When it comes to printing paper, different people require different things. Many individuals and offices require a budget paper which can be used for mass printing of paper back up’s, simple invoices and various other day-to-day print outs. However others may be after something a little more impressive; something with a higher quality finish, a paper that will impress and in these cases it is important to look for a higher quality, thicker printing paper.

Firstly you will need to consider which type of printer you are using as different paper types are suited to different types of printer. For example, are you using a copier, laser or inkjet printer? For copiers and laser printers, the paper will need to run smoothly through the machine and with inkjet printers, you’ll need to ensure the paper is of even porosity so that the ink doesn’t spread or bleed out too much. This is why manufacturers have developed different types of paper to work in different printers, so use inkjet paper for inkjet printers, laser paper for laser printers and so on.

High quality printing paper is available in many different specialist options; photo paper, high gloss paper, brochure paper, high density colour printer paper, and so on. The paper is normally twice as thick as the general purpose or common printer paper and so of course the finished printing results will appear sharper and crisper.  What’s more, the paper can last up to twice as long!

Companies will purchase higher quality printing paper for making magazines and brochures, printing cards, flyers, certificates, posters, photos and more. Often companies will even purchase this higher quality paper so that they can send professional looking correspondents to prospective clients and customers for a more sophisticated impression.

Our best printing paper has to be the Hewlett Packard Laser Paper featured.

• High performance laser paper for colour printing and copying
• Ideal for presentations, business correspondence, documents with colour graphics, newsletters, sales reports etc
• Designed to maximise print quality and performance
• Extra smooth for uniform colour printing and copying
• PEFC certified
• 120gsm
• Size: A4
• Whiteness (CIE): 168
• Packed 250 sheets
• Just £15.22 inc VAT!

The Green Bit

Over the last 50 years, HP have been an industry leader in reducing its impact on the environment. In the 1970′s they had company carpools and now, worldwide recycling programs and energy efficient technology. They aim to be exemplary global citizens and place particular emphasis on their three priorities; climate and energy, product re-use and recycling, and supply chain responsibility.

As one of this markets largest and most complex global supply chains, HP have a responsibility to lead in this area that they take very seriously. It is consistent with their core values to be a force for positive change in the communities where we work and live. Investing in supply chain social and environmental responsibility (SER) and supplier diversity reflects their global citizenship principles and meets their stakeholder expectations.

HP have a partnership with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and aim to reach across the globe to set new standards for environmental leadership. Projects such as The Epicenter for Climate Conservation and Climate Witness focus on analysis, research and data collection in order to reduce HP’s greenhouse gas emissions, improve product energy use, and educate and inspire others to do the same.

HP is working towards reducing their greenhouse gas emissions by 16% by 2010, compared to 2005 emissions. Their emissions to air from their facility operations are relatively small, and they have equipment and processes in place to control those that do occur. Though there is little impact in this area, they will continue to report what is legally required. They also strive to reduce the amount of hazardous and non-hazardous waste that is generate, and continue to recycle, find alternative uses, and dispose of necessary waste in an environmentally responsible manner. In 1997, HP became the first computer manufacturer to operate their own recycling facility and continue to set the standard today with their leading recycling and re-use programs. In 2007 HP reached their goal of recycling over 1 billion pounds of products and materials.

Back in the day we relied solely on wall clocks within the office to keep the time. However these day’s you’ll find that many of us rely on the clocks displayed by our computers; when we need to know the time, our brains are now geared to automatically direct our eyes towards the bottom right of our computer screens; what’s more, our computers even adjust the time in accordance with all clock changes. However this does not mean that we should rely solely on these computer clocks.

It wouldn’t be fair to your staff to expect them to time keep effectively using only computer clocks. There are many reasons for this; there are various office duties and tasks which do not require you to be sat at your computer. You may for example need to photocopy papers, collate information creating manuals and guides, interview prospective employees, train new members of staff, organise incoming and outgoing post, partake in a team meeting and so on, and so forth. Furthermore, staff using break room facilities, tea rooms and cafeterias will need to be provided with the facilities needed to keep time. Unless you provide wall clocks around the office and in any adjoining rooms, you cannot expect your staff to be punctual or reliable in any way.

