AAkron Line Named Exclusive Supplier of A.T. Cross

AAkron Rule Corporation, a pioneering force in the promotional products industry, is pleased to announce that we have been named the key Supplier partner of A.T. Cross Writing Instruments. This strategic collaboration solidifies AAkron’s commitment to providing top-tier offerings in the promotional products sector. While A.T. Cross will continue its in-house decoration processes as well, AAkron will serve as the primary channel for distribution, enhancing accessibility to A.T. Cross writing instruments for businesses in the promotional products market.

Stan Dohan, MAS, MASI, AAkron Executive Vice President adds, “A.T. Cross is an iconic writing instrument brand, and the gold standard in pens for over 150 years. We are so excited to exclusively represent Cross in the promotional products industry. We cannot be more pleased to have the opportunity to add our award-winning, decorating, full color, and laser engraving to deliver a premium, packaged writing instrument line for our valued distributor customers.”

Founded in 1846, Providence, RI based A.T. Cross Company is a global innovator of fine writing instruments. Effective immediately, please find A.T. Cross writing instruments available for laser engraving, full color decoration and one color screen printing available from the AAkron Line: https://www.aakronline.com/en_us/category-product-list/a-t-cross-1

“A.T. Cross is excited to partner with AAkron and their experienced professional team. Our two companies share a common goal in delivering the highest quality products combined with exemplary service,” adds Andrew Boss, A.T. Cross North American Sales Manager.

About AAkron Line

AAkron Line is a leading promotional products supplier and trusted resource for service, quality, and innovation since 1967. We are the Original Home of Mood Products, proud manufacturer of over 350 Made in the USA products, and now, the Retail and Promotional Products Brand Leader. AAkron Line is family-owned and operated with locations in New York, Tennessee, and Texas, which currently employ over 260 people.

Maple Ridge Farms Receives Shining Star Award for 2023 United Way Campaign

January 31, 2024 – Mosinee, WI – United Way of Marathon County has recognized Maple Ridge Farms with a Shining Star award for its 2023 United Way campaign. Shining Stars are awarded to companies whose employees ran campaigns that have shown participation growth, leadership growth, overall dollars raised, corporate gifts, and volunteerism as true advocates for United Way.

Maple Ridge Farms’ 2023 campaign included many different activities in which employees could participate, including a visiting gelato cart, a white elephant sale, and the crowd-pleasing raffle for department-created gift baskets, coveted parking places, and other prizes. The campaign raised a total of $8,911 to benefit United Way of Marathon County, an increase of 5% over 2022’s campaign.

In receiving this award, Maple Ridge Farms campaign manager, Shana Gardner, remarked: “We are proud to partner with United Way of Marathon County. Our dedicated committee is always diligently looking for ways to add opportunities for team members to participate and contribute, and it’s an honor to be recognized for those efforts. We plan to add more events throughout 2024 and are excited to continue to develop and grow our support.”

Located in Mosinee, WI, Maple Ridge Farms, Inc., (ASI 68680, PPAI 114165,

UPIC: MAPLE, SAGE 57654, founded in 1979, is the leading supplier of gourmet gifts to the promotional products industry. Recognized for outstanding freshness, the line includes a complete variety of candies, handmade chocolates, fresh-roasted nuts, baked goods, smoked meats, and naturally aged cheeses presented in innovative gift boxes, gift baskets, gourmet towers, desk accessories, and wooden crates. For more information on the company visit www.mapleridge.co

ORBUS NAMED BEST PLACE TO WORK BY ASI COUNSELOR MAGAZINE

Woodridge, IL – February 1, 2024:  Orbus Visual Communications® has been named a 2024 Best Place To Work by ASI Counselor Magazine. Orbus is North America’s largest producer and manufacturer of visual communications solutions for tradeshows and events, retail environments and workplace interiors.

ASI Counselor Magazine identifies itself as “The Voice of the Promo Product Industry.” The Best Places to Work list is a mix of top-rated suppliers and distributors in the promotional products industry throughout the U.S. and Canada. The winners are chosen through in-depth employee surveys that rate the company in categories such as management communication, workplace culture, and work/life balance.

