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- Norwood Promotional Products Inc.
Indianapolis, IN
Promotional Products Sales: $385.2 million 
Workforce: 3,650
Years in Industry: 27
Privately Held
Thomas B. Roller, CEO
Norwood, founded in 1989, employs over 3,500 in 18 locations including Canada and Hong Kong. The company currently offers 19 product lines covering 12 of 13 major product categories. These include: Action Line; Air-Tex; Barlow; BTS; Duratec; Econ-O-Line; Good Value Line; Jaffa; Letts of London; Norwood Gourmet; Pillowline; RCC Koozie; Salm; Souvenir; Style-Rite; Tee Off; TimeSquare; Triumph Line; V-Line. Norwood’s Web site, norwood.com, offers technology solutions to help distributors increase sales and profits. In December 2002, Art Olsen, Norwood’s COO, retired, and Norwood moved the main offices of ArtMold/Action Line from Cranston, RI, to New London, WI. In April 2003, Norwood relocated its headquarters from Austin, TX, to Indianapolis.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
It’s exciting to work in a very creative fashion with customers who are looking for increased value with every order. It inspires us even further to introduce new and innovative products at good prices.
- Broder Bros. Co.
(asi/42090)
Plymouth, MI
Promotional Products Sales: $197 million
Workforce: 752
Years in Industry: 84
Privately Held
James McCurry, CEO
Broder, a wearables supplier, is held by Bain Capital of Boston. With a nationwide network of 14 distribution centers in 10 states, it offers one of the largest combined one- and two-day shipping service areas in the industry. In 2002, Broder sold its manufacturing division, LAT Sportswear, to the division’s president, Isador Mitzner, and acquired Gulf Coast Sportswear in an assets takeover.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
The ability to work much closer with them as they try to meet their customers’ needs. By doing this, we’re better able to understand their needs and provide actionable solutions that build loyalty.
- Alpha Shirt Co.
(asi/34408)
Philadelphia, PA
Promotional Products Sales: $177.4 million
Workforce: 130 (E)
Years in Industry: 71
Privately Held
Allen Menard, president
David Grobisen, vice president of sales
Alpha was founded in 1932 by the present owner’s grandfather and uncle. Today, it’s one of the country’s largest distributors of imprintable sportswear. Under current owner Ron Berg, the firm has anticipated and met the changing requirements of the promotional products industry. The addition of a fully stocked Los Angeles warehouse gave Alpha coast-to-coast coverage. In 1999, Alpha acquired Good Buy Sportswear and in 2002, Kays Enterprises.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
The opportunity to work with our customers to help them find new ways to grow their business. In today’s economy you have to be creative and aggressive to land new business, and we take pride in working as a partner with our customers to do just that.
- Bic Graphic USA
(asi/40480)
Clearwater, FL
Promotional Products Sales: $146.5 million
Workforce: 720 (E)
Years in Industry: 34
Publicly Held (French Stock
Exchange)
Bruno Bich, chairman/CEO Societe BIC
Jack Teague, president, BIC Graphic, North America/ Global
Bic Graphic was established in 1969 at Bic’s Milford, CT, headquarters and was relocated to Florida in 1979. The company is a manufacturer/supplier of several categories of writing instruments, adhesive notepads/cubes, disposable lighters, shavers and correction fluid, with manufacturing facilities in Milford, Clearwater and Spartanburg, SC. Bic acquired Shaeffer Pen, which has manufacturing facilities in Fort Madison, IA, in 1997.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
(Declined to answer)
- SanMar
(asi/84863)
Seattle, WA
Promotional Products Sales: $145 million
Workforce: 225
Years in Industry: 13
Privately Held
Marty Lott, president
SanMar was started by Lott in 1971 as a college project involving the import/export of various products, including T-shirts. After graduating, he shifted his focus exclusively to T-shirts for the imprinted sportswear
industry. As the industry continued to grow, so did the company and its product lines. SanMar continues to service both promotional products and imprinted sportswear companies, with emphasis on added-value garments for the corporate market.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
It has provided an opportunity to innovate. During these challenging times, we’ve been able to partner with our customers and develop cost-effective solutions. For example, we developed our free Flyer Wizard, which allows our customers the ability to build custom professional promotions in a matter of moments.
- 3M Promotional Markets Dept.
