Trinity Bat Co. in Fullerton just got its first big supply of wood to kick off a new baseball season.
The family company says it makes all-wood bats for baseball players “from teeball to the pros.”
In the next few weeks, the McKee family and their five employees must finish at least 1,500 bats ordered
in anticipation of Major League Baseball’s April start.
The Los Angeles Dodgers and Colorado Rockies have just put in orders for 400 more bats apiece, according to Jeff McKee, the oldest son of Trinity’s owner and founder, Steve McKee.
Joining Steve and Jeff in the bat manufacturing business is Jeremy McKee, the family’s youngest child.
“Once opening day for Major League Baseball comes, it gets a little bit more normal around here,” Jeff McKee said. “Until then, we’ll be folding out the couches and sleeping here.”
Trinity deals with almost every Major League Baseball team. It also makes bats for individual players. Last year, the company made 4,000 bats.
“Our order numbers for this year are already blowing away what we did in 2009,” Jeff McKee said.
Last year, Trinity had a 38% jump in revenue from a year earlier. In 2010, the company is expecting a similar increase from 2009 totals.
Trinity declined to say what its annual sales are.
“We started as a very small company five years ago,” Jeff McKee said. “But more ballplayers are making the major leagues these days using our bats.”
Players using its bats include Manny Ramirez and James Loney of the Dodgers. Angels Mark Trumbo and Erick Aybar are customers. Two-time All-Star Adrian Gonzalez of the San Diego Padres also uses Trinity’s bats.
“It’s a competitive market,” Jeff McKee said. “Last year, there were 29 bat companies approved to sell to major league teams. And you’ve got to apply for approval every year.”
Retail sales were down a bit at the company’s own store. But retail business accounts for a small part of revenue, according to Trinity.
Trinity also distributes through two online stores run by outside retailers. But most of its sales are by its own representatives.
“We make a high-end bat. The bigger stores want to buy at a cheaper price,” Jeff McKee said. “But if we made a cheaper product, the bats wouldn’t last as long.”
Besides major league players and teams, Trinity markets to colleges and international teams. It recently signed a distribution deal in the Netherlands.
“We all grew up with a passion for the game,” Jeff McKee said. “This was a dream we’ve always had and five years ago we decided to start this business.”
Mixing Golf and Business
John Fornaro believes business and sports should be more closely aligned.
The partner at Bella Collina Towne & Golf Club in San Clemente is offering more than just traditional golf memberships. The club, which opened in mid-2008, has started selling a package where members can access video conferencing, seminars and social networking events—in addition to having access to the golf course.
A business center has been built in the main clubhouse. It includes computers, telephones and printers. A separate video conferencing center also has been added to the building, in addition to conference rooms.
It’s all being offered as part of a new Commerce Club at Bella Collina. Fornaro describes it as being designed along the lines of urban city clubs around the country.
The initiation fee to join the business club is $1,000. Monthly dues are $175. That includes access to all of the business services, plus the dining and fitness facilities. It also includes two rounds of golf a month.
As more people work from home and proliferate to the suburbs, Fornaro sees more city club-like amenities cropping up at country clubs.
“Why shouldn’t people living and working outside city centers have the same choice of amenities?” he said.
Fornaro is speaking at a golf industry conference set for later this month in San Diego about diversifying the old country club business model.
“Clubs are having a challenge in this environment,” he said. “The traditional country club is changing. It’s becoming much more diversified.”
Cynababy Pool Wear
Cynthia Elizabeth Gonzalez used to get sick wearing a bikini.
“I’m allergic to the elastic used in most swimsuits,” Gonzalez said. “I like to sew, so I just started making my own.”
Friends started complementing her on the designs. So she decided to create a business. Her Costa Mesa-based Cynababy Swimwear is entering its second year of operations.
The line has already been worn by Denise Richards on her E! Entertainment Television Inc. reality show and by the wives on Bravo Media’s “Real Housewives of Orange County,” according to Gonzalez.
The company has been relying mostly on word-of-mouth and online sales. This year, Gonzalez is starting to accept orders from a few boutiques. She also has begun working with a store in Scottsdale and another in San Jose.
“Sometimes you can go into department stores and make a lot of money quickly. But I want to keep it exclusive and hand-made rather than mass-produced,” Gonzalez said.
