- Maple Landmark Woodcraft
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Maple Landmark Woodcraft Type Privately held company Industry Manufacturing, retail Founded 1979 Headquarters Middlebury, Vermont Key people Mike Rainville Products Wooden toys Employees 30+ Website Maple Landmark Woodcraft History
Mike Rainville first came to woodworking as a hobby in the 1970s while he was in school. Working out of his parent's basement with scraps from his grandfather's carpentry projects, he duplicated household items such as spool holders and cribbage boards. Before long, friends and neighbors were asking Mike to make things and by 1979, his first wholesale relationship started. Local craft fairs also provided income and experience.
After graduating from Clarkson University in 1984, Mike went to work constructing a new woodshop of ample size for his now full-time business, now known as Maple Landmark Woodcraft. The choice "Maple Landmark" as the name for the business was a natural extension of the name Mike's family used for their maple sugaring business and dairy farm, Maple Landmark Homestead.
In 1987, Mike acquired the Troll's Toy Workshop, formerly of Barnet, Vermont. This addition brought in many alphabet-themed products, including letter cars, blocks, and signage letters. The company quickly grew to warrant full-time employees.
The product line evolved over the coming years, adding items such as trivets, ornaments, and the first name trains. In 1993, after many requests from retailers, the NameTrain concept was spun off into a new line that was compatible with the many wooden track systems available. In 1994, NameTrains were introduced in various colors, and sales soared as a result.
Production of these new products had outgrown existing facilities by late 1994. It was decided to move the business to Middlebury in 1996.
Laser engraving and pad printing was introduced to the production process. The ability to add graphic designs to products has been central to the product development ever since. All of these products and processes required the enlargement of the factory to 15,000 square feet (1,400 m2) in 1999.
In 2001, Montgomery Schoolhouse, another long established Vermont-based producer of wooden toys, joined the Maple Landmark family, and all operations were consolidated in Middlebury.
Currently Maple Landmark employs about 30 people and sells products to over 2200 gift shops and toy stores throughout the country and abroad.
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