Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Merrow Pie Contest 2013


Merrow Pie Contest 2013

For the past three weeks, the office has accepted entries into Merrow's Annual Pie Baking Competition!
For rules and past pies, see blog posts from the previous competitions here.

At the close of the competition, we've compiled some pictures of this year's offerings.

Toblerone Pie

Apple Pear Pie

Turkey Pie (served hot with gravy)

Mixed Berry Pie


Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Pies

Pecan Pie

Beef Lemon Pie
Egg & Vegetable Breakfast Pie
Apple Brown Sugar Turnovers with Burbon Glaze
Colonial Innkeeper's Pie

A record-breaking total of eighteen pies were entered this year including  the not pictured: Lemon Meringue, Peach Praline, Apple Brie Bacon Burger, Reese's Cup, and Chocolate Truffle.

The winners this year are:
Nat's Turkey Pie (1st Place)
Josh's Apple Brie Bacon Burger Pie (2nd Place)
Matt's Chocolate Truffle Pie (3rd Place)

Congratulations to the winners! Thank you to our entrants for their delicious contributions!
Happy Thanksgiving to all!


Anonymous Merrow

Merrow has manufactured sewing machines since 1838 and remains one of the most interesting companies in the textile space

Friday, November 1, 2013

ActiveSeam 502 and Merrow in the local news



It’s not everyday that a Fall River company makes the world news, but Merrow Sewing Machine, located at 502 Bedford Street, did just that with the launching of the world’s first branded seam and new business model revolving around it.

In the press conference, held on Oct. 15, Merrow announced the creation of ActiveSeam 502 Production Program and the Merrow Stitch Lab which represent a new business model for developing and pro- ducing apparel in the US based on the ActiveSeam stitch. Created in 2010 and released to the public in 2012, ActiveSeam is a new, stretchable stitch type that helps replace common forms of stitching. Work- ing with A & E, the second largest manufacturer of thread in the world and Groz Beckert, the world’s largest sewing needle manufacturer, ActiveSeam allows companies to design unique versions of their garments using various versions of the stitch.

The ActiveSeam 502 business model is designed to leverage the worldwide interest in ActiveSeam-sports clothing manufacturer Nike toured the site hours after the press conference-while locally generating new production. It will help brands worldwide rapidly develop and produce various versions of ActiveSeam in small to medium quantities helping to impact a company's ability to bring unique and competitive products to market.

 ActiveSeam will help change the way that companies consider using branded stitching in their products and it will provide designers with the freedom to build custom-designed seams into a myriad of products. In partnership with local production companies, Merrow will provide brands producing under ActiveSeam license with ActiveSeam machines required for their pro- duction at no additional cost and participation requires no capital costs for sewing equipment.

Businesses interested in affiliating with ActiveSeam 502 can request more information from Brian Foley at 508-689-4095.

Mayor Will Flanagan said he appreciated the trust Merrow is placing in the city of Fall River to grow their business as well as help many others thrive through their branding and ActiveSeam 502 business model.
“We appreciate the expansion of jobs utilizing the implementation of 21st century technology and to couple it with what we have always done in this city and done well; manufacturing,” said Flanagan. “Your success will be this city’s success.”“The local and state delegations are 100 percent behind you,” said State 

Rep. Paul Schmid, D-Westport. “It is no mistake that you are here in Fall River. Fall River people know how to work, like to work and want to work.” One of their first ActiveSeam clients was on display at the press conference, a Velocity tactical vest, to be used for law enforcement purposes.

 Co-owner Charlie Merrow said the entire infrastructure needed to make this venture a success is all here in Fall River. He said companies used to be able to go to a number of cities across the world to have custom-sewing and design work done-New York City was one of the biggest, but there are now only two major sewing and manu- facturing areas left in the country-Los Angeles and Fall River.

“I believe this makes the city more competitive,” said Merrow of the ActiveSeam 502 concept, “and with enough support, this can help to keep good companies in Fall River and help keep them productive here.”
Open for more than 175 years, Merrow, run by brothers Owen and Charlie Merrow, the great grandnephews of company founder Joseph M. Merrow, moved their headquarters from Connecticut to Fall River in 2008. 

