In the educational supply sector, few brand names command the ubiquity that Show-me enjoys across the United Kingdom. Indeed, when it comes to dry-erase boards, Show-me is used in the same way people say “Kleenex” for a tissue, or “Uber" for taking a taxi. 

Created in 2000 by Eastpoint Global, by 2004, Show-me expanded beyond British borders, exporting products across Europe, Australia, Dubai, Iceland, Belgium, and Spain. Now, the company has set its sights on the largest educational supply market in the world: the United States.

As part of this effort, led by International Sales Director Daniel Pechey, the company participated in the recent ECRM Educational Supplies Session, where it expanded its relationships with major buyers like Educators Resource and landed deals with several distributors, including Quill. 

I spoke with Pechey to learn more about the brand and his experience at the ECRM Session. You can find the full video interview below!

Show-me’s Origins in a Family-Run Business

Eastpoint Global is a family-run business operating on the east coast of the UK, and the company’s roots date back nearly half a century. It was originally founded in London in 1976 before relocating to its present headquarters. In 1994, the second generation – a team of brothers – took over leadership. By the late 1990s, UK educational authorities began placing heavy emphasis on practicing basic numeracy and literacy skills in primary and secondary schools. However, this pedagogical push created an unsustainable surge in paper consumption.

In response to this challenge, Eastpoint Global introduced mini dry-erase whiteboards to replace single-use paper pads, and in the year 2000, the Show-me brand was officially born. "That was the first range of our dry erase boards and markers," says Pechey. "Since 2008, it's really been a massive growth where in the UK now, our products are household names in the industry and in the school system. For example, if somebody's talking about needing dry erase boards, they'll say, 'Hey, we need to buy some Show-me boards,' even if they're not talking about our brand. That's kind of the strength we have in the UK."

The evolution from a regional UK operation into a global educational supplier took decades of focused innovation. Following the launch of the Show-me brand in 2000 and initial international exports starting in 2004, the company hit a major milestone in 2008 with the introduction of its flagship dry-erase marker line. Today, that foundational lineage underpins Show-me's strategic drive into North American classrooms via ECRM Sessions.

Engineering Classroom Durability: Whiteboards Designed for Real Life

For decades, classroom whiteboards have suffered from recurring design flaws: heavy, rigid backings that chip when dropped, multi-layer laminates that peel off, and surface coatings that absorb ink over time, leaving classrooms with unsightly gray panels. To solve these issues, Show-me completely re-engineered the standard whiteboard using single-piece polypropylene plastic.

Key Polypropylene Innovations vs. Traditional Boards

During a product comparison conducted while visiting a major U.S. retail chain, Pechey witnessed firsthand why traditional whiteboards fail in active learning environments.

"Last time I was in the States, I went to a major retailer and I bought some dry erase boards because I needed to do a comparison," Pechey recalls. "On my way to the till, I dropped one on the floor, and when I picked it up, the corner was all chipped. The white layer of the whiteboards was peeling off.  With ours, there is no outside layer, so it's all together, one piece. If you were to drop this on the corner, the corner's not going to chip and there's no layer to peel. You can't peel this layer off because it's built into the plastic."

When comparing Show-me’s polypropylene whiteboards to traditional options, several engineered advantages stand out:

• Material Construction: Traditional whiteboards rely on a heavy, rigid backing bound to a glued top laminate layer, whereas Show-me boards are molded from a single, continuous piece of flexible polypropylene plastic.

• Impact Resistance & Safety: Standard boards chip easily at the corners and peel when dropped, creating sharp edges and ruined surfaces. Show-me boards absorb impact without chipping, bending safely without peeling.

• Storage Density: Because standard boards are thick and bulky, storing 30 traditional whiteboards consumes significant shelf space. Show-me’s ultra-thin design allows teachers to store 111 Show-me boards in the exact same vertical space as 30 traditional boards.

