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Time to read 6 min
During those times when a number of enthusiasts gather, talk about their cars, brag about the events they've attended, and glow about the accomplishments and success they have experienced behind the wheel, be quite certain - there are plenty of things to talk about. Engine modifications, suspensions, exhausts, wheels, tires, and exterior upgrades are things we immediately connect to high-performance, slick modifications, and jealousy prompting upgrades. The subject of car batteries and battery mounting systems doesn't seem to naturally fit in this category, but we all need to remember their importance and impact on the industry. Every enthusiast who takes part in motorsport activities which push the capabilities of their vehicle to the maximum, needs to expand their attention and focus on the critical need for premium high-performance batteries in this industry.
Drivers of modified performance Subarus should look to the major advantages provided by innovative battery design that is also supported by some of the smartest technology in the world. These innovations will provide your car with consistent, reliable power along with quick recovery when under extreme driving and performance conditions. No driver wants their safety, and performance capabilities compromised when a lower quality battery suddenly fails to provide equal, sufficient power to the vehicle's engine. Most importantly, under normal conditions for the daily driver, a low quality battery can cause misfiring, non-starts, and suppressed performance that can lead to a cascade of more serious problems. The Subimods team wanted to take this opportunity to assist the community and educate about a company who is dedicated to innovation in this area.
Nothing excites the Subimods team more than hearing of a company that not only runs on the fuel of innovation and quality, but also has the unbridled spirit of motorsports inside the true enthusiasts that are seated at the helm. MeLe Design Firm is steadily climbing the ladder in our industry with smart engineering that has the best interest of the car lover in their minds. The Portland Oregon-based company is the hub for premiere, quality motorsports batteries along with being a respected manufacturer of hand-crafted battery mounting systems. Offering the performance driver a product bandwidth covering OEM replacement batteries to those built on lithium technology, MeLe Design Firm is a company who has continued to illuminate the Pacific Northwest in this specific genre since 2017.
MeLe Design Firm began confidently from a realization that Subaru's aftermarket space needed a serious injection of intelligent, efficient engineering from modern performance automotive battery manufacturing and technology. Born from the rally racing world where most part and component installs do not agree with the car manufacturers design and esthetic, the MeLe focus always involved proper battery configurations and the reflection of appropriate performance. As rally competitors themselves, they knew that the vehicle may need an aftermarket solution that is not only a work-around but a correct answer to ensure proper fitment to the battery location. When the company was born, there were no mounting solutions that aligned with performance batteries in the marketplace. Employing experienced engineering and design, MeLe Design Firm morphed into a premium provider of high quality battery products that served a critical need in motorsports.
At the beginning of their business, quality, robust battery mounting solutions were not available to performance drivers or enthusiasts. Mounting options were rough and questionable leaving the founder convinced he could develop something truly protective with strength and intelligent longevity. To solve this issue, these true modifiers used their ingenuity to create something from scratch - an aluminum box with a form fitting design that was applied to their own rally vehicle - which quickly gained the attention of other drivers, enthusiasts, and modifiers.
This need spawned the idea of offering our design and application to the masses prompting MeLe Design Firm to sell their solutions to the automotive loving public. The forward movement of steady development and high-quality ideas brought their group to what would become the release of MeLe mounts and their widely used battery boxes which have outfitted vehicles who serve every corner of motorsports including international rally, track, off-road, to the passionate enthusiasts source of daily driving. This company gives full focus to quality striving to keep customer service top of mind. When a company builds itself on an innovative idea that not only protects but enhances, it sets itself apart from the world of mediocrity and copycat engineering by keeping their creativity and manufacturing close and local.
Recently when we spoke to MeLe Design Firm's CEO and Founder Mitch Meadows , he clearly explained their exciting beginnings and how their ingenuity grew into bigger and better things. "We got our start in late 2017 when we noticed a void in the market for direct fit battery mounting solutions and tuner cars," Meadows remembered. "We had just picked up a brand new 2017 STi and began rapidly prototyping and testing battery mount designs based around the most common performance batteries, as none existed for the VA chassis. This turned out to be a popular and highly debated product need so we started a manufacturing company here in Oregon.”, he continued. “Right out of the gate we landed an official school partnership with Dirt Fish Rally School . This allowed us to vigorously test and refine our mounting solutions for the most extreme use cases.”
Their reputation and tireless efforts to sustain their purpose has truly impacted drivers and influencers from all levels of the Subaru world. As many enthusiasts have begun to realize, MeLe Design Firm has firmly embedded itself as premiere designers and manufacturers of modular battery mounting systems for on and off-road vehicles of all brands including our beloved Subaru. “We are a true small batch manufacturer," Meadows confirms. ”The material is all locally sourced here in Oregon and made in house. We do not outsource any work outside of the state. So, it truly is made in America.”, he said. “To boot, all of our battery mounts come with a lifetime warranty to the original purchaser. Even at 6 years old, our customer service remains priority number one.”
MeLe Design Firm has experienced some extreme growth, but, like most entrepreneurial organizations, has engaged with some challenging obstacles that have not yet diverted their journey or goal to succeed and serve the enthusiast. “The battle to stay relevant, let alone stay open, is a real one.”, Meadows explains. “Covid and its repercussions continue to throw some curveballs at us, but we are determined to keep on growing. We work diligently to expand our new product offerings”, he confirms, “all while educating the masses on the importance and benefits of a properly mounted power source. One sale at a time.” As seen on the MeLe Design Firm website, professional rally driver and skateboard icon Bucky Lasek is quoted to say, “This is by far one of the best modifications you can do to anybody’s car…hit that button, it cranks right over”, referring to the Antigravity Re-Start technology and MeLe battery Mount products.
“Being American-made gives us a great sense of pride in all that we do”, Meadows says with pride. “Every sale means something to us. It helps ignite the fuel and in most cases stoke the flame, to keep on pushing and manufacturing the best parts we can.” Subimods’ choice to feature MeLe Design Firm products and educate the Subaru enthusiast community about their smart solutions was not a hard decision. This company is a true, grassroots organization doing things seen and unseen every day. Meadows proudly explains, “From sponsoring new and or small teams, to giving back to local charity, we try to sow seeds of good karma everywhere we go.”
Bryon Turcotte - Marketing Writer/Analyst
Turcotte has worked as a writer, journalist, and digital content developer for 30 years. He began his career in music journalism in 1995 then worked for several years as both a staff writer, managing editor, and a freelancer for both regional and national music publications. Over the next three decades his contributions extended beyond the music industry as he served within the realms of higher education, science and technology, manufacturing, and finance. He has been serving as a content developer and writer on the Subimods Marketing team since August 2023.
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