They currently do work with companies including Nike, Hugo Boss, Brooks Brothers, Milliken, Gildan, Glen Raven and Penn Emblem, among many others. Merrow’s brand is represented in 65 countries.


Merrow Merrow

Merrow has manufactured sewing machines since 1838 and remains one of the most interesting companies in the textile space

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Merrow introduces the age of Branded Stitching with ActiveSeam


A nice write up of the new ActiveSeam stitch and Merrow by Beth Purdue.

A link to the article:
 http://www.southcoasttoday.com/

One of the first textile-related discoveries Charlie Merrow made, after becoming CEO of Merrow Sewing Machine Co. in 2004, was that garment designers didn't believe stitching added value to their customer brands.
Brand logos and materials, yes, but not stitching.
"My customers don't care," a New York lingerie manufacturer told Merrow when he began pitching a new, more flexible, stitch.
But Merrow and his brother Owen Merrow, company COO, believed otherwise. Stitching, they thought, could become the "design story" and create a whole new way for designers to brand their garments.
You just need the right stitch.
Fast forward nine years and the brothers have made good their idea, launching a new ActiveSeam 502 stitch and stitch design lab in October that they believe can contribute to a re-energized textile industry in Fall River.
At an Oct. 15 event to announce new innovations, Merrow said the ActiveSeam not only makes products that stretch better and are abrasion resistant, but can be used by designers to tell better product stories, essentially branding the stitch.
"When we created this we realized that we had something very different that was so good, so interesting, and so visible," he said. "Everybody wants an authentic story."
The ActiveSeam stitch was invented in 2010 and is made on Merrow sewing machines. The stitch has been publicly promoted for the past six months, according to Brian Foley, Merrow business development.
"We've been getting the message out that stitching matters," Foley said, adding that the company is also pushing the message that the stitch is more comfortable, offers complete linear stretch, and can be used to monetize a seam.
Flat on both sides, the stitch can be made in a variety of widths and designs to meet the needs of multiple fabrics and garments as well as the varying looks of company brands. It works for multiple clothing markets, from activewear and lingerie to medical garments or baby clothes.
What really got the attention of major manufacturers like Adidas, Nike, and Under Armor, Merrow said, was a triple-thread version that buries a third color beneath two outer threads and then reveals it when the garment stretches.
"Then we had something aesthetic," Merrow said. "It has been a transformative thing at Merrow."
A 175-year old company that got its start making gunpowder, Merrow Co., now Merrow Sewing Co., invented the overlock sewing machine and has been making them since 1838. The company has distributors in 65 countries with 300 agents selling products.
The Merrow brothers, great-grandnephews of company founder Joseph M. Merrow, moved the company to Fall River in 2008. Today, the company occupies a 30,000-square-foot open mill space on Bedford Street in the city.
With the ActiveSeam stitch, Merrow is also debuting a stitch design lab that can be used by other companies to design a unique version of the ActiveSeam stitch. Merrow can then outfit them with their sewing machines to make the stitch, Merrow said. Or, the company could, under a licensing program, develop the product in Fall River using local sewing companies like Griffin Manufacturing, a textile manufacturer located in the same mill space as Merrow.
The company expects to add three to five positions to its staff of 24 people with the launch of the stitch lab, Merrow said.
It is already beginning to use the stitch to make tactical vests for Maryland-based Velocity Systems.
Merrow Merrow

Merrow has manufactured sewing machines since 1838 and remains one of the most interesting companies in the textile space

Monday, October 14, 2013

ActiveSeam 502™, Building ActiveSeam locally


GROWING THE CREATIVE ECONOMY - DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT, PRODUCTION
 INTRODUCING ACTIVESEAM 502™ and the MERROW STITCH LAB®


Since 1838, Merrow® has been building the world’s finest industrial overlock sewing machines and currently provides customers like Nike, Hugo Boss, Brooks Brothers, Milliken, Gildan, Glen Raven and Penn Emblem with technical and proprietary sewing solutions. Throughout its 175-year history, Merrow has contributed to the worldwide development of textiles and is now a global brand represented in 65 countries by more than 300 sales agencies. Merrow is headquartered in Fall River, MA.


