JANUARY
Noteworthy (formerly asi/74360) told distributors of its plans to close in April 2018. The Amsterdam, NY-based company operated in the market until its inventory ran out. In 2017, Counselor ranked Noteworthy as the 35th largest supplier in the industry with sales of $50 million.

FEBRUARY
Top 40 supplier BIC Graphic (asi/40480) named David Klatt, previously an executive at Newell Brands, as its CEO. Initially, Emmanuel Bruno remained as president of BIC, before later taking an operations position at the market’s largest distributor, 4imprint (asi/197045).

MARCH
California-based Top 40 supplier ETS Express (asi/51197) prevailed in a trademark infringement case against S’well Bottle Company. S’well alleged ETS was wrongfully using a bottle design, but a jury decided no company could claim the design as exclusively theirs.

OUR TAKE: “I can’t think of another company that would’ve fought back after being hit with a trademark infringement lawsuit on a product that was, ironically, so ubiquitous in the industry. But most companies don’t have Sharon Eyal as their CEO, and that man – a badass Israeli to his core – never met a challenge he didn’t like.”
– Michele Bell, editorial director

APRIL
A computer virus attacked industry firms, including multiple Top 40 suppliers, disrupting networks and slowing promo orders over several weeks. The virus came disguised in an email that appeared to be from customers, asking recipients to click on a shipping link.

MAY
Fran Ford, president of Castelli North America (asi/44305), passed away after a long illness. The recipient of the 2012 Counselor Lifetime Achievement Award, Ford was one of the market’s most beloved and respected figures over his 40-year career.

OUR TAKE: “Nobody was quite like Fran, who treated everyone like they were the most important person in the world. At his funeral in Arizona, the church was packed with hundreds of industry professionals from all over the country who pointed to Fran as their mentor, and one of their closest friends. He is missed and will never be forgotten.”
– Joan Chaykin, ASI managing editor

JUNE
The U.S. formally announced tariffs on Chinese imports, launching a trade war that eventually targeted more than $300 billion worth of goods. China retaliated with levies of its own. Promo firms faced the prospect of shrinking margins as product prices rose. 

OUR TAKE: “No issue has been talked about as much as this one since last summer. However you view U.S. trade policy, there’s no denying tariffs have at least temporarily disrupted global economic momentum and caused uncertainty among industry firms. What comes next will determine so much for the market.”
– Andy Cohen, senior VP of marketing services

JULY
Top 40 supplier TSC Apparel (asi/90518) hired Dave Klotter as its new CEO, replacing the retiring Bob Winget. Klotter became the latest Top 40 exec to come from outside the industry. Before TSC, he was CEO at consumer goods manufacturer Marianna Industries. 

AUGUST
In the market’s most significant deal of the year, HALO Branded Solutions (asi/356000) acquired fellow Top 40 distributor Sunrise Identity (formerly asi/339206). The purchase pushed HALO’s annual sales above $500 million and continued the firm’s recent buying spree.

SEPTEMBER
Top 40 supplier HUB Promotional Group (asi/61966) bought Origaudio (asi/75254), capping a busy stretch of deal-making. The agreement bolstered HUB’s burgeoning portfolio of brands, which also includes Beacon (asi/39250), Debco (asi/48885) and others.

OUR TAKE: “A lot has been made recently about HALO’s acquisitions on the distributor side, but HUB’s moves are also trendsetting. Just a few years ago, HUB was solely a pen company, but the firm’s execs realized the need to expand into other categories. HUB’s diversification will be a harbinger of deals to come in the market.”
– Dave Vagnoni, editor-in-chief, Counselor

OCTOBER
Top 40 distributor iPROMOTEu (asi/232119) obtained new financing and its senior management team took a more significant ownership interest in the Massachusetts-based firm. Ross Silverstein, iPROMOTEu’s founder, remained the company’s largest individual stockholder.

NOVEMBER
California-based Top 40 supplier Next Level Apparel (asi/73867) expanded abroad through an exclusive partnership with PenCarrie, a U.K.-based clothing wholesale distributor. The move furthered a notable trend of industry firms looking to Europe for more business.

OUR TAKE: “SOI data shows most suppliers aren’t aggressively pursuing more business in Europe, but Next Level is notably taking a different approach. There’s an argument to be made that North American promo sales have matured, so looking abroad for revenue is a smart strategy. I think that it’s one more firms may soon copy.”
– John Corrigan, staff writer, ASI editorial

DECEMBER
Sweda (asi/90305) announced it would sell logoed apparel in 2019, in addition to hard goods. The company said offerings would include madein-America basics, surf/skate-inspired brand Mill42 and clothing from major retailers like Adidas, Oakley and Champion.