Global Sourcing Solutions, Inc.

Think back to your childhood when you owned a toy that would keep you occupied for hours at a time. Do you remember “Wooly Willy”? And what does this have to do with Chrysler and GSSI?

Wooly Willy was invented in the 50’s as a lap toy and is still made and enjoyed by millions of children today. The Wooly Willy toy is made from a printed piece of heavy cardboard with a picture of a bald man’s (Willy) face. A clear plastic blister bubble covers the picture of Willy and is filled with small, black, metallic particles. The idea is to use a magnetic wand to move the black particles around Willy’s face and deposit them to mimic hair, mustaches, beard, etc.

Chrysler / Jeep is embarking on a global ad campaign for their new Jeep Wrangler model. With the tag line to emphasize the Jeep’s rugged image, “Jeep….It’s a dirt magnet”, they needed a clever way to promote the Wrangler at the World Auto Show in Geneva, Switzerland in March 2006. They came up with a new twist on an old toy.

Chrysler immediately called GSSI for guidance on how they could modify the old Willy Wooly concept to make their point. Instead of Willy’s face on the board, they replaced it with a Jeep Wrangler. Instead of black metallic particles to mimic hair, they substituted brown particles to mimic dirt. The consumer uses the magnetic wand to move and deposit dirt all over the Jeep.

Once Chrysler created the concept they asked GSSI to develop it, source it and manage the production. In addition, GSSI was asked to deliver 55,000 units to Geneva in time for the critical auto show, as well as another 200,000 to Chrysler headquarters in Detroit for the balance of their promotional program.

Chrysler Jeep is so excited about their new “Wooly Willy” Jeep campaign, that there is now talk of developing this concept in miniature to serve as a magazine insert world-wide.

The latest edition of Costco’s wildly successful cookbook series called “Creative Cooking the Costco Way” was shipped from Shanghai to Los Angeles recently in order to meet Costco’s post-Thanksgiving Holiday promotion. This year’s edition is the largest print run ever in the series, over 1.5 million copies, also making it one of the largest four-color book distributions in the publishing world this year.

“The company is very proud of our association with Costco. They are a brilliant marketing firm with character and are a fantastic success story. Costco has grown into a $51 billion company with warehouses in numerous countries. Their buyers are widespread, known and respected throughout the world. For them to select GSSI to manage their cookbook project is extremely flattering and we were determined to be up to the challenge,” Said Jim Letzel, President and CEO of GSSI.

“The sheer number of copies meant that we needed over 60 containers to depart Shanghai and arrive in LA within a small window of time in order to be picked up and distributed to all of the Costco warehouses in the US in time to make a three day distribution period. Any slip and we would miss the weekend Costco mandated for promotion. This could not and did not happen”, Letzel continued.

“We have worked with GSSI before and they performed very well for us. However, that job was a bit smaller and with a more generous distribution window. For this job we traveled to China to manage color and monitor production and can report that GSSI made all arrangements so that our time there was well spent, highly productive and we believe, resulted in a fine quality product”, said Dave Fuller, Costco’s Assistant Vice President of Publishing.

GSSI’s Solution II™ Featured in Franchise Service’s corporate newsletter. [click to read article : Franchise Service]

GSSI’s Solution II ™ laser imaging material was recently featured in the November issue of Franchise Service’s corporate newsletter. Franchise Services is the parent company and overseer of all Sir Speedy and PIP Printing franchises worldwide.

They cited Solution II ™ as a valuable substrate for any applications requiring durability and laser imaging. So much so, that their corporate offices felt a need to promote Solution II ™ to every franchise owner/operator in their huge system.

“Our focus here at the corporate level is to always find ways to improve and enhance the competitive value of our franchisees”, said Leasa Eddy, Vendor Relations Manager for Franchise Services. “We feel Solution II ™ gives us a leg up by allowing our franchisees to offer something very unique for demanding applications.”

GSSI today announced that it had entered into an agreement to import Electric Scooters from China to the US market. The scooter, named the Eco Glide for its smooth, economical and environmentally friendly ride, will be available for purchase starting November 1, 2005 but advance orders may be placed using Global Discoveries website. That site www.globaldiscoveries.net features the scooters under the New Discoveries section.

