Cocoon to Bloom: CTAM Business Development Progress
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the global economy and our art materials industry, challenging both domestic sales in China and for our international sales.
In response, in 2021, CTAM formed a dedicated business development team with top talent. This team worked closely with the Group's commercial and operational units to address these challenges head-on.
Initially, we faced high costs, tough competition, and process inefficiencies. Some opportunities were initially lost, but we analysed problems and sought improvements and we persisted.
Over time, we optimised processes, cut costs, boosted production efficiency, and improved workflows. We've also engaged with industry events to stay informed on market trends.
It is great to confirm that these efforts have resulted in positive business development.

Acknowledgments:
Of course, none of this can be achieved in isolation so special thanks to all that contributed to our success:
London: Jack Rees, Juan Prada, Dan Sugrue, Lewis Houlston, Andy Glinos, Neesha Jetha, Cris Cosgrave, Fatima Kadic, Nicky Gallivan.
Le Mans: Nicolas Dupuis, Marine Hammer, Delphine Vaucois, Arnaud Coudray, Elise Barbot, Cindy Levacher, Pierre Molac.
Europe: Jake Kersey, Jakub Kopek, Jasper Van der Wurff, Erwin Brodmann, Allison Chabot, Marta Tinoco De Faria, Sabine Siegel.
North America: Ryan Testa, Steve Chamberlain, Cesar Mendez, Amanda Brigantino.
Tianjin: Hunter Zhang, Lisa Liu, Simon Du, Michael Sun, Weili Jing, Cathy Peng, Xiurong Lu, Enyi Xing, Larry Lv.
And those who were involved and have not been mentioned, thank you to you for also contributing to our progress.
Canna Liu
Sales Operation & Forecasting Senior Manager
CTAM

1. Private Label Projects:
- 2023: Secured Empik, a Polish retailer with 340+ stores, focusing on Acrylic products (pictured above)
- 2024: Partnered with Hobbycraft in the UK, with over 100 stores, for Acrylic and Watercolor projects, and are exploring Oil & Gouache (pictured left)
- 2025: Gained Canadian customer Aboveground for Acrylic and Watercolor, with the first order due in June. We're also negotiating with Swedish and German customers (pictured below)
2. International Market Growth:
Since 2023, we've established relationships with new clients in Turkey, Brazil, Argentina, and more, focusing on high-end product lines. In 2025, we're launching new Windsor & Newton Entry Sets for the APAC & LATAM markets, with confirmed orders from several countries and new inquiries from others. Delivery is expected this September.

what a great summary of both business development successes and group collaboration! Well done!