Venture/Thunder still made in USA by Ermico?

[97a]

Years ago, when Indy moved its entire production to China, I emailed Venture to ask if they were still producing in the USA, and they confirmed that they were. Now it seems that Deluxe decks are at least partially produced in China.

Does anyone know if Venture or Thunder are still produced at Ermico in the USA? I once heard that the forged baseplates come from China, while the standard ones are made at Ermico in the USA.

[WelcomeToHell]

Pretty sure Venture and Thunder are now made in Mexico.

[BeachChicken]

Been made in Mexico for 2 years or so. Nothing DLX hardgood is made in the USA.

[Too Frank To Fred]

Moved to TJ. Same with Spitfire.

[97a]

Been made in Mexico for 2 years or so. Nothing DLX hardgood is made in the USA.

Does Ermico have its own truck-production in Mexico, or do they outsource production to another company?

[Mbrimson88]

Expand Quote

Been made in Mexico for 2 years or so. Nothing DLX hardgood is made in the USA.

[close]

Does Ermico have its own truck-production in Mexico, or do they outsource production to another company?

My understanding is Ermico was the foundry nothing else.

Yes for many years they did make Independent trucks, Thunder trucks and Venture trucks, along with some other things, but specialised in skateboard trucks more than anything else.


NHS owns Indy and had moved all their production of everything by 2018 to China, much of it already manufactured in China for a while before that, exact location unknown, or at least that is what is generally available when looking for information.

DLXSF moved their production from USA to Mexico a couple of years back, as stated above, exact details a little less known, but it seems like things worked out with DLX and BBS producing everything, or at least in similar places, if not directly within the BBS facilities. 

Same for DLX / BBS for the China made boards, as they didn't just get somewhere in China to put DLX graphics on generic molds, but went the whole way of making the same concaves, shapes and everything as per the existing products, only now in single deck presses and epoxy construction.


As for Ermico, are they even still a thing? 

Seem to recall someone saying they closed completely, but that could be something I have read or taken from another business and is not true.  Any which way, manufacturing in USA is on the decline with various issues and problems, least of all Ermico was said to not be paying employees correctly or something else going on with a pay dispute or work conditions or something like that too.


Doing a bit of looking, nothing really came up for "Ermico foundry" besides some basic info, but this old, very old clip is an interesting watch:


https://www.exploratorium.edu/video/ermico-foundry



Also some interesting reading here in these old threads:

https://www.slapmagazine.com/index.php?topic=111313.0

https://www.slapmagazine.com/index.php?topic=96704.0



Bottom line is pretty much anything you have bought that is new stock, not new old stock, from anywhere in the last few years has NOT been made in USA, from trucks to wheels as well as most decks in the industry, to which some people seem to have a problem, but others just accept it for what it is - things changing in the world and there is very little manufacturing still happening in USA any more, or most places for that matter.  More production happening in China every day, with even some places like Mexico becoming way more expensive of late with things going on, dollar ups and downs, etc.

[Ghost Face]

That video clip is gold. Good find.

[Rosstradahmus]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Been made in Mexico for 2 years or so. Nothing DLX hardgood is made in the USA.

[close]

Does Ermico have its own truck-production in Mexico, or do they outsource production to another company?

[close]

My understanding is Ermico was the foundry nothing else.

Yes for many years they did make Independent trucks, Thunder trucks and Venture trucks, along with some other things, but specialised in skateboard trucks more than anything else.


NHS owns Indy and had moved all their production of everything by 2018 to China, much of it already manufactured in China for a while before that, exact location unknown, or at least that is what is generally available when looking for information.

DLXSF moved their production from USA to Mexico a couple of years back, as stated above, exact details a little less known, but it seems like things worked out with DLX and BBS producing everything, or at least in similar places, if not directly within the BBS facilities. 

Same for DLX / BBS for the China made boards, as they didn't just get somewhere in China to put DLX graphics on generic molds, but went the whole way of making the same concaves, shapes and everything as per the existing products, only now in single deck presses and epoxy construction.


As for Ermico, are they even still a thing? 

Seem to recall someone saying they closed completely, but that could be something I have read or taken from another business and is not true.  Any which way, manufacturing in USA is on the decline with various issues and problems, least of all Ermico was said to not be paying employees correctly or something else going on with a pay dispute or work conditions or something like that too.


