With nearly two decades of experience designing and manufacturing plush toys and electronic playthings, Advanced General Group Ltd works with a majority of its customers in the United States – followed by those in Europe, Australia and the other markets around the world.

“We have established long-term business relations with many big importers and distributors in the US,” said Debbie Ng, Advanced General Group’s merchandising manager. She said the company thrives on its motto: “To be honest, not just working for profit but also for respect and dignity.”

Advanced General expanded its client base at the 2011 HKTDC Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair, when it was introduced to a new buyer through the hktdc.com Buyer Meetings service. The medium-scale buyer, which sells a selection of educational products through a network of dealers, was a good fit for Advanced General and its goal of increasing market share.

“Within the first fifteen minutes at the meeting the buyer was very convinced,” recalls Ms Ng. “They visited our Hong Kong showroom during the same trip and took samples back to the US for quality examination. Obviously they were impressed by our manufacturing capability as well as strength in product design and development, and of course our compliance with all safety standards and commitment to design exclusivity were also important to them.”