Brief description of the business concepts

The leading global supplier of notebook carrying cases and accessories

Old logo 1995 - 2009

Targus is universally recognized as the leading provider of products for the mobile lifestyle. Founded in 1983, Targus continues to set the standards of excellence for protection, craftsmanship, and functionality of carrying cases and accessories for the mobile lifestyle.

Incorporated initially in the United Kingdom, Targus began distributing in the United States in 1988. The company became known as Targus Group International, Inc.in 1995. A truly global enterprise, Targus has 45 offices worldwide and direct distribution in over 145 countries.

New logo 2009 - 2011

As the pioneer in notebook computer carrying cases, Targus has maintained its leadership position by offering a full range of products to meet the needs of today's mobile consumer. Targus' strategic acquisitions have expanded its suite of brands to include PORT notebook computer carrying cases, CD Projects digital music and video accessories, Glacier Gear soft-sided coolers, and RakGear ergonomic Backpack. In addition, Targus has allied with the leading technology companies to market and distribute state-of-the-art PDA peripherals and security and connectivity devices, such as the award-winning Stowaway Portable Keyboard.

To complement its distribution and product development capabilities, Targus recently launched Studio Targus, a proprietary product design center. The Studio blends the Targus tradition of quality workmanship with innovative design and positions Targus as the only company in the industry whose portable solutions offer every demographic, from teenagers to executives, a solution to fit their mobile lifestyle.

Profile of the Entrepreneur and the business.

Michael P. Hoopis

Chief Executive Officer

Targus Group International, Inc. 

    Michael P. Hoopis was become Chief Executive Officer  Targus Group International, Inc.  in October, 2006, at  ANAHEIM, Calif. Since August 1999. Mr. Hoopis serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Targus Group International, Inc. He serves as the Chief Executive Officer and President of Targus, Inc. He served as Chief Executive Officer and President of the consumer products segment of Allegheny Teledyne, Inc.(ATI ) from October 1998 to November 1999. Mr. Hoopis served as President of Worldwide Household Products, Black & Decker Corporation from July 1996 to September 1998 and served as its Executive Vice President from 1996 to 1998. He served as President of Price Pfister, Inc. from 1992 to 1996. Mr. Hoopis served as President of Kwikset Corporation from 1991 to 1992. He served as Vice President of Manufacturing of USA Household Products from 1989 to 1991. Mr. Hoopis served as President of the Stiffel Company from 1986 to 1989. He has been a Director of Water Pik Technologies Inc. since 1999. He served as a Director of Doskocil Manufacturing Co., Inc. since September 19, 1997. He served as a Director of Meade Instruments Corp. from 2000 to December 15, 2006 and of Dogloo since December 1994. Mr. Hoopis received his BS degree in Industrial Engineering from University of Rhode Island. 

Howard Johnson, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Targus, and Timothy Mayhew, Managing Director of Fenway Partners, jointly commented that they are delighted that Mike has joined Targus to provide the leadership and consumer products expertise necessary to lead the next phase of the company's development. Throughout his career, Mike has earned a strong reputation for successfully managing well-known consumer product companies including Black & Decker's Worldwide Household Products Group, Price Pfister Plumbing Products, Kwikset Security Hardware and most recently Water Pik Technologies. His ability to quickly develop and execute focused business plans in difficult competitive environments has led to consistent sales and profit improvements and significant increases in enterprise values."

Johnson and Mayhew told to that Mike's proven leadership and strategic capabilities, coupled with his experience in global businesses, multiple channels of distribution, new product innovation and supply chain excellence will be invaluable to Targus as he manages the business to realize its tremendous potential."

For the past seven years, Hoopis served as Water Pik's President and Chief Executive Officer. Hoopis was responsible for overseeing the spin-off and transition of Water Pik from a segment of Allegheny Teledyne to a public company in 1999. Prior to Water Pik, Hoopis held several management positions at Black & Decker (NYSE:BDK) from 1989-1998, including President of Worldwide Household Products, Price Pfister, Inc. and Kwikset Corporation. Prior to Black & Decker, Hoopis held several management positions with Beatrice Foods Inc. Hoopis earned his B.S. from the University of Rhode Island.

Targus also have announced  that Victor C. Streufert will assume the position of Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Executive Vice President effective October 2006, replacing John McAlpine who has left the company to pursue other opportunities.

Johnson and Mayhew have inform that over 25 years of experience in key finance leadership roles, Vic's background in building world-class finance organizations and accelerating revenue and profit growth will be a critical element of Targus' ongoing success. They expect that Vic's unique blend of both public and private company experience will allow him to add significant value to Targus' finance, accounting and information systems efforts in the coming years."

