INDUSTRY NEWS

TWELVE “EXPANSIVE” TITLES LONGLISTED FOR THE WILBUR SMITH ADVENTURE WRITING PRIZE, AS 2026 MARKS A “DECADE OF ADVENTURE”

30 APRIL 2026

London, UK, 30 April 2026 – A longlist of twelve books has been selected for the tenth Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize. The winner of the Prize, awarded by The Wilbur & Niso Smith Foundation, will take home £10,000 and a trophy to mark their triumph.

The longlist comprises American, British, British-Nigerian, Irish, Indian, and Malaysian authors, and includes three debut novels as well as recognition for three independent presses. The full list of titles, curated by a panel of UK librarians and library workers, is:

Stationers’ Company Warrant 2026: Office Power retains prestigious industry recognition

30 APRIL 2026

Office Power has been awarded the renewal of its Stationers’ Company Warrant for 2026, in recognition of its continued excellence in delivering Office Power Software and Service Solutions.

The Stationers’ Company committee unanimously agreed to renew the warrant, noting that they have consistently been impressed by the professionalism of the Office Power organisation and its staff. The renewal reflects the strength of Office Power’s offering and its ongoing contribution to the office products and services industry.

The Stationers’ Company Warrant highlights organisations that demonstrate outstanding quality, innovation, and service within their field. Office Power was recognised for its continued ability to deliver a high-performing, market-relevant platform that supports dealers across the UK and beyond.

FIA UK Backs Innovation Excellence Awards 

30 APRIL 2026

BOSS Virtual Sustainability Conference – 29th April

29 APRIL 2026

The virtual BOSS Sustainability Conference is taking place next week on Wednesday 29 April from 9.30-12.30, this annual event is dedicated to educating the industry on environmental best practice. The conference is free to attend, click here to reserve your place for any of the sessions.

Industry Panel chaired by Martin Eames, BOSS Environmental Forum Chair

In an industry where every product, process and delivery choice carries a carbon cost, there is a constant pressure to act. Our panel titled: Carbon Reduction: Quick Wins brings together leading sustainability voices from across the business supplies sector to discuss what really works.

STATIONERY SHOW REVEAL FOR ‘STATIONERY ICONS’

28 APRIL 2026

Christopher Leonard-Morgan’s keenly awaited book “STATIONERY ICONS – 100 brands that shape how we write, draw and create” will be able to be seen for the first time at next month’s London International Stationery Show where he is speaking about “The story behind Stationery Icons”.

Chris founded the Stationery (& Office Products as it was initially known) Show nearly twenty years ago, and National Stationery Week in 2013. He is a recognised champion of stationery and the importance of handwriting, and a Liveryman of The Stationers’ Company which is one of the oldest livery companies in the City of London.

Hensal Ltd is awarded a new Warrant for 2026

27 APRIL 2026

Hensal Communications Ltd is proud to announce that it has been awarded a Warrant by The Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers. This recognition marks an important moment for the business and reflects the consistent quality of service and print solutions delivered to clients across the UK.

A Mark of Quality and Trust

The Stationers’ Company Warrant is a respected acknowledgement within the print and communications industry. It is awarded to businesses that demonstrate a high standard of workmanship, service, and reliability over time. To receive this warrant places Hensal Communications among a group of trusted companies within the sector.

Murray Sale, Managing Director of Hensal Communications Ltd, said:

“This recognition means a great deal to me. Hensal has always been built around doing the right thing for clients, delivering quality work, and being someone people can rely on. To be recognised by the Stationers’ Company is something I am very proud of and a reflection of the relationships we have built over the years.”

Victor Stationery secures renewed Stationers’ Company Warrants for RHINO Flexiback Notebooks and RHINO SEN Tinted Paper Range

23 APRIL 2026

Victor Stationery has secured renewed Stationers’ Company Warrants for its RHINO Flexiback notebooks and RHINO (SEN) Tinted Paper Range, reinforcing the strength of both product lines across design, quality, sustainability and end-user benefit.

The renewed warrants were presented at Stationers’ Hall on 9 March 2026, where Victor Stationery’s CEO Robert Moore, accepted the accolade. Established in 2014, the Stationers’ Company Warrant recognises products that meet demanding standards across design, production, materials, packaging and sustainability.

