ventured, nothing gained.
W360: You’ve touched briefly on the history of Advantia – what were its foundations?
SC: Back in 1989, the business operated as Fabree Holdings & COSTS Consortium under Frank Barson. In 1996, the members bought the group, forming COSTS Consortium Ltd.
Rattling through some key dates, the group joined Europa Office as a shareholder in 1999. COSTS was named Advantia in 2002, merged with United Group in 2009, partnered with Truline in 2011 and acquired a 50% stake in Comgem in 2016.
In 2018, the move across to Spicers took place – and then, of course, everything unravelled in 2020 with Covid and the collapse of Spicers.
W360: And from Spicers to Exertis Supplies…
SC: Yes. I took a call one Friday afternoon in March 2020 from Steve Horne, who was CEO of Spicers-Office Team at the time. He said, “Steve, this is off the record, but you need to start looking for another wholesale partner. I’ve been given a very short window to find a buyer and I don’t think I’m going to.”
I was already in discussions with Exertis Supplies around the technology side, so I asked if Exertis would support a dealer group. Again, it was a case of nothing ventured, nothing gained. Since then, the partnership with Exertis has gone from strength to strength. We’ve worked together on all sorts of projects and when Andrew Beaumont [former Managing Director] was there, it was more of a gentleman’s NDA between the two of us. I supported him on aspects of the warehouse move and helped, in a small way, with the Ireland facility.
We’ve always worked closely together, playing to each other’s strengths. It’s a partnership that has continued to grow and I’m genuinely pleased we chose to go down that route.
W360: What are your views on what’s happening at Exertis? I know it’s still in the redundancy consultation period for them, but is there a plan B for you?
SC: I don’t want to be drawn too deeply into what’s happening within Exertis, as it wouldn’t be fair or appropriate to speculate while so many people are going through a consultation process.
Should the outcome be that Exertis is no longer in existence, we are exploring options as to what a plan B might look like and have had several conversations around this. My personal view is that you need two major wholesalers.
Having worked within Truline, VOW Wholesale and Spicers – and having spent significant time within the Exertis operation as well – I don’t believe a single wholesaler can adequately service the demand of the dealer network within its current infrastructure. It’s just not feasible. We also need at least two to keep each other honest.
W360: I don’t think many disagree with you. Ultimately, though, if volumes don’t support it, market forces will decide the outcome.
SC: They most definitely will. I still believe there’s enough volume in the market to sustain two main wholesalers. Alongside that, CTS Wholesale is developing well and JGBM, meanwhile, is extremely strong in its niche and very good at what it does.
W360: How concerned are your dealer members about the situation?
SC: I’ve had several conversations with members and, yes, there are a couple of interested parties looking at the wholesale side of the Exertis business – but it remains to be seen what comes of it.
W360: So, describe the group to me. If you had just one minute to convince a dealer about Advantia, what would you say?
SC: I’ve already convinced a few dealers I’ve spoken to. What I’d say is this: within the head office team, there are three of us – myself included – who have been dealers, suppliers to the group and now support dealers day in, day out. We’ve genuinely walked in their shoes.
Recently, I challenged the team to come up with a few clear hooks for a piece of work we were doing. One of them summed it up perfectly: “We always find a way.” And that really captures our essence. This isn’t just about access to suppliers and manufacturers – it goes far deeper than that.
We’ve supported one dealer through a move to a stockless business model, including navigating redundancy processes. I’ve sat in on interviews where a dealer was recruiting someone to take over their sales team. We’ve helped others with disciplinary matters and advised on how to approach the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations.
Advantia has always had a strong family feel and there’s a hell of a lot of collaborative working that goes right across the group.
We have experts in workwear that will produce garments, either embroidered or screen printed, for other dealers and send them out to their customers. Some will do print, while others will do furniture installations or deliveries on behalf of other dealers.
W360: Paint the group by numbers.
SC: We currently have 31 members – one each in Scotland, the Isle of Man and the Isle of Wight, two in Northern Ireland and the rest in England. I’ve always said no more than about 50, because the team we have can realistically provide all the support and guidance needed for up to that number.
