What Brand Chain does

Brand Chain was a not-for-profit trade association serving the print industry, focused on strengthening commercial relationships between print distributors and print suppliers. It operated a horizontal community serving two primary business segments — distributors seeking stronger supplier relationships and product availability, and suppliers looking for expanded distribution networks — through three principal assets: an online networking platform, a searchable membership directory, and in-person gatherings hosted at industry events. The underlying technology stack was minimal: a community forum, a keyword- and capability-searchable directory, and event registration infrastructure, with no proprietary software, data assets, or AI components disclosed.

Brand Chain monetized exclusively through annual corporate memberships priced at $495 per year, which granted access for all employees at a member company to research, educational resources, advocacy efforts, online networking forums, and directory services. As a not-for-profit, all dues were reinvested into member benefits and industry programs rather than distributed as profit. The go-to-market was a direct-to-enterprise membership sales motion, with no technology licensing, advertising, transaction, or sponsorship revenue streams.

In late 2023, Brand Chain merged with PRINTING United Alliance, a larger industry trade association, and on November 1, 2024, Brand Chain's websites were deactivated with all membership operations consolidated under PRINTING United Alliance. Following the merger, Brand Chain ceased to operate as an independent entity and now exists as an absorbed community within PRINTING United Alliance, headquartered at One Penn Center in Philadelphia, PA. Leadership continuity is indicated by Brett Jackson serving as board chair.

Name

Brand Chain

Legal name

Brand Chain

Website

https://home.brandchaincommunity.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Brand Chain was a not-for-profit trade association serving the print industry by connecting distributors and suppliers through online networking forums, a searchable membership directory, and in-person events, funded by $495/year corporate memberships. It merged into PRINTING United Alliance in late 2023 and ceased independent operations on November 1, 2024.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual corporate membership fees from distributors and printers in the print industry. As a not-for-profit trade association, every dollar earned is reinvested back into the industry through research, educational resources, advocacy efforts, and expanding benefits for members.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Brand Chain was a not-for-profit trade association for the print industry that provided corporate membership services to distributors and printers. Its core offerings included an online networking platform (Alliance Online Communities / Distributor Online Network), a searchable membership directory of printers and distributors, in-person networking through the annual PRINTING United Expo and the PRINTING United Leadership Summit, and access to industry research, educational resources, and advocacy efforts. Corporate Membership was priced at $495 per year and covered all employees at the member company.

Product overview

Brand Chain, which merged with PRINTING United Alliance, offered a membership-based platform focused on strengthening relationships between print distributors and suppliers. The core product portfolio included the Alliance Online Communities for online networking and collaboration, a searchable Membership Directory for finding printers and distributors, and in-person networking opportunities through the PRINTING United Expo annual event and PRINTING United Leadership Summit. Corporate Membership at $495/year provided employees access to research, educational resources, and industry advocacy. As of November 1, 2024, Brand Chain's independent websites became inactive, with all membership options and benefits now available exclusively through PRINTING United Alliance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Alliance Online Communities (Distributor Online Network) A revamped online networking platform where members can source products, share insights, and collaborate on industry challenges within the print distributor community. Targeted at Corporate Members of the association.
• Membership Directory A relaunched searchable directory allowing members to search for printers and distributors by keyword and product capabilities, helping members find the right connections in the print industry.
• PRINTING United Expo Annual industry expo hosting small distributor gatherings for in-person networking with print suppliers and industry peers. Available to association members.
• PRINTING United Leadership Summit Annual leadership summit held every February that expands distributor participation opportunities, providing leadership-level networking and engagement for association members.
• Corporate Membership Not-for-profit trade association membership for distributors and printers priced at $495 per year, providing access for all employees at a member company, including research, educational resources, advocacy efforts, and member benefits.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• PRINTING United AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrand Chain merged with PRINTING United Alliance late last year (2023). As of November 1, 2024, Brand Chain/PERF organizations' websites are no longer active. Membership options and benefits are now available exclusively through PRINTING United Alliance. The merger was designed to enhance offerings and provide greater value to the distributor community by strengthening relationships between distributors and print suppliers, expanding product availability, and ensuring access to resources for growth in the print industry.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Graphic Arts Association: Graphic Arts Association is a regional trade association serving print and graphic communications businesses primarily in the Mid-Atlantic US, overlapping with Brand Chain's print distributor and supplier community but with a narrower geographic remit.

Emerging players

• AF&PA (American Forest & Paper Association): AF&PA is the US trade association for the paper and forest products industry, adjacent to Brand Chain because Brand Chain's distributor and supplier members operate downstream of paper manufacturers AF&PA represents.
• Thomas Publishing (Thomasnet): Thomasnet is a B2B sourcing and supplier directory platform that competes with the kind of searchable distributor/printer directory services Brand Chain historically offered its members through the Membership Directory.
• IndustryNet: IndustryNet is an industrial B2B marketplace and supplier directory with a print and graphics category, directly comparable to Brand Chain's Membership Directory for connecting print distributors with suppliers and printers.

Others

• ASAE (American Society of Association Executives): ASAE is the professional association for the US association industry itself, relevant to Brand Chain as a peer in non-profit trade association operating models, governance, and member engagement practices.
• NASDA (National Association of State Departments of Agriculture): NASDA is a US trade association representing state agriculture departments, included only as a structural reference for how member-funded non-profit trade associations are organized and financed.

Direct peers

• NPES (now PRINTING United Alliance): NPES was the Association for Suppliers of Printing, Publishing and Converting Technologies and a direct counterpart to Brand Chain's distributor-focused mission; it merged into PRINTING United Alliance, making it the closest historical peer in scope and member type.
• PRINTING United Alliance: PRINTING United Alliance is the parent entity that absorbed Brand Chain in late 2023, operating the same distributor-supplier membership, online communities, directory, expo, and leadership summit that now house Brand Chain's former offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Idealliance: Idealliance is an industry association advancing digital and print communications standards and certifications, comparable to Brand Chain as a print-vertical membership body serving suppliers, converters, and distributors across the US.
• PIA (Printing Industries of America, historical): Printing Industries of America was the long-standing broad print industry trade body now consolidated under PRINTING United Alliance, serving as a benchmark incumbent for the kind of distributor/supplier membership services Brand Chain historically provided.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WeAreBrandChain
• Facebookfacebook.com/BrandChainCommunity
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/brand-chain

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Brand Chain