“We are evaluating several distribution channels for the Eco Glide,” reported Bradford Rhoades, General Manager of Global Discoveries. “Among these are the Internet but we are also looking into establishing geographic dealerships and introducing to the retail channels via the Big Boxes”, Rhoades continued. “The objective is to extend our reach into new markets and expand Global Discoveries business by adding new and exciting products that we discover in our travels.”

“This product’s introduction is as a result of our CEO’s recent trip to Asia where he was wowed with the utilitarian value and overwhelming popularity of the Scooter in nearly all major cities,” said William Ting, GSSI’s Director of Marketing and Sourcing. “Clearly it holds a major place in the transportation scheme in Asia and we believe, once introduced, it will have equally tremendous appeal in the US as well”.

The Eco Glide comes in two models. The SE is an entry level scooter aimed at college students and rental shop owners who want a dependable vehicle without the frills of the LE model. The Luxury Edition, or LE, comes with an additional braking system, wider tires, expanded seating area and extended battery.

“We have carefully targeted the price for these scooters after a extensive competitive evaluation and can safely say that the Eco Glide is the best value on the market. We compare extremely favorably against the European gas powered models in regard to price. Against Asian products we are hands down the most well made and dependable. You can’t buy a better bike for under $1,000. We know because we tried. Our factory partner is the best in China and we worked closely with them to insure that we built a bike in Asia but with the US consumer in mind. That’s not the case with any other scooter on the market today. We are very proud of our engineering on these products,” said Jim Letzel, GSSI’s CEO.

The Eco Glide electric scooters are being introduced at a time of high gas prices and environmental concerns. The scooters can travel up to 75 miles between recharges and reach speeds of 35 MPH.

“They are not toys and we believe riders should have a license to operate motorized vehicles even if they are not required by individual State law. These bikes should not be ridden on highways or trails. They are urban, beach and resort vehicles that are both safe and fun to drive. They work well for commuting short distances but are not designed to carry heavy loads or compete with highway traffic. The Eco Glides range changes with terrain and weight just as a cars gas mileage is affected by the same things,” reported Ting who worked with the manufacturer in the Glide’s development.

For more information about the full line of Eco Glide products, call William Ting at 949-452-1500.

Effective immediately Bradford Q. Rhoades, GSSI’s Director of Purchasing has been named a Sales Director responsible for direct sales to the Wine and Beverage Industry. In this position Mr. Rhoades will be responsible for selling both Global Discoveries as well as GSSI products and services into Vineyards, Distributors and Retailers on a global basis.

“Brad has undertaken an important assignment for GSSI and we are pleased he has agreed to do so. This really is an extension of his previous duties with Global Discoveries and in effect he has taken the show on the road”, said Jim Letzel, CEO of GSSI. “We believe Brad has uncovered an extremely valuable group of potential accounts and further believe that the best way for GSSI to exploit the find is to make personal contact with as many vineyards and associated businesses as possible. As such, Brad will be on the road, without break, for the next six months traveling the West Coast and selling our products such as wine glasses, presentation boxes, shirts, hats, openers and other items directly to the vineyards.”

“We believe”, Letzel continued, “that Brad will return from this extended sales trip as an expert in the Wine Industry and as such a valuable extension of the winery’s staff. Successful management of the tasting room has become an important profit contributor to a vineyard’s gross profit and our pricing permits our clients the opportunity to save on items they may have not previously focused on but can easily amount to tens of not hundreds of thousands of dollars. We will save them money and want a direct sales representative to help show them how”.

To date Rhoades has made contacts and has developed account relationships in Temecula, Santa Inez, Santa Maria, Paso Robles and Russian River Valley. The trip expects to reach to all important wine growing regions this year and expand into other States in 2006. Brad can be reached at 949-452-1501. Call to make an appointment.

