This year marks the 40th anniversary for Preston, Washington-based SanMar Corporation. Founded by Marty Lott in 1971, the company has grown into one of the the nation’s premier suppliers of wholesale apparel, bags and caps.
“I have many fond memories of the past 40 years,” Lott reflected. “I am proud to have a strong company in place that encompasses four generations of family, continues to mature within the industry and truly values the customers we serve and talent we employ.”
Lott started SanMar as a college project from the basement of his parents’ home in Seattle. The company has steadily grown through the years, from a single backpack and t-shirts to more than 1,000 products.
“Having a vision, seeing it come to life and bringing my sons into the business is more than I imagined possible,” stated Lott.
From a start-up distribution company to more than 40,000 SKUs from 15 retail, mill and private-label brands, SanMar has grown nearly every year since incorporation.
SanMar also continues to evolve in technology and service offerings with the launch of www.sanmar.com in 1996, online ordering in 2002 and a mobile website launching in January.
Today, SanMar has six national distribution centers, covering 3.25 million square feet of inventory space and employs 1,700 staff members.
For more information, visit www.sanmar.com.
