Hartmann, established in 1877 and one of the oldest makers of premium luggage, manufactures upscale brief cases, wheeled luggage, wallets, garment bags, personal leather goods, and other accessories. The company's products are distributed and sold through high-end department stores and luggage shops in the US and internationally. It offers US customers custom luggage design through its DesignTime service. In May 2007 spirits distributor Brown-Forman sent Hartmann packing by selling the luggage firm to middle-market, private equity firm Clarion Capital Partners.

Smead Manufacturing Company was founded in 1906 by Charles Smead. After his death, the company was purchased by an employee (P. A. Hoffman) whose granddaughter, Sharon Avent, is president and CEO. Smead Manufacturing wants to keep its customers organized. Accordingly, it makes a variety of paper-related and software products to organize and manage offices. Smead's first product, a bandless expandable file, is still among the more than 5,000 items it makes for retail sale in office supply stores nationwide (including Office Depot). Offerings range from hanging folders, labels, and binder covers to SmeadSoft software, which manages hard copy and computerized documents.

Davies Gate was founded by Ellen and Jack Davies in 1992. Davies Gate opens to a very fragrant garden. The personal care products manufacturer offers botanical bar soaps, bath and body products, skin care products, lotions, baby products, candles, and fragrances. Fragrance scents include rose, lavender, hyacinth, bergamot, sugar plum, citrus, and sea grass. Products are available through high-end retailers and through the company's Web site.

IIMAK was founded in 1983 and is owned by management and investment firm Centre Partners. International Imaging Materials (IIMAK) makes inks, specialty papers, cartridges, and cassettes that are used by manufacturers, retailers, and shipping and distribution companies, as well as in medical applications. The company also makes ribbons for fax machines, bar-code machines, and ID card printers. IIMAK's thermal transfer ribbons are used to print tags and labels, in addition to making decals, signs, and other graphic art. Its customers include OEMs and distributors. Though headquartered in the US, IIMAK also has locations in Belgium, Brazil, and Mexico.

Sothys Paris is a cosmetics and skin care wholesaler and retailer. Products include face care (cleansers, moisturizers, and items to oxygenate), body care, and sun care, as well as men's grooming products (detoxifying, age-defying, and hydrating). The firm has a research and development laboratory, an institute in Paris, factories in the US and France, and worldwide distribution channels. Sothys Paris is hoping to expand its product base across the sea; the skin care retailer opened its first facility in the US (New York) in mid 2005 called L'Institut Sothys Paris.

New Era Cap, founded in 1920, makes more than 35 million licensed and non-licensed caps a year and sells them through retailers the likes of Dick's in the US and Aeon in Japan. It operates offices in Canada, Germany, Europe, Hong Kong, and Japan. Its US manufacturing takes place in New York and Alabama. The Koch family (now in its fourth generation of management), including CEO Chris Koch, owns New Era Cap. New Era Cap has all Major League bases covered -- or at least the heads above them. The company makes the uniform caps of every Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball team, as well as uniforms worn by youth and high-school baseball players. The company boasts a portfolio of more than 200 licenses.

J. Choo, which does business as Jimmy Choo, gained its original notoriety from celebs strutting in the strappy soles down Oscar-night carpets and across Fashion Week runways. Still, Choo caters to self-proclaimed divas. The firm designs and manufactures shoes, distributing them through about 30 of its own standalone stores and some 150 high-end retail outlets. During the company's first buyout in 2001, Mr. Choo lost his toehold as chief designer. TowerBrook Capital Partners and Jimmy Choo management bought out Lion Capital's lion's share of Jimmy Choo for more than $364 million in February 2007.

JLM Couture, Inc. company designs, manufactures, and markets bridal and bridesmaid gowns, veils, and related items in the US and the UK. Its bridal gowns, which boast price tags of several thousand dollars, are made under the Alvina Valenta, Jim Hjelm Couture, Jim Hjelm Visions, Tara Keely, and Lazaro names. JLM Couture markets its gowns through bridal magazines, trunk shows, and catalogs. The company's bridesmaid and flower girl collections are produced under the Jim Hjelm Occasions and Lazaro Bridesmaids labels; they're peddled through bridal boutiques and bridal departments in clothing stores. Its Party by JLM is a collection of evening wear.

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.

Fat Cat company designs toys for dogs and cats with the goal of providing entertainment for pets and their owners. Its products include non-traditional catnip-stuffed and rubber toys in the forms of various animals and, of course, politicians. In addition to the catnip-filled character toys of Fat Cat's past (resembling former presidents Bill Clinton and George "Dubya" Bush, as well as Ross Perot and Bill Gates), its lines also feature likenesses of Hillary Rodham Clinton and California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Fat Cat toys are sold through pet product retailers, supermarkets, animal clinics, and gift stores nationwide.

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