In an attempt to expand GSSI’s Supplier Network and improve existing relationships Jim Letzel, President of GSSI, traveled to China on September 6 to meet with printers, packagers, premium goods suppliers and paper mills. Letzel was in Shanghai, Shandong, Qing Dao and Beijing returning on the 27^th after meeting with over 20 suppliers. “We enjoy excellent relations with a number of South China suppliers and have, this year, sought to expand our network in Northern China. We believe this to be important as South China faces rising costs on a number of fronts. They have been very successful to date in holding the line in regards to price increases to GSSI but the pressure is growing and we believe it prudent to look to North China and other locations in order to provide our Clients with the lowest manufacturing costs available,” Letzel said.

“GSSI has maintained relations in the Shanghai area for years but we felt we needed to expand both our printer base as well as the number of packaging firms we deal with on a regular basis”, reports William Ting, GSSI’s Director of Sourcing and Marketing. “We will never be satisfied thinking that we have a full complement of suppliers and the companies with whom we work know that.“ [read more]

GSSI Provides Bags to Launch Daimler-Chrysler Dodge brand in Europe [click to see bag]

Daimler-Chrysler has waited years to launch it’s very popular Dodge brand in Europe. They decided to do it at this year’s huge Frankfort Auto Show in Germany. Chrysler executives asked Stanley Thomas Associates, a long time graphic design agency in Detroit, to supply something distinctive and portable to help showcase the Dodge brand during the 10 day exhibition and conference.

Three mandates from Chrysler: the item had to be truly distinctive, within their tight budget and it had to deliver to Frankfort in 45 days. The item they chose was an oversize shopping bag to hand out to conference attendees. “Oversize” is an understatement. This bag measured 24” wide x 20” tall x 6” gusset; not a standard fit for most manufacturing equipment. The bag also required 100% ink coverage, black with the red Dodge “ram” logo emblazoned on the front and back, with full red bleed on the inside. Reinforced bottom and top sides as well as 36” macramé black handles accessorized this beautiful and flashy give-a-way.

John Wright, of Stanley Thomas Ass., knowing he had to fit within the budget (domestic sources were too high), called for the help of GSSI with the idea that off-shore production would save his client money. His concern was whether GSSI could deliver this order in the time frame necessary and whether GSSI could find equipment available in Asia to manufacture such a large bag.

“I was amazed with the confidence GSSI demonstrated regarding their ability to get this done within the parameters we set for them,” said John. “They took control of this project immediately. Through their contacts in China and their vetting process, they found the right factory with the proper equipment.”

GSSI wound up delivering the order (15,000 pcs) to the auto show 2 days early, came well within the budget and helped Daimler-Chrysler to make a big slash with the Dodge brand in the European auto community.

Mr. Wright said, “The most impressive part of this experience was the quality put into this product. I’m a real believer in the abilities of GSSI.”

GSSI Plans to launch simplified Chinese for its website to further assist its Chinese suppliers. GSSI has taken yet another step in efforts to make business easier for its vast net work of global suppliers by translating their website to Chinese. “In our constant search around the globe in finding top notch suppliers, we wanted to assist this process by having our website translated into Chinese. We are doing this for the Chinese suppliers who wanted to reach out to us in the past but found it difficult to find out who we are and what we did. We wanted to provide our Chinese suppliers with a better way to understand our company and what GSSI is all about” said Mr. William Ting, Director of Marketing and Sourcing.

For sometime GSSI has been actively analyzing the Chinese markets and its potential. By having their website translated into Chinese, the company feels they can search for new talent in areas which had not been easily accessible before. “It was important to us to create a bridge for the suppliers who might have been over looked in the past simply due to language issues. This is in lines with our vision of finding exceptional global suppliers” said Tom Vendetti, Vice President of GSSI.

At a news conference today at their headquarters in south Orange County, GSSI unveiled its newest division aimed at capturing a portion of the on-line purchasing market through its well established Asian connections. The division, Global Discoveries and its commercial site of the same name, plan to sell to wholesale buyers as well as to become the “Company Store” to Fortune 500 companies.

