INDUSTRY NEWS

Amazon.com Leaving Incentives Industry
Amazon.com gave partner companies 45-days notice last week that it will be leaving the corporate rewards merchandise fulfillment industry as reported last Friday in a PPB Newslink Breaking News Alert last Friday. As many as 50 companies could be affected by the decision, says Jeffrey Dalton, president of Red Bank, New Jersey, business services provider Paramax Productions (UPIC: PMX), which was an Amazon.com partner.

“We committed to Amazon two years ago,” Dalton says, adding that the program ran efficiently. “This sets the industry back in a lot of ways.”

Read more here.

Logistix Reports 2009 Profit
Last year’s dismal sales didn’t affect every promotional products company. EMAK Worldwide, Inc., a Los Angeles, California-based marketing services firm, today reported its promotional products division, Logistix, had strong profits in 2009.

Read more here.

Floods Temporarily Close Companies In New England
Torrential floods in Massachusetts and Rhode Island on March 30 caused two promotional products suppliers in the area to temporarily close. Attleboro, Massachusetts, supplier Knobby Krafters (UPIC: KNOBBY) reopened April 7, while Providence, Rhode Island, supplier Opus By Collins (UPIC: OPUSBYCO) will reopen offices tomorrow.

The six employees at Opus pulled up computers and relocated to the home of Joe Collins, the company’s president, after 10 feet of water from the river behind their building flooded into the first floor, shutting down power and communications to Opus’s office and factory on the second floor.

Read more here.

Sanford's Mexico Facility Reopens After Earthquake
The Mexicali, Mexico, decorating facility of writing instrument supplier Sanford Business-to-Business (UPIC: SANFORD) reopened April 8 after it was closed because of a 7.2 magnitude earthquake on Sunday, April 4, according to a company spokeswoman. The facility is running full time with overtime to get caught up on back orders. During the transition period, Sanford has moved out the ship date of all orders by one week.

The quake caused minor damage to the facility, which was built last fall and was closed for Easter when the earthquake hit. All 1,600 employees are safe and an inspection has substantiated that the Mexicali facility is structurally sound.

iPROMOTEu Reaches 500 Affiliate Milestone
Eighteen promotional products distributors affiliated with Wayland, Massachusetts, distributor iPROMOTEu (UPIC: IPRO0320) in March. These new affiliates have an estimated annual sales volume of nearly $8 million. Ross Silverstein, president and CEO of iPROMOTEu, says the company has reached an important milestone, surpassing 500 independent distributor affiliates.

Read more here.

ACCOLADES

Senator Celebrates 90-Year Anniversary
Dallas, Texas, supplier Senator Writing Instruments (UPIC: SENATOR) is celebrating its 90th anniversary today. Friedrich and Georg Merz founded the company with Justus Krell in 1920, starting with the production of quills and fountain pens. Senator was one of the first companies to produce ballpoint pens.

Read more here.

Fogel Inducted Into Broadcasters Association Hall Of Fame
Tad Fogel, MAS, of Brevard, North Carolina, distributor Fogel Advertising (UPIC: FOGELADS) was inducted into the South Carolina Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame in January in Columbia, South Carolina. Fogel was an advocate for broadcasters on national and statewide legislative issues during his 35 years in the radio industry. He established the Fogel Advertising distributorship in 1995 and currently serves on PPAI’s Distributors Committee.

Davis To Judge In International Film & Video Festival
Mary Davis, owner of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, distributor Quint Company (UPIC: QUINT), has been named a judge for the 2010 U.S. International Film & Video Festival. Entries for the festival are submitted by businesses and organizations from throughout the world. Davis is a graduate of the Philadelphia College of Art with a degree of fine arts in illustration. Judging will take place in late April.

Dunk Fest Winners Announced
The overall winner of Dunk Fest 2010 was Melissa Martin, accounts receivable coordinator for Wayland, Massachusetts, distributor iPROMOTEu (UPIC: IPRO9320), who correctly chose Duke University to win the championship game and three of the four Final Four NCAA men’s college basketball tournament teams, including Butler.

Read more here.

PEOPLE NEWS

Leed's, Bullet Parent Names New CEO
Cees Martens has been named the new chief executive officer of the Dutch import company, PF Concept International. He previously was employed at Newell Rubbermaid with 23 years of experience in the areas of international sales, marketing, product development and distribution. He succeeds Rutger de Planque, who worked for PF Concept for 20 years. 