Our favourite is the Alba Giant Wall Clock featured. We believe that you should give your staff every possible chance of being able to see the time, and with this clock they have absolutely no excuse for not keeping the time. Featuring:

• Perfect time legibility 30m away
• Ideal for large open spaces
• Requires AA battery (not included)
• Diameter: 600mm
• Our price – Just £99.64 inc VAT (RRP – £123.69‼)

Here at Office 365 we have a wide variety of office wall clocks in a great selection of different options. For example you will find large options which can be seen from quite a distance! You will find clocks which also display the date, clocks which display the weather, temperature and other measurable environments, radio controlled clocks and digital clocks. So for an extensive variety of clocks at an affordable price, look no further than Office 365!

The most common type of filing cabinet tends to be the suspension variety; however the lateral form of filing also has many advantages. This form of cabinet is designed to concentrate on maximum storage volume, innovative style and optimum strength; a lateral filing cabinet can accommodate sheer volumes of files without taking up valuable floor space. We’re used to seeing suspension files in the office, in fact you’re likely to see at least one in most every office across the globe! However a lateral filing cabinet looks entirely different and resembles more of a utility cabinet style, with horizontal drawers almost like a chest of drawers, however they can also be found inside tambour style cupboards where the files are hung along in a row across shelves.

Typically hanging files are normally hung side-by-side rather than front-to-back like a suspension file, and some lateral filing cabinets come with versatile inserts which can be used either on the side of the file, or the top. If the files are hung side-by-side, it couldn’t be easier to glance along a large number of them quickly, where as with suspension filing cabinets, the drawer needs to be pulled out all the way to see the files hidden away at the back. This design is particularly useful where space is limited or in high traffic areas and are most popular in doctors’ surgeries, hospitals, police stations, schools, and various other environments which require repetitious access to paperwork in confined and precious areas.

At Office 365 our range of lateral files are available across a great many big named brands such as 5 Star, Elba, Rexel, Esselte, Pendaflex and Multifile! You’ll also find that sizes are available in the following:

A3 Lateral Files

A4 Lateral Files

A5 Lateral Files

You will also find that you can choose between further dimensions including: (WxD) 330x280mm, Lateral 275 – (WxD) 275x280mm and Lateral 12 – (WxD) 275x350mm.

Furthermore, we even have additional lateral supplies including lateral file labels and lateral file index inserts. However if you still feel as though you’re in the deep end, worry not, simply get in touch with us on 0870 766 1624.

The desktop calculator has become a staple item in the home, the office and even the classroom. In fact you’ll even find that calculators are now found in exam rooms too! They have become a part of our everyday lives and replace long multiplication, addition and other mathematical sums! They now feature tax functions so that we are able to quickly and easily work out tax, currency functions so that we are able to convert various finances into different currencies and some even display your cost-sell-margin which is a fantastic feature for those who use their calculators in business.

Many calculators have scientific functions which are commonly required in schools and other educational facilities as national curriculums have now been advanced to cover mathematical equations using the calculator! These calculators tend to have covers, hard covers, and sliding covers, just as equally you’ll find a ‘junior’ variety of calculator which can often come in a fold over design, all of which developed to offer the calculator additional protection when being transported inside a school bag or pencil case!

Many desktop calculators are available in the printing variety which is an innovative advance in the technology of calculators. It enables business to work out the accounts and keep a record of the books and finances while printing off their finding and calculations. They have also proven beneficial in environments where retailers are required to provide quotes for prospective customers as they print off the calculations which have led to your final quote offer.

At Office 365 we have a great variety of desktop calculators, however our favourite has to be the Canon Xmark-1 Desktop Calculator featured. Said to be our stylish calculator, this Canon model has a display panel which is made using the material from Canon digital camera prism production! With business calculation functions, a durable IT/PC feel keyboard with double injection, never peel off characters and auto power off, this would make a fantastic addition to any office!