(asi/91240)
St. Paul, MN
Promotional Products Sales: $121.6 million (E)
Workforce: Unavailable
Years in Industry: 20
Publicly Held
James McNerney, CEO
James Halverson, national sales manager
3M is a business unit of 3M Co., a multibillion-dollar international corporation. It was founded in 1902 by five businessmen to sell corundum for grinding wheels. This soon expanded to sandpaper, and in 1926, it introduced world-famous Scotch tape. Today, it still produces many varieties of its two original product lines, in addition, to hundreds of other patented products. One, the Post-it Notes, became, in 1983, the genesis of the promotional markets division. Post-it Notes and Cubes remain the core of the line, offered in a wide selection of sizes, shapes, styles and packaging. However, the range of product price points is broadened each year. 3M is committed to rapid global expansion of its promotional markets department business, with operations in more than 60 countries worldwide.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
The strength of our product brand names is a positive in this economy.
- Bodek and Rhodes
(asi/40788)
Philadelphia, PA
Promotional Products Sales: $104.2 million
Workforce: 378
Years in Industry: 64
Privately Held
Art Rhodes, president
Steve Rosengarten, vice president of sales
A supplier of imprintable activewear such as golf shirts, fleecewear, jackets, denim and oxford shirts, T-shirts, caps and bags, Bodek was established by Harry Rhodes and Edward Bodek in 1939. It’s the exclusive distributor of UltraClub Collection, the industry’s first private-label fashion line and one of a selected supplier group of Bill Blass, Izod, Arnold Palmer and Geoffrey Beene sportswear. It has a 200,000-square-foot warehouse in Philadelphia, a 127,000-square-foot facility in Niles, MI, and a 151,000-square-foot facility in Fresno, CA.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
It forces a company to be truly customer-focused and creative in the way they are served.
- Leed’s
(asi/66887)
New Kensington, PA
Promotional Products Sales: $100.6 million
Workforce: 385
Years in Industry: 16
Privately Held
Michael Bernstein, president
Sam DiBiase, vice president
Incorporated in 1986, Leed’s is a manufacturer/decorator of canvas, vinyl, leather and ballistic bags, padfolios and business/travel accessories. It expanded its custom division for buyers wanting custom variations of existing products or for promotional products beyond the Leed’s line. It also expanded into writing instruments in 2001. In 2000, Leed’s was purchased by Bank Boston Capital and Black Diamond Capitol partners, a Boston-based bank. The same year, it established an exclusive marketing agreement with Steel Threads for use of its metal logos. It also continues to offer Atlantic luggage to the promotional products industry exclusively and for 2002, entered into a licensing agreement to design, manufacture and distribute a line of Cutter and Buck business and travel accessories.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging
economy?
The current economy forces distributors and suppliers to add value to the supply chain, as buyers challenge spending at every contact point.
- Ash City
(asi/37127)
Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
Promotional Products Sales: $89 million
Workforce: 180
Years in Industry: 28
Privately Held
Tom Lamb, Canadian national sales manager
Jack Pieklo, U.S. national sales manager
Ash is a supplier of customized wearables items for the corporate industry. The company’s entire line is cut and sewn in Canada. Ash offers two import lines: Il Migliore and North End.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
The positive element is dealing with the PPDs that have adapted to today’s marketplace. PPDs can either wait for the economy to change or they can take an adaptive approach by redefining partnerships. Once we all share that philosophy, we can work together to drive the business.
- Trimark Athletic
Supplies Inc.
(asi/92120)
Markham, Ontario, Canada
Promotional Products Sales:
$85 million
Workforce: 320
Years in Industry: 28
Privately Held
Derrick Milne, CEO
Trimark was established in 1975 and acquired in 1995 by Milne and his father, David, one of the company’s original partners. In 1999, Derrick Milne created the Trimark parent company. It completed three acquisitions in the U.S. – Rivers End Trading Company in August 1999, LA Loving in November 1999 and Kayman T-shirts in November 2000.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
(Declined to answer)
- Corvest Promotional Products Inc.
St. Petersburg, FL
Promotional Products Sales: $82.3 million
Workforce: 500
Years in Industry: 7
Privately Held
Bob Whitesell, president/CEO
Tom Oddo, senior vice president
Corvest was formed by the management of Adva-Lite and its financial partner, Trivest Inc. in 1996, to specifically concentrate on acquisitions in the promotional products industry. In 1999, it acquired Toppers, a supplier of sports bags, tote bags, luggage, briefcases, portfolios, caps, golf accessories, towels, aprons and umbrellas, and Gootnick Enterprises Inc. dba/It’s All Greek To Me, a supplier of plush products. These three companies now form the Corvest corporate umbrella.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
The great aggressive sales attitude of the promotional products industry. The distributors and their salespeople are working harder than ever to keep their businesses flowing with cash. The constant barrage of bad news from the media has not stopped the resolve to do business.
