Leisure Pursuit Allowing others to play and relax is all in a day’s work for Orono-based Byer of Maine

Depending on your leisure-time preference, summer could be represented by a hammock, a folding chair or a camp cot.

A small Orono firm brings all these, and more, to people in Maine and across the nation who are interested in relaxation and recreation.

Originally founded in 1880, Byer of Maine is known for its hardwood camp furniture. But in the face of products made cheaply overseas, the company has had no choice but to adapt. If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em, at least to some extent.

“We’re now selling products made in Orono, northeastern Brazil and China,” explained Jay Shields, Byer president.

Shields has been the person overseeing Byer’s transition from a small Maine manufacturer to a Maine manufacturer/international distributor.

When Shields took over on Jan. 11, 1985, after a lengthy employment with Hinckley Co. of Southwest Harbor, Byer had only three cot styles as its product line. There was nowhere to go but up.

“I saw there was an opportunity to improve the quality of the service and to broaden the kind of products,” he recalled.

Byer continued to grow until 1997, when its sales plateaued.

“There was an onslaught of competition from steel and aluminum furniture,” Shields said. “We were losing market share, as it was being taken over by alternative products [made overseas] that were good quality at low prices.”

While trying to figure out what to do, Shields attended a trade show in Germany in 1999. It was there that he met a man who was a partner in a factory in Brazil that was producing Amazonas hammocks. Shields had been mulling branching out into hammocks, while the man had been looking to enter the U.S. marketplace. After getting positive responses to a few samples, Shields began distributing the colorful Amazonas line. It was the right decision, as those products now account for 60 percent of Byer’s sales volume.

“The company had no choice but to take its manufacturing and go offshore where labor costs are lower,” Shields said. “We’re doing that, but we’re continuing to manufacture in Orono. There’s still consumers who prefer the warmth of wood products, and will pay more for that.”

Byer is housed in a 33,000-square-foot, three-story building, one of the last mills on Mill Street in Orono. There’s a small showroom in the front of the building, but it’s mostly a manufacturing facility. Depending on the need, 12 to 14 workers put in four 10-hour days each week. The cutting room is located on the first floor, with assembly on the second floor and stitching, packing and shipping taking place on the third floor.

The Byer products are available at army and navy stores and outdoor specialty stores, and Shields hopes to branch out in garden-related gift shops and casual furniture stores.

“We prefer more smaller customers than a few large ones,” he said. “There’s security in selling to a broad range of customers rather than putting all our eggs in one basket.”

Jeff Boggs, a buyer for Maine Sport in Rockland, is a believer in Byer. His store offers hammocks and hammock stands, chairs and cots from the Orono firm.

“What we get from Byer has evolved. It used to be their chairs. People liked the looks of them and the ease of carrying them. Now it’s the hammocks. They have a lot of good colors, and they’re comfortable. It’s nice to have Maine products in the store.”

“Made in Maine” doesn’t carry the weight it used to, Shields said.

“There was a time when you could hang your hat on ‘made in Maine,’ ” he said. “It means less today because the consumer is focused more on value than 10 or 15 years ago. We’re living a lifestyle that benefits from lower costs of products of things we wear and use. We want good quality at an excellent price.”

Shields is happy that his company has been able to survive by adapting.

“What I feel really good about is continuing as a manufacturer by supplementing our line with appealing products from around the world,” he said. “Otherwise, we wouldn’t be here.”

For more information, visit www.byerofmaine.com. Dale McGarrigle can be reached at 990-8028 and dmcgarrigle@bangordailynews.net.