Ebonite

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Ebonite's company logo

Mission

Our mission is simple To build the world's best bowling company. Our goal is not to be the biggest. The bowling industry's history is littered with companies who equated being the best with their size rather than their leadership, profitability and stability. At Ebonite International, we are at our best when we achieve positive results for everyone involved while maintaining the highest levels of integrity. It means delighting our consumers and end users with exceptional products and services. It means providing strength to our trade partners through mutually profitable sales and business programs. It means maximizing employee satisfaction through a creative environment that instills passion and financial strength that provides personal security. It means exceeding annual goals for equity growth and return on investment. Building smart programs and making smart acquisitions have been the catalyst for a very successful year, and we are not about to slow down. Ultimately, it means that Ebonite International will continue to set new standards of excellence and innovation, will continue to grow along with our industry and never abandon our quest to be the best.

Private Ownership

The advantages of being privately owned in a publicly held world are for all to enjoy. A major corporate virtue of Ebonite International is our private ownership. Our decisions are not subject to the shifting sands of Wall Street's quarter-to-quarter profit push. We have the flexibility and independence to focus on long-term business building decisions rather than short-term fixes that mortgage our future. As a result, our decisions, and our future, are placed solidly in our own hands. Private ownership also allows us to have a business structure like most of our trade partners. We understand your issues because we have them too. We are more like you than you may realize.

Branding

Branding is more than a commitment for us. It's a priority. Building strong, recognizable brands means consistently providing the most reliable products to our consumers and providing programs that drive sales to trade partners across all areas of bowling - from balls and bags to capital equipment and scoring technology. Our product portfolio consists of separate, distinct brands. Each has its own identity, its own product attributes, and its own marketing approach. Just as importantly, each brand has a role to play in the Ebonite International corporate portfolio, with its own internal P&L and development criteria. This approach to branding focuses marketing efforts and company assets while eliminating the erosive effects of duplication and brand cannibalization. Can a company market more than one brand of bowling ball? Absolutely! Currently, our bowling ball brand portfolio consists of Ebonite, OPTYX and Hammer. With millions of bowlers in the world, there are individual needs, styles, brand preferences and tastes to be met. The key is to understand those bowlers better than anyone in the industry and to exceed all expectations. Having more than one brand allows us to do just that.

Ebonite

A bowling industry leader for almost 100 years, the Ebonite brand is recognized around the world for its excellence in bowling balls, bags and accessories. Our sales and marketing programs rest solidly on our unparalleled experience in helping consumers bowl to win.

Optyx

The OPTYX brand was introduced in 2001 as the premier line of bowling balls to use clear coverstock technology. Pioneered by Ebonite, clear coverstock bowling balls and innovative internal graphics continue to give the bowling consumer surprising new ways to look at bowling, regardless of their skill level.

Hammer

Ebonite International recently acquired this powerful brand and fully intends to re-establish the Hammer name. For serious bowlers who want a little attitude to go with their equipment, nothing hits like a Hammer. Robby's Part of the Ebonite family since 1990, the Robby's brand has stood the test of time and is now recognized for producing the finest quality high-performance bowling gloves and positioners in the world.

Vantage

An Ebonite International acquisition in 2001, Vantage manufactures and markets pinsetter and pinspotter replacement parts for Brunswick* and AMF** machines. Vantage rounds out a portfolio that cements Ebonite International's position as a full-service provider of bowling products and equipment that are second to none.

VanTech

Part of Ebonite International's acquisition of Vantage Bowling, VanTech offers the most advanced technology in bowling center pinspotters, ball returns, masking systems, seating and tables, scoring and center management systems and synthetic lanes.

Galaxy Lanes

Located in Columbia, Tennessee, Galaxy Lanes bowling center is more than a local destination for family fun, entertainment and league play. It also serves as an important resource for research and development as well as teaching and demonstration. In 2002, Galaxy Lanes will host the Pro Tour's first pre-season training camps, a PWBA sanctioned quad-regional tournament, a major national seniors' tournament, and will be a premier stop on the professional women's national circuit.

  • Brunswick is the registered trademark of Brunswick Bowling Inc. and is in no way associated with Vantage Bowling Corporation.
    • AMF is the registered trademark of AMF Bowling Inc. and is in no way associated with Vantage Bowling Corporation.

Technology

Solving bowler and end-user issues through technology, nobody does it better. Can you name any bowling company that has made a bigger commitment to bowling technology than Ebonite International? We are continually at work, using our vast technological base to solve bowler and end-user problems and maximize their enjoyment of the game.

