Gear

Anglers tour Carhartt plant

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Mark Zona, along with Bassmaster Elite Series pros Terry Scroggins, Matt Lee, and Jordan Lee are surrounded by employees at one of the two Western Kentucky-based Carhartt facilities they visited recently. A total of five Carhartt facilities throughout Kentucky and Tennessee employ hundreds of dedicated American workers.
Mark Zona, along with Bassmaster Elite Series pros Terry Scroggins, Matt Lee, and Jordan Lee are surrounded by employees at one of the two Western Kentucky-based Carhartt facilities they visited recently. A total of five Carhartt facilities throughout Kentucky and Tennessee employ hundreds of dedicated American workers.
No job starts without a work order, and Randall Payne, a longtime leader at the Madisonville, KY pattern-cutting shop shows the pros what needs to get done during their visit.
No job starts without a work order, and Randall Payne, a longtime leader at the Madisonville, KY pattern-cutting shop shows the pros what needs to get done during their visit.
Evan Forman spreads 25-yards of Carhartt’s trusted and famous fabric. He searches for the slightest defects, and culls out any material that doesn’t meet Carhartt’s high standards.
Evan Forman spreads 25-yards of Carhartt’s trusted and famous fabric. He searches for the slightest defects, and culls out any material that doesn’t meet Carhartt’s high standards.
No material is wasted, but instead, is bundled-up for recycling. Even the plastic that protects the raw fabric during shipping is recycled.
No material is wasted, but instead, is bundled-up for recycling. Even the plastic that protects the raw fabric during shipping is recycled.
Scroggins and Zona work on boxing up recently cut patterns, as the Lee Brothers look on.
Scroggins and Zona work on boxing up recently cut patterns, as the Lee Brothers look on.
James Lee, no direct relation to Bassmaster Classic Champ Jordan Lee, has worked at Carhartt for 17 years. Lee is a second-generation employee, and proudly says, “It’s been 17 good years. It’s a lot like family here.”
James Lee, no direct relation to Bassmaster Classic Champ Jordan Lee, has worked at Carhartt for 17 years. Lee is a second-generation employee, and proudly says, “It’s been 17 good years. It’s a lot like family here.”
Jeff Smith, a Carhartt employee of 27 years, watches with Mark Zona, as Terry “Big Show” Scroggins cuts scrap away from the primary pattern.
Jeff Smith, a Carhartt employee of 27 years, watches with Mark Zona, as Terry “Big Show” Scroggins cuts scrap away from the primary pattern.
Alan Fox, a dedicated employee of 9 years, shows Matt Lee how quilt lining is cut for Carhartt’s bib overalls. Fox trained for 13 weeks to learn how to operate the machine.
Alan Fox, a dedicated employee of 9 years, shows Matt Lee how quilt lining is cut for Carhartt’s bib overalls. Fox trained for 13 weeks to learn how to operate the machine.
Talk about longtime, dedicated, employees! Wow! Please meet Billy Lee, he’s worked for Carhartt since long before the Lee Brothers were born. 44 years of service. His primary job is to look for any minor defect in the high-quality trusted fabric that sets Carhartt apart from its competitors.
Talk about longtime, dedicated, employees! Wow! Please meet Billy Lee, he’s worked for Carhartt since long before the Lee Brothers were born. 44 years of service. His primary job is to look for any minor defect in the high-quality trusted fabric that sets Carhartt apart from its competitors.
Beyond Billy Lee’s trusted eyes; fabric is also inspected and tested by several laboratory machines. This one Scroggins and Jordan Lee are next to checks for abrasion resistance toughness.
Beyond Billy Lee’s trusted eyes; fabric is also inspected and tested by several laboratory machines. This one Scroggins and Jordan Lee are next to checks for abrasion resistance toughness.
Rachel Herndon shows the anglers how many pounds of pressure Carhartt fabric must withstand before tearing, in order to pass her test in the lab.
Rachel Herndon shows the anglers how many pounds of pressure Carhartt fabric must withstand before tearing, in order to pass her test in the lab.
Rachel also washes the fabric to test for durability, in the same way hard working people expect to wash and wear the same Carhartt garments for years. However, Mark Zona swears he’s never done a single load of laundry.
Rachel also washes the fabric to test for durability, in the same way hard working people expect to wash and wear the same Carhartt garments for years. However, Mark Zona swears he’s never done a single load of laundry.
All four anglers were presented a custom embroidered Carhartt jacket as a ‘Thank You” for representing the Carhartt brand so well, and for taking time to visit the factories in Western Kentucky.
All four anglers were presented a custom embroidered Carhartt jacket as a ‘Thank You” for representing the Carhartt brand so well, and for taking time to visit the factories in Western Kentucky.
A look at the custom embroidery on each angler’s commemorative jacket.
A look at the custom embroidery on each angler’s commemorative jacket.
Carhartt is a brand built on hard work, but a basketball hoop in the Madisonville plant was perfect for a fast game of 1-on-1 between Carhartt’s Brian Spiro and Bassmaster Classic Champ Jordan Lee.
Carhartt is a brand built on hard work, but a basketball hoop in the Madisonville plant was perfect for a fast game of 1-on-1 between Carhartt’s Brian Spiro and Bassmaster Classic Champ Jordan Lee.
After the morning tour, Carhartt employees Robert Patterson and Matt Henderson, who have 32 combined work years at Carhartt, are also the award winning servers of Tru Blu BBQ – and they served employees and awesome lunch.
After the morning tour, Carhartt employees Robert Patterson and Matt Henderson, who have 32 combined work years at Carhartt, are also the award winning servers of Tru Blu BBQ – and they served employees and awesome lunch.
After lunch, the tour went 10 minutes down the road to the huge Carhartt distribution facility in Hanson, KY – where pros met some of the hundreds of people that work there to ship to both individual customers, as well as large and small retailers.
After lunch, the tour went 10 minutes down the road to the huge Carhartt distribution facility in Hanson, KY – where pros met some of the hundreds of people that work there to ship to both individual customers, as well as large and small retailers.
Safety first. All four anglers put on fluorescent vests for the tour, and Zona said, “ I want to give you my senior class picture look for this photo.”
Safety first. All four anglers put on fluorescent vests for the tour, and Zona said, “ I want to give you my senior class picture look for this photo.”
The enormity of the Hanson, KY Carhartt distribution center is absolutely amazing.
The enormity of the Hanson, KY Carhartt distribution center is absolutely amazing.
Many of the boxes at the very modern facility are packed through an automated process, but it is highly supported by hard-working humans.
Many of the boxes at the very modern facility are packed through an automated process, but it is highly supported by hard-working humans.
Pro angler Matt Lee, who has three Top 12 finishes thus far on the 2017 Bassmaster Elite Series, adapted quickly at learning how to pick and fill orders.
Pro angler Matt Lee, who has three Top 12 finishes thus far on the 2017 Bassmaster Elite Series, adapted quickly at learning how to pick and fill orders.
The daylong Carhartt tour ended with prideful smiles among the four anglers.
The daylong Carhartt tour ended with prideful smiles among the four anglers.

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