Meet 350+ Suppliers. Find New Products. Source Inventory. All at ASI Show Chicago, July 23-25.   Register Now.

News

JNI Announces Acquisition, Expansion Plans

Top 40 distributor Jack Nadel International (JNI, asi/279600) has purchased North Carolina-based product and branding agency Planet Logo, the companies announced this afternoon. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The acquisition is part of a JNI expansion into two new markets: Wilmington, NC and Calgary, Canada.

“We want to develop into an even larger company and we want to do it intelligently,” said JNI CEO Craig Nadel. “We plan to do this in two ways. First, by supporting our employees who explore new markets. And secondly, by accommodating our internal growth through space expansion.”

Founded in 2006 with a focus on agency-like marketing, Planet Logo is led by Frank Thompson. “We’re ecstatic about the acquisition for a range of reasons,” says Thompson, Planet Logo’s president. “Of course, JNI’s 65 years of experience, cutting edge clientele, global distribution and a custom manufacturing division are game changing for our clients. On a personal level, I knew it was a good fit when I experienced the company culture of JNI and the authenticity of its people.”

As for the Calgary office, JNI’s Lauren Bridges – a Canada native – will be leading business efforts there. “Over the years, our growth strategy has primarily been organic as is the case with the Calgary location,” said Athans Zafiropoulos, JNI’s senior VP of new business development. “However, when we recognize companies in strategic markets or regions that have a similar creative and strategic solution-based go-to-market strategy as Planet Logo, we’re very interested.”

Based in Los Angeles, JNI reported 2017 North American promo products sales of $119 million, a slight rise over the prior year.