• Display panel made from residual material from Canon digital camera prism production
• Auto power off function
• Business calculation function
• Durable IT/PC feel keytop (double injection – never peel off characters)
• Black
• Solar powered
• Weight: 0.205kg
• WxDxH: 95.5 x 157 x 13.5mm

The Green Bit

Canon has already achieved zero waste output at all of its plants around the world. In addition to carrying out such environmental measures as natural energy use, wastewater recycling, and chemical substance management, the company works to preserve local ecology and biodiversity through greening and other activities. Along with products that are smaller in size and weight, Canon reduces packaging materials and modifies package design to conserve resources. Digitizing portions of user manuals to further reduce packaging sizes increases load capacity per shipment and reduces CO2 emissions. In 1990, Canon led the world in introducing a collection and recycling program for used toner cartridges. Canon has achieved a closed loop recycling system by recycling reusable parts, and crushing and sorting plastic to reuse in cartridges. All other materials are also recycled to achieve 100% recovery. Canon and Toray Industries, Inc. have jointly developed bio-based plastic, an environmentally conscious material that incorporates plant-based and organic components, with the world’s highest level of flame retardance. Canon plans to use this new material in exterior parts of new network MFDs and other products.

Are you planning on an office refurbishment? Are you fed up with complaints from staff that your furniture just isn’t up to scratch? You could be starting out your business and need a supplier for all your furniture and stationery supplies. It could be that you have an inspection due, maybe Investors in People, or a health and safety in the workplace inspection and so you’re looking to impress them with the standards of comfort and safety you bring to your staff. Whatever your scenario, if you’re looking for the best office chair, or any office furniture for that matter, then you’ve come to the right place!

Rather than sifting through all of our value office chairs, and feeling overwhelmed with our selection, we’ve compiled a list of our top 5 value office chairs so that you don’t have to do the time consuming bit! These chairs have been chosen firstly for their good value for money; however we have also attempted to find the best available features and comfort!

At number one we have Trexus Intro Manager Armchair Seat. This chair was chosen as it ticked all the boxes for what we felt was a very reasonable price. To find a high backed chair, with arms for this price we felt was very good indeed! Obviously a very comfortable option, the back rest height was a decent 690mm and you can have it all for just £104.93 INC VAT‼

Our number 2 choice was the Trexus Intro Typist Chair Seat featured. We were looking for a standard operator chair that had all the necessary and most popular functions, and yet was available at a price that didn’t make your heart skip a beat; this one was without a doubt, it! With a backrest height of 220mm for lumbar support and gas lift function, this basic chair was only completed by its smart black exterior, perfect for any office decor. Not bad at all for just £39.91 inc VAT.

At number 3 is Trexus again with their Coventry Manager Armchair Seat. For the same price as our number one option, this has a more leather-look finish. It was touch and go whether we chose this one for the number 1 spot, but as it turns out, some people don’t like the leather-look feel and finish; it’s like Marmite apparently. Also, the backrest height isn’t quite as high; this one is 630mm. So for those of you who are fans of this sophisticated look, you can have it for the tasty price of just £104.93 inc VAT!

At number 4 and only coming further down the list because it’s a tad more expensive, is the Influx Vitalize Task Chair. This is a new and updated version of our exclusive Vitalize range from Influx and is suitable for use in both the office and home working environments. This seat offers quite a unique style which also boasts optimum functionality and comfort. With arms included and in its smart exterior, this seat has a back rest height of 480mm – all for £117.23 inc VAT!

Finally we have the Sonix Asynchronous High Back Operator Chair which we’ve chosen for its tiny price and optimum comfort. This nice wide chair with tall back rest is impressive for the price. Normally found only with arms, this high backed chair offers all the same qualities the higher backed variety however without the often considered ‘restriction’ of added arms. Featuring gas lift, a 490mm back rest and a striking blue finish, this chair is just £51.12 inc VAT!

Regardless of the size of your business, it is of paramount importance that you focus energies into organisation. With an efficient system in place for your staff and general office planning, you can be sure of the smooth daily running of your business. Many offices choose to use planning boards which have been proven to be a very advantageous solution into day to day organisation. T-Card systems have proven a very popular method of structuring the running of the office day and focus particularly on organising both management and staff. Without some form of planning you would be looking at attempting to produce results within a chaotic, disorganised and ultimately non productive workplace! Our Nobo T-Card systems and planning boards provide maximum versatility, clear structure and an overall more effective office.

Our T-Card Systems range includes various slot options to suit a selection of different office sizes. The bigger your office, or the higher your number of staff, the more slots your system will need to have. Our options include 24 Slots Panels which take size 2 T-Cards, 32 Slots Panels which take size 2, 3 and 4 T-Cards and 54 Slots Panels which take size 2, 3 and 4 T-Cards.

