his September, the product media industry descends on Hampshire where the latest edition of Merchandise World assembles at the new £30 million Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre. The one-day event, on 12 September, is a joint venture between the BPMA and Sourcing City, and is aimed at both frontline teams and business leaders from professional distributors.

In the past decade, the movement to support local businesses has taken on an added dimension as distributors across the globe have expanded their operations far beyond their own borders to deliver a more personal experience to far-flung customers. Leicester-based distributor EverythingBranded, reportedly the largest distributor employer in the UK with 130 staff and projected 2018 sales topping $29 million, is investing $1.1 million in the coming months to open its first US office located in Las Vegas. It will accommodate approximately 70-100 new employees and will focus on serving customers on the West Coast. The company, which was founded in 2010 as part of the Charles Alexander Distribution Group, currently has a UK-based call centre that services the US eastern and central time zones.