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Day-Timers Inc.
East Texas, PA
Sales: $203 million (E)
Workforce: 750
Privately Held
Joe Winters, president
A manufacturer/reseller/direct marketer of business planners/diaries, time-management systems/services and stationery/writing instruments, Day-Timers was established in 1947 as a joint venture between Morris Perkin and Dorney Printing Co. To help lawyers maintain their hectic schedules, Perkin designed a “Lawyer’s Day” planner, which he gave to attorney friends as holiday gifts. Demand grew quickly, and Dorney ultimately developed the line into a business that eventually offered over 30 different Day-Timer formats, as well as other related products. In 1972, the firm was acquired by Beatrice Cos. Inc., which operated it as a division until 1981, and a subsidiary thereafter. In 1988, Beatrice sold Day-Timers to Fortune Brands Inc., which made it a subsidiary of its ACCO World Corp. division. Personalization and logo-imprinting is available for most Day-Timer products. In addition to its warehouse/office/call center in Allentown, PA, Day-Timers has subsidiary operations in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. It sells to customers directly via catalog sales, its Web site, and through commercial contract dealers/wholesalers and office
supply superstores.
Tiffany & Co.
New York, NY
Sales: $1.7 billion
Workforce: 6,400
Publicly Held
Michael Kowalski, chairman/CEO
A name that’s become synonomous with fine jewelry, Tiffany was founded in 1837 by Charles L. Tiffany. In 1867, it won a gold medal for silver craftmanship at the Paris Exposition Universelle. It ultimately became the premiere U.S. silversmith, and silver/goldsmith to 17 European crowned heads. Since then, Tiffany has become known for innovative techniques and designs. It was the first U.S. firm to embrace the 925/1,000 silver purity measure, later adopted as the national standard. It was also responsible for first using color gems in fine jewelry, cutting diamonds for brilliance rather than size, and the six-prong Tiffany setting. Other notable events include the redesign of the Great Seal of the United States and creating the Vince Lombardi trophy for the NFL. Tiffany operates over 100 retail stores worldwide. In 2001, it acquired Little Switzerland Inc., based in the Virgin Islands. Its corporate sales division, though its roots go back to the Civil War, was established in 1960. Using items from Tiffany’s inventory or custom merchandise, it specializes in the design/manufacture of awards and trophies; structuring/developing employee recognition programs; catalogs; and creating items for special events and business gifts. Many are engraved or personalized, most of which is done in-house. Tiffany sells primarily in three channels – retail, international retail and direct marketing. The latter includes catalog and corporate sales as well as those from the Web site, and is roughly 11% of its fiscal sales. Tiffany trades on the NYSE system.
O.C. Tanner Co.
Salt Lake City, UT
Sales: $280 million (E)
Workforce: 2,000
Privately Held
Kent Murdock, president/CEO
A supplier/manufacturer of service/performance recognition awards, Tanner was founded in 1927 when Obert Tanner, a high-school teacher, conceived the idea of a graduation pin. He eventually opened a manufacturing shop and by the mid-1940s, had pioneered recognition in the corporate arena in the form of service/recognition awards. Today, Tanner offers several thousand award products covering a wide range of name-brand products. It provides awards and services to many Fortune 100 firms and thousands of other companies. The line includes custom jewelry, rings, watches, active/sports accessories, clocks, electronics, office accessories, crystal, etc. Many are customized with corporate logos/symbols. Tanner also offers promotional and training services and fully integrated on-line award programs. It also provided the medals for the 2002 Winter Olympics. In addition to its headquarters in Salt Lake City, Tanner maintains a manufacturing/customer service center in Canada, and has 60 sales offices throughout North America. 100% of the capital stock is owned by the Tanner family.
L.L. Bean Inc.
Freeport, ME
Sales: $1.1 billion (E)
Workforce: 4,500
Privately Held
Christopher McCormick, president/CEO
One of the best-known mail-order retailers in the world, Bean was established by Leon Leonwood Bean in 1912, offering waterproof hunting boots. Annually, it produces about 90 different catalogs, distributes about 210 million, receives approximately 12 million calls and mails out over 12 million packages. Bean stocks 16,000 items (clothing, tote bags, soft luggage, watches, camping gear, etc.) 90% of which bear its own label. The corporate sales division was created in the late 1970s to serve corporate customers seeking Bean-quality products to use as premiums, incentives, recognition, etc. Specially trained reps assist buyers in planning and developing programs, and volume discounts are offered. Bean offers customizing for most products, including embroidery, engraving, screenprinting and embossing. In addition to its 700,000-square-foot headquarters, Bean operates five retail stores, 15 outlet stores, nine stores in Japan, three customer-service centers and a manufacturing facility (in Maine). The majority of its capital stock is owned by the Bean family.