“We have had a flood of requests over the years to source new products and ideas that people want to bring to market. Over that period of time we have developed relationships with companies far a field from our traditional areas of print and packaging. These are great suppliers and both they and us wanted to continue building and attacking the US market. This is really the genesis of the idea behind Global Discoveries. Not only is it a way to expand our service and account platform at GSSI but it extends the way we do business”, said Bradford Rhoades, Director of Purchasing for GSSI and Global Discoveries division manager.

“Global Discoveries was so named as the product lines carried are intended to be unique and from all parts of the globe. We have items from Africa, Asia of course, Europe and South America. With some exceptions in the area of Apparel, these are not common products found on any website but truly different items, things that a buyer can introduce into their line exclusively,” reports Jim Letzel, GSSI’s President. “We also intend that this Division will be a profit center in its own right and as such we are committed to preserving Brad’s independence and ability to select products that are right for Global Discoveries without undo influence”.

The idea to launch Global Discoveries was first announced in December of last year. Since that announcement development has continued unabated. The original concept of creating a “catalog” look and feel has been carried over into the final product as well as the belief that buyers do not want to sort through tens, if not hundreds, of the same item and deal with subtle distinctions.

“Our overarching feeling was that buyers want the best value. We undertook to discover that value in each product we selected for the site. Buyers will not have to sift through hundreds of versions of a baseball hat. We selected one; we think it is the best one. We call it the “A Flex” hat and it is the best fitting hat made. Other sites go to boring detail listing minor variations off the same theme. We consciously made the decision not to go that route,” Rhoades explained.

Research conducted by the Global Discoveries team found the market cluttered with such sites that were confusing to navigate, carried similar products at similar prices, provided little if any description of the items and made purchasing difficult. The goal of Global Discoveries was to create a site that is graphically pleasing, gives a sense of adventure and travel, explains the product in a complete yet humorous way and, most importantly saves the buyer up to 40% from the major web competition.

Global Discoveries is able to afford buyers significant savings over other sites because of the global buyer network developed by GSSI. This “on the ground” sourcing team is aware of new products well in advance of US-based firms and is tasked with bringing opportunities to Global Discoveries management for evaluation.

The site, designed by GoPixel of Newport Beach, is divided into three sections – Apparel, Executive Gifts and The Tavern. A fourth section called New Discoveries features new items that demand special attention or are category busters that defy categorization. Each section is original and designed to make buying uncomplicated.

To discover the benefits of Global Discoveries go to www.GlobalDiscoveries.net or contact Bradford Rhoades to receive a brochure and prospectus.

A Maryland firm depends heavily on GSSI to supply all the raw materials for their expanding business.

The Mint Box is a rapidly growing company in Maryland that specializes in marketing customized gift tins full of mint candy.

These small tins are used for gifts or favors at such events as weddings, showers, receptions, private parties and even political conventions.

A tear-proof, water-proof label on the tin lid is customized with corporate logos, event descriptions or the names of the newly married couple. These mint tins make a great presentation and add to the prestige of the event's purpose.

GSSI first encountered The Mint Box when the client was searching for a durable material to use for their tin labels. GSSI provided a solution by offering their Solution II T material for the job. Solution II T is an opaque white, tear-proof, water-proof substrate that is treated to image on a laser printer.

After buying Solution II T for a while it became clear to The Mint Box executives that GSSI could also help them save money by sourcing the actual tins from Asia. The Mint box is now saving an estimated 25% on the cost of their tins by allowing GSSI to source and manage their production in China.

GSSI offers many products and services to their clients. The Mint Box has discovered that GSSI, like their promotions, really does provide "sourcing solutions". click to visit

GSSI Announces Agreement with Carabella
Mission Viejo, CA, GSSI Corporate Offices

GSSI, America’s leading Sourcing Company is pleased to announce the signing of an Agent’s agreement with Carabella, a leading swimwear and apparel company headquartered in Irvine, CA to oversee Carabella’s Asian purchasing operations.

The agreement makes GSSI responsible for negotiating price and terms for Carabella selected items as well as supplier factory inspections, management of quality control and production up to ocean logistics. Carabella will choose all garments and accessories for its catalog then turn the production management for all items to be made in Asia over to GSSI for execution.

