It’s a remarkable story. A former winter Olympian making a comfortable living at W.L. Gore and Associates decides to strike out on his own by making gloves that are badly needed by members of the military.
His wife, a nurse, supports her husband’s efforts and eventually joins the business.
That story is compelling enough, but couple’s business tale is filled with the twists, turns, disappointments and successes that would make a good business book.
Appearing together at the podium, Frank and Donna Masley, owners of Masley Enterprises, told their story to an audience of hundreds who attended the annual Marvin Gilman Superstars in Business awards luncheon last week.
Masley talked about the challenges of competing in the sport of Luge, the small sled event that is dominated by Europeans.
Masley later pursued his dream of meeting the needs of servicemen and women working in hostile conditions. He learned how to sew.
A lengthy effort to win government work eventually led to an order shortly before the 9/11 attacks.
The military moved to a wartime footing and bought gloves elsewhere, but Masley Enterprises eventually gained the military business. Masley, an engineer, who had earned an MBA from Goldey-Beacom College, was not afraid to seek assistance.
Along the way, the company received help from the Delaware Small Business and Technology and Development Center and the Delaware Manufacturing Extension Partnership. A Small Business Administration loan provided an incentive for located on the East Side of Wilmington.
The young business found a site on the Brandywine and trained employees from the neighborhood on sewing the gloves.
During its journey, the company grew but had to downsize when the contract was completed. Masley went to work again and tapped into the partnership’s expertise in lean manufacturing to gain more government work. The company bounced back with new contracts.
According to Donna, the company has a well-trained, motivated workforce that has emerged as a competitive advantage.
That success has made the Masleys strong advocates of locating in disadvantaged neighborhoods where jobs can turn around lives.
Meanwhile, Masley Enterprises has made a difference, with one helicopter pilot crediting the gloves with saving lives of the crew.
Key materials in the gloves have their roots in Delaware, with the use of Gore-Tex fabric and DuPont Nomex, a fire resistent material.
The Masleys make it clear that they are happy that the Afghanistan war is winding down. But the looming end of combat operations will leave the company with another major challenge.
Its new strategy will focus on highly competitive civilian markets, where the qualities of Masley gloves should prove popular.
Based on the response from the audience that heard the inspiring story, Masley Industries will chalk up some local sales
.
