GENERAL OF OFFICE

What GENERAL OF OFFICE does

Générale de Bureautique (GdB) is a privately held French regional IT and office-solutions provider founded in 1989, headquartered in Nantes with regional offices in Rennes, Vannes, and Guingamp, serving small and mid-market businesses, local authorities, administrations, and associations across Brittany and Pays de la Loire. The company operates three product pillars: printing solutions (professional printers, multifunction devices, large-format and production equipment from Ricoh, paired with Managed Print Services on counter-based recurring billing); IT solutions (hardware, software, IT fleet management, cybersecurity and backup, professional email, OVHcloud-certified hosting, VoIP telephony, and IT audit/consulting); and document management solutions built on DocuWare (Platinum Partner since 2017) and ZeenDoc, covering customer invoicing dematerialization (including Chorus Pro), supplier invoice workflows, and HR document digitization.

GdB employs approximately 46 staff ("companions") across its four offices and runs a direct field-sales model with dedicated account managers ("chargés d'affaires") and in-house technical teams, supplemented by educational "Démat'inale" regional events and an online self-service customer portal (mygdbouest.com). Its revenue mix combines hardware resale, recurring managed services (MPS counter billing, IT managed services), subscription-based document management software, and professional services/audits. In 2017, founder Éric Bélile transferred 51% ownership to five senior managers via a holding company, declining external acquisition offers; in December 2020 GdB joined the Factoria Group while retaining its own brand; and in January 2023 it acquired TBI 56, a Morbihan-based interactive whiteboard specialist, extending its product and geographic reach. The company holds no publicly disclosed AI capabilities and derives no disclosed revenue figures, with growth currently anchored by organic account expansion, the upcoming 2026 French electronic-invoicing mandate, and tuck-in M&A.

Name

GENERAL OF OFFICE

Legal name

La Générale de Bureautique

Website

https://generale-bureautique.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Générale de Bureautique (GdB) is a French regional IT and document-management provider founded in 1989, serving SMEs, local authorities, and associations across Brittany and Pays de la Loire with print, IT, and DocuWare/ZeenDoc-based GED solutions via four offices and ~46 employees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Office Technology Services

NAICS

Office Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing (532420)

SIC

Wholesale-Professional & Commercial Equipment & Supplies (5040), Services-Miscellaneous Equipment Rental & Leasing (7350)

akta.pro primary industry

General Office Supplies Retail (CRALABAA)

Keywords

• Managed print services
• Document management solutions
• Professional printing equipment
• IT infrastructure services
• Electronic invoicing dematerialization

Headquarters

HQ city

Nantes

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Printers and Multifunction Equipment Sales: Sale of professional printers, multifunction devices, fax machines, large format printers, production equipment, and duplicators from major brands like Ricoh.
2. Managed Print Services (MPS): Ongoing managed print services including equipment maintenance, automatic consumable supply, and counter-based billing.
3. IT Equipment and Software: Sale of computer hardware, software licenses, interactive screens, and related IT solutions.
4. Document Management Solutions (GED): Electronic document management solutions including software licensing, implementation, and ongoing support for platforms like DocuWare and ZeenDoc.
5. IT Infrastructure Services: Managed IT services including hosting, cloud solutions, email systems, IP telephony, security and backup solutions, and network management.
6. Professional Services: Consulting, audit, and advisory services for digital transformation, IT infrastructure, and document management optimization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Générale de Bureautique is a regional office-technology provider selling and servicing professional printing equipment (Ricoh multifunction, large-format, and production printers), delivering Managed Print Services (MPS), and implementing electronic document management (GED) solutions on DocuWare and ZeenDoc platforms for clients in Brittany and Pays de la Loire. The company also resells IT hardware and software, and provides managed IT services including hosting, cybersecurity, email, VoIP, and IT consulting.

