INDUSTRY NEWS

Farmer Sells Interest In Magna-Tel
After almost 26 years as the face of supplier Magna-Tel, Inc. (UPIC: MAGNATEL), Mary Ann Farmer, MAS, sold her interest in the company to the majority shareholder, Ken Hastings, on March 8 and left the company.

“I’m looking forward to taking some time off this spring for rest and relaxation with my family but I’d definitely like to get back into the industry at some point,” Farmer told PPB in an interview yesterday. She’s not sure if her return to the industry will involve starting or buying a business or going to work for an existing company but for now she’s enjoying her long-awaited time off and is keeping her options open.

Read more here.

Marketing Employment Levels Steady; Gender Wage Gap Narrows Slightly
Two studies released last week show positive trends for the marketing and advertising industry and for women.

The employment outlook for marketing and advertising professionals is expected to be stable in the coming quarter, according to The Creative Group Hiring Index for Marketing and Advertising Professionals. Thirteen percent of marketing and advertising executives interviewed recently said they plan to increase staff levels in the second quarter of 2010, while 12 percent anticipate declines. The net one percent increase in projected hiring activity indicates personnel levels will remain little changed in the next three months.

Read more here.

Staples Advantage Integrates B2B Services, Launches New Website
Staples Advantage, the business-to-business division of Framingham, Massachusetts, distributor Staples, Inc. (UPIC: AMER0016), has launched a new website, StaplesAdvantage.com, to address customer needs for supplier consolidation and reduced procurement costs. On the website, customers view Staples Advantage's products and services, including five newly integrated business-to-business service offerings: Business Interiors by Staples, Staples Technology Solutions, Staples Facility Solutions, Staples Print Solutions and Staples Promotional Products. Combined with Staples Advantage's office products, these expanded capabilities represent the industry's most extensive offering of business products and services from one source.

Staples Advantage has more than $6 billion in sales, with more than 65 percent of Fortune 100 companies as customers, along with academic institutions, healthcare and pharmaceutical companies, and state and federal government agencies.

SnugZ USA Starts Manufacturing Personal Care Products
Salt Lake City, Utah, supplier SnugZ USA (UPIC: SNUGZUSA) has opened a 10,500-square-foot manufacturing facility for its Z Collection of personal care products. The FDA-approved product line includes certified organic lip balm and hand sanitizer made with thymol from the thyme herb that is alcohol-free. Other products in the line include sunscreens and lotions.

Previously, the company used a third-party supplier for the line’s orders, says Megan Ludlow, spokesperson for SnugZ USA. The personal care line accounts for approximately 30 percent of sales, Ludlow adds.

Read more here.

Broder Bros. Expands Houston Distribution Center
Trevose, Pennsylvania, supplier Broder Bros. (UPIC: BRODER) has expanded its express pick-up service center to a new 88,000-square-foot distribution center in Houston, Texas. With the addition, the center expanded its SKU’s housed there from 2,000 to 17,000.

“We have an extensive customer base in Houston and the surrounding areas, so we want to increase our service to the geographic region,” says Kirwei Lo, a company spokesperson. “Plus, this location gives extended reach in our one-day shipping zones.”

The company plans an open house on March 24.

Magnus Pen Corporation Invests In Trevelyan Limited
Scarborough, Ontario, supplier Magnus Pen Corporation (UPIC: magnus) has made an investment in Weston, Ontario-supplier Trevelyan Limited (UPIC: TREV0001). Magnus Pen will assist in an aggressive growth and acquisition strategy. The investment amount was not disclosed.
 
Trevelyan Limited has purchased two companies since the investment, according to Lake Trevelyan, president of the company. The purchases include Richmond Hills, Ontario, supplier Waterleaf Studios Inc. (UPIC: WATERLF) and Woodstock, Ontario, supplier Key West Marketing (UPIC: KEYWEST). Both are established manufacturers of award and certificate frames, with paper sculpture production, whose full production has been integrated into the expanded Trevelyan production facilities in Weston.

Read more here.

Five Suppliers Apply For QCA Accreditation
Five suppliers have applied to participate in the accreditation program developed by the Quality Certification Alliance, the promotional products industry’s independent, nonprofit organization based in Chicago, Illinois, dedicated to helping companies provide safe products.
 
