Almo, PMC Join Forces September 09, 2008 New merchandise fulfillment firms focus on incentives
By Leo Jakobson
Two of the leading merchandise fulfillment companies have joined forces to create a powerhouse in the premium and incentive distribution channel.
Elkhorn, Wisc.–based Power Merchandising Corporation has joined with Philadelphia-based Almo Corporation's fulfillment services division to form a new firm that it says is the largest distributor of consumer electronics in the special markets industry. The new company, Power Merchandising Company (PMC), can also offer clients turnkey fulfillment solutions and a significantly broader offering of brands and products than either company could provide separately, particularly in consumer electronics and appliances.
By bringing on board Almo's e-commerce division, which deals with accounts like Best Buy, Home Depot, Target, Circuit City, Sears and Amazon.com, PMC will be able to provide special markets customers, "with the same service our e-commerce accounts demand," says Joe Corrigan, PMC's COO, pointing to capabilities like 24-hour warehouse staffing and same-day shipment for orders in by noon. "We are bringing that service to special markets."
The new PMC has 11 U.S.-based fulfillment centers as well as substantial automated and customizable services. Almo will continue to service the retail market separately.
Speaking of the new company, Warren Chaiken, president and COO of Almo Corporation, says: "Our goal is to be a one-stop source for our dealers and fulfillment customers, from brand diversity to product breadth to automated ordering and shipping services. The combination of our two operations creates a unique offering that will provide our customers not only the industry's leading brands, but a complete selection of accessories as well."
… and in other industry news, Paul Spitzberg, who headed up Coach's now-defunct special markets division, and is a past president of the Incentive Marketing Association, has returned to the industry as executive vice president of sales for Chicago-based James Feldman Associates.
Incentive/IMRA Sales Excellence Awards Winners Announced Incentive magazine announced the winners of its 15th annual Sales Excellence Awards earlier this week, celebrating the best and most successful independent representative firms in the industry.
U.S. Travel Association Forms Meetings, Incentives, Trade Show Council The U.S. Travel Association has created a new board member council that will build a proactive meetings and incentives research, communications, government relations and promotion agenda, it announced yesterday.
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