• Environmental Impact: Composite whiteboards are difficult to separate and end up in landfills. In contrast, Show-me’s 100% polypropylene construction allows the boards to be discarded directly into standard plastic recycling streams.

• Surface Longevity: While standard whiteboards rapidly suffer from ink ghosting and graying, Show-me backs its products with a patented 2-Year White Surface Guarantee ensuring the board remains as clean and white as the day it was unboxed. "Usually these boards, after a while of use, they'll be gray because you can't get them clean," notes Pechey. "We've got a patented surface with a guarantee of two years. For a minimum of two years, we guarantee this board will stay white just like the day you bought it."

The 72-Hour Miracle: Reinventing the Dry-Erase Marker

While whiteboards form the foundation of Show-me’s catalog, dry-erase markers serve as the company's highest-volume product line. Over the past 12 months alone, Show-me sold nearly 10 million markers globally.

In educational environments, marker reliability is a constant operational challenge. Schools frequently purchase bulk packs of 100 markers only to discover that several units arrive dried out right from the factory. Show-me guarantees 100% functionality across every box sold.

"Our actual SKU that sells the most is a pack of 100 markers," Pechey says. "There are more economical products that people can purchase for less money, but yet they keep coming back to our markers because of reliability. If a customer buys a pack of 100, I know that all 100 of them are going to work. Oftentimes we get told there were five or six in competitor boxes that just didn't work from the jump."

The primary differentiator of Show-me dry-erase markers is their 3-day (72-hour) cap-off survival time. In a typical school scenario, a student might leave a marker uncapped on a Friday afternoon. With traditional markers, the nib dries out permanently within hours. With Show-me markers, a teacher returning on Monday morning can simply replace the cap, and the ink system continues to perform normally.

Purpose-Driven Supply Chains: ESG, Inclusion, and Social Enterprise

Modern educational institutions increasingly prioritize Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria when evaluating vendors. Show-me embeds sustainability and social empowerment directly into its manufacturing operations.

Empowering Adults with Additional Needs: The Onward Partnership

For over two decades, Show-me has partnered with Onward, a UK-based community social enterprise located near Eastpoint Global’s headquarters. Onward provides structured, paid employment for approximately 40 to 50 adults with complex support needs who might otherwise face severe barriers to traditional employment.

Once Show-me products are manufactured, they are transferred to Onward's facility, where team members handle kit assembly, multi-pack boxing, and final packaging for global distribution.

"Onward is a community social enterprise company providing meaningful employment opportunities for adults with additional support needs," explains Pechey. "These are guys that wouldn't be able to go out and take a traditional job. This gives people empowerment and a feeling of contributing to society. It's such a heartwarming experience to meet the guys. We always include this in our commercial tenders because it is an essential part of who we are."

Closed-Loop Circular Recycling Program

To combat plastic waste, Show-me operates a comprehensive recycling initiative for schools. When whiteboards and markers eventually reach the end of their multi-year lifespan, Show-me covers the return shipping costs to haul the products back to their facilities. The recovered plastics are shredded and recycled into consumer goods, including buttons, bottle caps, and flower vases.

Special Educational Needs & Disability (SEND) Innovations

Show-me actively designs products tailored to learners with physical or sensory processing difficulties:

• Triangular-Grip Markers: Formulated with an ergonomic triangular barrel to assist young children and students with fine-motor skill delays or hand dexterity challenges.

• Anti-Glare Matte Surfaces: Engineered with a low-reflection finish to reduce visual fatigue and accommodate students with visual sensitivities.

Cracking the U.S. Educational Market: The Strategic Expansion Journey

Entering the U.S. educational market requires navigating complex distributor networks, catalog placements, and institutional procurement channels. Show-me’s expansion began with a spontaneous trip across the Atlantic.

Recognizing the scale of the American market, Pechey proposed an exploratory research trip to an educational trade gathering in Anaheim, California. That impromptu trip led to a meeting with Teacher Direct, who subsequently introduced Show-me to Educators Resource – one of the largest wholesale distributors of school supplies in North America.

