News in the Channel – issue #25

PREVIEW 2025

The future’s bright With the calendar having turned over to 2025, it is time to look forward to what the next 12 months may have in store for businesses in the channel. Here, a range of experts give their thoughts on what could lie ahead.

As those who read our review of 2024 in the December issue of News in the Channel know, there is a sense of optimism among businesses in the channel currently. After a year of relatively stable trading, and a new accepted normal for businesses, those in the channel

are looking to take advantage of the opportunities on offer from new technologies and changing customer demands. Over the next pages, a range of experts from across the channel give their assessment on what the next 12 months could look like.

Mark Wilkinson , regional vice president – UK & Ireland, ACCO In 2024, ACCO performed well in a very tough market environment. While

changes in companies around headcount and AI driven growth and we’re not seeing that yet. So, I think we’re not yet at the point of breakthrough with AI, i.e. stellar growth allied with lower headcount, but that is not to say that AI won’t do that beyond 2025. Elsewhere, health and wellbeing, sustainability and business leaders’ desire to get folks back in the office will be key factors in 2025. I expect to see continued growth in workplace furniture, ergonomics, visual communication and some technology segments as well as sustained growth from our sustainable product ranges as consumers look to make choices that minimise impact on the environment. At ACCO we’re optimistic about 2025, though not complacent. We think there are opportunities to be found, but vendors and resellers will have to be agile and innovative to take advantage of them in what will be more widely another challenging external environment.

we did not achieve everything we wanted to, we are confident we have taken share and put in place good foundations for 2025. We grew in several segments and took share in some other declining categories. We expect that the channel will again be a tough place in 2025, due to the economic backdrop and continued geopolitical uncertainty. Consumer and business sentiment are still at lower levels than we’d like to see, though return to office and in some cases five- day working weeks will garner some momentum. The technology channel should look a bit healthier in 2025. In terms of technology, AI is clearly a huge talking point, but I believe that many companies are struggling to work out how to use it productively to the best effect in their business. For AI to genuinely drive productivity and growth, we would need to have seen significant

Mark Wilkinson

accobrands.com

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