In some cases the blog entry should be abbreviated; this is one of those cases.
Here is the cover & the story about Merrow. Enjoy.
Here is the cover & the story about Merrow. Enjoy.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Sunday, September 16, 2007
American Made
Earlier in the week I got a text message around 7PM. It said "'npr reported that there are no sewing machines made in USA' am clng NPR tomorrow"
Later in the week (in an entirely separate context) an employee asked whether the fact that some of our parts were sourced abroad compromised our 'Made in the USA' tag.
I think it's a healthy and exciting discussion. Merrow is a remarkable company, and our machines are made in the US.
Simply put:
१.we build all Merrow sewing machines in Wareham, MA. Our machines are built from scratch in Wareham, MA USA. We sweat and labour to make each machine great. And the world benefits from the effort.
२. Our parts come from all over the world-(which includes the US...) - some percentage come from the US, and the balance from places you need a passport to visit. We have excellent partners worldwide-- and who wouldn't want that to exist? Our business model requires us to find the best partners, the best employees to build the strongest company in the industry.... there are no borders that intimidate us, nor do we create artificial constraints that would prevent us from working with the best.
We are an American Sewing Machine Company; and this has nothing to do with why Merrow is a great company. It wouldn't matter if we made the machines on the Moon. It is the team, the business model, and the company that makes us unique. We believe that we can impact our customers more significantly than anyone else-- and we'll prove it machine by hand-built machine.
So NPR: I listen everyday, and I hope the next time you tackle sewing machines you get the story straight.
Later in the week (in an entirely separate context) an employee asked whether the fact that some of our parts were sourced abroad compromised our 'Made in the USA' tag.
I think it's a healthy and exciting discussion. Merrow is a remarkable company, and our machines are made in the US.
Simply put:
१.we build all Merrow sewing machines in Wareham, MA. Our machines are built from scratch in Wareham, MA USA. We sweat and labour to make each machine great. And the world benefits from the effort.
२. Our parts come from all over the world-(which includes the US...) - some percentage come from the US, and the balance from places you need a passport to visit. We have excellent partners worldwide-- and who wouldn't want that to exist? Our business model requires us to find the best partners, the best employees to build the strongest company in the industry.... there are no borders that intimidate us, nor do we create artificial constraints that would prevent us from working with the best.
We are an American Sewing Machine Company; and this has nothing to do with why Merrow is a great company. It wouldn't matter if we made the machines on the Moon. It is the team, the business model, and the company that makes us unique. We believe that we can impact our customers more significantly than anyone else-- and we'll prove it machine by hand-built machine.
So NPR: I listen everyday, and I hope the next time you tackle sewing machines you get the story straight.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Merrow Press Release: Wet-Environment, Nickel-Plated Solution
9/7/07- Merrow Launches Wet-Environment Nickel-Plated Solution for the Merrow Butted-Seam Machine
Wareham, MA – September 7, 2007 – Merrow, Inc.® today introduced its Merrow Wet-Environment Nickel-Plated Solution for the end-to-end continuous loop butt-seaming process.
The 70-D3B2-CNP (Nickel-Plated) Merrow Butt-Seaming machine is engineered exclusively for wet, corrosive environments. Nickel-Plating is a modification to the Merrow Butt-seaming product line which has been a trusted tool for the continuous processing industry since 1964.
“Many of our customers operate the machines in tough environments,” said Merrow CEO Charlie Merrow. “We saw the Nickel-Plated machine as a way to best serve our customers by preserving the longevity of the Merrow Butt-Seaming machine.”
The Nickel-Coating is applied evenly throughout the surface of the frame as well as each individual part to ensure uniform protection against corrosive substances. It is the ideal solution for Dye and Bleach-houses, which expose the Merrow machine to various chemicals on a daily basis.
The Nickel-Plating itself has a bright, attractive finish, responding well to the grinding and polishing administered in the production process.
