Stationery and Office Supplies Limited (SOS), the producer of the SEEK brand, is already reporting a 15 per cent growth in book sales this summer compared to the same period last year, as parents prepare their children for the upcoming academic year.

The June to August quarter is a peak period for back-to-school shopping globally, significantly boosting sales for stationery supplies, uniforms, electronics, and footwear.

Locally, some of that demand is absorbed by cheap imported products. However, SOS has spent the past two years repositioning itself to become the preferred choice for stationery items.

The changes began at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when sales slumped due to the closure of schools and the shift to online classes.

But the company, which is headed by Allan McDaniel, saw opportunities amid the chaos and shifted SEEK’s production to focus on corporate stationery to fulfill the new demand for home office furniture. Then in 2022, SOS acquired D&K’s Printing and Office Supplies, a move that not only expanded offerings, increased production, and boosted profits but also set new records for the company.

Fast forward three years to today, and McDaniel says those decisions continue to bear fruit for the company.

Last year, the SEEK factory experienced exponential growth since its acquisition in 2018 when SOS entered the business of manufacturing. Starting with just $35 million in sales, the company has almost tripled its annual financial returns in just five years, with SEEK revenues reaching their highest peak yet of $97 million at the close of the 2023 financial year.

The third-quarter results are not yet out, but the numbers are expected to exceed last year’s performance.

“SEEK’s revenues for this period are approximately 15 per cent higher compared to the same period last year,” McDaniel told the Jamaica Observer in response to questions about the segment that currently contributes 6 per cent of overall sales.

That number is expected to rise later this month end when parents complete back-to-school shopping.

“The 15 per cent year-on-year growth in sales for SEEK is primarily due to continued growth and increased production efforts. Our consistent focus on expanding our capabilities and output has driven this improvement,” he added, noting that for the first time, SEEK products are readily accessible in the eastern and western parts of the island.

Still, there is scope for growth.

McDaniel said the company is focused on filling existing demand through increased output. It also aims to capture a larger share of the imported stationery supplies market.

“Our plan is to hopefully limit imports by better satisfying the needs of the local market,” he said regarding the company that produces SEEK notebooks, quire books, and writing pads.

The company is targeting around 40 per cent growth in SEEK’s operations by 2025 and plans to achieve this through further expansion. The expansion plan follows the company’s deal in 2023 to become the exclusive local distributor of Pilot pens and one of two distributors of 3M products in Jamaica.

The division will be bolstered by a $50-million investment in new equipment to double its output by the end of 2024.

The company has disclosed plans to add a ruling machine, which should grow its ruling capabilities fivefold. It will also add two book-making units that will staple, fold, cut, and bind exercise books in one pass, ultimately tripling daily output.

“We’re still in the process of finalising the location for the new machinery and getting it up and running, but this will not impact our output for the upcoming school term,” the managing director said.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was updated to correct the reference to Book Empire Limited as a subsidiary of Stationery and Office Supplies Limited. In 2018, SOS diversified into book production through the acquisition of the assets of Book Empire Limited.