Leupold is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of hunting optics, now aiming to gain market share in the European market - Thomas Nissen visited the factory in Oregon, USA

Thomas Nissen

The optical manufacturer Leupold Optics - or Leupold + Stevens Inc. as the company is actually known - is located in a beautiful industrial neighbourhood of Beaverton, on the outskirts of Portland, Oregon. The smartly designed entrance to Leupold’s factory shimmers with aluminium; the raw material that best represents the iconic US company. The optics producer is at the very top of the American list of companies’ consumptions of 6061-t6 aircraft aluminium, only surpassed by the aircraft behemoth Boeing during periods of high production rate.

At the entrance I meet Leupold’s international sales agent and fifth generation family member, Jon Slack. The family representative will, along with director of international sales and marketing, Shane Meisel, show me around the factory and tell me a little about the family, business history, production principles, ownership, market strategies, quality controls, and more.

Although Leupold is an American brand, they strive for German efficiency and quality

A FEARLESS YOUNG MAN

Back in 1891, Frederick Leupold said goodbye to his homeland, Germany. Alone, at just 16 years old, he sailed across the Atlantic and landed a job in Boston at C.L. Berger & Sons. The company produced scientific instruments, which fell well in line with the young German’s interest in mechanics and precision machinery.

You don’t have to be a hunter to work for Leupold but employees are encouraged to embrace the hunting philosophy