We built this powerful infrastructure for Corporate Express with the guidance of our Founder and Chairman Emeritus, Jirka Rysavy, whose vision propelled the growth and transformation of an entire industry. All of the members of the Corporate Express family join me in expressing gratitude to Jirka for his vast contributions to our Company and our industry over the last 12 years.

Under Jirka's direction, Corporate Express management recognized early on that large corporations could benefit through the efficient, cost-effective procurement of "non-production" goods - the essential office products and services required to conduct daily business. Most companies carefully controlled the procurement of "production" goods, or the raw materials they used in their own manufacturing processes, but few sought cost-saving opportunities on non-production items. Instead, companies often bought from numerous suppliers, employed decentralized purchasing policies and stocked large quantities of inventory. As a result, they often incurred labor expenses and other hidden costs that were far greater than the actual price of goods purchased.

Corporate Express has played a crucial role in identifying and quantifying the advantages of efficient procurement of essential office goods and services. As companies have realized these benefits, they have driven change within our industry.

Instead of purchasing from numerous suppliers, a growing number of companies now prefer to choose one or just a few suppliers who provide superior service, outstanding product selection and extensive geographic reach. At the same time, these companies seek supply partners who offer innovative, flexible technologies that will integrate seamlessly with their existing systems to help them order products, assess usage, track deliveries, and achieve and measure cost savings.