W360: And those members in terms of combined annual revenues?
SC: That’s a tricky one, because many of the members specialise in different areas. Take one fairly large dealer, for example – its business is split across four areas: office products, furniture, MPS, and IT and hardware support, roughly 25% each. It also has supplier arrangements in those other areas. In terms of scale, our members range from a one-man band right up to larger operations like UKOS or Caswells Group – and everything in between.
W360: There’s no stereotypical member, then.
SC: No – no two dealers are the same. Each has different requirements and focuses on different areas. Fundamentally, they all want the same thing, share the same objectives and aim for the same results, but they go about it in their own ways. I think the skill of our team lies in being able to adapt to each dealer.
W360: Would you say members are growing in terms of their annual sales?
SC: Those that have remained as traditional OP dealers have struggled a bit, although we do have a sizeable retail dealer that’s performing very well. Those that have diversified into other areas are doing reasonably well – particularly in workwear, janitorial supplies and furniture.
You can more or less draw a line across the country just south of Birmingham. Above that line, most people have returned to the workplace, as the focus tends to be more industrial, warehousing and logistics. Below it, that hasn’t been the case – these areas are more office-based, with hybrid working reducing demand.
W360: What would you say are Advantia’s strategic priorities as you enter a new year?
SC: First and foremost, we need to navigate what’s happening with Exertis. Beyond that, we’ve got several key projects underway – sustainability is one, and the emergence of AI and how we can harness it is another. We’re also completely redesigning the website at the moment, giving it a fresh uplift.
W360: When I talk to vendors and Advantia comes up, I’m often told that your members are pretty much mandated to buy in and support the programmes that are centrally organised. Is that a fair summary?
SC: I think because the members actually own the group, they want to help and support the deals put in place. But there’s certainly no stick beating involved. I come from a dealer background, so I know you can’t survive by buying from just one wholesaler – there will always be products others offer that aren’t in the Exertis range. That said, members do tend to support the programmes we establish.
W360: What are the larger challenges that your dealers, and indeed all independent dealers in the UK market, are facing as we head into 2026?
SC: There’s always the Amazon threat. But, as I tell dealers, with Amazon, you’re buying from a largely faceless company. People buy from people. When a customer says, “Can you match the price I’ve just seen on Amazon?”, that’s when you can get a bit cute and say, “I can’t quite match that, but what I can offer is support, and if you need to return a product, it’s hassle-free.” But it’s a threat always lurking in the background.
W360: Do dealers make enough of the fact that their orders usually arrive the next day in one consignment, unlike Amazon, where deliveries can come in multiple boxes over several days?
SC: And they’re often just chucked beside your waste bin – only for you to discover, two days later, that’s where the Amazon driver left it!
There are two arguments regarding next-day delivery. Obviously, there’s a price differential, but it’s also about educating customers and asking whether they can wait 48 hours or more.
We’ve made a rod for our own backs. But it’s down to the dealer building that relationship with the customer and explaining that consolidating orders means fewer trips, better environmental credentials and even the opportunity to adjust pricing.
W360: I guess one of the biggest trends that we’ve tracked in the last couple of years or talked about is diversification. How important is it for the future of your members and Advantia itself?
SC: It’s hugely important. Over many years – but especially since Covid – dealers have had to diversify. Historically, you’d open the door with office products and maybe tuck in furniture or print on the side. Nowadays, it’s often the opposite: dealers go in with workwear or furniture and then introduce office supplies.
Diversification gives dealers opportunities they might not have had before, and it opens new channels for vendors as well. Whenever I put a deal in place, I work on a triangle principle – the consumer at one point, the dealer and dealer group at the next and the vendor at the final point. If a deal doesn’t work for all three, it won’t work at all.
When a supplier approaches us, I review their offering and, if there’s potential, we give it a try. But I don’t let the vendor loose on the dealers until I’ve gone through every member with them – who they are, what they do, why they do it, where they operate and who they work with – so the vendor knows where to focus. If it works, we renew it. We’re always exploring different sectors to point our dealers towards.
W360: What newer categories or service areas have you brought on that particularly excite you?
