Expo Bound: Prime Line Brings Hard Goods Into the Print Conversation

As PRINTING United Expo approaches, Promo Impressions is catching up with promotional products decorators and suppliers to discuss industry trends, growth opportunities, and what they're looking forward to at the year's event. For this edition, we spoke with Rick Phillips, VP of marketing at Prime Line, a division of S&S Activewear and an Alliance member.

Why was exhibiting at PRINTING United Expo important for Prime Line this year?

Rick Phillips, Prime Line | Credit: LinkedIn

Exhibiting at PRINTING United Expo allows Prime Line to present our expanding catalog of hard goods and promotional solutions directly at the growing intersection of print and promo. As commercial printers and distributors increasingly unify their branding offerings, having a strong footprint here ensures our line remains top of mind for cross-market opportunities. It also reinforces our commitment to supporting partners with retail-quality branded merchandise, versatile decoration options, and reliable fulfillment resources.

• Interested in exhibiting? Explore opportunities to put your products and solutions in front of the industry.

Who are you hoping to connect with on the show floor?

We are looking forward to connecting with promotional product distributors, commercial print service providers, and regional decorators expanding into hard goods. We also want to engage with our long-standing distributor partners to showcase our newest line additions and discuss what their corporate clients need most for upcoming campaigns. Building new relationships with print houses looking to add turnkey promo offerings to their customer accounts is a primary focus.

The ASI Show Pavilion brings promotional products suppliers together within a larger print industry event. What value does that combination bring to your team?

The ASI Show Pavilion creates a dedicated bridge by giving us direct access to traditional print service providers who are actively seeking full-service promo options for their clients. It allows us to demonstrate how seamlessly hard goods and apparel complement commercial print assets under a unified brand campaign. For our team, this combination expands our reach into non-traditional sales channels while maintaining the focused structure of a dedicated promo environment.

Find Prime Line in the ASI Show Pavilion — Booth C4306

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Beyond exhibiting, what technologies, equipment, or trends are you planning to explore while you're at the show?

We are excited to explore advances in direct-to-film (DTF) imprinting, automated decoration machinery, and sustainable surface finishing that can enhance hard goods customization. Additionally, we are keeping a close eye on emerging print-on-demand workflows and AI-driven production tools that can streamline order intake and lead times. Gathering fresh insights on retail design trends and eco-conscious material innovations will also help inform our future product line development.

When the Expo wraps up, what would make the event a success for your team?

Success means walking away with high-quality distributor contacts, particularly print-focused partners diversifying into promotional hard goods. We also measure success by strong engagement around our new product introductions and the direct feedback we gather from existing clients on the floor. Ultimately, turning those initial floor conversations into active account relationships and catalog integrations is our key benchmark.