World’s Leader in School Supplies and Accessories
Mega Office Supplies is the leading source of Helix Maped school supplies and accessories at an affordable cost in Australia. The philosophy of Helix innovative products is inventing ever more ingenious and sustainable products to adapt to changing usages and empower children to change the world. At Helix/MAPED, product managers, designers, analysts, and engineers are involved alongside children, parents, and teachers to nurture new ideas. Lots of children come to MAPED every year to help us design, test, and improve our products.
About Helix Maped Australia
Helix (also known as Helix Oxford or Maped Helix) is a United Kingdom-based manufacturer of stationery. It exports to over 65 countries, with offices in Hong Kong and US, and has its UK headquarters in Kingswinford in the West Midlands.
Helix was established in 1887 under the name 'The Universal Woodworking Company Ltd.; it manufactured wooden rulers and metal laboratory apparatus. In 1894, it patented the drawing compass and, with it, launched the Helix brand, following on from the initial success of the compass and rule. In 1912, the company's first mathematical set was created; and, in 1935, the brand "Helix Oxford" was launched. In 1955 the company was renamed the Helix Universal Company, and moved its headquarters to Lye, West Midlands. In the 1960s, the name was changed to Helix International Ltd.
In 2004, the company's factory in Lye ceased production. In January 2012, the company entered administration. On 8 February 2012 the company stated, "The joint administrators from Grant Thornton UK LLP are currently speaking to a number of interested parties and have received offers for the sale of the business as a going concern." One week later, the company was bought by the French Maped group. When Helix joined the Maped Helix Group the company changed its name to Helix Trading Ltd and moved its UK headquarters from Lye, West Midlands to nearby Kingswinford, where it has its showroom. In 2014 it reported sales of £8.5 million.
The Oxford Set of Mathematical Instruments is a set of instruments used by generations of school children in the United Kingdom and around the world in mathematics and geometry lessons. The set is marketed in over 100 countries by Helix. It consists of a metal tin embossed on the front with a drawing of Balliol College and the words 'THE HELIX OXFORD SET OF MATHEMATICAL INSTRUMENTS COMPLETE & ACCURATE' in white against a blue background.
