DETROIT, April 28, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Detroit's manufacturing landscape just got
more muscle as Xenith, developers of innovative football helmets
and shoulder pads, announced today the opening of a new
Detroit product assembly facility
in the motor city. Several Michigan companies partnered to make the
Xenith helmet assembly move to Detroit from the east coast possible including
Fathead, James Group International, Lear Corporation, Rock Ventures
and Sturgis Molded Products.
Xenith football helmets, featuring Xenith Adaptive Head
Protection® – its system of patented technologies designed to
provide superior fit and to help minimize the sudden movement of
the head during impact–are now being manufactured in Sturgis, Michigan. The helmets are then
assembled and warehoused in the newly refurbished 65,000
square-foot Southwest Detroit
space at 4335 West Fort Street owned by James Group International
and leased by Xenith.
Hundreds of thousands of players at all levels, including youth,
high school and college wear Xenith. Xenith is also an authorized
supplier of helmets to the NFL and worn on the gridiron across
the United States along with
Canada, Mexico, Europe, Australia, China and Japan.
Xenith's new Detroit facility
will produce more than 1,000 helmets per day at peak production and
will employ 60 to 70 full-time workers to assemble, recondition and
paint its innovative protective equipment. The Detroit operation began in early 2015 and the
majority of the workers assembling the helmets are Detroiters
employed by Lear Corporation. Xenith also will create five new
full-time customer service positions in downtown Detroit.
Xenith, part of the Rock Ventures Family of Companies, was
founded in 2004 in Lowell,
Massachusetts and its helmets were formerly assembled and
warehoused on the east coast.
After learning about Xenith's need for a new assembly facility,
Dan Gilbert contacted Patrick McInnis, CEO, and Joe Esposito, COO, at Fathead, and Xenith's new
CEO, and asked them to explore a Detroit facility. Fathead is active in the
sports marketing space, producing custom and licensed sports and
entertainment graphics.
"Everyone involved in this move is committed to the city of
Detroit, providing new jobs for
residents and helping Xenith grow," said Joe Esposito, Xenith CEO. "Fathead's extensive
partnerships across the sports and entertainment industries is a
natural to help with Xenith's growth."
It also seemed natural to involve Michigan-based Lear Corporation in the new
venture.
"Lear Corporation is a global leader in providing automotive
seating systems and components to the automotive industry. We have
a reputation for superior quality, manufacturing efficiency and
customer service. We currently supply performance textiles that are
used in some of the biggest brand-name sports apparel in the
business," said Lear Vice President of Seating for the Americas
Jeneanne Hanley.
"This opportunity with Xenith will allow Lear to leverage our
expertise in manufacturing and our culture of operational
excellence to produce outstanding sporting equipment while bringing
jobs to Detroit," Hanley
added.
It was also important to Xenith that as much of the helmet be
made in Michigan as possible.
Sturgis Molded Products in Sturgis, Michigan—about 150 miles southwest of
Detroit—is supplying the injection molding interior of the helmet
as well as helmet shells and face mask clips.
"From the earliest automobiles to today's top-quality Shinola
watches and bikes, Detroit's
reputation for manufacturing, assembly and design is unmatched,"
said Dan Gilbert, who is also a
significant shareholder of Xenith. "Xenith is honored to join the
ranks of so many storied brands made in Detroit. We look forward to playing a key role
in Detroit's sports story, while
growing a business and creating jobs alongside other quality
manufacturers in our great city."
About Xenith
Xenith football helmets feature Xenith
Adaptive Head Protection® - a system of patented technologies
designed to provide superior fit and to help minimize the sudden
movement of the head during impact. Hundreds of thousands of
players at all levels, including youth, high school, major college
and the NFL wear Xenith helmets. Xenith incorporates the same
protection technology in not only helmets but also Xenith's
XFlexion Shoulder Pads. Being "An Authorized Supplier of Helmets to
the NFL," Xenith supports making the game of football a safer game
for everyone to play. For more information on Xenith visit
xenith.com or call 866-888-2322.
About Lear Corporation
Lear Corporation (NYSE: LEA) is
one of the world's leading suppliers of automotive seating and
electrical distribution systems. Lear serves every major automaker
in the world, and Lear content can be found on more than 300
vehicle nameplates. Lear's world-class products are designed,
engineered and manufactured by a diverse team of approximately
132,000 employees located in 34 countries. Lear's headquarters are
in Southfield, Michigan. Further
information about Lear is available at lear.com.
About James Group International
James Group
International (JGI) is a privately held company and provider of
global supply chain management services. JGI was founded in 1971 by
John A. James. James overcame
numerous legislative obstacles at both the federal and state levels
to obtain his 48-state and international operating authority.
The legislation at the federal level represented the first major
change in trucking regulation and eased the burden of minorities
entering the trucking industry. Today, the company provides
logistics service initiatives that support a variety of vertical
market industries. Their customers include Ford Motor Company,
General Motors and Toyota. JGI continues to expand through
international joint ventures, information technology as well as the
revitalization of acreage they own in southwest Detroit. JGI's intention is to re-introduce
the city as a major distribution hub for multi-modal transportation
as well as expand current capabilities to different customers.
jamesgroupintl.com
About Sturgis Molded Products
Sturgis Molded Products
(SMP), based in Sturgis, Michigan,
has been an innovative partner in plastic injection molding since
1966. Using the latest technologies in scientific molding coupled
with its superior in-house tool design and build, the company
provides innovative and cost effective plastic solutions such as
its metal-to-plastic conversion program for a one-stop "Total
Solutions Molding." smpco.com
About Fathead
Fathead LLC is the industry leader of
officially licensed sports & entertainment graphics and more.
Fathead gives fans the opportunity to feel passion For Real by
bringing their favorite inspiration to life. Fathead carries
thousands of images and maintains over 650 license agreements with
leading consumer brands across many industries and professional
sports leagues. Fathead Business Solutions provide unique signage
and decor alternatives for companies and universities. Based in
Detroit, Michigan, Fathead
manufactures all products in the USA and Canada for purchase worldwide. For more
information, visit fathead.com. Connect with us on Facebook,
Twitter and Google+. Fathead. FOR REAL.®
About Rock Ventures
Detroit-based Rock Ventures LLC is
the umbrella entity that provides operational coordination,
guidance and integration of Quicken Loans Founder Dan Gilbert's diverse portfolio of companies,
investments and real estate purchases. Rock Ventures and its more
than 110 affiliated companies across the country employ more than
24,000 team members. For more information, visit
rockventures.com.
Editor's Note: The Detroit
engagement timeline and tenant listing are available
here.
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SOURCE Xenith