Founded in 1906 to make arch supports, New Balance is known for its selection of shoe widths. Besides men's and women's shoes for running, crosstraining, basketball, tennis, hiking, and golf, the firm offers fitness apparel and kids' shoes and owns leather boot maker Dunham. Chairman Jim Davis bought New Balance on the day of the 1972 Boston Marathon. New Balance Athletic Shoe runs on its everyman (and everywoman) appeal. Unlike its rivals, it shuns celebrity endorsers. By spotlighting lesser-known athletes the company claims to emphasize substance over style. The approach attracts Boomer jock clients who are less fickle than the teens chased by other shoemakers.

The studious-looking research types are likely to be at Procter & Gamble Technical Centers Limited. Also known as Rusham Park Technical Centre (RPTC), the division conducts research related to its parent's health and beauty care products. A subsidiary of consumer products giant Procter & Gamble (P&G) and one of nine research centers within Western Europe, the unit is involved in the development of the company's hair care products, skin care items and cosmetics, oral care products, fragrances, deodorants, and respiratory medicines. President Laurent Philippe succeeded Paul Polman, who retired in June 2005.

Accessory Network Group (ANG) makes and markets private-label, licensed, and branded fashion bags, small leather goods, stationery, and accessories for women, men, and children. ANG, founded in 1984, makes licensed products under such brand names as Vera Wang, Calvin Klein, and Cynthia Rowley. It owns the Ghurka leather-goods brand. It sells its items in department, discount, and specialty stores in the US, Canada, South America, Europe, and Australia. ANG distributes from facilities in New Jersey, California, and Canada. Its Brand Science unit acquired handbag maker LeSportsac through an alliance with ITOCHU Corporation in 2006.

Williamson-Dickie Manufacturing makes Dickies-brand khaki pants, bib overalls, jeans, women's and children's apparel, and Workrite safety uniforms. It also makes apparel and footwear for work and outdoor use under the Kodiak and Terra names. Its work clothes, originally tailored for the blue-collar set, have come back into fashion with teens, which account for a growing portion of sales. Its products are sold worldwide through retailers (Academy, Wal-Mart), directly to businesses, and through its Work Authority stores. It was founded in 1922 by the Williamson family, which still owns the company. Dickies acquired Kodiak Group Holdings in April 2008.

Olay Company today, having aged enough for its own form of a facelift, is the updated version of the classic. No, it's not just rebranding, either. Now designated as one of Procter & Gamble's billion-dollar brands, Olay found the fountain of youth for itself in recent years and has been pumping out skin care products ever since. Products include Olay Definity, Daily Facials, Total Effects, Regenerist, Olay Complete, and Olay Quench. Regenerist and Total Effects brands gave P&G a foothold in the dermatology skin care niche. Products are sold worldwide through mass merchants, such as grocery stores and chain retailers Target and Wal-Mart.

The world's #1 luggage maker, Samsonite makes softside and hardside suitcases, garment bags, and business cases under brand names such as Samsonite and American Tourister. The company also licenses its name for non-luggage products and dabbles in designer clothing. Samsonite makes travel gear (backpacks, duffel bags, wheeled luggage) for Timberland through a licensing agreement. It sells its products in more than 100 countries and through about 200 stores. Private equity firm CVC Capital Partners owns a majority stake in the ailing luggage maker.

G & J Pepsi-Cola Bottlers, Inc. company is one of the larger Pepsi bottlers in the US, shipping the leading PepsiCo brands, including Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Gatorade, Slice, SoBe, and Aquafina to beverage retailers. The bottler was formerly named the Grandpop Bottling Co., and was under the management of Walter Gross and Isaac Jarson. The company's current chairman, Stanley Kaplan, was married to Jarson's daughter, Mickey, who died in 2003.

American Nutrition, Inc. was founded in 1972 by the late Jack Behnken. American Nutrition company makes more than 300,000 tons of dry and wet food and snacks for dogs and cats annually. Its products are sold under such brand names as Atta Boy, Atta Cat, Basic Plus, Natural Harmony, and Vita Bone. ANI also produces premium biodegradable cat litter. In addition to making its own products for dogs and cats, the company provides contract pet food manufacturing services. It operates production facilities in Arizona, Utah, and Washington.

Avlon Industries, Inc. company was founded in 1984 by chemist Dr. Ali Syed, who serves as Avlon's president. Avlon Industries company, a hair-care product maker, specializes in treatments for ethnic hair. Products include relaxer and conditioning systems, permanent wave and professional coloring lines, and maintenance and styling items sold under names such as Affirm, Ferm, FiberGuard, KeraCare, and MoisturColor. Avlon's products are available for purchase through professional salons in the US and Canada. The company also has offices in Brazil, South Africa, and the UK to facilitate distribution to Latin America, Africa, and Europe.

J & J Crombie makes clothes that will live on to tell the tales of their wearers. J & J Crombie manufactures woolen clothing and sells it at about 20 stores in Britain. The stores also offer other types of apparel, as well as accessories, such as jeans, shoes, handbags, and even luggage. Founded in 1805 as a woolen mill in Aberdeen, J & J Crombie boasts a storied heritage that includes making the coats worn by British officers in WWI. It also produced uniforms for the Confederate army in the American Civil War. J & J Crombie established its first shop in 1990. Chairman Alan Lewis owns the company.

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