Soon after its founding in 1988, WaterRower was drawn by the allure of inexpensive mill space in Warren. But staying true to its local roots has been more than a convenient way to conserve cash. It is a key component of the company's growth from a one-man startup to becoming one of the area's largest employers.
American Made is a unique claim in today's high-volume/low-cost fitness industry, as it is with many other industries. Outsourcing is more common every day. But our commitment to local manufacturing has allowed us to better serve an ever-increasing customer base.
For instance, we control our supply chain and engineer cost out, and design quality into our products – utilizing internal manufacturing as an important competitive advantage.
Our narrow product category has necessitated the search for a broad global market to support growth. Today we have a network of offices covering all our major markets, including Australia, Britain, China, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Scandinavia and Spain, which absorb the majority of our output.
With more than half our now 170 employees living within a short reach of our Warren facility, much of the reward and investment from our global demand falls back to our region, to our employees, to our suppliers and to our neighbors. We are humbled in the importance of our business to the local community, a responsibility we shall continue to take very seriously. •
