<ARTICLE>                                            5
<LEGEND>

This schedule  contains summary financial  information  extracted from BT Office
Products International,  Inc. Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September
30,  1997 and is  qualified  in its  entirety  by  reference  to such  financial
statements.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>                                  1,000
       
                                              
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                 3-mos
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                           Dec-31-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                Sep-30-1997
<CASH>                                       12,046
<SECURITIES>                                      0
<RECEIVABLES>                               223,144
<ALLOWANCES>                                 (6,597)
<INVENTORY>                                 113,743
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                            392,740
<PP&E>                                      142,017
<DEPRECIATION>                              (60,780)
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              727,668
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                       230,027
<BONDS>                                     213,479
<COMMON>                                        335
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                             0
<PREFERRED>                                       0
<OTHER-SE>                                  269,235
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                727,668
<SALES>                                     393,182
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                            393,182
<CGS>                                       284,410
<TOTAL-COSTS>                               385,443
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                  0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                  0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                            4,051
<INCOME-PRETAX>                               4,529
<INCOME-TAX>                                  1,912
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                           2,617
<DISCONTINUED>                                    0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                   0
<CHANGES>                                         0
<NET-INCOME>                                  2,617
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                  0.08
<EPS-DILUTED>                                  0.08