Korchmar has a bag for wherever life takes you. The family-owned business has been around for more than 100 years and based in Naples for the past 20.
In 1917, Max Korchmar, a Ukrainian immigrant, founded a specialty leather company in Cincinnati, Ohio. His first products were corners for steamer trunks and visors for automobile headlamps. Despite tough times, including world wars and the Great Depression, Korchmar kept his business going with government contracts, making cases and bags for military personnel.
Like any astute businessman, Korchmar grew his business to meet market demand. In his case, this meant equipping American workers with essentials for their respective careers. Doctors needed sturdy containers to transport the tools of their trade, as did traveling salesmen, lawyers, and accountants. The growing company eventually transitioned to making wallets, Dopp kits, weekend bags, backpacks, and eventually laptop messenger bags.
Korchmar’s story is one of survival, as his company has weathered a century of automation changes, outsourcing, foreign competition, mass production trends, and recessions. The fourth-generation family business continues to manufacture high-end leather goods and accessories under the Korchmar name and through private-label products. Korchmar opted to open a factory in the Dominican Republic in the 1980s and moved its U.S.-based operations to Naples in 2004.
We had a few questions for Amy Korchmar, a fourth-generation Korchmar who serves as the company’s chief marketing officer.
NI: How many employees work at the company?
Amy Korchmar: There are currently more than 350 employees. The Korchmar descendants working for the business include my father, Michael Korchmar, CEO, and Mike Korchmar, my brother, who serves as president.
What do you consider to be Korchmar’s greatest strength?
The company has many strengths, the most noteworthy being the depth of experience that comes from more than 100 years in the business. Our knowledge of the industry and the art of leather-making has remained in our family and with our employees, a rarity for businesses in today’s age. This uniquely positions us to not only efficiently and effectively make a superior product but also to make products that tell a story. Each Korchmar product is named after a historian or family member, and the designs of many of our products pull elements from our archives.
What is your best-selling item?
Our Garfield leather briefcase and our Twain duffel are now the top sellers. Historically, our top seller was a hard-sided leather attaché case called a 3343, made back in the early 1970s.
How many different styles does the company offer?
We currently offer 87 total styles, each in multiple colors.
Who does the actual designing? Where are the products made?
Our designs are done in-house by Michael, Mike, and me. We make a few select products in Naples and all others in our wholly owned and operated factory in the Dominican Republic: Korchmar Articulos de Piel.
What are some new products, designs, or materials that will be used in the future?
We are working on launching a sling, a garment bag, and a new rolling carry-on bag. We are also working on a line that will not only be made exclusively in this country but—unlike any commercial product currently for sale in the United States—will be fully Berry-Amendment compliant. [The Berry Amendment controls the products produced for the U.S. military and requires products to be manufactured in the United States and generated from 100-percent U.S.–sourced raw materials.]
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