Small Business America

CCW Products, Inc.

My apologies to Dave TenEyck, the President of CCW, for taking so long to get this post up here. Dave is the son-in-law of Mort Saffer, who founded this firm in 1979 in Englewood, CO. Now located in an 80,000 square foot facility in Arvada, CCW specializes in clear plastic, FDA approved containers, which it sells into the domestic as well as international markets for food packaging and other purposes.

Like many family businesses, many CCW employees have been with the company for 20 years or more. According to Dave, "We are still proud to be a domestic manufacturer and fight daily against low cost imported products. Low debt and careful management has helped us along." The company is well-positioned to weather the current economic storm, and has orgaized its operations to enable future expansion.

Regarding the choice to continue manufacturing in the USA, Dave said, "Our founder, Mort Saffer, spend his entire working career in US manufacturing. A graduate of West Point, he was a patriot and a great proponent of domestic manufacturing and spent his later years bemoaning the loss of manufacturing here in the US. I am a son in law who has the same outlook as Mort, working here for 22 years."

I have no doubt that Dave & the family could have (1) moved manufacturing offshore, and/or (2) sold the company to a larger competitor or foreign owner. They CHOSE not to do so. Why? Because, as Dave said, they are a patriotic company which values its community and their employees. As a result, they have trained many workers, and given hundreds of people opportunities to build valuable careers around this business. Here is proof that manufacturing in American is a choice, even in highly competitive industries like plastics. I would question any CEO who says they have "no choice but to offshore our operations." They usually have a choice - what is missing is community spirit, and loyalty to America.

Visit CCW website for more information and give them your business - they deserve it. Thanks for building your company right here in the USA, Dave!

Kevin

Thanasi Foods

I recently met the founder of this company, Justin Havlick, at Thanasi HQ in Boulder, Colorado. Justin and his partner began the company in 2003, without significant external capital, and it's been very successful, despite the fact that each product is produced right here in the USA. Their strengths are innovation, product marketing, and attention to consumer desires, resulting in broad brand recognition for their FRANK'S REDHOT and Jim Beam snack foods - products sold through over 35,000 convenience stores, grocery stores, etc. across the U.S. Now they are rolling out new products, such as flavored sunflower seeds, under their own BIGS brand name.

Justin & Thanasi are a perfect example of why we need to support privately-held, small businesses & local entrepreneurs. Almost anything could be made cheaper offshore, but companies like Thanasi, if motivated, can find smart, profitable ways to produce products right here in America. Later I'm going to review Jack Buffington's book, An Easy Out - in the meantime I'd like to thank Justin & his team for not taking the "easy out," choosing to produce food for the US market close to home.

As usual, I urge you to support domestic producers through purchase of their products, and by recommending them to others. These guys don't need trade barriers, just your product loyalty.

Kevin

Etsy

I saw the founder of this company on "Knit & Crochet Today," a show my wife watches (obviously). He looked pretty young, but such a great mission he's adopted, a success after just a few years, too. Jan said he's been on Martha Stewart & other shows frequently. It's a business that truly aims to help people earn more, and also control their lives, enabling small, home-based businesses to sell their hand-made products with hardly any investment (20 cents per product listed + 3.5% of sale). Having started in his living room in New York, Robert Kalin, the founder, says he likes the company because it is "so darn pretty and subversive." Now, I really like that attitude, don't you?

In the interview, I believe he said they're looking at co-op mfg space for members in NYC; they already have 100,000 sellers from around the world, who sell to folks who want to know they are supporting a craftsman, not just a factory, bringing buyer and producer closer together. Seems like a lot of people are trying to do so these days - it's at the heart of the buy-local and community sustainability movements. Corporate America is not designed to compete with this stuff...  

Pinnacle Architectural Lighting

I’ve had occasion to work professionally with this company, and I was really impressed by both the products and the people. Founded by Michael Moore, a Denver entrepreneur with significant experience in the lighting industry, Pinnacle makes those banks of lights which you see illuminating public spaces and work areas – their industry is called architectural lighting.

Obviously, quality and product/engineering knowledge is part of the value-add offered by Pinnacle. Most orders are custom, addressing the particular specs of the subject building. The combinations of lighting products require tens of thousands of parts, and environmental conditions & target usage all become part of the sales process. Some component parts may come from overseas, but the design and final assembly work is performed in Denver, with shipments to every corner of the USA.  The plant employs a great team of local workers, and also keeps local subcontractors busy. It’s a great example of how American products, using good design, quality, and people, can effectively compete to serve our domestic market.

Kudos to my friends Pinnacle Architectural Lighting!

An Invitation

I'm always amazed at the innovative nature of my fellow Americans. Small businesses don't get much in the way of bailouts, so I'm pursuing a few innovative strategies to help, in my own small way.

Unfortunately, we've already squandered much of the existing wealth of the middle class, denuded our country of its manufacturing capacity, and created a society of knowledgeable people, who no longer produce anything. Real wealth arises from the creation of physical or knowledge products, which enable more to be done with less energy, labor, or materials. We must now restore America's capacity to create its own domestic products if we're to restore our wealth as a nation. That's why I'd like to highlight companies which are conrtributing to the renewal of our domestic manufacturing base.

Let me invite you to help in one small way. If you know someone producing something in America, tell us about it. We'll try to get them, and their story, up here on the Small Business America blog, and maybe we can help get others to do the same.

Now go get 'em!
Kevin