J. America Wholesale Blanks, Fowlerville, Mich., and Neosho, Missouri-based headwear supplier Top of the World announced today that they have signed a merger agreement, creating a single company. Jeff Fenech, co-founder of J. America, will lead the new company’s wholesale blanks division, which will supply products under the J. America name to distributors and decorators.…
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Ball Pro, Eden Prairie, Minn., announced today that it acquired Diversified-Adtee, Normal, Ill., effective Jan. 1, 2017. “Ball Pro has been looking for product lines the past few years to broaden our offerings,” Tim Hanson, MAS, president of Ball Pro, said. “Diversified-Adtee sells quality kitchenware and golf products. The golf products fit nicely into Ball…
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Gildan Activewear, Montreal, has won the bid for Los Angeles-based American Apparel. Though other contenders, including Amazon and Forever 21, joined the race for bankrupt American Apparel, Reuters reported that Gildan Activewear successfully acquired the company for $88 million in a cash deal. Gildan Activewear will acquire the intellectual property rights for the American Apparel…
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Royal Industries, Brooklyn, N.Y., announced that it has acquired Brooklyn-based DLX Industries and the Paulmay Company’s Pamcolite Line. “The acquisition of the DLX Indusries and the Pamcolite line is a perfect complement to Royal’s line, which includes vinyl specialties from card cases to clipboards, portfolios to pocket planners, as well as unique imported items that were…
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This morning, Hub Pen Company, Braintree, Mass., announced that it has acquired Beacon Promotions, New Ulm, Minn. The acquisition was finalized in December. “For more than 60 years, Hub Pen has focused solely on writing instruments, and in doing so, we were able to deliver the highest quality pens at a better value than anyone…
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Bag Makers, Union, Ill., announced that its president, Charles D. Sandford, passed away on Friday following a year-long battle with cancer. “I am joined by the entire Bag Makers family in grieving the loss of a great man…
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Fruit of the Loom, Bowling Green, Ky., has appointed Melissa Burgess-Taylor as the new chairman and CEO following former CEO Rick Medlin’s death this week. Burgess-Taylor currently is the senior vice president of brand management and…
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Rick Medlin, CEO of Bowling Green, Kentucky-based Fruit of the Loom, passed away yesterday at the age of 68, according to ABC News. The company said in a statement that Medlin died in his home in South Carolina of natural causes. Fruit of the Loom also said it will name an interim CEO soon. We…
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After months of speculation and lead-up, Los Angeles-based American Apparel announced this morning that it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the second time in 13 months. The speculation that another company may use that opportunity to purchase it has also come true—Montreal-based Gildan Activewear has purchased the intellectual property rights for American Apparel and some of…
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Raining Rose Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, announced that it has acquired Fort Collins, Colorado-based Solar Advertising Inc. Raining Rose will incorporate Solar Advertising Inc.’s promotional lip balm products, including Natural LipFusion and Natural SugarBalm, into its existing product line. All employees also will join Raining Rose as part of the transition. “Raining Rose and Solar…
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