Kansas City, MO – As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary next year, a Missouri company is making a significant mark.
Allied Materials, in operation in Kansas City since 1951, is currently producing around 1,000 flags daily. These flags are often used at military funerals, adorn government buildings, and wave proudly on patriotic porches across the country.
“This is similar to our Christmas,” remarked Tyler Young, the president of Allied Materials. “Months in advance, we ramp up production and stockpile additional inventory because this weekend is when Americans display their patriotism most passionately.”
“When other suppliers were hit by tariffs, we weren’t,” he said. “It was actually kind of fun to call our customers and say, ‘Today you’re getting a call from an American manufacturer who makes American-made products with American raw materials.’”
The red and white stripes of an American flag are expertly sewn together at Allied Materials. (Olivianna Calmes)
Allied’s flags range in size from two feet by three feet up to ten by fifteen, and each one meets federal standards for stitching, star size and durability — whether it’s headed to a front yard or the steps of the Capitol.
“A flag isn’t just a product,” Young said. “It’s a symbol of our nation’s history — and of everyone who’s been part of the fabric of this country.”
All images and information were captured during a site visit to Allied Materials, a flag manufacturing facility based in Kansas City, Missouri.
