Springfield Marine Company

It’s hard to believe that a company as established and successful as Springfield Marine had such humble beginnings. In 1952, then 22-year-old Garnett Carnahan purchased an aluminum gas furnace and started Springfield Aluminum Company to support a local fence company with castings. Through word-of-mouth the aluminum casting foundry grew to support other companies in Southwest Missouri. Springfield Aluminum Company first operated out of a rented garage space with just a few employees to run the casting facility. In the late 1960s, the marine industry started to grow in Missouri, and Springfield started supplying castings, including bow eyes, cleats and corners. In 1974, the company relocated to Nixa, Missouri, where Garnett built his first building boasting 86,000 square feet of manufacturing.

The Brand

The now famous Springfield Marine brand began in the mid-1970s. The recreational boating industry was growing fast, and Springfield was supplying so many parts to the boating industry across the Midwest that the brand name became well-recognized. Seat pedestals, the primary focus of the brand, were made primarily from aluminum castings and fabricated parts. The company’s capabilities expanded rapidly to include the manufacturing of additional components, such as a full range of seating hardware. One of Springfield’s earliest catalogs was published in 1985.

Partnership Formed

In 1990, Garnett and his wife Caroline partnered and opened a manufacturing facility in Shanghai, China, called SCHECO. Having control of manufacturing, while not having to rely on multiple outside sources around Asia, allowed for more secure handling of the growing Springfield-branded product line, including proprietary processes and patented parts to support the U.S. facility. As SCHECO grew, in 1995 they expanded the Springfield brand to supply customers internationally in Europe and Australia.

Rise From the Ashes

Tragically, in 1999 Springfield Marine’s main plant in Nixa, Missouri, burned to the ground in a catastrophic fire over the Thanksgiving weekend. With the China location already producing components, sub-assemblies and some finished goods, the facility quickly became the primary supplier for Springfield Marine to its U.S. and international customers. In 2001, Springfield rebuilt its Nixa headquarters along with a 100,000-square-foot manufacturing facility on the same site as its former foundry.

As sales growth continued, the SCHECO facility soon outgrew its capacity. In response, Caroline established a new plant in an emerging industrial area called “New Shanghai”. The new manufacturing facility opened in 2009 with more than 350,000 square feet of manufacturing space, which allowed the company production capacity and expand its manufacturing capabilities.

Leader in Seating

Springfield Marine has become a leader in seating for everything from fishing and cruising to even commercial passenger or work boats. The company offers a full seating line ranging from folding seats to bucket seats and now helm seats. Springfield Marine also supplies its SHECO Vinyl – a full range of vinyl sold by the roll for custom seats in multiple colors and textures for today’s marine environment.

Ski Pylons

Another product line that has seen significant innovation is Springfield Marine’s ski pylons. Over the years, ski pylons have changed along with new ski boat designs, faster boat speeds and a wider variety of water sports. Originally, ski tows could be applied as an aftermarket accessory that involved a pole with two support legs bolted to the deck. In today’s environment the pull forces are excessive due to the higher horsepower offered by the newest outboards and the increased resistance applied with towables (water toys).

To address these changes, Springfield utilizes a proprietary aircraft aluminum material that provides the necessary flex and strength to meet these requirements. Its pylons have been used on ski boats for 25 years with no resulting warranty or safety issues. The company even has developed solutions for the latest V-10 outboard design, which requires an even stronger and taller pylon.

Springfield Marine Today

In its 70th year, Springfield remains a healthy, strong, established global brand that is relied upon by OEM boat builders, aftermarket marine distributors, and marine retailers worldwide. With the passing of Garnett in 2014, Caroline Carnahan is now the sole owner. She still holds the values the company was
founded on:

1. Focus on meeting the needs of the end consumer (the boater).
2. Build only high-quality products.
3. Create a work environment that is safe, engaging, and allows employees to grow with the company. At Springfield Marine, it is common for employees to remain with the company for years, even decades, due to Springfield Marine’s commitment to advancement from within.

The SCHECO Company

In 1990, Garnett and his wife Caroline partnered and opened a manufacturing facility in Shanghai, China, called SCHECO. Having control of manufacturing, while not having to rely on multiple outside sources around Asia, allowed for more secure handling of the growing Springfield-branded product line, including proprietary processes and patented parts to support the U.S. facility. As SCHECO grew, in 1995 they expanded the Springfield brand to supply customers internationally in Europe and Australia.

Springfield Marine Grows

The Springfield Marine brand began in the mid-1970s. The recreational boating industry was growing fast, and Springfield was supplying so many parts to the boating industry across the Midwest that the brand name became well-recognized. Seat pedestals, the primary focus of the brand, were made primarily from aluminum castings and fabricated parts. The company’s capabilities expanded rapidly to include the manufacturing of additional components, such as a full range of seating hardware.

Jiangsu Carnahan Then

As Springfield Marine Company grew and opportunities opened in Asian markets, Our first factory Jiangsu Carnahan Manufacturing Opened in China in 1990, Owned & Operated by Our founder Garnett and his wife Caroline.

Rise From the Ashes

Having outgrown the Shanghai facility, Jiangsu Carnahan relocated In 2009 to a state of the art facility in Qidong, China. Not only did The facility provide 350,000 sq. ft. of space for JC’s factory, but the New location also made room for updated technology, machinery, And processes. The factory continued its expansion between 2011 And 2013, growing its facilities to 750,000 sq. ft. and expanding its Capacity to meet evolving industry demands.