Working with clients to develop and manage private label programs is one of Sertus’ core competencies. Combining first class in-house designers with a merchandising team that has vast and varied product experience has allowed Sertus to take on most private label assignments. While our experience has historically been in big box retail, helping larger multinational retailers design and develop hardline private labels, Sertus has worked with a wide variety of clients in this space, including: manufacturers, wholesalers and even entrepreneurs. Read about one success story in the sporting goods category in this CLIENT SPOTLIGHT.

1. CLIENT SPOTLIGHT: A PRIVATE LABEL STORY
In 2006 Setus was introduced to a doctor based in Toronto, Canada, who had developed a
growing business that involved the assembly and sales of specialty golf clubs for corporations,
individuals and promotional events. Prior to being introduced to Sertus, MD Golf
http://www.mdgolf.ca had been sourcing strictly from suppliers in North America but was eager to
lower the cost of its existing products and broaden its product assortments in golf while
expanding into other sporting goods categories.
The shift in MD Golf’s sourcing and procurement activities to China was transitioned through
careful and meticulous coordination between MD management and Sertus cross-functional
teams. This process involved professionals from multi-disciplinary departments including:
Marketing, Industrial Design, Quality Assurance, Graphic Arts, Merchandising, Quality Control,
and Logistics. Sertus provided MD Golf with specific assistance in:
1) MARKET RESEARCH: understanding end markets, existing products and future goals, and
developing clear and actionable objectives.
2) DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT: review of style,
function, quality and safety to help build the visual PRIVATE LABEL EXPERTISE
identity and final product specifications.
Working with clients to develop and
3) SUPPLIER SELECTION: The qualification of manage private label programs is one
numerous golf suppliers throughout mainland of Sertus’ core competencies.
Combining first class in-house
China. This involved extensive research and
designers with a merchandising team
product testing to find factories that offered MD Golf that has vast and varied product
the best combination of cost savings, quality and experience has allowed Sertus to take
reliability on most private label assignments
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om-china-procuremen m/sourcing-from-china-private-label-o
utsourcing. While our experience has
4) PURCHASING: Placing orders and negotiating historically been in big box retail,
favorable terms and conditions with suppliers. helping larger multinational retailers
design and develop hardline private
labels, Sertus has worked with a wide
5) PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT: Sertus agrees
variety of clients in this space,
with selected suppliers the adoption and including: manufacturers, wholesalers
implementation of standard operating procedures and even entrepreneurs.
(“SOPs”) that help to ensure a smooth production
process and timely delivery.
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2. http://www.thechinasourcingexperts.com/sourcing-from-china-supply-chain-management
6) QUALITY CONTROL: production oversight through in-line and final inspections to ensure the
integrity of the brand and quality of product.
http://www.thechinasourcingexperts.com/sourcing-from-china-quality-control-expertise
The immediate cost savings that were generated from MD Golf’s first order from China allowed
us to focus on product selection and expanding assortments within the golf category and to begin
to explore the addition of new categories, specifically hockey.
Sertus employed the same time-tested process to help develop and deliver the product
positioning statement for the label and within moths MD Golf was able to successfully launch
Blue Ice Hockey http://www.blueicehockey.com
With dedicated resources to service MD Golf, Sertus has helped build a
portfolio of hockey sticks that fit perfectly with MD Golf’s grass roots
sales channels and its corporate philosophy. Today, Blue Ice Hockey is
a provider of high quality hockey sticks at ultra-competitive price
points. Blue Ice Hockey sticks are sold at the junior, intermediate and
senior level to various recreational, collegiate and professional
leagues as well as select retailers throughout North America and
Europe.
A large part of the success can be attributed to the partnership
that Sertus has enjoyed with MD Golf. By removing the
concerns and resources that they were initially dedicated to its
supply chain, Sertus has allowed MD Golf management to
focus on sales and marketing.
MD Golf is an incredible success story, with
year-over-year growth that would make even the most
well recognized brands jealous. Recently, MD Golf has
signed a licensing agreement with the NHL (National
Hockey League) to provide golf clubs to its teams and
fans and is exploring a number of other initiatives
that will add great visibility to its brand. With
continued close collaboration between our two
companies, Sertus looks forward to a successful
future with MD Golf and Blue Ice Hockey.
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