SC: Janitorial and breakroom have been key additions over the past few years. We’ve also put a utilities deal in place, which has performed well. From a dealer’s perspective, it’s straightforward – all they do is introduce a customer to the utilities provider, earning an introducer’s fee and an ongoing percentage. Several dealers have even chosen that provider for their own business premises.
A couple of years ago, we also agreed a deal with Lexus. That was put in place largely to give dealers and their customers the option to move towards electric or hybrid vehicles. You’re not going to sell a car every week, but it’s worked well and adds another string to the bow.
Often, dealers will come to us with ideas around supplying specific products or services. We’ll do the research and, if it’s something we believe we can deliver properly, we will.
W360: Do initiatives such as the energy utilities deal collectively move the needle enough to offset the decline in traditional OP consumption?
SC: You can’t simply switch off traditional OP, but the combined impact of these deals and newer categories is starting to make a difference. Some dealers will say they don’t have the expertise or resources internally, but within Advantia, we do – and they’ll work together.
A good example is a dealer I visited in North Devon in December who wanted to break into workwear but didn’t know where to start. I said that I would put them in contact with a dealer that could help, provide tips and, if they wanted to, collaborate on branded workwear. Sometimes, it’s simply a case of making one phone call, introducing them to each other and away they go.
W360: Is that where you see the group’s future – moving beyond core purchasing and into broader shared services? It sounds like there’s a real cross-pollination between members.
SC: Yes, and it really comes down to the dealers themselves. They’re the ones with their feet on the ground, hearing directly what customers are asking for. It’s a two-way street. Dealers can come to us to help source new supply and equally, when vendors approach us, we’ll take those conversations back to the group to see whether there’s genuine appetite. We’re diversifying as much as we can, but always in a way that’s driven by what the dealers actually need.
W360: Tell me about your annual event.
SC: We’ve moved away from the traditional model of a couple of days away and built around a supplier exhibition. That worked well in the past, but having been a dealer and a supplier to the group, I don’t think it’s fair.
It’s not fair to vendors, traipsing around the country, attending multiple dealer group events alongside others, such as the VOW show. And they probably only get two or three hours of exhibition time to try to see as many dealers as they possibly can.
So we’ve moved on from that format. I am, however, an advocate of doing something for the wider industry – bringing dealer groups together, giving them space to hold their own meetings, coupled with a larger, shared event. From the conversations I’ve had, several vendors see the value in that approach, although in terms of the other dealer groups, I think I’m on my own on that.
Last year, we held our dealer day at the new Exertis site in Elland. We included a small supplier showcase during the day, but deliberately focused on those from more diverse sectors; it went down very well.
As for this year, we’ll do something – exactly what, I’m not quite sure yet. We’ll put our heads together and see what makes the most sense, but there will definitely be an event of some kind.
W360: Let’s switch tack slightly. You mentioned Advantia’s 50% ownership of Comgem. How did that come about and how important was that investment?
SC: That dates back to when I was looking after Advantia on behalf of Truline. At the time, Bob Geens and Steve Keen recognised an opportunity to move away from the traditional technology providers in the sector and instead partner with a business with which they could build something. That was in 2016.
The front end of Comgem – the webstore – has been up and running for some time now. Around 50% of our members use it, and there are also dealers outside Advantia that use it. Alongside that, Comgem has developed a back-office system, which several dealers are using as well.
When I was asked to step into my current role in 2020, one of the stipulations was that I would not take a seat on the Comgem board. There were three reasons for that. Firstly, two members of the Advantia head office team already sit on the board from a strategic standpoint. Secondly, it’s not an area of personal expertise for me. And thirdly, I need to protect Advantia’s interests.
I do work closely with Comgem, but more in terms of helping them understand what dealers actually need. There is a clear ethical wall between the two businesses – and that’s essential, given there are dealers using the Comgem platform that sit outside of Advantia.
W360: How digitally mature are Advantia members?
SC: All of our dealers have an online presence for searching and placing orders, although the level of customer engagement varies widely. In terms of digital maturity, members sit at different stages, depending on their resources and strategic priorities – ranging from practical tools such as sign-on-glass for deliveries through to data-driven decision-making and digital touchpoints designed to create more personalised, seamless customer experiences.
