CarpetBagsUSA.com
At CarpetBagsUSA, a division of Allen Manufacturing products are Made in the USA!
A little bit about CarpetBagsUSA.com, it's parent company, Allen Manufacturing, Inc and the Allen family.
CarpetBagsUSA
CarpetBagsUSA.com is a division of Allen Manufacturing, Inc. The CarpetBagsUSA division was founded about 30 years ago when Fancy Stitchers (company name before Allen Manufacturing) was looking to diversify.
CarpetBagsUSA.com makes one thing: Carpet bags for transporting trade show carpets.
At CarpetBagsUSA and Allen Manufacturing, we pride ourselves on our workmanship and quality. They really are second to none. We've built this reputation for quality over decades. Every carpet bag is individually inspected. Every zipper is tested. Every strap is double checked. All stitching is inspected.
Note: As of the end of 2023, we had literally two carpet bags returned, due to quality, since April 2011. (We've had others returned due to the customer ordering the wrong size/color.) April 2011 is when David Allen took over from his dad, Bob and starting keeping these stats.
We make carpet bags in six standard colors - Black; Red; Grey; Hunter Green; Blue; Orange and 15 standard sizes. Other colors are available with a minimum order of 10-20 bags depending on size. Custom sizes are available with just a one bag minimum. If you need a different or custom size, let us know and chances are we can accommodate that for you. (Info@CarpetBagsUSA.com, 207-333-3385)
Do you want your logo screen printed on each bag? We can do that as well. We send out to another company, in our building, for screen printing. It will add a few dollars per bag depending on screen printed size, number of colors and quantity.
Allen Manufacturing, Inc.
Allen Manufacturing first started as Fancy Stitchers, Inc. in 1975. The founder, my father, Bob Allen, had gone out of business in 1974. Short on money but with good friends, he was able to start Fancy Stitchers. One friend, Shelly, who sold factory machinery, said to my dad, “If you need machinery, you take it and use it. At the end of the year, if you've made money, pay me. If not, don't worry about it. Oh, and by the way, I have some factory space you can use.” Well, after six months, not a year, my father went to Shelly and handed him a check for the full amount. Shelly took the check and tore it up and said, “Bob, I said a year.” They both laughed and six months later, my father gave Shelly a check for the full amount. (Side note: I always thought this story was true, but I was never positive, until one day, about ten years ago, Shelly's son, Mike and daughter-in-law were over for dinner. I told this story and Mike was nodding his head the whole time. I told the story just as Mike had heard the story from his dad, Shelly.)
Anyway, Fancy was off and running. After a year, Fancy moved across the Androsoggin River from Auburn to Lewiston, Maine to the building we still occupy 50 years later. My dad grew the company and at our peak we had over 100,000 square feet and 550+ employees and making 86,000 handbags a week.
Fancy took a contract cutting/stitching approach. Customers would own all materials and Fancy would provide the labor. Over time, my dad added more and more customers using this same approach.
My father always stressed quality. It's hard to obtain customers, so do all you can to keep the customer you have. To do this he, and I did this in my other businesses, and continue it to this day in this business, offer excellent communication, customer service and make sure quality is second to none. If we don't do all of those things right, he believed and I believe that we then do not deserve your business.
The Allen Family
If you've gotten this far, you should win a prize, but here is a bit about us...
My grandfather, Harry Allen, started a business supplying parts to the shoe industry. He started it during the Great Depression. His company was Allen Manufacturing. He ran his company well and taught his son, Bob, about business and the shoe industry.
After serving in the military, and at the age of 24, Bob went out on his own and started his own factory. Over 60+ years, Bob made carpet bags, shoes, safety equipment, gloves, handbags and thousands of other items. (If you are from New England and know the big bridge between Portsmouth, NH and Kittery, Maine, my dad made the netting that was suspended under the bridge in the event a bridge construction worker fell. I think of that every time I cross that bridge.)
In 1974, Bob, as I mentioned above, started Fancy Stitchers. In 1983, he started a chain of factory outlet handbag stores, Mainely Bags. All four of his kids were involved in the stores...a true family affair. We had 11 stores and in 1990, sold some and closed others. At that time, my siblings and I went our separate ways.
I went out on my own and sold competitive long distance services. In the late 90's, with the advent of cell phones, I knew the long distance business would not last. So, in early 2000, I started an internet service provider. (Think AOL but smaller.) We started in the basement of my house and soon moved to an office, one town away. After five years, I was approached by a major internet provider and they wanted to buy us. One thing led to another and I sold the business to them. They then hired me and my right hand man to run the company to do future mergers and acquisitions and run the day to day operations.
I stayed for five years and then left in early 2010 to take some time with my family before I figured out what was next. As of the end of 2023, my right hand man still runs the company and is doing a fantastic job.
When I left in 2010 I really thought my next venture would be something in technology. I had a few ideas and was thinking and working a little on determining viability. In September of 2011, my dad asked me to come to work for him. Even though I grew up around the factory and worked there as a kid and a teenager, I really never thought I would end up in manufacturing. After all, not many people were going into manufacturing in America. Well, I started out working with him a couple of days a week. In the Spring of 2011, he asked me to take over the company as even though he enjoyed coming into the factory, he was getting tired. At the time, he was 79. I agreed and set a goal of bringing the company into the 21st century.
My dad passed away in 2017. He came into the factory every day until the week he passed away. He loved seeing the people who had worked here for decades. He loved to see the new items we were making and he loved meeting new and old customers. He was a true people person and a gentleman. (Ok, written by a biased son.)
My brother Donnie, worked at the factory for 35 years. About 15 years ago, he left and bought a convenience store. He sold that ten years ago and was semi-retired. At the beginning of the pandemic, when many businesses had to lock down, we locked down as well. However, we used home stitchers to make almost 100,000 masks in six weeks. At that time, Donnie came back to coordinate the home stitchers. Since lifting the lock down, he has stayed on and comes in about 20 hours a week do do a bit of work, consult and advise.
Since I took over, we have continued with the quality standards my father set. We have replaced and modernized much of the machinery. We have increased time off for our employees. We've added a 401K plan for our employees along with health benefits, like free gym memberships.
We are now looking at having the next generation take over the factory. It may be one of my kids or one of my 21 nieces and nephews. Over the next 10-20 years, one of them will carry on the name, the quality and the service that we have provided to so many companies over the last 50 years.
Thanks for reading.
David Allen