In my last column, we discussed how a shift in consumer behavior and the adoption of new technology are transforming the traditional supply chain. We learned that some manufacturers are making the complex move to cut out the middleman and ship their products direct to consumers (D2C) for increased profits and greater control over brand, price and customer data. Now, we will examine how one manufacturer steered a century-old business, grappling with economic woes, to success by betting big on reshoring, a “made-in-America” branding strategy, and a D2C business model.
Sherrill Manufacturing became the only flatware manufacturer in the U.S. when it purchased and restarted portions of the Oneida Ltd. flatware factory, founded in 1880 in Sherrill, NY. After a rocky start going head to head on price with cheap Chinese imports, Sherrill jumped on the reshoring wave and moved all of its manufacturing back to the U.S. from Mexico. With a plan to capitalize on the positive branding of “made-in-America,” Sherrill began selling its high quality flatware under the name Liberty Tabletop.