“Even a high-quality alloy such as a Merrow frame can corrode under certain toxic conditions,” said Director of Production, William Condon. “Nickel-Plating provides a solution for those customers operating in these specific, harsh conditions.”
President of Operations, Owen Merrow commented, “Nickel-Plating’s resistance to corrosion and staining, low maintenance, and attractive luster make it an ideal base material for Merrow’s high-end applications.”
The Nickel-Plated option is available for all Merrow Butted-Seam machinery variations, including the Gap Seam Machine, Rolled Seam Machine, Wide Butted-Seam Machine, the Stitch Multiplier, and the newly released High Pile machine.
WHAT IS A BUTTED SEAM?
The butted seam is the seam of choice for the endwise joining of piece goods. The Merrow line of butted seam machines includes models that will produce butted, gap, and overlap seams to achieve the optimum results, according to the fabrics and manufacturing processes used. Processing advantages include minimal material waste, reduced shrinkage and wrinkling, low bulk, and wet or dry fabric processing.
WHY USE A BUTTED SEAM?
In the processing of piece goods in continuous processing, it is often beneficial to join one or more pieces end-to-end. The overedge seam, or “Butted Seam” has been adapted to this work, as it attaches pieces end-to-end so that they may lie flat through processes including, but not limited to shearing, dyeing, and bleaching. The ends of the material are confined within the tight seam to reduce bulk, producing a flat, butted seam appropriate for many types of processing.
In a rolled piece of fabric, after finishing inefficient butted seams produce a “raised edge” which increased the area of the roll when the fabric is rolled together. It causes a substantial amount of wasted space and material. With the Merrow Butted Seam, the fabric remains flat no matter how large the roll becomes. An average savings of one quarter of a yard is achieved by using a Merrow Butted Seam.
WHERE IS A BUTTED SEAM USED?
RAYON/SILK FINISHING
The uniform drying qualities and the elasticity of the Merrow Butted Seam are of particular value in the processing of rayon fabrics through drying and tentering operations. With silk, the flatness of the saem aids in the processing and subsequent washing and drying processes. The seam will dry in the same length of time and under the same conditions as the rest of the goods.
WOOLENS AND WORSTEDS
The Merrow Butted Seam for Woolens and Worsteds allows processes such as dyeing, scouring, drying, shearing, and pressing to be made continuous by joining bolts of fabric with a thin, unobtrusive seam. The final product is uniform, with no shading or wrinkling at the seams.
COTTON FINISHING
The Merrow Butted Seam for the processing of cotton fabrics eliminates damage fo the fabrics due to wrinkling, shading of the goods by slow-drying seams, and “marking off” on the goods, which frequently occurs when bulky seams are processed through printing machines or calendars. The Butted Seam is valuable for such processes as bleaching, printing, napping, shearing, or singeing.
SPECIALTY/SYNTHETICS
Merrow has adapted their products to newly developed fabrics. Recently, Merrow has developed machines that are capable of sewing through extremely heavy and coated material such as leather, fur, airbag cloth, and ballistic Kevlar.
PRICING AND AVAILABILITY
The Merrow 70-D3B-2_CNP machine is currently available at a starting price of $3,899. The Nickel-Plated series is sold in the US direct and through certified Merrow distributors.
Merrow machines are covered by 30-year warranties on cam, shafts, and housing frame.
ABOUT MERROW
Merrow has a proud heritage of installing innovation and precision engineering on every machine. Ease of use, clean operation, and refined components reflect more than 167 years of leadership in the textile industry.
For more information on the 70 Class Nickel-Plated series, please visit:
www.merrow.com
(800) 431-6677
email:
info@merrow.com
Wareham, MA – September 7, 2007 – Merrow, Inc.® today introduced its Merrow Wet-Environment Nickel-Plated Solution for the end-to-end continuous loop butt-seaming process.
