Bowling: a classic American pastime that has long been an iconic part of our culture.  In today's Shift Changes post we’d like to highlight a company that is working hard to keep the bowling industry rolling along—and to keep its products made in America: Ebonite International.

Ebonite has been in the bowling business for nearly 100 years and manufacturers everything from bowling balls and pins to bowling bags. The company prides itself on producing bowling equipment that is “designed with a level of excellence unmatched in the industry.”  In order to uphold this commitment to quality, Ebonite recently moved production of its bowling pins from a factory in Mexico to a facility located in Hopkinville, KY, reports CNN.

Ebonite CEO Randy Shickert noted that although this shift in production “usually happens the other way around” he believes that the brand will benefit greatly from the move: “We really felt that by moving the product here we’d have much better control over our manufacturing, our quality, and our cost structure," said Schickert.

Shickert also mentions that although their American workers are paid more than their Mexican counterparts , the actual dollars in labor per pin is less in Hopkinville. Additionally, since most of the wood used to make the pins comes from Pennsylvania and Ohio, the move cut back on shipping costs for the company. The new location also allows management to more closely monitor pin quality control, which, given that a pin’s every move could mean the difference between a split and a strike, is absolutely crucial. Watch the video below to learn more about Ebonite's decision to bring pin production back to the U.S.