Orbus was named to this list because of its commitment to employee happiness and recognition. Orbus is proud to have built a workplace culture where diversity is fostered, employees feel they are heard, and a work-life balance is of upmost importance. Our employees are our greatest asset and keep our business successful year after year.

“We are honored to be recognized as a 2024 Best Place to Work by ASI Counselor Magazine,”said Todd Papendick, Director of Human Resources at Orbus Visual Communications. “At Orbus, we take pride in creating an environment where creativity and innovation thrives, and where employees feel happy to call it home.”

About Orbus Group

Orbus Visual Communications is a market-leading group of brands in the United States and Canada that specialize in the manufacture and production of portable, modular, and custom displays used in events, exhibits, retail, and workplace interiors. Brands within the group include The Exhibitors’ Handbook®, Promo Handbook™, Nimlok®, Nimlok Canada, Fabric Images®, SEG Systems & Services®, Orbus Visual Communication Canada, and SignPro Systems®.

Orbus is a proud member of ISA, PRINTING United Alliance, EDPA, ASI, PPAI, UPIC, and SAGE; the company boasts G7 Master IDEAlliance certification and is registered to ISO 9001:2015 for the highest manufacturing quality standards and ISO 14001:2015 for its environmental management system and “green” efforts.

Orbus Group’s supply and manufacturing operations reside in Chicago, Las Vegas, Charlotte, and Toronto. For more information, visit www.orbus.com.

ORBUS AWARDED TWO 2024 PPAI PYRAMID AWARDS

Woodridge, IL – January 17, 2024:  Orbus Visual Communications® has been awarded two 2024 PPAI Silver Pyramid Awards – Supplier Decorating. Orbus is North America’s largest producer and manufacturer of visual communications solutions for tradeshows and events, retail environments and workplace interiors.

The PPAI Pyramid Awards is an annual competition that honors outstanding achievements of PPAI member companies. Five specific categories recognize excellence in creativity, service, quality, and craftsmanship. These categories are Supplier Decorating, Client Programs, Marketing, Technology, and the Supplier Star.

Orbus’ first winning submission is for supplier decorating – customized non-catalog was for a 40’ x 50’ trade show booth created for distributor Exhibit Control for Bank of America. Orbus used its impressive capabilities to create a double-decker booth with a giveaway room that incorporates unique and dynamic light features. The care and creativity that went into the design and craftsmanship of this booth is exemplary or Orbus’ manufacturing capabilities.

Orbus’ second winning submission for supplier decorating – large format printing was for a 70’ x 35’ trade show exhibit created for distributor GES for THK. This exhibit featured a 102ft wide by 16ft tall L-shaped backwall. This large graphic wall was a considerable representation of Orbus’ frame manufacturing and wide format graphic printing capabilities.

“We are grateful and honored to receive two Silver Pyramid Awards from PPAI,” said Natalie Whited, Vice President of Marketing for Orbus. “Visually Empowering Brands is what we do. We partner with our distributors to deliver excellence in creativity, service and quality and these awards are a testament of doing so for Bank of American and THK.”

About Orbus Group

Orbus Visual Communications is a market-leading group of brands in the United States and Canada that specialize in the manufacture and production of portable, modular, and custom displays used in events, exhibits, retail, and workplace interiors. Brands within the group include The Exhibitors’ Handbook®, Promo Handbook™, Nimlok®, Nimlok Canada, Fabric Images®, SEG Systems & Services®, Orbus Visual Communication Canada, and SignPro Systems®.

Orbus is a proud member of ISA, PRINTING United Alliance, EDPA, ASI, PPAI, UPIC, and SAGE; the company boasts G7 Master IDEAlliance certification and is registered to ISO 9001:2015 for the highest manufacturing quality standards and ISO 14001:2015 for its environmental management system and “green” efforts.

Orbus Group’s supply and manufacturing operations reside in Chicago, Las Vegas, Charlotte, and Toronto. For more information, visit www.orbus.com.

