New Era Cap Company
New Era Cap Company was founded in 1920 in Buffalo by
Ehrhardt Koch as a manufacturer of men’s headwear and today is
America’s leading maker of baseball caps. The company has
enjoyed a 70-year relationship with Major League Baseball and
also has partnerships with the National Hockey League and theNational Basketball Association.
Employment has grown from 14 in 1920 to more than 1,500 worldwide today. New Era’s main offices are in the Erie County community of Derby, NY, and there are also offices in Canada and Europe.
The company operates manufacturing facilities in Derby, and also in Alabama.
Four generations of the Koch family have been involved in the business. Ehrhardt Koch’s son, Harold, ran the company after his father passed away in 1954 until 1972,
when Harold’s son David took over as CEO. David’s wife, Valerie, served as secretary and treasurer. David and Valerie Koch’s son, Chris Koch is the current CEO.
The company has plans to invest $10 million to renovate the former Federal Reserve Building in downtown Buffalo, which will house New Era’s administrative offices. The move could add as many as 240 employees to the company’s workforce.
New Era supports several charitable and community endeavors, both locally and around the globe.