There have been two more recent moves in the ongoing game of tariff chess between the U.S. and China. President Trump announced on Monday that the U.S. would put a hold on $150 billion in Chinese imports after China promised to increase its imports of agriculture and energy products, per Business Insider. https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/998553122179084290 China, on…
Read MoreAuthor: Brendan Menapace
IMAGEN Brands Hires Paul Lage as President
IMAGEN Brands, parent company of Crown Products and Vitronic, announced that it has hired Paul Lage as its new president, replacing former president Lori Kates. Lage was previously at Gill-Line, where he was CEO since 2010. Gill replaced Lage with Jamie Fain last week. “We are excited to have Paul join our team at IMAGEN…
Read MoreWhy Promo Distributors Should Consider Selling Print (If They Aren’t Already)
You’ve probably heard someone spout on about how print is dying, right? That selling print is impossible? That news might have come from some nay-saying colleague, a morbid news article, or maybe even your academic advisers when you told them you were going to major in journalism. (That last one might have just been us.)…
Read MoreNike, Adidas Starting to Move Away From China, and That Says A Lot
Nike and Adidas are shifting more of their Asian manufacturing business from China to Vietnam, continuing a recent trend of companies choosing to leave China due to higher costs. According to GQ, Adidas reported that 44 percent of its shoes were made in Vietnam in 2017, up 13 percent from the previous year. During that…
Read MoreCIC CEO Bob Herzog Talks eCompanyStore Purchase, Future Plans and Promo Industry Acquisitions
Promo Marketing spoke with CIC CEO Bob Herzog, former CEO of Bullet Line, about how the eCompanyStore acquisition came to be, the future of the two companies, and how distributors can remain competitive amid all the recent mergers and acquisitions…
Read MorePrivate Equity Firm TPG Growth to Acquire HALO Branded Solutions
TPG Growth, the middle market and growth equity platform of San Francisco-based investment firm TPG, has acquired HALO Branded Solutions, Sterling, Ill., from Audax Private Equity. “At HALO, we strive to provide our clients with innovative, customized solutions that showcase their brand and values,” Marc Simon, CEO of HALO, said in a press release. “TPG…
Read MorePPAI Kicks Off Promotional Products Work! Week
Promotional Products Association International (PPAI), Irving, Texas, and Promotional Products Association Of The Mid-South (PPAMS), Nashville, kicked off Promotional Products Work! Week on Friday, May 11, 2018 in Shelbyville, Tenn., also known as “The Pencil City.” Billed as the official kickoff for the national awareness event, happening this week, the event is organized by PPAMS, PPAI…
Read More‘Deadpool 2’ Marketing Team Wants Him to Be the Star of Every Movie (Seriously)
Deadpool, the Marvel super “hero” character whose ultra-violent and profanity-laden exploits have made their way to the big screen, is known for being different than the rest of Marvel’s lineup. In addition to the violence and profanity, he’s constantly breaking the fourth wall, and is fully aware that he’s a character in a comic book…
Read MoreCorporate Imaging Concepts Acquires eCompanyStore
Corporate Imaging Concepts (CIC), Northbrook, Ill., has acquired eCompanyStore, Alpharetta, Ga., creating what CIC called one of the largest promotional products distributors in the country serving major local brands, according to the Atlanta Business Journal. “Growth through strategic acquisitions is a key pillar of our strategy,” CIC CEO Bob Herzog told the Atlanta Business Journal.…
Read MoreStaples Has Laid Off More Than 200 Employees This Year
After Shira Goldman stepped down from her position as CEO of Staples in January, the company has laid off hundreds of employees. The Framingham Source estimated that 200 employees have been laid off from Staples in the 2018 calendar year. The latest round of layoffs came last week, but the exact details are currently unknown.…
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