New England Ropes

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New England Ropes spun from Plymouth Cordage
Dave Aigler and Herb Repass knew rope. For 16 years in the mid 1900s, it was the fiber that ran through their daily lives as they built their careers at the Plymouth Cordage Company. Herb began as an industrial engineer at the company's headquarters in Plymouth, Massachusetts and Dave took his job on the road as a company salesman in St. Louis, Missouri. Both advanced to managerial roles during their tenure with Plymouth Cordage which was, at the time, the world's largest rope-making company. In 1965, Plymouth Cordage was purchased by the Columbian Rope Company of Auburn, New York. Both men viewed the company's acquisition as an opportunity to pursue ventures outside the company.

Deep in a frigid winter two men share a common vision: New England Ropes.
After brief stints in other industries the two men's paths re-converged. Armed with their dynamic industry knowledge and unwavering entrepreneurial spirit, they incorporated New England Ropes on November 22, 1967.

Work life roared into action on the first of January the following year in a cavernous old mill building on Popes Island in New Bedford and it wasn't long before the young company was recognized for its impressive product quality and customer service.

The first products New England Ropes manufactured were 3-strand ropes, including Pot Warp, Spun Nylon and Filament Nylon. Interestingly, the company's very first machine, a 20 Spindle Whitin Ring Twister, is still in operation today.

New England Ropes tethers the market with two new product lines.
Plymouth Cordage had once been regarded as the largest manufacturer of lariat rope; however, following the company's acquisition, the ropes quality suffered severely and was ultimately unable to be reproduced. Soon after New England Ropes 1973 expansion, Aiger and Repass once again took advantage of their unique industry knowledge and began producing lariat rope of a quality they had, not only come to understand, but mastered. Today New England Ropes continues to be a top name in lariat ropes.

In 1974 New England Ropes began to manufacture braided rope, primarily for the yachting trade. Due to overwhelming market demand, New England Ropes again expanded its workspace to accommodate its incredible company growth. Over the course of the following decade, the company renovated twice more and further enhanced its braided product line.

Opportunity in the face of change: New England Ropes finds a new home for the new millennium.
In 1993, two major decisions were rumbling throughout the executive offices on Popes Island. With the arrival of the new millennium at their heels, management was looking to secure the future of their well-founded company. To do this, complete facility relocation was necessary. It was of paramount importance that the new property not only offered additional workspace, but was also located within an accessible distance to the company's most valuable asset: its employees.

Concurrent to its property search, New England Ropes was engaged in negotiations with the Pawtucket-based International Fibers Company, which it acquired in July of 1993. New England Ropes intended to use the company to recycle its nylon waste into quality spun nylon fiber both for internal purposes, as well as for sale to outside users.

After a year of investigating available area sites, New England Ropes purchased the O'Day Boat Facility on Airport Road and came to call Fall River its new home. Building renovations took the better part of six months and, in August of 1994, the actual move commenced. Three months later, the last department completed its transition and work-life began in the new facility, thus bidding farewell to the grounds where New England Ropes wove a vision held by two men into a dynamic industry leader.

Quality. Innovation. Performance. The New England Ropes Mantra.
New England Ropes has increased its machine capacity by purchasing advanced technology equipment which is able to produce the highest quality rope at an accelerated pace. It also invests considerable time and financial resources into the education of its workforce. Most importantly, however, the company continues to set its sights on a common goal, the same one it has held paramount since its first days: to produce rope of a superior quality, across markets, able to perform under the most demanding challenges.

A New Global Leader in Performance Rope.
On July 1, 2007 New England Ropes was acquired by Teufelberger Ges.m.b.H. in Wels, Austria. The Teufelberger family began manufacturing rope in the late 18th century, and the company is still family-owned and operates under the founding principle of “ We care more for our customers.” Teufelberger operates 5 plants in Austria, the Czech Republic, and the United States and has three distinct business units: Fibers & Plastics; Wire Rope, and Fiber Rope. In addition to the world class ropes manufactured under the New England Ropes brand, Teufelberger also manufactures performance yacht braids under the brand name FSE Robline, and plastic strapping and yarns, personal safety devices, steel wire ropes, and related products under the Teufelberger brand. With the New England Ropes acquisition, Teufelberger employs over 700 employees and exports to over 90 countries including Germany, France, U.K., Italy, Japan, and Switzerland. For more information on Teufelberger please click here.

For a history on rope making from antiquity to present - click here.

Performance Guaranteed.