Bollman Hat Company sits one hour away from Philadelphia and about 100 years back in time. Bollman Hat Company is the oldest hatmaker in the United States and a stalwart of American manufacturing prowess that places quality ahead of quantity. Bollman has 300 employees on four continents, and the company supplies some of the highest-quality headgear to world-renowned designers.
As part of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership's Manufacturing Innovation Blog series, Bollman was highlighted as a hero of American manufacturing in November 2014. Located in Adamstown, Pa., Bollman Hat Company has been manufacturing cowboy hats, bowler hats, fedoras and top hats since 1868, a span of nearly 150 years. Each hat is handcrafted by approximately 30 people in the Adamstown plant, and each piece goes through approximately 90 steps in the manufacturing process.
A pile of wool, fur or felt becomes a custom-made hat known worldwide. Bollman has offices in London, New York and Redfearn, Australia. The company's own wool shop in San Angelo, Texas, brings in sheep's wool to be scoured into hats at other manufacturing locations. Bollman focuses on old-school American manufacturing that keeps costs down by making its most important commodity in-house rather than outsourcing wool production.
Every employee has a vested interest in Bollman's success. The company moved to an employee stock ownership plan in 1985. Generations of families have worked in the Adamstown facility, and three employees were recognized in the mid-2000s when they marked more than 160 years of combined service at Bollman. Several other employees have spent multiple decades crafting hats for Hollywood stars, world-class musicians and some of the biggest names in sports. This vaunted epitome of American manufacturing survived the Great Depression, the Great Recession, loss of its main supplier in 2010 and several economic setbacks.
Bollman continues to move forward after nearly 150 years at the same location in Pennsylvania. The company works with manufacturing consultants and Next Generation Innovative Services to improve supply chain operations and design new products using contemporary techniques in the global economy. Bollman president Don Rongione, who has been with Bollman in some capacity since 1982, has said these changes will not diminish his company's commitment to quality craftsmanship at America's oldest hatmaker.
Even as new technology such as 3D printing takes American manufacturing to new heights of innovation and automation, Bollman relies on the skilled hands of its employees to produce quality pieces. Big industry touts computerized manufacturing processes, whereas Bollman believes the highest standards come from the trained eyes and hands of America's oldest hat manufacturer.
Large corporations can learn lessons from Bollman's success. Short-term stock fluctuations do not necessarily spell doom for American manufacturing companies. Bollman, with 300 employees, has withstood the test of time by offering unique products found nowhere else. The company prides itself on the "Made in America" label, which is something U.S. manufacturers can strive for during times of global economic crises.
Photo courtesy of davidd at Flickr.com
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