Founded in 1845 by Count Antoine Norbert de Patek, Patek Philippe has since continued to innovate each year, from its first (a minute-repeating pocket watch) to its last (a watch that can replicate the chimes of Big Ben, calculate the phases of the moon, and follow the changing date of Easter). Far beyond even the fanciest Rolex -- a basic Patek Philippe runs about $17,000, and that's without the company's renowned "complications." Watches are sold through specialty dealers worldwide, such as Tiffany, Tourneau, and Henri Stern. The Charles and Jean Stern family has owned Patek Philippe for some 50 years.

Phat (acronymic slang for "pretty hot and tempting") Fashions designs and markets urban hip-hop fashions for men, women, and children under the Phat Farm and Baby Phat names. It also makes clothing in Big & Tall sizes. The company's products are sold through department and specialty stores, company-owned Phat Farm stores in New York and Montreal, and a Web site. Most of Phat Fashions' products -- which include apparel and accessories -- bear the brand name. The company got into footwear in 2008. Entrepreneur and hip-hop media guru Russell Simmons founded Phat Fashions in 1992; he sold it to clothier Kellwood in 2004.

Birmingham Budweiser was founded in 1966. Birmingham Budweiser company distributes alcoholic beverages from Anheuser-Bush InBev in the fine southern cities of Birmingham and Jasper, in the Yellowhammer State. Birmingham Budweiser, located in West Oxmoor Industrial Park, is run by members of the Kampakis family. The editors of Business Alabama magazine have named Birmingham Budweiser Distributing as one of the top 100 private companies in Alabama.

Zotos wants its products to be the hair and now to salon clients worldwide. Zotos International, a unit of Shiseido International Corporation and Japan's Shiseido Company Limited, makes hair care and hair color products and markets them to salons. Its name brands include JOICO, Blondie, Quantum, Bain de Terre, Nucleic-A, Naturelle, and Zotos. The firm also sells Decleor, CARITA, and Qi esthetic beauty and spa treatments. Products are sold through professional beauty supply stores and salons -- such as Armstrong McCall, Regis Corporation, and Sally Beauty's Beauty Systems Group -- as well as through online retailers. Shiseido acquired Zotos in 1988 from Conair Corporation.

SATO A.E. company designs and manufactures home and office furniture, including cinema seats, desks, filing cabinets, shelving units, office chairs, sofas, and a variety of office accessories. SATO sells ethnic home furniture through its La Maison Coloniale brand. Other furniture brands include BoConcept, ENTOS, Leather Concept, and SATO. SATO was founded in 1973 from partnership company METALLONHELLAS, which was founded in 1964. The Theodoridis Group, chaired by SATO chairman Sotirios Theodoridis, owns more than 50% of SATO.

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.

Saucony wants to be the sole provider to athletes young and old. Best known for its performance running shoes under the Saucony name, the company also sells shoes for walking, cross-training, and hiking. The manufacturer, founded in 1898, also sells Saucony Originals vintage designs. Saucony's products are sold through parent Stride Rite's wholesale segment, which overall sells to 8,000 customers in about 70 countries and territories, alongside its other brands Keds and Sperry Top-Sider. Stride Rite, which boasts domestic and international license agreements as well, added Saucony to its shoe portfolio in late 2005 for approximately $170 million in cash.

Takasago International (U.S.A.) hopes to leave you smelling like a rose. The company develops a variety of flavors and extracts that are used in beverages, candies, mints, perfumes, and colognes. Takasago's product line also includes fine chemicals and aroma chemicals. In late 2008 the firm acquired New Jersey-based Wessel Fragrances in a bid to gain access to Wessel's customers in the household and personal care products markets. The company is the US subsidiary of Tokyo-based Takasago International, a leading fragrance supplier in the Asia-Pacific region, that was established in 1920.

Hugo Boss outfits inhabitants of (and aspirants to) the corner office with brands including BOSS, a line targeted at executives; trendy, casual HUGO; and the more uptrend BOSS Selection. Hugo Boss designs and licenses clothes, accessories, cosmetics, and fragrances sold through its 1,200 shops and other retailers in some 80 countries. Known for its menswear, Hugo Boss has also entered womenswear, footwear, and leather goods. The firm was founded by its namesake in 1923 to make work clothes. It moved into suits in the 1950s and expanded beyond business wear in the 1990s. Hugo Boss is part of the Valentino Fashion Group.

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.

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