What’s The Buzz?

What roles should suppliers and distributors take regarding product safety?

Here’s what PPMN members are saying:

“Our industry has a good deal of exposure to product safety risk, especially with imported products. The news on this front has been uniformly bad for over a year, with the latest being the recall of 200,000 plush “insects” that presented a choking risk. My view is that we have a great opportunity to take the high ground in this area by establishing industry standards for promotional products that reflect the higher of California’s Proposition 65 or the prevalent European standards, including materials issues and safety matters. I would like to see PPAI take the lead in this and develop a set of standards for us all to meet. In addition, PPAI should establish business partnerships with reputable testing laboratories to ensure that our products are tested fairly and consistently. Finally, I would like to see PPAI award a sort of “Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval” for those products that meet the standards.

“In this way, we can make things like Proposition 65 be our friends, and we can give our end buyers the assurance that they are buying promotional items that will make them proud.”

Mel Ellis

President

HumphreyLine, Inc.

“Both parties should take responsibility. Suppliers should have all the necessary information on their products, and be able to provide that to the distributor. The distributor should also question their client if there are any specific issues that need to be addressed. For example, if the product is going to children, small parts could be an issue. If the product is going to California, recommend the product be labeled to comply with Prop 65.  Know where the product is going, to whom and how it is being used can help guide proper questions for all.”

Tom Carroll

Vice President of Sales and Marketing

The Selco Companies

“Promotional consultants should educate themselves using basic product safety information supplied by their regional/national associations. Supplier-partners should do the same and communicate their efforts to their PC clients.

“That way, we will able to engage our clients in initial product safety discussions and rely upon our supplier-partners for product-specific detail.”

Joseph G. Scott, MAS
Vice President

Scott & Associates, Inc.

“As a manufacturing company, we have a responsibility for product safety that extends to the final user and to recycling. Product safety is one part of a business philosophy that is focused on long-term success; other components include employee safety and environmental responsibility. These considerations are less obvious when we plan for sustainable success--keeping our process and equipment up to date, production efficiency and even employee healthcare more readily come to mind. 

“Many of our products are not ‘traditional’ promotional items so we expect to provide more support to the promotional professional who is considering including us in the program they are developing. Part of the support we provide is safety related. One example might be the request to support a mailing program with a minted piece to drive customer redemption. In addition to sharing considerations that will affect the mail house, we offer a warning if the piece is below the chocking hazard limit. While many partners would be well aware of this risk, sharing the warning is just good business relations.   

“As an illustration of this, many years ago, we used “lead hot type” in the printing process. We purchased lead from a reputable source that had been in business for nearly a century. We recycled the lead through this same company, closing the loop. Ten years after we discontinued the process, we were served with notice of a fine for polluting a small parcel of land over 1,200 miles from our facility. It seems that over a century of smelting lead, the land had become contaminated. When our vendor quit business and the land was prepared for reuse, the pollution was found. Ancient records showed that we had been a customer of this company and this created a liability.”   

Ken Zieska

Vice President

Wendell's

“I believe suppliers should take a leading role regarding product safety. Many suppliers set themselves apart by designing creative and innovative products. A key part of the design and development process should certainly include the issue of product safety.

“There are both legal and cultural implications involved. As promoters of these products, distributors should also play a key role by acting as safety stewards for their customers. Before proposing a product, it’s a distributor’s responsibility to investigate the potential safety implications and to be prepared to discuss any issues with the suppliers, then to communicate these issues to their clients. Product safety is an implied expectation from buyers today.”

Christopher Duffy, MAS
Senior Vice President of Marketing
Bag Makers, Inc.

“Interesting question―all sides of the fence really need to be proactive. Clients need to know their own levels of expectation and have to be well informed; distributors can show their expertise by leading their customers with assurance and choosing the suppliers that will meet their expectations, and suppliers have a responsibility to know their sources and to provide safe products. Through every step of the distribution chain, the parties that are best informed, and that make the effort to be proactive in both product knowledge and product assurance, will benefit most in the long run, I believe.”

Kippie Helzel, MAS

Vice President, Sales

Custom Plastic Specialties, Inc.