The Nobo T-Card system is a simple and easy to use planning tool and is designed to be wall mounted for every day office use. Developed to allow for fast and simple identification of subject headings so that it only requires an ‘at a glance’ reference; these boards are commonly used in conjunction with an Electronic Time Clock for ‘Clocking In and Clocking Out’ – the perfect tool for keeping on top of your staffs punctuality and attendance.

If you’re looking at using a T-Card System in your office, all you’ll need to complete this vital planner are the T-Cards which are, inevitably, ”T shaped’ cards which can be slotted into the panels. If you can imagine, the top of the cards and effectively the top of the ‘T’ shape, is wider than the slots so that when they are inserted into the panels, this section will remain visible. This exposed section can then be labelled and marked upon for easy retrieval and the rest of the body of the card is then often used to write further information with may be relevant.

At Office 365 we stock the complete range of Nobo T-Card products so that you can find it all in one place! So why not try it out for yourselves? Many of our customers begin with the smaller 24 slot systems to see how they get on, and then later come back to us to expand their panel boards with further slots. However you want to create your office planning, we’re behind you all the way. If you have any questions about how you can improve your office planning, or you’d like to know more about our T-Card systems or any of our planning systems for that matter, please do not hesitate to get in touch and a member of our team will be more than happy to help you. 0870 766 1624

Today we will find you the top 5 ring binders! A useful filing aid in the home, office and for individuals to store their own work and studies including pupils, ring binders are available in various sizes from smaller A5 ring binders to the larger A3 variety, ring binders are designed to assist you in various areas. A5 binders are generally used for displaying glossy leaflets, manuals and brochures, but also serve their usual purpose of preserving work, art and documents. A3 ring binders are available in both oblong and upright options depending on whether your artwork, design or other form of work is presented horizontally or vertically. These binders are popular among artists, designers, students, architects and graphic designers. However as A4 paper is the standard, we will endeavour today to find you the top 5 A4 ring binders as we are sure that these are likely to be the most searched for item.

At number 1 we have the Leitz Wow Ring Binder range available in white, pink, blue, orange and green. We’ve chosen this one firstly because of its D-Rings, we’re big fans of the D-Ring here at Office 365 as they allow pages to lie flatter and you can also fit more pages. What’s more, with its straight side, the pages are kept in line. However boasting other features such as a glossy finish, a great variety of colours, a compressor bar and optimum quality; this one seems to tick all the boxes, and all for just £37.32 inc VAT for a pack of 10!

At number 2 we have the Bantex Heavyweight Ring Binders featured. We’ve chosen these purely because they’re so popular with our customers! These are a real favourite and are said to be very reliable on the ‘heavyweight’ front. The premium quality ring binders have a heavyweight plastic covering for maximum durability, and also have a self adhesive spine label for personalisation. With a 25mm ring size, these binders are available in green, yellow, blue, red and black colours, in packs of 10 and for just £19.48 inc VAT‼

At number 3 we have our eco friendly option; the Snopake Bio2 Biodegradable Ring Binder. These innovative ring binders have been manufactured from robust and durable 0.65mm oxo-biodegradable polypropylene and have a 25mm capacity with 2 O-ring mechanisms. The spine features a full length index holder for individualisation and the overall clear design means that the contents can be easily identified. Available in packs of 10 for just £33.61 inc VAT.

A great option from Elba, at number 4 we have the Elba Index 4 D-Ring Ring Binder. Ideal for when you’re likely to be storing large quantities of paperwork! These binders have extra wide covers to enable the file to be used in conjunction with dividers or punched pockets without them protruding from the edges, a quality normally only found in lever arch files! The four D-ring binding mechanism with 40mm capacity means that you can safety store far more papers than the standard binder, plus the clear ticket holder on spine allows for easy identification of contents. Enjoy full clear pockets to the front and back covers for personalisation. Available in packs of 4 for just £41.83 inc VAT!

Finally we have chosen the 5 Star 2 O-Ring Ring Binder as our budget options for those of you on a budget. With a 35mm spine, this binder holds more than many of our more expensive options, plus with its hardwearing PVC you can feel confident that you’re not sacrificing in quality. But what got the final tick to enable this binder to make our top 5 list is the fact that it has been made using 80% recycled material! You can have this pack of 10 eco friendly ring binders for just £11.17 inc VAT!

