Name: Kolder Incorporated 

Address: P.O. Box 100  City: Edinburg 

State: TX   F. Manager: Sid Dromgoogle

Products: Contract Screen Printing

 Employees: 160 

   When opportunity knocked, Kolder Incorporated, a neoprene products manufacturer with operations in Edinburg , Texas , and Reynosa , Me xico , answered. The 20-year-old manufacturer of beverage insulators, eyeglass cases, golf club covers and insulated cooler bags recently moved into the contract screen printing business after being approached by U.S. apparel manufacturers operating out of Tamaulipas.

      “Screen printing on apparel was parallel to what we were already doing, and we certainly had the experience and equipment necessary to do the job,” said Kolder’s facility manager, Sid Dromgoole. Over the years, Kolder has invested in state-of-the-art automated printing equipment enabling it to print large orders on a short turnaround.

      At the company’s headquarters in Edinburg , Texas , Kolder is currently silk screening more than 15,000 apparel items a week. Once printed, these items are either shipped to Me xico for assembly or on to other destinations throughout the United States .

      “Because of our existing operations in Me xico , working out the logistics of shipping to and from Me xico has not been a problem,” said Dromgoole. “Our business relationships on both sides of the border enable us to efficiently transfer goods to and from maquiladoras throughout Me xico .”

      Kolder’s Edinburg facility is equipped with several automated textile printers, each capable of printing up to 12 colors. After an item is printed, it is conveyed through one of three giant industrial gas powered dryers and then packaged for shipment. In short, Kolder is not your neighborhood screen printer; its niche is volume.

      Currently the company is expanding its Edinburg facility by an additional 23,000 square feet and is in the process of purchasing two additional automatic textile printers, which will be equipped with printing tables sized to accommodate larger garments.

      According to Dromgoole, Kolder hopes to increase its business with existing apparel manufacturers on the Texas/ Me xico border who are in need of large volume screen-printing services. “We have determined that this is a service existing companies are in need of, as well as companies considering relocating to the border.”

      The majority of Kolder’s own product lines are manufactured at the company’s headquarters in Edinburg , Texas , while its satellite manufacturing facility in Reynosa , Me xico , supports their efforts to maintain finished good inventory levels. 

      “The border is lush with a never ending influx of companies in need of support services,” said Dromgoole. “As a manufacturer who has maintained operations in Me xico for the last 10 years, we are familiar with the needs of companies operating in Me xico and are quite capable of fulfilling those needs.”

      One of Kolders current clients was on the verge of relocating its cut and sew operation out of Tamaulipas because it was unable to find a company to silk screen its apparel items. Fortunately the opportunity to offer this critical manufacturing service was presented to Kolder through its Me xican business partners, and a mutually beneficial agreement was reached.

      The basis for many of Kolder’s current clients’ operations in Me xico is turnaround. Many U.S. apparel manufacturers, in response to rising wages in Me xico , have moved their operations overseas. In essence these companies have chosen to chase down the dollar, but in doing so they have also given up an equally precious commodity, time.

      Kolder’s story is compelling because it demonstrates that there is a population of U.S. apparel manufactures who are unwilling to trade quick turnaround time for cheaper wages. China may be the 800lb. gorilla of cheap labor in the world, but when it comes to quick turnaround, the ocean between Asia and Me xico , is in fact, an ocean. Tack on an extra week in port, as a result of post-Sept. 11th guidelines, and you’re looking at upwards of a month just on the water.

      Now imagine Dell Computer, famous for stocking just a few days worth of raw inventory, waiting for a freighter full of circuits steaming out of Hong Kong . It is simply not an option. This is the age of near zero inventories, and this business strategy does not apply just to tech companies.

      Static inventory does not produce revenue. Apparel companies that can turnaround an order in a week and ship finished goods directly to their customer can reduce their costs tremendously and, just as important, reduce their customer’s costs. This is precisely why some U.S. apparel manufacturers are opting out of Asia .

      As a manufacturer that imports raw material from Asia , Kolder is familiar with waiting on the slow boat from China , as well as meeting hard deadlines set by U.S. apparel firms and large retail buyers. As an international supplier of both goods and services, the company has a working knowledge of business on the Texas border and beyond.

      The first step for companies interested in exploring their screen-printing options is to contact Sid Dromgoole at Kolder by calling (800) 252-5350. After an initial evaluation, company representatives are typically invited to tour Kolder’s Edinburg production facility and to submit sample apparel for printing.

      “One of the advantages that Kolder has is that we are not in a position where we have to take on new business,” said Dromgoole. “Therefore, we’re going to make sure that any additional business we do take on is workable and makes sense for our customers.”

      Kolder is the nation’s premier neoprene products manufacturer. Whether its clients are an international apparel company seeking a reliable, fast screen-printer or a Fortune 500 company looking to promote their business, Kolder’s 220 employees are dedicated to building quality into each product they manufacture.

      Kolder, Inc. specializes in a material called Neoprene, more commonly known as Wetsuit Rubber. This is the same material that divers use to keep warm under water. Using the same insulating principles, it helps keep your drink cold. Along with its insulating value, Neoprene can also be used as a protective material. That’s why it’s perfect for products such as Kolder’s Eyeglass Case.

      Licensed products with sports teams’ logos and company logos are sold into retail stores across the United States through a network of stocking distributors. Non-licensed retail products can be sold into Canada , and Kolder fulfills a large order for the Canadian Beer Stores each year. Retail sales make up about 60 percent of Kolder’s sales.

      Can you visualize your logo on our products? That’s what Kolder is here for. Kolder offers a choice of 34 material colors and can print your logo in up to six colors. It is located in Texas and all its custom imprinted products are made in the United States . Its distributor in your area will be able to help you through the entire order process, worry free.