W360: What support do you provide dealer members in terms of digital tools?
SC: We provide a range of digital marketing tools to enhance members’ online and social media presence – from street-priced bestseller brochures for prospecting to targeted publications and seasonal flyers. We can also manage social media activity and marketing campaigns on their behalf. Alongside that, we support dealers across all software platforms, including Comgem; and we’re currently developing a strategy to help them understand, adopt and make practical use of AI within their businesses.
W360: Do you use AI?
SC: I’m starting to use it more on a personal level now, but Clare [ffolkes, Commercial Manager] is the one working with the dealers to help build their understanding and confidence.
W360: Is there a lot of enthusiasm from dealers?
SC: From some, yes. Like anything, you have early adopters who grasp it straight away, others who are happy to come back to it a little further down the line and a few who will only see it as a last resort.
W360: Let’s talk about industry consolidation. Last year saw Integra Business Solutions and Office Friendly come together to form BLOC Group. To what extent does that put pressure on groups like yours?
SC: There are always conversations going on. Being in the same stable as Superstat, Alex [Dunn, Managing Director] and I talk regularly and share ideas. There may be further consolidation ahead, but it’s not at the top of my list at the minute – though I’d never say never.
W360: Do you think organisations such as BOSS are still relevant for the dealer community?
SC: Absolutely. Even something as simple as receiving the monthly market trends is really valuable – dealers often ask if we’ve seen it, so it’s great to have access to that information.
BOSS also offers special interest groups, and I now chair the Dealer Group Leaders Forum, which provides another useful forum for sharing insight and ideas.
W360: Has the forum achieved anything yet, or is it on its way to achieving anything?
SC: Yes, it is. We meet twice a year to exchange ideas and compare notes, which reinforces that even though we’re independent companies, we’re all in this together. Clare is also a member of the BOSS Environmental Forum, so there’s relevance there and a clear role for BOSS to play.
W360: Are all of your members also BOSS members?
SC: A few are. Bev [Boden, Finance Director] will feed information to dealers. So even though they’re not direct members, they still benefit from our membership.
W360: You’ve mentioned sustainability on several occasions. How important is it, and how high up the agenda is it for (a) the group and (b) your members?
SC: It’s really important. When tenders come through – and we assist members with their responses – especially from larger corporates, sustainability often carries scoring weight. We’re fortunate to have Adam Huttly from Red-Inc and Ian Hayward from UKOS in the group; both are advanced in their journeys.
Members are at different stages and it doesn’t matter where they are on the sustainability path. If they’re just starting, we can support them, and Adam and Ian play a big part in helping both other dealers and us along the way.
W360: Time to get the crystal ball out. What do you think the dealer landscape will look like in, say, three to five years?
SC: It’s a tricky one. What I’ve always seen with dealers is resilience. Yes, we’ll probably lose a few more across the industry, particularly those that haven’t embraced diversification. But I believe more dealers will evolve into one-stop shops, offering a wide range of products and services, and we’ll still have a fairly strong industry with an abundance of dealers.
W360: And what about you in three to five years?
SC: I’ll be 62 in April, so retirement will be on the horizon. I imagine I’ll either have started reducing my days or have fully stepped away. I don’t want to go straight from working five days a week to doing nothing and my wife keeps reminding me that I need to find other interests to keep busy.
W360: Pretty much every retiree I know says they don’t know how they ever found the time to work.
SC: I’ve heard that too. I’ve recently picked the drumsticks up again. A group of young lads asked if I’d sit in and play drums for a couple of gigs. At first, I thought of all the reasons not to, but I went ahead and played while they were supposedly still searching for a drummer. Well, that search seems to have stopped!
W360: You’ve obviously done a good job, then.
SC: [Laughs] Seems so – and it’s keeping me occupied in my spare time.
W360: So is a future career as a rock star on the cards once you retire?
SC: [Laughs] I did that already. I was in a band for many years and was fortunate enough to have a record deal. I thought I’d left all that behind 28 years ago!
W360: Enjoy the drumming. Thanks, Steve.