Educators Resource began stocking Show-me inventory domestically, enabling frictionless drop-shipping to top U.S. e-commerce marketplaces including Walmart, Target, and Michaels. Even before launching formal U.S. marketing campaigns or exhibiting at major conventions, organic sales began trickling in, proving strong underlying market demand. Educators Resource recommended that Pechey participate in ECRM sessions, where Pechey deepened his relationship with the company and also landed deals with several distributors, including Quill.

A common barrier for international manufacturers selling into North America is buyer concern over shipping delays. However, by establishing domestic stock points with Educators Resource and maintaining rapid ocean and air-freight pipelines from the UK, Show-me dispelled shipping concerns during buyer meetings. Furthermore, because polypropylene boards are paper-thin, thousands of units can be compressed onto single pallets, drastically reducing freight overhead per unit.

Mastering ECRM: Speed-Pitching, the ‘Mad Scientist,’ and Measuring ROI

As a first-time ECRM Session participant, Pechy conducted a lot of preparation to be ready for his in-person buyer meetings, and had some unique ways of highlighting the value Show-me’s products delivered. Here's how they did it.

Ditching the Script for Organic Dialogue

Pechey initially prepared rigid, customized presentation scripts for every scheduled buyer. However, within the first few minutes of his initial meeting, he realized that rigid scripts hindered the genuine relationship building that is the heart of ECRM Sessions.

"I made the mistake of writing scripts for each individual meeting and over-planning it," admits Pechey. "In the first meeting, the script went straight out the window. It’s just two humans having a chat. We realized you only have 10 minutes, so get straight to the point: 'What's your focus on dry-erase? What's the potential opportunity here?' Find out in the first two minutes so you can spend the remaining time diving deep into solution building."

Breaking the Ice: The ‘Mad Scientist’ Approach

To stand out during back-to-back buyer meetings, Pechey brought Chris, Show-me’s Lead of Research & Development and Quality Control. Chris attended the meetings wearing a white laboratory coat, armed with technical testing instruments.

"We did a 20-second intro from me, and then I introduced Chris as the mad scientist who does all our research," says Pechey. "He had his lab outfit on, brought his testing tools, and it immediately broke the ice. Buyers were amused and engaged."

The 3-Day 'Cap-Off' Experiment

One unique added touch to the Show-me meetings was the brand's 3-day "cap off" experiment that was done during the Session to prove prove the unique selling proposition of its dry-erase markers to skeptical U.S. buyers. Show-me built a live demonstration at the meeting table:

• The Setup: A sealed, transparent plastic display box containing a digital countdown timer, a humidity sensor, four uncapped Show-me markers, and a dry-erase board.

• The Test: For 72 continuous hours, buyers and attendees were invited to open the box, pick up the uncapped markers, and write on the board.
• The Outcome: At the 72-hour mark, the markers continued to write smoothly, with buyers leaving notes on the board reading "Still going!"

"Teachers are mind-blown when you tell them three days," says Pechey. "They're just like, 'That can't be real.' That live demonstration created so many conversations in our booth."

Highlighting Post-Deal Support

Show-me also distinguished itself by highlighting the hands-on assistance it offers to its North American sales teams and distribution partners. Its distributor enablement program includes:

• In-Person Field Training: Pechey regularly travels across the U.S. – including trips to corporate offices in Chicago and Arkansas – to host live product training sessions for commercial sales teams.

• Direct Communication Channels: Moving beyond slow email chains, Show-me sets up direct Microsoft Teams and WhatsApp channels with distributor reps for instant query resolution.

• Custom Digital Marketing Assets: Providing video content, comparative analysis sheets, and digital collateral tailored for U.S. institutional procurement tenders.

