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One of the products Annin Flagmakers sells is Made in America Decorative Flags. A more complete list of their products is provided by Made in America Secrets, to review their list click here.
For more information about Annin Flagmakers and its Made in the USA products see the following:
America's Flag Maker
by Warren D. Jorgensen
From a mountain on Iwo Jima to the surface of the moon, from exotic ports of call to the North and South poles, from atop Mount Everest to the rubble of the World Trade Center, Americans and the world have seen, flown and saluted U.S. flags made by Annin & Co. for nearly 160 years.
The world's largest and oldest flag company, Annin & Co. and its 500 employees produce literally miles of stripes and a multitude of stars that go into 15 million U.S. flags a year. All are made in the U.S.A.?at manufacturing plants in Verona, N.J. (pop. 13,533), South Boston, Va. (pop, 8,491), and Coshocton, Ohio (pop. 11,682).
Patriotism demands that an American flag has to be made in America, says Carter Beard, who with his cousin, Randy, represent the sixth generation to help run the business, based in Roseland, N.J. (pop. 5,298). We hire the best workers, train them and give them the best machines, and from that we get the highest quality flag.
The company's roots go back to 1820, when Alexander Annin opened a small flag-making shop on the New York City waterfront, where ships bound for the four corners of the world did so under Annin-made flags. Annin's sons, Edward and Benjamin, followed in their father's footsteps and in 1847 founded Annin & Co., moving to a large full-service factory on New York's Fifth Avenue. The company enjoyed success from the start, especially with its American flags.
Woven into American history
In many ways, the company's story is interwoven with the story of America itself.
In 1849, Annin-made American flags were flown at the inauguration of President Zachary Taylor, starting an inaugural tradition that has continued through the inauguration of President George W. Bush.
We made the flag that draped Abraham Lincoln's coffin (in 1865), something we are especially proud of, Beard says.
By the close of the 19th century, regard for the Annins' product had spread, and the company's flags were hoisted at foreign expositions, world's fairs and at the opening of the Brooklyn Bridge in 1883.
Exploration and involvement in world affairs consumed America during the 20th century, and Annin was there. The company's flags were planted as symbols of success during Commander Robert E. Peary's expedition to the North Pole in 1909, Admiral Richard E. Byrd's expedition to the South Pole in 1930 and the National Geographic expedition to Mount Everest in 1963. It was an Annin-made flag that Marines raised atop Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima in 1945, memorialized in a classic Associated Press photograph.
On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stepped out from the Lunar Module and planted an Annin-made U.S. flag on the moon's surface, where it remains today. We were a supplier to NASA . . . We officially submitted flags to NASA for the moon missions, and ours was picked, says Beard, who was age 4 at the time.
The world's largest American flag?104 feet by 235 feet?was made by Annin for the J.L. Hudson Co. in Detroit in 1949 and was retired in 1976 to the Smithsonian Institution. It was Annin artist Newt Heisley who designed the POW/MIA flag, which was never copyrighted because the company decided the patriotic symbol belonged to all Americans.
Perhaps the nation's most recent memory of an Annin-made flag came after the events of Sept. 11, 2001, when firemen raced to a nearby marina and grabbed a ship's American flag to raise over the rubble of the World Trade Center. The photographed moment became the iconic image of that tragic day. Everyone here was extremely proud that it was an Annin flag, says Beard, his voice mixed with pride and regret. It was an emotional sight to see that flag being raised.
Flag maker to the world
Annin annually produces 30 million flags of all kinds. The company has made state flags that fly over every state Capitol in the nation, and appear in every parade where the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars or Boy Scouts participate. As the official flag maker to the United Nations, Annin manufactures each flag waving in front of the U.N. headquarters in New York City.
Despite technological advances, the Verona plant, built in 1916, remains the heart and soul of the company, where custom-made flags?American, state and any one of thousands of custom designs?are crafted by hand. There, seamstresses carefully sew stars and stripes, while highly trained embroiderers create meticulously detailed flag designs with foot-operated sewing machines. It's a slow learning curve, where training an embroiderer can take up to four years.
I'm very proud of what we do here, says Plant Manager Joe Vallone, as he watches workers fold a custom-made 30-by-60-foot American flag that took four workers 10 days to create. There are machines that can do similar work, he says, but nothing like what you'll see when they're made by hand.
Elisa Vaca, 61, of Bloomfield, N.J. (pop. 47,683), began working as a seamstress for Annin 35 years ago. Her pride and joy is a 60-by-90-foot American flag that often hangs from the George Washington Bridge between New York and New Jersey. It is only displayed on special occasions and retracts into the bridge tower when not in use.
