If this is not reason enough.......

If this is not enough reason to buy a Cannondale, maybe these facts will convince you to buy local:

1. The Cannondale Plant employs over 460 folks in Bedford, PA.
2. Troy Laffey heads up the Green Initiative Team that recycles aluminum, cardboard, plastic and paper generated at the plant.
3. Cannondale is classified, in the state of CA, as a low emission and low waste facility.
4. Cannondale owns a cardboard and plastic compactor!!


Bar Stock to Bike Recap:

No pictures will adorn this lovely blog on my tour of Cannondale last week. That’s their policy. So, get yourself there and tour. You won’t be disappointed, my promise.

I was fortunate enough to catch Troy Laffey on the east coast and at the Cannondale factory, so you bet I hopped that train for a tour of the ¼ mile long facility, starting with the good-natured folks in Human Resources and ending with watching Jackie, packing Motos in boxes, way past quitting time. Jackie, you rock!!!

So, as linear as bike production seemed to me, it’s actually a wheel-like process. Cannondale makes most of the parts and the others, like tires, rims, saddles etc… are shipped in and assembled. It all comes together and assembled in an ergonomic assembly-line like method. I knew bikes have lots of parts, but really until you look at the process of putting each part on the bike, it’s overwhelming to imagine that over 100 bikes are shipped out on a daily basis.

Just the basic process of making a frame, starting with bar stock, was enough to set me spinning. Here's the basics....if I can remember it all.......machines cut, prepared the metal to be tack welded, welded, sanded, aligned, heat treated, aligned again, hand-painted, dried, decaled, clear-coated…..and all that for the frame.

So overall, the tour was amazing and informative, the guys who work there answered questions with professional ease, and the atmosphere was family-like. I am glad and thankful that I can support workers in the PA and that I am supported by them! It's a win-win situation!

Thanks again, Cannondale for your time and support!
Michelle