IMI NEWSLETTER EDITION 14

HK Convention & Exhibition Centre IMI are always searching for new, exciting and innovative ideas to present to our clients.
With that in mind we sent David Kean, one of our key account handlers, on the trail of new ideas and he began his Asia trip in January at the extensive 2014 Hong Kong Toy Fair.
David said "This was a fantastic opportunity to meet some of our key suppliers and to try to develop some new ideas for our client base. I was able to brush up on my chop stick skills too!" He found plenty of inspiration and came back with some terrific new ideas and concepts that will be developed over the coming months. See some examples in the pictures below and please watch the websites for more information.

IMI has a valued, trusted and large supply chain that has been developed over our 40 years plus history. We know how important relationships with these suppliers are so after the Toy Fair David went into mainland China to see some of them and to visit factories where orders are running and to assess facilities and developments. He was accompanied by Aaron Fang our manager in China and together they visited many places. "It was fantastic to see how our factories operate first hand and to see how much work and skill goes into producing good quality premiums for our clients! Furthermore it was great to go round the showrooms and pick out exciting samples that we can show our clients", mentioned David.

Bellow are a couple of interesting concepts that David found on his trip to China:



An interesting twist on the good old colouring game. Decorate these paper balloons with your favourite tools: pencils, pens, glue; once you are finished you can add the plastic wheels, inflate and watch these flat vehicles come to life! Please don't hesitate in contacting us with your enquiry on this product.		This product is 98% sand and 2% magic, where the ‘magic’ a bonding agent that causes the sand to stick only to itself in a soft clump. This sand flows and shapes just like wet sand, but leaves surfaces completely dry and mess-free. When pressure is applied it keeps its shape allowing for all kinds of sculpting and moulding. It is totally reusable and it never dries out!.

KOS We have been working with King of Shaves for a number of years and this year we are set to be busier than ever in Dudley, the home of IMI's fulfilment and packing operation.
For our main work as illustrated above, we receive bulk stock of their razor product which we assemble before the goods can be moved onto retail. The Azor handles, blade cartridges, empty cartridge trays, handles and trays, clam packs, 2 types of outer sleeves and the final outer packaging are all assembled and packed off.
The exclusive boxed set pictured above has been completely developed in tandem with KOS. We sourced all the components from the foam to the rigid box itself and packed all elements to assist the launch of the new metal Azor handle.

KOS

We are delighted to welcome Senior Purchasing Executive Jenny Han and Account Executive Sara Konter-Sultan to the team.
Jenny achieved a Master Degree in Business Management at Aston University in 2007.
She has been working in retail and creative agencies as a buyer for the past 5 years. "I now have the skills and knowledge not only in buying, but in testing and Quality Control too. I am excited to bring my experience to IMI".

Originally from France, Sara moved to London 6 years ago to achieve her degree in Marketing and Communications followed by a Masters in Public Relations at the University of the Arts London. Since leaving academia she has gained experience in the marketing field working across a variety of industries, from B2B to B2C sectors.
In November 2013, Sara joined IMI and she says: 'I am truly enjoying working for IMI and am looking forward to developing our services and working with our clients'.

Here are just some of the winners and commended products we particularly liked having seen them at the recent Spring Fair in Birmingham, UK. There were some strong ideas that can be adapted and deployed in our market.

From covermounts and promotional gifts here are a few examples of our most recent work that we are excited about! Don't hesitate to contact us with your enquiry as we are always ready and willing! We are happy to help.

Our work

Ralph Murdaca originally joined IMI in Sydney in 2008 and he is now IMI Australasia's Sales Director. He has a broad range of experience within the promotional merchandise, FMCG and retail industries.
Over the years he has honed his skills in the development and delivery of truly bespoke products across all mediums, including fabrics, paper, wood, metal and moulded plastics.
We wish him well in his new role supporting our wide array of clients.

Pantone, an X-Rite company and the global authority, today announced PANTONE® 18-3224 Radiant Orchid, a captivating, magical, enigmatic purple, as the colour of the year for 2014.
A modern and surprisingly versatile shade, Radiant Orchid enlivens the skin, making all who wear it feel more healthy and energetic. Blending both cool and warm undertones, purple is an appealing hue for distinctive combinations and flattering to many hair, eye and skin tones.
We'll try to deploy it wherever we can!

CNY It is the Year of the Horse in China, which is said to bring prosperity and wealth. We hope so! Chinese New Year is celebrated on the first day of the Chinese calendar, and this year fell on 31st January.
Festivities often continue until the Lantern Festival, held on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.
This can mean communications with our factories are a bit slow during this period and China does not really come back to full speed until around mid February.