Card Connection has announced it has become part of UK Greetings Limited as of 26 March 2008. UK Greetings (UKG) is the British subsidiary of American Greetings Inc AG. It is the world’s largest publicly owned greeting card company and the largest direct to retail greeting card publisher in the UK.

Known for the familiar brands Carlton, Forget Me Not, Gibson, Camden Graphics, Hanson White, UKG supplies virtually all the major retailers in the UK, with its largest customers being Clinton Cards, Birthdays, Tesco, Sainsbury, Asda, Woolworths, WH Smith, Martin McColl and Boots. In addition, UKG supplies around 4500 independent retailers.

“We believe that UKG represents a very strong partner for the Card Connection business and we are confident that we can develop sales and profitability by increasing our share and penetration of the card market,” confirms Robina Every, managing director of Card Connection. “Our excellent track record of servicing retailers using the Card Connection franchisee network, will be enhanced significantly by the addition of UKG’s resources.”

“Card Connection will be run as an independent division of UKG with its own unique product range exclusive to the franchisees,” explains Every. “The management of the company remains with the existing management team with the addition of three new directors from UKG joining the main board.”

“It will be ‘business as usual’ for all our retail customers and franchisees,” continues Every.