WearGuard Corp.
Norwell, MA
Sales: $435 million (E)
Workforce:1,200
Privately Held
David Gold, president
A subsidiary of the Philadelphia-based Aramark Uniform and Career Apparel Group, a major uniform firm with annual revenues exceeding $1.4 billion, WearGuard deals in men’s/women’s uniforms, career apparel and promotional items. The firm was founded in 1952 by Eugene Salem as Eastern Uniform Co. Inc. It changed its name to WearGuard in 1986 and was acquired by Aramark in 1992. It’s involved in the direct sale of merchandise throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. WearGuard sells primarily through catalogs, but also utilizes telemarketing and an outside sales force. Its forte is embroidering or screenprinting company names/logos on a wide assortment of products for all-sized firms. The parent company owns 100% of the capital stock.
Bloomingdale’s Inc.
New York, NY
Sales: $1.8 billion
Workforce: 10,300
Publicly Held
Michael Gould, chairman/CEO
A subsidiary of Federated Department Stores Inc. (Cincinnati) Bloomingdale’s was founded in 1872 by Lyman and Joseph Bloomingdale as the East Side Bazaar, offering women’s fashions. In 1886, it moved to its present Manhattan location, which remains the flagship/headquarters store. Bloomingdale’s was one of the founding companies that established Federated in 1929. Over the years, the store became noted as a trendsetter and for its exclusive merchandise. Its corporate-services division was established about 21 years ago. Targeted to corporate customers for business gift-giving, recognition, employee program, incentive, etc., needs, Bloomingdale’s offers a representative selection of items in its catalog, but can provide almost anything requested, including merchandise not normally stocked. Monograms, personalization and logo imprinting are also offered, done on- or off-premises, depending on the item. Federated is traded on the NYSE system. Its total 2002 sales were approximately $15.6 billion.
Excelled Sheepskin &
Leather Coat Corp.
Carteret, NJ
Sales: $49.1 million (E)
Workforce: 220
Privately Held
Myron Goldman, president
A manufacturer/importer of leather, sheepskin and wool jackets, coats, vests and pants, Excelled was established in 1927 by Sol Goldman. It was acquired by U.S. Industries in 1970, and repurchased by the Goldman family, which owns 100% of the capitol stock, six years later. Excelled sells largely to department stores, mail-order houses and specialty shops. About 10% of its sales involve custom-logoed work for licensed properties, schools, athletic teams, businesses and so on. Imprinting is done off-site. In addition to its headquarters, Excelled occupies a 150,000-square-foot factory in Chicago.
Lands’ End Inc.
Dodgeville, WI
Sales: $1.3 billion
Workforce: 7,000-9,700
Publicly Held
David Dyer, president/CEO
A direct merchant of business/casual clothing, shoes, accessories and soft luggage, Lands’ End was founded by Gary Comer, a former ad copywriter, in 1963 in Chicago. Originally called Lands’ End Yacht Stores Inc., it offered sailboat equipment. By 1977, it focused on clothing, and in 1978, relocated to its present location. Today it distributes over 270 million catalogs annually and receives an average of 45,000 calls daily. Its first corporate sales
division catalog appeared in 1993. Land’s End corporate sales provides apparel/accessories, custom embroidery services and gift-certificate programs for promotions, sales incentives, employee gifts and special events. The division also outfits and counsels companies on business-casual issues, including guidelines and policies. Sales for the division in fiscal 2001 were about $170 million. In 2000, the company became one of the first apparel retailers to establish business-to-business e-commerce partnerships with on-line procurement companies. Also offered is the design/construction of on-line custom stores for companies. Lands’ End went public in 1986, trading on NYSE. Its headquarters occupies 200 acres. It operates 20 outlet stores in the U.S., UK and Japan. In June 2002, Lands’ End became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sears, Roebuck and Co.
