Jump Around...

Our lip balms are traveling again.  We made an appearance at the Capital One Bowl in Orlando.  Unfortunately a resounding "Jump Around" rendition between the third and fourth quarters wasn't enough to help our Badgers on to victory.  At least the weather was nicer in Florida than Wisconsin!

What will you give?

A simple question, yet, an impactful response.   

With so much discussion of Black Friday and Cyber Monday following a Day of Thanksgiving—our thoughts recently turned on this Tuesday to: “What will you give?”

Well, our staff here at Alliance Packaging Group, Inc., was quick to answer and responded through action on that very important question.  Through Tuesday, December 3, 2013, our efforts and community involvement reaches locally with useful lip balm samples and donations to the Saukville American Legion and a local bank to share with participants at an annual run/walk.  On a larger scale, our products, (i.e. – lip balms, hand sanitizers and sun screen) were included in care packs that are often shared with the homeless in Milwaukee through the tireless work of Mr. Bob’s “Under the Bridge” program—which was started back in 2007.  In addition, we continue to support the Milwaukee Rescue Mission, Balance Inc., North Texas Rehabilitation Services, Ozaukee County National Night Out, Advocates of Ozaukee County and Celebrate Grafton, Family Sharing of Grafton and Saukville Community Food Pantry.  Yes, a small sampling of giving back, but, on this #GivingTuesday™, it is our way to make mention on how WE GIVE and IMPACT our communities. 

What will you give? 

Have a great #GivingTuesday—EVERYDAY!

The lesson of the Whitetail Fawn

This was taken this past week out the kitchen window at the Pied Piper's house.  Mother and son hanging out looking for ??  The little guy was curious what was going on at the table,  (envelope stuffing for a non profit fund raiser).  But what struck me watching for a while was the use of shade and woods that protected the deer from over exposure to the sun and the use of the background available to keep them as invisible as possible..  You could argue that it is their natural instincts to remain camouflaged to the human eye.  A dappled fawn in dappled sunlight is near invisible. And sunburn is not among the probems white tailed deer have around here!
Sun Screen and Camo paints...we make em!  But not for deer!

Private Label Mecca

The hard part about marketing your company's abilities is when you reach the road block of disclosure.
We are a private label manufacturer and lab, FDA sanctified and specializing in body and skin care products, lip balm and a wide variety of specialty products and lubricants.  And it would be easy to impress the world if we could publish all the labels of the great products we make.  But we can't with out upsetting the applecart.  So we do it the old fashioned way, we use Professor Harold Hill's unique think system.  We think our way to new clients.  We are thinking about you right now.
The Pied Piper

Steel Drum Beat

Drum Island!  We make sweet music with our drums. We tap out the rhythm of American Made Products every day here in Wisconsin.  The song of Industry rings out from the sound of the steel drums in use.  We cool them, we heat them, we save them, we savor them.  They store all the secret and not so secret ingredients of our stock in trade.

The Pied Piper

If you are waiting for a sign...

Summer and Fall have vanished and Winter is settling in to stay. Heating bills are arriving.  Indoors become attractive and with indoor time comes indoor dry heat and skin and lip dehydration.  Combine low outdoor moisture with indoor heating and your entire system needs more moisture.  Drink plenty of water, use hydrating skin lotion and lip balm. Simple.

Alliance is on Fire!

Alliance Training Sir
Army Training Sir

We had select office and plant people go through Fire and Extinguisher class yesterday.  And the grand finale was real fire fighting training.  You can see that on a cold and blustery day, we got after it!

So rest assured that while we keep things cooking on the inside, we are emergency ready. We have hot products and cool people!

The Pied Piper

What Is 'Made in America' Worth?

Probably more than you think. As more manufacturing returns to U.S. shores, early signs show that a "Made in America" label is a serious competitive advantage.