Most recently, Streufert was the Chief Financial Officer at Water Pik, where he worked closely with Hoopis in creating significant value. Under Hoopis and Streufert's leadership, Water Pik's share price nearly quadrupled from the time of the spin-off to $27.75 at the time the company was sold.

Prior to Water Pik, Streufert served as Senior Vice President of Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer of National Telephone & Communications, Inc., where he oversaw the finance, legal, and human resources departments from 1996-1998. In 1995 and 1996, he was Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer of Pyxis Corporation where he refocused the company on earnings growth and completed the company's merger with Cardinal Health, Inc. From 1989-1995, he was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of American Health Properties, Inc., a $600 million NYSE-listed health care company. Prior to American Health Properties, Streufert held a variety of financial/accounting positions at Colgate Palmolive and American Hospital Supply Corporation. Streufert earned his M.B.A. from the University of Chicago and his B.A. in Economics from Valparaiso University.

Eric Brenk, an advisor to Fenway Partners, served as interim CEO during a period of transition for the company and will return to his role at Fenway while continuing to work with Targus as a consultant.

Targus would like to thank John McAlpine for over four years of service as CFO. We wish him well in his future endeavors. McAlpine was instrumental in seeing the company through a number of changes, including the refinancing and ultimate sale of the business in 2005.

Korn/Ferry International completed the placement of Hoopis at Targus.

Targus Group International, Inc. is owned by an investor group that includes Fenway Partners, a middle market private equity firm, the Howard Johnson family and Crimson Investments, a middle market investment firm.

What makes Targus Cases and Accessories stand apart?

    Years of manufacturing experience, innovation and customer feedback go into every one of our Targus Cases and Accessories. At Targus, we craft cases that will endure the demands of your schedule without losing their stylish appearance.

Targus Cases are designed around a foam-compartment that protects your notebook computer and other mobile devices. Along with this protection, we provide numerous other distinctive features that provider greater durability and functionality when traveling.

Foremost among our concerns is your comfort. All of our notebook cases come with foam-padded handgrips and ergonomic, cushioned shoulder straps for maximum comfort and portability. Our "Top Loading" series of cases come with a unique shock-absorbing EqualizerStrapTM that evenly distributes weight over your shoulder for greater comfort.

Steel fittings, industrial strength rivets, and self-healing zippers provide the durability and dependability necessary for even the heaviest workloads. Special zipper pulls on the notebook computer compartment accommodate security devices for an added level of protection. Most Targus Cases also feature sturdy, non-skid, shock absorbing rubber feet for greater safety and resiliency.

Targus accessories are specifically designed to be the smallest form-factor possible and the lightest weight practical so that when you travel with your 'mobile office' you are not struggling just to lift the carrying case. All of these products provide solutions to several situations that you will run into as you travel, including issues involving power, connectivity, expansion and the ever present - security issue. And, more importantly, Targus accessories maximize the functionality and portability of your mobile devices.

Targus Offshoot Targets Women, Hipsters With Stylish Bags

G. David Cartwright helped start Anaheim computer bag company Targus Inc. hack in the 1980s, helping build it into a market leader by the mid-1990s.

By 2001, Cartwright said he grew frustrated with the direction the company was taking, including plans for cutting sales staff.

So he announced his resignation as president at a summer board meeting.

But Cartwright didn't go far.

Within a year, he got a chance to take on Targus with his own company focused on computer bags, Anaheim-based Mobile Edge LLC, which sits within eyeshot of his former company.

Mobile Edge couldn't be just another Targus, Cartwright said. The company has sought to one-up Targus on style and verve with computer bags for women and young folks.

The company does about $20 million a year in sales. It sells computer carrying cases, backpacks, brief-cases and other items.

Cartwright said he took away a lesson from Targus: don't run a company without majority ownership.

He said he'd hand over the business to someone else if it gets to the size of Targus, which has $500 million in yearly sales.

Mobile Edge got some notice with what Cartwright called the first computer bags geared for women back in 2003. Cartwright plays up Mobile Edge's niche with retailers such as Best Buy Inc. and Circuit City Stores Inc.

The company also does work for other manufacturers, including hip surf and skate clothing companies. Cartwright said.

Mobile Edge's bags are fashion with function, Cartwright said. They're tough and have extra features, such as a personal digital assistant protector that keeps thieves from using wireless connections to steal personal data.

Targus isn't sitting by. It's rolled out its own line of computer bags for women and young people as it seeks to shed its stodgy image.

The company is under new leadership with Roger Murphy, formally of Gillette, now part of Procter & Gamble Co.

