As it prepares for a surge in demand during the upcoming back-to-school season, Stationery and Office Supplies Limited (SOS) is now developing its Collins Green, St Andrew property to house manufacturing operations for its fast-growing SEEK branded notebooks and stationery.

Managing Director Allan McDaniel, speaking with the Jamaica Observer on Monday, said the expectation is for the space to be ready in time to meet the demands of the usually busy school season.

“One of the new buildings that we are putting up on the property is to house our entire SEEK operations which will help with our planned uptick in production. We are giving SEEK its own factory and so we have decided to house the full operation in its own space. Looking also at the output we intend to get from the new machinery, we likewise wanted to ensure that we have enough production space to deal with the larger output,” he said.

Originally, the company intended to upgrade the current SEEK factory space, but based on its expanded growth plans, it opted instead to relocate operations entirely to the new building at Collins Green. The former site on Beechwood Avenue will now support the expansion of SOS’s furniture and other product lines.

“We’ve been considering this move for a few months, but only finalised the decision earlier this year,” McDaniel told the
Business Observer.

The Collins Green property, which spans over 10,000 square feet, was acquired last year with an intention to address warehousing needs. The new 8,000-square-foot facility being developed at the location will consolidate SEEK’s office, storage, and production operations under one roof. This upgrade will enable SOS to scale the SEEK line across Jamaica as it explore overseas markets.

SEEK was acquired by SOS in 2018.

“With the new factory, we have already hired a full-time SEEK salesperson, which we previously didn’t have, who will go around the island in search of new business for the line. This, as we look to tap into those locations we have not yet reached. Based on all the developments taking place, we are anticipating a big jump in this segment,” McDaniel stated.

Following millions in investment towards the recent purchase of new equipment, which consist of a ruling machine that will increase ruling capability fivefold and two book-making units that can staple, fold, cut, and bind exercise books in one pass, SOS is hoping to triple its current daily production as it looks to grow revenues by 50 per cent.

Alongside SEEK, the company’s EVOLVE furniture line continues to be a key revenue driver for the company. For the first quarter ended March 31, 2025, SOS reported record revenues of $537.5 million — the highest in its 60-year history — along with net profits of $73.6 million.

Even as EVOLVE continues to remain strong, McDaniel said the company plans to diversify its furniture offerings.

“We’re working on launching more specialty furniture products, including new versions of standard desks, cabinets, and more. I’m not able to say much about this as yet, but we should have more to share by year-end,” he indicated.

SOS’s business left largely unscathed by tariff impacts, McDaniel said is now laser-focused on sustaining its growth momentum.

“We remain on track and are definitely looking forward to cross the $2-billion sales mark this year. As we move further into the year, we’ll also expand our focus on international markets as we continue to grow our regional exports,” McDaniel said.

At the end of its 2024 financial year, revenues for the company totalled $1.8 billion.