Hartmann Luggage were manufactured in the United States and are now outsourced globally, but mostly China and other parts of Asia. The Associated Press Originally published 1:43 p.m., September 1, 2007: "Hartmann Luggage spokesman Ronald Roberts said the manufacturing operation will be moved outside the U.S. We'll be working with the Caribbean, Central America and China," Roberts said. Hartmann Luggage was sold to Samsonite in May 2012 and the Factory and Head Office in Lebanon closed in December 2012. Hartmann Luggage Hartmann Luggage is a manufacturer of luggage and leather goods established in 1877 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin by trunkmaker Joseph S. Hartmann,
Strongman Super Series began promoting their own grand prix events and world championships. In 2005, WCE signed a deal with Trans World International ("TWI"), the world’s largest independent producer and distributor of sports programming, to have the exclusive rights worldwide to be the only qualifying tour to the MET-Rx World's Strongest Man event for 2005-2008. The top four athletes from each Grand Prix competition receive an automatic invitation to WSM. On April 27, 2009 Giants Live, an arena-based series of live strongman competitions, was named the Official World's Strongest Man Qualifying Tour for 2009–2011, thus taking over from the Strongman Super Series in