SAGE^® UNVEILS NEW FEATURES AND ENHANCEMENTS FOR 2024

Addison, Texas (January 11, 2024) – SAGE announces several exciting updates to its flagship service, SAGE Total Access, as well as SAGE Websites and SAGE Company Stores. These brand-new features will allow distributors to access more information about their customers at-a-glance, view in-depth sales reports, automatically track website inventory, easily build custom site pages, plus implement turnkey product collections and starter stores.  

“Our development strategy continues to prioritize streamlining the cross-functionality of our services and building new, innovative solutions for our customers to help them stay ahead of trends and maximize their efficiency,” said Eric Natinsky, SAGE CEO. “This release is particularly exciting because we’ve introduced several new features that are going to really revolutionize the way our customers do business.”

In the latest release, a notable achievement is the introduction of a CRM Client Overview dashboard in SAGE Online and SAGE Web. This feature utilizes aggregate data from various SAGE Total Access modules, offering distributors high-level insights into each client's order volume rank, sales potential, and recent activity. It also provides a snapshot of interactions, like the number of quotes, presentations, or email campaigns within a specified date range.

Distributors can now create client logins for websites and online stores via the CRM module. The integration of CRM with SAGE Websites enables distributors to effortlessly establish and oversee client access in a centralized location. Additionally, to enhance workflow efficiency through SAGE Total Access, carts from Websites and Company Stores are seamlessly integrated into Order Management.

In addition to the previously announced release of the new SAGE Company Store Standard in Q3 2023, SAGE has introduced even more developments in its Company Store suite. The newest updates incorporate advanced features like the ability to duplicate a store and a new in-depth reporting module to see sales over time, sales by product, showroom or promo code, and sales by client.

Another major update for Company Stores and Websites is the inclusion of inventory management. This new functionality allows distributors to monitor various product variations (size, color, etc.) with distinct inventory levels. Users can efficiently manage bulk inventory through spreadsheets, establish custom thresholds for each item, receive notifications for low stock levels, and enable automatic updates to deduct items during order fulfillment. Inventory management is accessible with SAGE Website Professional or SAGE Company Store Premium and higher tiers.

While a large portion of this latest release focuses on streamlining processes, SAGE has also announced three completely new additions to its Websites and Company Stores that distributors can utilize to drive more traffic to their sites and secure more business.

The introduction of Starter Stores as part of SAGE Company Stores allows users to present fully customizable theme-based stores at no additional charge. This serves as an effective way to illustrate the adaptability of company stores to clients or serves as a quick launchpad for setting up clients' stores.

SAGE Website Professional Plus now incorporates the all-new Curated Product Webpages, featuring theme-based webpages with curated content and products, enhancing SEO and driving website traffic.

And finally, SAGE introduced its revolutionary Page Builder module in SAGE Websites as a way to design pages visually using drag and drop functionality. The Page Builder allows distributors to quickly and easily custom-build a page from scratch with a tailored column layout and widgets such as text blocks and product groups that incorporate featured product selections.

All updates are available now. To learn more about SAGE Total Access, SAGE Websites, or SAGE Company Stores, visit www.sageworld.com or contact your Account Advisor today.

About SAGE

SAGE, based in Addison, Texas, is the leading provider of information, marketing, and business management solutions to the promotional products industry. In addition to SAGE’s flagship SAGE Online™, SAGE Mobile™, and SAGE Web™ research and business management services, SAGE also provides the industry with other research services, order management, website, and email services, e-commerce solutions, end-user catalogs, artwork services, payment processing, tradeshows, tradeshow management services, and lead retrieval software. SAGE is also the exclusive technology provider for members of the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI), the industry’s non-profit association. For more information, please visit www.sageworld.com or call 800.925.7243.

ORBUS ENHANCES AND EXPANDS PRINT CAPABILITIES

Woodridge, IL – January 9, 2024:  Orbus Visual Communications® invests in market-leading, state-of-the-art print equipment to ensure display graphics are the best in the industry. Orbus is North America’s largest producer and manufacturer of visual communications solutions for tradeshows and events, retail environments and workplace interiors.

Newly acquired dye-sublimation and UV print equipment marks a significant improvement in capacity and helps Orbus ensure consistent color and output across facilities.