Hallmark Cards Inc.
Kansas City, MO
Sales: $4.2 billion (E)
Workforce: 19,000
Privately Held
Donald Hall Jr., president/CEO
Hallmark was founded by Joyce C. Hall in 1910 as a mail-order business for picture postcards. It’s now the largest greeting-card manufacturer in the world, published in over 30 languages and distributed in over 100 countries. Hallmark has three major divisions – Personal Expressions, involving cards, calendars, holiday ornaments, collectibles, gifts, gift wrapping/trim, party goods, software, stickers and writing paper; Hallmark Entertainment Inc., involving the production of family oriented TV; and Personal Development, involving art supplies, crayons, markers, modeling materials, creativity kits, creative software and model kits. Its Hallmark Loyalty entity, founded in 1994, is a consulting service that helps firms achieve business objectives via measurable programs that typically involve the use of a custom-created greeting card as part of the overall objective. Clients include several Fortune 500 firms. In 2001, Hallmark sold its greeting-card activities in France and Hunt & Broadhurst, a stationery firm based in England. In 2002, it signed an agreement with CTI Industries Corp. under which CTI produces foil and latex balloons for it. Hallmark operates numerous sales offices and manufacturing/production centers in the U.S. and abroad. It occupies three million square feet at its headquarters. Two-thirds of the capital stock is owned by the Hall family; the remainder by employees via a profit-sharing plan.
Cartier Inc.
New York, NY
Sales: $220 million (E)
Workforce: 500
Privately Held
Stanislas de Quercize, president/CEO
Established in 1847 by Louis-François Cartier, Cartier is an internationally known designer, manufacturer, distributor and retailer of fine jewelry, watches and gifts. It has served as crown jeweler to 19 royal houses. In addition to inventing the baguette cut and handling the sale of both the Hope Diamond (1910) and the 69.4-carat stone purchased by actress Elizabeth Taylor (1968), Cartier is also credited with the design of the first modern wristwatch, as well as the tank watch. In 1993, it became part of the Vendome Luxury Group, an umbrella company that also encompasses Alfred Dunhill, Piaget, Baume & Mercier, Vacheron Constatin and other similar businesses. Cartier has over 170 stores worldwide and a network of authorized dealers in 123 countries. Cartier Corporate Gifts, begun in 1980, offers items for the purpose of business-to-business and incentive gifts/awards. Custom engraving of personalization, logos, monograms, signatures, crests, etc. is available on most silver/gold and stationery items.
G. Neil Cos.
Sunrise, FL
Sales: $53 million (E)
Workforce: 330
Privately Held
Gary N. Brown, CEO
Terry Jukes, president
A mail-order and direct marketer of human resources-related products, including forms, employee awards, etc., G. Neil , a wholly-owned subsidiary of Centis Inc.,was founded by Brown in 1988. Its catalog includes a small selection of promotional products as well. While most of the customized products G. Neil sells are personalized via engraving, approximately 10% is custom-logoed, at clients’ requests. Imprinting and engraving is done in-house. G. Neil’s headquarters occupies over 70,000-square-feet. The firm was acquired by Taylor Corp. in May, 2003.
Coach Leatherware Inc.
New York, NY
Sales: $700 million (E)
Workforce: 3,664
Publicly Held
Lewis Frankfort, chairman/CEO
Coach was established in 1941 by Miles Cahn as a family workshop producing quality handcrafted leather goods. Today, all Coach products (wallets, handbags, business cases, travel cases, portfolios) are still handmade, and the products are considered high-end luxury accessories. Coach introduced its first corporate catalog in 1994. The catalogs feature a group of selected best-selling items, but all Coach products are available for corporate purchase. Most businesses tend to use them for sales or recognition awards, holiday gifts and incentives. In addition to its Manhattan headquarters, Coach has a worldwide distribution and customer-service center in Jacksonville, FL. It was acquired by the Sara Lee Corp. in 1985, but became an independent company again in April, 2001. Coach is offered worldwide via selected major department stores, Coach stores and specialty stores, in addition to its catalog and Web site. It’s traded on the NYSE system.
Tee Jays Manufacturing Co. Inc.
