Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 23 D E C E M B E R 1 6 , 2 0 2 4 F O C U S M A N U FA C T U R I N G his back pain. He set out to learn about leather and design. Now, the company sells its products to large companies, including L.L.Bean. Lyons says the connection with Ralph Lauren started with a talk with another Maine manufacturer, Portland- based Sea Bags. Sea Bags "was kind enough to refer Ralph Lauren to us," Lyons says. He said the process began with a formal application, which entailed a substantial capabilities audit. Once informed it had won the con- tract, it was full steam ahead for Rogue's nine-person team, which had just months to tackle the project. Rogue and Ralph Lauren collabo- rated on a military-style belt made from webbing with a buckle design. "It all starts with a design," Lyons said. From there, he said it's about sourc- ing components such as leather, cotton weaving, jacquard lettering, thread and custom metal buckles. e biggest challenge was identify- ing and locating U.S. suppliers within the limited time frame. Potential sup- pliers had to be thoroughly vetted for quality and production capability. "A project like this involves so many pieces that it was essential that we had time to identify and work with our suppliers before going into produc- tion," says Lyons. "With every single piece needing to be sourced exclu- sively here in the U.S., we knew that it would entail a substantial amount of supplier vetting." Many component samples and finished prototypes were sourced and tested. Some suppliers provided a single component, like the buckle, while others brought a sub-assembly of webbing and jacquard. "We had some excellent produc- tion partners along the way that clearly understood this was not a standard production run," says Lyons. "is pro- gram happened because our employees and contract suppliers all leaned into the effort together." With the Olympics now a memory, Lyons reflects on the experience. "is program took an extraordinary amount of effort and time. But how often does a Maine company of nine people get an opportunity like this? ere were only eight suppliers from the entire United States which participated in this," Lyons says. "Would we do it again? We would certainly have to look at the opportunity very closely." A l e x i s We l l s , M a i n e b i z S t a f f Wr i t e r / S o c i a l M e d i a S t ra t e g i s t , c a n be r e a ch e d a t aw e l l s @ m a i n e b i z . b i z Explore opportunities » berrydunn.com One firm. Expanded expertise. BerryDunn and Burzenski & Company have joined together to better serve our clients. Commercial | Nonprofit | Healthcare | Government ... and now Veterinary Practices Conf lic t costs ever yone. Call one of our trusted and resourceful neutrals. Elizabeth Germani Mark Franco Daniel Rose As practicing attorneys and mediators, Drummond Woodsum's team offers unparalleled insight into complex legal issues. It isn't just a higher level of support that comes with this expertise, we use an inclusive approach that uses empathy and effective communication strategies to bring parties together to achieve creative resolutions. Jerrol Crouter Learn more about what Drummond Woodsum's team can do for you at : dwmlaw.com | 800.727.1941

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