Vibram celebrates milestone

NORTH BROOKFIELD, Mass.—Vibram USA, a manufacturer of high performance soles for outdoor, recreational, work and fashion footwear, celebrated its centennial anniversary of manufacturing in the U.S on Sept. 16.

The company is the creator of the Vibram FiveFingers articulated toe shoe.

“Vibram USA's "Centennial Event for the Future' is as much about celebrating our future as it is our past,” Mike Gionfriddo, president and CEO of Vibram USA, said in a statement. “This milestone represents Vibram's commitment to innovating and manufacturing performance-oriented products here in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.”

The celebration was held at the Quabaug Vibram Innovation manufacturing facility in North Brookfield. It included a factory tour and hors' d'oeuvres. Dignitaries who attended included Rep. Jim McGovern, State Sen. Anne Gobi and State Rep. Donnie Berthiaume.

With the acquisition of Quabaug Corp. last year, the company said 2016 marks the beginning of Vibram USA's five-year, multi-million dollar campaign to invest in staff and machinery.

In addition to upgrading its capabilities and machinery machines, QVI is inaugurating a two-year work force education program, expanding its domestic supply chain and strengthening its product development and innovation processes in an effort to dominate more global markets, the company said.

“Massachusetts is home to so many great manufacturing companies, and Vibram is a great example,” McGovern said in a statement.

As a producer of essential products used by the military, he said the firm is helping to keep the U.S. safe. “I am proud to join so many in North Brookfield in congratulating Vibram on 100 years of manufacturing right here in Central Massachusetts.”

Vibram has invested $6 million this year for new machinery and machine upgrades. That includes replacing 30-year-old machines with new, more technologically advanced presses, which the company said allows for current materials to be produced with better efficiency, quality and faster response times to meet customers' demands.

Vibram said it plans to make a significant investment in Vibram USA's materials testing and validation center.

The company also said it plans to continue hiring for all aspects of the business, including sales, marketing, human resources, manufacturing and finance, focusing on recruitment related to innovation of designers, engineers, developers and chemists.

It has forged a partnership with Massachusetts to provide education to 300-plus Vibram employees, with a focus on topics such as plant layout, Lean Education Academic Network initiatives and management. The company is providing outside educational growth programs, in partnership with the Worcester Polytechnic Institute for project management, University of Massachusetts Lowell for materials science and Massachusetts Institute of Technology for innovation management.

“We continue to rely upon new, young talent, who bring technical degrees from top universities with majors ranging from engineering to chemistry and physics to drive Vibram's global innovation projects in the U.S,” Gionfriddo said.