New equipment increased Orbus’ dye-sub printing capacity by 10%, a remarkable jump from 15,400 sq. ft. per hour to 23,000 sq. ft. per hour. This enhancement is the result of the adoption of four Durst P5 TEX iSub printers, bringing the total count of dye-sub printers from seven to nine.

Orbus increased its UV print capacity by 60% with the addition of a Digitech TruFire UV LT/X2 printer and an EFI VuTek Q5R Ultradrop printer with inline cutting capability. This pushes the hourly output from 9,500 sq. ft. to 15,000 sq. ft. and further distinguishes Orbus from its competitors.

Continued investments in state-of-the-art print and finishing equipment emphasize Orbus’ commitment to providing the highest print quality that exceeds industry standards. Orbus’ print capabilities can be reviewed here: https://www.orbus.com/services/graphic-services/print-capabilities

“The advancements in our printing capabilities reaffirm our dedication to excellence and position Orbus as the place to go superior displays graphics,” said Jaime Herand, Vice President of Graphic Operations at Orbus. “We are grateful for the opportunity to invest in the latest technologies that enable us to offer the best solutions to our clients.”

About Orbus Group

Orbus Visual Communications is a market-leading group of brands in the United States and Canada that specialize in the manufacture and production of portable, modular, and custom displays used in events, exhibits, retail, and workplace interiors. Brands within the group include The Exhibitors’ Handbook®, Promo Handbook™, Nimlok®, Nimlok Canada, Fabric Images®, SEG Systems & Services®, Orbus Visual Communication Canada, and SignPro Systems®.

Orbus is a proud member of ISA, PRINTING United Alliance, EDPA, ASI, PPAI, UPIC, and SAGE; the company boasts G7 Master IDEAlliance certification and is registered to ISO 9001:2015 for the highest manufacturing quality standards and ISO 14001:2015 for its environmental management system and “green” efforts.

Orbus Group’s supply and manufacturing operations reside in Chicago, Las Vegas, Charlotte, and Toronto. For more information, visit www.orbus.com.

# # #

SAGE® and PPPC Announce Partnership Renewal

Addison, Texas – Winnipeg, MB (September 7, 2023) – SAGE, the leading provider of information, marketing, and business management solutions to the promotional products industry, and Promotional Product Professionals of Canada (PPPC), the not-for-profit association for the Canadian promotional products industry, announces the renewal of the SAGE and PPPC partnership. The SAGE and PPPC partnership provides a comprehensive solution for distributors and suppliers of promotional products in the Canadian marketplace for one low membership price.

With the partnership renewal, PPPC and SAGE will continue to provide the Canadian promotional products industry with the combined benefits of a PPPC membership and SAGE products and services.

New and existing PPPC distributor members receive not only the Canadian organization's extensive benefits but also a SAGE Total Access subscription, one SAGE Total Access additional user, and a PPAI membership.

A SAGE Total Access subscription, with tailor-made features for Canadian distributors, allows distributors to search the industry’s largest promotional products database of Canadian and U.S. suppliers with over 1.2 million verified products.

“PPPC is pleased to renew our strategic partnership with SAGE, as it enables us to continue to provide our members with value and innovative technology solutions to do business more effectively and efficiently to drive sales and grow their businesses and networks,” said Jonathan N. Strauss, President & Chief Executive Officer of the Promotional Product Professionals of Canada (PPPC).  “As an association, we’re continually striving to provide members with value-added solutions that are tailor-made for them and our industry to stay top of mind with clients and have a competitive advantage.”

Features specific to the Canadian market include automatically converted pricing to Canadian dollars within the research tool and on distributor company websites. Product searches can be narrowed by postal code, province, or shipping point, while shipping is easily calculated using the shipping estimator to include costs from Canada Post. Product searches can also be filtered for products with specific Canadian compliances such as CCPSA, CUL, CSA, and CFIA approved, or for USMCA-proficient suppliers. Additionally, Canadian distributors can translate sales presentations or their website to French, create Made in Canada e-commerce showrooms on their site, and limit which suppliers’ products are displayed on their site, giving them the ability to better cater to their customers’ needs.  