Ok, so you’d like to impress these new prospective clients you have coming in next week so you aim to make the meeting one that will stand out and will wow them with not only your professionalism, and fabulous business assets, but with your organisational skills too. You plan to make them feel as at home, welcome, comfortable, and yet ‘blown away’ as humanly possible and are pondering quite how you’re going to pull this one off. The idea is to have them as enthusiastic as you are about being onboard with your company and so now’s the time to pull out all the stops to make this happen.

First of all you need to think about meeting room furniture. Do you have current meeting room pieces already in place? Are you likely to be holding many meetings with prospective clients or with this particular client once they accept your proposition (thinking optimistically here!)? If so you may want to look at the state of your existing furniture; is it suitable or will an upgrade be needed?

Next you need to look at some way you can tell the rest of the office that you are holding a meeting; the last thing you want is for your staff to come bursting into the meeting room – not very impressive! Think about whether you would prefer a floor standing sign which displays that there is a meeting in progress or whether you would prefer a sliding door sign which indicates ‘meeting room engaged’ or ‘meeting room vacant’. There are plenty of meeting rooms signs available to choose from, you just need to consider your budget.

You will obviously need to make sure you have all the essential presentation supplies, whether this be flipcharts, flipchart markers, OHP machines, projection screens, interactive copyboards, pointers, whiteboards and so on. Do remember to prepare for your meeting; will you be using flipcharts, whiteboards, OHP’s or copyboards to broadcast and present your ideas? Whichever you choose prepare before you get in!

Last but not least, please them! It’s so true, the way to a person’s heart is through their stomachs and so what better way to put a smile on their faces than to give them tasty food and beverages! We have plenty of meeting room drinks at Office 365 including tea’s hot chocolates, coffee’s, juices, soft drinks, milk, soup, squashes and water! Our range of meeting room biscuits includes options such as HobNobs, Fox’s assorted biscuits, chocolate digestives, Cadbury mini fingers, Crawford teatime varieties, Oreo biscuits and so many, many more! So stock up on all the goodies and give them a tasty selection that is sure to sweeten them up before you even get started!

Thank goodness that the whole world has not yet completely turned to the world of computers! Artists, pupils, teachers, designers, cartoonists, architects and more will still use tools completely unrelated to this form of technology, or any form of technology for that matter and rely on tools such as fineliner pens to get their daily work done. Many children use fineliners for their artistic skills as their accuracy and range of colours can help them to improve their skills! You will also find that artists and graphic designers use ink and more specifically, fine liners for their designs, drawings and sketchings due to their ability to create fine, detailed work.

Fineliners are often chosen depending on their nib and line widths. Line widths include 0.3mm, 0.4mm, 0.5mm, 0.6mm, 0.7mm, 0.8mm & 2mm line widths, so you’ll need to think about what style of writing or design work you’d like to create before you choose your finliners. Our fine liners are available from brands such as 5 Star, Artline, Berol, Bic, Papermate, Pentel, Pilot, Stabilo, Staedtler and many more!

Our number 1 fineliner and an all round favourite is the Berol Color Fine Pen Pack featured. These are found in almost all schools and come in the option of either 0.6mm line width and 1.7mm line width so that you can choose if you’d like something designed for more detailed work, or for children who’d like to colour and learn. The featured pens are 0.6mm and are suitable for detailed colouring or marking. With washable ink, these are perfect for kids, plus the caps can be left off for up to 14 days without the pens drying out! All for just £7.00 inc VAT!

At number 2 we have the Pentel S570 Ultra Fine Pen with 0.6mm tip and 0.3mm line width. This one is very popular amongst designers and professionals and comes in a variety of different colours. The plastic tip is reinforced with a protective metal collar to ensure a more precise line
and makes it perfect for stencilling as well as figure work. For just £12.36 inc VAT, you’re not paying through the tooth either!

At number 3 we have The 5 Star Fibre Tipped Pen with 0.4mm tip and line width. We’ve chosen this one thanks to its tiny price! Its only £5.86 for a pack of 12 pens, so when ones run out, you’ve plenty more to keep you going! Each plastic fibre tip is durable and will certainly last until the ink has ran out, what more can you ask!

