Packaging Home/Kitchen Automotive Cards Office Hats Food & Beverage Bags Drinkware Apparel Supply Chain A supply chain is a system of organizations, people, technologies, activities, information, and resources involved in moving materials, products and services all the way through the manufacturing process, from the original supplier of materials supplier to the end customer. The American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS) What is a Supply Chain? What Does the Promo Products Industry Supply Chain Look Like? Factory Supplier/ Wholeseller Distributor Client End User Recipient Importer Decorator Service Provider, Agency, Exhibit Co., Estore, Pop-up Promo Industry Stats Top 10 Promotional Product Categories Top 5 Promo Products Buyers 1 | Healthcare: Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Clinics 2 | Business Services: Consulting Firms, Management, Training, Communications 3 | Retail: Gift shops, Online Stores, Retail Merchandise 4 | Financial: Banks, Savings & Loan Companies, Credit Unions, Stockbrokers 5 | Manufacturing: Factories, Warehouses Why not go straight to the manufacturer? Since distributors are partnered with many promotional products manufacturers (suppliers), they’re aware of all the unknown risks that may befall a simple transaction. They’re responsible for ensuring product quality and safety and overseeing any legal or logistics concerns for each purchase. Their established relationship with a supplier can accelerate a purchase order and open the opportunity for repeat initiatives. Also, for these reasons, most manufacturers and suppliers will only work with a distributor and not end-buyers. If the supplier isn’t manufacturing the products, then who does? The manufacturer sends the items to the supplier, and the manufacturer and the supplier are sometimes the same people. Suppliers collaborate with distributors and wholesalers to ensure that other parties can get the goods or services they need. Distributors have the necessary channels and marketing skills to sell their products to wholesalers and retailers. Suppliers need the support of a distributor to get their products out there. PPAI.org 7 in 10 distributors expect positive profit growth in 2023 Promotional products make up a $26.78 billion industry that’s continually growing. The industry grew 2.63% in 2024. 2025 Consumer Study, PPAI Research Apparel - 64% Drinkware - 50% Bags - 48% Food & Beverage - 46% Hats - 36% Office - 33 % Cards - 32% Automotive - 29% Home/Kitchen - 28% Packaging - 28%
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