The inclusion of a PPAI membership (Promotional Products Association International), the world’s largest not-for-profit association for the promotional products industry, for Canadian distributors allows PPPC members access to PPAI’s extensive member benefits including professional development and certification, education through safety and compliance programs, participation in The PPAI Expo, the industry’s largest trade show, and more.  

PPPC supplier members will receive a SAGE Advantage Membership with their PPPC membership, allowing them the opportunity to connect with Canadian distributors that are looking for their products, break into a new market, and expand their customer base.

"The renewal of the strategic partnership between PPPC and SAGE reinforces our commitment to empowering the Canadian promotional products industry with unmatched technology solutions,” said Blake Bozeman, MAS, Vice President of Sales at SAGE. “Together, we form an unstoppable force, driving business growth, fostering innovation, and championing the industry in Canada for years to come."

For more information on PPPC's member benefits and savings opportunities, call PPPC at 866-450-7722 or visit www.pppc.ca.

For questions regarding SAGE products and services, please call 800-925-7243 or visit www.sageworld.com/canada.

About SAGE

SAGE, based in Addison, Texas, is the leading provider of information, marketing, and business management solutions to the promotional products industry. In addition to SAGE’s flagship SAGE Online™, SAGE Mobile™, and SAGE Web™ research and business management services, SAGE also provides the industry with other research services, order management, website, and email services, e-commerce solutions, end-user catalogs, artwork services, payment processing, tradeshows, tradeshow management services, and lead retrieval software. SAGE is also the exclusive technology provider for members of the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI), the industry’s non-profit association. For more information, please visit www.sageworld.com or call 800.925.7243.

About PPPC

Founded in 1956, Promotional Product Professionals of Canada (PPPC) is the national not-for-profit association of suppliers and distributors of promotional products for business gifts, rewards, incentives, premiums and specialty advertising products. Its mission is to lead, inspire and advance the $1.8 billion industry through the strength of more than 6,000 companies involved in the industry and their 20,000 plus employees across Canada. For more information, please visit www.pppc.ca.

SAGE^® UNVEILS ENHANCED COMPANY STORE STANDARD

Addison, Texas (August 29, 2023) – SAGE, the leading provider of information, marketing, and business management solutions to the promotional products industry, is thrilled to announce the launch of its upgraded SAGE Company Store Standard. This latest release introduces a multitude of features designed to elevate user experience and site functionality to new heights. With these updates, SAGE continues to revolutionize the way distributors manage their online presence.

SAGE Company Store Standard, the introductory company store solution in SAGE’s company store offerings, now includes more of the advanced features and functionality within SAGE’s  higher-level company store options, SAGE Company Store Premium and SAGE Company Store Premium Plus.    

This all-new, enhanced version has an innovative and fresh user interface. The clean and modern layout seamlessly incorporates distributors’ existing branding, colors, custom navigation, product selection, and settings allowing an effortless transition for their customers while delivering a more visually appealing experience. Moreover, the fully responsive design enables distributor clients to enjoy flawless viewing across all devices, be it desktop, tablet, or mobile phone.

SAGE Company Store Standard continues to include SAGE's trusted web hosting services, promising seamless performance and maximum uptime for distributors' e-commerce stores. To further strengthen site performance and reliability, advanced security updates, including full-site SSL encryption, have been implemented to safeguard sensitive customer data, fostering trust among site visitors.

Another exciting new feature included in the upgraded SAGE Company Store Standard is the addition of a product matrix. This intuitive new component simplifies the process of inputting multiple sizes and colors in an order, eliminates multiple additional steps, and streamlines the ordering experience for distributors and their customers alike.

Another addition to the new SAGE Company Store Standard includes multiple image support. This enables distributors to showcase their offerings from various angles or show multiple color options to help customers better visualize their final product and increase engagement.

The enriched customization options within the new SAGE Company Store Standard allow distributors to create compelling content and promotional offers by adding text, specials, or links, ultimately driving more sales. And with the ability to add multiple auto-rotating and linkable homepage banners, distributors can easily highlight their featured products, seasonal promotions, or any message they wish to convey right at the top of their page.

