Boston and New England Companies Named to Made in the USA Hall of Fame

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Boston and New England Companies Named to Made in the USA Hall of Fame
by David Trumbull -- July 15, 2011

The Made in the USA Foundation has announced 22 companies that have earned a place in the Made in the USA Hall of Fame. The Foundation held an awards dinner Saturday, July 2nd in Santa Monica, California. Among the companies honored were two Boston companies:

Boston Beer Company -- Brewmeister Jim Koch comes from a long line of brewers. In the mid-1980s, Jim got his great-great grandfather's recipe from his father's attic. After only six weeks on the market it won the award for "The Best Beer in America" in the Consumer Preference Poll at the Great American Beer Festival.

New Balance –- In 1938, New Balance created its first pair of athletic shoes. Today, New Balance is now the largest shoe manufacturer in the United States, making 7 million pairs of athletic shoes a year in six factories in Maine and Massachusetts.

In addition, four other New England companies made it to the Hall of Fame:

Bevin Brothers of Easthampton, Connecticut -- The Bevin family has been crafting quality bells for 176 years. Bevin Brothers is the only remaining company manufacturing bells in the United States.

Colt -- The Colt 1911, official firearm of the U.S. Army from World War I until the Vietnam era, remains in production, virtually unchanged for 100 years. Colt is based in Connecticut.

Ethan Allen -- In 1936, Ethan Allen manufactured its first Early American style furniture in New England. Today, Ethan Allen is the largest U.S. furniture manufacturer in many styles.

Peterboro Basket -- The Peterboro Basket Company has thrived in the heart of historic Peterborough, New Hampshire making high-quality baskets since 1854.

Other Made in the USA Hall of Fame companies are:

3M makers of Scotch brand tapes, Annin Flagmakers, Bed Head Pajamas, Chateau Montelena winery, Dilettante Chocolate, Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, H.F. Coors brewery, Harley-Davidson motorcycles, Hart Schaffner & Marx suit-makers, Jack Daniel's Distillery, K'NEX maker of plastic construction toy sets, Milliken & Company textile manufacturer, Nordic Ware kitchenware products, SpaceX rocket-maker, Vitamix maker of high-quality blenders, and Whirlpool Corporation maker of home appliances.