Made in the USA: An Innovative Midwest Stage Equipment Company
We live in a country that has always prided itself on entrepreneurship and encouraging the growth of locally run businesses. Our parent company had humble beginnings, being founded in Winona, Minnesota, by Royal G. Thern and his wife Lucille in 1948. At the time, Thern began manufacturing a handful of basic winches and other miscellaneous tools.
Leveraging 75 years of varied experience, continuous research, development, and testing, Thern winches and cranes are highly sought after. The company has established a worldwide reputation for toughness, versatility, and reliability by playing vital roles in various industries and high-profile projects.
As a wholly owned division of Thern, Inc., Thern Stage Equipment brings Thern’s high standards of manufacturing excellence and customer satisfaction to the theater and entertainment market. Powered by American ingenuity, exceptional quality is in everything that we do. There are numerous benefits in purchasing from a USA-based stage equipment manufacturer, from acquiring dependable products and supporting local jobs to contributing to a lower carbon footprint.
Why Support Thern Stage Equipment
High-Quality Stage Equipment
All Thern Stage products are made in the USA with the highest-quality materials from primarily local sources. While we outsource some components, such as motors and drives, everything we can produce locally is fabricated and assembled in Winona, MN. Every once in a while, there is a material like stainless steel tubing that is not melted/formed in America, but even then, all secondary processes are performed here.
Thern Stage’s sales team always listens and gathers market research to identify customer needs. Our products are specially designed with the end user in mind. Our experienced sales and in-house engineering teams work closely together throughout the design, performance, and safety testing process to ensure that any new product or update to an existing product meets or exceeds our customer’s expectations.
We take pride in our products because they represent dependability and excellent craftsmanship. Being an ISO 9001:2015 certified company, we ensure that every product we manufacture meets our strict quality standards and is thoroughly tested for performance and durability. Despite a higher initial investment for American-made stage equipment, the cost per use is lower since these products will often last longer.
“Outsourcing overseas could lead to challenges in maintaining quality standards. It can be harder to oversee production processes. Local sourcing and manufacturing are keys to maintaining Thern’s standards of high quality,” noted Western Region Market Manager Dave Maxwell. “By keeping all manufacturing local in Winona, MN, we can maintain and monitor the quality of the raw materials we use. If raw materials don’t meet our standards, they are rejected, and we source from a different supplier. All fabrication is also done locally in our shop to ensure a consistent, quality-built product that we can deliver to the field.”
Creating Jobs
By buying domestically made stage equipment, you are contributing to a hard-working American’s wages. At Thern Stage, employee turnover is low. We pride ourselves as a family-owned manufacturing company that strives to ensure that each team member feels valued and appreciated for their unique talents and gifts. Your business means we can continue operations and provide local jobs for our workers.
One of our employees, Joe Weilandt, is a theater designer with over 10 years of experience designing Thern Stage products. He’s had a hand in designing almost every product in our current catalog and most of the custom products we’ve built over the past decade.
Lower Carbon Footprint & Pollution
With global warming as a pressing issue that affects us all, consumers should be aware that stage equipment made overseas has a higher carbon footprint than American-made products. Foreign goods must be shipped from across the ocean to reach us, burning fossil fuel and emitting greenhouse gasses as they travel. It’s typically cheaper to make goods in developing countries because many of them have few to no regulations to protect air and water health. Since we manufacture and distribute all of our products from our Winona, MN headquarters, we can help to maintain a lower carbon footprint on our planet.
Thern Stage is proud to uphold a legacy of innovation across 75 years. Experience how American-made stage equipment can streamline your operations. Connect with us today to see how we can help elevate your performance for years to come!
