Oriental Trading Company Acquires SmileMakers

Oriental Trading Company has agreed to acquire SmileMakers, a direct retailer of patient giveaways and practice promotions for the dental and healthcare markets, as well as classroom incentives and aids to the education market, from Staples.

Oriental Trading expects to complete the acquisition by mid-April. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Sam Taylor, CEO of Oriental Trading Company, SmileMakers’ unique assortment of products is a complementary addition to its own offerings. And that the strategic acquisition will help expand the reach of both companies.

Taylor said Oriental Trading Company plans to enhance SmileMakers’ product offering to their customers through the addition of Oriental Trading products.

Credited with creating the “treasure box” giveaway concept in dentist offices, SmileMakers offers a selection of nearly 9,000 toys, stickers, and novelty supplies that are especially popular among medical and dental practices. Products are sold via the company’s catalogs and www.smilemakers.com website.

SmileMakers was founded in 1978, and its operations include a fulfillment center in Ontario, Canada, in addition to its principal fulfillment center in Spartanburg, SC.

This marks the company’s second acquisition in the last ten months.

In June 2013, Oriental Trading acquired Minneapolis-based MindWare, a manufacturer, wholesaler, and direct retailer of educational games, toys, and books for kids of all ages.