Words by Mikey Franco
When I heard there was a veneer manufacturing company 16 miles from where I grew up in Altoona, Pa., I got super excited! Supporting my community, both in Jackson Hole and where I grew up is important to me. A friend introduced me to Nick Benjamin of Edgemate. Nicks family bought the veneer business in 2000 and turned it in the successful company it is today . Edgemate is a high quality operation that offers Forest Stewardship Council certified wood products. The Forest Stewardship Council is an international not for profit organization that promotes responsible management of the world’s forests. All of Edgemate's products are hand-processed and human inspected for quality.
Getting to know my suppliers is a priority for me. The folks that choose to ride a Franco Snowshapes custom snowboard have to have great trust in our board crafting process. By highlighting our relationships with each and every customer and each and every supplier, we create a family of folks coming together to create impeccable works of art that lead to irreplaceable moments. It takes a village, so to speak, to build a snowboard, and I believe everyone in that village is crucial. Highlighting individuals involved with the entire board crafting process, yields an understanding as to how much passion the entire 'village' has to put into every Franco Snowshapes board.
Knowing where our materials come from and who makes them is paramount to us. We seek out partners that share the same philosophy as Franco Snowshapes, over any other factor.