The five QCA applicants are:
•      New York, New York-based supplier Anvil Knitwear, Inc. (UPIC: ANVIL289)
•      Union, Illinois-based supplier BAG MAKERS, Inc. (UPIC: BAGMAKRS)
•      Seattle, Washington-based supplier Cutter and Buck, Inc. (UPIC: CUTT0001)
•      Charlotte, North Carolina-based supplier Journalbooks/Timeplanner Calendars (UPIC: journals)
•      Fort Collins, Colorado-based Majestic 360

Read more here.

iPROMOTEu Adds 18 Distributors Representing $3 Million In Sales
Wayland, Massachusetts, distributor iPROMOTEu (UPIC: IPRO9320) added 18 promotional products distributor affiliates in February. These new affiliates, in the aggregate, have an estimated annual sales volume in excess of $3 million. Each is either an existing independent distributor or a salesperson formerly working for another distributor.

Nearly 490 distributors from 46 states, plus Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, are affiliated with iPROMOTEu. Including the salespeople who are working for these affiliates, there are approximately 660 industry sales professionals among iPROMOTEu’s selling network.

Read more here.
 

PEOPLE NEWS

Colin Brownlie has been appointed representative for the Greater Toronto Region for Richmond, British Columbia, supplier Swedatron/PSL (UPIC: PSLCAN).

Kellie Claudio is the new director of business development at City of Industry, California, supplier Sweda Company, LLC (UPIC: SWEDA). Claudio was at Carlsbad, California, supplier Ashworth (UPIC: Ashwo924).

Diane Leslie, CAS, joins Independence, Missouri, supplier Dunbrooke (UPIC: DUNBROOK) with 20 years of promotional products sales experience including PaperMate, Souvenir Group, LEED’s and, most recently, her own multi-line rep group. She is responsible for Southern California, Southern Nevada and Hawaii in both the promotional products and the decorator markets.

Thomas Rizzi has been named vice president of promotional products at Austin, Texas, distributor WorkflowOne (UPIC: SF0001). Rizzi returns to WorkflowOne after having served as executive vice president for Austin, Texas, distributor Boundless Network (UPIC: Bound784).

Kirk Ross, CAS, has been hired as business development sales manager for Neenah, Wisconsin,  Adventures In Advertising (UPIC: ACVINADV). Ross was national sales manager for Chanhassen, Minnesota-based distributor Business Impact Group (UPIC: Busin946).

Joe Warmbrodt will serve as the supervisor of the sales department of St. Louis, Missouri-based supplier Ariel Premium Supply Inc. (UPIC: ARIEL). Warmbrodt has spent more than seven years in the promotional products industry, serving on both the supplier and distributor sides.

PPAI NEWS

PPAI Suppliers’ Forum Slated For August 2-3 In Long Beach
PPAI will hold its Suppliers’ Forum on August 2-3 at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, California. Social media, best practices of internal operations, technology and process flow, and a comprehensive end-user overview are among the topics at this year’s Forum.

Register by April 30 and pay a discounted fee of $159. Book airfare with American Airlines and save five  percent off its lowest published airfare. For more information and to register, go to www.ppai.org/suppliersforum.

Speakers For Women’s Leadership Conference Announced
Six dynamic women have been chosen to speak at this year’s PPAI Women’s Leadership Conference July 26-29, at the Omni Mandalay Hotel in Las Colinas, Texas.

Speakers and their topics include:
•    Debbie Mrazek, The Sales Company, “So Your Sales Need A Shot In The Arm -- Now What?”
•    Lori Richardson, Score More Sales, “Presentation Skills To Influence.”
•    Laurie Tucker, senior vice president, FedEx Services, “A Marketer And A Mom,” keynote speaker.
•    Carrie Kerpen, The Kbuzz--Social Media & Word of Mouth Marketing, “Whaaaattttzzzzz All This Buzz About Social Media?”
•    Marsha Londe, Tango!, “Strategies And Tips To Respond To RFPs.”
•    Linda Swindling, JD, CSP, “Walk, Talk & Influence Like A CEO.”

To register for the Women’ s Leadership Conference, click here.

PPAI Survey On Product And Program Category Underway
PPAI is asking distributor members to fill out and return its annual Product and Program Category Survey, which was mailed to distributor members two weeks ago. If you didn’t receive it, click here to download, print out and fax back to PPAI at 972-258-3004. Forms are due by April 6.

Read more here.

Laura McKinney Promoted To Senior Manager Of Regional Relations
Laura McKinney, CAE, has been promoted to PPAI’s senior manager of regional relations. Previously, she was manager of regional affiliate programs.

