Florida-based Tervis takes a trip to the White House
VENICE (FOX 13) - People all over the country - and the world - have Tervis Tumblers in their homes, but did you know those double-walled, insulated tumblers are made right down the road in Venice?
Tervis has thrived in a marketplace filled with foreign competition, so the third-generation owner of the company was honored when he received an invitation to attend President Trump's Made In America Week event at the White House Monday.
"When I started here eight years ago there were just over 250 employees, and just over that short period of time, we're now at 700 employees strong," Harper Bean, who heads the company's e-commerce unit, told FOX 13 News.
One of the company's strengths when it comes to competing with manufacturers in places like China is their ability to quickly produce and ship out custom orders. Another strength, they say, is quality.
"You can feel it in the weight. You can see it in the design including our trademark rings around the tumbler," says Bean.
The company was started in 1946 in Detroit. They moved to Florida in the 1960s. The brand's name came from the last three letters of the original engineers' names, Cutter and Davis.
"There is no Mr. Tervis," says Bean.
Now the company is headed by third-generation owner, Rogan Donelly, who visited the White House Monday for a photo op worthy of the brand's popularity. And on Tuesday morning, he appeared on FOX Business, expertly dodging questions on politics.
"We want to put the focus on our 700 employees who are here in America manufacturing our products," he said.
Bean says customers appreciate that Tervis Tumblers are made in America and come with a lifetime warranty. The company has 45 Tervis stores across the country and the tumblers are also available at major retailers.
The company's newest products include wine glasses and sippy cups for toddlers.