Innovative Office Solutions has acquired S&T Office Products, Inc., making the combined organization the largest independent office productivity supplier in the Upper Midwest and one of the largest in the country. The company will operate under the Innovative Office Solutions brand.

Jennifer Smith, the CEO and founder of Innovative Office Solutions, started her office supply company in 2001, and has watched it grow five times larger since 2008 by investing in staff, technology and new business categories at a time when most companies were downsizing due to the recession.

S&T Office Products was established in 1971 by Frank Tschida. The company has a long history of growth during challenging economic times, and has focused on office supplies and contract furniture as its foundation.

The addition of S&T Office Products to the Innovative brand brings with it the S&T Office Interiors Group, adding a highly respected contract furniture service with known expertise in the Twin Cities architecture and design communities.

The move bolsters the Innovative Office Solutions brand tremendously and is another huge step forward for one of Minnesota’s most dynamic and progressive companies. Innovative Office Solutions strives to be a single source, solution-based supplier with an emphasis on workplace productivity. S&T brings an additional wealth of creative experience resulting in a more robust menu of service offerings.

A Winning Culture
Throughout its growth, Innovative Office Solutions has made it a priority to maintain the culture that made it successful in the first place.

“When we started Innovative, it was to fill a gap in the market where service was suffering in the industry. We brought service back through our Relationships Matter belief system, and combined that with the technology and partnerships necessary to compete in the marketplace,” Smith said. “We’ve created a growth culture, but kept it a fun and rewarding place to work and that attitude has resonated with our customers.”

Innovative Office Solutions has landed on the MN Business 100 Best Places to Work list for three consecutive years by offering a health friendly workplace with initiatives such as sit-stand desks, daily workouts and health-based incentives.

That winning culture has given Innovative a unique spot in the marketplace as a business that deftly combines their large-scale technology and supplier partnerships with the touch and feel of a small company.

Simply put, Innovative Office Solutions provides the customized solutions and services you expect from smaller local organizations with all the capabilities, resources, products, services and technology a larger company offers. This model has proven to be successful as businesses flock to the personalized service offered by Innovative.
 
Moving Forward
“This acquisition will combine the two strongest independent providers in the marketplace and will enable us to provide even more services and solutions to our customers, and new opportunities for our employees and supplier partners,” said Smith.

Frank Tschida, the President and CEO of S&T Office Products, weighed in, “As I planned my retirement, I only considered selling to a market leader that would keep a focus on being a local provider to our customers and providing growth opportunities to our employees.  Innovative Office Solutions was the logical choice. We were incredibly aware of the company’s growth history and visionary leadership with Jennifer Smith, I was certain that Innovative would maintain the high level of service our customers expect.”

This is a collaborative acquisition that will bring both companies together under a single brand. Innovative Office Solutions will inherit the people and services of S&T Office Products, thus allowing customers to maintain continuity with their existing relationships, while adding expanded capabilities to the customers of both organizations.

The combined talents, technology and expertise of the two companies will bring more options to clients of both organizations and continue to deliver flexible solutions to their clients through a model of personalized local support.
 
“It’s exciting to offer potential and existing customers the ability to work with a progressive, woman-owned, local business with an amazing reputation. I couldn’t be happier than to work for this tremendous group,” said Debbie Lazcano-Stai, a Business Development Manager at S&T Office Products.
 
“We have long appreciated the quality, value and expertise both Innovative Office Solutions and S&T Office Products have independently brought to us at Summit Orthopedics. This move offers us, as well as the community, a comprehensive solution for our furniture, office and break room supply needs,” said Amy Zuber of Summit Orthopedics.

In Tune with Today’s Ever-Evolving Workplace
Trends like digitization, mobility and millennials entering the workforce have all had a huge impact on how businesses operate and the types of solutions they need. This acquisition allows Innovative Office Solutions to take advantage of the strengths and experience of both organizations to deliver forward-looking, up-to-date solutions that align with customer needs.

With a foundation of experience, combined with fresh ideas, more flexibility and technology, the organization is set up better than ever to serve the needs of today’s workplace.