At number four we had no hesitation in choosing the Staedtler 309 Handwriting Fibre Tipped Pens featured. These are available in packs of 10 and have a tip of 0.8mm and line width of 0.6mm, plus come in a choice of blue or black ink. Ideal for carbon copies, these pens are also commonly used in schools for teaching pupils handwriting. With dry safe ink, these pens have a cap off time of a minimum of 2 weeks! Not bad for £9.72 (inc VAT) per pack!

Finally in 5^th place we have the Pilot Fineliner Pen in 1.2mm nib and 0.7mm line width. These fine writing pens have a patented multi-channel feed which is very popular with our customers! The hard-wearing durable plastic tip gives continuous ink flow at all writing angles which means this pens scores highly on all reviews! The only reason we didn’t put this one higher on the list is because of the price! This pack of 12 is available for a higher price of £16.31 inc VAT – I guess you get what you pay for!

Choosing a lever arch for your personal needs or a collection of lever arch files for your filing needs isn’t easy when the choice is so vast! So following the theme of the past couple of weeks, we’re looking into the top 5 lever arch files for you. Take a look, see what you think and make your own decision! Why not get in touch and let us know your thoughts?

At number one, we felt the best lever arch file was the Arianex Double Capacity Lever Arch File. Its clear to see the reasons behind this choice with it being two files in one! This lever arch file is actual two 50mm A4 capacity lever arch files that come in a secure complete wrap-around cover with a stud fastener for added security. With plastic foot protectors and constructed from tough PVC covered board, this durable binder even has an added A-Z index divider set and plastic protected spine label! So not only is this your file need sorted, but the divider one too making life so much simpler. All this for £27.12 inc VAT!

At number two we have the Esselte No. 1 Power Lever Arch File featured. The 100% recycled, FSC certified file is ideal for those who strive to be eco friendly. Featuring a new mechanism with outstanding locking force for precise closing every time, the file has even been tested and guaranteed for 10,000 times! The prongs have been designed to remain perfectly aligned, even when the mechanism is completely filled with paper! Other bonuses include perfect upright stability (making them ideal for filing paper work on your shelves) a cover lock, thumbhole for easy retrieval, metal shoes for corner protection from fraying and damage and a staggering 3 year guarantee on the mechanism! Finally, this lever arch file will hold a whopping 500 A4 sheets and will allow you to print your own label! Simply go to www.esselte.com/easyprint. This pack of 10 comes in at just £32.15 inc VAT!

At number 3 and chosen for its value for money we have the 5 Star Lever Arch File. This pack of 10 lever arch files is available for just £15.61 inc VAT, making it suitable for all budgets! These cloud effect paper covered lever arch files are constructed from a high quality board and sport a handy metal finger pull for easy retrieval, added lining and reinforced bottom edge for protection from wear and tear, which all accounts for its added durability. The slotted covers provide added file stability when in use, and what’s more, these files are supplied complete with compressor bar for easy opening of mechanism. Finished with a spine label for easy identification and with a capacity of 70mm, these A4 files tick all the boxes!

At number 4 consider our Concord Classic Lever Arch Files. We decided we’d need to find a nice assorted collection here as many people use their lever arch file for filing paperwork and prefer a variety of colours in order to colour code the contents. So we’ve chosen for the fact that they’re an assorted pack of 10, but also for their small price tag. At £35.22 for 10, we felt this wasn’t bad and considering that their foolscap in size too, we thought this price very fair! Featuring metal finger pulls, spine labels, reinforced edges for durability and a useful printed index panel on the inside cover, these 70mm capacity lever arch files get the thumbs up from us.

And last but not least, in 5^th place we have the Leitz Presentation Mini Lever Arch Files featured. This unique lever arch file has a patented 180° mechanism which opens at 180° to allow filing from both sides and additions in the middle of a file whilst also ensuring perfect alignment. The clever mechanism will allow you to file larger amounts of paper in one go because the mechanism opens wider than standard Lever Arch Files and what’s more the cover has been constructed from FSC certified 100% recycled board! With a very handy 2 outside pockets for inserting covers and 1 inside pocket for inserting loose leaves of paper, this A4 lever arch files has a capacity of 52mm holding approximately 350 sheets of paper. Available in packs of 10 for just £81.38 inc VAT!