The Story

Wilson footballs have been synonymous with the National Football League (NFL) since 1941, serving as the official game ball for over 80 years. Since 1955, every leather official-size Wilson football has been handcrafted in Ada, Ohio—a small town where craftsmanship and tradition meet innovation. Continuing this legacy, Wilson opened a brand-new factory in June 2024. To support the construction of the new factory, Wilson partnered with Metl-Span®, a Nucor company, which supplied 2,750 square feet of insulated metal panels (IMPs) utilizing Wilson’s signature red brand color. 

The new factory plays a crucial role in Wilson’s long-term growth plans, with a primary focus on expanding football production. Nearly doubling the space of the previous facility allows for increased production, more staff, additional machinery, expanded storage and shipping capabilities, and the capacity to welcome more visitors.  

“We couldn’t be happier with the positive impact our new building will have on our entire brand for years to come,” said Blake Rus, Director of Marketing, Team Sports at Wilson.  

Construction of the new Wilson football factory began in May 2023, marking a $15 million investment into an 80,000-square-foot facility. Built adjacent to the original factory, this state-of-the-art space strategically paves the way for growth into new product sports categories and prioritizes additional amenities for its staff. The facility also strengthens the company’s commitment to the Ada community, creating job security for the current 150 employees with additional hiring opportunities in the future. 

“Our workforce is the most important asset in the new building,” said Kasey Patton, Plant Manager at Wilson. “We added several amenities to ensure the accommodations are excellent and reflect what our workers deserve. The interior design focused heavily on creating additional space for employee camaraderie, meals, training, collaboration, workstations, and safety.” 

Efficient and Sustainable Design 

Metl-Span IMPs were selected for their cost-effective climate control capabilities, which minimize energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The panels’ all-in-one system simplifies installation, offering the same thermal performance as highly engineered, costly concrete walls, ensuring both speed and efficiency in the building process. Wilson is committed to minimizing its environmental impact by selecting responsible building materials and partners for all of its manufacturing endeavors, making sustainability a major factor in selecting Metl-Span.  

The ability to customize the panels in Wilson’s signature red color was also important for the brand, elevating the factory’s atmosphere to reflect its lineage.   

“For any building that Wilson owns and operates, it is important to incorporate a red thread of branding throughout as a nod to our 100+ year history,” said Rus. “It’s a big brand statement compared to other traditional factories that only lean into a single color.” 

John Barnes, a contractor at Vaughn Industries, led the installation and collaborated closely with the Wilson team to ensure the design met the plant’s functional and aesthetic needs. “The vision of the Wilson Team was to make the main entrance ‘pop,’ which led us to the insulated metal panels painted in traditional Wilson red,” he said.  

Despite it being his first project with Metl-Span, Barnes found the panels remarkably easy to work with, citing their user-friendly nature and quick, one-pass installation process. The all-in-one system also saved time by eliminating the need for separate batt insulation. 

 “Our building crews had prior experience with insulated metal panels and appreciated that these didn’t require specialized equipment,” he said. Barnes added that Metl-Span was highly responsive during the design and procurement phases, helping the team stay on schedule and meet project goals. 

Results and Community Impact 

The expanded facility produces over 500,000 leather footballs annually, including the iconic “The Duke^®” football, the official game ball of the NFL, along with the GST^® and Omega leather footballs. The new factory is open to the public for tours and offers an immersive experience for community members and visitors, with part of the proceeds benefiting local youth sports programs. In recognition of their service, first responders and active or former military members receive free admission. The space offers visitors the chance to witness the essential processes behind crafting footballs while learning about Wilson’s storied history across the sports industry. 

“With the new building, we wanted to create an inviting environment where fans can enjoy an interactive experience,” said Patton. “Wilson puts on large brand activations across multiple sports, so developing a permanent space that is an extension of our fan engagement really influenced the design and flow of the building.” 

The facility also has a retail store where visitors can purchase locally handcrafted footballs and browse Wilson sportswear, offering a way for fans to connect with the craftsmanship behind Wilson’s world-renowned products. “We’ve been in the same building since the 1950s, making great products with great people, and over the last several years, having the opportunity to invest in growth and to stay here is a pretty monumental achievement,’ said Kevin Murphy, General Manager of Wilson Team Sports. 

The team is pleased not only with the new opportunities for production and fan engagement the building brings, but also with the final construction of the building itself.  

“We are extremely satisfied with the aesthetic of our building,” said Rus. “The modern look and feel are exactly what we were striving for when opening a new factory for the first time since 1955. It’s a very welcoming environment so we look forward to serving the community and the sport of football for many years to come.” 

Metl-Span is a Nucor® company. (NYSE: NUE ); delivering high-quality, durable and energy-efficient insulated metal panels designed for unparalleled performance to stand the test of time.