It was announced earlier this month that Pens Plus on High Street had been listed on the market for £170,000, with the leasehold property advertised on Rightmove.

The business has been trading since the late 1960s, with owners Paul Major and his wife Kay having taken it over in October 2019.

Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co, has been instructed to market Pens Plus, and now Mr and Mrs Major have spoken out about the decision.

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Mr Major said: “Building this business has been one of the great privileges of my life.

“What began as a simple passion for fine writing instruments has grown into a brand with loyal customers both here in Oxford and around the world.

“I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved. As I move toward retirement, the time feels right to hand the business over as a thriving going concern.

“I’m confident that the right new owner will continue to nurture its potential and carry the company forward into its next successful chapter.”

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Markus Grun, a business agent at Christie & Co who is managing the sale, added: “This is a great opportunity to acquire a thriving business with international reach.

“We expect interest from heritage brand operators as well as retailers looking to diversify into the luxury stationery market.

“We encourage all interested parties to get in touch for further information about the opportunity.”

Pens Plus is on the market with an asking price of £170,000 plus stock at value for the leasehold.

Parcelhero has partnered with Royal Mail to add tracked delivery services to its parcel comparison platform, expanding the range of domestic and international shipping options available to customers.

The integration allows users to compare Royal Mail services alongside other carriers already listed on the platform, covering a wider range of delivery speeds and pricing tiers.

The rollout includes Royal Mail Tracked 24 and Tracked 48 services for UK deliveries.

Parcelhero said the services cover large letters up to 1kg, small parcels up to 2kg and medium parcels up to 20kg.

International tracked services have also been added. These include large letters up to 750g and small parcels up to 2kg.

The addition expands the types of shipments supported through the platform, including both lower-weight items and larger parcels.

The expanded coverage allows users to compare services across a broader range of delivery needs, from small personal items to higher-weight parcels.

Direct partnership

The agreement marks the first direct partnership between Parcelhero and Royal Mail.

Parcelhero has previously offered access to Parcelforce services, which operate within the Royal Mail Group, but had not directly integrated Royal Mail’s courier services until now.

“This is the first direct partnership between Parcelhero and Royal Mail, the UK’s largest provider of postal services, although Parcelhero has offered its customers the choice of Royal Mail’s express parcels service, Parcelforce, for many years,” said Roger Sumner-Rivers, Founder and CEO, Parcelhero.

Parcelhero customers can now organise a Royal Mail courier for exactly when they are needed. Whether it’s a letter or a 20kg shipment, senders can now compare Royal Mail’s fully tracked services directly against every other carrier, adding value and flexibility to their shipping choices. Many individuals and businesses are very familiar with Royal Mail’s services, and we are delighted to add these to our wide range of courier partners,” added Sumner-Rivers.

Service details

Parcelhero said customers booking Royal Mail services through its platform will have access to real-time parcel tracking and GBP £50 free protection on shipments.

The company said collections are available in selected commercial areas, and that Royal Mail drivers can bring shipping labels for customers who do not have printers.

Parcelhero also said customers using Royal Mail services through its platform can contact Royal Mail support directly if issues arise.

These features align with standard expectations for tracked delivery services, particularly for users managing shipments without access to dedicated fulfilment tools.

Market context

Royal Mail remains a core provider of postal and parcel delivery services across the UK, serving both individual senders and businesses.

Its inclusion on Parcelhero’s platform reflects continued demand for established delivery operators within comparison tools, where users weigh cost, delivery speed and service features across multiple providers.

Parcel comparison platforms have become more widely used by small businesses and individual senders seeking to manage delivery costs and access a wider range of services through a single interface.

The addition of Royal Mail extends Parcelhero’s carrier network and introduces a national postal operator into its comparison offering.

Platform update

The Royal Mail integration comes alongside the rollout of a new version of Parcelhero’s platform.

Parcelhero said the updated platform includes additional features for consumers and businesses using its delivery comparison and booking tools.

The Royal Mail agreement expands the tracked delivery services available through the platform and increases the number of carriers that users can assess when selecting shipping options.

Campari Group has gone live with SAP Cloud ERP private solutions, marking a milestone in the drinks group’s digital overhaul.

The rollout brings together finance, supply chain, marketing and human resources systems across the business. It also establishes a single digital architecture built around analytics, planning, application development and governance tools.

Based in Milan, Campari sells more than 50 brands, including Aperol, Campari, Espolòn, Wild Turkey, Courvoisier and Grand Marnier. The group markets its products in more than 190 countries and operates 24 production sites worldwide.

The new setup includes SAP Analytics Cloud, SAP Integrated Business Planning, SAP Datasphere and SAP Business Technology Platform. Campari is also implementing SAP Business Data Cloud to combine data from SAP software and third-party systems, while using SAP LeanIX to map links between applications, processes and business owners.

The programme is intended to create a central model for core processes across the company. It is also designed to strengthen oversight of the wider IT estate and support planning and analytics across multiple business functions.

AI tools

Artificial intelligence features are embedded across several of the systems now in use. In SAP SuccessFactors, employees use Joule and other AI features to set and track goals, while SAP Concur automates expense matching.

AI-assisted functions are also being applied to order and payment posting. These tools are intended to improve decision-making and lower operating costs.

José Silva, Group Head of IT at Campari Group, said the move would help the company keep pace with changes in SAP’s cloud products and AI tools.

“We’ve embarked on the RISE with SAP journey to keep pace with innovations offered by SAP Cloud ERP Private and embedded AI capabilities,” Silva said. “Today, we can reshape processes in line with business evolution, improve planning and make our supply chain more efficient-ensuring continuous product distribution worldwide. Moving to a centralized process model enables us to improve productivity and reduce TCO consistently,” added Silva.

The focus on supply chain planning and distribution reflects the operational demands of a global drinks business with a broad portfolio and wide geographic reach. Bringing planning, finance and HR data into a more unified structure may also reduce duplication across regional and brand-level operations.

For SAP, the Campari rollout adds a consumer goods customer to its cloud ERP base at a time when large companies are reviewing how to connect business software, data systems and AI tools. The company has been pushing integrated cloud systems that combine transactional data with planning and analytics functions.

Sector example

Carla Masperi, Managing Director of SAP Italy, described the project as an example of how the software group is positioning its systems for food and beverage companies.

“Campari is one of our best references in the food and beverage sector and is an excellent example of how SAP solutions can transform organizational and production processes,” Masperi said. “By combining cloud ERP with AI and data-driven planning, Campari is setting a new standard for digital transformation in the consumer products industry.”