"We are a very supportive supplier," says Pechey. "It is never a case of 'Okay, you've onboarded with us, now go sell it.' We continuously provide marketing content, set up campaigns, and perform sales retraining. We want our partners to know how appreciative we are by offering best-in-class support."

The ROI of ECRM

By the time he wrapped up his meetings, Pechey realized that the return on investment of an ECRM Session is vastly superior to that of traditional trade shows. 

"You can go to a trade show where you've spent quite a bit of money and you've had some good conversations, but the real people that you were hoping to come just didn't turn up or they did and you didn't get the opportunity to have a couple of moments with them," says Pechey. "Whereas at ECRM, even with companies we haven't onboarded yet, it's not a 'no' – the conversation has only just started. In terms of ROI, you just can't get that opportunity anywhere else."

Strategic Lessons for International Brands Entering the U.S. Market

Show-me’s successful expansion into North America offers valuable strategic insights for international manufacturers seeking to scale overseas:

• Focus on Product USPs, Not Price Wars: Rather than competing solely on price against low-cost imported alternatives, highlight tangible engineering superiorities – such as 72-hour cap-off times and multi-year surface guarantees.

• Prove Claims through Interactive Demos: Show, don't just tell. Live demonstrations (like Show-me’s ECRM 72-hour humidifier display) convert buyer skepticism into immediate brand confidence.

• Leverage Domestic Master Distributors: Partnering with established U.S. master distributors like Educators Resource eliminates domestic warehousing and drop-shipping hurdles.

• Embed ESG Into Commercial Messaging: Modern procurement departments actively seek suppliers with verified community impact initiatives and environmental circularity programs.

• Treat Category Buyers as Collaborative Partners: Abandon rigid sales pitches in favor of direct, human conversations focused on category alignment and problem-solving.

With confirmed plans to participate in future ECRM sessions and expanding field representation across North America, Show-me is well on its way to making its whiteboards and markers a household name in American classrooms, just as it did in the UK.

Executive Summary 

Company Background & Heritage: Show-me is the flagship brand of Eastpoint Global, a family-owned UK manufacturer established in 1976. Launched in 2000 during a nationwide UK movement to reduce paper usage in literacy and numeracy practice, Show-me whiteboards have become a generic trademark in UK schools.

Core Product Innovations:

• 72-Hour Cap-Off Dry-Erase Markers: Show-me dry-erase markers feature a patented formulation allowing them to remain uncapped for up to 3 days (72 hours) without drying out. Show-me sold nearly 10 million markers over the past 12 months with a 100% out-of-the-box reliability rate.

• Flexible & Recyclable Polypropylene Boards: Unlike traditional rigid whiteboards that chip, crack, or peel, Show-me boards are constructed from 100% recyclable polypropylene plastic. They feature a 2-year white surface guarantee against ghosting and graying.

• Space Efficiency: Show-me’s ultra-slim design allows 111 Show-me boards to be stored in the exact same vertical space as 30 traditional rigid boards.

Social Responsibility & Sustainability:

• Onward Social Enterprise Partnership: For over 20 years, Show-me has partnered with Onward, a local community enterprise employing 40 to 50 adults with additional support needs to manage product packaging and assembly.

• Circular Recycling Program: Show-me pays for shipping to allow schools to send back used boards and markers, which are recycled into consumer products such as bottle caps, buttons, and vases.

• Inclusive Educational Design: Offers specialized ergonomic tools, such as triangular-grip markers for improved dexterity and anti-glare matte finishes on whiteboards.

U.S. Expansion Strategy & ECRM Success:

• Distribution Footprint: Show-me entered the U.S. market via key distribution partners like Educators Resource and Teacher Direct, securing catalog listings on major platforms including Walmart, Target, and Michaels.

• ECRM Session Impact: Show-me attended its first ECRM session in February, connecting directly with major tier-1 buyers. The company successfully onboarded with several distributors – including major target contract suppliers like Quill – and has already scheduled follow-up sales training across the country.