Schutt Sports has won two prestigious Manufacturing Leadership Awards, recognizing the company’s innovation excellence, along with the company’s outstanding capability to drive customization.
An independent panel of industry judges awarded a rare double win in two differnt categories for Schutt, an Illinois-based sporting goods manufacturer.
The company was recognised for:
- New Product Innovation – for the design and manufacturing of the company’s first lacrosse helmet, the STX Stallion by Schutt. The helmet is a collaboration with leading lacrosse brand, STX, and incorporates leading impact absorption technologies utilized by Schutt
- Operational Excellence – awarded to Schutt for the company’s continuing excellence and leadership in integrating customization capabilities to the manufacturing process.
This is the 11th year the Manufacturing Leadership Awards have honored the best manufacturing operations in the United States but it’s a rare occurrence for a company to win an award in two different categories, as Schutt did this year.
“We’re excited about winning in two different categories,” said Robert Erb, President and CEO of Schutt Sports. “It’s gratifying to know that the judges feel so strongly about the cutting edge work we’re doing. We’re committed to competing in a global market as an American manufacturer with quality American workers and these awards are a tribute to the people who are designing and building some of the most innovative technologies and equipment in the sporting goods industry.”
Schutt recently made national headlines for the custom batter’s guard it made for Giancarlo Stanton, an outfielder for the Miami Marlins. Stanton, who is the highest paid player in MLB history, even came to the company’s design center to work on the custom design himself.
The Schutt team has been very successful in undertaking personalisation and customisation despite the challenges that such an approach presents.
“It’s a challenge for our entire operation to meet the growing demands of our customers,” said Andy Fischer, VP of operations at Schutt. “But no matter what we challenge them with, they rise to the occasion every time. Our capacity to excel at customizing to markets of one is an important part of this company’s DNA and a big part of how we’re going to remain a leader in the industry. ”
The STX Stallion by Schutt lacrosse helmet showcased the world-leading impact absorption technologies utilized by Schutt: thermoplastic urethane (TPU) cushioning, along with D3O technology. The combination of these two technologies, along with sizing customization in the helmet, made the STX Stallion by Schutt one of the hottest lacrosse helmets in the market.
Schutt will receive its two awards at the Manufacturing Leadership Awards presentation in Carlsbad, California on June 4.
The full list of 2015 winners from the Manufacturing Leadership Awards is available here.
