: Top Industry News (March issue)

INDUSTRY NEWS:

BREAKING NEWS: CANADA TO ANNOUNCE RETALIATORY TARIFFS

The Canadian government will announce today (March 12) an additional set of tariffs on $29.8 billion Cdn of American steel and aluminum products, according to the Toronto Star.

The counter-tariffs come on top of the previously announced measures against $30 billion worth of American imports, a senior official said.

BREAKING NEWS: GILDAN ANNOUNCES PRIVATE OFFERING OF

$700 MILLION SENIOR UNSECURED NOTES

Gildan Activewear Inc. announced today (March 12) that it has priced an offering of $700 million aggregate principal amount of senior unsecured notes in three series, consisting of $150 million aggregate principal amount of floating rate senior unsecured notes, Series 3, due March 13, 2028, $200 million aggregate principal amount of 3.630% senior unsecured notes, Series 4, due March 13, 2028 and $350 million aggregate principal amount of 4.149% senior unsecured notes, Series 5, due November 22, 2030.

Full press release available here.

In other recent Gildan news, the company announced on February 19 the following executive leadership nominations and a CFO transition as part of a multi-year succession planning process, which are intended to ensure strong continuity as the Company drives forward with the Gildan Sustainable Growth Strategy.

Chuck Ward, currently President, Sales, Marketing and Distribution, was appointed to the newly created role of Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer (EVP and COO) effective March 1, 2025, and continues to report to Glenn J. Chamandy, President and CEO.

Separately, and after almost 10 years in the EVP, Chief Financial and Administrative Officer role, Rhodri (Rhod) J. Harries, has informed the Board of his intention to retire on January 1, 2026. The company announced that Luca Barile, currently CFO, Sales, Marketing and Distribution, has succeeded Rhod as EVP, Chief Financial Officer, and assumed responsibilities on March 1, 2025.

Full story here.

KING ATHLETICS & SS CANADA DISSOLVE RELATIONSHIP;

KING NOW OFFERS DIRECT SALES WITH NO MINIMUM ORDER

King Athletics announced that it is no longer partnered with SS Canada. The company is now offering direct sales to its customers, with no minimum order required. To further assist customers, King Athletics is also currently providing free shipping anywhere in Canada.

For pricing, catalogues, or sample sets for your showroom (at 50% off), please contact Darren Barker (Darren@kingathletics.ca) or Andy Vu (AndyVu@kingathletics.ca).

“Thank you for your continued support. We remain proudly 100% Canadian-owned and manufactured,” the company said in a statement.

GATTS ANNOUNCES MCOUAT AGENCIES FOR MB/SK; SEEKS BC REP

Gatts Workwear has welcomed McOuat Agencies as representatives in Manitoba/Saskatchewan.

To reach McOuat, call (204) 663-3738 or email info@McOuatAgencies.com. McOuat is located at 20 Tadman Crescent, Oakbank, MB, R5N 0M9. Customers can also contact the McOuat team directly: Wendy McOuat (204) 782-9620; Scott McOuat (204) 782-0585; Mitchell McOuat (204) 782-3425.

Gatts is also looking for a representative in British Columbia. Interested parties should contact Sylvie Nolin at sylvie@collectiongoty.com or by calling Sylvie directly at (819) 740-7640.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES $5-BILLION PROGRAM TO SUPPORT CANADIAN EXPORTERS AFFECTED BY TRUMP TARIFFS

The Canadian government is unveiling a billion aid package to assist businesses affected by U.S. tariffs, including $5 billion over the next two years to help companies diversify into new markets and mitigate losses.

International Trade Minister Mary Ng has announced a new $5-billion program to support businesses affected by the tariffs, through Export Development Canada.

Read more here.

SPECTOR & CO. ANNOUNCES CHANGES

Spector & Co. is welcoming new talent and celebrating well-earned promotions across its team, the company announced.

“These changes strengthen our operations, digital presence, and client partnerships—setting the stage for an exciting year ahead,” it said in a statement.

Martin Olsina – joining as EVP of Operations
Jason Porter – promoted to EVP of Supply Chain
Ashley Colautti, MAS – promoted to Director of New Markets & Digital Transformation
Ashlee Duerr – promoted to Director of Business Development
Devin Martin – joining as Strategic Account Manager
Madeline Weiss – promoted from intern to Account Manager

PCNA NOW OFFERING STANLEY DRINKWARE TO CANADIAN DISTRIBUTORS

PCNA is now offering nine Stanley drinkware styles to Canadian distributors, as part of the Leed’s Canada product collection.

“Stanley has been one of the most soughtafter brands in the promotional products industry, and we’re thrilled to finally bring this popular line to our Canadian distributor partners,” said Liz Haesler, global chief merchandising officer for PCNA.

PRG UPDATES CUSTOMERS ON IMPACT OF TARIFFS WITH ITS US SUPPLIERS

PRG sent an email March 7 to Canadian distributors concerned about tariffs affecting the company’s American suppliers. “Rest assured, most of our suppliers are maintaining their current pricing to help stabilize your business,” the statement said.