“We are delighted to be involved with an organization of Carabella’s reputation and history and one that is so committed to exceeding customer expectations. Our participation is another step in the chain of events that GSSI will be announcing over the next few months where GSSI is involved in the sourcing solution early in the development plan. This is a stated goal of the Company and underscores the strength of the Asian sourcing organization we have been building over the past few years”, said Jim Letzel GSSI’s President and CEO.

As part of this effort with Carabella, William Ting, GSSI’s Director of Marketing and Sourcing will attend Hong Kong Fashion Week along with members of Carabella’s buying staff. Ting will be working to improve pricing and terms for Carabella and learn more about their plans for the Fall and Winter lines. William will then educate our local staff as to special Carabella requirements before traveling up to Shanghai to repeat the exercise with GSSI staff there.

“I want to thank Carabella and in particular Ms. Monir Jalili for the opportunity to attend this years Fashion Week and help to improve their presence and purchasing power,” said Ting. “Carabella is a prestigious account and one that I am proud to be a part of. They suffered from poor vendor performance in the past and GSSI is determined to fix that going forward. Among these improvements is local representation, a hallmark service of GSSI both in the Hong Kong as well as the Shanghai areas. Few Agents can offer such coverage”. click to visit

Jim Letzel, President and CEO of GSSI and Kenneth Merkle, Vice President of Commercial Sales attended the 14^th Annual Montana Summit held outside Missoula from June 19 to the 22^nd. The Summit, which is a casual gathering of business leaders, academics and financiers is an invitation only affair founded by Kenneth Crone, long considered a leading expert on bankruptcy law and policy, as a forum for “fishing and finance”. Attendees are able to mingle with other business leaders as well as fly fish on some of the most beautiful rivers in America.

Mr. Crone, a long time friend of Mr. Letzel’s, extended an invitation to attend and explain some of the activities with which GSSI has been involved in China and elsewhere.

Companies who have attended in the past include Visa International, Bank of America, JC Penney, ICI, Countrywide Bank and RR Donnelley. Academics from both the United States and Europe have also been prime past contributors.

“Both Ken and I enjoyed the opportunity to participate very much. Neither of us are much in the way of fly fishermen but we gave it our best shot”, said Letzel.

“Interest in China, Asia and what GSSI is doing in the Region was very high,” reported Merkle. “All seemed to have had some personal experience in Asia and could put a personal touch on the trends and ideas we reported to them on”.

The Summit, limited in space and number, gave GSSI a forum to discuss our view of globalization and learn from senior and respected leaders in the international financial community.

GSSI sourced and supplied wrist bands for the National MPS Society and assisted the no-profit organization in efforts to promote and raise funds for Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS). “GSSI will deliver these wrist bands in efforts to not only to help the MPS Society raise money, but to save on the costs so that the money donated can be maximized for MPS to use in their campaign for further research on Mucopolysaccharidoses” says Jim Letzel, President of GSSI. The bands are being produced in Shanghai, China and will be delivered later this month. For more information on the MPS Society, please see their website at: http://www.mpssociety.org/index.html

This year’s trip to the Canton Fair was indeed a successful one. For those who don’t know a whole lot about the Canton Fair, this fair is considered to be one of the largest trade shows held in the world, with over 28,000 booths in total.

We were able to establish several new relationships with some key suppliers who had some really interesting products to offer. For example, we found suppliers capable of manufacturing weather sensitive time pieces. These clocks can actually give an electronic weather forecast, also included is a digital hydrometer, calendar, alarm clock, and temperature display. Another supplier that we discovered produces some incredible looking POP displays. These displays are suspended in air by magnetic pulling and truly are a unique POP display. We even found a supplier with some amazing hand painted decorative plates that are simply works of art. I especially enjoyed the “Forbidden City” series. Each plate has its own written (both in English and Chinese Character) “story” on the backside of the plate. One manufacturer I met makes high end travel bags. These bags are not only made with durable material and well made, but they are equally handsome, and extremely functional for business travel. For any business person who travels a lot I give this bag a high recommendation.