VisionsofAmerica/Joe Sohm/Getty

 

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Think of the label "Made in America." What brand images come to mind? Odds are, you've conjured up a picture of one of two scenes.
First, there's that rugged, sturdy (if underappreciated), no-frills, American quality. It's the stuff of Chrysler Automotive's much-praised "Imported from Detroit" ad, and Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA." If you buy this two-fisted version of "Made in the USA," you also likely buy American because you're patriotic. You don't care if elites would rather buy a BMW.
The other Made-in-America vision embraces an artisanal, moral, locavore sensibility. Think of Whole Foods, or, in apparel, Brooklyn Industries. In this vision, you buy boutique American goods because they're holier-than-corporate and show off your elevated taste (not to mention your ability to afford such taste).
If one of these images is all that comes to mind, though, recent research and certain branding experts suggest that you're selling "Made in America" short. The label still has far more international cachet than Americans are likely to give it credit for. Even in the United States, buyers have proven that they'll pay considerably more for some kinds of American-made goods--simply because they expect them to be a better value.
International perceptions of "Made in America," are rooted in global perceptions of the country itself--and that news is surprisingly favorable for domestic manufacturers. Simon Anholt is a British branding consultant and creator of the Anholt-GfK Roper Nation Brands Index, which measures a nation's international reputation. In the market-research company's most recent survey, released in late October, the U.S. ranked first--for the fourth year in a row.
"The strengths of America's international standing continue to be innovation, opportunities and vibrancy," Anholt said in a press release. Germany placed second and the U.K. third. China didn't crack the top 10.
None of this would come as a surprise to Drew Greenblatt, president and owner of Baltimore-based Marlin Steel Wire Products, an Inc. 5000 honoree that manufactures only in the United States.
"American manufacturers have a reputation for getting it right the first time," Greenblatt says. "And a lot of clients are comfortable that, if they don't get it right, American companies will bend over backwards to make good on it quickly." Since companies that manufacture in America often can't compete on price, they have to compete on quality, service, or speed--and they have a reputation for doing all they can to defend that brand edge.
Part of the advantage Greenblatt enjoys is technological. Forced to compete with companies that benefit from lower labor costs overseas, American manufacturers have invested heavily in advanced plants. That tends to provides an edge in manufacturing precision and flexibility.
"I can manufacture to tolerances of 10 microns," he says. "My Chinese competitors can't match that."
And domestic customers? While U.S. buyers tend to be less impressed by American quality and innovation, they are willing to cut the "Made in USA" label considerable slack. In a study of consumer perceptions of clothing made in the United States vs. that made in China, Jung Ha-Brookshire, an assistant professor at the University of Missouri, found that when offered a choice between a shirt made in the U.S. with U.S. cotton and one made in China with local materials, American consumers strongly preferred the "Made in USA" label. They also valued the American-made garment nearly twice that of the Chinese one.
American Giant, a San Francisco-based maker of cotton shirts and sweats, trades on that preference. But it's also cautious not to presume too much about consumers' patriotic tendencies.
"We try to bring business savvy and innovation to bear so that we can compete on price and quality with foreign-made apparel," says CEO and founder Bayard Winthrop. "By shouting that you're American-made, you're asking people to make an exception for you and accept lousy quality or higher prices for a 'Made in USA' label. You can't build a scalable business that way.”
Contrary to the thrust of much election-season advertising, America's reputation seems to be improving, not receding. In the Nation Brands Index, the United States was the only nation among the top 10 to improve its standing. A lot of this has to do with the American economy. While the United States has emerged sluggishly from the 2008 financial crisis, its recovery is firmly established, and is now more than three years old. The U.S. faces nothing like the 25% unemployment of Spain or the shrinking GDPs of most European nations. "Success is a major dimension of the American brand," as Allen Adamson, managing director of global-branding outfit Landor Associates, told Businessweek.
At the same time, the labor-cost penalty that American manufacturers have to compensate for continues to shrink. Greenblatt says that his Chinese competitors used to pay workers 28 cents an hour but now pay $2.38, not including the 50% tax for the Chinese version of social security.
The U.S. is still not a cheap place to manufacture, admits Greenblatt, but he is content to compete internationally on U.S. companies' reputations for agility and quality.
"We're not selling to ignorant people," he says. "Our clients have plenty of choice, but they choose us because they are confident we'll deliver what we promised. Regardless of what anyone says, the rest of the world has a lot of faith in American ingenuity."

