LEWISTON – It was a banner year for Geiger, and the proof is in the paycheck.

About 400 local employees of the well-known maker and distributor of promotional products will be sharing $1 million in bonuses this week following a record-breaking year. Another $1.2 million will be distributed to sales staff outside Maine.

“We had a wonderful year,” said Jo-an Lantz, executive vice president. “We’re very happy.”

The company saw its sales in 2006 grow 24.8 percent over the previous year.

Lantz said the success is attributable to three main factors: increased training and production of its workforce; the acquisition of Forrester-Smith, a Florida-based promotions company; and investment in technology.

“For the last five years, our technology investment each year has exceeded a couple of million dollars,” said Lantz. “It has really paid off.”

An integrated Web site and equipment upgrades received a significant portion of that technology investment, she said.

“But our biggest investment is our people,” said Lantz.

It’s a philosophy set by Ray Geiger, who moved the famed Farmers’ Almanac company from New Jersey to its Mount Hope Avenue home in 1955. He established the Fireside Chat – an annual meeting with employees – to go over the company’s finances.

“It’s been a staple since 1955 … more than 50 years,” said Lantz. “We show exactly how we performed over the last year.”

Bonuses are based on that performance and average about 4 percent of an employee’s salary. People can receive their profit-sharing bonuses in cash, or as contributions to their 401(k) plans.

Last year, bonuses totaling $1.8 million were handed out; in 2005, it was $1.38 million.

With its 2006 acquisition, Geiger increased its number of divisional offices from 15 to 20, and independent sales representatives from 400 to 580. The company is ranked as the largest private promotional products distributor in the country.

Lantz said she expects the growth to continue. The forecasts for this year are based on sales projections more than 15 percent over 2006.

“We’re very proud of our operation,” she said. “It’s an exciting time for us.”