Besides finding these exceptional items, we were able to expand our sourcing capabilities in the promotional and premium items by quite a bit. So for anyone seeking that interesting product please feel free to email me at brhoades@myglobalsourcing.com. I would love to hear from you and see if GSSI can find what you’re looking for!

GSSI has chosen to attend the 2005 Catalog Conference in Orlando, Florida from May 23-25. The company will have a hospitality suite at the Orlando World Marriott and plans to make a Capabilities Presentation to all interested conference attendees. The presentation, available by appointment only, will last 30 minutes and contain valuable information on recent print and paper trends in Asia as well as relevant developments and case studies of how US catalogers have taken advantage of all that the Global Print Community have to offer.

“We hope to make an interesting and compelling case for international printing and how the notion of disseminating data to multiple locations then printing locally is now a global reality”, said Jim Letzel, GSSI’s President. “The capabilities of Asian, Latin American and European printers affords US catalogers, particularly those with international distribution, a great opportunity to reduce both cost and time to market. It has been proven and we want to share those success stories with others who have a similar desire to save money by printing closer to some of their end markets. Given today’s electronic file transfer capabilities and the investments being made in larger and faster presses and binders in Asia, in particular, the difference between printing in the US and the rest of the world is becoming transparent. We think catalog decision makers will want to know about what is available to them and that’s what our presentation is all about”.

Those individuals interested in attending a GSSI Global Network Presentation should feel free to call William Ting at 949-452-1529 to set up an appointment.

May 2005
Integra Color chooses GSSI’s Solution II for its Horticultural Business

IntegraColor, one of the largest printers of horticultural materials in the US, has contracted with GSSI to supply many of their durable, laser printable products.

GSSI’s Solution II material (tear-proof, water-proof, laser film) is being used for plant/tree tags, pot stakes and indoor/outdoor signage at the many nurseries and retail garden centers that IntegraColor serves. For IntegraColor customers, the advantage of using Solution II is found in it’s durability that allows their tags and signs to withstand hot sun during the day as well as freezing temperatures at night. Solution II also stands up to the daily watering that plants receive during the entire season. The best and most convenient aspect of Solution II is that it’s patented coating receives laser imaging that will not smudge, blister, crack or fade in harsh conditions. These features make Solution II ideal for IntegraColor’s customers who demand the highest quality and convenience for the best value.

Horticultural Printers, a subsidiary of IntegraColor, is also one of GSSI’s oldest and most valued customers.

April 2005
GSSI Continues to Grow and Develop Packaging Alternatives for the most Popular MP3 Player in the World

Upon returning from the Asia trip, CEO, Jim Letzel and Director of Sourcing, William Ting had worked with factories to grow the MP3 accessories packaging business to bring in the new product. During the trip in Asia, our Packaging Specialist Julie, worked closely with client and manufacturer to bring forth what the client needed.

GSSI was able to find the right manufacturer to provide even a third product which is still in development. Using new materials such as EVA foam to incorporate it into a new retail packaging is how GSSI is able to provide solutions to our client’s needs. “We love nothing more than be able to source the difficult to find materials and provide a service that is valuable to the customer by saving them time, resources and money”, notes Director of Sourcing William Ting. “This is how we prove our value to both the client and the manufacturer – by being the match maker and providing a worthwhile solution to all parties”

Once again, Magnet Street calls upon GSSI to source a new product for their ever expanding business. The new product is a magnetic vinyl cover to encase variable printed calendars Magnet Street will produce on their digital presses allowing clients to personalize the pages. GSSI was able to provide a high quality product, under budget that fit the exact specifications needed by the customer. GSSI VP Ken Merkle says – “the customer came to me with very distinct price and quality requirement for this product and the GSSI team went right to work to secure a supplier that could meet their needs. We promptly contacted our supplier network, requested samples and determined the best fit. We provided samples from the top two suppliers to the client, made slight adjustments and determined the preferred supplier based on quality and pricing. This new product will be introduced later this year and the client is very excited about this opportunity.

If you are interested in sourcing vinyl products, please contact Ken Merkle at 972-208-2764.

