Obbo

What Obbo does

obbo GmbH is a family-owned German office supplies distributor headquartered in Saarbrücken, founded in 1948 as the "oberrheinische Bürobedarfsorganisation" and now led in its second generation by managing shareholder Sylvia Jolk. The company operates eight branch offices across southern and central Germany (Saarbrücken, Kaiserslautern, Mannheim, München, Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Köln, Dresden) with a 25-employee headcount, serving over 2,000 commercial, public-sector, and mid-market customers.

Its offering is organized around three core product pillars: "Alles für's Büro" office consumables (18,000 in-stock SKUs with access to 100,000+ products from 400+ manufacturers), "Raumkonzepte & Büromöbel" office furniture with needs analysis, CAD planning, visualization, delivery, and on-site assembly, and "Werbemittel & Printmedien" promotional merchandise and print media. Supporting services include the obbo Kaffeelösung managed coffee program, branded furniture lines (obbo Rovo XP, obbo SQ), the My green Toner sustainable cartridge sub-brand, and a 1,500 m² physical showroom plus 350 m² furniture exhibition in Saarbrücken.

The business model is primarily transaction-based B2B distribution with quote-based pricing, a €59.90 free-shipping threshold, 14-day net payment terms, and a tiered sales motion combining regional field sales representatives, inside sales, and a self-serve e-commerce shop. Logistics, warehousing, and procurement reach are outsourced to Soennecken eG under a partnership established in 2015, which also provides the So.Procure multi-supplier platform giving customers access to 42M+ articles. Revenue streams include one-time supply sales, higher-value furniture project work, managed coffee services, and tender-based public-sector contracts, with sustainability positioning (CO₂-neutral since 2019, ISO-aligned partner logistics, PV generation, hybrid/EV fleet) functioning as both a procurement differentiator and a procurement prerequisite in some German public tenders.

Name

Obbo

Legal name

obbo GmbH

Website

https://obbo.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

obbo GmbH is a family-owned German B2B office supplies and furniture distributor serving over 2,000 enterprise, public-sector, and mid-market customers across eight German branches from its Saarbrücken headquarters, with logistics and multi-supplier procurement delivered via its Soennecken eG partnership.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Saarbrücken

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Office Supplies & Stationery Sales: Sales of standard office supplies including folders, pens, paper, printer ink/toner, and other consumables. The company carries 18,000+ warehouse items and access to 100,000+ additional products from 400+ manufacturers. Revenue is generated through one-time transactions with repeat purchasing patterns from established business customers.
2. Office Furniture & Space Planning Services: Sales of office furniture including height-adjustable desks, ergonomic chairs, and complete room concepts. The company provides comprehensive project management services including needs analysis, CAD planning, visualization, on-site consultation, delivery, and installation. These are typically higher-value transactions with longer sales cycles for enterprise customers.
3. Promotional Materials & Print Products: Sales of advertising articles, promotional items, trade show materials, roll-ups, branded merchandise, and print products. Services include custom design consultation, brand logo application, and fulfillment solutions including storage and on-demand shipping.
4. Kaffee-Lösung (Coffee Solution Service): A comprehensive coffee solution service where obbo analyzes customer needs, sources appropriate coffee machines, arranges automatic reordering, delivers fresh beans regularly, and provides maintenance and service. This creates recurring service revenue from coffee supplies and equipment management.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

obbo GmbH is a family-owned German B2B office solutions distributor that supplies office consumables, office furniture, and promotional products through an online shop, physical showrooms, and a multi-supplier procurement platform. The company bundles consulting, CAD-based space planning, delivery, and installation services with a catalogue of 18,000+ warehouse items and access to over 100,000 products from 400+ manufacturers. Customers also benefit from recurring services such as the obbo Kaffeelösung coffee solution and sustainable product lines including My green Toner.

