North American Office Products Awards 2023 (NAOPA)

OPI is pleased to announce the shortlist for the North American Office Products Awards 2023 (NAOPA).

Best Product – Core Business Product

3M – Scotch Box Lock Paper Packaging Tape 
3M – Scotch Unboxing Scissors 
ACCO Brands – Quartet Vertical InvisaMount Magnetic Glass Dry-Erase Board
Deflecto – OceanMat Chair Mat
Kensington – MK7500F QuietType Pro Silent Mechanical Keyboard  
Lavazza North America – FLAVIA Creation 300 + Chill Refresh

Best Product – Facilities, Breakroom, Safety & Infection Control

Avery – Durable ID Cards & Badges
Eco-Products – Vegware – Renewable and Compostable Food Service Disposables 
Fellowes Brands – Fellowes Array Networked Air Purifiers & Monitoring
ITW Pro Brands – SCRUBS NO RINSE Food Surface Disinfectant Wipes
OttLite Technologies – Wellness Series SanitizingPro LED Desk Lamp and UV Air Purifier
Reckitt – Lysol Pro Solutions Disinfecting Wipes 800 ct. Bucket and Refill Packs

Best Product – Furniture & Design

ACCO Brands – Quartet Vertical InvisaMount Magnetic Glass Dry-Erase Board
Durable – Mobile TV cart COWORKSATION
Ghent – Control Shelving Unit
Kantek – Mobile Height Adjustable Sit Stand Desk
Nook Pod USA – Nook Air
The HON Company – Flexion

Best Product – Technology

Fellowes Brands – Fellowes Array Networked Air Purifiers & Monitoring
Ghent – Aria Connect
Kensington – H3000 Bluetooth Over-Ear Headset
Kensington – MK7500F QuietType Pro Silent Mechanical Keyboard
OneScreen – Touchscreen TL7
Prima Edge – PrimaGo

Innovation of the Year

3M – Scotch Box Lock Paper Packaging Tape
3M – Scotch Unboxing Scissors
Cubii – Cubii Total Body+
Dealer Delivery Network – The Dealer Delivery Network Hub
Fellowes Brands – Fellowes Array Networked Air Purifiers & Monitoring
OneScreen – Touchscreen TL7

Young Executive of the Year

Daniel Benjamin, President, Benjamin Office Supply
Tyler Condry, President, Sundance Office
Kelly Ennis, Chief Revenue Officer, JAM BNC
Alicia Kolbus, Analytics Specialist, Stinson’s
Andy Richter, President, Richter Total Office

Two additional individual awards will be revealed during Industry Week (no shortlist): Professional of the Year and Industry Achievement. 

Finally, OPI readers based in North America will have the opportunity to vote for the always highly anticipated People’s Choice product award, selected from all the shortlisted products listed above. Online voting for this award opens on 1 August.

DEADLINE EXTENDED TO MONDAY JUNE 19, 2023

There will be nine awards presented at the NAOPA 2023:
• Best Product – Core Business Products
• Best Product – Furniture & Design
• Best Product – Facilities, Breakroom, Safety & Infection Control
• Best Product – Technology
• Innovation of the Year
• People’s Choice
• Young Executive of the Year
• Professional of the Year
• Industry Achievement

Categories in detail:

Young Executive of the Year
The business supplies industry needs young and dynamic individuals to ensure its continued success. This is your chance to reward a young executive (35 or under) who is making a real impact in their business and maybe the sector too. We are looking for individuals that are not only making a difference where they work but are also taking part in the wider OP community. This may be through associations, charities or dealer organisations. You can nominate a colleague, customer, supplier or you can enter yourself.

To enter you must be:

• 35 or under
• Currently in a leadership position within a dealership in the IDC
• Must have made significant, demonstrable changes to improve the dealership – could be sales, operations, technology, etc. Please provide examples
• Ideally, you have become involved in the wider dealer community, for example through your dealer group, wholesaler, community or charity

Professional of the Year   
You are invited to nominate the best talent you have encountered in the industry. This may be an employee from your organisation who has had a significant impact on growth, productivity and morale. It could be an owner who is growing their business, using innovative techniques and really making a difference both in the industry and their community. Alternatively, you can nominate an exceptional executive working for a customer, supplier or partner. What we are looking for is an outstanding executive, working within or supplying products or services to the IDC, who has the potential to influence the future of the independent dealer channel.

Industry Achievement Award   
This award seeks to recognise the achievement of a person who has made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of the business products industry over the course of their career. This inspirational individual may have been instrumental in the success of an organisation, or has helped advance the dealer channel in North America through their dedication and commitment.
The individual must work within, or supply products or services to, the IDC. 

Best Product of the Year 

In four categories: 

• Best Product – Core Business Products
• Best Product – Furniture & Design
• Best Product – Facilities, Breakroom, Safety & Infection Control
• Best Product – Technology

We will be looking for outstanding products in all of the above categories. The categories are open to products that are available to sell in the business products channel. This will include verticals such as the workplace, the home office, education, safety and PPE.

It might be a new product or one that has delivered strong revenue for many years that has had a successful relaunch or refresh. We want to see excellent product development and value for customers.

The judges will be looking for:

• Product innovation, design and functionality
• If it is an existing product, how it has improved upon previous designs/models
• The benefits for the reseller and the consumer
• The level of marketing support, innovation and initiatives in promoting the products to the end-user
• Outstanding sales performance
• Excellent supporting content, especially video

Entries are open to any business products company or individual based in or that has a physical presence in North America. 

Innovation of the Year
Nothing determines the success of any industry more than innovation. It is the lifeblood of our sector and without it we become commoditised. This award seek to discover the truly innovative products and ensure they receive the recognition they deserve. This can include products, technology solutions, significant enhancements or supply chain innovations.

The judges will be looking for:

• Functionality
• Design
• Originality
• Potential to generate revenue
• Excellent supporting marketing material and content, especially video

The product must have been launched in the last two years.

Entries are open to any business products company or individual based in or that has a physical presence in North America. 

People’s Choice

You cannot enter this award directly. The shortlisted products from the above categories are automatically entered into this award and the winner is chosen by a public vote. This will give all resellers the chance to vote from the shortlist for their choice for the product of the year. So if you would like to win this award make sure you enter one of the above product categories.

Not sure what to enter? 

If you have a product and you are not sure which category to enter, it then contact us for advice at events@opi.net 

DEADLINE EXTENDED TO MONDAY JUNE 19, 2023

The Entry Process

• The North American Office Products Awards are open to any companies or individuals that are headquartered or have a physical presence in North America who are working within, or supplying products and services to, the IDC.
• The manufacturing process, where applicable, can take place elsewhere but the company must have a real presence in the North America.
• You can enter as many categories as you wish.
• You may enter the same category multiple times.
• The deadline for entries is 11 June 2023 for both the vendor and the dealer awards
• Please complete the online entry form by answering all the questions listed, providing as much relevant information as possible.
• Only information provided on the entry form will be sent to the judges.
• Entries are treated in the strictest confidence.
• Judges will not be allowed to adjudicate in any category where they may have a conflict of interest.

The judging process

• The judges reserve the right to switch submissions between categories if they feel it is appropriate.
• The judges may decide not to bestow an award in a particular category.
• The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
• The shortlist will be announced by 31 August 2023.
• Winners will be announced at the ISG Industry Week 2023 from 8-11 October 2023 in New Orleans.