Jim Letzel, CEO and William Ting, Director of Marketing and Sourcing are back from an extensive sourcing and client meeting trip. The mission was to search for vendors with additional capabilities and to build upon existing relationships with current vendors. Clients also met Letzel and Ting in Asia to tour current production and to develop better working relationships.

According to William Ting, “While we found some vendors that were exceptional, we did tour quite a few that did not qualify to meet GSSI’s demands of quality, factory environment service and flexibility. Frankly speaking, majority of the vendors were not approved and did not pass GSSI’s stringent qualifying standards. However, we did find and qualify some extremely competent vendors in the following areas:”


• Perhaps the only 32 page commercial web press in Shanghai		• Top leader in seasonal decorative lighting manufacturing in Shen Zhen
• Fully functional In-Line press in Shanghai • 4 unit press for tins in Shanghai		• 9 color Rotogravure press in Qing Dao • Excellent wood boxes manufacturer in Hang Zhou
• 2 printers of high quality books including Genuine leather bound covers, 22k gold stamping, foil gilding, ribbon and various binding styles in Southern China		• 2 extremely high quality printers in Japan for auto showroom catalogs – including one which can print up to 1,500 dpi
• Largest wooden toy manufacturer in Guan Zhou		• Top garment label manufacturer in Shanghai
• 3 fully operational corrugated box makers who produce their own corrugated in Southern China		• Extremely flexible and fast growing stationery manufacturer in Guan Zhou with stitch and sew capabilities
• State owned food packaging manufacturer in Qing Dao

Some other highlights included meetings with:


• CEO of International Paper		• Developed new EVA Foam Packaging for MP3 player
• Chairman of Reebok, China		• Extremely large supplier of paper materials in Asia
• Recruited 3 new sourcing agents in China, each specializing in different areas of craft work, textiles and general sourcing		• Recruited 1 new print management agent in Japan with special background in advertising for one of the largest film manufacturers in Asia

“It was an extremely productive trip for GSSI and with proactive sourcing such as this past trip, it will bring GSSI to another level of competency”, says CEO, Jim Letzel. “The best part of it all was that not only was it a productive trip, it was also highly educational. My original suspicion of it being difficult to find sources like this for average US companies was realized on this trip. There are still plenty of manufacturers who are extremely capable but they are veiled by an abundance of incapable vendors and lack the exposure to the overseas markets. One must filter them out and it is like a finding a needle in a haystack, but this is what GSSI is all about!! This is a very exciting time for us.”

April, 2005
Director of Purchasing, Brad Rhoades is off in April to see the largest trade fair in Asia.

GSSI would like to announce that Brad Rhoades (Director of Purchasing) will be heading off to the Canton Gift Fair where he will be walking the floor during the week of April 24-28 in Guangzhou. Also during this time he will be meeting with several suppliers who have already made their appointments.

For those suppliers who have not yet made an appointment and you would like Brad to visit your booth to sit down and review your company's products, than be sure to email him at brhoades@myglobalsourcing.com as soon as possible to schedule your appointment.

After touring the Canton Fair Brad will be heading off to Taiwan to visit a few select suppliers for some exciting up and coming projects.

Mar. 11~28, 2005
CEO, Jim Letzel & Director of Sourcing, William Ting are set for a trip to Asia

CEO, Jim Letzel and Director of Sourcing, William Ting are set for a trip to Asia from March 11 through March 28, 2005 to tour over 25 new factories and strengthen ties with over 20 current manufacturers and printers. This tour will take Jim and William from the US to Hong Kong to Shenzhen, Guan Zhou, Dong Guan, Shanghai, Qing Dao, Tokyo and back to the US. “We are excited to grow and expand our horizons and extend our experiences to our clients” quotes CEO, Jim.

After a successful career in sales and marketing with a number of Detroit area printers, Mr. Todd Williams has joined GSSI as our Midwestern Sales Director. Williams will be responsible for new business development in a territory spreading out from his Detroit base. “In this role he will expand upon our business in the Detroit area and create a presence for us in an important part of the country that we are underrepresented in”, said Tom Vendetti, GSSI’s Vice President of New Business Development.