I take my brother (to the bridge) to see it, and I tell him, ?See, I made that,' Vaca says. It was so big, and up there it looked so small. I am very proud.
Red, white and blue
While standard American flags are sold in volume through the large chain stores, Annin's continued success lies in its nationwide network of more than 2,000 mom-and-pop flag shops, such as The Flag Lady in Columbus, Ohio.
My mother said that Annin made the best-looking, longest-lasting American flags, says Lori Watson, 47, who runs the Ohio flag shop started by her mother more than 30 years ago. We made the choice to only sell Annin flags, and we've never been sorry that we did. We swear by their quality.
But perhaps the greatest reason for Annin's success and longevity is the American people themselves, says flag historian Whitney Smith, founder and director of The Flag Research Center in Winchester, Mass. (pop. 20,810)
Unlike the countries they came from, Americans have no national, racial, religious or aristocratic identity, Smith says. They came to regard the flag as embodying the symbolism of the country and its unity. It is the thread of our national life, and Annin has been there longer than anyone else.
Visit www.annin.com to learn more.
Warren D. Jorgensen is a freelance writer in Tarrytown, N.Y.
For more information about Annin Flagmakers and its Made in the USA products see the following:
America's Flag Maker
by Warren D. Jorgensen
From a mountain on Iwo Jima to the surface of the moon, from exotic ports of call to the North and South poles, from atop Mount Everest to the rubble of the World Trade Center, Americans and the world have seen, flown and saluted U.S. flags made by Annin & Co. for nearly 160 years.
The world's largest and oldest flag company, Annin & Co. and its 500 employees produce literally miles of stripes and a multitude of stars that go into 15 million U.S. flags a year. All are made in the U.S.A.?at manufacturing plants in Verona, N.J. (pop. 13,533), South Boston, Va. (pop, 8,491), and Coshocton, Ohio (pop. 11,682).
Patriotism demands that an American flag has to be made in America, says Carter Beard, who with his cousin, Randy, represent the sixth generation to help run the business, based in Roseland, N.J. (pop. 5,298). We hire the best workers, train them and give them the best machines, and from that we get the highest quality flag.
The company's roots go back to 1820, when Alexander Annin opened a small flag-making shop on the New York City waterfront, where ships bound for the four corners of the world did so under Annin-made flags. Annin's sons, Edward and Benjamin, followed in their father's footsteps and in 1847 founded Annin & Co., moving to a large full-service factory on New York's Fifth Avenue. The company enjoyed success from the start, especially with its American flags.
Woven into American history
In many ways, the company's story is interwoven with the story of America itself.
In 1849, Annin-made American flags were flown at the inauguration of President Zachary Taylor, starting an inaugural tradition that has continued through the inauguration of President George W. Bush.
We made the flag that draped Abraham Lincoln's coffin (in 1865), something we are especially proud of, Beard says.
By the close of the 19th century, regard for the Annins' product had spread, and the company's flags were hoisted at foreign expositions, world's fairs and at the opening of the Brooklyn Bridge in 1883.
Exploration and involvement in world affairs consumed America during the 20th century, and Annin was there. The company's flags were planted as symbols of success during Commander Robert E. Peary's expedition to the North Pole in 1909, Admiral Richard E. Byrd's expedition to the South Pole in 1930 and the National Geographic expedition to Mount Everest in 1963. It was an Annin-made flag that Marines raised atop Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima in 1945, memorialized in a classic Associated Press photograph.
On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stepped out from the Lunar Module and planted an Annin-made U.S. flag on the moon's surface, where it remains today. We were a supplier to NASA . . . We officially submitted flags to NASA for the moon missions, and ours was picked, says Beard, who was age 4 at the time.
The world's largest American flag?104 feet by 235 feet?was made by Annin for the J.L. Hudson Co. in Detroit in 1949 and was retired in 1976 to the Smithsonian Institution. It was Annin artist Newt Heisley who designed the POW/MIA flag, which was never copyrighted because the company decided the patriotic symbol belonged to all Americans.
Perhaps the nation's most recent memory of an Annin-made flag came after the events of Sept. 11, 2001, when firemen raced to a nearby marina and grabbed a ship's American flag to raise over the rubble of the World Trade Center. The photographed moment became the iconic image of that tragic day. Everyone here was extremely proud that it was an Annin flag, says Beard, his voice mixed with pride and regret. It was an emotional sight to see that flag being raised.
Flag maker to the world
Annin annually produces 30 million flags of all kinds. The company has made state flags that fly over every state Capitol in the nation, and appear in every parade where the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars or Boy Scouts participate. As the official flag maker to the United Nations, Annin manufactures each flag waving in front of the U.N. headquarters in New York City.
