News

Employees at Evans Manufacturing’s (PPAI 110747) Nogales, Mexico, facility celebrated Employee Health Week, “Semana de la Salud 2021,” which focused on employees’ health and breast cancer awareness. Health Week is an annual event at the Garden Grove, California-based supplier’s Nogales location and this year included a speech by Nogales Mayor Juan Francisco Gim, with Evans CEO Alan Vaught in attendance.

“Evans is committed to worker safety, health and welfare because our most vital resource is our employees,” says Vaught.

Adolfo Centeno, Nogales plant manager, adds, “Semana de la Salud is an important and festive affair with both cultural celebrations, employee recognition and health screening. It is one of many events we provide to encourage employee engagement and show our appreciation for our Evans team. This year, the event was dedicated to Dr. Judith Alcala, our company physician who passed away from COVID at the end of 2020.”

SanMar Corporation (PPAI 110788) has made its Purchasing Practices Index scores publicly available in the name of embracing full transparency and accountability. The Issaquah, Washington-headquartered supplier’s index scores are produced by the Better Buying Institute, an organization that provides organizations with data-driven insights to help drive lasting improvements in global purchasing practices that drive profitability while protecting workers and the environment.

The scores are based on anonymous feedback from SanMar’s suppliers, which is aggregated via Better Buying’s proprietary algorithm, analyzed for trends and turned into actionable insights. SanMar notes that this 360-degree feedback builds a culture of constant improvement, helps create a more resilient supply chain and forges stronger supplier partnerships.

SanMar first subscribed to Better Buying in 2019 and has now taken part in two consecutive ratings cycles. The company’s Better Buying Scorecard outlines its overall score for 2021 in seven key purchasing practice categories. The results show how the company’s ratings from their suppliers have improved, stayed the same or declined from previous years, and how those ratings compare against industry benchmarks.

SanMar has also publicly shared its 2021 Company Report, which provides a detailed breakdown of how suppliers rated the company on specific purchasing practices, as well as suggested priorities for improvement. The report also includes anonymized, open-ended comments from suppliers detailing examples of best practices and suggestions about how the company might improve in each of the seven key purchasing categories.

“We have agreed to share our Better Buying 2021 Scorecard and Company Report because we believe transparency and leadership are essential to being a great partner to our global vendors,” says Pat Noonan, SanMar’s chief product officer. “We believe in strong, fair partnerships with our factories and want to make sure we’re doing everything we can to help our vendors succeed.”

Better Buying and SanMar have also collaborated on a short video that shares the value the company derives from engaging with Better Buying and from improving its supplier relationships. The video also includes interviews with some of SanMar’s suppliers.

“We’re delighted that SanMar has taken this step,” says Dr. Marsha Dickson, president and co-founder of Better Buying. “Amid the growing global concern around purchasing practices, we have seen a number of our subscriber brands include Better Buying in their sustainability strategies and place purchasing practices at the heart of their business operations.”

Noonan adds, “We particularly like the totally anonymous nature of Better Buying, as it makes sure there is no pressure on vendors to be anything other than completely open in their reviews of us. By encouraging other subscribers to the platform, we think we can help drive meaningful change in the way apparel companies work with their vendors beyond just SanMar—moving the needle for the whole industry.”

SanMar’s score card, company report and case study are available for download.

Addison, Texas-based SAGE, official technology provider of PPAI, has promoted Carmen Murphey, MAS, to supplier training manager. Murphey joined SAGE in 2003 as a supplier sales representative and went on to receive the SAGE Rising Star of the Year Award in 2009. As supplier training manager, she will reach out to suppliers on a more consistent and proactive basis to ensure that they are using all resources available to them to help increase their visibility in SAGE.

Supplier Evans Manufacturing (PPAI 110747, S10), based in Garden Grove, California, has supported Orange County police for several years, and recently donated hundreds of backpacks for the Orange County Traffic Officers Association’s (OCTOA) Annual Police Motorcycle Training and Skills Competition.

“I don’t know of a more difficult job than being an officer,” says Alan Vaught, owner of Evans Manufacturing. “Risking their lives daily, to do what they can do to keep our communities as safe as possible and keep our lives moving forward is a herculean task and they need to know the public they serve is supportive of their efforts.”

Ron Williams, Evans CMO, adds, “Since Evans makes products for better living, it’s a natural fit to support the professionals who help us live better… And we’ll continue to do so moving forward.”

The OCTA annual competition draws hundreds of law enforcement officers from six counties to compete and nearly 1,000 spectators. The donated backpacks will be used by participants to hold their personal belongings during the competition.

The Annual Police Motorcycle Training and Skills Competition benefits officers and their families who have been injured or killed in the line of duty.

