Circumstantial Beginnings
Ultimate Office® was started largely due to circumstance in 1990. A friend of mine invited me to visit him in Switzerland and accompany him to an office products show in Germany. Every year Frankfurt, Germany hosts the largest office products show in the world, and as I walked through the aisles I was amazed by the design, quality, and the form and function of the products on display. It was clear that these European manufacturers were more focused on creating superior solutions than they were on price, and new ideas were almost everywhere.
I came upon a product that was really quite simple, but one I had never seen before. It had clear plastic pockets with rigid frames and pins on the top and bottom of one side. These clear plastic pockets would be used to display any frequently referenced information while the pins enabled these pockets to be placed in metal wall plates or in desk units. Finally, I thought, a solution to all the sheets of paper that were tacked and taped to the wall by my desk. If I had such contempt for this eyesore, plus the added frustration of not being able to find what I was looking for, certainly there were many others that would appreciate this solution as well. The gentlemen at the booth informed me that his company had no distribution in the United States and the rest, as they say, "is history."
New Ultimate Solutions
My instincts were correct, and it was not long before Ultimate Office® was selling hundreds of Reference Organizers every day, and as we grew we began looking for additional product solutions to design and sell. Every product meeting at Ultimate started with an idea. We were always searching for a solution where one did not exist, and we were constantly looking for ways to make the everyday, ordinary office product not just better, but Ultimate. It had to be the very best at organizing, the very best at saving our customers time, and the very best at making workplaces more fun, efficient and productive places to be.
Ultimate's team of engineers, designers, customer service representatives and support staff all became a part of the new product research and development team. Together, we used and examined everyday office products with two questions in mind: how can we make this product better, and how can we improve it to save our customers time and money?
Just a Few Examples
For the next 18 years, Ultimate Office thrived and with the support of a quickly growing customer base we were able to bring new and innovative office solutions to market.
We created PocketFile™ File Folders that are translucent for fast content identification, made of polypropylene so that they protect documents, are reusable and sealed on two sides so file contents will not fall out.
We designed BestBuilt™ Binders that have injection-molded covers that will not tear or split, elliptical rings that will never gap, large index areas for quick identification and indentations on the spine to make the binder easily accessible from anywhere.
Ultimate built PortaFile® File Jackets and Expanding Files that have color-coded rings and finger holes for easy access, sewn silicone rubber gussets that will always keep their shape, and clear front panels for fast file content identification.
Ultimate became most famous for our MagniFile® Hanging Files that have thick plastic support bars that will not bend or break, built-in plastic-reinforced bases, and full-length 11" magnified indexes that double the size of your file titles for fast file identification and retrieval.
Perhaps our most popular new product introductions were our WoodWorx™ and SteelWorx™ Modular Desktop Storage Systems that let the customer design their very own solutions to meet their requirements, while at the same time enabling them to add on or rearrange these components as their needs change… which they always do.
Refillable notebooks (Jotz™), easy-to-update magnetic write-on planners (Modular Monthly Boards), space saving literature displays (cascading), high-density filing (Binder Carousels), and the list went on and on. And behind every new product design there was always the objective of creating superior quality and sustainability - solutions that our customers could buy once and use over and over again. This is why 
thick polypropylene, sewn edges, and silicone rubber gussets can be found in all of our filing products. All WoodWorx™ products are manufactured from durable MDF (not particle board), and finished with genuine wood veneer. The components of our SteelWorx Stacking Storage Systems are all precision-manufactured from 19-gauge steel and thick rubber bushings for a perfect stack every time. Quite simply, if it was not Ultimate quality, you would not find it at Ultimate Office®.
A Bump in the Road, but We're Back
All was going very well until the recent financial crisis of 2008 when our lines of credit were not renewed. After 18 wonderful years, we were forced to close operations in May of 2009. We had so many good people, so many new ideas and solutions yet to be developed, and mostly we had so many loyal customers who still wanted our unique products that we just had to find a way to return (Click here to read the full story), and we are proud to say we did.
We have all worked very hard since January to bring back all the great products you have grown to rely on from Ultimate Office, plus some very new and time-saving products to create the most efficient workspace imaginable. We have updated our website to make it more customer-friendly and easier to navigate, with added features so you may update your shopping cart at any time, save items to buy later, check out in a few simple steps, and access your account so you can view your order information at anytime.
As for new product previews we will highlight them in a special section of our website which will allow you to preorder and receive shipment soon after it arrives in our warehouse. Flash video will be available for many products which will highlight the features and benefits. Also, by signing up for Twitter, Facebook, or our Blog you can instantly become a member of the Ultimate Office team and receive inside information about upcoming products, promotions, and receive free tips on how to stay organized.
Most importantly, we have succeeded in creating lower prices for many of our products. Our main focus is to become a successful web-based company, which means we won't mail catalogs without a request from you. By having a first-rate website, plus our soon to be launched digital catalog, we are in a position to pass the savings on to all of our Ultimate customers.
We welcome you back to come and rediscover the one and only, Ultimate Office®, where it is "Easier than ever to Organize Now."
Best Regards Always,
Craig W. Nelson
Ultimate Office
