GONIC - Hidden at the end of a small side street, Railroad Avenue, is Rokon International, Inc. You may have noticed it from the Spaulding near the Rochester toll area.
A family-owned and operated manufacturer of "the only true all-terrain vehicle on planet earth", Rokon employs 10 people to assemble these specialty heavy duty bikes and has been in Rochester since 2002. On display are several Rokon models from past decades, highlighting the tradition of the two-wheel drive system and evolution of the bikes through the years. These sturdy vehicles with wide tires can go anywhere, pull out loads from the woods, haul a trailer, and come with a wide variety of accessories. The "Brush Busters" protect your hands and brake levers when riding through the woods. You can even put chains on the tires for snow travel!
Equally remarkable is how owner Tom Blais has built his international customer list over the years.
"The customers are the most interesting part of the business," Tom says. "Building and marketing globally has been very rewarding."
Rokon has accompanied and participated in overseas trade missions beginning with Gov. Steve Merrill and every subsequent governor since. He will be joining Governor Hassan on a trade mission to Turkey later this month.
"We were the first client of the International Trade Resource Center at Pease in 1992 and Dawn Wivell, the director at the time, was a huge help with her expertise and assistance," recounts Tom. "NH's Department of Resources and Economic Development provides credibility and access that would be difficult for an individual company to find on their own."
One of Rokon's most interesting export deals is a joint venture with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. King Abdullah II of Jordan was a fan of Rokon from a young age, and has incorporated the bikes into the Jordanian military where they perform extremely well in the desert. Photographs of King Abdullah gifting a Rokon to former President George W. Bush adorn the walls at Rokon's office.
Rokon was featured in an episode of Pawn Stars and appeared in the Sylvester Stallone film, The Expendables 2. In the past year, Business Insider, Car and Driver, and Cycle World have reviewed Rokon.