Top 40 distributor The Vernon Co. (asi/351700) of Newton, IA, has entered into a strategic partnership with Los Angeles-headquartered Brandinc (asi/145212) in what company principals say is a move that will enable both firms to better serve Fortune 500 clients with needs for both domestic and international promotional product marketing programs.

Going forward, both distributorships will continue to operate as separate companies. Financial terms of the partnership were kept private.

“We are really excited about this relationship with Brandinc,” said Chris Vernon, CEO of The Vernon Company. “After working closely with them on a complex multi-year program for an international company, we quickly realized that both organizations could benefit immensely if we were to formally collaborate together.”

Executives at Vernon and Brandinc say that blending Vernon’s North American branding and marketing experience with Brandinc’s creative agency and global team approach will provide a seamless experience in major markets throughout the world for target clients – namely, international corporations. Delivering turnkey solutions that feature integrated technology offerings and custom-designed products that are market-specific and safety-compliant will be part of the partnership’s central focus.

“This is an exciting opportunity for Brandinc to grow our business by partnering with a well-established and technology-focused marketing firm,” said Adrian Ferrand, CEO of Brandinc. “Vernon has earned its reputation for being one of the most financially solid distributors. (Vernon’s) philosophy of being a customer-focused organization closely mirrors that of Brandinc. Together we will hit the ground running.”

A fourth-generation family business founded in 1902, The Vernon Company’s 2016 North American promotional product sales of $71.5 million led to the company ranking 28^th on Counselor’s 2017 list of the largest distributors in the industry by revenue. An award-winning, design-led brand management consultancy established in 1998, Brandinc ranked 8^th on Counselor’s 2017 list of the fastest growing distributorships in the promo industry. In 2016, Brandinc was the industry’s fastest-growing distributor.