The arrangement was prompted when the gym’s cheap imported kettlebells from China kept chipping, peeling and even cracking.

The move has helped to save at least 10 jobs at the foundry. Workers who had to be laid off earlier in the year have been brought back in to help with the kettlebell demand.

It’s possibly even prevented the foundry, one of the last 2 remaining in the state, from closing due to one of the quietest spells they have ever had in January of this year.

Do you think they will get a lot of support and publicity for being homegrown or will cheaper imports put them under to much pressure and force them back out the market?