Product overview

Générale de Bureautique (GdB) is a regional IT and office solutions provider serving Brittany and Pays de la Loire. Its portfolio spans three pillars: (1) Printing Solutions — professional printers, multifunction devices, large-format printers, fax, production equipment, duplicators, and Managed Print Services (MPS); (2) IT Solutions — hardware (computers, servers, interactive displays), software, IT fleet management, cybersecurity and backups, professional email/Exchange, hosting/cloud (OVHcloud certified partner), VoIP/telephony, and IT audit and consulting; and (3) Document Management Solutions — GED (electronic document management) built on two software platforms, DocuWare (Platinum Partner since 2017) and ZeenDoc, covering customer invoicing dematerialization, supplier invoicing dematerialization, and HR document digitization. The company also provides a client portal for contract management, billing, and fleet statistics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Professional Printing Equipment Sale of professional printers, multifunction devices, fax machines, large-format printers, production printers, and duplicators from Ricoh and other brands, sold to businesses, administrations, and associations.
• Managed Print Services (MPS) Ongoing managed print service covering full lifecycle of customer printing fleets, including automatic consumable supply, counter-based billing, proactive maintenance, and fleet optimization for businesses and public-sector organizations.
• IT Hardware Sale of computer hardware, servers, networking equipment, and related IT devices for business clients.
• Software Solutions Resale of business software and licenses offered alongside hardware and IT services for business clients.
• IT Fleet Management Managed service for monitoring and maintaining client computer and device infrastructure across sites.
• Cybersecurity and Backups Cybersecurity services including protection against phishing and ransomware threats, plus data backup and recovery solutions for business clients.
• Professional Email and Messaging Hosted email and Microsoft Exchange management services for business clients.
• Hosting and Cloud Services Web hosting and cloud hosting services delivered as an OVHcloud Standard Partner to business clients.
• VoIP and Telecommunications Voice over IP (VoIP) and telecommunications solutions for business clients.
• IT Audit and Consulting Consulting and audit services for IT and printing infrastructure to help clients optimize technology investments.
• Electronic Document Management (GED) Electronic document management solutions covering customer invoicing, supplier invoicing, and HR documents, implemented on DocuWare (Platinum Partner) and ZeenDoc platforms.
• Customer Invoice Dematerialization Electronic customer invoice solution with certification, electronic signature, and automated submission to the Chorus Pro portal for public-sector clients.
• Supplier Invoice Dematerialization Supplier invoice dematerialization automating purchase workflow including document storage, accounting entry, validation, and archiving.
• Interactive Displays and Whiteboards Interactive displays and smart whiteboards for collaborative meeting and presentation environments in business and educational settings.

Quantifiable outcome

• Time savings: Clients report saving equivalent of 1 day per week in invoice processing
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• TBI 56minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 January 2023TBI 56 joined the GdB Group in January 2023, expanding the company's presence and capabilities in the Morbihan region (Vannes area).
• Factoria GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2020In December 2020, GdB joined the Factoria Group, a leader in document management, managed IT, and telephony. This provides GdB with the backing of a larger group while maintaining regional autonomy and values.
• OVHcloudcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2020Certified OVHcloud Standard Partner for hosting services. GdB offers cloud hosting solutions to customers using OVH infrastructure with certified expertise.
• RicohcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2018Long-standing partnership with Ricoh for professional printing equipment. Awarded Best Revenue Growth in 2018. Products include multifunction printers, production equipment, and related solutions.
• DocuWarecoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2017Certified Platinum Partner since 2017. DocuWare is the primary document management (GED) software platform offered by GdB. The partnership involves sales, implementation, and support of DocuWare solutions for customer invoice dematerialization and document management.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• HP France: HP is a broad incumbent in office printing, multifunction devices, and IT hardware — overlapping with GdB's print and IT hardware pillars — but operates at national/global scale and does not specialize in the regional managed services niche GdB occupies.

Direct peers

• Open Bee: Open Bee is a French electronic document management (GED) and dematerialization software vendor that competes directly with GdB's DocuWare/ZeenDoc offering. Similar target customers (mid-market, public sector) and similar focus on invoice and HR document digitization ahead of the 2026 French mandate.
• Ricoh France: Ricoh is GdB's primary hardware partner but also a direct competitor in MPS and document management across France. Ricoh sells directly to large accounts and through partners like GdB to mid-market, creating channel overlap on the same product categories (multifunction, production print, MPS).
• Brother France: Brother competes in the same French office printing and multifunction device market, often through channel partners. Overlaps with GdB in SMB and SME segments seeking cost-effective printing and document management solutions.
• Canon France: Canon is a major competitor in professional printing equipment, multifunction devices, and document management across France, with comparable target segments (SMB, mid-market, enterprise) and overlapping MPS/GED offerings.
• Zeendoc (Silae): Zeendoc is one of the GED platforms GdB resells, but also competes directly as a vendor through other French partners. Both target French SMB/mid-market with dematerialization and electronic invoicing solutions ahead of the 2026 mandate.
• Konica Minolta Business Solutions France: Konica Minolta is one of the largest direct competitors in the French office printing and MPS market, offering multifunction devices, managed print services, and document management solutions to enterprises. Highly comparable product/offering and target customer base as GdB, but at national scale.
• Xerox France: Xerox competes directly in French office printing, managed print services, and document workflow automation — the same three pillars as GdB. Targets similar mid-market and enterprise customers with comparable multifunction and MPS offerings.

Others

• Factoria Group: Factoria Group is GdB's parent company since Dec 2020, described as a leader in document management, managed IT, and telecommunications in France. Comparable as a portfolio platform consolidating regional French IT/document services businesses.
• DocuWare (Cloud Software Group): DocuWare is the software platform GdB implements as a Platinum Partner. It is an enabling technology provider rather than a competitor — but its ecosystem of other French partners creates indirect competitive pressure on GdB's GED services practice.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/GeneraledeBureautique
• LinkedInfr.linkedin.com/company/g%C3%A9n%C3%A9rale-de-bureautique

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 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 GENERAL OF OFFICE