ALCO STANDARD CORP
8-K, 1996-03-08
PAPER & PAPER PRODUCTS
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<PAGE>
 
                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                            Washington, D.C. 20549

                                   FORM 8-K

                                CURRENT REPORT



                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                      The Securities Exchange Act of 1934



         Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) March 4, 1996

                           ALCO STANDARD CORPORATION
                           -------------------------                            
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


       OHIO                     File No. 1-5964                    23-0334400 
- ------------------              ----------------                ----------------
(State or other                 (Commission File                (IRS Employer
jurisdiction of                 Number)                         (Identification 
incorporation)                                                  Number)


          P.O. Box 834, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania              19482
         --------------------------------------------         -----------


       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (610) 296-8000
                                                           --------------



                                 Not Applicable
       -----------------------------------------------------------------
         (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
<PAGE>
 
Item 5.   Other Events.
          ------------ 

          On March 4, 1996, the Registrant announced that, effective
immediately, its office products group, formerly known as Alco Office Products,
has been renamed IKON Office Solutions.



Item 7.   Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.
          ------------------------------------------------------------------ 

          (c)  Exhibits.
               -------- 

               Press Release dated March 4, 1996
<PAGE>
 
                                   SIGNATURE



      Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


                               ALCO STANDARD CORPORATION



                               By: /s/ Michael J. Dillon
                                  --------------------------------
                                       Michael J. Dillon
                                       Vice President and Controller



Dated: March 8, 1996
<PAGE>
 
                                Index to Exhibit
                                ----------------



      (28)  Press Release Dated March 4, 1996

<PAGE>
 
ALCO Standard Corporation                                             EXHIBIT 28
 
Michael N. Kilpatric         Martha A. Buckley           Suzanne C. Shenk
Director of Communications   Director, Corporate         Manager, Investor
IKON Office Solutions        Communications              Relations
610-993-3662                 610-993-3609                610-993-3526



                          ALCO OFFICE PRODUCTS RENAMED
                             IKON OFFICE SOLUTIONS


      Valley Forge, Pennsylvania -- March 4, 1996 -- Alco Standard Corporation
 announced today that, effective immediately, its office products group has been
 renamed IKON Office Solutions.

      IKON, formerly known as Alco Office Products (AOP), is the largest network
 of independent office products dealers in North America.  Alco also operates
 the largest network of independent office products dealers in the United
 Kingdom and has operations in Denmark, France and Germany.  Prior to adopting
 the IKON identity, the dealers operated under more than eighty different names
 across North America and Europe.  The new name will be adopted worldwide by
 October 1997.

      John Stuart, Alco's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "This
 name change will signal a new strategic direction to our customers, employees,
 suppliers and investors.  We are expanding our focus from sales and service of
 copiers to providing a full range of office imaging, information and work flow
 solutions to our customers.  In addition," Stuart continued, "the common name
 provides much of the increased marketing power we'll need to effectively
 service regional and national accounts, even as we continue to provide
 personalized service on a local level."

      Kurt Dinkelacker, President of IKON, added, "Our new name will leverage
 the power of our customer-focused network.  It allows for our expansion into
 outsourcing and digital networking, as we double the size of our analog copier
 business.  We will be the leader, the symbol, the icon of service and solutions
 in the office environment.


                                    - more -
<PAGE>
 
      "Because we utilize a variety of suppliers and are not tied to any one
 technology," Dinkelacker said, "we can provide our customers with the right
 solution to their office technology and information imaging needs, whether it's
 copies, facilities management, off-site printing and imaging, or digital
 networking services."

      IKON Office Solutions has its origins in a single-location copier dealer
 acquired in 1979.  In 1983, Alco began expanding the business through
 acquisition, and since that time, the network has grown to nearly 800
 locations, 25,000 employees and a base of more than 300,000 customers
 worldwide.

      In the last five years, IKON has posted a compound annual growth rate of
 25% in revenues and nearly 34% in operating income, increasing returns on sales
 from 6.2% in 1990 to 9% last year.  Revenues for fiscal 1995, which ended
 September 30, were nearly $3 billion.  Through its expanded focus on analog
 copying, outsourcing and digital networking business solutions, IKON expects to
 be at $10 billion in revenues by the year 2000, with significantly increased
 returns on sales.

      In a related move, Alco announced a new name for its wholly-owned leasing
 company, which will now be called IKON Capital, Inc.  IKON Capital,
 headquartered in Macon, Georgia, was formerly known as Alco Capital Resource.
 The company provides financing for office equipment leased by IKON locations
 throughout North America, and manages a lease portfolio in excess of $1
 billion.  Alco's newly-formed European leasing company will be known as IKON
 Capital UK.

      IKON Office Solutions is one of two business groups operated by Alco
 Standard Corporation, headquartered in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.  Along with
 IKON, Alco also operates Unisource, the largest marketer and distributor of
 paper and imaging products and supply systems in North America.  Total
 corporate revenues for fiscal 1995 were nearly $10 billion.

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