Florence, AL
Sales: $120.2 million (E)
Workforce: 650
Privately Held
John T. Wylie, president
Tee Jays was founded in 1976 by Terry and Paul Wylie, and became a subsidiary of Tee Jays Holding Corp., also in Florence, AL, in 1988. A manufacturer of T-shirts, fleece activewear, tank tops, golf/polo shirts and baseball-style jerseys, the company
primarily provides blanks and private-label goods to decorators and retailers. Tee Jays also offers custom-imprinted clothing, which is done via screenprinting and embroidery, both done on-site at its headquarters.
Quill Corp.
Lincolnshire, IL
Sales: $1 billion (E)
Workforce: 1,350
Publicly Held (subsidiary)
Larry Morse, president
Founded by Jack Miller in 1956, Quill grew from a one-person shop to a direct marketer of office supplies with over 800,000 customers nationwide. In 1996, it expanded its 20,000-plus product offerings to include some promotional products, custom imprinting and corporate apparel. Quill mails its targeted catalogs on a monthly and semi-annual basis. In addition to its headquarters, the company maintains 11 regional distribution centers. In June, 1998, Quill was acquired by Staples Inc. While a wholly-owned subsidiary, it continues to function as an independent business. It also maintains an e-commerce business via its Web site. In 2002, Quill purchased Medical Arts Press, a direct marketer/manufacturer of marketing-related products for the medical profession serving more than 300,000 customers, along with its subsidiaries, SmileMakers, a major direct-marketer of children’s giveaway items for the medical, dental and educational markets; and Hayes Marketing Inc., a direct-marketer/manufacturer of marketing-related items to chiropractors, dentists and eye-care professionals.
Cintas Corp.
Cincinnati, OH
Sales: $2 billion
Workforce: 22,000+
Publicly held
Robert J. Kohlhepp, CEO
Founded in 1929, Cintas designs, manufactures, and implements corporate-identity uniform programs. The firm is owned by the officers and directors of the group. Cintas operates through four main internal avenues. The corporate group provides strategic planning, financial, accounting, data-processing, marketing, and similar services. It incorporates the merchandising unit that offers custom-designed uniforms for national companies. The rental division serves a diversity of corporate customers on a nationwide basis. The national account division serves over 300,000 customers in the transportation, petroleum, food-processing, automotive, and other industries through direct sales and rental programs. The manufacturing/distribution division produces its own uniforms and develops exclusive new/innovative designs that bear company imprints and logos. Cintas operates over 200 uniform-rental operations nationwide, as well as several garment-manufacturing plants and distribution centers. It trades on the NASDAQ system.
J.C. Penney Co. Inc.
Plano, TX
Sales: $29.6 billion
Workforce: 230,000
Publicly Held
Allen Questrom, chairman/CEO
J.C. Penney was founded in 1902, when James Cash Penney opened the Golden Rule Store in Kemmerer, WY. When his partners dissolved their alliance in 1907, he became sole owner and, two years later, established headquarters in Salt Lake City. In 1913, the name changed to the present and the store relocated to New York the next year. Between 1920 and 1930, it opened over 1,250 stores nationwide, and sales surpassed
$1 billion in 1951. The company moved to its present location in 1992. Targeting middle-income consumers, Penney focuses on its private and national brand names for apparel and home furnishings, available through stores and its catalog. Its corporate division is involved in programs such as recognition and incentives, offering items that may not be normally stocked, sometimes imprinted. The company operates approximately 1,049 stores within the United States, Puerto Rico and Mexico, and 54 Renner stores in Brazil. The Eckerd Drug Stores division operates about 2,686 stores in the Southeast, Sunbelt and Northeast. Penney trades on the NYSE system.
Standard Register Co.
Dayton, OH
Sales: $1 billion
Workforce: 5,000
Publicly Held
Dennis Rediker, president/CEO
Standard offers customized document management, consulting, fulfillment and
e-business solutions to the healthcare, financial, manufacturing and general business markets. Founded in 1912 by William C. and John Q. Sherman, it sold autographic registers featuring a then-revolutionary paper-feeding mechanism. In 1981, Standard acquired Lambooy-Unique Co., positioning itself as a player in the pressure-sensitive label market. Four years later, it ranked in the Fortune 500. In 1986, Standard acquired the U.S. Business Forms Division of Burroughs Corp., becoming the second-largest business forms company in the world. In 1998, it acquired UARCO Inc., a wholesale stationery/office supply firm, and in 2000, launched SMARTworks.com Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary for e-procurement of print services and integrated document management via the Internet. In 2002, it acquired consulting, software and print-on-demand operations from PlanetPrint. Standard has a nationwide force of 1,400 sales consultants and support teams with 34 production facilities. Clients can also get customized products and services. Standard is listed on the NYSE system.
