Banner acquires Ventura Office Supplies as it prepares to grow

Andrea Eli, the former director of Ventura and now sales director of Banner, on the night she won her national award from Forward Ladies,

Banner, which has its head office in Sheffield, has acquired the reseller Ventura Office Supplies.

Established 12 years, Ventura, which is based in Bingley, West Yorkshire, is one of the UK’s biggest independent office product dealers.

All six Ventura staff are being retained following the deal and the company, which had a turnover of £1.4m in the last financial year, is continuing to operate from its present site in Cottingley Business Park and trade under its previous name.

Andrea Eli, the director and former owner of Ventura with her partner Hari Athwal, has joined the Banner sales leadership team as sales director.

Ms Eli said: “We’re extremely proud of the success we’ve enjoyed with Ventura, but this is absolutely the right time for us to become part of Banner.

“There are significant and increasing restrictions on smaller dealers’ ability to grow their customer bases, product ranges, incomes and resourcing in the current market, without them spending serious money, and this deal releases all those chains we felt were holding us back.

“We’re also certain this is a very exciting time to be joining Banner.”

Ms Eli last month won the SME Emerging Business Leader category of the national Women in business awards, which are organised by Forward Ladies, the UK’s largest support network for women in business.

Craig Varey, the managing director of Banner, said: “The purchase will bring us incremental sales and expand our market coverage on behalf of our suppliers.”