Counselor Top 40 supplier BIC Graphic (asi/40480) has announced a partnership deal that allows it to provide select Peerless Umbrella (asi/76730) items within its product line. Going forward, aside from established premium golf brands, all umbrellas carried by BIC Graphic will now be exclusively Peerless. BIC becomes the only promo supplier, beyond Peerless, to offer the Peerless Umbrella brand.

“We value quality products so we knew Peerless, an undeniable leader in umbrellas, would be the perfect partner,” said Kelly Diomeda, BIC Graphic’s product manager for the outdoor & leisure category. “There’s a growing trend in outdoor promotional products and this collaboration takes our assortment to the next level by expanding the outdoor category to more than 200 items.”

New Jersey-based Peerless, which has won the Counselor Distributor Choice Award in the umbrellas category for 13 straight years, was founded in 1927. The agreement with BIC allows the supplier to expand its reach in the market.

“Collaboration is the future of our industry and Peerless is thrilled to be in collaboration with one of the best in our business.”— Dan Edge, Peerless Umbrella

“As a tenured and growing company in the promotional products industry, Peerless is looking forward to this strategic partnership with BIC Graphic as a means to not only increase our distribution, but to provide the opportunity for a top 40 supplier to expand their line in a practical way,” said Dan Edge, director of sales at Peerless. “Together we will have the ability to provide a more diverse group of distributors with award-winning Peerless brand umbrellas. It’s a win-win. Collaboration is the future of our industry and Peerless is thrilled to be in collaboration with one of the best in our business.”

BIC launched 20 of the most popular Peerless styles on April 8, 2019. The items are now available at bicgraphic.com at a variety of price points.

It would seem at least some top suppliers in the promotional products industry are keenly focused on the umbrella category at the moment. Also on Tuesday, Top 40 firm PCNA announced that it has increased its overall capacity for decorating umbrellas by 25%.

Counselor ranks Florida-based BIC as the seventh largest supplier in the market with annual sales of greater than $300 million.