Despite technological advances, the Verona plant, built in 1916, remains the heart and soul of the company, where custom-made flags?American, state and any one of thousands of custom designs?are crafted by hand. There, seamstresses carefully sew stars and stripes, while highly trained embroiderers create meticulously detailed flag designs with foot-operated sewing machines. It's a slow learning curve, where training an embroiderer can take up to four years.
I'm very proud of what we do here, says Plant Manager Joe Vallone, as he watches workers fold a custom-made 30-by-60-foot American flag that took four workers 10 days to create. There are machines that can do similar work, he says, but nothing like what you'll see when they're made by hand.
Elisa Vaca, 61, of Bloomfield, N.J. (pop. 47,683), began working as a seamstress for Annin 35 years ago. Her pride and joy is a 60-by-90-foot American flag that often hangs from the George Washington Bridge between New York and New Jersey. It is only displayed on special occasions and retracts into the bridge tower when not in use.
I take my brother (to the bridge) to see it, and I tell him, ?See, I made that,' Vaca says. It was so big, and up there it looked so small. I am very proud.
Red, white and blue
While standard American flags are sold in volume through the large chain stores, Annin's continued success lies in its nationwide network of more than 2,000 mom-and-pop flag shops, such as The Flag Lady in Columbus, Ohio.
My mother said that Annin made the best-looking, longest-lasting American flags, says Lori Watson, 47, who runs the Ohio flag shop started by her mother more than 30 years ago. We made the choice to only sell Annin flags, and we've never been sorry that we did. We swear by their quality.
But perhaps the greatest reason for Annin's success and longevity is the American people themselves, says flag historian Whitney Smith, founder and director of The Flag Research Center in Winchester, Mass. (pop. 20,810)
Unlike the countries they came from, Americans have no national, racial, religious or aristocratic identity, Smith says. They came to regard the flag as embodying the symbolism of the country and its unity. It is the thread of our national life, and Annin has been there longer than anyone else.
Visit www.annin.com to learn more.
Warren D. Jorgensen is a freelance writer in Tarrytown, N.Y.
One of the products Beaver Creek Candle sells is Made in the USA Man Cans. A more complete list of their products is provided by Made in America Secrets, to review their list click here.
For more information about Beaver Creek Candle and its Made in America products see the following:
QS Direct was founded in 2010 to facilitate the marketing and sales promotion of products and services by developmentally disabled individuals. Our goal is to provide a family friendly business opportunity selling products that enliven the senses and enrich the soul. QS Direct takes a network marketing approach to sell only the highest quality handmade US products.
QS Direct provides an optimized suite of products in one shopping experience.
QS Direct Independent Consultants promote your products outside of your local economy.
One shopping cart allows shoppers to order from more than one company at a time.
QS Direct takes the busy work out of running an e-commerce solution.
Collaboration between business partners creates a win for everyone.
For more information about Beaver Creek Candle and its Made in America products see the following:
QS Direct was founded in 2010 to facilitate the marketing and sales promotion of products and services by developmentally disabled individuals. Our goal is to provide a family friendly business opportunity selling products that enliven the senses and enrich the soul. QS Direct takes a network marketing approach to sell only the highest quality handmade US products.
QS Direct provides an optimized suite of products in one shopping experience.
QS Direct Independent Consultants promote your products outside of your local economy.
One shopping cart allows shoppers to order from more than one company at a time.
QS Direct takes the busy work out of running an e-commerce solution.
Collaboration between business partners creates a win for everyone.
One of the products Blue Ridge Chair Works sells is Made in America Carvan Chair. A more complete list of their products is provided by Made in America Secrets, to review their list click here.
For more information about Blue Ridge Chair Works and its American Made products see the following:
Blue Ridge Chair Works manufactures high quality portable outdoor furniture. Using clever innovative design, the highest quality materials available, and the pride and tradition of southern Appalachian craftsmanship, our furniture delivers amazing comfort and enduring quality that will last for many years.
For more information about Blue Ridge Chair Works and its American Made products see the following:
Blue Ridge Chair Works manufactures high quality portable outdoor furniture. Using clever innovative design, the highest quality materials available, and the pride and tradition of southern Appalachian craftsmanship, our furniture delivers amazing comfort and enduring quality that will last for many years.
One of the products Bullet Weights sells is Made in America Fishing Bullet Weights. A more complete list of their products is provided by Made in America Secrets, to review their list click here.
For more information about Bullet Weights and its American Made products see the following:
What began as a simple but unique idea, became the building block of one of the largest and most innovative sinker manufacturing companies in the United States.