Today, Merrow proudly announces the ActiveSeam 502™ Production Program and the Merrow Stitch Lab®, which represent a new business model for developing and producing apparel in the United States based on the ActiveSeam stitch. The ActiveSeam 502 Production Program and Stitch Lab allow the local production community to capitalize on the global success of the ActiveSeam stitch.


ActiveSeam® -  A New Technical Story - Activeseam.com


ActiveSeam was invented in 2010 in Fall River, and released to the public last year. It is a new stitch type - the first stitch ever to be branded. ActiveSeam is a technical, marketable, and aesthetically distinctive stitch that replaces common forms of stitching. The new stitch has captured the imagination of designers, production engineers, and many of the major athletic apparel manufacturers. In partnership with A&E (the world’s second largest manufacturer of thread) and Groz Beckert (the world’s largest sewing needle manufacturer), ActiveSeam has developed into a technical collaboration that allows designers to engineer unique versions of the stitch for their specific products.


ActiveSeam 502® Production


With major brands around the world requiring ActiveSeam development, Merrow is introducing a production program to support the rapidly iterative qualities of ActiveSeam and provide a simple, cost effective way to make products with the stitch.


ActiveSeam 502 is a new business model designed to leverage the worldwide interest in ActiveSeam and locally generate new production. It will help brands worldwide rapidly develop and produce variations of ActiveSeam in small-to-medium quantities - and significantly impact their ability to bring unique and competitive products to market.


ActiveSeam 502 changes the way the ActiveSeam stitch can be developed and deployed. It will change the way that brands consider using branded stitching in their products, and it will provide designers with the freedom to build custom-designed seams into a myriad of products.


In partnership with local production facilities, Merrow will provide brands producing under an ActiveSeam license with the ActiveSeam machines required for their production at no additional cost. ActiveSeam produced through the ActiveSeam 502 program requires no capital costs for sewing equipment. Machines will be configured and deployed on product cycles before being returned and retooled between production runs.


The ActiveSeam machines will be available exclusively to licensees, protecting custom engineering developed in the Stitch Lab.


The ActiveSeam 502 program reduces costs for all parties. It also improves any brand’s ability to rapidly innovate and move product to market while providing local businesses with a unique and valuable production option to offer their customers.


Approved ActiveSeam 502 partners will be listed on activeseam.com. Businesses interested in affiliating with ActiveSeam 502 may request more information from Brian Foley at (508) 689-4095 or bfoley@merrow.com.


Merrow Stitch Lab®


Mission: Implement ActiveSeam to Make Better Products and Create Better Product Stories


The Stitch Lab is a unique offering from Merrow that provides the blueprints for an ActiveSeam stitch. The Lab is best viewed as a process where an organization works with Merrow to achieve a single goal: create a stitch that matters. It starts with a vision and/or product brief, followed by an analysis of fabric and stitch requirements. We listen to what features will be most important to a brand’s customer and provide direction based on the intended aesthetic, strength, stretch, abrasion resistance, comfort, etc. To create a unique, proprietary ActiveSeam, we focus on product design and function before applying two critical pieces: our understanding of the MB-4DFO ActiveSeam machine’s mechanical intricacies and a highly specialized approach to thread selection. The result is a stitching story worth talking about with customers.


All machines used in the ActiveSeam 502 production program will be configured in the Stitch Lab.


THE MERROW SEWING MACHINE COMPANY


Today, Merrow is run by brothers Owen and Charlie Merrow, the great-grandnephews of company founder Joseph M. Merrow. The company was relocated to Massachusetts in 2004 and renamed The Merrow Sewing Machine Company.

Currently based in Fall River, MA, Merrow has led in the invention, manufacture, and sale of industrial sewing machines since 1838. The company has become an industry leader in web-based content, cutting-edge online support development, and training systems to advance its global network of 300 distributors.


