Lifetime Products uses polyethylene blow molding and metal forming technology to create a variety of consumer and industrial products. Lifetime has a large single-point blow molding plastics facility in Clearfield, Utah, occupying 2,200,000 square feet (200,000 m2), and employs over 2,200 people worldwide.[3] The company produces the only folding chair to comply with the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturer's Association (BIFMA), which defines durability standards testing of commercial-grade chairs.[4] Lifetime is headquartered in the Freeport Center in Clearfield, Utah, and has vertically integrated manufacturing facilities in Clearfield, Xiamen, China, and Mascot, Tennessee. US distribution facilities are located in North Kansas City, Missouri, and Columbus, Ohio. International distribution facilities are in Monterrey, Mexico and Lille, France.[2]
History
In 1972, Lifetime Product's founder, Barry Mower, made a sturdier basketball pole for his backyard using pipe, plywood, and a basketball rim. Seeing the potential in what he had constructed, he placed an ad in the local classifieds and made his first sale.
His business eventually became a sporting goods store, and in March 1986, became Lifetime Products, a name inspired by the goal of building durable and lasting products. Shortly after, the research and design staff created and patented the "Quick Adjust" basketball system, which allowed users to adjust residential basketball rims from 7.5 to 10 feet.
In its first three years, the company grew to 167 employees and occupied 120,000 square feet (11,000 m2) of manufacturing, office, and warehouse space. New equipment, including an electrostatic powder coating operation and a robotic rim welding system, was installed to keep up with demand. A metal fabrication department was also formed to constantly update and improve presses and dies.[citation needed]
Utilizing its expertise in plastics and metals, Lifetime then developed a blow-molded folding picnic table in 1995, a folding banquet table in 1998, and a steel-reinforced blow-molded shed in 2005.
In May 2010, Lifetime acquired the assets of Dragonfly Innovation Corp., a producer of blow-molded kayaks, and kayak production was moved to Lifetime's facilities in Utah.[5] In November 2011, Lifetime acquired Pennsylvania-based Emotion Kayaks, making Lifetime one of the largest kayak manufacturers in the world.[6]
In August 2017, the company expanded US operations by opening a 700,000+ square foot east coast manufacturing and distribution facility in Mascot, TN just east of Knoxville, TN.This new facility will produce Lifetime’s line of water sports products including kayaks and paddleboards, as well as their outdoor Play System line of products. With this new location for manufacturing and distribution, Lifetime will be able to meet its customers’ increasing demand for products with shortened supply chains and faster shipping times. [7]
Lifetime Metals produces processed steel items for both Lifetime Products, and for other manufacturers in the region.[8] Services provided include coil slitting and leveling, shearing, stamping with Minstermachine presses, tube mill operations, roll forming, and other processes.[9]
Lifetime Store
Lifetime owns and operates the retail chain Lifetime Store, formerly called Backyards Inc., which is a factory outlet for Lifetime Products carrying both new and seconds, or blemished products. There are seven store locations in Utah and Idaho.[10]