- Sun Coast Merchandise Corp.
(asi/90075)
Commerce, CA
Promotional Products Sales: $78.3 million
Workforce: 210
Years in Industry: 60
Privately Held
Kumar Bhavnami, CEO
Sun Coast was established in 1943 and acquired by the Laltex Group of Companies, an international conglomerate, in 1982. Sun Coast specializes in producing a wide range of premium and promotional merchandise in its factories around the world. It has experienced rapid growth in the promotional products industry, and recently moved into a new 120,000-square-foot facility with a state-of-the-art imprinting department (pad printing, silkscreening and laser engraving), enabling it to turnaround large productions of imprinted products quickly and efficiently. With an emphasis on new product creation and development, Sun Coast established a creative department with full-time designers.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
In today’s challenging economy, one must think outside the box to stay a step ahead of the competition. With the successful firms we currently deal with, you clearly see that the most positive element that they all have in common is their creativity. This isn’t limited to product design, but encompasses sales presentations, marketing methods and more. These firms strive to be constantly better, and they achieve this through their creative abilities.
- Magnet LLC
(asi/68520)
Alpharetta, GA
Promotional Products Sales: $77.1 million
Workforce: 1,000
Years in Industry: 20
Privately Held
Bill Korowitz, CEO
Magnet was originally launched in 1984 with an investment of $500, a
couple of machines and two employees in a rented old car wash. The company eventually grew and formed Magnet Group in 1997 with Magnet LLC as
the flagship company. Today, its holdings include Benchmark Industries, Magnet LLC, Perfect Promotional Products, Phone Card Express and Professional Towel Mills, the industry’s only domestic manufacturer of towels. In 2002, Magnet sold two of its
subsidiaries, MacArthur Towels and MacArthur Sports to Action Performance Cos.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
Our company has always been efficient, customer-service-oriented\and innovative. However, this economy has forced us to a level of efficiency and creativity that we didn’t think possible given today’s available technology.
- Dunbrooke
(asi/50930)
Independence, MO
Promotional Products Sales: $69.4 million (E)
Workforce: 500
Years in Industry: 21
Privately Held
David Hausen, president/CEO
Bob Pierce, executive vice president of sales & marketing
Dunbrooke began in 1939 as Dunhill Shirt Co., a manufacturer of men’s dress shirts in Lexington, MO. It introduced sport and bowling shirts in the early 1950s and by 1954, was producing nylon jackets. In 1971, the name was changed to Dunbrooke, and the company was purchased by American Marketing Industries Inc. in 1985. In October 2000, Dunbrooke Industries Inc. was formed as an independent company. Dunbrooke is a full-line supplier of outerwear, shirts, fleece and caps for the promotional products industry. It acquired WestArk Garment Manufacturing in 1997.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
To service your customer base. We want to pamper our distributors so we can count on them when the market climate improves. We cannot grow our business without distributors’ support.
- Sweda Co. LLC
(asi/90305)
Los Angeles, CA
Promotional Products Sales: $69 million
Workforce: 2,751 (E)
Years in Industry: 27
Privately Held
Marvin Ruwin, president
Established in 1976 by Ruwin, Sweda is a fully-integrated manufacturer/supplier of imprintable watches, clocks, calculators, mugs, pens, portfolios, gift sets, electronic and other items. It owns two mold-injection facilities employing more than 3,000 people. It has offices worldwide, including Hong Kong, mainland China, United Kingdom, Holland, France, Australia, Canada, Brazil, Guatemala, Argentina, Peru and Japan.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
The economy has forced our clients to seek good-quality products at lower price points. Instead of viewing this as a negative, we designed or located many products in our categories to meet those needs.
- NES Clothing Co.