"The consumer is becoming more discerning," Murphy said earlier this year. "They're going to be more particular about the case or the accessory."

It took Cartwright several months to start Mobile Edge after leaving Targus in 2001. The main bag supplier for Targus in South Korea had lost some business from the company and needed to get some idled production lines running again, he said.

So Cartwright said he started working with the South Korean supplier, which got a minority stake in Mobile Edge.

He brought on some former Targus folks who knew all the players in the market. Then he said he went to work on getting retailers to carry his bags.

Cartwright admits he was a bit cocky.

"I assumed with the good relationships that we were going to walk in and get shelf space," he said. "That didn't happen."

Cartwright and his team had to sit down again and figure out what they were going to do, he said.

"We needed a niche." he said. "We needed an entry point."

About that time Mobile Edge's team ran across a study showing a growing number of women were buying computer bags.

Cartwright and his team knew how to make conservative, dependable bags-not stylish ones for women.

"Five guys were not the guys to build it," he said.

Mobile Edge decided to go to young, hip designers by lapping South Korea's Hongik University, which has an exchange program with Pasadena's Art Center College of Design, a regional hub for Orange County's apparel, automotive and other designers.

The school in South Korea is near Mobile Edge's production site.

The company asked for several ideas and hired designers based on the best ones. Mobile Edge also got help from some women retail buyers.

The first line of bags came out in 2003. It includes slim bags in flashy colors such as pink that look like they belong in the handbag section of Macy's, not Circuit City.

Mobile Edge passed on advertisements in PC Magazine and other techie publications. Instead, it put every ad dollar into InStyle, Cosmopolitan and Lucky.

The company has sought to adopt a bit'of OC flare by working with "lifestyle" companies-shorthand for surfwear and other trendy clothing designers. Mobile Edge has hired workers from those companies, Cartwright said.

For hipsters. Mobile Edge has "messenger bags" that look like something out of Banana Republic. The bags have been a hit on college campuses, according to Cartwright.

Actual electronic gadgets are a small part of Mobile Edge's sales-about 10%. Cartwright said he hopes to expand that with products such as a device that helps find local wireless' Internet "hot spots."

Eventually, he said he'd like to see such products grow to half of sales.

That's more like what Targus does.

As for his former company, Cartwright has cut the strings with Targus. When private equity firm Fenway Partners Inc. bought Targus for $383 million last year, Cartwright said he sold his shares in the company he helped start.

Targus Offers Accessory Kit For Netbooks

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Targus has launched its first netbook accessory kit, which bundles a protective case, optical mouse and USB hub in one package.

Citing industry research that pegs netbook sales at about 35 million this year and growing to 139 million units by 2013, Targus conducted research with “hundreds of netbook users” in developing the kit.

The Targus netbook accessory kit includes a Slipskin Peel mini-netbook case, a Targus Ultra Mini retractable optical mouse and the Targus Ultra-Mini USB 2.0 four-port hub.

model TSS11101US

“The current increase of mobile networking and remote access to Web-based applications has led to netbooks becoming a recognized computing device for personal and business needs alike,” said Al Giazzon, marketing VP at Targus. “The new netbook accessory kit was created with the everyday needs of a netbook user in mind and provides all the tools needed to maximize a netbook user's mobile experience.”

The 10.2-inch Slipskin Peel netbook case (model TSS11101US) is a lightweight, form-fitting, neoprene skin that shields the netbook from scratches and dust. The case can be used alone or inside of another bag or purse for added protection. It comes in black with blue accents, measures 11.25 inches by 0.98 inches by 8.75 inches and weighs about 7 ounces.

Targus Ultra Mini-USB 2.0 four-port hub (ACH102US)

  Ultra Mini retractable optical mouse (PAUM01U) 

The Targus Ultra Mini-USB 2.0 four-port hub (ACH102US) hub has a transfer rate of 480 Mbps, plug-and play-capability and does not require an AC adapter. It measures 3.6 by 1.2 by 0.6 inches and weighs 1.1 ounces.

Targus said it plans to release additional netbook accessory options as netbooks continue to gain popularity.

The netbook case is backed by a limited lifetime warranty, and both accessories are backed by a limited one-year warranty.

The kit is available now at a suggested retail of $39.99.

Targus, which claims to have invented the laptop case, was founded in 1983 and is celebrating 25 years in the business of consumer electronics accessories.

