Chandler-based Zinger Bats are known nationally for their craftsmanship

Zinger Bats, originally based in Utah, supplies professional players, celebrities and local teams with high quality, personalized bats.

Founded by the Eastman family in 1998, Zinger Bats began by selling locally in Utah. Once they were able to get their hands on more advanced technology, the business took off. The company was bought by Scott Hanish in 2012 when it relocated to Chandler.

Admittedly, the southwest location has created a few challenges.

“Being an Arizona-based company, there’s no wood sources around here that are good for professional baseball bats,” Hanish says. “So really any of the companies who mean anything get their wood from the New York-Pennsylvania area.”

Hanish says the company currently purchases maple, birch and ash woods from that area.

“Most people don’t understand that wood constantly adapts to its environment,” Hanish says. “When wood comes from the mill in New York, we have to let the wood sit on the floor and adapt to Arizona for a few weeks.”

Zinger Bats are being used by some of the biggest players in the MLB, including Cubs players when they won the World Series.

Transcript:

TED SIMONS: THE CRACK OF A BAT IS THE SOUND BASEBALL ENTHUSIASTS KNOW BUT NOT MANY KNOW THE PROCESS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING THE LUMBER RESPONSIBLE FOR TAKING THE HIT. WE LOOK AT THE CHANDLER COMPANY MAKING BASEBALL BATS HERE AT HOME.

PACKAGE: BEING AN ARIZONA BASED COMPANY, THERE ARE NO WOOD SOURCES AROUND HERE GOOD FOR PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL BATS. ANY OF THE COMPANIES THAT NEED ANYTHING IN THIS BUSINESS GET THEIR WOOD OUT OF THE PENNSYLVANIA AREA. WE ARE GETTING MAPLE, ASH AND BIRCH FROM THAT AREA. WOOD ADAPTS TO ITS ENVIRONMENT. WHEN IT COMES FROM THE MILL IN NEW YORK, WE HAVE TO LET IT SIT ON THE FLOOR AND ADAPT TO ARIZONA FOR A FEW WEEKS. WE HAVE A HUGE MACHINE IN THERE THAT'S A FULL CAD PROGRAM. IT'S ONE OF THE FIRST PROGRAMS TO BRING THE MACHINE TO THE BASEBALL MARKET. OUR MACHINE CAME FROM SPAIN. IT CUTS EXOTIC CHAIR RAILS AND SPIRALS. IT LOOKS AT A BAT AND LAUGHS AT IT, SPITS IT OUT. FROM THERE, IT BECOMES A COOL WOODSHOP. WE HAVE THREE OR FOUR WAYS WE CAN PAINT. WE HAVE HAND STAINS, DIP STAINS, DIP PAINTS AND DIP AND SPRAYED CLEARS. ONCE EVERYTHING IS PAINTED AND THROUGH, YOU GET YOUR ENGRAVING DONE. WE HAVE A BIG INDUSTRIAL LASER THAT BURNS INTO THE WOOD AND TUCKS IT IN. WE PAINT BACK IN ON THE ENGRAVING FILLING. STICKER IT UP, AND IT'S READY TO GO. ADDISON RUSSELL. HE HAD A GRAND SLAM IN THE SERIES. OUR BATS HAD THE GAME RBIS FOR TEAM THAT HADN'T WON IT IN A WHILE. THAT'S COOL. WE HAVE GUYS ALL THE TIME TRYING TO STEP UP OUR GAME EVERYDAY.

TED SIMONS: ZINGER BATS MAKES CUSTOM BASEBALL BATS NOT ONLY FOR MLB TEAMS BUT ALSO FOR CELEBRITIES. THAT IS IT FOR NOW. I'M TED SIMONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.