Gima, LLC company provides custom embroidery and screen-print services for clothing and accessories. It offers over 100 custom lettering fonts that it uses to stitch logos on everything from hats to shirts to golf bags. Gima also provides private label cutting and sewing and specializes in fleece fabric. Clients include Aetna, Eastern Mountain Sports, L.L. Bean, and McDonald's. Gima is owned and operated by brother-in-laws Roberto Giansiracusa and George Marinelli. Roberto's Italian immigrant father Luigi began working in the US as a tailor in 1952 and eventually opened his own apparel firm with help from wife Ines.

Lather Inc. Company makes and markets hair care, skin care, and body products for women, men, and babies. It also sells aromatherapy items and accessories such as pumice stones. Lather sells products through its handful of namesake shops in Arizona, New York, and California; national and international upscale department stores (Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's); QVC; and a catalog. It also wholesales its products and provides them to hotels and resorts. The company is expanding into other states, such as Georgia, by way of a new niche -- airport stores.

Cosmetics maker Mixed Pickles is not attempting to attract those who want a soft, natural look, but is looking for anyone who craves condiments with a crunch. The trendy cosmetics company makes such products as lipgloss, eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara, foundation, body glitter, hair mascara, and haircolor in vivid shades such as Happy Orange, Shocking Pink, Bloody Mary, Fire Red, Gold Star, and Green Fever. Its products target younger women and are sold through retailers in several countries and through the company's Web site. Austrian Karina LaRossa founded the company, first selling semi-permanent haircolor.

Founded in 1906 American of Martinsville was a subsidiary of furniture maker La-Z-Boy until it was sold to private equity firm Hancock Park Associates in mid-2006 for an undisclosed amount. American of Martinsville strongly believes in Southern hospitality. Based in Martinsville, Virginia, the company produces guest room furniture (chairs, tables, sofas, bureaus) for hospitality customers, such as Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton. It also sells to institutional customers, including hospitals, assisted living centers, and the US government. The company makes all its furniture at its 1 million-sq.-ft. manufacturing plant.

RTC Industries provides products and services to help retailers maximize sales. RTC Industries offers a range of business services, including market research, retail concept and design, manufacturing and quality assurance processes, program management and global logistics processes, signage, and theft-deterrent systems. RTC Industries designs merchandising systems to meet the needs of individual companies. Customers have included Coca Cola, Columbia Sportswear, FedEx, Hasbro, Nike, Procter & Gamble, and Wal-Mart. RTC Industries' offices are located in Europe, Hong Kong, Latin America, and the US.

Cats, dogs, hamsters, birds, and the little fish too, can all play in rambunctious style thanks to the folks at Armitages Pet Products. The company makes more than 2,000 pet accessories, food, and treats under brands such as Good Girl and Good Boy (cat and dog toys, treats, collars, bowls), Rotastak (hamster houses and runners), and Gussie (goldfish products). Armitages, which was founded more than 200 years ago and holds a Royal Warrant, operates through five manufacturing facilities throughout the UK that produce more than 85% of the company's pet provisions. Armitages exports its products to more than 60 international markets.

Barks, mews, and caws are music to the ears of Pets at Home. The retailer operates about 230 pet-oriented stores throughout the UK, and also offers its own-brand products through a retail Web site. Pets at Home offers veterinary services, called Companion Care, at the majority of its stores. The company also offers 24-hour emergency services as well as ordinary care. Many Pets at Home stores also offer pet behavior training for some animals. Founder Anthony Preston developed the stores' concept in 1991; in 2004 he sold the majority of his stake in the company to private equity firm Bridgepoint. Management and employees retain an almost 20% interest in the company, which is being groomed to go public in 2010.

Heineken was first imported into the US in 1880. The US operation offers Heineken, Amstel Light, Buckler (nonalcoholic), Murphy's Irish Stout, and Irish Amber. Not content with only a foam mustache, Heineken scored a hit with Amstel Light, one of the US's best-selling imported light beers; and as a result of its parent's 2008 acquisition (along with Carlsberg) of the former Scottish & Newcastle, Heineken USA owns the import rights for Newcastle Brown Ale. It is also the sole US importer and seller of FEMSA's beer brands, including Tecate, Dos Equis, Sol, Carta Blanca, Bohemia.

Bienestar International wants consumers to think about the well-being of the people who work for its manufacturers. Bienestar and its No Sweat Apparel brand broke into the market by emphasizing fair labor practices -- outsourcing its manufacturing to union shops that pay living wages and offer benefits to workers. The company offers plain and screen-printed T-shirts, hoodies, accessories, and shoes for men, women, and children. Products are retailed through Bienestar's e-commerce site and more than 150 specialty stores in the US, Canada, and Europe. It also wholesales its merchandise to schools, churches, and other groups. CEO Adam Neiman and his wife, VP Natalia Muina, each own about 40% of the firm.

Suntory International Corp. company is part of the giant Japanese trading company, Suntory Holdings Limited. It imports many Suntory products into the US, including wine, beer, happoshu (a low-malt quasi-beer drink), and distilled spirits, as well as bottled water. Located in New York City, Suntory International also serves as the holding company for its parent's 50-50 Blavod Extreme Spirits brand joint venture with Diamante Spirits. In addition, Suntory International operates Anjou International Company's subsidiary, Hinckley & Schmitt Bottled Water Group in Chicago.

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