Supplier Edwards Garment (PPAI 198530, S11), headquartered in Kalamazoo, Michigan, has acquired Vancouver, British Columbia-based Bishop Custom Clothing (PPAI 196214, S5). Edwards Garment points to the acquisition of the 20-plus-year-old company as strengthening its position to provide a better assortment of career apparel products and services.

“The acquisition of Bishop Custom Clothing is strategic for both of us,” says Gary Schultz, Edwards’ president and CEO. “Edwards and Bishop are leaders in our segments of the market and we share common values. The combination of our two unique companies creates a wider and more dynamic product offering to support large uniform programs. Both companies provide career apparel and we share a similar vision and business focus.”

Schultz adds, “Customer satisfaction is one of our core values, and it is supported by our quest to change, risk, innovate, reinvent and grow. Joining forces with Bishop allows us to take full advantage of the many synergies between the two organizations. We serve many of the same distributors and the availability of the Edwards stock product combined with custom apparel through Bishop gives us more flexibility to bring total solutions to the market and our distributors.”

Bishop Custom Clothing will maintain its office in Vancouver. Norm Bishop, president of the company, will continue his involvement with the company. He says, “Throughout this acquisition we have gotten to know the Edwards team and have admired their stellar reputation and terrific culture. Their business approach in creating career apparel programs and servicing customers aligns with our mission and vision, so we know this acquisition will be a win-win for everyone.”

Read more about this story in today’s PPB Newslink.