Staples Inc.
Framingham, MA
Sales: $11.6 billion
Workforce: 57,816
Publicly Held
Thomas Stemberg, Chairman
Ron Sargent, CEO
Founded in 1986 by Stemberg and powered by the 1990s growth of small-business entrepreneurs, Staples is a multibillion-dollar enterprise with over 1,300 stores in six countries. One division, Staples Direct, offers several catalogs, including one devoted to promotional products. In 1997, Staples abandoned a merger with Office Depot after the deal drew scrutiny from the FTC. It acquired Quill Inc. in 1998. In 2001, it sold its communications arm to a California firm, and in 2002, acquired Gilbert, a European-based direct-mail office-products reseller, and Medical Arts Press Inc., which operates as a subsidiary. Staples is traded on the NASDAQ system.
Harry And David Co.
Medford, OR
Sales: $500 million+ (E of parent co.)
Workforce: 3,000
Privately Held
Nancy Tait, president/CEO
A division of Bear Creek Corp., Harry and David, a mail-order firm specializing in fruit baskets and gift boxes, had its
origins in 1914 when two brothers, Harry and David Holmes, took over their family’s pear orchard, selling them to first-class hotels/resorts in the U.S. and Europe. The Depression killed the market. In 1934, the Holmes’ offered the pears by mail as holiday gifts. By year’s end, they booked over 2,000 orders, largely business-to-business gifts. The business steadily grew. Today, it offers hundreds of food and non-food goods, including plants, cakes, nuts and bath products. It has eight million
customers and mails out over 85 million catalogs a year, in addition to on-line sales and a wholesale channel. Harry and David’s corporate gift division, which represents a substantial portion of its sales, offers stock and custom-designed personalized/logoed gift packages. All imprinting is done
off-premises. Bear Creek, a holding company, was established in 1986. A sister company, Jackson & Perkins, offering flowers and plants via mail-order, was
started in 1972.
Starbucks Corp.
Seattle, WA
Sales: $2.7 billion
Workforce: 56,000
Publicly Held
Orin Smith, CEO
Originally founded by Gordon Bowker, Zev Siegl and Gerald Baldwin, Starbucks began in 1971 as a retailer offering coffee beans and coffee-related merchandise, and supplying area restaurants. In 1983, Howard Schultz, then director of retail operations/marketing, decided to develop American coffee bars following a visit to Italy. He founded
Il Giornale, a coffee/espresso bar using Starbucks beans, in 1985. Two years later, Schultz and other investors acquired Starbucks via an asset purchase, renaming Il Giornale and opening in several cities. Today, Starbucks has over 4,700 locations worldwide servicing almost 10 million customers weekly. It also markets ice cream and bottled coffee beverages through joint ventures with Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream Inc. and PepsiCo. Starbucks mail-order division, launched in 1988, offers gift packages of its coffee blends and related goods, including mugs, jars, thermoses, etc., bearing the Starbucks name/logo. It introduced a similar catalog for business gifts in 1998, and combined the catalogs in 1999. Starbucks trades on the NASDAQ system.
Equity Marketing Inc.
Los Angeles, CA
Sales: $206.8 million
Workforce: 308
Publicly Held
David Kurtz, chairman/CEO
Equity began in 1984 as Marketing Equities International, a travel-incentive firm. In less than 10 years, it evolved into a global integrated marketing company. Its initial growth was spurred by children-oriented promos for several fast-food chains, including Burger King Inc., Arby’s and Roy Rogers. Equity went public in 1994, trading on NASDAQ. The same year, it moved from new York to Los Angeles to be closer to the entertainment market. In 2001, it acquired Logistix, a UK-based marketing agency specializing in youth-geared promotional programs. In 2002, it acquired UPSHOT, a marketing-services agency in Chicago, from HALO Branded Solutions. Today, Equity’s business is focused on, as the firm puts it, “several key areas with a common foundation of a comprehensive understanding of consumer behavior and proprietary insight into popular culture.” This includes children’s, integrated marketing, entertainment and branded product. Clients include Burger King Corp. CVS Pharmacies Inc., Coca-Cola Corp., Kellogg’s, Discover, Financial, and many others. Beyond Los Angeles, Equity maintains offices in Chicago, New York, London, Paris and Hong Kong.
