The 2010 fall semester has been filled with exciting industry trips for Windells Academy. Students have gone behind the scenes of some of the top businesses within action sports and this week was no exception. America’s leading snowboard factory, Mervin Manufacturing invited Windells Academy to tour their facilities and meet the people behind the making of Lib Tech, Roxy and GNU technologies.

Mervin Manufacturing currently holds the title for one of the last major snowboarding factory within the US. Since 1977, these manufacturing veterans have developed an innovative and eco-friendly approach to their production process. From the graphics to the wood core of the boards, each element of a Lib Tech, GNU, and Roxy product are handmade at Mervin Manufacturing. “I was surprised by how everything is done here. It’s all done by hand!” said Jared Karon, Academy senior. “It’s cool that the Academy got the chance to see all of this.”

Behind any successful business there are dedicated and passionate employees. Mervin prides itself on being run by and for the athletes of the action sports industry. Nestled in between the Olympic and Cascade Mountain ranges of Washington, the Mervin factory is in a prime location for employees to create and ride their own designs. Needless to say, this is a dream job for some of our students. They wanted to know what it takes to be a part of this legendary manufacturer. Apostolos, of the experiMENTAL division shared his background story. “I don’t have an engineering or graphic design background. I have a skate, surf and snowboard background”. The employees of Mervin are true skate and snowboarding connoisseurs and artists of their crafts. So thank you to the folks at the Mervin Manufacturing. Without you, the technology of the industry would not be where it is today.

Mervin continues to develop new designs that push the evolution of skiing, snowboarding, and skateboarding. Lib Tech’s magne traction technology has gotten everyone from pro riders to our very own students adding some items to their wish lists. “ I went with the Lib Tech Skate Banana, 149 this year,” says Easton Gilman. “ I wanted to try the rocker and magne traction and I really like it. The press is good and it holds a really steady carve. I think if you’re a park rider you should check it out”.

As the year continues to fly by, Windells Academy industry trips keep getting better and better. Thank you to Mervin manufacturing for being one of the best trips yet! We will gladly make the four hour treck over the river and through the woods to see you again soon. Happy riding everyone!