Under Armour has begun touting its Project Glory initiative, which is a long-term goal for products "to be made closer to the markets where they're sold," according to Lorraine Mirabella of the Baltimore SUN. The idea is one UA has "explored for several years but only recently began discussing publicly." UA Senior VP/Innovation Kevin Haley said, "We're starting in Baltimore." Mirabella noted UA "plans to start developing and perfecting technologies next year to enable a 'local for local' model, building on systems it already uses to make its Speedform running shoes in a lingerie factory." The work "will be done in a design and manufacturing test center called Under Armour Lighthouse that will open sometime next year" in a renovated 133,000-square foot former city garage in the Port Covington area of Baltimore, "where the company plans to build a sprawling new waterfront headquarters campus." The mission "will be to develop and find ways to use advanced manufacturing processes to make products on a smaller scale in local markets while improving the products' performance." Haley said advanced technologies will "reduce lead times, time in transit." He added, "The consumer gets what they want more quickly, more efficiently, and gets better products" (Baltimore SUN, 10/11).
