Former PaperExchange Europe managing director Colin Carroll has established a consultancy firm, "to improve and add value to the relationships between buyers and sellers in manufacturing industry."

Highbury Partners has two European clients so far, one a distributor of paper related products and the other a manufacturer of industrial gases.

"We will look at trying to improve the services that a company offers to its clients, by analysing how they can add value to their product offerings," said Carroll.

Carroll said this would involve Highbury analysing a manufacturers market segment and customer activity to see what additions could be made, and where these might take place.

Charges will be made on either a day-to-day or project basis, depending upon requirements, and Carroll said he was now looking to expand the service to the print industry.

Highbury Partners team includes former PaperExchange Europe director Cynthia Bellefeuille, and former chief executive of Irish Carton Printers, Guy Kilroy.

PaperExchange launched in 1998 in the US, billing itself as a global e-business for the pulp and paper industry.

Carroll headed the European operation, based in London, which collapsed in June this year after the US arm withdrew its funding (PrintWeek, 1 June).

Story by Andy Scott