Read more here.

PPAI LAW

Contest Seeking Arguments In Support Of Independent Contractors
PPAI needs your help crafting persuasive and compelling arguments that protect the safe harbor rule for promotional consultants. If you are an independent contractor, tell us why you like being self-employed in less than 500 words. All entries will be eligible for a drawing and the winner will receive an iPad. Entries (both written and video) are due no later than May 15. PPAI will use your entries to develop testimonials and white papers and may ask you to participate more fully in the advocacy effort. Send your testimonial to Anne Lardner at AnneL@ppai.org, 972-258-3041.

Webinar To Discuss Children’s Products
A free webinar on the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) titled “What Is A Children’s Product” will be held at 1 pm CDT on April 22. Susan DeRagon, associate director for toys and premiums with Specialized Technology Resources (STR), will provide an overview of the latest CPSIA proposed rule on factors determining which items are children’s products in this 30-minute webinar.

Read more here.

Senate Expected To Vote On BPA Ban
The Senate is expected to vote soon on a bill that would ban the commonly used chemical Biphenol A (BPA). The Ban Poisonous Additives Act, sponsored by Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), would bar the use of BPA in food containers. The chemical compound is regularly used in hard plastic food containers, water bottles and medical devices and is used as a lining in metal cans. 

Read more here.

Bill Prohibiting Gifts To Healthcare Providers Pending In Connecticut
A bill pending in the Connecticut State Senate would prohibit the distribution of certain gifts from pharmaceutical and medical device companies to healthcare providers. This bill would require each pharmaceutical or medical device manufacturing company that employs or contracts with a pharmaceutical or medical device manufacturer agent to adopt a marketing code of conduct.

Read more here.

PPAI NEWS

PPAI Best Of Expo 2010 Webinars Planned
PPAI has scheduled the return of the popular Best of Expo educational program with a four-part webinar series beginning April 28. Based on member exit surveys, these instructors scored in the top percentile gauging facilitator strengths, adequacy of course materials and the value of the course at the PPAI Expo 2010. Participants can earn 1.0 MAS/CAS point for each interactive 60-minute webinar attended. Cost is $25 for PPAI members, $50 for nonmembers. 

Read more here.

Technology Products Webinar Scheduled
A free webinar titled “Technology Products: Get Smart to Sell Smart,” presented by Logoincluded.com., is scheduled in two parts. Part One is April 20 at 10 am CDT; Part Two, April 27 at 10 am CDT. The webinar examines the day-to-day applications customers use and how to determine quality differences when purchasing products such as USB flash drives, MP3/MP4 players, digital picture frames and related technology. This series also explores how distributors need to understand the functionality and impact of these products, what makes them desirable to their customers and what to look for in the future. 

Click here to register for Part One and here to register for Part Two.

PPAI Annual Sales Volume Survey Deadline Next Week
Distributors have until April 20 to participate in PPAI’s Annual Sales Volume Survey. Complete the survey online at www.salesvolumesurvey.com. The survey is the industry's leading indicator of total promotional products sales. Participants will be entered in a drawing for a chance to win two round-trip tickets anywhere in the continental United States or hotel and round-trip airfare to the PPAI Expo 2011 in Las Vegas. There will be 10 other surprise prizes awarded valued at between $50 and $100.

Post Internship Opportunities On PPAI Facebook
Have a summer or fall internship opportunity available at your company? Post the internship details to the PPAI Facebook page or e-mail them to EricaE@ppai.org and PPAI will repost it to the American Marketing Association’s Marketing Career Network job board. The board is made up of 47 partner organizations, including the Business Marketing Association, American Advertising Federation and the Direct Marketers Association.

REGIONAL NEWS

GCPPA Names Wilson Executive Director
The Gold Coast Promotional Products Association (GCPPA) has named Kelly Wilson of Magellan Management as its new executive director. Wilson is responsible for staff management, financial management, publications and convention and meeting planning. GCPPA is based in Boca Raton, Florida.

Hawk Elected To TRASA Hall Of Fame
Peter Hawk, CAS, was elected into the Three Rivers Advertising Specialty Association (TRASA) Hall of Fame at a ceremony held at the Four Points Sheraton. TRASA represents western Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Hawk is a TRASA past president and former national representative and served on the TRASA board of directors for 3½ years. He also helped to start and co-chaired the golf outing. His “Operation Buy TRASA” marketing campaign won TRASA a national PPAI Pyramid Award in 2007.