Varsity Brands Inc.
Memphis, TN
Sales: $156.4 million
Workforce: 540
Publicly Held
Jeffrey G. Webb,
president/CEO/director
Varsity’s primary subsidiary is Varsity Spirit Corp., which was founded by Webb in 1974. Its original purpose was to provide training camps for college and high-school cheerleaders, but the company soon branched into two divisions: one that designs, markets and manufactures cheerleading apparel/supplies, and another that produces televised cheerleading competitions. The apparel division, which accounts for 60% of the firm’s overall sales, sends out approximately 110,000 color catalogs to schools, school spirit advisors and coaches each year. Other, newer Varsity divisions include Company Dance, which operates weekend dance competitions and markets/ manufactures recital wearables; and Intropa, which organizes tours throughout the continental U.S., Hawaii, Canada, Europe and Israel for cheerleaders, bands, choirs, orchestras, dance/theater groups and other performers. Varsity markets its proprietary products to schools, recreational organizations, coaches and others in the extracurricular market via its own 150-person full-time national sales force and targeted Web sites. It recently entered into an agreement with Danish corporation Select Sport A/S for the right to manufacture and distribute various Select Sport
soccer apparel and accessories in the U.S. The company is currently being acquired by its senior management team and a private merchant banking firm.
CSS Industries
Philadelphia, PA
Sales: $424.3 million
Workforce: 3,600
Publicly Held
David J. M. Erskine, president/CEO
CSS produces, designs and markets a full range of seasonal and educational products for mass market retailers, including chain stores, supermarkets and party shops. It began in 1923 as a department store and furniture retailer, emerging in its present form after a series of mergers and divestitures in the early 1980s. The company is composed of three entities: Paper Magic Group (Scranton, PA), a leading producer of Christmas cards, window decorations, gift tags, Valentines, inspirational products, Easter products and Halloween decorations/masks/costumes; Berwick Offray LLC (Berwick, PA), which produces ribbons, bows and floral accessories; and Cleo Inc. (Memphis, TN), a
premier manufacturer of seasonal gift-packaging products. Berwick, formerly Berwick Industries, converted to its present name after the firm’s 2002 acquisition of C.M. Offray & Son Inc., a Maryland-based manufacturer of decorative products, flora accessories and narrow fabrics. Also in 2002, CSS’ Cleo division purchased Crystal Creative Products Inc., a consumer-convenience gift-wrap products firm in Middletown, OH. Customized products are available for firms desiring them. CSS has 21 facilities manufacturing and warehousing facilities nationwide. It trades on the NYSE.
Successories Inc.
Aurora, IL
Sales: $42.3 million
Workforce: 204
Publicly Held
Gary Rovansek, president/CEO
A provider of incentive awards and motivational display items, Successories was founded in 1985 by Mac Anderson, whose lifelong fondness for motivational quotes inspired its early offerings. It went public in 1990 and started a string of retail operations the following year. Starting with quote books and award plaques, and expanding to the familiar framed posters picturing nature scenes with an inspirational caption, Successories published its first catalog, “Celebrating Excellence,” in 1988. Today, the company offers notepads, cards, portfolios, coffee mugs, photo frames, desk accessories, writing instruments, greeting cards, and several other products. Interestingly, successories has several subsidiaries that operate in the promotional products industry as distributors, including Successories of Carolina Inc. (asi/338634), Successories of Connecticut (asi/338633), and Successories of Mid America (asi/338627), each of which does about $2 million in promotional products business annually. Successories also has a direct-mail operation and advertises in airline magazines. The firm once had 74 retail locations, but has since closed all stores it owned outright. It is currently negotiating a merger with S.I. Acquisitions LLC, a move that will, in effect, take Successories private. It currently trades on the NASDAQ system. |
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