High Performance Technology

Ebonite International continues to lead the industry with breakthroughs in new cores, coverstocks and performance measurements that continue to revolutionize bowling. We constantly look at new materials and chemistries in our quest to produce the highest quality products ever seen. Our commitment to bowlers is to provide the best products on the market today and even better products in the future.

Clear Coverstock Technologies

Challenge creates innovation. We thrive on both. First, our clear resin products revolutionized the industry. Now, we are cracking the codes needed to create clear resin balls that play as good, or even better, than they look. We are far ahead of the industry on this frontier, and we are learning more every day.

Materials Technology

Ebonite International products are made for people who want the most out of bowling, whether for business or pleasure. People the world over count on us to focus on improving quality, durability and processes without inflating costs. A perfect example is VanTech's development of ActiveLanes, high-pressure laminate lanes that offer substantial durability, a real wood appearance and unsurpassed ease of conditioning.

Mechanical Design

We never settle for anything less than the best. For example, every Vantage part is engineered to be better than the original that it replaces. Expertise in mechanical design, combined with control of those designs in our own manufacturing processes elevates customer acceptance, enhances product quality and reduces product cost.

Operational Excellence

Our commitment to operational excellence is well known and never ending. The scope of Ebonite International's operational competence is astounding. The capabilities of our three locations in Hopkinsville, Kentucky; Columbia, Tennessee and Lakewood, Colorado extend from ball making to "cut and sew" manufacturing to electronics, machining, capital goods manufacturing and assembly. Ebonite International is the only company in the bowling industry with such a diverse operational capability, yet our commitment remains focused in three distinct areas:

Quality

At Ebonite International, we are obsessed with quality, not just the notion of it. We know that real quality is measurable and comparable from beginning to end. Our co-workers are taught both the philosophy and mechanics of real product quality from the first day they begin their careers at Ebonite. This educational process and focus on quality continues for a lifetime.

Flexibility

Exceptional operational flexibility and efficiency has served our customers and us very well for years. This strength allows us to stay in control, minimizing inflating inventory. That, in turn, has allowed us to free our customers from unhealthy load programs and the need to introduce new products to simply feed a factory.

Logistics

In logistics, we have geared ourselves for multi-channel and multi-facility capability and competence. These are supported by electronic and videoconferencing communications systems that allow us to review data, make and implement decisions with incredible speed. Better than any other player in the industry, we are now capable of expansion to remote locations with relative ease.

Trade Partnerships

Trade partnerships set new standards for our industry and ourselves. One-sided partnerships are notoriously short-lived. The bowling industry has seen its share come and go. Ebonite International's reputation for understanding and addressing the needs of distributors, pro shops, bowling centers and bowling center mechanics is as much of who we are as the products we produce. Our distribution policies are clear, concise, fair and protective of our customers. Pricing and program integrity are as integral to our core values as the quality of our products is to our customers.

World Class Customer Service

The expansion of our field sales force now ranks the Ebonite International sales force as one of the largest in the industry. Size and scope mean nothing, however, unless those people are the best. We know they are. Our sales force is a rare breed of passionate individuals who appreciate that their primary job is to understand, create growth and solve the problems of their customers. Our in-house customer service team is newly expanded and equipped with the industry's most comprehensive information system to ensure prompt, accurate ordering and distribution. Of course, those same friendly voices you know and love are still at work from our Hopkinsville office to Denver, Colorado. How could we replace the best customer service team in the world? We couldn't.

Leading Edge Field Marketing Programs

Supporting the success of these partnerships are field marketing programs that are intended to enhance our brands' acceptance and boost the product sales of our trade partners. In the early 1990s, Ebonite International pioneered new product seminars for pro shops and distributors. Now, we continue to lead the industry with our patented Demo Days program. Demo Days have revolutionized the way our trade partners involve the bowler in the buying process, allowing consumers a chance to try new products before they buy. Ebonite International was also the first company in bowling to recognize the importance of in-store merchandising. As a result, our Striking Effects Pro Shops continue to maximize merchandising and its impact upon pro shop sales and profitability. We're not stopping there. We are committed to building new relationships and promoting greater brand loyalty from pro shop owners and consumers alike.

Growing The Sport

We place great emphasis on growing the sport and the future of bowling. Ebonite International knows the success of the entire industry is directly related to the growth of the sport. Our commitment to growing the sport is focused on four principal initiatives: new market development; elevating the profile of the pro tours; developing bowler education and training programs; and supporting youth bowling.

