This year Kirk Office Equipment Ltd. marks 25 years as the leading office supply company in the Cayman Islands. Both the island and the business have changed significantly over the years, but the company’s commitment to keeping local businesses productive is something that has remained consistent. “As we celebrate 25 years of operations, it’s a good time to reflect on who we are as an organization and what it means to serve our customers.” – says Geoffrey Cuff, Managing Director.

Kirk Office Equipment began with the 1993 merger of Kirkconnell Office Supply and Office Equipment Cayman Limited. Back then, the business operated from the premises behind Kirk Home Centre off Eastern Avenue until they outgrew the space and in 1999 and moved to a newly completed 14000 square-foot facility on North Sound Road.

Facing Challenges Together
When Hurricane Ivan stuck in 2004, the damage to the business was extensive. Even though many employees had damaged homes to tend to, many showed up in the aftermath of the storm and got Kirk
Office back up and running within just one week. “It really was a testament to the perseverance of our team. Despite the tragedy of the event, we all banded together to achieve a common goal. That level of dedication is something that we’ve tried to carry forward into everything we do here at Kirk Office” – according to Mr. Cuff.

Growing through the years…
Over the years, the company has adapted to changes in the marketplace to meet the evolving needs of businesses in Cayman. An 8000 square-foot extension was added in 2008 that dramatically increased warehouse space and provided a larger services department. In 2010 Kirk Office further expanded with Kirk ISS, a dedicated IT services group focused on helping businesses of all sizes overcome their most complex technology challenges.

Community Support
Kirk Office has always been an active supporter of community-based organizations in Cayman. Over the years, much of that support has been focused on youth development. Each year Kirk Office runs their Give Back to Schools campaign, where 10% of all customer school supplies purchases are donated to a school of their choice. In 2017 alone, a total of over CI$8000 was given back to local schools for much- needed supplies and more than CI$30,000 has been given back to schools locally since the start of the campaign.

Beyond just giving back to schools, Kirk Office has supported numerous charities and non-profits over the last quarter-century. As part of their corporate social responsibility initiatives, they’ve supported the following organisations to name a few:
• Cayman Islands Crisis Centre
• Cayman Islands Cancer Society
• Lions Club of Tropical Gardens
• Rotary Club of Grand Cayman
• Cayman Islands Hospice Centre
• YMCA Ruby Level Corporate Founder Celebration

To thank customers for their patronage, Kirk Office will be running several 25th Anniversary promotions throughout the end of 2018. The retail store will be offering 25th Anniversary specials on select items throughout the store as well as “Free Coffee Fridays” for morning shoppers.
Customers could also enter to win a laptop every month through October, November and December.

Going Forward
According to Mr. Cuff, the 25th Anniversary celebrations are an opportunity to reaffirm the company’s commitment to its customers: “We understand that people are busy in their work lives, so we’re here to help them work smarter. We want to give customers what they need to do the important work they have in front of them, and this carries through every touchpoint in our company. Whether it’s superior product selection, trusted advice, convenient online ordering, or easy returns, our goal is to help our customers work smarter by making the process of running their businesses as simple as possible.”

IMAGES:

The Kirk Office storefront after Hurricane Ivan

Kirk Office opened its doors for the first time in 1993