Read more:

'Made in the U.S.A.' Has Unexpected Cachet

How to Bring Apple's Manufacturing Home

How an Entrepreneur Became the Go-To Spokesman for U.S. Manufacturing

Eric Schurenberg is the editor-in-chief of Inc. Before joining Inc,

Supply and Demand in Youth Sports

SGMA Study: Basketball, Baseball, & Swimming Have Highest Percentage of ' Core' Participants
SportsOneSource Media     Posted: 9/6/2012

The forces of supply and demand are having a major impact on team sports in the United States. According to the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association's (SGMA) annual participation study on team sports - U. S. Trends in Team Sports (2012 edition) - the number of 6-17 year old children that want to play youth sports is on the rise while overall play in local youth sports leagues is decreasing. This SGMA study indicates that there is a shortage of available facilities and local recreation leagues (a supply issue) and there has been an evolution for team sports, such as basketball, soccer, lacrosse, and baseball, into a tournament and 'showcase' based model that puts less importance on regular, local league play (a demand issue).

"The importance and significance of team sports in our lives in the U.S. has never been greater than it is right now and this was reflected in the record number of Americans who watched the Olympic Games on television this summer.  Our national interest in the U.S. Olympic teams that competed in basketball, soccer, gymnastics, swimming, and track & field was substantial, to say the least," said SGMA President Tom Cove. "While interest is high in team sports, overall participation in 19 team sports actually declined from 2010 to 2011.  It would be great if many of the spectators actually decided to participate as well!"

THE GOOD NEWS

According to SGMA's U. S. Trends in Team Sports, the team sports which have had strongest gains in overall participation since 2008 are lacrosse (up 37.3%), rugby (up 30%), gymnastics (up 21.4%), ice hockey (up 13.9%), beach volleyball (up 10.6%), and ultimate Frisbee (up 9.6%).  Among the 24 team sports in this study, baseball (69%), basketball (67%), and swimming for competition (64%) have the highest percentage of 'core' participants, which are those who are the most committed, in terms of playing days, to their respective sport.  

"Team sports are actually getting a boost from adult females (age 18+) and among young females (age 6-12).  On the other hand, fewer and fewer adult males (age 18+) are playing team sports and those that do play are not playing as many sports as they have been in the past," said Neil Schwartz, director of business development for SGMA Research.

SPENDING MONEY ON TEAM SPORTS
In U.S. Trends in Team Sports, there is a section that reports on consumer spending on team sports.  The results are revealing:

Equipment Is Key.  U.S. consumers were less likely to report cuts in spending on sporting goods equipment in the 2012 survey than they were in the 2011 survey.

'Niche' Sports Spur Spending. At least 40% of the participants in field hockey, ice hockey, roller hockey, lacrosse, and wrestling reported an increase in equipment spending in 2011.

Spending This Year.  Nearly 40% of team sports participants plan to increase their spending this year on 'travel to take part in sports/recreation activities' and 'team sports outside of school.'

OUTSIDE INTERESTS
In U.S. Trends in Team Sports, a survey was conducted among team sports athletes to see which sports and activities - outside of their main team sports - interested them.  

1.    75% of all cheerleaders have no other athletic interests;
2.    34% of basketball players enjoy working out with weights;
3.    28% of baseball players like bicycle riding;
4.    Golf is most appealing to baseball players and roller hockey players;
5.    Tennis is most popular among grass volleyball players and indoor soccer players.

