Marietta makes miniatures -- those little packages of personal care amenities (soaps, dental and hair-care products, and other items) found in hotels and bed-and-breakfast inns. The company also distributes brand-name (Pantene, Vaseline, Yardley of London) and private-label (Fleur de Lis, Lord & Mayfair) products to gift shops, the health-care market, correctional institutions, and military bases. Using its sample-size packaging know-how, the company makes trial-size units for other companies' products, as well. Marietta went public in 1986. When corporate officers were convicted of fraud in 1996, it was acquired by BFMA Holding, which, in turn, sold the company to private equity firm Ares Management in 2004.

James Avery Craftsman, Inc. company got its start in 1954 when James Avery, himself, set up shop in a two-car garage with about $250 in capital. James Avery Craftsman is a leading jewelry designer, manufacturer, and retailer in the US, mostly throughout the southern states. Its jewelry collection, numbering some 1,100 designs and 14,000 items made in sterling silver, 14-, and 18-karat yellow and white gold, and gemstones, is sold through about 200 independent retailers and about 50 of its own stores in Colorado, Georgia, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Texas. James Avery also sells its products through a catalog and via the Internet.

West Coast Novelty Corp., founded in the 1920s, doesn't make concessions as one of the largest suppliers of licensed sports merchandise in the US. The firm has grown from its beginnings as a souvenir and concession operator to a nationwide distributor of licensed items, such as jerseys, T-shirts, and headwear. West Coast Novelty boasts a vast portfolio of team licenses based on its agreements with the NFL, MLB, NBA, WWF, and the Collegiate Licensing Company. To extend its reach into the Eastern and Southern US, the company operates a distribution center in Memphis, Tennessee, to supplement operations at its Alameda, California, facility.

Lixit (originally Atco Manufacturing) was established in 1968 by Dr. Frank Atchley. Lixit Corporation wants to keep your pet hydrated. The company is the the largest small animal watering device manufacturer in the world. Lixit manufactures a variety of pet care products such as bowls and feeders, odor control items, pine shavings bedding, and water bottles. Its products are marketed under 30 different labels and sold through specialty retailers nationwide.

The Avon lady has had her foot in the door in the UK since 1959, making the country one of the largest direct-selling markets for parent Avon Products. Avon has become one of the top handful of beauty brands in the country. Some 160,000 independent sales reps sell cosmetics directly to customers at home parties and work get-togethers. The company's catalog is distributed every three weeks to nearly 8 million potential customers. Avon Cosmetics' distribution center, located in Corby, processes about 10,000 orders daily. The company banned animal-testing of its products in 1989. To spur sales, the company has enlisted the help of industry professionals.

Raani Corporation is a private label manufacturer and contract packaging firm that offers blending and filling services, research and development, and regulatory guidance to the personal care product industry. The company specializes in the production of hair care (including the ethnic hair care niche), skin care, over-the-counter pharmaceuticals, household products, toiletries and bath care, baby care, and cosmetics. Raani's deodorants and assorted toiletries are sold by well known retailers including Kmart. CEO and president Rashid Chaudary started the business out of a garage in 1983.

Chairman Hans-Joerg Seeberger and his family own about 40% of the company; he founded the company in 1972 in Japan. The company's German subsidiaries filed for bankruptcy in September 2008, citing heavy debt and liquidity difficulties. EganaGoldpfeil (formerly Egana International) wants you to take time for luxury. Through its subsidiaries worldwide, including Egana Jewellery & Pearls, the company designs and makes timepieces and jewelry under brands such as Junghans, Pierre Cardin, and Carrera, as well as licensed names such as Bulova, Esprit, and Paolo by Paolo Gucci. Other products include leather goods, eyewear, and apparel. Egana's products are sold in more than 100 countries.

Seiko Holdings (formerly Seiko Corp.) is way beyond its tradition of marking time -- whether it's wristwatches, clocks, or precision timing devices for athletic events. The corporation serves as a holding company for subsidiaries, such as Seiko Watch, maker of watches such as the Kinetic and Thermic series that generate power by the movement of the owner's wrist or body heat. The watchmaker also makes mass-market watch brands Pulsar and Lorus. Seiko Watch's other timepieces range from small bedside alarm clocks to large-scale public clocks. Seiko Holdings other subsidiaries include Seiko Clock, Seiko Instruments, Seiko Optical Products, Seiko Sports Life, and Seiko Precision. The Hattori family controls Seiko.

Eight in One was founded in 1888. Consumer products company Spectrum Brands owns Eight in One. Eight in One Pet Products researches, develops, and manufactures pet products domestically and internationally. Products include dog, cat, and bird foods, vitamins and supplements, beds, toys, and shampoos, as well as food and products for more unusual pets such as hedgehogs, chinchillas, and other small animals. The company markets its 1,200 pet products under brand names such as 8-1, Dingo, Nature's Miracle, One Earth, and Kookamunga Catnip.

Founded in 1914, Brooks is owned by athletic apparel firm Russell Corporation. Brooks Sports takes a more soleful approach to building its name. The company makes running, cross-training, and walking footwear, apparel, and accessories for men and women. Its products are sold by sporting goods retailers and athletic footwear stores in more than 40 countries. Brooks markets its products primarily through runners' magazines and by sponsoring low-profile but respected members of the running community, eschewing mass TV advertising used by such rivals as NIKE.

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