Plus, distributors can provide their customers with two additional custom webpages. Some great examples of this would be a size chart page or FAQ page. The user-friendly rich text editor empowers distributors to format and style their website content seamlessly, while the expanded file library allows for the storage and management of a greater volume of digital assets, including images, logos, and marketing collateral. Additionally, the new language support toggle supports clients with internationally located employees.

For advanced users seeking even more customization options, SAGE's upgraded Company Store Standard offers JS & CSS support, allowing the addition of their own JavaScript and CSS code to further personalize their e-commerce stores.

“Here at SAGE, our steadfast commitment is to help our customers thrive and provide them with the latest in what SAGE has to offer. And this upgrade is a big step up for our current Company Store Standard customers” said Chris Sumpter, Vice President of Web Development. “We’ve modernized the design, but we’ve also incorporated several customer-requested features to make the site more efficient and effective for both our distributors and their customers.”

The upgraded SAGE Company Store Standard is available now. All existing Company Store Standard customers will be automatically upgraded to the new version prior to September 30, 2023, and will receive an email once the upgrade is complete.

Despite the significant enhancements, SAGE remains committed to delivering value to its clients. Effective October 1, 2023, all new Company Store Standard subscriptions or renewals will be available at the rate of $295 per year or $29 per month.

To learn more about the updated capabilities of SAGE Company Store Standard or to request a free demo store, visit https://www.sageworld.com/companystore-standard/.

To learn more about SAGE Company Store Premium and SAGE Company Store Premium Plus, visit https://www.sageworld.com/launch-company-store.php.

About SAGE

SAGE, based in Addison, Texas, is the leading provider of information, marketing, and business management solutions to the promotional products industry. In addition to SAGE’s flagship SAGE Online™, SAGE Mobile™, and SAGE Web™ research and business management services, SAGE also provides the industry with other research services, order management, website, and email services, e-commerce solutions, end-user catalogs, artwork services, payment processing, tradeshows, tradeshow management services, and lead retrieval software. SAGE is also the exclusive technology provider for members of the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI), the industry’s non-profit association. For more information, please visit www.sageworld.com or call 800.925.7243.

Fascinating Takeaways Unveiled by SAGE’s Promo Live! Online Event

Addison, Texas (August 23, 2023) – SAGE, the leading provider of business services in the promotional products industry, has concluded its yearly interactive online promo event, Promo Live! Over the span of two successful days, the event drew the participation of over 1,100 industry professionals, up 20% over last year. This immersive online experience included 69 live and on-demand educational sessions, dynamic product showcases, personalized consultations with SAGE experts, and much more.

Leveraging the cutting-edge SAGE Digital Events platform, Promo Live harnessed SAGE's proprietary technology to deliver an engaging and interactive experience tailored specifically for the promotional products industry.

“Promo Live was a huge success,” said SAGE President David Natinsky, MAS. “It seems like I say this every year, but the accessibility that this platform has brought to the industry is incredible. So many more people can attend and enjoy the benefits of discovering new, trending products, networking, and learning, all from their home or office.” 

The event featured an array of live and on-demand educational sessions led by SAGE and leading industry suppliers, garnering a total of 10,127 session views. Distributors gained insights from top industry suppliers, who unveiled new and innovative products, novel sales strategies, and showcased their top-selling items. Additionally, attendees delved into the latest trends in promotional products through interactive industry panel sessions, fostering lively conversations and new connections. 

An exclusive industry panel, led by Terri Sparkman, Sales Development Manager at SAGE, Liz Haesler, Chief Merchandising Officer at PCNA Global, and Kym Frese, Regional Account Executive at Raining Rose, explored new ways to attract clients for the fourth quarter within the industry.

“Thank you, SAGE, for an excellent opportunity to meet suppliers,” said Nancy Brooks, Owner of Brookside Promotions and Embroidery.

