Dallas-based distributor Meyer-Dunlap (asi/268990) has affiliated with Sterling, IL-headquartered Top 40 distributor HALO Branded Solutions (asi/356000), the companies have announced.

Founded in 2010 by Kirk Meyer and Craig Dunlap, Meyer-Dunlap is one of northern Texas’ most prominent distributors, executives said. The affiliation strengthens HALO’s presence there and in the greater south, which at $9.5 billion is the regional geographic market where the promo industry does the most business.

Meyer-Dunlap counts many household name brands among its client base. These include Toyota, State Farm, Samsung and Interstate Batteries.

“Kirk and Craig have built an impressive business by serving a blue-chip roster of larger corporate clients,” said Dale Limes, senior vice president of sales at HALO. “We look forward to the opportunity to help them continue to grow their business with HALO’s marketing, sourcing and distribution resources. The team will be a welcome addition to our industry-leading sales community.”

Meyer-Dunlap will continue to operate from its Dallas headquarters. Meyer, who co-owns the company with Dunlap, said that affiliating with HALO made smart business sense.

“Craig and I needed additional resources to meet the growing needs of our clients,” Meyer explained. “HALO’s strength in technology and program development will allow us to offer more comprehensive tools and services to help enhance our client relationships.”

In recent years, HALO has been one of promo’s most aggressive companies when it comes to making acquisitions. Backed by private equity capital, HALO has acquired now former Top 40 distributors CSE, Sunrise Identity and, most recently, Axis Promotions in January.

With reported 2018 North American promotional products sales of $605 million, HALO ranked third on Counselor’s most recent list of the largest distributors in the industry. The new list is due out next week on Wednesday, July 22.