PPB July 2015

HEN RISING LABOR AND

MATERIAL costs drove many

U.S. businesses overseas, the

nation’s manufacturing sector

looked like it had taken a bite

out of Alice’s mushroom, shrinking smaller and

smaller. But as labor costs for foreign production

begin to rise, along with louder calls for goods

made right here at home, domestic manufacturing

is seeing renewed growth. Promotional products

suppliers who manufacture their goods in the U.S.

are benefitting from these trends.

Martin Seltzer, chief executive officer of supplier

Benjamin Martin Frames in Dedham,

Massachusetts, cites quality and quick turnaround

as two of the biggest benefits to producing cus-

tom picture frames in the U.S., and to housing a

considerable amount of inventory. “In more recent

years, importers have begun carrying less inventory,

so we have a tremendous advantage,” says

Seltzer, whose company has accommodated

orders as large as 42,500 pieces.

Sizable orders such as this one, and another

the company fulfilled for 54,000 pieces, usually

require as much as 187,000 pieces of wood,

142,500 cut and washed

glass plates, and packaging

for each individual item.

What’s more, the orders are

fulfilled in a relatively short

amount of time, something

Seltzer says just can’t hap-

pen with a supplier that

sources product from over-

seas factories. “Last-minute

orders are par for the

course,” he says.

Manufacturing custom

frames for large or small orders also allows Benjamin Martin

to focus on quality and craftsmanship—another strong sell-

ing point for his U.S.-made frames. “When you get a frame

that’s stylish or has a high-end look, the recipient is more

inclined to put a photo in it,” he says. The frame, along

with the message, tends to last longer because of the look.

Made primarily from domestically sourced

materials and molds, Benjamin Martin frames are

snapped up by large companies such as Liberty Mutual

Insurance, and by Congress and the White House—the latter

two for whom American-made is a priority. “We produce a

frame (left)—which is one of the few items the President

gives out—that is wide enough to take the presidential seal,

and it also bears his signature,” Seltzer explains.

THE FAN BASE FOR PRODUCTS MADE IN THE U.S. CONTINUES TO GROW

EDITOR’S PICKS

Root For The

Home Team

42 •

PPB

• JULY 2015

By Jen Alexander

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