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Mervin Mfg
65 Banana Way ,
Sequim, WA 98382
Telephone:
360-683-9414
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Website:
www.mervin.com
Year Started:
1977
# American Employees:
150
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Mervin Manufacturing is the leading designer and manufacturer of snowboarding and skateboarding products BUILT IN THE USA by people who ride them. Mervin Manufacturing was founded by snowboarders Mike Olson and Pete Saari in 1977. In an industry where virtually every other snowboard company has moved production to China or offshore, Mervin is the longest running and last major snowboard factory in the USA. Based out of Carlsborg, Washington, between the rugged Olympic and Cascade Mountain Ranges, Mervin is a direct link between riding and manufacturing.
Mike Olson handbuilds early finned snowboards in woodshop. Powder design bliss!
Since the beginning Mervin has been managed and staffed by snowboarders who innovate and experiment, ride and refine new shapes, constructions, geometries on a daily basis. To ensure everyone gets plenty of days on the mountain, every year, all Mervin employees get money towards a season pass and a custom snowboard of their own design.
Mike Olson pioneers deep sidecuts providing finlike hold and snowboarding finlessly carves free of the backcountry into fields of hardpack, ice and moguls...
Mervin’s constant and instant “build, ride, refine” philosophy has created many important developments in snowboard evolution, the most significant of which going back as far as the early 1980’s, when snowboard pioneer Mike Olson first introduced the use and marketing of deep sidecuts to increase edgehold and turning ability. 10 years later the ski industry would follow Mike’s lead with the development of deep “parabolic” shaped skis that have paved the way for modern skiing revolution.
Magne-Traction provides unprecedented edge hold and shifts edge pressure away from the tip and tail and focuses control to the long-forgotten regions of board at and between a rider’s feet where balance is centered. Edges are rounded and control is maintained across the mountain. Snowboarding becomes easier and more fun.
The latest innovations to come out of Mervin Manufacturing, specifically Lib Tech’s experiMENTAL division, are Magne-Traction (wiggly edges) and Banana Technology. Designed to maximize control, edgehold and performance with wide sideways stances Magne-Traction is a snowboard specific (two feet controlling one board) design and revolutionary departure from traditional ski based snowboard designs. Magne-traction has received a record 9 Transworld Good Wood awards and 15 Future Magazine awards. Magne-traction makes snowboards work better, easier to ride and opens new levels of high end performance. Magne-traction turns ice into powder.
One board now rides all conditions from ice to powder in both directions from a centered freestyle stance. Snowboarding is easier and more fun for all!
Banana Technology like Magne-traction before it begins with the premise that a snowboard is not a ski. Banana Technology replaces camber with rocker “banana” between your feet. When you stand on your board, pressure is now applied inward to the edge area at and between your feet as your weight presses out the rocker. The Banana Technology flex pattern is slightly stiffened at the tip and tail to increase pop and stablity on big landings. Magne-Traction is incorporated into the Banana Technology (as it should be on every freestyle snowboard) to improve edgehold and put even more control underfoot at your balance point. The end result is a board that is loose and catch-free, presses boxes, rails and jibs extremely well with the preset rocker, maintains pop with a stiffened tip and tail, and turns easily on hardpack when the built in rocker is put on edge. The built in rocker curve makes the board float naturally in powder and the firm nose and tail prevent the board from folding in chunky conditions. The future is Bananas! On top of its inhouse Experimental Division design team, Mervin works on product design with many of the world’s top snowboarders, including Jamie Lynn, Danny Kass, Travis Rice, Eric Jackson, Mark Landvik, Jakob Wilhelmson, and Barrett Christy. Innovation and Efficiency are the heart of Mervin’s staying power. Mervin buys directly from material suppliers, eliminating middle men. Mervin fabricates its own tooling and presses and its in house graphic/print division has created a unique low temperature graphic sublimation system that allows the use of base and top materials previously unavailable. Mervin’s experimental CAD division and in-house CNC equipment puts refinement and creativity at our fingertips Mervin makes its own damn cores! The Mervin Woodshop is vital to the control of product quality as well as creating flexibility for innovation. A new flex, design, graphic or geometry is always quickly actualized and tested.
Mervin is the most environmental snowboard factory!
Mervin is the most environmental snowboard factory and believes a healthy work environment is top priority for active skaters and snowboarders. Mervin does not use toxic cancer causing automotive lacquer clear-coats or printing systems which are common in other brands. Mervin uses only water based solvents and renewable fast growing forest products. Wood dust is recycled and scrap wood is sold as kindling. Mervin uses only low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) epoxy resin systems. Water based grinding systems minimize airborne particulate. Bio-Diesel is used to heat the factory. Pets are encouraged to stay out of the grinding areas. |
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Thoughts on America:
In an industry where virtually every other snowboard company has moved production to China or offshore, Mervin is the longest running and last major snowboard factory in the USA. |
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