Maybe more than any other industry, manufacturing is often rooted in small-towns and close-knit communities. From equipment suppliers to job shops, it is common for manufacturing facilities to have decades worth of history in the cities and counties they call home.
A long-time member of AMT-The Association For Manufacturing Technology, National Machinery, is a true community success story. Headquartered in Tiffin, Ohio, the company recently celebrated 150 years in business with a large open house event. National Machinery is a global leader in advanced cold and warm forming machinery, process technology, and customer support products and services. They have sales offices and service centers throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia and offer a full spectrum of forming equipment to meet the diverse needs of any shop.
"Celebrating 150 years of innovation and world class quality is not just a milestone for National Machinery; it's a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team across the globe,” said Andrew Kalnow, CEO and majority owner of National Machinery.
Opening Doors During the recent three-day open house that National held at their facility in mid-September to celebrate their milestone, hundreds of customers, prospects, and community members got a chance to tour the 595,000-square-foot facility and take part in seminars and demonstrations. Guests also had the opportunity to preview new innovations and offer feedback on product development.
“We were excited to open our doors and share our journey with the community that has supported us through the decades,” Kalnow said, “Together, we look forward to the next chapter of excellence in manufacturing."
Providing Knowledge Machine builders were able to interact directly with end-users, helping them to understand the nuances of the equipment and expand their technical capacity. “The feedback from the customers was a great reminder of the high quality of our employees. Our customers loved how open, friendly, and technically competent our staff is,” noted Jerry Bupp, vice president of sales and marketing.
AMT was able to support the milestone event by offering executive-level presentations on workforce development and economic outlooks. National Machinery also tapped AMT to help them with expansion and service in the Brazilian markets several years ago. Through their AMT membership, the company is able to remain connected to the larger manufacturing community.
National Machinery’s connection to both the manufacturing community and their hometown is undeniable. That connection is perhaps best exemplified by their Quarter Century Club. Prominently featured in their employee recreation room, the wall showcases more than 900 people who each worked at National Machinery for 25 years or longer. That’s how you become a mainstay in the community — by touching a lot of lives for a long time. Here’s to 150 more!
