Portland-headquartered Danner Boots employs 180 members of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555 who make and sell work, outdoor, and military boots. The Danner brand is currently owned by LaCrosse Footwear Inc., a publicly-traded company that bought Danner in 1994. LaCrosse relocated to Portland in 2001.
Last month, Tokyo-based ABC-MART announced plans to purchase LaCrosse. ABC-MART is the largest retail shoe company in Asia.
Following the announcement, CEO Joe Schneider said the Portland factory would not be affected.
During a recent tour of the plant, company officials told the Northwest Press that Japanese citizens love Danner Boots and that Japan has been a big customer for more than 20 years. They said the recent Korea Free Trade Agreement also has opened up a new market for its boots.
Jeff Anderson, secretary-treasurer of Local 555, said “we look forward to continuing our good working relationship with Danner, and we look forward to expanding our domestically-produced boots globally.”
A few weeks ago the U.S. Marine Corps placed an order for 220,000 pairs of Danner’s Rugged All-Terrain (RAT) hot weather and temperate boots. That’s a $29 million pay day.
With that order Danner is recalling 15 workers who were laid off in March after their last big military order was completed. The company also is ramping up to hire 90 more workers in the coming months for a second shift, said Union Representative Omar Aviña-Trejo.
“Not only is the United States Marine Corps’ request for more RAT boots a testament to the boots’ proven performance in the mountainous terrain of Afghanistan, it speaks to our outstanding employees’ dedication to quality and service excellence,” CEO Schneider said in a news release.
Danner does manufacture some of its boots in Asia. All boots made in Portland have a flag of the U.S. stitched on it, along with a label on the box that says, “Made in the USA with Union Labor.”
UFCW ratified a new three-year contract at Danner in January 2012.
I originally was going to purchase Danner hiking boots since they were made in the USA. I want to purchase products made in the USA. However, I have been informed that Danner boots are union made. Unions have been constantly bashing Republican/conservative candidates in this election year. I am tired of the this misinformation being spread by unions. Therefore, I will not buy union made Danner boots. I will buy another company’s hiking boots even if they are made in China. I prefer to give my hard earned money to the Chinese rather then to American unions anymore.
That is one of the dumbest things I have ever read. Buy union. Buy American!!!
That’s terribly unpatriotic!
OMG James, you are tied up in knots. You’d rather sell out our country than support it.
I buy Union, I buy American. Unions built this country – companies that will work with unions rather than engage in a rush to the bottom in search of profit deserve all true Americans’ support.
Maybe James should consider switching his party affiliation rather than boot manufacturer. By the way, James, Danner does make some cheaper boots in Chinese factories (non-union) that shouldn’t offend your conscience.
I just bought some Danner Pronghorn boots thinking they were made in the USA. I was disappointed to be misrepresented. My wife just told me the fully sole stitched boots are made in USA. All the others only 1/3 of the boot is made in the USA. So disappointed. If you advertise made in the USA be true to your ads.