Who we are

OER Group is a leading independently owned supplier of office equipment solutions including office furniture & office design and networking from manufacturers such Stellar Office Furniture, Stellar Office and many more on a cash or lease basis. We have been in business now for years and have offices across the UK. To further increase our rapid rate of expansion we launched our business format franchise in January 2004 and have plans to grow to 65 sites in England by 2006. By growing through franchising we can deliver the highest standards of technical support and customer service to all our customers whether they purchase a completer office design and office furniture solution, lease office furniture or furniture leasing or lease or buy and other product or service in our extensive office equipment portfolio.

Office Furniture Marketplace

The UK office furniture market was estimated to be worth £830m at manufacturers' selling prices (msp) in 1997. The industry has enjoyed significant growth in recent years, having been hard hit by the recession in the early 1990s. Nonetheless, with customers continuing to be frugal in their occupation of office space, and shifts in working practice allowing for more productive use of existing furniture, the outlook for the industry is mixed, particularly as surplus capacity continues to restrain profitability.

The market falls into three main sectors: desks and tables, seating, and storage. Desks and tables is the largest sector, accounting for around 45% of the market's value, with seating representing a further 30%. However, it is the seating sector which has shown the strongest growth, mainly as a result of new legislation which demands adjustable seating for visual display unit (VDU) operators. The storage sector has declined in value, as electronic storage media has become increasingly common.

One of the most important trends affecting the market in recent years has been the move towards home working. The advent of low-cost computer equipment and the advance in telecommunications technology have enabled many more people in professional service-based industries to work from home. At the same time, companies are increasingly outsourcing non-core business activities to temporary or contract personnel. The emphasis in the office furniture industry is, therefore, shifting away from large organisations towards smaller business units. Other changes in working practice are also having a significant effect on the industry. Concepts such as `hot desking' will result in more efficient use of existing office furniture, while also offering increased opportunities for new furniture designs.

Paradoxically, the lifespan of office furniture is providing an additional threat to the industry. The increasing number of small business customers has expanded the market for second-hand and reconditioned furniture (which generally becomes available through office refurbishment and bankruptcies). This has inevitably introduced further pricing pressures into the industry.

Key Note estimates that the market will grow by around 9% in 1998, as the economy continues to expand and industrial confidence returns. However, once latent demand has been satisfied, 1998 could represent the high water mark for the industry. Although market size will continue to grow, pressure on margins will increase and the intensity of competition will be manifested in higher levels of industry consolidation. (source:www.pem.co.uk)

Leasing office furniture v buying office furniture cash

To lease office furniture or not to lease office furniture? Everyones circumstances are different but office furniture leasing is very popular and most OER Group customers generally decide that office furniture leasing is right for their business. That said contact your financial adviser to discuss how best to acquire office furniture but in the meantime please find as follows some advantages and disadvantages of leasing office furniture.

Some Advantages to Lease a office furniture:

(a) Costs for the office furniture are certain and are known in advance;
(b) The office furniture cannot be withdrawn once the contract is signed and its conditions complied with;
(c) No need to tie up capital in fixed assets such as a office furniture;
(d) Allowances, depreciation and other calculations are not needed, since leasing is concerned only with rentals;
(e) Leasing provides a medium-term source of capital which may not be available elsewhere;
(f) Leasing provides a hedge against inflation as the use of the asset is obtained immediately - payments are made out of future funds and are made in fixed money terms, with real costs falling as inflation increases.
(g) possibility of immediate acquisition of office furniture

Some Disadvantages of Leasing office furniture:

1. It is generally not possible to dispose of the office furniture before the end of the lease.
2. The office furniture is not owned.
3. Funds must be found to pay the lease throughout its duration.

Should you decide to lease office furniture then OER Group provides extremely competitive leasing rates from major lenders such as BNP Paribas, CF Asset and Bank of Scotland.

Office furniture design, installation and after sales support

OER Group provides complete office furniture installation and after sales support on all office furniture design installations that are supplied. All office furniture supplied comes with extensive warranties and a strict "no quibble" policy to ensure your get the most from your investment. Our design team provide free office furniture design and layout services including CAD representations to ensure the optimum solution but also to ensure your company complies with EU health & safety regulations.

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