PPAI’s business development staff members have been on the road connecting with industry companies and professionals to learn more about them, their outlooks on the industry and how the Association can best meet their needs. Melissa Massey, major account manager-West, was in California recently meeting with members in the Los Angeles area.

One of her first visits was with Pranav Dalal, founder and chief disruption officer of business services outsourcing company Office Beacon (PPAI 255089, A1) in Manhattan Beach. The company has been in business since 2001, and Dalal credits its ability to deliver high-quality services within tight deadlines, its versatility and capacity to customize services based on clients’ needs for its growth. Dalal says, “Office Beacon is constantly adding new services to help grow [our clients’] bottom line. Call center services are a recent addition to our line-up of offerings. Whether it is answering client calls or following up on sales orders, our representatives are trained to handle all client needs.”

As for what’s next, he says, “Always ahead of the curve, Office Beacon is constructing a 100,000-square-foot building in India. The Office Beacon headquarters will house over 5,000 employees.”

At Minya International (PPAI 112523, S5), Massey met with Helen Huang, the Fullerton supplier’s president, and Charles Huang, its vice president of sales and marketing. Founded in 1981 with an original focus on the retail market, it has operated in the promotional product space since the early 1990s. Speaking on how the company approaches the promotional products industry, Charles Huang says, “Minya promotes a wide variety of product categories such as aviation, automotive, specialies for ladies, housewares and executive gifts, etc. We source products overseas and sometimes design them to create targeted collections for major industrial markets. With over 30 years of experience, we provide the best and most unique selection of categories for every budget.”

In Anaheim, Massey visited supplier Universal Auto Frames (PPAI 113209, S8) and met with its president, Edward Contreras. He says, “Our company has been in business since 1982 and we keep expanding. We are different from other suppliers because we are always updating our equipment. Sometimes I wonder if I should buy a Lamborghini instead of a printer. But we need to keep business going, so I brought the printer.”

He adds, “Our company is expanding to a new facility that we are starting up in this Fall. It is completely designed for digital printing and automated die cutting. This is state-of-the-art equipment and the latest technology, allowing us to provider faster service and greater quality.”

Massey also met with Richard Lee, vice president of Startee Apparel (PPAI 411697, S9) in Santa Fe Springs. Relatively new to PPAI, The PPAI Expo 2020 will be the supplier’s first show exhibiting with the Association.