Merrow Merrow

Merrow has manufactured sewing machines since 1838 and remains one of the most interesting companies in the textile space

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Merrow Announces the Appointment of A&E as a Preferred Sewing Thread for ActiveSeam™




August 21, 2013. In its continued mission to build value into stitching, Merrow announces the appointment of A&E as a preferred sewing thread for the ActiveSeam™ branded stitch.  Headquartered in Mount Holly, NC, A&E has distribution points in over 41 countries and is a supplier of industrial sewing thread to the world's leading apparel brands and manufacturers.

Read more about the A&E announcement here

ActiveSeam  (www.activeseam.com) is defined  as much by its marketability as its distinct comfort, appearance, and dynamic performance, and the appointment of A&E as a preferred sewing thread is yet another way that Merrow is pioneering a new way to develop, produce, and market value in sewn products. To learn more about the branded stitch revolution, visit www.activeseam.com.




A&E's Anesoft®, Perma Core® and Anefil Polyester®  threads have been proven by the Merrow Stitch Lab™ to maximize ActiveSeam's performance in many apparel products, and each brand is bolstered by A&E's promise to to deliver exact color, superior quality and innovative products.

In addition to their longstanding commitment to Environmental Health & Safety, Sustainability, and Social Responsibility, A&E's technical expertise and global capabilities ensure that as new ActiveSeam applications emerge, there will be an A&E thread to compliment its application.



Anonymous Merrow

Merrow has manufactured sewing machines since 1838 and remains one of the most interesting companies in the textile space

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Merrow at Texprocess Frankfurt 2013


Texprocess Frankfurt was a smash. It was exhilarating to meet new people, rekindle relationships, and to experience the reception for Merrow and our new products. Big things happened but that's another post. For now, here are some pictures from the show.


Merrow At the Groz Beckert Booth
Nate at the Groz Beckert booth (that's an AMG Mercedez GB sliced to expose articles sewn with GB needles)

Nate and Charlie happy after a GREAT meeting.

The Merrow Booth at Texprocess Frankfurt
The booth.

Fred at the restaurant after the close of the show.

Merrow Conducting Business at Texprocess
Charlie talking to Carlos Calavia from Rapida Suministros (Spanish agent).

Making Relationships - Merrow at Texprocess Frankfurt
Charlie with Merrow Agent Marco Rosales (Proveedora Remco) and Juan Scharf from Groz Beckert.




Anonymous Merrow

Merrow has manufactured sewing machines since 1838 and remains one of the most interesting companies in the textile space

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

How to Edge an Emblem - VIDEO


A while back we held a training at the Merrow factory to give folks running the MG-3U some pointers and came away with some great footage of merrowing experts Don Grant and Renato Pace dropping their knowledg. Don and Renato explained the "ins and outs" of putting a Merrowed edge on complicated inside and outside corners, as well the basics of changing eccentrics and bending loopers. Enjoy!










Anonymous Merrow

Merrow has manufactured sewing machines since 1838 and remains one of the most interesting companies in the textile space

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

NEW Merrow Parts for the 70-D3B-2 "Graphite"


I just thought I'd write up a quick post that 1. gives a sneak peak of Merrow's new parts, and 2. gives an idea of why they're so cool (and important). First, here's a pic of what they look like (these are 70-Class needle plates):


What's the difference in the new parts? They're black. And they have an average hardness rating of HV 3000 (Vickers hardness scale) and a dry/unlubed coefficient of friction of .40 - a 73% and 43% improvement respectively.

What does this mean? It means that we've increased the durability of our parts by making them more resistant to wear. In fact, we estimate that on average they'll last nearly five times longer (depending on the part). We've accomplished this by applying a thin layer of chemicals that actually rebuild itself as it wears. Amazingly it's only 1 micron thick meaning that it won't affect tolerances and that parts can be retrofitted to machines already in the field. And because they're black they'll be easily distinguishable as genuine Merrow parts.