LISTEN TO THE LEADERS OF TEAM SPORTS
This edition of U.S. Trends in Team Sports features Q & A interviews with four individuals who play a prominent role in team sports in the U.S.  They are Scott Hallenbeck, executive director, USA Football; Stephen Keener, president/CEO, Little League Baseball International; Jon Butler, executive director, Pop Warner Football; and Kevin Davis, president/CEO, Bauer Hockey.

Scott Hallenbeck says USA Football is constantly looking at how the game can be enhanced and improved.  In a nutshell, Hallenback says preserving the status quo is never the option at USA Football.

"Football has thrived for decades. It's notable how strong the game is, although there are so many ways that we are improving it, particularly in coaching education. The sport must continue to evolve. This is happening," said Hallenbeck.  "We have the only nationally accredited coaching education program.  Coaching education and instruction have become an important part of youth football. Ours incorporates video, quizzes, 3D visualization, and other tools that add practical value. We have more than 30,000 coaches who come to us individually each year. They genuinely want to get better."

At Little League Baseball, Keener says it's important that, as young children, promising baseball players should not focus their athletic talents just on the game of baseball.

"We try to educate parents that everything we've heard tells us that specialization at such a young age is not necessarily a good thing,
"said Keener. "For instance, in warm weather locations kids are being provided opportunities to play baseball year-round and they get burned out. They'll be healthier long-term if they diversify."

At Pop Warner, Jon Butler says his group is well informed on the issue of concussions and is doing everything in its power to keep players as safe as possible.

"In 2010 we established the Pop Warner Medical Advisory Board, led by physicians with expertise in neuromedicine and sports safety, to ensure that Pop Warner stays at the forefront of new health and safety issues and any medical developments that may affect our young athletes,"said Butler.  "In June we announced two new rule changes for the 2012 season that address the type of contact and amount of contact allowed in football practice - a first at any level of the sport."

While Bauer is having success in the marketplace, Kevin Davis says his company does not take that success for granted.

"With Bauer we have 60% market share in ice hockey helmets, and with Cascade we have 80% market share in lacrosse helmets'so safety is our responsibility," said Davis.  "We treat each season like you rent your market share. We approach everything from a relatively humble basis. There's a consumer and a customer, and you have to earn that business every season."

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Listed below are some newsworthy excerpts from this edition of U.S. Trends in Team Sports:

A Young Foundation:  Competitive swimming has the highest percentage of 'core' participants who are 6-17 years-old, as 84% of all 'core' competitive swimmers are in that age group.  And, 70% of all swimmers are in the 6-17 year-old age group.

School Is Cool:   Cheerleading has the highest percentage (77%) of 'core' participants who are engaged in an activity through either school or college.

Girls Rule:  There are seven activities where more than 50% of the 'core' participants are female - cheerleading, field hockey, gymnastics, fast-pitch softball, swimming for competition, court volleyball, and grass volleyball.

The Mature Crowd:  Beach volleyball has the highest percentage of 'core' participants who are between the ages of 25 and 54 - 64%.

Money Matters:  The two sports where the largest percentage of participants comes from households that make more than $100,000 a year are field hockey and swimming for competition.




Those are the facts as we see them.  Want to support your teams and young athletes?  FACE PAINT!
Want to protect your precious assets?  SPF 30 for the outdoor sports!
We make them both.
The Pied Piper

All American Products

All of our products are proudly made in America by American Craftsman.  Our employees come from just about every ethnic and religious background and are joined together in the great joy of living and working in America!

As American made products, what does that get you??

The highest quality products made in the world under the watchful eye of trained quality control people.  American made gets you products that will be manufactured in a humane way with out testing on animals, child labor or unknown additives.  Made in America at our plant means a great product, done right at a great price delivered in a timely manner.  With real people that answer real phones!

We love the whole idea of made in America!

The Pied Piper

Not for the lips but for another use.....

