What Bernard does

Bernard SAS is a French B2B distribution and e-commerce company specializing in professional hygiene, maintenance, cleaning, safety, workwear, and office supplies. Founded in 1970 by Bernard and Marie-Claire Haquette in Bondues near Lille and now headquartered in Neuville-en-Ferrain (Hauts-de-France), the company operates a 16,000 m² warehouse and serves more than 100,000 active customers across verticals including Transport, Industry, HORECA, Cleaning services, Automotive, Agro-food, Public administrations, Education, and Healthcare. Its catalog comprises over 18,000 SKUs, with private-label 'Marque Bernard' products priced up to 30% below major brands and over 99% of references available for immediate dispatch; the business fulfills more than 1,000 shipments per day with 24-48 hour delivery across mainland France.

The commercial model is multi-channel: a self-serve e-commerce platform (bernard.fr) is supplemented by a ~40-person telephone order center, fax ordering, and a dedicated field sales force organized across six geographic zones for key-account and large-enterprise clients. Enterprise procurement is supported through e-business solutions including personalized websites, EDI, ERP-hosted catalogs, and punch-out catalogs, complemented by a proprietary purchasing-team management platform with role assignments, approval chains, and budget controls. Pricing is unit-based with free delivery above €199 HT in mainland France, plus an optional 'Sécurité Totale' return-guarantee add-on.

Bernard is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Groupe Raja, a European packaging and supplies conglomerate, having been acquired from Staples Solutions in December 2019 under Danièle Kapel-Marcovici. The company holds ISO 9001 (since 1993) and ISO 14001 (since 2007) certifications, has been a UN Global Compact signatory since 2022, and received the EcoVadis Silver Medal 2025 (75/100) and the 'Élu Service Client de l'Année 2025' recognition. Operations remain concentrated in mainland France, with Belgium as a secondary market.

Name

Bernard

Legal name

Bernard SAS

Website

https://bernard.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Bernard SAS is a French B2B e-commerce distributor of professional hygiene, maintenance, safety, workwear, and office supplies, serving 100,000+ customers across multiple verticals with 18,000+ SKUs from a 16,000 m² Hauts-de-France warehouse under Groupe Raja ownership.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Neuville-en-ferrain

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product sales: B2B distribution of hygiene, maintenance, cleaning equipment, waste collection, PPE, workwear, office supplies, and related professional products. Revenue generated from the sale of goods across more than 18,000 SKUs. Own-brand Bernard products complement the portfolio of brand-name partners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Bernard is a B2B distributor of professional hygiene, maintenance, cleaning, PPE, workwear, safety, storage, break-room and office supplies, operating primarily through a multi-channel e-commerce platform (bernard.fr) and serving more than 100,000 active professional customers in France and Belgium. The offering combines more than 18,000 partner-brand SKUs with the company's own Bernard private-label range and is supported by EDI and punch-out e-procurement integrations, dedicated field key-account teams, and a 16,000 m² warehouse enabling same-day dispatch and 24-48 hour delivery.

Product overview

Bernard is a B2B e-commerce company specializing in professional hygiene and maintenance supplies, operating primarily as an online catalog platform with over 18,000 product references. The company's core offering is its comprehensive multi-category product portfolio organized into distinct segments: hygiene products (toilet paper, hand towels, soap, sanitizers), maintenance and cleaning products (multi-surface cleaners, floor care, laundry), cleaning equipment (vacuum cleaners, machines), waste collection (trash bags, bins, sorting), personal protective equipment (gloves, safety shoes, masks), work clothing, safety and signage, storage and shipping supplies, maintenance tools, furniture, break room supplies (coffee, beverages), office supplies, and stationery. The company also offers its own Bernard brand (marque propre) sub-brand with over 250 products at competitive prices. Service offerings include e-business solutions for enterprise procurement (punchout catalogs, EDI, ERP integration), dedicated key account management, fast delivery logistics, quote generation, and optional security guarantees. Bernard operates as part of the Raja Group following acquisition in 2020, serving over 100,000 active customers including SMEs, artisans, administrations, and large corporations with more than 1,000 shipments daily.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Marque Bernard: Private label product line including paper toilet, hand towels, soap, maintenance products, disposable gloves, and waste bags - offering professional quality at competitive prices up to 30% lower than major brands.

