VANCOUVER, British Columbia (BRAIN)—Just nine short weeks after resurrecting Race Face, the company has hired Dave Murray to be its new operations manager—tasked with streamlining both Canadian and off-shore manufacturing.
His extensive manufacturing career is anchored by two decades with a Nuclear Pump Company in Bedfordshire, England, where he began as machine operator and spent the next 18 years working his way through various departments, eventually taking the helm as plant manager prior to relocating to Canada. Murray is no stranger to the cycling industry, having spent more than eight years as head of operations for Rocky Mountain Bicycles.
“It’s an industry that I have missed since my days with Rocky,” said Murray about his appointment. “I am surrounded by a talented group of design engineers and operators dedicated to breathing new life into this beloved brand. This is an exciting time at Race Face and the energy in the office is palpable.”
Murray’s first order of business is to streamline domestic manufacturing and ensure the life of the respected "Made in Canada" moniker and lifetime warranty that have become synonymous with the brand.
“Tutton (managing director) offered me a rare opportunity to join the rebuild from the ground up and I leapt at it,” Murray said. “Preserving jobs and even expanding here at the head office is our priority. The temptation to manufacture off shore is something we are trying to avoid but it will be challenging, particularly with our order book growing by the day, but with our renewed team spirit I am confident it can be done.”
“Reviving a fallen brand is an enormous undertaking,” Tutton said. “When the opportunity to purchase Race Face presented itself we knew the success of a quick turnaround hinged on attracting talent that could make strategic moves quickly and regain the confidence of our supply chain. I have known Dave for years and, in my mind, he was the front-runner to overhaul operations and directionally take the brand to the next level. His manufacturing expertise is not limited to cycling, which gives him the unique ability to identify and implement the changes needed across our operations and avoid the pitfalls that eventually force production facilities to chase less costly resources abroad. Dave has an undeniable drive and his leadership skills are a major asset to the longevity of the new Race Face.”