On day two, another specialized industry panel presented by Andy Evans, Corporate Account Manager at SAGE, alongside Lori Lord, Founder and CEO of Promotional Marketing Services, Natalie O'Leary, Director of Business Development at Bamko, and Tricia Williams, Proprietor of My Tribe Print & Promo LLC, discussed expert perspectives on ways to leverage company stores, email campaigns, and social media to boost end-of-the-year sales.

Among other standout elements were the live SAGE Quick Tip Sessions, which offered expert guidance on topics such as new SAGE Company Stores, supplier integrations, SAGE & AI, and advanced product searching.

In addition to these highlights, distributors enjoyed the Supplier Showcase, a hub for video calls, live chats, and access to themed product showrooms, providing an opportunity to explore each suppliers’ latest offerings in promotional items for the upcoming fall and holiday sales season.

"We owe the success of Promo Live to the collective efforts of our distributors, suppliers, and sponsors,” said Natinsky. “The future of the industry is promising, and we eagerly anticipate its evolution."

For more information about Promo Live, visit https://www.sageworld.com/promolive/.

About SAGE

SAGE, based in Addison, Texas, is the leading provider of information, marketing, and business management solutions to the promotional products industry. In addition to SAGE’s flagship SAGE Online^™, SAGE Web^™, and SAGE Mobile^™ research and business management services, SAGE also provides the industry with other research services, order management, project management, website and email services, e-commerce solutions, end-buyer catalogs, artwork services, payment processing, tradeshows, tradeshow management services, and lead retrieval software. SAGE is also the exclusive technology provider for members of the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI), the industry’s non-profit association as well as Promotional Products Professionals of Canada (PPPC), Canada’s non-profit association. For more information, please visit www.sageworld.com or call 800.925.7243.

HPG Hires Alex Symms as Evans Manufacturing’s Director of Sales 

Braintree, MA. June 1, 2023: Top 8 promotional products supplier HPG announces the onboarding of industry veteran Alex Symms as Director of Sales of their Garden Grove California subsidiary Evans Manufacturing.   Symms joins HPG and Evans with a combined twenty year management background with promotional products suppliers such as Chameleon and most recently PowerStick.com. 

“I’ve had the good fortune of partnering with all functions of the manufacturing sector throughout my career, including R&D, sales and marketing and leadership and management,” says Symms.  “I am excited to join an incredible team of forward-thinking leaders that take corporate branded merchandise to an enhanced level with industry leading products and award-winning service.”

Evans Manufacturing is the latest addition to HPG’s line-up of brands, and Symms plans to incorporate the latest technologies, such as AI, in his sales strategies.  “I learned a long time ago that you either adapt to change, or get left behind, and that mindset pushes me to always be aware of new trends and identifying what might be coming up in the future.”

HPG CRO Trina Bicknell says, "I am very excited to add Alex to the HPG award-winning sales team and know that with his vast experience he will lead the Evans sales team to further success!"

Symms, his wife and two sons, nineteen and fifteen years old, are based in the Houston area.  “My weekends usually consist of either being on the sideline of a rugby pitch or along a fence line at a baseball tournament as both my sons are very active in sports,” he says.  “You can usually find me outdoors enjoying the fresh air.  I am always game for a spontaneous adventure!”

About HPG

Founded in 2017, HPG is a Top 10 supplier in the Promotional Products industry with over 15,000 SKUs from 11 leading specialist brands. HPG is the premier destination for award-winning customer service, innovative hard goods, and outstanding sales tools. HPG’s distribution capabilities are unmatched, producing and shipping from nine facilities spanning North America. HPG’s brands include some of the best-known names in the industry, including Hub, Beacon, Best, Debco, BCG Creations, Origaudio, Handstands, Batch & Bodega, Mixie, SugarSpot, and most recently, Evans Manufacturing.

For more information about HPG, visit hpgbrands.com

About Evans

Evans Manufacturing creates products for the promotional industry in categories including Healthcare, Household, Drinkware, Writing Instruments, Pet, Office, Travel, Auto, Golf, and Outdoor. Evans offers a broad array of thoughtfully designed, high value items delivered with consistency and reliability for gifting that leaves a lasting positive impression.

For more information about Evans Manufacturing, visit www.evans-mfg.com