How Baffin’s Cold Climate Products are Made
History of Baffin
Since 1979, Baffin has been committed to manufacturing cold climate products in Canada. There isn’t one blanketed approach to the manufacturing of innovative, high-performance, and industry-leading products.
Baffin has a full-scale domestic manufacturing and production operation in Stoney Creek, ON where we operate at capacity. Each year offers further opportunities for growth and opportunity to make the highest performing cold climate products. All Baffin products are designed and tested here in Canada and Baffin holds all our global partners* accountable to the same standards as our Canadian-made product.
“When we can achieve and exceed our high production standards, while maintaining domestic manufacturing – we simply do” states President, Paul Hubner.
Our Facility
Baffin’s warehouse is approximately 80,000 square feet and employs more than 30 warehouse staff. The manufacturing process at Baffin is twofold. Stage 1 involves a machine that processes the compound that the boot is constructed with. The machine begins to melt the compound into a Mould of the boot, by injecting it into the cavity, forming the upper and the sole. The upper part of the boot is made first, and then the machine combines the upper and sole together.
One cycle typically takes one minute if it is a 2-toned product. If the product requires a steel toe, once created by the machine, an employee adds the steel toe component, and the machine binds it together. Once a run of boots is completed, they are placed on a rack, ready for the next stage of production. While most of Baffin’s machines are for 2-toned products, Baffin does manufacture several tri-tone products with colour machines in our warehouse for products such as BULLY.
The next stage of production involves having the excess material trimmed off the boot, an insole added to the boots (if required) and an added safety stamp (if required). Safety features are checked before the item is placed on the completion rack and double-checked once boots are labelled. Once the boot is complete, it is put on the line and moves to the packaging stage. The packing stage includes adding hangtags and box wrapping. Select Baffin products, such as OILRIG, require a stitched on upper before being placed on the line towards packaging.
Liners are manufactured in-house for most Baffin products. Baffin houses the material, cuts the rolls and stiches it into the liners. One unique component of the Baffin warehouse is the steps we continue to take towards sustainability. If there is ever a defect with one of the boots, rather than wasting product, Baffin houses a machine that can break down the product into soot. The soot can then be repurposed by mixing it with regrind to construct new boots.
Meet one of Baffin’s key team members, Dario Komsic, Production Manager.
Dario has been with the company for over 19 years. “Having been at Baffin for 19 years, it’s a wonderful place to work. I work with a talented team of people, and I am given the freedom to make necessary judgement calls because my peers trust and respect my decisions” notes Komsic.
Baffin manufactures over 303,000 pairs of boots per year, representing 28 different styles and colourways.
The warehouse offers many different types of roles including managers, supervisors, lead hands, forklift operators, pickers, packers and more.
To learn more about the company or check out our careers page, please email careers@baffin.com.
* Outside of Canada, we source materials from Turkey, China, Myanmar, and Italy.