Product release for this year

Targus release new WiFi PAN-equipped Laser Mouse, flips Bluetooth the bird

Back in 2008, Ozmo Devices paired up with Intel to get its WiFi PAN (WiFi Personal Area Network) tech into low-power devices. Fast-forward to a few years later, tack on a new partnership with Targus and get ready for the first of those Bluetooth-less peripherals to hit the market. The company's new accessory teammate is planning to rollout a line of WiFi Laser mice that incorporate the OZMO2000 chip, with the first mouse to hit sometime this year. The AMW58US model will connect directly to your computer's WiFi receiver and packs a four-way scroll wheel, laser sensor and compatibility for Windows 7 -- batteries included.

                                   Targus® and Ozmo Devices Partner to Develop Wi-Fi Mice

With A New Wi-Fi Laser Mouse as Its Inaugural Product, Targus' New Line of Wi-Fi Laser Mice Will Be Based on Ozmo's Industry Leading Wi-Fi PAN Technology

ANAHEIM, Calif. and PALO ALTO, Calif., Sept. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Targus® Inc., maker of the world's top-selling laptop computer cases and accessories and Ozmo Devices, the leading provider of low-power Wi-Fi Personal Area Network (Wi-Fi PAN) solutions, announced today a technology partnership for Targus' new line of Wi-Fi Laser mice. The new mice will be based on Ozmo's OZMO2000 solution, which is the industry's first Wi-Fi PAN solution, enabling peripherals to connect directly to a laptop's built-in Wi-Fi receiver. Targus' new Wi-Fi Laser Mouse will be one of the first to implement Ozmo's unique wireless solution.

"Wi-Fi is ubiquitous today, and we are excited that our next generation of mobile PC peripherals is powered by Wi-Fi technology," said Carolyn Perrier, vice president of product management, accessories at Targus. "Our new line of Wi-Fi Laser mice with Ozmo's unique Wi-Fi technology offers a hassle-free connection to bring you optimal comfort, performance and usage."

"We are thrilled to see a brand name like Targus embrace Wi-Fi peripherals," said Bill McLean, Chief Executive Officer, Ozmo Devices. "This further illustrates the rapid market adoption of Ozmo's innovative and cost-effective solution. Ozmo is quickly establishing itself as a formidable player in the wireless HID (Human Interface Devices) market."

The new Targus Wi-Fi Laser Mouse (AMW58US) offers all the functionality of Targus' other mice, but without the need for wires or wireless receivers. It simply connects using your computer's Wi-Fi connection. The high-precision laser sensor allows for accurate performance on almost any surface. The integrated four-way scroll wheel allows you to scroll horizontally and vertically. The mouse instantly supports Windows® 7 task switching with the touch of one button. The mouse comes equipped with two high-quality Energizer batteries and is designed to provide up to 9 months of battery life depending on usage

Targus Rotating Monitor Stand with Height Adjustable Legs and Rotating Platform | Desk Stand 

Almost 90% of the users who have a desk job find themselves staring at a computer screen for more than half the day, be it one of the old or the latest technology flat screen monitors or an LCD laptop screen. While offices in Australia are increasingly adopting ergonomic principles in today's workspace, fact remains that prolonged usage of Computers without adequate ergonomic accessories causes long term heath issues. Health issues are not limited to headaches or neck sprains anymore, but serious long term side effects include stress on the verebrae and spinal discs.

This sleek & lightweight rotating monitor stand from Targus allows you to place your monitor / laptop at a comfortable viewing height, so you can sit upright in a more natural relaxed position. Doing this will reduce strain on your back, improve posture and prevent those groggy late afternoon headaches and strains. The stand has adjustable legs, which allows one to adjust the viewing angle to the desired position. Legs can be manually adjusted between 9.5 and 11.3 cms to the desired height and works on any flat surface.

Folks who work in an office environment, would like the fact that the monitor stand comes with a swivel base (90 degree rotation). This allows you to sit comfortably in your chair and share your screen with colleagues without moving at all. While the monitor stand is extremely light-weight, it hold nearly 12 times it's weight ! Yes - its true. Targus recommends using this stand for monitors upto 23kgs in weight. (I personally use this rotating stand as a TV Stand and my 42" Flat Screen Samsung TV, which holds up just fine and I'm able to rotate and adjust the viewing angle of the TV, to view it from anywhere in my room).

Apart from the general ergonomic benefits, the stand helps organise your desk space. Space underneath the montor stand can be used to organise papers or even keep your laptop computer (incase if you use both your laptop and your desktop). Additionally - the base for the rotating monitor stand is wider than most stands available in the market today. This gives you the added benefit of keeping your personal stuff (e.g. stapler / pen stand / coffee cup) etc by the side of the monitor.

Lastly, the engineers at Targus have been mindful of integrating a cable organiser within the stand design itself - which helps you keep your workspace clutterfree.