G5 Outdoors.

- Free Online Library

Recently I had the pleasure of interviewing Garret Armstrong, G5's Brand Manager. In his position
Garret has the opportunity to get involved in driving the recognition of the G5 name, helping out
with customer service/satisfaction and even aiding with shipping department activities. With his
unique perspective we looked at the life of G5.
G5, like so many other archery companies, was started by an archery enthusiast who was already in
business for himself. Before discussing the current business, however, it's worthwhile to take two
steps back to the very beginning of the Grace Family's start in the business world.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
G5's parent company is Grace Engineering, which was started in 1966 by Lou Grace Sr. and located
in Memphis Michigan. Lou Sr. and his three sons, Richard, Lou Jr. and Jeff grew the engineering
business in the early years and expanded it into the southeastern United States United
States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi
(9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in
population and the fourth largest country in area. . In 1989 the Michigan branch was organized into
an independent business, which Lou Jr. continues to own and operate to this day. Grace Engineering
has experienced significant growth and success over the years through outstanding customer
service and cuttingedge technology. Although located near the U.S. automotive capital, Detroit, Lou
Jr.'s business finds its niche in variety, producing everything from tooling that is used to emboss
credit cards with alphanumeric characters Noun 1. alphanumeric characters - a character set that
includes letters and digits and punctuation
alphanumerics
character set - an ordered list of characters that are used together in writing or printing to
medical surgical components.
Garret points out that a particular technology has given Grace Engineering a competitive edge in
every market place they have decided to play in, "The defining technology is known as MIM MIM
Metal Injection Molding
MIM Mendelian Inheritance in Man
MIM Mobile Instant-Messaging
MIM Man in the Middle
MIM Multilateral Initiative on Malaria
MIM Metal-Insulator-Metal
MIM Master of International Management
MIM Made in Mexico or Metal Injection Molding injection molding
n.
A manufacturing process for forming objects, as of plastic or metal, by heating the molding material
to a fluid state and injecting it into a mold. . Basically, a powdered metal is mixed with a binding
agent and then injected into a mold. Still housing the binding agent the resulting part is somewhat
larger than desired. The binding material is melted out of the part, which is then placed into a
sintering furnace where its porous metal structure is heated causing the metal to shrink into a solid
metal object. MIM gives us the ability to create super complex, precision tolerance components."
Hunting Roots
According to according to
prep.
1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians.
2. In keeping with: according to instructions.
3. Garret, Lou and his son's are passionate archery hunters. In fact, many working at Grace
engineering are avid hunters. Lou saw a possible opportunity to bring the MIM technology to the
bowhunting Bowhunting is the practice of taking game animals by archery. Technique
In contrast to a rifle hunter, who may shoot effectively from ranges in excess of 200 yards (about
180 m), archers will usually restrict shots to 45 yards or less, depending on factors such as
industry and in 1999 traveled to the AMO AMO - America's Multimedia Online Archery Trade
Show to see what was currently being offered. Although there were many good broadhead
manufacturers represented at the show, none of them were using MIM. Naturally, the complex
shapes, true one-piece part capability, precision tolerances and repeatability afforded by MIM make
it a good fit for broadhead manufacturing. The next step was just waiting to be taken. The Grace
family's years of manufacturing experience using MIM technology were coupled with their passion
for bowhunting and the result was the birth of the G5 Outdoor Company in 2000. Garret tells of the
Grace Family's involvement with the business, "Currently Lou and his three sons run the business.
Lou, Matt, Nate and Jason handle product development, marketing, CAD (computer aided design
(application) Computer Aided Design - (CAD) The part of CAE concerning the drawing or physical
layout steps of engineering design. Often found in the phrase "CAD/CAM" for ".. manufacturing". )
functions and legal activities, in that order."