(asi/72808)
Middleboro, MA
Promotional Products Sales: $67.3 million
Workforce: 300
Years in Industry: 16
Privately Held
Michael Rosow, president
Bud Schmidt, president of sales
Steven Valeri, vice president of marketing
NES is a supplier of blank imprintable apparel. Founded in 1987, it distributes 35 brands of items, including Lee, Bill Blass, Van Heusen, Izod, Wrangler and more. It operates out of a 300,000-square-foot, state of the art distribution facility.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
Although the average dollar volume of orders is down due to lower prices, the numbers of orders and accounts doing business continues to rise.
- Gemline
(asi/56070)
Lawrence, MA
Promotional Products Sales: $67.2 million
Workforce: 400
Years in Industry: 45
Jonathan Isaacson, president
Robert Leavitt, vice president
Founded by Samuel Issacson in 1958 as an importer/distributor of specialty advertising products, Gemline combines product design with cutting-edge technology to provide distributors with
complete marketing solutions. Its products include coolers and totes, classic portfolios and sports bags, padfolios, writing pads and organizers, contemporary courier bags and a complete line of leather business gifts and accessories. Gemline’s service is designed to match distributors’ needs for quick turnaround. It has won more than 14 industry awards for screenprinting excellence.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
(Declined to answer)
- Tri-Mountain/Mountain Gear
(asi/92125)
Baldwin Park, CA
Promotional Products Sales: $67 million
Workforce: 175
Years in Industry: 11
Privately Held
Daniel Tsai, president/CEO
Tri-Mountain was formed in 1993 by Tsai, who targeted the promotional products market with a few outerwear styles emphasizing big and tall sizes. Presently, the firm manufactures and distributes an extensive line of corporate casualwear for men, women and kids, including a wide array of jackets, windshirts, fashion fleecewear, knit and woven shirts. The promotional products marketplace remains Tri-Mountain’s core focus.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
One thing is clear; our clients want dependable service at competitive prices. Dependable means having items in stock, and not having to go elsewhere for other sizes or having inventory shipped from multiple locations.
- Vantage Custom Classics
(asi/93390)
Avenel, NJ
Promotional Products Sales: $61 million
Workforce: 650
Years in Industry: 26
Privately Held
Ira Neaman, president
Established in 1977, Vantage is a manufacturer/embroiderer of apparel, including knit shirts, woven shirts, sweaters, jackets, windshirts and fleece. The
company’s corporate offices, manufacturing and embroidery operations are headquartered in Avenel, NJ. In addition, it maintains sales and
contract embroidery facilities across the country. Vantage has been awarded gold for embroidery in PPAI’s Supplier Achievement Awards the last seven years, and was voted by ASI member distributors as the number one wearables supplier in the industry.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
Conversations go beyond product selection, since buyers and distributors are more interested in efficient solutions and processes for making their purchases.
- Gill Studios Inc.
(asi/56950)
Shawnee Mission, KS
Promotional Products Sales: $54.7 million
Workforce: 456
Years in Industry: 56
Privately Held
Mark S. Gilman, president
In 1934, Forest P. Gill set up a one-man basement silkscreening studio where he printed signs, banners, tire covers, decals, and other products on a job-by-job basis. Today, Gill Studios specializes in flexography, letterpress printing and screenprinting on products such as decals, bumper stickers, and posters. It recently added offset four-color process printing. Gill has won the PPAI Supplier Star Award for industry excellence in its category numerous times since 1975. During election years, its sales grow significantly because its products are used heavily in the political market.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
A large number of distributors have ongoing programs utilizing some of our products. Although, in many cases, the size of some orders in these programs has been reduced from previous placements, distributors continue to depend on us to fill them. Another positive is that many of our products are used for ID and industrial marketing applications, and this portion of our line has held up reasonably well. However, order sizes have tended to be shallow. The primary positive for us is that distributors tend to be optimistic, resourceful and creative. They’re working hard to maintain productive relationships with clients, and they know they can rely on us for support.
- Premiumwear Inc.
(asi/79393)
Minnetonka, MN
Promotional Products Sales: $53 million
Workforce: 350
Years in Industry: 11
Publicly Held
Dave Berg, CEO
Tim Klouda, president of the promotional products division
The Northwestern Knitting Co., predecessor to Premiumwear, was founded in 1886 by George Munsing, Frank Page and Edward O. Tuttle. The company developed a fabric that took the “itch” out of wool by plating silk over it. The new fabric was called Munsingwear in honor of its founder. Munsingwear, now licensed by Premium-wear, entered the emerging corporate
apparel market in 1993, with Page & Tuttle following in 1998. In 2000, the firm licensed both the Jockey and Field & Stream brands for the corporate apparel market. That same year, Premiumwear was purchased by New England Business Services (NEBS).
