Lauren K. OhnesorgeStaff Writer- Triangle Business JournalEmail
After a long courtship, two Raleigh copy machine and printer suppliers are finally one business.
CEI CEO Blake Alford has been talking with the CEO of Raleigh-based Business Machines Inc., Mike Upchurch, for 14 years about buying BMI. A year ago, Upchurch finally caved.
“I literally have talked with Mike about every 120 days… it’s been a running joke,” Alford says.
BMI’s nine employees moved into CEI’s 30,000-square-foot office off Glenwood Avenue over the weekend, joining a team of 50. Alford says the entire BMI team, including Upchurch, were offered CEI jobs.
Upchurch will be able to return to what he loves, Alford says – working with customers. Alford says Upchurch will act as an ambassador and liaison in transitioning customers.
CEI deals in Savin products and BMI in Lanier. Sales of Lanier, Alford says, will be phased out – but CEI will still service Lanier machines. CEI also supplies Konica Minolta products.
The addition of BMI’s customer list is “huge,” Alford says, adding that an extensive branding campaign is part of an effort to make the new CEI’s list expand even further.
While Alford wouldn’t go into the financial specifics of the deal, he expects the combined company to record between $15 million and $16 million in annual sales - a 10 percent increase from CEI alone.
CEI - The Digital Office - has been in Raleigh for nearly 60 years and BMI has been here for more than 30.
Lauren Ohnesorge covers technology, biotechnology and Durham County
http://www.bizjournals.com/tri...suppliers-merge.html
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