Founded in 1906, Montblanc is a subsidiary of Swiss holding company Compagnie Financire Richemont. Montblanc International GmbH company's classic fountain pen and other high-end writing implements have long been a tradition among those who appreciate such rites of luxury. The company also markets a growing portion of desk accessories, leather bags, watches, jewelry, eyewear, and fragrances. Montblanc products are sold through selected retailers, jewelers, and through about 360 Montblanc Boutiques worldwide. It has been concentrating on maintaining a strong presence in China, where is operates more than 90 boutiques.

John Smedley wants to bathe its customers in a knitted medley of textures and colors. The company makes fashionable knitwear for men, women, and children, as well as underwear and nightwear. Its products are sold through department stores and boutiques, as well as through a pair of company retail outlets and a Web site. In early 2009, John Smedley redesigned its London flagship. Founded in 1784 by John Smedley and Peter Nightengale (uncle of famed nurse Florence), it runs the world's largest fine-gauge knitting plant (which remains located at its original site). The Smedley family still owns most of the firm.

SilkSkin has shed its old name, California Cosmetics, for the brand it's best known for. Founded by longtime Hollywood makeup artist Bob Sidell, SilkSkin offers a skin care system by the same moniker through mail order and online. The company makes a line of more than 80 products that include hair care, anti-aging skin care, bath and body products, and makeup. President and CEO Sidell began his career on the set of The Waltons and later worked with Dolly Parton, Drew Barrymore, Heather Locklear, Jaclyn Smith, Joan Collins, and Kathleen Turner. In addition to its new name, the company moved into a new distribution center in Las Vegas and unveiled a new logo in 2008.

The family of founder Hamilton Carhartt owns the firm, which was founded in 1889. The clothing manufacturer offers rugged overalls, flame-resistant work wear, outerwear, sweatshirts, sportswear, and pants favored by farmers and hard-working blue-collar types. Its clothes and footwear have shown up in such popular films as "The Perfect Storm" and "The Horse Whisperer". Most of Carhartt's products are manufactured in about 10 US factories; the remainder is produced in Mexico and Europe. Carhartt's apparel is carried by major chains (Bass Pro Shops, Cabela's) and regional retailers in North America, Europe, and Japan.

Esprit Holdings got its start in San Francisco in the 1970s. Esprit Holdings aims to put shoppers in the buying spirit. The firm sells a wide range of fashion items through about a dozen product lines -- including women's, men's, and children's apparel, footwear, accessories, assorted housewares, and jewelry under the Esprit label. Women's apparel and accessories account for nearly two-thirds of sales. The company also sells cosmetics and skin care products under the Red Earth brand name. Esprit Holdings controls retail space of more than 817,000 square meters and has about 15,000 wholesale outlets in 40-plus countries, including about 1,640 owned and franchised stores. It also licenses the Esprit name.

Vi-Jon has been keeping it clean for more than a century. The health and beauty care company makes such products as body washes, deodorants, lotions, mouth washes, shampoos, and soaps. It is primarily a private-label manufacturer for national retailer brands, but it also develops and markets its own brands, including Germ-X hand sanitizers and Inspector Hector oral care and hand soap products for kids. Its products are supplied to retailers, such as Kroger, Target, and Walgreens, across the US. Vi-Jon was originally founded as Peroxide Specialty Company in 1908 by John B. Brunner, grandfather of chairman and CEO John G. Brunner. The family-owned firm was acquired by investment firm Berkshire Partners in 2006.

Bare Escentuals company, which rolled out its bareMinerals makeup brand in 1976 along with its first retail store, develops, markets, and sells natural cosmetics, skin care, and body care items. Brand names include bareMinerals, Buxom, md formulations, RareMinerals, and its namesake line. Bare Escentuals sells its products in the US through about 100 company-owned shops, 800 beauty product retailers, and 1,500 spas and salons. It also has distributors in Canada, Japan, and the UK, among other European countries. Formerly STB Beauty, the company changed its name to Bare Escentuals in 2006.

Acme United Corporation was founded in 1867 and is headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut. Acme United Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, supplies cutting, measuring, and safety products to the school, home, office, and industrial markets in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia. Its cutting device products include scissors, shears, guillotine paper trimmers, rotary paper trimmers, rotary cutters, hobby knives and blades, chef shears, utility knives, manicure products, medical cutting instruments, and pencil sharpeners. The company's measuring instrument products comprise rulers, math tools, and tape measures. Its safety products include first aid kits, personal protection products, and over-the-counter medication refills. The company markets its products primarily under the Westcott, Clauss, and PhysiciansCare brands. Acme United Corporation distributes its products through independent manufacturer representatives and direct sales forces to wholesale, contract, and retail stationery distributors, office supply super stores, school supply distributors, industrial distributors, wholesale florists, mass market retailers, and hardware chains.

Citizen Watch Company of America, Inc. company is the North American sales and marketing arm of Japan-based Citizen Watch. Citizen Watch's products include designs for sports, casual, and fashion wear for men and women. Focusing on technology, Citizen Watch boasts the slimmest LCD watch, one that uses voice recognition, and a professional dive watch with electronic depth sensor. Its Eco-Drive collection of environmentally friendly timepieces is fueled by light, rather than a battery. The company sells is products through retail jewelry and department stores. Its Japanese parent bought rival Bulova in 2008.

UFP Technologies Inc. company was founded in 1963 and is headquartered in Georgetown, Massachusetts. UFP Technologies, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the design and manufacture of engineered packaging solutions for automotive, computer and electronics, medical, aerospace and defense, industrial, and consumer markets. The company offers packaging products primarily using polyethylene, polyurethane, cross-linked polyethylene foams, and rigid plastics. Its packaging products include end-cap packs for computers, corner blocks for telecommunications consoles, anti-static foam packs for printed circuit boards, die-cut or routed inserts for attache cases, and plastic trays for medical devices and components. The company also fabricates and molds component products made from cross-linked polyethylene foam and other materials, as well as engages in laminating fabrics and other materials to cross-linked polyethylene foams, polyurethane foams, and other substrates. Its component products include automotive interior trim, athletic and industrial safety belts, components for medical diagnostic equipment, nail files and various beauty aids, anti-fatigue mats, and shock absorbing inserts used in athletic and leisure footwear.

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