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
In this challenging market, I think there is an opportunity to gain very loyal customers by offering a high degree of service along with quality innovative products. We need to offer goods and service that are above the competition.
- PromoResource One
Hugo, MN
Promotional Products Sales: $52.1 million (E)
Workforce: Unknown
Years in Industry: 28
Privately Held
Brad Schreier, CEO
PromoResource One is a coalition of 10 independently operated divisions
of Taylor Corp. These include Adimage Promotional Group, Allen & John
Inc., Arlington, Carlson Craft, Galaxy, Kingswood, Label Works, Precision Press, Regency Thermographers,Windmill Press Inc./Saratoga Pen Co.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
There are many. A downturn in economic performances by many of our customers’ customers has meant we must get down to basics to provide solutions that are cost-effective and measurable. It’s a positive experience for us to get grounded in the reality of today’s business climate.
- Mail-Well Inc.
Englewood, CO
Promotional Products Sales: $41 million
Workforce: Unknown
Years in Industry: 7
Publicly Held
Alan Conway, CEO
Mail-Well is the parent firm of Discount Labels and Lancer Label, two industry suppliers. Discount was founded in 1965 by W. Fred Conway in the basement of his home. It’s now a major manufacturer of custom pressure-sensitive labels. It employs over 650 in a 200,000-square-foot facility. Lancer is another major supplier of labels in all formats. Mail-Well has been publicly traded since 1995.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
Clients in today’s economic climate truly appreciate good service and support. Some companies have had to cut their costs to survive and have minimized the service and value they provide.
- Barton Nelson Inc.
(asi/38670)
Kansas City, MO
Promotional Products Sales: $40.8 million
Workforce: 401
Years in Industry: 30
Privately Held
J. Nelson II, chairman
Chuck Nelson, president of sales promotion division
Glen Riedesel, vice president of sales & marketing
A manufacturer of paper and vinyl products, the firm began in 1961 as an ad agency and in 1974, switched over to promotional products. It offers stock and custom shaped removable self adhesive pads and cubes, repositionable paper products, write on wipe off boards, advertising pads, desk pads, a variety of cubes, cubes in a box and more. Primary printing methods include web press, silkscreening, hot stamping and pad printing. It introduced paper products made from 15% consumer waste as well as custom-printed pads in vinyl folders.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
The fact that we’re a family-run, privately owned business gives us the flexibility to work with distributors to capture business during these tough times.
- Prime Resources Corp.
(asi/79530)
Bridgeport, CT
Promotional Products Sales: $40.3 million
Workforce: 457
Years in Industry: 23
Privately Held
Bob Lederer, president
A manufacturer, creator, importer and decorator of products, Prime was founded by Lederer in 1980 and grew on the strength of one product – the “Telenote,” a device that attached to the back of a desk phone to hold notes. Prime purchased the Lipette line in 1980, the first of five acquisitions in the coming years, and the firm was called Prime/Lipette until renamed Prime Resources a few years later. The company has steadily grown as a result of four main elements: 1) acquisitions; 2) hiring true professionals; 3) the deliberate choice to go the “department store” route – extending a wide selection of products that now covers more than 50% of the industry’s offerings; and 4) establishing and maintaining a reputation for introducing innovative, unique products. In 2002, Prime, Hartwell Sports (asi/60135), Edwards Garment Co. (asi/51752) and Toppers LLC (asi/91530) joined together to create onesourcepro.com, an Internet tool for distributors.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
Mutual empathy between distributor and supplier – that we’re all in the same boat.
- Sanford Promotional Products
(asi/84833)
Janesville, WI
Promotional Products Sales: $40 million
Workforce: 150
Years in Industry: 31
Publicly Held
Bob Stoltz, president, business-to-business
Founded in 1857 Sanford manufactures and markets writing instruments of all varieties. After going public in 1985, Sanford was acquired by Newell Rubbermaid Co. in 1992, and today is the second-largest business group in Newell’s family of branded consumer products. Sanford Business-to-Business, a division of Newell in Janesville, Wisconsin, offers distributors one of the broadest overall selections of writing instruments and markers in the industry, including Waterman, Parker, Sensa, Otring, Paper Mate, Uni-ball, Sharpie, Accent and Expo, among others. All can be customized with a corporate logo, name or promotional
message.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
In times of economic uncertainty, promotional products can provide end-users with the perfect solution to maintaining an advertising presence in the market vs. the use of more expensive media solutions such as print or television advertising. Distributors have an opportunity to convince end-user customers to increase usage of promotional products as a means of stretching their advertising dollar, while still accomplishing their overall advertising objectives.
