Pumping out mats in China would cost considerably less (they've never actually researched the possibility), but MacNeil believes there's a competitive edge to having his factory next to his office and not half a world away. Backed by a new made-in-America marketing campaign in national publications such as the New York Times, sales soared, despite the Great Recession. Then MacNeil decided-against the advice of bankers and lawyers, as portrayed in the ad-to bring production in-house in 2007. Its thermoplastic elastomers don't turn brittle in midwestern subzero temperatures or break down in summer heat. ![]() His product features deep channels to trap water, road salt, mud and sand, and edges that ride all the way up to the top of each foot well-a sine qua non for picky car owners trying to protect their investments. Then MacNeil came up with the idea of digitally measuring each vehicle for a precision-fit liner to replace standard mats that flop around on the floor. Soon he shortened supply lines by finding an American contract manufacturer. So at the age of 30 MacNeil took out a $50,000 second mortgage and began importing expensive mats from the United Kingdom. sales for the automotive high-performance outfit AMG, now a unit of Daimler AG, when he noticed the poor quality of car floor mats, even for luxury vehicles. In 1988 MacNeil was vice president of U.S. "WeatherTech has been very aggressive, so they've gone to the very forefront of the made-in-America trend in our business." "His belief in his product is bone-deep, and he puts a lot of money behind it," says Chris Kersting, president and CEO of the Special Equipment Market Association, the trade group for a $31 billion auto-aftermarket industry. After nearly a decade of double-digit annual growth, sales were about $400 million last year, with estimated pretax profits of more than $100 million. The company is the largest consumer of sheet plastic in America. They export to 21 foreign markets around the world. WeatherTech designs its packaging and prints all of its materials in-house, right down to a tiny product catalog the size of a pocket map with one of MacNeil's American-manufacturing screeds on the inside cover. He forges all of his own tooling for 18,000 different parts, including pickup -bed liners, mud flaps and other auto accessories. He employs 1,000 workers at six factories and 400,000 square feet of factory space in suburban Chicago. And -MacNeil has bet big on that approach. While there are sound operational reasons for keeping his manufacturing local, for him a big draw for making his $150 (on average) floor mats in America is that in an age of outsourcing, "Made in the U.S.A." sells. Fan favorites Mission King Of The Baggers and Roland Sands Design Super Hooligans also provided some seriously entertaining thrills on the track.Not that MacNeil is some jingoistic super-patriot. Medallia Superbike, the premier class for MotoAmerica, delivered exciting action as fans watched California-born Jake Gagne and the Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha team overtake Danilo Petrucci and Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC for the championship lead. On-track action was split across three days of racing with multiple classes of motorcycles shrieking around the track. ![]() ![]() Fans could also check out Jameson’s Classic Motorcycle Museum for an up-close look at motorcycle history. Hosted by the Pacific Grove Chamber of Commerce, and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, the event drew dozens of unique motorcycles, while spectators enjoyed music from two live bands and local vendors. Bolstered by a persistent social media presence, manufacturer support and the endorsement of legendary motorcycle racing names like Wayne Rainey, fans of all ages and interests enjoyed beautiful weather and exciting racing all weekend long.įestivities kicked off on Thursday evening with a Bike Night event held on Lighthouse Ave in the quaint local town of Pacific Grove. The 7.2 percent increase in attendance from 2021 shows strong growth for MotoAmerica and continued interest in the motorcycle racing heritage of WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. ![]() The GEICO Motorcycle MotoAmerica Superbike Speedfest weekend at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca welcomed 35,717 fans for the third MotoAmerica exclusive event to be held at the historic track. Motorcycle Racing Fans Show Up: MotoAmerica Superbike Speedfest Attendance Increases 7.2% From 2021 Event
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