Unflagging Commitment

When the product you manufacture is a symbol of your nation, you tend to have a sense of dedication and awe toward your work. Flag maker J.C. Schultz Enterprises understands the importance of what it does, and of the role its products serve in the lives of others. So, in spite being a wholesaler, when local citizens began gathering out front in hopes of purchasing an American flag once stores had sold out after September 11, J.C. Schultz temporarily became a retailer and made available a limited number of flags.

The sewing floor at J.C. Schultz. The modest size facility
occupies 51,000 sq. ft. and employs 60 machine operators.

“Making our flag is a responsibility, and through our product, we believe we helped the nation in the mourning process after 9/11,” says Jon Christiansen, Sewing and Operations Manager for J.C. Schultz. “We sold out our inventory in just four hours after the second tower fell. By the weekend we drew up a production schedule that increased our output while maintaining our quality, and went to our people asking them to support it. They did, and for the next eight weeks, we were sewing flags twenty-four seven.”

As circumstance would have it, the company had recently completed a government contract for the Department of Veterans Affairs to sew cotton interment flags. This turned out to be extremely beneficial to the massive production surge after 9/11. “That contract really helped streamline our processes,” says Christiansen. “Throughout, operator experience and feedback was vital. We learned a lot from our employees.” It is noteworthy that while production was streamlined, J.C. Schultz’ product line was not: the company continued to sew every size of flag in each style, a total of 36 flags.

One thing Christiansen never had to worry about was his equipment. “My mechanics had no trouble with our Juki or Union Special machines. Their quality helps us maintain our quality. Because one of the things that differentiates our flags from others is the sewing. We do some things differently, like box-tacking the fly end to avoid fraying,” he points out. Programmable Juki LK1900 machines perform that operation to the highly stressed flag end.

A Juki AMS-210D sews a box tack to the fly end, a
distinctive feature of J.C. Schultz flags.

On The Cover:
Outside J.C. Schultz headquarters in St. Charles, IL. The 82 year old company manufactures a full line of all types of flags, as well as banners and custom designs.

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