Products and services

• Produits d'hygiène (Hygiene products) Complete range of hygiene consumables and accessories for professional environments, including toilet paper, paper hand towels, soap, hydroalcoholic gel, body hygiene products, dispensers, hand dryers, tissues and sanitary accessories.
• Produits d'entretien (Cleaning products) Professional cleaning chemicals for multi-surface, floor, sanitary, kitchen, dishwashing, laundry, glass, deodorizing, bleach/disinfection, furniture care and hardware supply use cases.
• Matériel d'entretien (Cleaning equipment) Cleaning equipment and tools including wiping materials, brooms, professional floor cleaning machines, industrial vacuum cleaners and cleaning machines for commercial sites.
• Collecte des déchets (Waste collection) Waste collection and sorting solutions including trash bags, indoor and outdoor bins, selective sorting bins, bag supports and outdoor ashtrays.
• Équipement de protection individuelle (Personal Protective Equipment) Personal protective equipment for professional users including disposable gloves, household and work gloves, safety shoes, respiratory masks, hearing protection, safety glasses, construction helmets, first aid supplies, harnesses and PPE storage.
• Vêtements de travail (Workwear) Professional work clothing including warm garments, high-visibility clothing, pullovers, sweatshirts, gilets, fleece, trousers, coveralls, jumpsuits, polo shirts, work T-shirts, disposable clothing, aprons and professional blouses.
• Sécurité et signalisation (Safety and signage) Premises and outdoor security products, road safety equipment, signage and fire protection for professional environments.
• Stockage et expédition (Storage and shipping) Storage and shipping supplies including storage bins, shelving, moving and handling equipment, archival solutions, adhesive tape, packaging boxes, shipping cartons, shipping pouches, cushioning materials, plastic bags, gift packaging and mail processing.
• Maintenance et équipement (Maintenance tools and equipment) Maintenance supplies including batteries, electrical equipment, workshop products, ladders and step stools, workshop furniture, tools, car cleaners and gardening equipment.
• Mobilier et aménagement (Furniture and fittings) Office and professional furniture including seats, armchairs and chairs, display and presentation, office storage furniture, metal lockers, outdoor equipment, professional mats, air treatment, tables and interior layout solutions.
• Pause détente (Break-room supplies) Supplies for professional break rooms including coffee, hot and cold beverages, beverage dispensers, groceries, napkins, tablecloths, tableware and small household appliances.
• Fournitures de bureau (Office supplies) Office supplies including writing instruments, small supplies, filing and organization, desk accessories, office equipment, IT equipment and luggage/bags.
• Papeterie (Stationery) Stationery including printer paper, agendas and calendars, sticky notes, notebooks, notepads, envelopes, labels and paper rolls.
• Cartouches d'encre et toners (Ink cartridges and toners) Printer ink cartridges and toners for professional printing equipment.
• Marque Bernard (Bernard private-label brand) Bernard-branded private-label products (toilet paper, hand towels, tissues, soap and dispensers, cleaning products, cleaning equipment, disposable gloves, trash bags, paper reams, stationery) positioned as professional quality at prices up to 30% lower than major brands.
• Produits Responsables (Responsible products) Eco-labeled and environmentally conscious professional products with reduced environmental impact, aligned with Bernard's sustainable development commitments.
• E-commerce et catalogue en ligne (B2B e-commerce platform) Multi-channel B2B e-commerce service for professional customers offering online ordering via bernard.fr, telephone, email and fax, with more than 18,000 product references available for immediate dispatch.
• E-business / E-procurement solutions Enterprise procurement integration services including dedicated personalized websites, EDI (Electronic Data Interchange), punch-out catalogs in client ERP systems, catalogs hosted in client information systems, and a dedicated e-procurement portal for key-account clients.
• Service Grands Comptes (Key-account service) Dedicated key-account management service with field sales representatives covering six French geographic zones, providing needs analysis, customized pricing, logistical flexibility, dedicated web portals, specific invoicing and administrative adaptations.
• Devis et estimation (Quote service) Free, fast quote-generation service available directly from the shopping cart or via online form, with quotes returned within 24 hours.
• Livraison et logistique (Delivery and logistics) Fast delivery across metropolitan France with free shipping from €199 HT, 95% of orders validated before 2pm delivered within 24-48 hours, scheduled delivery up to 60 days in advance, and specialized handling for large items (tail-lift and forklift options).
• Garantie Sécurité Totale (Total Security guarantee) Optional paid guarantee allowing product returns within 60 days (7 days for electrical/electronic items) with free pickup and refund, exchange or credit note, priced at 2.9% of order value (minimum €1.50 HT) up to €200 HT or a flat €9.90 HT above €200 HT.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 99% of references available immediately from stock
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• ChronopostminorOthersNational transport carrier used for standard parcel deliveries, part of Bernard's multi-carrier delivery network ensuring rapid 24-48h dispatch across mainland France.
• CalbersonminorOthersNational transport carrier partner used for larger shipments and pallet deliveries, complementing Chronopost for bulkier professional product orders.
• Meta (Facebook)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerFacebook social sharing and advertising integration on bernard.fr, enabling customers to share products and content through Meta's social platform.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Würth: Global leader in assembly and fastening materials with a growing professional supplies range covering PPE, workwear, tools, and maintenance—directly overlapping with several of Bernard's largest categories.
• Staples Solutions: European office and workplace supplies arm formerly parent to Bernard; remains a broad incumbent competitor with significantly larger scale and pan-European reach in overlapping categories.
• Bechtle: Large European IT and office supplies provider with growing workplace supplies and e-procurement capabilities; overlaps with Bernard in office supplies and large-enterprise e-procurement workflows across European markets.
• Office Depot / Viking: Global office supplies distributor operating in France through Viking; competes with Bernard on office supplies, stationery, ink/toners, and increasingly on workplace hygiene and break-room categories.

Regional players

• Brunner: French regional B2B office and workplace supplies distributor with overlapping categories (hygiene, office supplies, break-room) and a comparable SMB/enterprise customer mix in France.
• Solmer: French regional B2B supplier of professional hygiene, cleaning, and maintenance products; competes with Bernard on hygiene and maintenance categories within France, particularly with public-sector and SME clients.

Direct peers

• Manutan: French-headquartered pan-European B2B e-commerce distributor of workplace, hygiene, and maintenance supplies; the closest direct competitor to Bernard with a similar multi-channel model serving professionals and public-sector buyers.
• Lyreco: Major European B2B distributor of workplace supplies including hygiene, cleaning, and office products; competes directly with Bernard across overlapping product categories and large-account e-procurement contracts.

Emerging players

• RS Components: European B2B distributor of industrial and maintenance supplies including PPE, tools, and cleaning/safety equipment; comparable product overlap with Bernard's maintenance and PPE categories, particularly for industrial buyers.

Others

• Groupe Raja: Parent company of Bernard and Europe's largest B2B packaging distributor; comparable as a sibling B2B distribution platform with similar multi-channel go-to-market and enterprise focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Bernard_Fra
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/bernard
• Facebookfacebook.com/bernardgrouperaja
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bernard-france-sas
• Instagraminstagram.com/bernard_groupe_raja

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Bernard