This “more for less” trend has prompted a number of new product launch initiatives by Sanford to maximize our customers’ marketing budgets. We significantly expanded our coverage of lower price offerings. At the same time, we’re able to offer the widest selection of branded writing instruments to fit any budget regardless of constraints.
- Sun Manufacturing Co.
(asi/90141)
Miami, FL
Promotional Products Sales: $39 million
Workforce: 355
Years in Industry: 24
Privately Held
Bill Rosen, president
Founded in 1980 by Jeff Kramer, Sun was an innovator of three-day express production and has extended that service throughout its product line of over 300 items, including writing instruments, stress balls, drinkware, clocks, computer/desk accessories, flashlights, sports items,
insulated bags, portfolios and caps. Imprinting methods include heat transfer, hot stamping, pad printing, silk-screening, debossing, laser engraving and embroidery. Sun occupies over 210,000-square-feet
of production, office and storage in a unified facility. It has an office in
China to help distributors with custom sourcing.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
The relationships forged between distributor and supplier during periods such as this are permanent. Distributors who concentrate their business with selected suppliers receive tangible and intangible benefits. As the economy and the industry return to normal, those relationships will have solidified into a working alliance with both parties focused on mutual and interdependent success. Distributors and suppliers who honor each other’s business markets and work to protect each other will emerge mutually stronger.
- A.T. Cross Co.
(asi/47520)
Lincoln, RI
Promotional Products Sales: $38.2 million
Workforce: 1,000
Years in Industry: 44
Publicly Held
Russell Boss, president/CEO
Lisa Bennet, national sales manager of special markets
Cross, America’s oldest manufacturer of writing instruments, was established in 1846 in Providence, RI. The original facility was first limited to gold and silver casings for wooden pencils. With more than 21 registered patents, Cross soon developed and marketed many important writing-instrument firsts, including the propel-repel mechanical pencil, a forerunner of today’s mechanical pencils, and the Stylographic pen, the precursor of the ballpoint by 70
years. The company was sold in 1916 to Walter R. Boss, who later brought his sons Ellery and W. Russell into the
business. Ellery retired in 1966, and W. Russell, who later retired in 1985, was joined by his sons Bradford in 1958 and Russell in 1961. Cross entered the international marketplace in 1962 and became public in 1971. Cross writing instruments are distributed in over 140 foreign markets. It has marketing subsidiaries in the U.K., Spain, France, Germany, Holland, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Canada.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
(Declined to answer)
- Hilton Corporate Casuals
(asi/60930)
Lincolnwood, IL
Promotional Products Sales: $37.7 million
Workforce: 137
Years in Industry: 53
Publicly Held
Tim Cronin, president
Phil Cook, national sales manager
Hilton, founded in 1953, is a division of K2 Industries Inc., a major manufacturer/marketer of branded sporting-goods products. Hilton manufactures and embroiders men’s and women’s apparel, including woven shirts, knit shirts, jackets, custom shop, golf shirts, windshirts and knit fleece. It is recognized as an industry leader in the area of unique and custom orders.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
We have strength in several niche markets that maintain a loyal clientele. Our
customers use us for this, and we’re able to help them with our strength in several key markets.
- Lanco Corp.
(asi/66224)
Hauppage, NY
Promotional Products Sales: $37.6 million
Workforce: 320
Years in Industry: 13
Privately Held
Brian Landow, president/CEO
Lanco has been in business 15 years, working in the hospitality (Disney World, Disneyland, Hyatt, Marriott, Wyndham, Sheratons, Princess), consumer retail (Macy’s, Neiman-Marcus, Target, Bloom-ingdales) and promotional markets.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
We’ve focused our attention on understanding our customers’ needs better. We work on viewing the needs from the distributor’s point of view and, as a result, it builds customer loyalty.