Supplier Updates:

3M: Pricing remains unchanged until the end of April. No tariffs apply if using 3M’s freight provider; third-party shipping incurs Canadian tariffs.
Compass: 30-day freeze on pricing, valid until April 4th.
Goldstar: No price hikes on most products, except for a possible 25% tariff on glassware.
Strideline: No changes—products are made in the Philippines and imported directly into Canada.
Showdown: No changes—ample stock available (4-6 months).
Ariel: 30+ "Made in USA" products have been updated (DWI, DWP, WAA, WWA) with 25% counter tariff.
Peerless: No pricing changes at this time.
Keystone: We are monitoring tariff updates, and pricing remains unchanged for now, but we cannot guarantee how long this will last.

“If our suppliers are based in the U.S., they are responsible for the import process and will bear any tariff costs. We continue monitoring supplier policies and government regulations. As the situation evolves, we will provide updates.”

CINTAS, 3M NAMED TO FORBES’ LIST OF CANADA’S BEST EMPLOYERS

Cintas and 3M have each been named to Forbes’ 10th annual list of Canada’s Best Employers. The 300 firms on the list represent a myriad of industries, including education, information technology, government services and utilities. Cintas was ranked #190, while 3M ranked #195.

Forbes worked with market research firm Statista to survey over 40,000 Canadian employees at companies with at least 500 workers in Canada. Respondents were asked about salary, flexibility, training programs, career mobility and the likelihood of recommending their employer to peers.

“Our Canadian employee-partners and locations play a crucial role in helping our customers be ready for the workday, and it’s tremendous to see their impact recognized,” said Todd Schneider, president & CEO of Cintas. “We are honoured to receive this recognition and be held in such esteem by those surveyed across Canada.”

HOW CANADIAN BUSINESSES ARE USING DTF PRINTING TO SCALE UP - ARTICLE

The following is from an article in NSCMagazine, also known as "The Inscriber: Digital Magazine", a digital lifestyle magazine covering news, sports, entertainment, politics, and culture.

The Canadian market shows increasing demand for high-quality customized apparel together with promotional products. The rising demand for customized products within Canadian businesses has led many companies to adopt DTF printing as their scale-up solution. The direct to Film (DTF) printing technology delivers unmatched flexibility that permits business operations to create bright durable prints on numerous fabric materials. Canadian businesses across different stages use DTF printing as an expansion strategy to boost their revenue streams.

Read the complete article here.

ELITE PROMOTIONAL MARKETING AMONG WINNERS OF 2025 NORTHERN ALBERTA CONSUMER CHOICE AWARDS

The Consumer Choice Award has been recognizing and promoting business excellence in North America since 1987.

Elite Promotional Marketing was named winner in the Promotional Products category for the Northern Alberta region.

Learn more about 2025 Northern Alberta Consumer Choice Award Winners here.

MARKET REPORTS:

GLOBAL EMBROIDERY EQUIPMENT MARKET SET FOR STRONG GROWTH

AS DEMAND FOR CUSTOMIZATION AND AUTOMATION INCREASES

According to a report from Maximize Market Research Pvt. Ltd., the global embroidery equipment market is in the midst of a growth from $1.69 billion US in 2023 to $2.37 billion US by 2030 at 5% CAGR.

The global embroidery equipment market is projected to experience this robust growth due to increasing demand for customized apparel, advancements in automated embroidery technology, and the growing preference for personalized textiles across industries. Read more here.

POLO SHIRT MARKET INSIGHTS: INNOVATIONS AND COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE | 2032

The Polo Shirt market size was valued at $6237.19 million US in 2023 and is projected to reach nearly $1.1 billion US by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 6.5% from 2024-2032, according to a report conducted by Introspective Market Research Private Limited.

Read more here.

VMA SURVEY: WIDE FORMAT STILL GROWING

The Visual Media Association's latest annual industry insights survey ranked Labels and Packaging as the highest in diversification investment for commercial printers, with promotional products/merchandise and wide format rounding out the top growth areas.

Read more here.

CORPORATE GIFTING MARKET RESEARCH 2025-2033: PERSONALIZATION, INNOVATION,

UNIQUE PRODUCTS, AND FESTIVE CAMPAIGNS REDEFINE THE $1+ TRILLION INDUSTRY

The global corporate gifting market reached a value of nearly $765.46 billion US in 2023, having grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.64% since 2018, according to a ResearchAndMarkets.com report. The market is expected to grow to $1.11 trillion US in 2028 at a rate of 7.76%. The market is then expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.28% from 2028 and reach $1.65 trillion US in 2033.

Read more here.

IMPACT OF E-COMMERCE PENETRATION ON GROWTH OF THE CUSTOM PRINTING MARKET DRIVER: LEADING TRANSFORMATION IN THE CUSTOM PRINTING MARKET IN 2025

A report from The Business Research Company predicts that the custom printing market will experience an upturn from $30.93 billion US in 2024 to $33.84 billion US in 2025, with a 9.4% compound annual growth rate (CAGR).

The market size for custom printing is predicted to see robust growth in the forthcoming years, escalating to $48 billion US by 2029 and marking a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.1%.

Read more here.

PAD PRINTING MACHINES MARKET KEY DRIVERS AND FORECAST 2025-2032

The Pad Printing Machines Market was valued at $4.1 billion US in 2022 and is projected to reach $6.4 billion US by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 5.8% from 2024 to 2030, according to an evaluation by Verified Market Reports. To read more, click here.

HEAT TRANSFER VINYL MARKET FORECAST: KEY OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES AHEAD

Heat Transfer Vinyl Market size was valued at $3.2 billion US in 2022 and is projected to reach $5.5 billion US by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 7.0% from 2024 to 2030, a Verified Markets Reports study found.

Read more here.

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