The 70-D3B2-CNP (Nickel-Plated) Merrow Butt-Seaming machine is engineered exclusively for wet, corrosive environments. Nickel-Plating is a modification to the Merrow Butt-seaming product line which has been a trusted tool for the continuous processing industry since 1964.“Many of our customers operate the machines in tough environments,” said Merrow CEO Charlie Merrow. “We saw the Nickel-Plated machine as a way to best serve our customers by preserving the longevity of the Merrow Butt-Seaming machine.”
The Nickel-Coating is applied evenly throughout the surface of the frame as well as each individual part to ensure uniform protection against corrosive substances. It is the ideal solution for Dye and Bleach-houses, which expose the Merrow machine to various chemicals on a daily basis.
The Nickel-Plating itself has a bright, attractive finish, responding well to the grinding and polishing administered in the production process.
“Even a high-quality alloy such as a Merrow frame can corrode under certain toxic conditions,” said Director of Production, William Condon. “Nickel-Plating provides a solution for those customers operating in these specific, harsh conditions.”
President of Operations, Owen Merrow commented, “Nickel-Plating’s resistance to corrosion and staining, low maintenance, and attractive luster make it an ideal base material for Merrow’s high-end applications.”
The Nickel-Plated option is available for all Merrow Butted-Seam machinery variations, including the Gap Seam Machine, Rolled Seam Machine, Wide Butted-Seam Machine, the Stitch Multiplier, and the newly released High Pile machine.
WHAT IS A BUTTED SEAM?
The butted seam is the seam of choice for the endwise joining of piece goods. The Merrow line of butted seam machines includes models that will produce butted, gap, and overlap seams to achieve the optimum results, according to the fabrics and manufacturing processes used. Processing advantages include minimal material waste, reduced shrinkage and wrinkling, low bulk, and wet or dry fabric processing.
WHY USE A BUTTED SEAM?
In the processing of piece goods in continuous processing, it is often beneficial to join one or more pieces end-to-end. The overedge seam, or “Butted Seam” has been adapted to this work, as it attaches pieces end-to-end so that they may lie flat through processes including, but not limited to shearing, dyeing, and bleaching. The ends of the material are confined within the tight seam to reduce bulk, producing a flat, butted seam appropriate for many types of processing.
In a rolled piece of fabric, after finishing inefficient butted seams produce a “raised edge” which increased the area of the roll when the fabric is rolled together. It causes a substantial amount of wasted space and material. With the Merrow Butted Seam, the fabric remains flat no matter how large the roll becomes. An average savings of one quarter of a yard is achieved by using a Merrow Butted Seam.
WHERE IS A BUTTED SEAM USED?
RAYON/SILK FINISHING
The uniform drying qualities and the elasticity of the Merrow Butted Seam are of particular value in the processing of rayon fabrics through drying and tentering operations. With silk, the flatness of the saem aids in the processing and subsequent washing and drying processes. The seam will dry in the same length of time and under the same conditions as the rest of the goods.
WOOLENS AND WORSTEDS
The Merrow Butted Seam for Woolens and Worsteds allows processes such as dyeing, scouring, drying, shearing, and pressing to be made continuous by joining bolts of fabric with a thin, unobtrusive seam. The final product is uniform, with no shading or wrinkling at the seams.
COTTON FINISHING
The Merrow Butted Seam for the processing of cotton fabrics eliminates damage fo the fabrics due to wrinkling, shading of the goods by slow-drying seams, and “marking off” on the goods, which frequently occurs when bulky seams are processed through printing machines or calendars. The Butted Seam is valuable for such processes as bleaching, printing, napping, shearing, or singeing.
SPECIALTY/SYNTHETICSMerrow has adapted their products to newly developed fabrics. Recently, Merrow has developed machines that are capable of sewing through extremely heavy and coated material such as leather, fur, airbag cloth, and ballistic Kevlar.
PRICING AND AVAILABILITY
The Merrow 70-D3B-2_CNP machine is currently available at a starting price of $3,899. The Nickel-Plated series is sold in the US direct and through certified Merrow distributors.
