Orb Group
Orb Group is a Glasgow-headquartered strategic brand merchandise agency founded in 1994, designing, sourcing, and fulfilling branded merchandise, point-of-sale, workwear, corporate gifting, and managed ecommerce webstores for enterprise UK brands across FMCG, drinks, transport, and leisure sectors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersGlasgow, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Orb Group does
Orb Group is a Glasgow-headquartered, founder-owned strategic brand merchandise agency operating since 1994 (rebranded from 'Sports Business and Leisure' to ORB in 2002). It designs, sources, produces, and fulfils branded merchandise, point-of-sale, branded workwear, corporate gifting, and managed ecommerce webstores for enterprise and mid-market clients across the UK, with operational reach extending into Europe and North America. The company is led by Founder/CEO Mike Smith and Director/Owner Karen McBride, supported by a named team of approximately 15+ senior staff including a Managing Director, Group Account Director, Client Solutions Director, Ecommerce Manager, Financial Controller, and dedicated Head of Compliance. Approximately 30 years of industry experience underpins its positioning as a strategic partner rather than a commodity merchandise supplier.
The service offering is structured around six core pillars (Branded Merchandise, Point of Sale, Branded Workwear, Corporate Gifting, Managed Ecommerce, and the ORB360 strategic framework) supported by ideation/design, global product sourcing, quality control and compliance, sustainable and ethical sourcing, planning and logistics, and fulfilment and distribution. Technology comprises established ecommerce platforms (Shopify, Magento) and a proprietary CMS for webstore builds, integrated with back-end systems and basic reporting (basket analysis, postcode tracking, popular product insights). The ORB360 framework is a proprietary consulting methodology that combines functional, emotional, and social elements to position merchandise as a brand activation lever. Compliance credentials include SEDEX membership, Ecovadis-aligned supplier network, Ethical Trading Initiative support, and ICO data-controller registration.
Orb Group generates revenue through four streams: (1) professional-service fees and product mark-ups on strategic brand merchandise projects; (2) managed-services revenue from ecommerce webstore build, management, and ongoing retainers; (3) one-time product sales of branded merchandise, POS, workwear, and corporate gifts; and (4) transaction-based fulfilment, warehousing, and distribution fees. Pricing is bespoke and quote-based, varying by project scope, volume, and sourcing location; no public pricing tiers exist. Go-to-market is sales-led and enterprise-focused, combining direct field sales to brand owners, marketing directors, procurement, and HR functions with event-driven demand generation at industry trade shows. Distribution channels include direct enterprise sales, managed ecommerce webstores for clients, a Glasgow Airport retail outlet opened in May 2023, and a global fulfilment and distribution network. The named customer base spans 15+ enterprise logos across FMCG (Irn Bru, Greggs, Krispy Kreme), drinks (Tennent's, Tunnock's, Jura), transport (CalMac), energy (ScottishPower), financial services (Aberdein Considine), leisure (Goals), media (Still Game, Bauer Media), charity (Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo), and construction (GAP Group).
Orb Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Orb Group
- Legal name
- Orb International KMS Limited
- Website
- https://orbgroup.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Orb Group is a Glasgow-headquartered strategic brand merchandise agency founded in 1994, designing, sourcing, and fulfilling branded merchandise, point-of-sale, workwear, corporate gifting, and managed ecommerce webstores for enterprise UK brands across FMCG, drinks, transport, and leisure sectors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Orb Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Brand Merchandise Services
- NAICS
- Advertising Agencies (54181)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Outdoor Navigation, Safety & Survival Gear Retail (CRAMAAAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Event Rentals (Tents, Furniture, A/V, Decor) (HSACAAAG), Camping & Overlanding Equipment Retail (CRAMAAAC)
Keywords
Where Orb Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Glasgow
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Orb Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Strategic Brand Merchandise Services: End-to-end agency services including strategic consulting, ideation, design, product sourcing, production management, quality control, compliance, and fulfilment. Revenue generated through professional service fees and mark-ups on product sourcing.
- Managed Ecommerce Services: Building and managing webstores for brands to sell merchandise directly to consumers or staff. Revenue model includes development fees, platform management costs, and potentially ongoing management retainers.
- Branded Product Sales: Sourcing and supplying branded merchandise, point of sale, workwear, and corporate gifts. Revenue generated through product margins on items sold to clients.
- Fulfilment and Distribution: Warehouse storage, order fulfilment, and distribution services for clients' branded merchandise. Revenue generated through logistics and handling fees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Custom quote-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Orb Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Orb Group is a strategic brand merchandise agency that designs, sources, produces, and distributes custom branded merchandise, point of sale materials, branded workwear and PPE, and corporate gifts for enterprise and mid-market clients. The company also designs, builds, and manages branded merchandise webstores for clients and operates a physical retail outlet at Glasgow Airport selling curated Scottish-brand merchandise to consumers.