Doing a bit of looking, nothing really came up for "Ermico foundry" besides some basic info, but this old, very old clip is an interesting watch:


https://www.exploratorium.edu/video/ermico-foundry



Also some interesting reading here in these old threads:

https://www.slapmagazine.com/index.php?topic=111313.0

https://www.slapmagazine.com/index.php?topic=96704.0



Bottom line is pretty much anything you have bought that is new stock, not new old stock, from anywhere in the last few years has NOT been made in USA, from trucks to wheels as well as most decks in the industry, to which some people seem to have a problem, but others just accept it for what it is - things changing in the world and there is very little manufacturing still happening in USA any more, or most places for that matter.  More production happening in China every day, with even some places like Mexico becoming way more expensive of late with things going on, dollar ups and downs, etc.

Aend is a pretty huge wheel manufacturer out of Texas, so a large chunk of the wheel market is still domestic.

[j....soy.....]

Powell makes the flight boards and a lot of the wheels in the US? 

[Mbrimson88]

Aend is a pretty huge wheel manufacturer out of Texas, so a large chunk of the wheel market is still domestic.

Thanks!


I had wondered if Creative and Aend are still making as much product as they once did, because the volume of wheels coming from China has gone up significantly for the local market here.

Also saw this article too, so HLC is doing things within USA, woodshop opening and majority shareholders in Aend too.


https://www.boardsportsource.com/hlc-acquires-majority-control-of-skateboard-wheel-manufacturer-aend/

[Mbrimson88]

Powell makes the flight boards and a lot of the wheels in the US?

Yes at one point they made almost everything there, apart from those products known to be from China, eg Bones Reds bearings, Mini logo product.

Now I think they made a lot less there and have a lot of things made in Mexico too, but I hadn't really followed their path as much as some other brands.

I do recall some people talking about the changes, but as with everything, costs going up and trying to stay competitive, it is difficult for them.

The last Bones wheels, at least some I saw still had "Made in USA" on them.

I really don't know about Flight boards any more though.

[Ghost Face]

Expand Quote

Powell makes the flight boards and a lot of the wheels in the US?

[close]

Yes at one point they made almost everything there, apart from those products known to be from China, eg Bones Reds bearings, Mini logo product.

Now I think they made a lot less there and have a lot of things made in Mexico too, but I hadn't really followed their path as much as some other brands.

I do recall some people talking about the changes, but as with everything, costs going up and trying to stay competitive, it is difficult for them.

The last Bones wheels, at least some I saw still had "Made in USA" on them.

I really don't know about Flight boards any more though.

From what I remember, if you are manufacturing in Mexico but within a few miles of the border, you can claim "Made in the USA". It's some trader zone loophole or something.

[Too Frank To Fred]

The top tier Powell stuff is made in Ventura.

[IusedToSkateMore]

The top tier Powell stuff is made in Ventura.

For some reason it feels kind of ironically perfect that Powell is the last “big” company making shit in Merica

[back smith]

Powell, Madrid, Vision 

[Too Frank To Fred]

I have a pair of Stage 2 131s (almost perfect condition) and a pair of Thunder 151s (ground to axle), both with Made in USA stamps on the baseplates.

These are my favorite items of skate memorabilia.

[j....soy.....]

Expand Quote

The top tier Powell stuff is made in Ventura.

[close]

For some reason it feels kind of ironically perfect that Powell is the last “big” company making shit in Merica

I think George takes a lot of pride in being a manufacturer and an engineer…..he seems pretty stubborn as well.  I suspect the stuff he really cares about, he wants to see it and be close to it.  Powell made a concerted effort to differentiate the stuff made in China and even at that, it seems the product is pretty consistent….

[botefdunn]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

The top tier Powell stuff is made in Ventura.

[close]

For some reason it feels kind of ironically perfect that Powell is the last “big” company making shit in Merica

[close]

I think George takes a lot of pride in being a manufacturer and an engineer…..he seems pretty stubborn as well.  I suspect the stuff he really cares about, he wants to see it and be close to it.  Powell made a concerted effort to differentiate the stuff made in China and even at that, it seems the product is pretty consistent….

yeah, when powell went from being huge to tiny, most business types would have packed it in and moved on. Even if he doesn't skate, always felt like he was in it for the passion in his own way.