For the education and stationery sectors, the continued recognition of RHINO’s SEN Tinted Paper Range is especially notable. Developed to support users with special educational needs and visual processing differences such as dyslexia and visual stress, the range is designed to reduce glare, support focus and create a more comfortable reading and writing experience.

Chair of Warrants Committee, John Livingston visits Warrant Holder Charfleet Bindery

22 APRIL 2026

Last Friday Charfleet Book Bindery, received a visit from John Livingston Chair of the Warrants Committee. Charfleet were recently granted the prestigious Stationer’s Warrant for their Colour Block range of distinctive British made premium notebooks.

John reflected that it is poignant when there is so much bad news, that each brightly coloured note book is embossed with a single optimistic word. You can choose from: laugh, love, happy, dream, hope or live.

He was impressed that each book is hand bound by skilled craftsmen and carefully inspected before it leaves the factory.

Charfleet Book Bindery own a number of iconic brands including Leathersmith, Dataday, and At-A-Glance, however most of their growth is in the bespoke premium end of the market. Richard Howe production manager introduced him to some highly skilled members of the team who were finishing leather bound books by hand. “I thought I knew everything there was to know about skiving at work,” Joked John, “Until I saw the highly skilled process of chamfering the edges of a leather book cover to produce a flawless finish”.

Reviewing the visit John borrowed a phrase from Sir John Betjeman: “They are craftsmen to their fingertips”.

The BOSS Federation are delighted to announce new LOTF Committee Members

22 APRIL 2026

The Leaders of the Future (LOTF) Committee is a BOSS Special Interest Group (SIG) bringing together professionals from manufacturing, wholesale and dealer businesses across the industry. The group is dedicated to developing and supporting the next generation of leaders, empowering them with the confidence, belief and guidance needed to achieve their full potential and make a lasting impact on the industry.

Contact Originators secures three Stationers’ Company Warrants for a second year

21 APRIL 2026

Contact Originators has successfully renewed its three Stationers’ Company Warrants, originally awarded in 2025, for its technologies MagnaForma™, PrintHQ and Optimus™. The Warrants, which recognise excellence across the communications and content industries, were confirmed on 9 March 2026 at the Stationers’ Company Warrant Awards, held at Stationers’ Hall in London.

This achievement for a second consecutive year reflects the ongoing performance and relevance of the company’s three innovative technologies within the print and packaging industry.

Innovation Excellence Awards 2026 Open for Entries – with New PR Partner Jargon PR

20 APRIL 2026

Entries are now open for the 2026 Innovation Excellence Awards - the Company's flagship programme celebrating innovation across the industries we represents.

Spanning communications, content, print, packaging, publishing, and—new for 2026—manufacturing, the Awards continue to recognise the ideas, technologies and collaborations shaping the future of these sectors. Open to members and non-members alike, and free to enter, the Awards offer a unique platform to showcase innovation within a cross-industry network.

This year also marks an exciting step forward with the appointment of The Jargon Group as PR partner. Their support will help elevate the profile of the Awards, ensuring that the achievements of entrants and winners reach wider industry and media audiences.

Simon Corbett, Liveryman and founder of The Jargon Group, said:
“At Jargon PR, we’re proud to support the Innovation Excellence Awards and the vital role they play in showcasing forward-thinking ideas. Innovation is at the heart of every successful business, and these awards shine a spotlight on the companies driving real progress.”

With judging led by an expert panel drawn from across industry and academia, the Awards are designed not only to recognise excellence, but to connect innovators, foster collaboration and highlight the importance of innovation as a driver of growth.

Entries are now open, with submissions welcomed from organisations and individuals working across the full breadth of the Stationers’ industries.

BCF’s Momentum Continues as New President Jane Ryder Sets Sights on Paint Recycling and Regulatory Reform

20 APRIL 2026

Jane Ryder, Vice President & General Manager of Sherwin-Williams Consumer Brands Group Europe, took over as the new President of the British Coatings Federation earlier in 2026, and will serve for a two-year term. Her first engagement was to host the BCF’s Parliamentary Reception at the end of March, where over 130 guests and 20 MPs were present, and which was a huge success.