How the 2007 Economic Crisis Led to Success for the Vermont Flannel Company
In the early 1990s, T-shirt salesman Mark Baker sent a sample of his flannel designs to retailers like J.C. Penney and Sears, who promptly cribbed them and made them overseas. But despite the odds, Baker and the Vermont Flannel Company stayed committed to Made in America, and things really took off in 2007 — when the economic crisis hit. In this episode, Baker shares why Made in America is the secret to his company's success.
4 Des 201720min
How Liberty Tabletop Is Setting the Table for Growth
When flatware maker Oneida decided to offshore its production, Greg Owens and his business partner stepped in and bought the company's factory in upstate New York. Liberty Tabletop is now the only maker of flatware in the United States — but the company is growing thanks to an innovative business model.
27 Nov 201716min
A Century of Tradition at LC King Manufacturing Co.
When most American workwear companies sent production overseas at the turn of the century, LC King kept things going at its iconic factory in Bristol, Tenn. And as owner and operations manager Jack King — the great-grandson of company founder Landon Clayton King — explains, LC King's decision helped support other manufacturers around the country, too. But can LC King continue to compete in the face of unfair foreign competition?
20 Nov 201721min
Competitors Moved Overseas, But Exxel Outdoors Bet on America — and Succeeded
When a sleeping bag factory in Haleyville, Ala., was on the brink of shutting down, Exxel Outdoors bought it, upgraded it — and managed to create even more jobs. Today, the factory produces more than 2 million sleeping bags every year, which are sold at retailers like Walmart. "What they saw as a lost business, we just saw it as an opportunity," Exxel's CEO Harry Kazazian recalls. But it hasn't been without challenges. "I spend more money to give coffee to my employees than some countries spend on their labor," Kazazian says. In this episode, Kazazian tells host Scott Paul how Exxel found Made in America success.
13 Nov 201723min
America Hasn't Lost Its Marbles, Thanks to Beri Fox
Marble King makes more than 1 million, 100 percent lead-free glass marbles at its factory in West Virginia every day. But as CEO Beri Fox explains, while Marble King makes the best product on the market, the company is up against some unfair competition.
6 Nov 201717min
Who Can Take a Factory and Bring it Home to America? The Candy Man Can.
Third-generation farmer-turned-candy maker Joe Dutra launched Kimmie Candy in 2000 and almost immediately started winning awards for his tasty treats. In 2005, Dutra took a huge risk when he moved Kimmie Candy's manufacturing operations from South Korea to Reno, Nev. — and quickly reaped the benefits of making it in America. In this episode, Dutra explains how he did it — and where his candy-making empire is headed next.
30 Okt 201723min
Designing a Better Mousetrap — and Making It in America
mHUB's state-of-the-art facility in Chicago is a place where entrepreneurs and innovators can invent new things, from cutting-edge electronics to groundbreaking medical devices to even a better mousetrap. But is it possible for those new inventions to be manufactured in the United States, too? Yes — and mHUB co-founder and managing director Bill Fienup explains how.
23 Okt 201719min
Catching Up With Vincent Vittorio of the American Made Movie
Documentary filmmaker Vincent Vittorio was ahead of his time. When he released the American Made Movie in 2013, he helped shine a much-needed spotlight on the devastation caused by factory job loss. Four years later, the future of manufacturing is at the center of our national politics. In this episode, Vittorio shares thoughts on how we got here — and where we need to go next.
16 Okt 201719min
