Schutt Sports Wins Two Prestigious Industry Awards

Manufacturing Leadership Awards Recognize Schutt for Innovative Product
Design and Mass Customization Achievements

LITCHFIELD, Ill.--Schutt Sports announced  that it had won two prestigious manufacturing awards, recognizing the company’s innovation excellence, along with the company’s outstanding capability to drive customization into “markets of one.”  

An independent panel of industry judges awarded a rare double win for Schutt, as the company received top honors in two different categories:

• 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 11^th 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.

Such innovation and customization is the ultimate desire for any consumer, of course, but it can be extremely difficult to integrate into the manufacturing process in a cost effective manner. The Schutt team, however, has been extremely successful at it.

“It’s a challenge for our entire operation to meet the growing demands of our customers,” said Andy Fischer, Vice President 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.

About Schutt Sports:

Schutt Sports is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of protective equipment, including football helmets, shoulder pads, protective apparel and more. Over 36 percent of the players in the NFL wear Schutt helmets, including over 50 percent of the skill position players. Schutt Sports is the only major helmet manufacturer to advance beyond the traditional foam padding in helmets, instead using a patented cushioning system – TPU Cushioning – that has been proven to absorb more impact across a wider variety of temperatures than any other helmet system on the field.

About The Manufacturing Leadership Awards
 
The Manufacturing Leadership Awards, now in their 11th year, honor manufacturing companies and individual manufacturing leaders that are shaping the future of global manufacturing. Winning projects and individual manufacturing leaders have demonstrated achievement in one of a wide range of categories, and are chosen by a panel of expert judges for results that enabled the manufacturers to set themselves apart from their competitors and that have delivered clear and compelling value, return on investment, and other tangible outcomes.


Contacts: Schutt Sports /Glenn Beckmann, 217-324-2712 /Director of Marketing Communications
gbeckmann@schutt-sports.com


Source Schutt Sports  through BUSINESS WIRE by press release ©