"New documentary features New Balance to promote US manufacturing" by Emily Overholt | Globe Correspondent, July 27, 2013
A soon-to-be-released documentary on reviving US manufacturing features athletic shoe maker New Balance and its efforts to keep a large share of its production onshore.
The film, “American Made Movie,” will be screened in Boston on Saturday night as part of a 32-city tour to promote the film in advance of its national release on Aug. 30. The film highlights companies that have kept manufacturing operations in the United States, noting that some 56,000 US factories have shut down since 2001, largely by shipping production overseas.
Something that has been happening for a long time, continues to happen, and is only going to speed up in the future. Welcome to global corporate capitalism.
New Balance, headquartered in Brighton, was selected by the filmmakers because it maintains about 30 percent of its production in the United States, while most of its competitors’ products are made almost entirely overseas.
One of every four pairs of New Balance shoes sold in North America is produced in one of the five New England factories, said Matt LeBretton, New Balance’s public affairs director.
While New Balance has moved some of its production to other countries, about 1,300 of the company’s 4,000 employees work in New England, LeBretton said.
What?
“We made a commitment to our workforce when production moved overseas,” LeBretton said. “We said, ‘Hey we’re going to keep this here.’ It’s not only vital to our workforce, but it’s vital to our country.”
One of the filmmakers, Vincent Vittorio, said the tour was designed to generate more buzz around the film. At a time when moviegoers are bombarded with high-action flicks, documentaries can seem dull by comparison.
Related: Inside Job
I'm so out of step.
“Documentaries aren’t necessarily sexy, they don’t have explosions or Tom Cruise,” Vittorio said. “So before we come to theaters Aug. 30 nationwide, we set up a tour.”
“American Made Movie” will be playing at AMC Loews Boston Common 19 at 7 p.m. Saturday.
--more--"
Related:
New Balance buffs out endorsement roster
New Balance rink could serve as Bruins practice site
Also see:
Sunday Globe Special: Morris's Movies
Globe Tells the Truth About TWA 800
Where do yo wanna see it?