- Hartwell Sports
(asi/60135)
Hartwell, GA
Promotional Products Sales: $37.4 million
Workforce: 500
Years in Industry: 64
Privately Held
Jay Gully, president
Founded in 1939 as a manufacturer of men’s work clothes and uniforms, Hartwell designs, manufactures and distributes a broad range of apparel products to the promotional product, uniform, military, college bookstore, resort, and team sports markets. Its brands include Auburn, Hartwell Sports, Sea Palms, Merrygarden, Oarsman and Desert Heat. Hartwell filed for Chapter 11 in 2002
to restructure its debts, emerging the same year after Hartwell Industries (DE) acquired the assets and assumed certain liabilities of the former Hartwell Industries Inc. (FL). Included in the purchase were the assets of Hartwell Sports Inc., Katzenberg Brothers Inc., Embroidery Services Inc., Desert Heat Inc. and Hartwell of North Carolina
Inc.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
The word “change.” Difficult times bring change, and change is always the bellweather of opportunity. For example, during the last year we’ve developed a strategy with three other companies to supply products to distributors and their clients using e-commerce as
an engine of fulfillment, distribution and marketing. OneSource-Pro has enabled us to capture several large corporate programs with our distributors. When change occurs, opportunities are everywhere.
- Noteworthy Co.
(asi/74360)
Amsterdam, NY
Promotional Products Sales: $36.9 million
Workforce: 350
Years in Industry: 49
Privately Held
Carol Constantino, president
Blaine Wiltey, national sales manager
Noteworthy was founded in 1954 by the late Thomas B. Constantino. Its initial product offerings of auto litter bags and tissue visor packs served as its growth mechanism. Today, it offers a full line of plastic and paper bags, notepads, Halloween bags, coloring books and litter bags. As Noteworthy grew, it acquired Filmkote presentation products, Crystal Awards USA and Avanti, as well as ValuPress.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
A can-do attitude. We need to do everything possible in today’s economy to meet our customers’ demands for price and ontime delivery.
- Admore/Ennis Business Forms Inc.
(asi/52493)
DeSoto, TX
Promotional Products Sales: $36.8 million
Workforce: Unknown
Years in Industry: 94
Publicly Held
Keith Walters, CEO
Ken Overstreet, president of promotional products group
Ennis acquired the Adams McClure Cos. in November 1999. Today, the
companies have joined with two additional Ennis locations: Admore in Macomb, MI and Wolfe City, TX, Tag & Label Division to form the Promotional Solutions Group. The elements of this group possess more than 250 years of industry experience in production of a wide range of marketing materials.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
Our companies’ commitment to helping distributors succeed. More than
ever before, our manufacturing facilities are working hand-in-hand with customers to meet their needs. From
manufacturing new products and designing special items to meet customers’ requests to providing quicker delivery times and online solutions, Ennis is
committed to the profitability of our distributors.
- Senator USA
(asi/86390)
Greensboro, NC
Promotional Products Sales: $35 million
Workforce: 93
Years in Industry: 13
Privately Held
Patrick
Politze, president/CEO
Senator specializes in the distribution of German writing instruments in the U.S. and Canada through distributors and OEM sales. Established in 1989 in Essex, CT, the company relocated to Greensboro in 1991. The German parent company, Senator-Germany d.b.a./Merz & Krell, was founded in 1920 and sells writing instruments in over 100 countries worldwide, maintaining a 60% share in the German writing-instrument market. Senator also produces product domestically using German technology.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
As a strictly trade-only company, we rely on distributors’ feedback for our multi-disciplined client base approach. While some distributors remain positive and upbeat due to a healthy cross-section of clients, others have suffered more, and a general refocusing to a more nonsingular strategy has undoubtedly benefited us.
- Swiss Army Brands Inc.
(asi/90414)
Shelton, CT
Promotional Products Sales: $32.4 million
Workforce: 210
Years in Industry: 25
Publicly Held
Jeff Turner, president
Andy Peabody, vice president & general manager
Swiss Army Brands was founded under the name R.H. Forschner in 1855 in Bristol, CT, as a manufacturer of butcher scales. In 1937, Forschner gained the rights to distribute Swiss-made Victorinox cutlery in the United States. In 1974, the firm came under its current management and secured the exclusive rights to all Victorinox products. In 1983, it went public, changing its name to Forschner Group Inc. and in 1996, changed its name again to Swiss Army Brands Inc. (SABI). SABI acquired Xantia, a European watch manufacturer, in 2000. The company remains the exclusive marketer of Victorinox Original Swiss Army Knives, Swiss Army Brand watches and sunglasses, Simmons binoculars, Victorinox luggage, business and travel accessories and Victorinox apparel. The company was traded on NASDAQ until August 2002, when Victorinox AG announced its wholly owned subsidiary, SABI Acquisition Corp., completed a cash tender offer for all outstanding shares of common stock.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
We were aided by having a strong sales, customer-service and marketing presence in a year with many of our competitors cutting back. This helped us to keep our service levels high. We’re still a selective line.