With the decision made to enter into the archery market, Garret explains the company's product
development. "Since they had the technology, facilities and personnel already in place with Grace
Engineering the real first step was to design and develop their first product." They chose to go with
a two-blade, cut-on-contact broadhead, which they eventually named the B-52. Things heated up
quickly for the B-52, because there was a growing popularity of this type of head with modern
archery hunters. Additionally, a contract with outdoor giant Cabela's got things moving in the right
direction. Garret states, "Sales were strong and the G5 name was quickly gaining visibility in only its
first year."
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Since its blockbuster start in 2000, G5 has grown steadily with multiple product introductions each
year. Garret is excited about the people that make everything happen at G5, "We have a super
talented team from one end of the building to the other." The combined G5 Outdoors and Grace
Engineering businesses employ over 100 people. Operations are held in two facilities that together
equal 47,000 square feet. In 2001 G5 launched the three-blade, true one-piece, Montec Broadhead
that is still a successful head in pro shops across the country. In 2005 Lou and the gang made a
decision to venture into the mechanical head market and introduced the Tekan broadhead. The
Tekan's unique design includes a tip that is basically its own two-blade cut-on-contact broadhead
and two independent sliding blades that open outward as they are pushed backward from impact. G5
has also added the SGH SGH Singapore General Hospital
SGH Sunglass Hut
SGH Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc
SGH Szkola Glowna Handlowa (Warsaw School of Economics, Poland)
SGH Seattle Grace Hospital (TV show Grey's Anatomy) (Small Game Head), ASD ASD
abbr.
atrial septal defect
ASD Atrial septal defect, see there (Arrow Squaring Device), Meta Line (Magnesium Alloy arrow
components and peep sight peep sight
n.
A rear sight of a firearm consisting of an adjustable eyepiece with a small opening through which the
front sight and the target are aligned.
Noun 1.
) and Sportsman Sharpener (designed to sharpen
broadhead and knife blades) to its line. Garret says, "The
SGH is a perfect demonstration of MIM's ability because it
has an extremely complex geometry In mathematics,
complex geometry is the study of complex manifolds and
functions of many complex variables. and features."
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Beyond Broadheads
G5 was introduced to two significant milestones in 2006. The introduction of a new bow sight line
marks their entry into an entirely different accessory segment. Again, the MIM technology has
allowed G5 to bring a significantly unique and improved product to market. Probably the first thing
you will notice about our sights", says Garret, "is how lightweight they are. Our Optix ME model with
a floating fourth pin, bubble level, micro adjustments and pin light weighs less than six ounces." The
sight body has a flowing form and an absolutely flawless Realtree finish. The same sight also
demonstrates some clever concept and design capabilities through its floating fourth pin that can be
easily adjusted to lock onto long distance targets. And finally, the overall product gives the distinct
impression that you are dealing with a professional company that takes pride in their work.
One Stop Shop
The second milestone from 2006 was the rounding out of the broadhead line when they
manufactured their first replaceable blade broadhead called the Striker. "With this head we now
have a full line of broadheads including a cut-on-contact single piece head, mechanical head, small
game head and replaceable blade head. Now, customers will have to look no further than G5
regardless of what type head they wish to shoot."
G5's company motto, "Designed to Hunt", defines the scope and mentality of their view of the future.
They will continue to produce products aimed at improving customer's bowhunting adventures.
Garret talks about the core of the G5 way, "We are all about taking everyday archery products and
making them better through advanced technology. Our focus is on continually pushing the
innovation envelope. Our goals are defined by the desire to be the premier archery accessory
manufacturer, however, they are also somewhat open ended as we look at every single accessory out
there as an opportunity for improvement and innovation." The entire G5 Team expects great things
in the coming years and have a few exciting products that are currently on the drawing board.
For more information about G5's products, contact: G5 Outdoors L.L.C. Dept. PB, P.O. Box 59, 34775
Potter St. Memphis, MI 48041; (866) 456-8836; www.g5outdoors.com.
COPYRIGHT 2007 InterMedia Outdoors, Inc.
No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the
copyright holder.
Copyright 2007 Gale, Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.