My Job: From a shed to Ireland's one-stop business solution

Hunt Office managing director Seamus Hunt founded the office-supply firm with his brother John in 1999. They now provide customers online with access to 150,000 products.

My Job

Name: Seamus Hunt

Occupation: Managing director Hunt Office 

Background: Established in 1999, specialising across office design, tech, supplies and furniture with locations in Dublin, Cork and Limerick

In 1999, when Seamus and John Hunt founded their office-supply company, its headquarters was a little shed off their grandmother’s cottage. The brothers entered the sector at a time when office supplies were dominated by well-established international players.

“Getting noticed wasn’t easy,” Seamus says. “Being local, what helped us was our decision to keep things simple: Focus on service, deliver on our promises, and build trust, one customer at a time.”

Though the brothers had a limited budget, they were hungry and resilient “Those early years taught us how to be resourceful and how to compete aggressively, while still keeping customers at the centre of everything.”

As one of the largest and most comprehensive suppliers in the Irish market today, what sets Hunt Office apart is the breadth of its product range and service. “While many of our main competitors offer around 15,000 products, we provide access to over 150,000 products online, with the ability to source many more offline, through our extended supply network.”

Extensive catalogue

The company catalogue extends beyond traditional office supplies to facilities-management products, health-and-safety essentials, hygiene and cleaning solutions, workwear, PPE, technology, warehouse equipment, furniture, and security products. “Combined with our wide range of value-added services, including office interior fitouts, installation, logistics and custom procurement solutions, we have evolved in to a one-stop solution for all business needs.”

Hunt Office serves companies of all sizes, from small local businesses to large nationwide multinationals. “What matters most to us isn’t the title: It is continuing to deliver reliability, value, and innovation for our customers.”

Operating its own distribution centres in Dublin and Limerick, it combines fit-out showrooms at Cork’s Monahan Rd, Citywest Dublin, and Newcastle West. “They all operate with their own local teams, well ingrained in the local communities.”

Diversification has been vital to company growth, Mr Hunt says, because the needs of the modern workplace have changed dramatically. “We recognised early on that companies wanted more than office supplies: They wanted a partner who could help them design, equip, and support their entire working environment. Expanding in to office-building interiors services, office fitout, furniture, workwear, and technology solutions made us more resilient as a business and allowed us to add far more value to our customers.

“We now have a lot more online tools we can offer our customers, also, to help manage their costs and spend on each category of product.”

Going online in 2006 was a game-changer for Hunt Office, marking the beginning of sustained growth across the country. “Without a doubt, moving online in 2006 fundamentally changed our trajectory. We were early adopters in the e-commerce space for our industry, and it allowed us to scale nationally in a way that would never have been possible through traditional channels alone. It opened new markets, streamlined operations, and put us on the map as an innovative Irish company.”

Central to the company’s success are its people. “Our people are the heart of the business. That’s easily said, of course, so we measure that and look for constant feedback and improvements for everyone. Many of our longstanding team members have grown with us from the early days, and their knowledge, loyalty, and work ethic are the reasons we are successful.” A number of staff have recently celebrated being with the firm for 25 years.

“Continuous training ensures we stay sharp, adaptable, and customer-focused, especially as technology and workplace expectations evolve quickly,” Mr Hunt says. “Investing in our team has always been one of our best decisions.”

As the world of work has changed over recent decades, so has the modern office space. “The modern office has transformed, with flexibility, wellbeing, sustainability, and technology now driving every design decision. Attracting and retaining talent has never been more important, so workspaces now matter more than ever, and business owners see that.”

Hybrid working reshapes space 

Hybrid working has reshaped how companies think about space, he says: “We work with and advise companies every day on how best to deliver high-performing workspaces for modern organisations, built for hybrid work, sustainability, and change.”

The Hunt brothers see smarter, more adaptable work environments emerging, where AI-driven resource management, modular spaces, greener materials, and workplaces are designed around employee experience rather than just square footage. “Most companies don’t have the expertise or time to develop and plan a strategy around this themselves, so that’s where we can help. We take the risk out of this for businesses.”

Technology has been a key element of the Hunt Office growth story and it remains an area of continual investment. “Technology underpins everything we do: From logistics and e-commerce platforms to office design, project management, and customer service. We’ve always believed that staying ahead technologically is the best way to stay ahead competitively. Whether it’s automation, data insights, or digital design tools, we’re constantly investing to improve efficiency and enhance customer experience.”

The company has a new, improved web platform: “It is going to be even more customer-focused and friendly, and we are really looking forward to that. It is currently testing with a number of customers, and the feedback has been brilliant.” Seamus Hunt sees further expansion on the horizon: “We’re always exploring opportunities for sustainable growth. We’ve built a strong foundation in Ireland, and we have been operating in the UK for a few years now. EU markets naturally align with our capabilities and ambitions. Expansion will be driven by strategic fit: Where we can deliver real value and differentiate ourselves. It is certainly on our long-term horizon.”

Despite the turbulence on international markets, he remains positive about Ireland’s economic outlook. “I am optimistic. Ireland has an incredibly resilient business community, a strong entrepreneurial spirit, and a proven ability to adapt to global changes. While challenges are real — economically and geopolitically — Ireland’s talent base, innovation, and openness give me confidence that we’ll continue to thrive. Hopefully, banks and financial institutions will open up a bit more credit for start-up entrepreneurs, as they are vital to our economy. I think we have perhaps been too cautious since the 2008 crash. There is a better balance to be struck here.”