McKinney was the chief architect of the 2009 Leadership Development Workshop, launched the Executive Director Learning Forum and developed the MAS/CAS Grab & Go Binder, allowing executive directors to track attendees much more accurately.

Read more here.

PPAI Suppliers Achievement Competition Accepting Submissions
The 2011 Suppliers Achievement Award competition is now open and accepting submissions until May 21. Send your most creative 2009 products, sales aids and self promotions to be considered for this prestigious award. Click here to submit entries.

Deadline for receipt of entries is May 21. For questions, contact PPAI Awards at Awards@ppai.org or 972-258-3070.

PPAI LAW

PPAI Gauging Interest In Booth At Hong Kong Gift Fair
PPAI is considering whether or not there is sufficient member interest in having a consumer product safety booth at the Hong Kong Gifts and Premium Fair, April 27-30 at the Hong Kong Convention and Expedition Centre. The booth would be run by Susan DeRagon, associate director for toys and premiums with Specialized Technology Resources (STR), a leading product testing lab. She would offer one-on-one advice at no cost to PPAI members, similar to her booth at the PPAI Expo 2010. At the Expo booth, companies were able to bring in their products for DeRagon to analyze.

Interested PPAI members should contact Anne Lardner at 972-258-3041 or AnneL@ppai.org.  

ACCOLADES

Aprons, Etc. 25th Anniversary Includes Big Orders
Greenville, South Carolina, supplier Aprons, Etc. (UPIC: Aprons) was able to begin its 25th year by landing two big corporate orders, says Jeff Hoffman, president.

“We’re starting to see a bit of a trend in larger orders, which we hadn’t seen in over a year,” Hoffman says. “Some of their marketing budgets are freeing up. We’ve had two major orders in the past two weeks.”

Read more here.

Barker Specialty Names Supplier Award Winners
Cheshire, Connecticut, distributor Barker Specialty Company (UPIC: BARKER) presented awards at its annual vendor dinner with nearly 100 suppliers in attendance. Portland, Oregon, supplier Humphrey Line (UPIC: HUMPHREY) won Supplier of the Year; Mike Merkin of Miami, Florida, supplier, Bullet Line/Leeds Journal Books (UPIC: BULLET) won Supplier Sales Representatives of the Year; and Linda Evans of NES won Customer Service Representative of the year.

Commotion Promotions Receives SBCA Award
The Small Business Commerce Association (SBCA) has selected Phoenix, Arizona-based distributor Commotion Promotions, Ltd. (UPIC: IDEASTAR) for the 2009 Best of Business Award in the Advertising Specialties category.

The SBCA Best of Business Award Program recognizes the best of small businesses throughout the country. Using consumer feedback and other research, the SBCA identifies companies that have demonstrated what makes small businesses a vital part of the American economy.

Read more here.

Superior Uniform Customers Win Awards
Two customers of Seminole, Florida, distributor Superior Uniform Group, Inc. (UPIC: sug), Hilton Hotels and Ruby’s Restaurant Group took home winning trophies from this year’s National Association of Uniform Manufacturers and Distributors (NAUMD) Image of the Year Awards ceremony. The presentations were held March 6 at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. This is Superior’s fourth straight year for its customers to win a NAUMD award.

Sweda Receives Three Awards from eCompanyStore
City Of Industry, California, supplier Sweda Company, LLC (UPIC: SWEDA) was awarded the 2009 awards for supplier excellence, customer service rep of the year and multi-line rep of the year from  Alpharetta, Georgia, distributor eCompanyStore (UPIC: ECOM0001).

REGIONAL NEWS

PPAS Holds Wearables Fashion Show
Promotional Products Association Southwest (PPAS) held a wearables fashion show at this month’s meeting, according to PPAS President Tom Carpenter, CAS.

“Wearables are more than one-third of our business, so we thought it would be good to showcase them to our members,” Carpenter says. In February, PPAS held a new product showcase. Both meetings had a large attendance, Carpenter says.

Read more here.

IN MEMORIAM

Norm Ogroskin, a multi-line rep for Ash City, Webb Company, Acro Bag, GAME Sportswear and HMB/Andrew Rohan, died March 15 of a heart attack. Ogroskin specialized in apparel lines and had worked in the industry for decades.
 
His funeral will be held March 19 at 11 am at Eden Memorial Park in Mission Hills, California.
 
Read more here.