Family firm’s £1m warehouse boosts capacity and efficiency for American market
Speciality gift and book manufacturer Boxer Gifts has followed up on its £1million-plus ($1.4m) investment in the US with successful appearances at two of America’s biggest trade events.
Having just opened its first warehouse Stateside, creating 15 jobs in the city of Harrisonburg in Virginia, the team attended both AmericasMart Atlanta and Las Vegas Market to show off its fun products as well as the gift books from its Bee Three Books brand.
“We hope our investment in the state will help spread fun and joy throughout Virginia while creating jobs and opportunities in the local area,” Thomas O’Brien, Boxer’s operations director and president, said.
“After selling fun gifts in the United States for over 40 years, we’re thrilled to announce that our first US-based warehouse is open in Harrisonburg.
“As producers of quirky and exciting gifts, Boxer found the perfect match with Virginia – the people here like to mix it up and do things their own way, just like Boxer Gifts, After many years of distributing our products in Virginia through 3PLs and getting to know the wonderful people and the state, we knew this was the perfect place for us.”
Under the tagline “fun is our business” the family-owned and operated company was founded in 1982 in Leeds, and the expansion establishes its first light manufacturing, distribution, and wholesale US operation to increase capacity and efficiency in accessing its customers in the American market.
“Virginia provides one of the best business environments in the country which provides the ecosystem for family-owned businesses like Boxer Gifts to thrive,” said state governor Glenn Youngkin.
“In addition to the robust manufacturing sector and the accessibility to the US market, Virginia is a strong partner for international businesses like Boxer to invest and grow. I am thrilled to welcome Boxer Gifts to the Commonwealth.”
Having welcomed Kristie Silva to the team as the warehouse manager, the first official inventory arrived safely ready to ship out for orders at the two American shows.
Thomas and sales account manager Jade Robson were in Atlanta, with sales director and vice-president sales Julie Livesley-Turner following up at the Las Vegas event – where she had a smashing time on the opening day, admitting: “I wasn’t selling our Drama Llama game, I was being queen of Drama Llama as I smashed a display shelf into a million small fragments!”
