Imagine a multi-billion dollar industry relying on centuries old technology to drive product
development and manufacturing. What if economic and policy changes shook that model down to its
very foundation? The Under Armour Lighthouse houses Project Glory, Under Armour’s response to the
coming storm. Project Glory focuses on developing advanced manufacturing technology to make great
products in a local-for-local model. Digitalization is the driving force to reconstitute an apparel
industry historically written off as expendable.
Lighthouse Thinking incubates new ideas and applies novel processes from the C-suite to the
manufacturing line, proving out a model to fill the factories of the future with orders. Every
phase of the process – from line planning and product development to manufacturing and distribution
– is in play. The challenge is huge, but so is the reward to those who lead the way.
Keith Hoover is involved in developing and implementing manufacturing-centric product development
processes. His expertise spans creative product design through technical manufacturing execution.
At Under Armour, as Vice-President of Material Process & Color Innovation, Mr. Hoover has been
involved in Project Glory at the UA Lighthouse, a new model for product development and
manufacturing based on digitalization, virtualization, and local-for-local sourcing.
Mr. Hoover has contributed in all phases of apparel and hard goods product development. He started
his career as a commercial artist and fashion illustrator for such brands as Brooks Brothers and
Ralph Lauren. He moved into product development, devising color management programs for Target,
Lands’ End, JCPenney, and Under Armour. He was part of a team that set up Polo R&D and oversaw
Fruit of the Loom’s domestic dyehouses.
Mr. Hoover was the first in the US to implement large scale end-to-end global digital color
management for a major retailer ($70B). He has worked hands-on in mills worldwide and led
development for multi- million dollar textile programs in China, India, Pakistan, and Korea. Mr.
Hoover focuses on bridging the creative and manufacturing processes by effectively communicating
with all facets of the fiber and textile supply chain.