Supplier S&S Activewear (PPAI 256121, S12), headquartered in Bolingbrook, Illinois, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Cincinnati, Ohio-based supplier TSC Apparel (PPAI 174523, S12).

Founded in 1988, S&S has grown to approximately $1.5 billion in sales. With about four million square feet of warehouse space and more than 2,000 employees, the company specializes in distributing blank sportswear, corporate apparel and accessories. It has also made significant investments in national distribution capacity and technology, and has expanded geographically with three acquisitions since 2010, including the acquisition of Technosport in 2020, one of Canada’s largest wholesale apparel distributors. TSC Apparel was established in 1976 and has grown into a national distributor of blank apparel and accessories, and now serves more than 30,000 customers.

"We saw a great affinity between TSC and S&S," says S&S CEO Jim Shannon. "We both built our business through a positive company culture, retail-brand focus and the development of relationships with employees, vendors and customers."

TSC CEO Dave Klotter adds, "We see this as an exciting next chapter for our company. Through a similar customer-centric approach, S&S will be able to build on our success that will greatly benefit our industry."

Today, S&S says its products can reach 99 percent of the U.S. within two days and 44 states in just one day. The acquisition of TSC Apparel is expected to bring it a greater depth of inventory and allow it to offer the marketplace an expanded line of products.

“We're excited to inherit such a well-established company," says Frank Myers, S&S's chief operating and financial officer. "For years, we have thought it made a lot of sense to acquire TSC, not only for both our companies, but for our industry as a whole. We are bringing together two organizations dedicated to creating a first-class customer experience."

Vantage Apparel, the industry’s number one source for branded apparel and fulfillment, announced today the launch of its all-new, redesigned vantageapparel.com which includes enhanced features for customers, including a new design tool which lets distributors add decorated apparel orders to their shopping cart.

With assistance from a 3^rd party research agency, Vantage underwent many months of gathering feedback from customer focus groups, referencing best-in-class design, usability and workflow practices from some of the top apparel retailers in the world.

“It was extremely important to reimagine the experience of ordering apparel in the promo industry, says Rob Watson, Vantage’s Chief Experience Officer. “Not only was it paramount to enhance the look and feel of the site, but it also needed to have superior back-office tools for distributor partners to track orders, access their invoices, and also create a reorder with one-click.”

Supplier Goldstar, headquartered in San Diego, California, has filled key roles in its sales and marketing teams. Megan Hernandez joins Goldstar as south-central region sales manager. Based in Fort Worth, Texas, Hernandez joins the company after spending the last five years with two other supplier companies and will work with distributors throughout Colorado, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

Supplier Hirsch Gift (PPAI 221823, S10) has formed an exclusive partnership with retail brand Serene House. The brand offers personal air care products and fragrances to help improve its users’ sense of well-being through scent, sound and visual aesthetics.

Serene House essential oil diffusers are manufactured in a company-owned factory, which allows for enhanced quality assurance, while all essential oils are sourced and assembled in the United States. Serene House products are sold in a variety of retail stores such as Nordstrom, Bed Bath & Beyond, Urban Outfitters and Kohl’s.

Brittany Frase, national sales manager for Houston, Texas-based Hirsch Gift, says, "Serene House is the perfect complement to our family of brands, and a great addition to the growing personal health and wellness segment of the promotional products industry."

Supplier Edwards Garment (PPAI 198530, S11) is in the final steps in its acquisition of Bishop Custom Clothing, which is now rebranded as EdwardsX. The acquisition strengthens Edwards Garment’s position as a global brand providing a broad assortment of career apparel products and services to the industry.

“Bishop, now EdwardsX, was acquired in 2019 and throughout these past two years, the leadership team began merging services to take full advantage of the many synergies between the two organizations,” says Jose Gomez, Edwards Garment president. “It was time to complete the integration with a fresh rebrand of this great team.”

American Solutions for Business raised $500 for the Pope County Veterans Services in Glenwood, MN through an online fundraiser. The money raised will be used towards rides for vets to get to their appointments. The Pope County Veterans Service has highly trained professional advocates for Veterans and their families. They collaborate with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs and Veterans Service Organizations in securing benefits for veterans.

“This is a great help for those veterans that can’t drive, and this program has been a part of the county for over 30 years,” explained Hugh Reimers, Pope-Stevens County Veterans Service Officer. “This money will continue to make transportation a viable option for the veterans in our community.”

The mission of the Pope County Veterans Service Office is to work collaboratively with the Department of Veterans Affairs and to enhance the quality of the lives of Veterans through advising, counseling, claims assistance, education, advocacy, and special programs. 

If anyone is or knows a vet that is in need, please contact Hugh at 320-634-7846.