Strategy June 29, 2023
Top 40 Distributors 2023
Massive gains and the emergence of billion-dollar distributors mark a historic high point for the biggest firms.
Consolidation is a trend that’s been heavily discussed in the last decade. Last year, it went into hyperdrive. The Top 40 distributors grew their sales by 23% in 2022 – more than double the rate for the entire promo industry. The runaway growth means that the largest distributors in our industry generated nearly $10 billion in revenue and account for 37.5% of all industry sales. What’s driving it? You can certainly look at the top of the list, which now sports not one but two billion-dollar distributors: 4imprint and HALO. But these two mega distributors aren’t the only ones grabbing market share; in fact, there were massive revenue gains up and down this year’s list. Like every year for the Top 40 promotional products distributors, the Counselor team obtained certified financial information and conducted research and interviews to vet the figures – including deeper inquiries when companies reported significant growth or declines. The many positive results by distributors this year meant that happened often. It’s clear that the industry has recovered, and it’s the biggest distributors who are leading the way.
Company | 2022 sales (millions) |
2021 sales (millions) |
Difference | Rank change | 2019 sales (millions) |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 4imprint asi/197045 |
$1,120.5 | $773.7 | 44.8% | 1 | $839.3 |
2 | HALO Branded Solutions asi/356000 |
$1,007.0 | $822.0 | 22.5% | 1 | $787.0 |
3 | Staples Promotional Products (E) asi/120601 |
$888.2 | $740.1 | 20.0% | same | $601.6 |
4 | Custom Ink (E) asi/173232 |
$650.0 | $530.0 | 22.6% | new | $400.0 |
5 | Proforma asi/300094 |
$620.0 | $540.8 | 14.6% | 1 | $501.0 |
6 | BDA* asi/137616 |
$422.2 | $344.9 | 22.4% | same | $494.0 |
7 | HH Global* asi/168860 |
$407.0 | $334.0 | 21.9% | same | $149.3 |
8 | BAMKO asi/131431 |
$387.9 | $215.8 | 79.7% | 3 | $108.6 |
9 | Geiger asi/202900 |
$327.0 | $243.7 | 34.2% | same | $263.3 |
10 | Cimpress* asi/162149 |
$283.0 | $247.3 | 14.4% | 5 | $124.0 |
11 | Taylor Promotional Products asi/333647 |
$275.0 | $240.3 | 14.4% | 1 | $243.1 |
12 | American Solutions for Business asi/120075 |
$273.6 | $244.3 | 12.0% | 4 | $202.0 |
13 | IMS asi/215310 |
$212.5 | $202.1 | 5.1% | 1 | $196.8 |
14 | Nadel asi/279600 |
$210.0 | $167.4 | 25.4% | 2 | $154.9 |
15 | iPROMOTEu asi/232119 |
$209.0 | $180.0 | 16.1% | 2 | $178.0 |
16 | Cintas (E) asi/162167 |
$199.1 | $177.0 | 12.5% | 2 | $181.4 |
17 | DiscountMugs.com (E) asi/181120 |
$172.3 | $172.3 | 0.0% | 2 | $215.4 |
18 | Boundless asi/143717 |
$160.0 | $88.8 | 80.2% | 7 | $100.3 |
19 | AIA Corporation asi/109480 |
$154.9 | $124.7 | 24.3% | 2 | $210.7 |
20 | Deluxe/Safeguard asi/316203 |
$139.7 | $120.4 | 16.0% | 2 | $136.0 |
21 | Fully Promoted asi/384000 |
$123.7 | $109.5 | 12.9% | 1 | $105.6 |
22 | Overture Promotions asi/288473 |
$121.1 | $114.0 | 6.2% | 3 | $81.7 |
23 | Positive Promotions asi/297370 |
$118.0 | $102.0 | 15.7% | 2 | $90.9 |
24 | Corporate Imaging Concepts asi/168962 |
$111.0 | $100.0 | 11.0% | 2 | $87.0 |
25 | Kaeser & Blair asi/238600 |
$98.0 | $95.0 | 3.2% | 2 | $124.3 |
26 | The Vernon Company asi/351700 |
$87.4 | $65.5 | 33.4% | 3 | $80.6 |
27 | ePromos Promotional Products asi/188515 |
$79.6 | $72.0 | 10.6% | 1 | $61.0 |
28 | G&G Outfitters asi/199904 |
$75.8 | $78.0 | -2.8% | 2 | $96.0 |
29 | Myron (E) asi/278980 |
$74.3 | $74.3 | 0.0% | 2 | $82.6 |
30 | Zorch asi/366078 |
$73.9 | $52.5 | 40.8% | 2 | $54.1 |
31 | Something Inked asi/329822 |
$70.8 | $38.5 | 83.9% | 8 | $28.0 |
32 | Summit Group asi/339116 |
$68.5 | $45.5 | 50.5% | 3 | $66.0 |
33 | PromoShop asi/300446 |
$68.2 | $55.8 | 22.2% | 2 | $52.4 |
34 | Stran & Company asi/337725 |
$64.3 | $47.3 | 35.8% | same | $31.7 |
35 | Quality Logo Products asi/302967 |
$56.3 | $38.0 | 48.2% | 3 | $45.3 |
36 | Touchstone asi/345631 |
$56.1 | $92.0 | -39.0% | 12 | $48.5 |
37 | Kotis Design asi/244898 |
$56.0 | $49.0 | 14.3% | 4 | $47.9 |
38 | Genumark asi/204588 |
$51.4 | $42.2 | 21.8% | 1 | $50.2 |
39 | Leader Promotions asi/287087 |
$50.0 | $48.8 | 2.6% | new | $37.5 |
40 | APISOURCE asi/147450 |
$48.0 | $34.0 | 41.2% | new | $38.5 |
Note: All revenues represent U.S./Canada promo sales.
E: Estimate; EG: Estimate W/Guidance; *: Restated prior year’s sales