What: Recreational canoes
Company: Mohawk Canoes
Address: 2801 Dodds Ave.
Website: www.mohawkcanoes.com
Telephone: 825-2211
Owner: Greg McCourt
What’s special: “We’re one of the last canoe manufacturers of any significant size not owned by Confluence (Watersports),” said owner Greg McCourt. “For pretty much every single boat, there’s a lot of personal contact with whoever is buying it, and we custom make stuff to order all the time. You don’t get that from buying from a retailer or out of stock.”
The origin story: Mohawk Canoes was founded in Florida in 1972. In the early 2000s, Mohawk stopped manufacturing and was selling out its inventory. McCourt, who is an avid whitewater canoeist, bought the company in 2006 after frequently receiving offers to buy his model, which no longer was available.
How long does it take to make: Starting from raw materials, Mohawk can take a piece of plastic, form it into a hull and assemble a boat in two to four hours. Before that can happen, the plastic must be dried in an oven at 150-160 degrees for at least 10 hours.
Where it’s sold: Mohawk has a distributor in Quebec City and a retail chain in the U.K. carries its boats. But domestically, everything is sold factory-direct.
How long has the company been making them: McCourt moved Mohawk’s manufacturing operations from its former base in Fort Smith, Ark., to Chattanooga last September.
Future expansions planned: McCourt said he is negotiating with domestic distributors and retailers and is experimenting with new materials for the current line of hulls.
Lessons of the trade: “It’s good to have control over your suppliers,” McCourt said. “Also, it’s surprisingly complicated to employ people.”
– Compiled by staff writer Casey Phillips, cphillips@timesfreepress.com