The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted supply chains worldwide. Amid unprecedented labor shortages, transportation capacity has reached a breaking point. Product supplies have dwindled as a result, leaving consumers to face higher shipping rates and inflation than ever before.
US manufacturers are also feeling the sting of the supply chain crisis.
As football teams and fans alike geared up for the 2021-22 bowl season, pioneering football training gear and sporting equipment producer Gilman Gear faced a shortage of one of its most in-demand products: pylons. This Connecticut-based company supplies its signature pylons to around 9,000 high schools, the majority of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams, and the NFL. Even ESPN relies on Gilman for its iconic Line-to-Gain Pylon Cameras, which give viewers an on-field view of the action at the first-down line.
Gilman has become the go-to manufacturer for these brightly colored end-zone markers, which are essential to helping game officials determine if a player has passed the goal line or not. Officials can even call a touchdown if the ball in possession touches a pylon as long as “no part of the player’s body, except his hands or feet, struck the ground before the ball touched the pylon.” This rule has given rise to the now-famous “pylon dive,” a move that can lead to game-changing scoring. It’s safe to say that pylons have become as vital to the game as the goalposts themselves.
For Gilman’s customers, however, the pylon plays another crucial role on the field. Clients can order pylons with embroidered patches that display the logo of their choice, a must-have feature for big events such as championship games and the Super Bowl. Gilman’s signature pylons elevate the traditional corner marker, making them an essential part of branding for football teams at all levels. Pylons receive extensive exposure in both print and network TV, so adding a logo allows teams to foster brand recognition on a national scale.
Typically, Gilman Gear maintains a stock of 1,000 pylons to accommodate the needs of its clients. Recent supply chain issues left the company with a meager supply of 36 pylons in November 2021, down from 48 after it set a dozen aside for the Rose Bowl. Gilman Gear’s pylon supply has dwindled throughout the pandemic due to a worldwide shortage of the chemical agent that the company uses to manufacture the foam base of its pylons.
The company put an order in for more supplies in August 2021, but delays meant that the shipment wouldn’t arrive until the beginning of 2022, amid college football bowl season, which is usually its busiest time of year for pylons. Gilman Gear even considered getting in touch with some of its main clients to tell them to place their orders as soon as possible given the uncertainty of the supply chain.
Gilman’s late materials shipment also means cutting production close for the 2022 Super Bowl. The NFL typically orders a few sets for the big game, complete with unique emblems. Gilman Gear pylons have become a cultural icon for US football, one that the current supply chain crisis is threatening.
US manufacturers are also feeling the sting of the supply chain crisis.
As football teams and fans alike geared up for the 2021-22 bowl season, pioneering football training gear and sporting equipment producer Gilman Gear faced a shortage of one of its most in-demand products: pylons. This Connecticut-based company supplies its signature pylons to around 9,000 high schools, the majority of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams, and the NFL. Even ESPN relies on Gilman for its iconic Line-to-Gain Pylon Cameras, which give viewers an on-field view of the action at the first-down line.
Gilman has become the go-to manufacturer for these brightly colored end-zone markers, which are essential to helping game officials determine if a player has passed the goal line or not. Officials can even call a touchdown if the ball in possession touches a pylon as long as “no part of the player’s body, except his hands or feet, struck the ground before the ball touched the pylon.” This rule has given rise to the now-famous “pylon dive,” a move that can lead to game-changing scoring. It’s safe to say that pylons have become as vital to the game as the goalposts themselves.
For Gilman’s customers, however, the pylon plays another crucial role on the field. Clients can order pylons with embroidered patches that display the logo of their choice, a must-have feature for big events such as championship games and the Super Bowl. Gilman’s signature pylons elevate the traditional corner marker, making them an essential part of branding for football teams at all levels. Pylons receive extensive exposure in both print and network TV, so adding a logo allows teams to foster brand recognition on a national scale.
Typically, Gilman Gear maintains a stock of 1,000 pylons to accommodate the needs of its clients. Recent supply chain issues left the company with a meager supply of 36 pylons in November 2021, down from 48 after it set a dozen aside for the Rose Bowl. Gilman Gear’s pylon supply has dwindled throughout the pandemic due to a worldwide shortage of the chemical agent that the company uses to manufacture the foam base of its pylons.
The company put an order in for more supplies in August 2021, but delays meant that the shipment wouldn’t arrive until the beginning of 2022, amid college football bowl season, which is usually its busiest time of year for pylons. Gilman Gear even considered getting in touch with some of its main clients to tell them to place their orders as soon as possible given the uncertainty of the supply chain.
Gilman’s late materials shipment also means cutting production close for the 2022 Super Bowl. The NFL typically orders a few sets for the big game, complete with unique emblems. Gilman Gear pylons have become a cultural icon for US football, one that the current supply chain crisis is threatening.
