Sunday, November 19, 2017

Choosing a US Manufacturer


Bringing the #EP3Planter to Life

Todd and I are big proponents of supporting the US economy. We feel we should do everything we can to help our own country’s people thrive. So when we started looking for a manufacturing facility to produce our new EP3 Wraparound Planter, we were delighted to find that our best option was to produce in the good old USA.

Granted, we looked at both domestic and international options. And eventually, we chose to have our injection molds fabricated in Moldova—a tiny country between Romania and Ukraine—because they could do it substantially cheaper and would air-ship the molds to us upon completion, whereas China would just put it on a slow boat. It was a compromise we made based on limited funds, but when it came to production, it was the USA or nothing. And after much research, we chose PTI manufacturing in Point Pleasant, West Virginia.

Perhaps you know the location from the 2002 movie “The Mothman Prophecies” starring Richard Gere and Deborah Messing, based on actual incidents that occurred in 1966 in which a large winged creature appeared predicting great tragedy, and on Christmas Eve of that year, the Silver Bridge collapsed, killing 36.

Supernatural associations aside, we found PTI to be a great fit. Rod Roush, the plant manager was super-smart, personable and seemed personally invested in our success. Plus, he took us to dinner at a great BBQ place, which, as anyone who knows Todd will tell you, is the way to his heart.

But more importantly, Rod helped us step-by-step along the way to help finalize our design, choose our materials and evaluate mold makers all over the world.  His focus on our success (and as a byproduct, his company’s) made us comfortable every step of the way.


Help us fund the EP3 Planter. Support our Kickstarter Campaign at http://kck.st/2AL2klc

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