The two organisations will continue as independent companies within PaperlinX with separate registrations and financial reporting but will combine their back office functions of Human Resources, Purchasing, Marketing and Finance; all overseen by a single management team.  The customer facing sales divisions will continue to operate independently of each other with a distinct sales focus and separate approaches to market.
 
Dave Allen, Regional President of PaperlinX commented:  'This organisation allows us to leverage the strength of Howard Smith and The Paper Co by combining internal structures to allow them to operate more effectively whilst continuing to offer their customers the service and product choice they need.'

The new structure will incorporate seven divisions spanning both companies and covers heat-set web offset, publishing, retail and sheet fed commercial print and forms.    It will be headed up by Joint Managing Directors, Malcolm Lane-Ley (Managing Director of Howard Smith) and Steve King (Managing Director of The Paper Co)

Dave Allen continues 'For Howard Smith and Paper co customers it will mean very much business as usual although this new structure should provide more opportunities for each merchant to enhance its customer specific offering and market orientation.'

Robert Horne the third merchant within the PaperlinX Group, will continue to operate with its current structure and management team. 

Dave Allen commented 'Although Robert Horne has benefited from shared services like our logistics solution, DeliveryCo, the synergies of this shared services platform are much more suited to the Paper Co and Howard Smith business model than Robert Horne whose range of businesses are more diverse including a growing Packaging division and the UK's largest Sign & Display offering.'