For more than 200 years, our September EANE Spotlight Member, Ashaway Line & Twine Manufacturing Company has combined family tradition with an impressive ability to innovate. Founded in 1824 by Captain Lester Crandall along the banks of Rhode Island’s Ashawog River, the company began by producing fishing lines for commercial fishermen. Seven generations later, the Crandall family continues to lead the business—making Ashaway a remarkable example of an American manufacturer that has continually adapted while staying connected to its roots.
What Ashaway produces today may surprise you. Building on generations of expertise in braiding and precision manufacturing, the company has grown from fishing line into world-class racket strings and highly specialized threads used in medical devices such as sutures. Proud Rhode Islanders know that Ashaway invented and patented the world’s first synthetic racket strings in 1949, and today it is the only U.S. manufacturer of racket strings, serving tennis, squash, badminton, and racquetball players. Its medical capabilities are equally impressive, ranging from extremely fine nylon monofilament used for delicate procedures to braided polyester used in critical surgical applications. Ashaway has many years of experience developing special products for customers worldwide. Ashaway offers specialty cords under 1/8″ in diameter for a wide variety of applications, including sporting goods, industrial products, and textile products. If you have a unique application or need, reach out to Ashaway to explore how their expertise may provide the right solution.
EANE is proud to say that Ashaway has been members for well over a decade. We are proud to spotlight their impressive contributions. From fishing boats to championship courts to critical medical applications, there is much more behind the Ashaway name than meets the eye. Take a few minutes to explore their story and discover how more than two centuries of craftsmanship, innovation, and family leadership continue to shape what they do today. Ashaway Quality