Landport’s founder, Jody, hails from Decorah, Iowa. Nestled in the state’s northeastern corner near the Minnesota border, this small town has a strong connection to its Norwegian roots. So when Jody decided to build an aesthetically pleasing lockbox, she tapped into influences from her youth: the Scandinavian tradition of useful design combined with a no-nonsense Mid-western sensibility.

That’s why a small town feel tends to permeate Landport. Meetings are held around Jody’s dining room table in her Portland, Oregon bungalow, and structural issues get resolved in Eugene, Oregon right on the manufacturing floor, where face-to-face, hands-on conversations between the product designer and the manufacturer are the norm.

A few other small- and medium-sized companies located between the coasts also contributed to the making of Landport. As a result, several parts are American made: the rubber shoes are from Idaho, the glow-in-the-dark pull is from Michigan, and the lock, key and latch are from Iowa.

Landport’s sturdy lock and key are manufactured in Iowa

The lock, key and latch are especially near and dear to Jody’s heart (that’s why the hasp of a lock serves as the Landport logo). These core components are made not far from where she grew up. As fate would have it, in her quest to build a safer, more secure lockbox, Jody came full circle: “I moved 2000 miles away, and to finish the job, wound up in my old backyard.”

How important is American Made to you?