[hiljentaa]

Haven't skated em myself, but Acid wheels are also made in the USA. Oceanside

[BeachChicken]

From what I was told Ermico couldn't meet the demand of Indy, Thunder, and then Venture and specifically had some QC issues that were common across a few brands mostly the hanger cracking when the trucks became worn and defective kingpins. Supposedly when Indy was looking at adding the Mid they realized it was also too expensive to open a new mold at Ermico so they shopped around and the Chinese prototypes they had were more consistent and the factory could simply produce more. Ermico couldn't exactly expand.

For DLX the mold issue was the same with them wanting to do a new Thunder. I guess Mexico has less regulation around a lot of production details so it's cheaper and easier to produce in large scale there.

[overlyoffensive]

my dad gets reiki from someone who worked at ermico from 94 to 97. so random

[Too Frank To Fred]

my dad gets reiki from someone who worked at ermico from 94 to 97. so random

Greg Carroll?

[overlyoffensive]

hahahahaha believe my dad said he was Vietnamese but will for sure ask em if the guys name is greg 

[Fasttimes]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Been made in Mexico for 2 years or so. Nothing DLX hardgood is made in the USA.

[close]

Does Ermico have its own truck-production in Mexico, or do they outsource production to another company?

[close]

My understanding is Ermico was the foundry nothing else.

Yes for many years they did make Independent trucks, Thunder trucks and Venture trucks, along with some other things, but specialised in skateboard trucks more than anything else.


NHS owns Indy and had moved all their production of everything by 2018 to China, much of it already manufactured in China for a while before that, exact location unknown, or at least that is what is generally available when looking for information.

DLXSF moved their production from USA to Mexico a couple of years back, as stated above, exact details a little less known, but it seems like things worked out with DLX and BBS producing everything, or at least in similar places, if not directly within the BBS facilities. 

Same for DLX / BBS for the China made boards, as they didn't just get somewhere in China to put DLX graphics on generic molds, but went the whole way of making the same concaves, shapes and everything as per the existing products, only now in single deck presses and epoxy construction.


As for Ermico, are they even still a thing? 

Seem to recall someone saying they closed completely, but that could be something I have read or taken from another business and is not true.  Any which way, manufacturing in USA is on the decline with various issues and problems, least of all Ermico was said to not be paying employees correctly or something else going on with a pay dispute or work conditions or something like that too.


Doing a bit of looking, nothing really came up for "Ermico foundry" besides some basic info, but this old, very old clip is an interesting watch:


https://www.exploratorium.edu/video/ermico-foundry



Also some interesting reading here in these old threads:

https://www.slapmagazine.com/index.php?topic=111313.0

https://www.slapmagazine.com/index.php?topic=96704.0



Bottom line is pretty much anything you have bought that is new stock, not new old stock, from anywhere in the last few years has NOT been made in USA, from trucks to wheels as well as most decks in the industry, to which some people seem to have a problem, but others just accept it for what it is - things changing in the world and there is very little manufacturing still happening in USA any more, or most places for that matter.  More production happening in China every day, with even some places like Mexico becoming way more expensive of late with things going on, dollar ups and downs, etc.

Chinese factory that would do same thing, but a seasonal truck run and complete in 2 days with 40 employees (for example). Quality typically is higher in US countries, but a Chinese manufacturing is getting much better. and now used to ISO type quality standards. Also, good companies will forge molds with tradesman here, then send molds to China where they make tooling. I think the stage 4 was remade because the tooling was found complete and sent to China. They may have picked another vintage truck to remake if tooling wasn't an issue, and tooling can run about a 100k a size before quality review. I imagine skateboard companies are paying third parties to do these agreements which adds tons of consulting. That is why a new truck comes out with same hanger and different base, etc. or they just source hollowed hardware that has been readily available before skateboarding even existed. Just saying. I care about skateboarding a lot, but if you think some regular dude is making trucks in a factory, you are wrong. Just trying to explain better. Design is skater based but manufacturing is not for sure.

[Sangriawaterfall]

I’ve got some ancient red thunders with the lizard and machete on the baseplates and a big ol USA on the bottom. I did not know they were thunders until a few years ago.