The Arena Story

Arena came into being in October 1991. At the start, the workforce comprised of six partners, three sales staff and a secretary. Of the original ten employees, six are still part of Arena Group and this low turnover of staff continues today. The Company started with no customers and the first Partners meeting was held in a mobile caravan. During those first few years everyone worked every hour possible and since then the company has grown to encompass 5 sites employing around 120 people.

1993 - Arena achieved Major Account Status with Toshiba. The Systems Division was set up, as the Company worked to expand in a developing area. The use of and possibilities for copiers to be networked to computers became a reality and the Systems Division started selling, installing and servicing networks, computers, and printers.

1994 - The Company achieved ISO9002 registration, which meant that we were achieving consistent high standards of quality on all the work we undertook. In the same year, the Company achieved the status of Investors In People from the Training and Enterprise Council.

1996 - The Company moved its administrative facility to its present location at Armitage House.

1999 - With the acquisition of COS UK Limited, the Company became the largest distributor of Toshiba Copiers and Facsimile Machines in the UK.

2001 – Arena Group acquired CP Independent.

2003 - Arena Group acquired Sterling Business Systems and WRG Limited.

2005 - Office 21 became part of the Arena Group and then M&S Reprographics Limited based in Bolton, Lancashire came under the Arena umbrella. This acquisition offered a superb opportunity for the group to develop and grow in the North West of England.

2006 - Mitral Systems Ltd joined Arena Group - one of the leading providers of Workflow, Document Management and bespoke software solutions. From a beautiful rural base on the outskirts of Huddersfield this specialist team have a client base which covers the UK and beyond. The addition of Mitral into the Arena Group family creates the perfect platform for the Company to move away from selling and servicing just photocopiers to the development and implementation of a Company who provide document management solutions. Arena appeared in the Sunday Times 100 Best Small Companies to Work for list and won the National Chamber of Commerce award for Excellence in People Development.

2007 - Launch of CSR community projects with Leeds Ahead and Barnardos. All Arena employees are encouraged to volunteer two days annually to help with charitable community projects. In 2007 Arena became a Patron of the Leeds, York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce in support of regional businesses.

2008 - Arena opened its dedicated service, training academy and logistics center in Garforth, Leeds. In 2008 we also won the British Chamber of Commerce award for Excellence in Customer Service.

2009 - Arena entered a strategic partnership with Kyocera.

2010 - Arena entered a strategic partnership with Konica Minolta, further expanding our copy and print portfolio.