For Mike Maloney, founder of KOTA Longboards, the only thing that stays the same is change. Winner of the Chase Mission Main Street Grant and $150,000, the rush of publicity and recognition, including a national television ad campaign, fueled a sales surge — leaving KOTA and Maloney on the hunt for capital to finance more […]
National policymakers align with the outcome of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations in fairly predictable ways. Republicans generally support free trade and big business that benefit most from more open access to foreign markets. Democrats value their labor credentials and argue that agreements like TPP sap U.S. manufacturing jobs. Moderates in both parties tend to […]
I’ve written how Brad Petersen, director of the Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation is using lifestyle to recruit and retain outdoor brands. Petersen was appointed after Utah passed legislation in 2011 creating the Office and today, several outcomes suggest the decision was incredibly positive for Utah and the region. For one, Petersen has set a […]
Word of Oskar Blues divestiture continues to leak out, and the question in Colorado’s close-knit craft sector, is how much? For many, the sale of a majority stake of any of Colorado’s bellwether crafters to private equity investors would be an earth-flattening event, a Rubicon crossed. Rumors have been swirling, but Chad Melis of Oskar […]
As inaugural events go last week’s Northern Colorado Manufacturing Trade Show (NoCOM) was a rousing success. Organizers say 600 people attended NoCOM, including representatives from nearly 60 exhibitors. Paul Harter, CEO of Aqua-Hot and the event’s high-energy director, said the event also met its objectives. “The response and energy at the show told me that […]
Often I marvel at the stories and photographs filed by CompanyWeek writers and photographers. Such was the case this week in both Utah and Colorado editions. Weeks like this remind me why we do what we do. Manufacturers cut, bend, shape, engineer, fabricate, and innovate regardless of company size or industry. But consider the profound […]
Craft beer is nothing new to Colorado. In fact, it has slowly worked its way into the state’s DNA. What oranges are to Florida or potatoes are to Idaho, Colorado is becoming for craft beer. Today, Colorado holds five of the top 50 spots on the list of the nations largest craft brewers, well over […]
This week, we take a quick break for Tax Day to look back at the most popular CompanyWeek profiles from Q1. Here’s the list: 1. Odell Brewing 2. Woodward 3. Icelantic Skis 4. Avery Brewing 5. NFT 6. Micro Metals 7. Colorado Cylinder Stoves 8. Wild Goose Canning 9. The Real Dill 10. Sticker Giant […]
Does the language of manufacturing matter? Should we care whether a food company is labeled a ‘processor,’ a craft beer company a ‘maker,’ or an industrial business utilizing automation to build things a ‘technology’ company? The reality is that today, in business, we do care. We artfully avoid using the term manufacturing when another term […]
Easily the most common feedback I get from readers of CompanyWeek is one of surprise, as in, ‘I had no idea so much stuff was being made here.’ Today’s eclectic mix will inspire similar sentiments. Profiles of a toymaker, sew shop, and precision machinist, along with a contract brewer and printer of advanced sensors should […]