- King Louie International Inc.
(asi/64860)
Kansas City, MO
Promotional Products Sales: $31.6 million
Workforce: 584
Years in Industry: 29
Privately Held
Robert Pallen, president
Gary Gray, vice president of sales
Founded in 1937, King Louie opened its doors to fill orders for armed forces uniforms. After the war, it began making sport shirts in the retail market
for several leisure activities. In the ’50s, responding to America’s hottest family pastime, King Louie specialized in bowling apparel, supplying shirts
and accessories to leagues and lanes nationwide. As corporate and product identity boomed in the ’70s, King
Louie entered the promotional products industry as a supplier and has continued to grow its apparel business in that
market. It introduced jackets to its sportswear line in the ’70s and has continued to find tremendous success in sports, corporate, utility, and fashion forward outerwear. The last decade has involved a concentrated focus on upscale wearables. TimeOut for Her, a dedicated ladies’ label, was introduced in 2001.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
The positive for us is that distributors are thrilled at the price value relationship they experience when buying
our apparel and the level of our sampling activities indicate a robust
turnaround when business conditions improve.
- Stouse Inc.
(asi/89910)
New Century, KS
Promotional Products Sales: $29.507 million
Workforce: 317
Years in Industry: 26
Privately Held
Bary Marquardt, president
Since 1977, Stouse grew from an 18,000-square-foot facility with approximately 12 employees to an 180,000-square-foot facility with 317. Its 92-page catalog offers a variety of screen and flexo-printed products such as decals, roll labels, magnets, posters, poly/corrugated signs, domed decals,
static cling, membership cards, parking permits, license plates, sunshades, and more.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
(Declined to answer)
- Uniflex Inc.
(asi/92480)
Hicksville, NY
Promotional Products Sales: $29.5 million
Workforce: 430
Years in Industry: 40
Privately Held
Herbert Barry, chairman/CEO
Hy Brownstein, vice president of marketing
Founded in 1963, Uniflex designs, manufactures and markets customized bags, packaging and plastic products. Originally a maker of plastic laundry bags, the firm soon realized the potential in promotional products. Uniflex’s primary manufacturing facilities are in New York, New Mexico and over-seas. It was the first to introduce the handle bag and drawstring plastic bag to the industry. Through its distributor base, it produces bags for over 80% of Fortune 500 companies. It also maintains sales offices in Illinois and Florida. Uniflex continues to diversify its line, seeking to enhance its presence in the marketplace.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
One positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy is the mandate to become a more efficient, well run organization. We are continually challenged by our distributor clients to be better, leaner and quicker.
- Gold Bond Inc.
(asi/57653)
Hixson, TN
Promotional Products Sales: $29.1 million
Workforce: 256
Years in Industry: 57
Privately Held
Mark Godsey, vice president of sales
Gold Bond is a supplier of pencils, pens, yardsticks, rulers, plastics, drinkware, stress items, golf balls and accessories. It’s composed of Executive Gifts, Gold Bond Golf and Predator
Golf.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
The most difficult task is to try and be the total source for a distributor in the industry. We strive every year to bring items into our line that will create sales. Some hit and some miss, but the one thing that does remain constant is service. We work hard each day to be the best we can. Any distributor can find our products elsewhere. What they cannot find in other suppliers is our commitment to service. We’ve built our reputation on it.
- Dard Products Inc.
(asi/48500)
Evanston, IL
Promotional Products Sales: $26.9 million
Workforce: 21
Years in Industry: 55
Privately Held
Cary Shevin, president
Bonni Sandy, vice president
Dard started in 1948 with four styles of hot-stamped plastic key tags launched out of the family garage. The company grew to host a product offering of more than 300 items.
What is one positive element in dealing with clients in today’s challenging economy?
More innovative, unique items, which we can produce with satisfactory results. We hired a systems analyst from a local university who has aided us in streamlining our entire order management,
customer-service and production departments. We also hired professional trainers to train our people to be more efficient and customer-friendly.
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