I shot this little bit of video to send to the client showing them that their product was at the end of the line in production and would be shipping out that day.  There is something mesmerizing in watching the continuous flow of product as it goes through the labeling equipment at a remarkable rate. All products are lot coded and quality control needs to come by and sample it for product meeting specs on the batch, the fill and even the labeling to make sure we are all spinning in the right direction.

Just so we don't spin out of control!

The Pied Piper

Caught Red Handed!

This is our batching area and you can see the tank in front with the red on the edge.  This is a fresh batch of red Face Paints that are being filled this week to put into stock.

A separate batch will be made for all of these colors.  As a new product introduction this year it has far surpassed our expectations!  So when the next big event happens-be ready.  So far these paints in the small .1oz tubes have been used by grade schools, middle schools, high schools and colleges.  They have been used by summer camps, parades and as giveaways for a variety of events.

Need Paint?  Send me a note and I will direct you to one of the suppliers that carry it...
The Pied Piper

I know you have been saving your lips for me!

This is the mighty cluttered desk top of the Pied Piper.  The place where lip rescue 911 starts.  Among the items laying there are the sunscreen products for the USGA Woman's Championship being played right now in the 100 degree heat up the road in Kohler, Wisconsin.  There is also some of our blue wonder cream, pet conditioner, soap, hand sanitizer and a plethora of lip balms.

Note the highly sophisticated system of note organization, the symmetry of the carefully placed pens and highlighters and the strategic placement of the OUTDOOR show print out.  Salt Lake City in August...the Pied Piper will be there!

Steamy and sunny conditions lead to chapped and stressed lips.  Keep them puckerable, use some spf lip balm!

The Pied Piper

To hot to handle?? To cold to hold?

If wonder what it is like to work in a batching area cooking secret recipes for the hot fill lines in a factory and the outside temperature nears 100 degrees Fahrenheit, wonder no longer....

HOT,HOT,HOTTER, HOTTER, HOTTEST!

I give the boys in batching, Chris and Lee, a lot of credit for standing in and making us tick.  Way to go boys!

Unfortunately my office is air conditioned and I don't get the benefits of overheating and sweating all day.
But blogging is thirsty work so it is iced tea time!
The Pied Piper.

Avid golfer, Undisclosed handicap.

Saukville, Wisconsin,1/27/12

USGA Woman’s  Open, Blackwolf Run and Alliance Packaging Group take sun exposure seriously!

Alliance Packaging Group is the authorized manufacturer of SPF Lip Balm, SPF Sunscreen and SPF face Stick for the USGA Woman’s Open at Blackwolf Run,the Kohler, Wisconsin golf course.  APG an FDA approved high quality Lab and manufacturer is pleased to be the providing these logoed items for the tournament.  The host club, the USGA and authorized vendors will be selling the collectable items at the event, July 5-8, 2012.

Alliance Packaging Group is a premier manufacturer of lip balm, body and skin care products specializing in formulation and private label products, Alliance Packaging Groups CEO Linda Kamal , an avid golfer with an undisclosed handicap, said “we are so pleased to have been allowed to make our products for this premier event, especially as it is so close to our manufacturing facility.  The hands free face stick will certainly be favored by the players as a way to apply needed sunscreen without using their hands.”

Alliance Packaging Is also celebrating State of Wisconsin recognition as an official Woman Business Enterprise.

The Pied Piper

Face that Paint

Puddy is the Devil-Sienfeld

 

Why is face paint becoming so popular?

Check this:

7700 College and Universities (with teams and clubs galore)

140,000 Schools (with teams and clubs galore)

1089 Heritage festivals (What does your flag look like)

5752 Professional or Semi Professional sport teams (Wear your colors proudly)

8,000,000 High schoolers involved in sports (who is rooting for who)

311,591,917 US population –(how many teams do they each support)

THE OLYMPICS

Now toss in art and crafts at camps and in schools.  Add high holidays like St.Pats and 4^th of July.  Include causes like breast cancer awareness.

What do you have?  Unbelievable opportunity!

The Pied Piper