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This summer, Retail Brew had the opportunity to tour New Balance’s new facility in Methuen, Massachusetts. The company detailed what it means to be “Made in America” and how the facility fits into that vision.
CEO Joe Preston and COO Dave Wheeler discussed the challenges that come with domestic production, supplier relationships, and how New Balance clears hurdles associated with global supply-chain constraints.
Wheeler made it clear that Made in America is the “heartbeat” of the company, even though most of New Balance’s production takes place overseas. But, about a third of the company’s global inventory is in transit, so making shoes locally allows New Balance to skirt those supply-chain issues.
Morning Brew had the opportunity to film operations at the Methuen factory, and also chat with Teresa Fort, associate professor at Dartmouth College, who contextualized the history and status of domestic manufacturing.
Click here to watch, or check out the embedded video below.