Larry Crumrine, an engineer and avid fisherman, had the simple idea of designing a lead weight with a shape that could more easily be fished by bass anglers in heavy cover. He eventually developed a bullet-shaped sinker that would eventually become a staple among almost every angler in the world.
The uniquely shaped weight became the launching point in 1970 for Crumrine's new company called Bullet Weights?, Inc. with the first manufacturing facility located in Grand Island, Nebraska. Crumrine promoted the new sinker vigorously through local and regional fishing tournaments and the product caught on quickly.
Larry's son Doug started employment with the young company in 1972 operating machinery, fulfilling orders and overseeing shipment of product. With business picking up and new products being developed and produced, Bullet Weights moved their manufacturing facilities to Alda, Nebraska, in 1973.
Under Larry and Doug's leadership the small company grew at a rapid pace, and Bullet Weights products were soon distributed nationally and internationally. Doug was named president of Bullet Weights in 1985 and Larry was Chairman of the Board. Doug eventually bought the company from his father in 1998.
The lead product line continued to grow rapidly with new products added each year. Then in 1995, Bullet Weights demonstrated its innovation as a company by adding Ultra Steel? and Ultra Tin? products to its line. These products were offered to anglers as an alternative to lead, but more importantly as a line of sinkers that had their own unique fishing performance advantages. Some of the Ultra Steel products were also offered with patented PermaScent? and PermaColor? features.
The rapid growth of new and old product lines led to the expansion of a Bullet Weights manufacturing and distribution facility in nearby Loup City, Nebraska, in 1999. The headquarters remained in Alda and total employment of the company nearly reached 100.
Bullet Weights became a third-generation company in 2004 when Doug's son (Larry's grandson), Joe, was named president. Joe started part-time employment with Bullet Weights in 1994 and eventually was named director of marketing after becoming a full-time employee in 1998.
Today, Bullet Weights is one of the largest sinker manufacturers in the world and is reported to have the largest selection of fishing sinker products in the marketplace. Its products are distributed worldwide by major outdoor retailers, marine dealers, sporting goods stores and department stores.
For more information about Bullet Weights and its American Made products see the following:
What began as a simple but unique idea, became the building block of one of the largest and most innovative sinker manufacturing companies in the United States.
Larry Crumrine, an engineer and avid fisherman, had the simple idea of designing a lead weight with a shape that could more easily be fished by bass anglers in heavy cover. He eventually developed a bullet-shaped sinker that would eventually become a staple among almost every angler in the world.
The uniquely shaped weight became the launching point in 1970 for Crumrine's new company called Bullet Weights?, Inc. with the first manufacturing facility located in Grand Island, Nebraska. Crumrine promoted the new sinker vigorously through local and regional fishing tournaments and the product caught on quickly.
Larry's son Doug started employment with the young company in 1972 operating machinery, fulfilling orders and overseeing shipment of product. With business picking up and new products being developed and produced, Bullet Weights moved their manufacturing facilities to Alda, Nebraska, in 1973.
Under Larry and Doug's leadership the small company grew at a rapid pace, and Bullet Weights products were soon distributed nationally and internationally. Doug was named president of Bullet Weights in 1985 and Larry was Chairman of the Board. Doug eventually bought the company from his father in 1998.
The lead product line continued to grow rapidly with new products added each year. Then in 1995, Bullet Weights demonstrated its innovation as a company by adding Ultra Steel? and Ultra Tin? products to its line. These products were offered to anglers as an alternative to lead, but more importantly as a line of sinkers that had their own unique fishing performance advantages. Some of the Ultra Steel products were also offered with patented PermaScent? and PermaColor? features.
The rapid growth of new and old product lines led to the expansion of a Bullet Weights manufacturing and distribution facility in nearby Loup City, Nebraska, in 1999. The headquarters remained in Alda and total employment of the company nearly reached 100.
Bullet Weights became a third-generation company in 2004 when Doug's son (Larry's grandson), Joe, was named president. Joe started part-time employment with Bullet Weights in 1994 and eventually was named director of marketing after becoming a full-time employee in 1998.
Today, Bullet Weights is one of the largest sinker manufacturers in the world and is reported to have the largest selection of fishing sinker products in the marketplace. Its products are distributed worldwide by major outdoor retailers, marine dealers, sporting goods stores and department stores.
One of the products Cool Works Cup sells is Made in America Ice Coolers. A more complete list of their products is provided by Made in America Secrets, to review their list click here.
For more information about Cool Works Cup and its Made in the USA products see the following:
Only a bunch of squares shows on the site!
For more information about Cool Works Cup and its Made in the USA products see the following:
Only a bunch of squares shows on the site!