New Market Development

Future growth requires looking beyond conventional bowling venues. Look at the explosive growth of our Fun Ball category. We saw the potential to grow the spare ball market and found the perfect hook with our fun balls. Then we pushed ourselves to think even further outside the box by partnering with powers outside the bowling industry. For example, our Budweiser®; consumer product line has helped us capture a huge untapped market in addition to being named the 2000 Anheuser-Busch®; licensed product of the year.

Elevating the Profile of the Pro Tours

Pro tours represent the best foot forward of the sport of bowling to the public at large. We select great players to represent our brands, people who like us are committed to working hard at being the best. This allows us to fill the gaps in tour events, create excitement and heightened awareness of the tour itself. Carolyn Dorin-Ballard. Cara Honeychurch. Leanne Barrette. Kelly Kulick. Jason Couch. Tommy Jones. Michelle Feldman. Doug Kent. Mika Koivuniemi. Jason Queen. Their names and faces have become instantly recognizable to our audiences through ongoing tour promotion activities including tailgate parties, media challenges and training camps.

Bowler Training and Education

Ebonite bowler training and education programs give bowlers the benefit of our expertise as well as our products. Better bowler education means better satisfaction at all skill levels. Even as a new initiative of Ebonite's, we are utilizing the latest equipment and techniques including our CATS lane systems to help ensure results. Pre-season training camps give future pros practical advice on skills ranging from proper form to media relations, and bowlers love us for it. Our most recent PWBA camp drew attendees from across the country to our Galaxy Lanes center in Columbia, Tennessee. Enhancing bowler knowledge ultimately enhances their satisfaction.

The Advancement of High School and Collegiate Bowling

Our promotion of bowling as a mainstream sport reaches far beyond the bowling centers and pro shops of the world. Ebonite International and other members of the Ebonite family work quietly behind the scenes to promote bowling among future consumers. Currently, Ebonite pro Carolyn Dorin-Ballard is the industry's spokesperson for high school bowling, while Ebonite pro Kim Terrell is the industry's spokesperson for collegiate bowling, which only recently became an NCAA sanctioned sport for women. Growing the sport of bowling is more than a goal. It is an accomplishment that is taken seriously and shared by all who work here. When it comes to building the future of our industry, Ebonite's commitment speaks for itself.

Values

Our values are universal and steadfast. As a privately held company, we adhere to a clear set of values. We weigh our decisions against these values, using them as a litmus test to ensure adherence to our standards. Recognizing how these values apply to our actions and making certain each value is understood and practiced by our co-workers is essential to our continued success. These values include:

Treat Others As We Would Like To Be Treated.

People make the difference in our business. We will honor our commitments and promises to co-workers, suppliers and customers without fail. We will conduct all of our business relationships in a candid, fair, sincere, honest and direct manner.

The Bowler Is Our Boss.

We are a customer-driven company; therefore, we will solicit, listen and profitably act upon customers' needs in a proactive and routine manner. We will deliver products superior to those of our competitors in technology, performance, quality, durability and value. We will not ship products that do not meet our quality and performance specifications.

Whatever We Choose To Do, We Will Do Outstandingly.

Above all, Ebonite International is committed to excellence. Our operational philosophy is one of continuous improvement that enables us to efficiently produce, market, distribute and service bowling products better than anyone else. Whatever we choose to do, we will always give it our best.

The World Is Our Marketplace.

We recognize the power of business globalization. We will create an international distribution network for all bowling markets. This network will be based on strategic rather than opportunistic values and distribution partners who share our goals for growth and customer satisfaction.

Growth Creates Opportunity.

Our success depends on growth and profitability. We will create opportunity, growth and security through outstanding financial performance. We will control our resources for maximum productivity measured as increases in market share and improvements in profitability.

What You Can Expect From Us

What you expect from us is never more than we expect of ourselves.

Building the best is an ongoing and exciting process for us. Only when we achieve results that go beyond expectations without sacrificing integrity do we begin to consider a job well done.

Therefore, our consumers and end users should expect products and services that are innovative and are of the highest quality. They should not just expect to be satisfied. They should expect to be delighted.

Our trade partners should expect to be empowered by mutually profitable sales and business programs. They should want to do business with us, because we are their best business partner.

Our employees should enjoy a work environment built on creativity and a financial strength that fosters personal security. Creativity and strength should lead to a passion to be the best and to love the journey.

Our suppliers and vendors should want to work with us in developing new ideas and improving old ones, knowing that they are dealing with a company that is fair, open, receptive and financially sound.

And above all, everyone, from consumers to competitors, should expect from us what we expect from ourselves - new standards of excellence and innovation born of a fiercely independent spirit that never settles for anything less than striving to be the best..

Web Site

www.ebonite.com


Megamav 12:57, 18 July 2007 (EDT)