Nocona Athletic Goods Company plans to more directly market to the Mexican market with a new joint venture that will be called Nokona/Mexicana. The partners in Mexico were described as a group of individuals familiar with the region and not a previously existing company by a company spokesman.
Nokona is well known for its Made in the U.S.A. product, and the formation of this JV after a fire swept through the Nacona factory a little more than a month ago caused some head scratching wonder, but the spokesman assured SEW that the venture is only for distribution, with all manufacturing remaining in the U.S.
In discussing the fire at the factory and the new temporary digs, the spokesman said that the mood at the interim workplace, which is actually the old Nocona Boot Factory, has seen a complete turnaround from a month ago, when there was approximately five sewing machines running and a downtrodden air of uncertainty. Now, the company is running 25 machines with approximately 80 workers trying to catch up on the work load and a much more optimistic view of the future. On a side note, the first glove to come out the temporary factory was sent along to Joe Torre, manager of the New York Yankees.
