SEAMS Member Spotlight: Ocean State Innovations (OSI)
In our latest edition of SEAMS Member Spotlight, Ocean State Innovations is highlighted. Geoff Senko, SVP of Sales, answers our questions.
Company headquarters: 208 Clocktower Square, Portsmouth, R.I.
Year founded: Brand and Oppenheimer, a division of Ocean State Innovations, was founded in 1913 with 1947 LLC taking over in 2015.
Primary specialties: Dyeing, finishing, laminating, narrow printing, Hi-Vis fabrics, bias and straight slit binding, metal and plastic hardware and CURV Tactical – OSI is also the exclusive commercial international distributor of MULTICAM® fabrics.
Number of employees: 150
Brief company history: In October 2011, Praesidian Capital became investors of Brand and Oppenheimer Co., Inc (B&O). In 2014 B&O acquired Performance Textiles, a U.S. textiles supplier. In 2015 B&O entered an equity partnership with 1947 LLC’s management team – Ed Ricci, Ben Galpen and Bryan Boulis, all industry experts with over 100 years of combined experience based in Portsmouth, R.I. The 1947 LLC Management team has grown the business through organic sales, strategic partnerships and acquisitions. In 2017 B&O acquired Cutting Edge TexStyles, a global supplier of Bindings, Trims and Piece Goods. In 2018 B&O acquired General Fabrics Inc., a global designer and wholesale distributor of quilting fabrics.
In 2019, Brand and Oppenheimer became Ocean State Innovations (OSI) to continue the tradition of quality textiles while focusing on the company’s innovative industry expertise and strong Rhode Island roots. In 2020, OSI acquired the assets of ColorWorks, a premier textile dyer and finisher located in Elizabethton, Tenn.. In 2023, OSI acquired Cloud9 Fabrics and Felicity Fabrics both of which offer organic fabrics to the quilting trade. “OSI has distinguished itself as the premier global source for textile products and services,” Senko said.
Markets served: Military, medical, industrial, automotive and traditional apparel
Company’s challenges and opportunities: “Labor is always a challenge in today’s industrial market along with overseas competition, resulting from weak trade deals and government regulations,” Senko said. “In spite of these challenges, OSI is known around the world for our milspec fabrics, creating a great atmosphere for research and development partnerships and cross-promotional opportunities.”
Company differentiators, externally and internally: “OSI, first and foremost, aims to be a reliable partner for our customers, committed to innovation and custom solutions,” Senko said. “While leveraging global partnerships, OSI also emphasizes its U.S.-based production capabilities. This dual approach allows OSI to fulfill large-scale orders with a diverse supply chain while meeting the U.S. government’s Berry Amendment compliance requirements, a significant differentiator in the defense and military sector.
“Internally, OSI provides a great sense of Mission and Impact for our team members. Working with high-performance and mission-critical textiles (such as military or medical textiles) gives OSI employees a sense of purpose, knowing that their work directly impacts safety, security and quality in end-use applications. This unique sense of mission fosters pride and motivation among the workforce. OSI strives to offer flexibility and support for work-life balance, recognizing the importance of employee wellbeing. It’s one of the most positive and encouraging workplaces in the textile industry.”
Thoughts on the Made-in-America/Americas movement and strategy to remain competitive in the U.S. and this hemisphere: “OSI is always assessing new strategies and partnerships for growth and expansion within the U.S. It is imperative that we focus on textile education and work with our customers to provide access to sewing machine training here is the U.S. It is becoming a lost art that we need to realize is a diminishing and delicate skill we cannot afford to lose. I truly believe it is a matter of national security that we maintain a strong textile base.”
Biggest challenges and opportunities for manufacturing in the USA: “Energy costs, inflation, labor, regulations,” he said.
Business outlook for OSI for the foreseeable future, as well as your future growth plans: “OSI, through its rigorous efforts and focus on expansion, remains positive in our U.S. supply chain. The future looks bright at OSI, and we’re always eager for the next opportunity. We have a big partnership announcement for a new distribution agreement that we will be publishing soon. Stay tuned.”
Business conditions, opinion on the health of the apparel/textile/sewn products industry markets served now and going forward and what things will make OSI successful in this environment: “Everyone is aware of the current state of the U.S. textile supply chain and how tough it is to be profitable in this business,” he said. “I believe we have seen the closure of close to a half dozen textile mills over the past year, which doesn’t leave us with many left. We’re hopeful that more opportunities will come to the U.S. textile supply chain as our country begins to focus on turning trade deficits into surpluses while eliminating loopholes in current trade deals.”
Value SEAMS brings to OSI: “SEAMS plays a pivotal role in the U.S. supply chain that OSI is proud to support their mission,” Senko said. “SEAMS is the voice of our industry, which is why OSI take such great pride in being a member. I always recommend SEAMS as a great place to investigate starting a business or for a new employee to quickly develop their rolodex of contacts to complete their daily tasks much easier.”