Merrow machines are covered by 30-year warranties on cam, shafts, and housing frame.
ABOUT MERROW
Merrow has a proud heritage of installing innovation and precision engineering on every machine. Ease of use, clean operation, and refined components reflect more than 167 years of leadership in the textile industry.
For more information on the 70 Class Nickel-Plated series, please visit:
www.merrow.com
(800) 431-6677
email:
info@merrow.com
Recent Merrow Press Releases
Recent Merrow Press Releases:
8/4/07 - Merrow Launches Advanced Web-based Live Help and Technical Support
7/11/07 - Merrow Launches High Pile Stitch Solution
Also see: High-Pile Microsite
8/4/07 - Merrow Launches Advanced Web-based Live Help and Technical Support7/11/07 - Merrow Launches High Pile Stitch Solution
Also see: High-Pile Microsite
Friday, September 7, 2007
New Hampshire
New Hampshire. Skiing, Hiking, Mt Washington --sure, but textiles? Not the first place that comes to mind as a hotbed for American Textile manufacturing.
On Thursday, David Rosenberg and I drove north. Our mission was SampleRoom partnerships-- and we got more than we signed up for.
First stop was to a new butted seam customer. A company who is working on a project that would replace steel with composites in the defense industries. After an hour or so, we came to an agreement and Merrow is now partnering to help develop the next generation of reinforced composites for the military.
Second stop, Velcro USA. A Merrow customer and a huge company.
Third stop, Ragged Mountain. Meeting with Rob Nadler, president of RM. In three hours Rob taught us a lot about the industry. His business is, in our very humble opinion, awesome. RM makes great stuff, partners with competitors who make great stuff, and manages to sell it all out of a shop in North Conway.
Ragged Mountain is a company that we would be proud to partner with-- and after a long discussion of SampleRoom and our business plan, we think that our trip to North Conway was likely the first of many.
Ragged Mountain, in so many words, gets it. They get that being competitive means being flexible, efficient, clever and enterprising. That a company can be competitive and not be a difficult place to work (contrary to that, RM is a disarmingly comfortable facility). They faced the same challenges that killed off most, if not all, of similar sized manufacturers-- and they're running on all cylinders from the looks of it.
After visiting with Rob, David and I both bought some Ragged Mountain gear and headed back to MA, surprised and encouraged by what we discovered in New Hampshire. Moreover we made a HUGE step forward with respect to SampleRoom. The concept is almost complete and and the details will be forthcoming over the next three months.
On Thursday, David Rosenberg and I drove north. Our mission was SampleRoom partnerships-- and we got more than we signed up for.
First stop was to a new butted seam customer. A company who is working on a project that would replace steel with composites in the defense industries. After an hour or so, we came to an agreement and Merrow is now partnering to help develop the next generation of reinforced composites for the military.Second stop, Velcro USA. A Merrow customer and a huge company.
Third stop, Ragged Mountain. Meeting with Rob Nadler, president of RM. In three hours Rob taught us a lot about the industry. His business is, in our very humble opinion, awesome. RM makes great stuff, partners with competitors who make great stuff, and manages to sell it all out of a shop in North Conway.
Ragged Mountain is a company that we would be proud to partner with-- and after a long discussion of SampleRoom and our business plan, we think that our trip to North Conway was likely the first of many.Ragged Mountain, in so many words, gets it. They get that being competitive means being flexible, efficient, clever and enterprising. That a company can be competitive and not be a difficult place to work (contrary to that, RM is a disarmingly comfortable facility). They faced the same challenges that killed off most, if not all, of similar sized manufacturers-- and they're running on all cylinders from the looks of it.
After visiting with Rob, David and I both bought some Ragged Mountain gear and headed back to MA, surprised and encouraged by what we discovered in New Hampshire. Moreover we made a HUGE step forward with respect to SampleRoom. The concept is almost complete and and the details will be forthcoming over the next three months.
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