Product overview

Obbo (obbo GmbH) is a family-owned German office supplies company founded in 1948, headquartered in Saarbrücken, offering a comprehensive B2B and B2C range of products and services under the tagline 'eine Idee besser!' (one idea better). The core offering is organized into three main pillars: (1) office supplies through the 'Alles für's Büro' category (18,000 in-stock articles, 100,000+ procurement range, 400+ manufacturers), (2) office furniture and space planning through 'Raumkonzepte & Büromöbel' (ergonomic desks, chairs, acoustic solutions, CAD planning, delivery, and assembly), and (3) promotional products and print media through 'Werbemittel & Printmedien' (branded giveaways, print, trade show materials, fulfillment). The company also operates a physical office supply showroom (Bürofachmarkt, 1,500 m²), the So.Procure multi-supplier e-procurement platform (42M+ articles), and branded product lines including obbo Rovo XP and obbo SQ office chairs, the obbo Kaffeelösung full-service coffee solution, and the My green Toner sustainable toner sub-brand. Customers are served via an online shop, personal account management, and a network of internal and field sales staff across multiple German locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Alles für's Büro (Office Supplies) Comprehensive office supplies catalogue covering stationery, consumables, printer supplies, filing materials, and conference supplies for business customers. Available through the online shop, physical showroom, and direct sales channels.
• Raumkonzepte & Büromöbel (Space Concepts & Office Furniture) End-to-end office furniture and space planning service including needs analysis, CAD-based layout planning, product visualization, delivery, and on-site assembly for business customers undertaking office redesigns or new setups.
• Werbemittel & Printmedien (Promotional Items & Print Media) Custom promotional products and printed materials including branded merchandise, trade show displays, roll-ups, and print products with logo application. Includes storage and on-demand shipping fulfillment for marketing and event campaigns.
• Bürofachmarkt (Office Supply Retail Showroom) Physical 1,500 m² retail showroom at the Saarbrücken headquarters offering in-person browsing, consultation, and purchasing of office supplies for walk-in customers.
• obbo Kaffeelösung (Coffee Solution) Managed coffee solution service for offices that includes needs analysis, coffee machine sourcing, automatic reordering, regular bean delivery, and ongoing maintenance.
• obbo Rovo XP Branded ergonomic office chair combining comfort, ergonomics, and style for long workdays in office or home-office settings.
• obbo SQ Branded durable ergonomic office chair featured in seasonal promotional campaigns.
• My green Toner Sustainable sub-brand of ink and toner cartridges manufactured in Germany, offered as an ecological alternative to conventional printer supplies.
• DEMSKI Recycling-Boxen Recycling boxes for empty ink and toner cartridges that are collected and sent to a certified recycling process, supporting circular economy for printer consumables.
• So.Procure Multi-Supplier Procurement Platform Multi-supplier e-procurement platform providing enterprise customers access to over 42 million articles from multiple suppliers through a single digital interface for consolidated purchasing.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40% efficiency increase through optimal workplace design
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Soennecken eGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Logistics outsourcing partnership established in 2015. Soennecken eG operates as the main distribution center for obbo, handling warehouse operations, packaging, and shipping. The partnership includes certified distribution center with ISO 14001, 9001, and 50001 certifications. Soennecken also provides the So.Procure multi-supplier platform with over 42 million articles.
• GLS (German Logistics System)minorOthersClimate-neutral shipping partner for parcel deliveries. Combined with DHL for flexible logistics options.
• DHLminorOthersShipping partner for parcel and freight deliveries alongside GLS for flexible logistics options.
• Görg WerbetechnikminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVehicle branding and design partner responsible for company vehicle graphics and foliations, including collaborations with furniture manufacturers.
• Christ CateringminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPremium catering partner for customer events including summer parties and corporate gatherings.
• BAG WfbM (Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Werkstätten für behinderte Menschen)minorOthersParticipation in the nationwide 'Schichtwechsel' action day to promote employment inclusion of people with disabilities.
• Lions Club KaiserslauternminorOthersSocial sponsorship supporting Lions Club's local community programs for health education, addiction and violence prevention, and support for underprivileged children and youth in the region.
• SG Thalexweiler AschbachminorOthersFootball club sponsorship providing team kit sponsorship for the sports club.
• TUS 04 KL-DansenbergminorOthersHandball club sponsorship in Regionalliga Südwest, providing team kits and ongoing sponsorship support.
• KSV KöllerbachminorOthersBundesliga wrestling club sponsorship with perimeter advertising at matches.
• SHG-KlinikencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEquipment partnership for over 10 years as exclusive equipment supplier. Provides complete office solutions including promotional materials (popcorn machines, t-shirts, balloons for events), office furniture, and general office supplies.
• KBBZ SaarlouisminorOthersCareer education partnership participating in open days and job fairs to attract apprentices and future employees.
• Musikhochschule des SaarlandesminorOthersSupporting member of the Saarland University of Music, contributing to cultural development in the region.
• Ophüls-PreisminorOthersSponsorship of the Max Ophüls Prize film festival, supporting regional cultural events.
• Creditreform (CrefoZert)coreOthersAnnual creditworthiness certification program. Obbo has received CrefoZert certification consecutively since 2023, placing them in the top 2% of German companies for business reliability.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Soennecken eG: German office supplies cooperative that serves as obbo's outsourced logistics partner and platform provider (So.Procure). Operates as a competing distributor/cooperative in the same German office supplies market with overlapping B2B customer base and product catalogue.
• Durable Hunke & Jochheim: German office products manufacturer specializing in workplace organization, signage, and presentation products. Comparable to obbo as a German-based B2B office products brand serving the same mid-market and enterprise customers.
• Sigel GmbH: German manufacturer of office and presentation products (signage, desk accessories, whiteboards). Comparable to obbo in supplying German B2B customers with workplace, presentation, and promotional products.
• Dauphin Human Design Group: German manufacturer of ergonomic office chairs and seating solutions, referenced by obbo as a partner brand. Directly comparable through obbo's Rovo XP and SQ chair offerings and its office furniture pillar.
• HAMMERBACHER GmbH: German manufacturer and distributor of office furniture and ergonomic workplace solutions, including height-adjustable desks and acoustic furniture. Directly comparable to obbo's 'Raumkonzepte & Büromöbel' offering for the German mid-market and enterprise.
• Reisswolf Akten- und Datenträgervernichtung: German B2B office services and supplies provider offering workplace consumables, document management, and complementary office services to mid-market and enterprise customers in Germany.

Broad incumbents

• ALSO Group: European B2B technology and office supplies distributor serving resellers and enterprise customers across multiple countries. Comparable through its B2B e-procurement, catalogue breadth, and logistics scale in the DACH region.
• Lyreco: Pan-European leader in B2B office supplies and workplace solutions. Comparable to obbo across all three core categories (supplies, furniture, services) but at vastly greater scale and broader geographic reach, competing for the same enterprise and public-sector accounts.
• Office Depot Europe: Large multinational office supplies distributor serving European B2B customers. Overlaps with obbo in office consumables, furniture, and promotional products, with broader catalogue and pricing power for enterprise customers.
• Staples Deutschland: Major international office supplies and workplace solutions provider operating in Germany. Competes with obbo in B2B office supplies, catalogue breadth, and delivery speed, while also offering adjacent services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/obbogmbh
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/obbo-gmbh

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Obbo