About us

Hello, welcome to our world.

Not your average merchandise supplier

WE MAKE THE COMPLEX, SIMPLE.

There's something truly exciting about working in the world of bringing brands to life and putting them into the hands of fans. Whether its the humble branded pen or the crafted bespoke plinth, the staff shirt or the event swagbag, our 30 years experience counts. Every single detail and decision that is needed to be made to get your range to you - well, we're on it.

100%

Is the effort we expend on each individual brief from every client as we seek to deliver briliantly each time.

1:1

The way we make our relationships with you and your business work.

£££

We source and buy well so you can buy and sell well and that's the value we bring.

+++

New ideas. Constant innovation. Buying efficiencies. Ecommerce know-how.

adding value and impact to your marketing

ON IT... SO YOU CAN BE ALL OVER IT

What we do gets your brand out there into the real world. And it delivers real world results too.

Through careful consideration of your market, brand and business coupled with pragmatic advice and flexible solutions, we can deliver real commercial benefit for your business.

Increased awareness, consideration, purchase, loyalty, advocacy from your B2B or B2C customers, as well as your best brand assets - your people.

Meet the team
Mike Smith
Founder and CEO
Still having fun 30 years into the journey!
Karen McBride
Director and Owner
I partied in Glasgow with Michael Hutchence.
Fiona Proudler
Managing Director
I have walked on fire.
Mary Jeffrey
Group Account Director
I’m a secret rapper.
Karin Anderson
Account Manager
I am a qualified Zumba instructor.
Julie Clark
Account Manager
I have a passion for reiki and crystals.
Theresa Hutchison
Account Manager
My nickname is Tricky because I can get anyone out of any problems.
Ann Duncan
Senior Account Manager
I love go-karting and cocktails, possibly not together!
Morna van Rooyen
Financial Controller
I have a two stripe brown belt in karate.
Claire Béoutis
Finance Assistant
I have visited 37 countries in my lifetime so far.
Paul Colville
Finance Officer
I was a crash test dummy human, seized and arrested by a military dog.
David Jeffrey
Ecommerce Manager
I am currently buried in lines of code.
Gerry Smith
Graphic Designer
Keen gig goer and Smiths fan.
Jack Campbell
Business Executive
I have a coaching badge for 6 different sports.

Our people

Some of the faces you'll get to work with
HOW AND WHY WE GOT HERE

Our story

We like telling the tale of where it all began. When Mike went to Tennent's and decided he loved brand life but corporate life was not for him. When he met Karen and decided she was just the right kind of person to help him follow his passions.

As fiercely proud Glaswegians, Mike and Karen were cut from the same cloth. Authentic, down to earth, hard-working professionals taking their job seriously, but not themselves too seriously. They believed the work would speak for itself. And it did - and it still does.

Actually branded merchandise does speak for itself - your logo, identity, colours, fonts proudly emblazoned onto quality items from the range "staples" to the "must haves". And as demand for our design, sourcing and production services took off, we expanded into beautiful bespoke items (often for the drinks industry) and to employee workwear, PPE and corporate gifting for events and staff. Before we began to build ecommerce stores to sell the items from!

The journey is 30 years old but still just beginning. Always expanding our suppliers, always using new processes for production, always adapting to the new demands to keep the planet protected. Forever the commitment to putting clients first.

the story so far

SOME MEMORABLE MOMENTS

We can usually not remember what we had for dinner yesterday, but we can always remember these big dates.
Starting out as “Sports Business and Leisure” before becoming ORB in 2002
Oct 1994
Belhaven Brewery becomes our first drinks industry client
Jun 2001
Built our first B2B webstore
Sep 2005
B2C Tunnocks ecomm store goes live
Nov 2012
Official merchandise partner for Irn Bru at the Commonwealth Games
July 2014
Bought our new premises at Ibrox and expanded our presence in London a few months later
June 2019
Official merchandise for final ever “Still Game” at the Hydro
Oct 2019
Move into Ibrox office
Dec 2019
Open our 1st retail outlet at Glasgow Airport
May 2023
OUR EXTENDED WORK FAMILY

TRUSTED EXPERTS

We pick who we work with very carefully. They are best in class in their field. And when we think you need a specialist, you can expect them to be part of our team.

One of the best Shopify, Magento and BigCommerce ecommerce agencies in Scotland.

One of the best brand design agencies around – we partner with Tayburn when there is work to be done on your visual identity.

No brand design agency knows the drinks industry better.

For end to end marketing and fulfilment services throughout the UK and beyond.

FLYING HIGH

Our glasgow store

Oh we do love a holiday. But opening our first ever retail store at Glasgow Airport was about ensuring passengers could enjoy theirs - by picking up a last minute Irn Bru bucket hat and Duke of Wellington swim shorts before heading off on their travels.

Sharing some of Scotland's most treasured and iconic brands with locals and tourists has been such great fun. The love for the merchandise was quite literally sky high! Watch this space for where you'll find us next!

Keep up to date

Latest news

Here's what is happening around here.

Unwrapping ORB

At this time of year it’s good to reflect on the last 12 months. And to make sure that you’re doing what you can to help others. At ORB, we’re privileged to service so many fantastic clients. We have tried to capture the “best of us” in this 90 second video so you can see […]

We salute you!

We’re beaming with pride letting you see our 60 second case study video from our Summer spent with the world-renowned Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Merchandise. Webstores. Fireworks. It’s got the lot.

The Bear Necessities

No need to avert your eyes as the cuteness in the photo. We know we know. Tugs on the heartstrings. Brings a tear to your eye. Well, it will do, if you’re a brand and you’re giving away cuddly toys to customers (or selling them as part of a merchandise range online) and you don’t […]

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