A new brand launched into the promotional market in 2004 was Shugon, who after a long spell in bespoke and mass production in Europe and the Far East branched into the UK within the last six months. After a period of establishment that saw the company set up sales offices in Sussex and Surrey and warehousing in Folkestone, Shugon is officially launched in the UK in January.

It was in June that Shugon arrived in the UK with the second of its European offices, with more openings planned for the continent in the future. The Shugon brand has been active for over 20 years around the world, and these years of large volume manufacture have given the company a vast pool of knowledge and expertise into sourcing the right materials for different types of bag.

Shugon staff have been trained to maintain the rigid quality control of the product and this has transferred well into the UK promotional market.

So far the range has been taken on by three of the UK's major distributors, and a selection of products is now available from BTC Activewear, PAG and Zapp 2000. The distributors have each taken on around 30 styles with a selection of colours in all the bags.

It has been a marathon start for the company, Sales Manager Melanie Roberts explained that the brand made its debut in the UK at the Incentive World exhibition in April 2003, testing market response to the range by exhibiting at four exhibitions during the first year.

Shugon's experience of bag manufacture comes from production for a number of clients who have specific requirements and insist on quality to reflect their world-wide branding. The UK mission is to supply bags that are premium quality, excellent value, are new and different in style and add a bit of colour to the promotional bag world at no extra cost.

As an experienced manufacturer with full control of the production process, Shugon work closely with the clients' demands to ensure that the range is of the optimum quality and meets the standards of demand. As a result of this experience, Shugon has sourced materials that have proven to be practical and robust.

The attention to detail is also a standard, and the use of quality zips, handles and other accessories is commonplace. The clips and handles are made in Japan and are shipped to the factory in China, guaranteeing a consistency in excellent quality.

Shugon have worked with specialist industries to produce the necessary products that are demanded, and as a result the work that has been completed for travel, sports and leisure, cosmetics, airlines, hotels and restaurants is now available to the promotional market.

Shugon have also become known for producing bags in colours other than the standard navy and black, a trait that has led one distributor to refer to Shugon as the producer of 'The sunshine bags.'

'We pride ourselves on being able to offer not only the better quality black or navy conference bag, but also the purple or orange sports holdall, and the very sturdy professional 80 litre hiking rucksack or the pink backpack for girls', said Melanie.

Shugon also produce leather goods, that have proved to be popular even though the focus has not yet been on marketing them. A range of products such as wallets, desk sets and executive gifts are available and can be embossed or foil blocked in-house. Melanie explained that the company currently uses a premium leather called "Super Royce", but also offers the Nappa, Bonded and Split Leather to accommodate lower price points.

Another side of the business is full commitment and set up to design and produce bespoke bags for clients who are looking for a unique style or their corporate colours. An in-house creative team is on hand to take clients through the tailor-made process step by step.

Shugon have been making special bags for many years and hold vast stocks of all types of materials and accessories. Shugon have produced many different tailor-made products options for one particular corporate customers, with products ranging from rucksacks to 4x4 wheel covers.

'It's brilliant working with Shugon - we rely on their zany yet workable ideas to promote our fun-yet-functional image, and their products are just such good quality', said the purchasing manager.

All of the new range is designed to carry print or embroidery and access and ease of application are key points in the design. They are all produced to high standards conforming to ISO 9001 and following strict ethical policies, quality control is carried out by Shugon employees on the ground at the factories, ensuring the high standards are maintained.

Look out for the exciting new range in distributors' catalogues. Visit the website at www.shugon.com or contact Melanie on 01323 734127 to discuss any bespoke requirements.

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