Product overview
Orb Group is a strategic brand merchandise agency offering an integrated suite of services rather than a single software product. The core offering consists of six main service pillars: Branded Merchandise (custom promotional items), Point of Sale (displays and signage), Branded Workwear (uniforms and PPE), Corporate Gifting (gift creation and fulfilment), Managed Ecommerce (webstore design and management), and ORB360 (strategic brand merchandise consulting). These are supported by operational services including Ideation & Design, Product Sourcing & Production, Quality Control & Compliance, Sustainable Sourcing & Ethical Management, Planning & Logistics, and Fulfilment & Distribution. The company also operates physical retail stores. The service model emphasises end-to-end brand activation, transitioning clients from promotional thinking to strategic brand thinking, with the ORB360 framework focusing on functional, emotional, and social merchandise outcomes. The company operates primarily in the UK from Glasgow and London offices, serving diverse industries including transport, drinks, FMCG, financial services, and sports.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Branded Merchandise End-to-end branded merchandise design, sourcing, production, and fulfilment service covering items such as pens, water bottles, lanyards, plush toys, and custom promotional products for enterprise and mid-market brands.
- Point of Sale Design and production of point-of-sale materials including displays, stands, parasols, packaging, bar runners, signage, and café barriers for retail and hospitality environments.
- Branded Workwear Branded clothing, uniforms, and PPE gear for employees, including sustainable workwear options and health-and-safety compliant protective equipment for UK organisations.
- Corporate Gifting Custom corporate gift creation and fulfilment including welcome packs, thank-you gifts, swag bags, and premium gift collections for staff and customer appreciation.
- Managed Ecommerce Design, build, and management of branded merchandise webstores using established ecommerce platforms such as Shopify and Magento, including back-end system integration, basket analysis, delivery tracking, and customer returns handling.
- ORB360 Strategic Merchandise Solutions Strategic brand merchandise consulting service that helps brands transition from promotional thinking to brand thinking, focusing on creating functional, emotional, and social merchandise experiences that drive commercial returns.
- Retail Store Operations Physical retail store operation, including the company's first retail outlet at Glasgow Airport selling branded merchandise from Scottish brands to airline passengers.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 150,000 visitors to Irn Bru pop-up store during Commonwealth Games
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Orb Group
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Orb Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Orb Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Orb Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- 4imprint Group plc: Largest UK-headquartered direct competitor in promotional merchandise, operating a similar direct-sales model serving enterprise and mid-market clients with branded products, print-on-demand, and corporate gifts. Closely comparable service mix, channel approach, and customer base, though at materially greater scale.
- Brand Addition: UK-based promotional merchandise agency (part of Polyconcept) providing branded merchandise, point-of-sale, packaging and corporate gifting for global brands. Directly comparable in service portfolio and target customer profile to Orb Group.
- Bensussen Deutsch & Associates (BDA): US-headquartered promotional merchandise and branded merchandise agency serving enterprise clients with end-to-end sourcing, kitting, fulfilment, and ecommerce services. Comparable operating model, customer base, and revenue mix to Orb.
- HALO: US-based branded merchandise, kitting, and corporate gifting provider serving enterprise clients with global fulfilment capabilities. Closely comparable service model and customer base, but with significantly larger scale.
- The Midas Network: UK-based group of promotional merchandise agencies providing branded merchandise, print, and point-of-sale services to enterprise clients. Comparable customer base and service model, with a multi-brand agency structure.
- National Pen: US-based direct-to-business provider of personalised promotional products, writing instruments, apparel and gifts. Comparable product mix and SME-to-mid-market customer focus, though with a more transactional, catalogue-led model.
- The Ice Box: US-based promotional products and branded merchandise provider offering customisable products, kitting, and fulfilment for enterprise clients. Directly comparable in product scope and customer segments.
Emerging players
- Custom Earth Promos: US-based eco-friendly promotional products company emphasising sustainable, customisable merchandise. Comparable product categories and corporate gifting focus, with a sharper sustainability angle that overlaps with Orb's ESG positioning.
- Cubic Promotional: UK promotional merchandise and branded products agency offering design, sourcing, and fulfilment services. Comparable in scale and service mix to Orb, with overlap in UK enterprise and mid-market client base.
Broad incumbents
- Polyconcept: Global leader in promotional products and branded merchandise, parent company of Brand Addition and other agencies. Operates as a broad incumbent with a portfolio of promotional merchandise brands, providing global scale and supply chain leverage that Orb competes against.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Orb Group social profiles
Digital presenceOrb Group compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Orb Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Orb Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
Orb Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Orb Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Orb Group
What does Orb Group do?
Orb Group is a strategic brand merchandise agency that designs, sources, produces, and distributes custom branded merchandise, point of sale materials, branded workwear and PPE, and corporate gifts for enterprise and mid-market clients. The company also designs, builds, and manages branded merchandise webstores for clients and operates a physical retail outlet at Glasgow Airport selling curated Scottish-brand merchandise to consumers.
Is Orb Group a public or private company?
Orb Group is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Orb Group founded?
Orb Group was founded in 1994. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Orb Group based?
Orb Group is headquartered in Glasgow, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Orb Group make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Strategic Brand Merchandise Services are the primary driver. The others are managed Ecommerce Services, branded Product Sales and fulfilment and Distribution.
Who are Orb Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are 4imprint Group plc, Brand Addition, Bensussen Deutsch & Associates (BDA), HALO, The Midas Network, National Pen and The Ice Box. Emerging players are Custom Earth Promos and Cubic Promotional. Polyconcept is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Orb Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for Orb Group.
What industry is Orb Group in?
Orb Group's product category is Brand Merchandise Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAMAAAE, Outdoor Navigation, Safety & Survival Gear Retail, with a secondary code of HSACAAAG, Event Rentals (Tents, Furniture, A/V, Decor). Its NAICS code is 54181 and its SIC code is 7311.