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The D. Group Acquires Trevelyan Leather

In a deal struck between two Ontario-based suppliers, The D. Group (asi/47977) has acquired Trevelyan Leather. Financial terms of the agreement, which was finalized last week after two months of negotiations, were not disclosed. The integrated company – now known as DgroupTrevelyan – will manufacture items out of a new facility in Toronto. "We'll be able to offer distributors a wide variety of materials at good price points," said Niv Ben-Haim, managing partner at DgroupTrevelyan, in an interview with Counselor. "That will be a great benefit to our customers and allow them to close more deals."

A combined 2012 catalog, featuring products from The D. Group and Trevelyan Leather, will be available in late December. According to Ben-Haim, Trevelyan's entire staff of 45 people has been retained in the acquisition. Lake Trevelyan, president of Trevelyan Leather, has been named vice president of sales at DgroupTrevelyan. "With the ever-increasing direction toward value-added creativity and domestic manufacturing, it is very exciting that Trevelyan can add its 88 years of experience to a young and vibrant creative manufacturing concern," said Trevelyan. "We can collectively now offer a combined range of exciting, innovative, quality products and our full custom capabilities to the promotional marketplace."

Attributing gains to more aggressive marketing in the U.S., Ben-Haim says sales at The D. Group have increased 7% in 2011. He expects his company's revenues to grow about 12% through the acquisition and subsequent improvements. "Clients that have worked with Trevelyan will now be exposed to more products and vice versa," Ben-Haim said. "We'll be manufacturing everything made-to-order. I think 2012 will be even more promising than 2011, with more business for us."

Ad n Art Acquires Proma Décor

Eric Pisarevsky, owner of industry supplier Ad n Art (asi/31518), announced the acquisition of Proma Décor for an undisclosed amount.

Proma Décor, located on the south shore of Greater Montreal, has been supplying decorated glassware and ceramic drinkware products for over 25 years to the ad specialty industry, mostly in Canada, but also into the USA.
"The Proma Décor acquisition was done with the intent of increasing and upgrading Ad n Art's current production capabilities," said Ben Petersen, the company's vice president, in a press release. "Ad n Art feels this acquisition will greatly improve their overall production facilities and speed up delivery to their clients."

For more information e-mail ben@adnart.com or go to www.adnart.com.

Gemline Expands its Shipping Option for Canada

Counselor Top 40 supplier Gemline (asi/56070) has added Montreal as a new FOB point to better service customers in Quebec and the Eastern provinces. The company says this new shipping option will provide significant savings on freight shipped to the region, and will reduce overall order costs for Canadian distributors. Provinces that will benefit from the new FOB Montreal location include: Quebec, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

Gemline is the industry’s premiere supplier of bags, business accessories and gifts and is ranked as the 16th largest industry supplier, according to Counselor’s annual list of Top 40 suppliers, based on sales. For more information about Gemline, visit the company’s website at www.gemline.comor contact Wendy Farrell at wfarrell@gemline.com.

Image Group's Laura Hansen ranks as one of Canada's Top Female Entrepreneurs

Management and business magazine PROFIT: Your Guide to Business Success has named Laura Hansen, owner of Image Group Inc. (asi/230059), as one of Canada's Top Female Entrepreneurs in its annual PROFIT "W100" ranking of the most powerful women in Canadian business.

"The PROFIT W100 is a diverse group of entrepreneurs united by their passion, dynamism and smarts," says Ian Portsmouth, PROFIT's editor-in-chief. "They set a tremendous example for business leaders of all kinds, and we are proud to recognize them in our 13th annual ranking of Canada's Top Female Entrepreneurs."

Ranking Canada's top female entrepreneurs on a composite score based on the size, growth rate and profitability of their businesses, the PROFIT W100 profiles the country's most successful female business owners. Published in this month's issue of PROFIT and online at www.PROFITguide.com, the PROFIT "W100" is Canada's largest annual celebration of entrepreneurial achievement by women.

Image Group Inc. is a leading promotional products distributor based in British Columbia and one of the largest in Canada. The company's sales also rank in the top 3% of the 15,000 promotional product distributors in North America. With 20 employees in its Vancouver office, Image Group supports promotional and marketing programs for clients with a wide range of logo-imprinted products. For more information, go to www.imagegroupinc.ca.

HAVE YOU REGISTERED?

ASI Orlando, January 16-18, is just a few short months away, and you can attend for FREE. Register today and enjoy all this and more:

• Quality time with 700 leading suppliers - including nearly all the Top 40
• The debut of thousands of new items and catalogs for 2012
• The industry's largest education conference
• Daily networking, including ASI's 2012 Fashion Show
• A heavyweight debate between Bill O'Reilly and James Carville

(Co-sponsored by Pepco Poms, asi/77280 and Showdown Displays, asi/87188)

Click here to register and attend ALL THREE DAYS for FREE. ASI distributor and decorator members ALSO receive discounted tickets to the Gala at Disney's Animal Kingdom and a FREE hotel room.

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