MADE IN MICHIGAN:

There’s something special about Michigan.

There's a spirit of grit, ingenuity, and excellence that courses through our veins.  A way we take pride in building things that are engineered to perform—not just look good on paper. If you’ve ever driven through Muskegon or the lakeshore towns nearby, you can feel it: this is a region defined by people who are driven and chase excellence in everything they build.

That spirit is the foundation of MOTIV® Bowling—and it’s why we’re proud to say that every high-performance MOTIV bowling ball is Made in Michigan, U.S.A.

No other major brand in the country can say that.

Born From Michigan Engineering

Before MOTIV® ever existed as a name, we were quietly shaping the future of bowling from behind the scenes. In the early 1990s, bowling experienced a breakthrough—technology that used high-performance cores to control ball motion. Our team in Michigan engineered and manufactured those cores for one of the biggest names in the industry.

After producing millions of cores, we had built not only world-class facilities but also a deep understanding of what makes a bowling ball come alive on the lane.

Then, in 2006, everything changed when production for that brand shifted overseas.  We were faced with a choice: let the operation fade away, or build something new. Something American. Something better.

We chose to build.

And in doing so, we brought bowling ball manufacturing back to Michigan.

A New Brand With a Big Vision

Launching MOTIV® wasn’t simply about putting another ball on the shelf. We wanted to innovate—to make something that didn’t just compete, but stood alone.

“We knew we could offer top performance,” recalls Scott Wilbur, President of MOTIV®. “But we also wanted to bring something new to the industry that would set the MOTIV® brand apart.”

The first breakthrough came when our team developed NeoMark™ graphic technology, a patented process that integrates multi-color graphics directly into the coverstock. Unlike traditional engraving, NeoMark™ is part of the shell itself.  They are highly resistant to cracking and chipping and wear just like the cover stock because they ARE cover stock. The most notable advantage of NeoMark™ graphics is that they allow the bowling ball to maintain consistent reaction down the lane even as the track area passes over them.

It wasn’t just about looking different—it was about performing better.

Innovation became our identity.

Performance Runs in Our Blood

Michigan is no stranger to engineering excellence. It’s home to some of the world’s most iconic manufacturing, from automotive performance to cutting-edge materials science. That tradition influences every part of our process.

We control everything:
✔ Core design and molding
✔ Coverstock development and mixing
✔ Ball finishing
✔ Quality and performance testing

Every ball is built with intention, precision, and pride.

This commitment paid off. In 2012—less than four years after launching our first bowling ball—the readers of Bowling This Month voted MOTIV® #1 in every single performance category. These weren’t casual bowlers; these were serious competitors who had thrown everything—and chose MOTIV®.

Home of the #1 Bowler in the World

Today, MOTIV® is proud to be home to EJ Tackett, one of the most accomplished bowlers in history. He started his professional career throwing MOTIV®, and he’s now a 4 time PBA Player of the Year with 27 PBA titles.

His precision, adaptability, and relentless pursuit of excellence make him a perfect reflection of who we are.

Why Made in Michigan Matters

In a world where manufacturing is often outsourced, we made a different choice. We kept our craftsmanship here—not because it’s easier, but because it makes our products better.

When your facility, engineers, chemists, machinists, and innovators share the same building, the same town, the same mission—great things happen.

When you can walk across the floor to refine chemistry or tweak core geometries—great things happen.

When you build in Michigan, you build with pride.

Being Made in Michigan means:

• Uncompromising quality

• American jobs and expertise

• Faster innovation cycles

• Real accountability

• Premium performance without shortcuts

There’s a direct line between our roots and the performance you feel the moment a MOTIV® ball leaves your hand.

A Complete Line Under One Roof

From day one, we set out to offer the most complete product line under a single brand. Whether you’re hunting for early traction on heavy oil, angular motion downlane, ignition when the pattern breaks down, or the ability to control the midlane with superior predictability, you’ll find tools built for the job.

Our engineers are always pushing—experimenting, designing, refining—because Michigan doesn’t settle. We evolve.

More Than a Location. It’s a Legacy.

Michigan gave us our identity: hardworking, innovative, competitive, and proud.

Being the only brand manufacturing high-performance bowling balls in Michigan isn’t just a fact—it’s a responsibility. Every ball that leaves our facility carries the weight of our history:

• Decades of core engineering

• Materials research and innovation

• Factory-floor craftsmanship

• A community that believes in building things the right way

We’re honored to put “Made in the U.S.A.” on every premium MOTIV® ball. But even more than that, we’re proud that it reads:

Made in Michigan.

Because here, performance isn’t a talking point—it’s a promise.

Whether you’re a league regular, a tournament warrior, or a bowler chasing greatness, MOTIV® is here to give you the highest-quality tools in the game—designed, engineered, and built in Michigan.

That’s our story. That’s our commitment. That’s MOTIV®.