LaCrosse Footwear Inc., a leading provider of premium, branded footwear for work and outdoor users, announces the opening of its new Danner manufacturing facility in Portland, Ore.
The new Danner facility is located in an industrial building approximately one mile from the company’s corporate headquarters. The new factory contains approximately 59,000 square feet, representing twice the square footage of the company’s previous Portland-based factory. With footwear production already underway, the new facility has opened on schedule, and is already meeting demand of the company’s key customers.
“We are thrilled to open this world-class production facility to meet the growing worldwide demand from our many customers in the work, military, law enforcement, outdoor recreation, hunting and Japanese markets who depend on our U.S.-manufactured Danner footwear being crafted to the very highest standards,” said Joseph P. Schneider, president and CEO of LaCrosse Footwear Inc. “Danner is an iconic brand, whose boots have been hand-crafted in Portland since 1936, incorporating the highest standards of design, materials and construction. Our new facility will enable us to extend this great tradition of superior craftsmanship.
“Furthermore, this state-of-the-art facility will allow us to continue to innovate with new footwear designs and production processes by expanding our overall capabilities and capacity. The factory will also improve our operating efficiencies by incorporating the latest lean manufacturing techniques to meet at-once demand. It represents yet another important step in the continued growth of our business.”
In addition to the new factory, the company recently announced the grand opening of its new factory store in Portland. Together, the new factory and new store account for most of the company’s expected $9 million to $10 million in capital projects for 2010. LaCrosse worked with both the Portland Development Commission and Business Oregon to secure funding for the new facility. “The LaCrosse expansion demonstrates the value of public-private collaboration to create new jobs and develop a key industry identified in the city’s economic development strategy,” said Bruce Warner, executive director of the Portland Development Commission. “PDC welcomes the opportunity to support this longtime Oregon company and its investment in our community.”
“We are pleased to be a partner with LaCrosse, which is growing its global reach from its headquarters right here in Oregon,” said Tim McCabe, director of Business Oregon.
DP Partners served as the developer on the project. “We are excited to welcome such an outstanding, locally based company to our facility,” said Kirk Olsen, partner, Northwestern Region for DP Partners. “The location and features of LogistiCourt at Portal Way clearly supports LaCrosse’s interest to improve operating efficiencies and expand overall capabilities. This was a collaborative effort between LaCrosse, DP Partners, and the economic development agencies that represents the type of public-private partnerships that can continue to strengthen our region’s economy.”