“I have known and admired Todd as a career print professional who is not afraid to branch out into the International business environment. We fully expect that he will embrace GSSI’s global supplier platform and even challenge us to locate new capabilities,” continued Vendetti.

GSSI is a leading representation and sourcing company with supplier/partners on 4 continents.

Feb. 28, 2005
GSSI is proud to announce its Global Internship Course and its involvement with University of California at Irvine.

“We are proud to work with the bright and upcoming stars of today at UCI” said William Ting. “It is a natural step in the right direction to mentor the talented and proactive students who want to develop their classroom skills in conjunction with today’s complex world of global business.”

GSSI will play a unique role in bridging the gap between the University and the international business community. In order to make the most efficient use of the student time, the work consists of intensive exposure and real involvement in the office.

The internship program is carefully designed to provide students with the type of background necessary for building a successful career in today’s global market. Students will be given an opportunity to grow and learn in a real business environment. It is GSSI’s hope that the students will learn to enjoy, as we do, the complexities of finding solutions for businesses world wide.

GSSI is pleased to add Mr. William Ting as Director of Marketing and Sourcing for GSSI. In this position Will is responsible for marketing with special emphasis on new account generation and market analysis. He will also lead GSSI’s sourcing initiatives meaning that all In-country managers now report to Will.

“We feel very fortunate to be able to add someone of Will’s experience”, said Jim Letzel GSSI’s President. “In addition to a long and distinguished career in Asia, Will brings a vitality and energy to our marketing efforts that we feel confident will provide a cohesive approach and vibrant attitude to our new customer acquisition strategy for 2005. These efforts have, in the past, not been well planned or coordinated. Will is on board to fix that.”

Will Ting joins GSSI from Toyo Electric where he was responsible for product development on such accounts as Home Depot, Lowe’s, Walgreen’s, Disney and Wal-Mart. He is fluent in Mandarin, Japanese and English with a passing knowledge of Spanish. A graduate of the University of California’s Irvine Campus, Will is relocating from Taipei to join GSSI.

“I like the idea of building something and being a part of a company’s success in a very tangible way,” said Ting. “This company, GSSI, is really well positioned at the confluence of a great migration to take advantage of that movement and experience some phenomenal growth. I wanted to be part of that. Even though I had offers from other, larger companies I chose GSSI because I believe I can really make a difference here”.

GGSSI announced that the Company has been selected to build packaging for an accessory of the most popular MP3 player in the world. The open-ended agreement requires GSSI to provide this packaging on a weekly basis and with a turnaround not to exceed 24 hours. The accessory which protects the MP3 player, is being introduced to the global market at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas prior to being rolled out into the mass market in the first quarter of 2005.

“GSSI is extremely pleased and proud to have been selected to manufacture this vital part”, said Jim Letzel GSSI’s President. “Anytime that GSSI can partner on a repetitive item like this and build a relationship with a wildly successful product like this MP3 player, we consider ourselves very fortunate indeed. It is this type of work that is building GSSI into a trusted and valuable Solutions Provider. Companies who clearly have the staff and resources to source suppliers and manage production themselves are turning to GSSI as a less expensive and credible option. Our goal is to be seen as an extension of our Client’s staff and work with and for them. We have accomplished all in this instance and we look forward to a long association.” Letzel added.

Magnet Street has realized extensive growth and success with their small format calendars targeted toward the realty business. Their momentum continues with plans to increase volume to at least 10,000,000 calendars for 2006, compared to 7,000,000 produced in 2005. GSSI will again be managing the entire print production and logistics for the 2006 campaign. Print Production will take place in China and commence at the end of this year.

The partnership with GSSI extends for a fourth year as we continue to provide Magnet Street with a cost effective, quality driven solution that has played an important role in the success of this campaign. The product has a high amount of complexity, especially with regard to the binding aspects, requiring GSSI to place great focus to ensure the product is received in a manner that allows Magnet Street to utilize their automated equipment and streamline the process.

"I'm proud GSSI continues to play an integral role in supporting Magnet Street's growth year after year and providing this important customer with a cost effective print solution." said Ken Merkle Vice President of Commercial Print.