So we've got new parts that are more durable, run cooler, and perform better. Who should be excited about this? Everyone that runs or sells Merrow machines.





Anonymous Merrow

Merrow has manufactured sewing machines since 1838 and remains one of the most interesting companies in the textile space

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

New Products for Merrow to be announced at texprocess




At Merrow I believe we work harder than anyone in the sewing equipment business to create innovative and compelling solutions for our customers' projects. We spend our days building sewing machines for businesses around the world, and each of them has specific requirements that the Merrow Machine is tuned and adjusted to solve perfectly.

We also test lots of interesting ideas at our factory in Fall River,MA, and from time to time we package up and create new products from the truly  exceptional innovations; products that we expect will have a broad impact in markets we serve around the world. 

This year we will bring some of these exciting new products to Texprocess in Frankufurt, and we built a website to chronicle the development process.
The products are here: Merrow New Products. These new Merrow products will be available for a preview in Fall River, MA and at Texprocess in Frankfurt on June 10th. Take a look at the website, or better yet, come see what we've created in person!

Kind Regards,
Charlie Merrow
CEO



Visit: Merrow New Products
New Sewing Products from Merrow
Merrow Merrow

Merrow has manufactured sewing machines since 1838 and remains one of the most interesting companies in the textile space

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Merrowing a Patch Border by David Davies - INSTRUCTIONAL


I came across this gem on YouTube today - pretty apropos considering the MG-3U video campaign that we are currently running. Nice work by David Davies.


Anonymous Merrow

Merrow has manufactured sewing machines since 1838 and remains one of the most interesting companies in the textile space

Thursday, March 7, 2013

MG-3U Instructional Videos are here!



The first in a series of videos focused on the MG-3U, the MG-3U Installation Video  gives step-by-step instruction on the proper way to mount your MG-3U to a standard sewing table. Check out the Merrow MG-3U Emblem Edge Machine playlist for more videos, including thread stand assembly. I'll be updating the videos each week - look for the MG-3U threading video the week of March 11. Be sure to leave feedback at our MG-3U Google+ Community where you'll also find the videos!

My goal is to let everyone know how accessible and easy it is to create the Merrowed Edge on patches and emblems, and of course it starts with knowing the ins and outs of the machine. The MG-3U video series will cover technical basics all the way through sewing a patch! In case you need a little more info on what exactly the MG-3U is and does, check out these links:

Merrow MG-3U Product Page
Emblem Applications Page


Anonymous Merrow

Merrow has manufactured sewing machines since 1838 and remains one of the most interesting companies in the textile space

Merrow Videos


This spring we're going to release a series of videos to help people setup and run the Merrow Machines.

Today we're publishing the 'setup video' for the MG-3U. In an interesting twist, a Merrow customer has filmed exactly the same video an published it on their own.

We're going to publish both.

 Merrow Version:
 

 Merrow Customer Version:
Merrow Merrow

Merrow has manufactured sewing machines since 1838 and remains one of the most interesting companies in the textile space

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Latest Version of ActiveSeam for Leather???


If a brand is a reflection of its customers, then Merrow is a cool and innovative company indeed. We constantly think about sewing and how to make it better, different, novel, which is why we think that Isaac Sellam is cut from the same proverbial cloth - check out his use of a Merrow 70-D3B-2 to sew a butted seam on $2000 leather jackets of his design!

Isaac Sellam Leather Jacket
Isaac Sellam Black Leather Jacket with Merrow Butt Seam
Isaac Sellam Grey Leather Jacket with "Raised External Seams"
Notice the seal over the stitch.
"ActiveSeam Leather"?

Anonymous Merrow

Merrow has manufactured sewing machines since 1838 and remains one of the most interesting companies in the textile space

Friday, January 11, 2013

Setting Up for ActiveSeam Training




+Nate Murray sets up the table that will be used as the "ActiveSeam training station" (yes, in reality he does have a face).  And the end result, ActiveSeam garments:


Stay tuned world.

Anonymous Merrow

Merrow has manufactured sewing machines since 1838 and remains one of the most interesting companies in the textile space