Over the past six months, we increased our manufacturing workforce by 40% to support rising demand and expand production across our operations.
This growth delivered three priorities:
- Transition Wooster, Ohio, to a continuous 24/7 operating schedule
- Expand production capability in Bristol, Tennessee
- Initiate workforce planning for an additional Bristol manufacturing facility
Our branded products deliver high-performance solutions across nine critical markets. As data centers, energy, and infrastructure continue to expand globally, demand is being driven by the proven performance, quality, and long-term value our teams deliver every day.
Responding to Rising Demand
Capacity expansion was already underway following the groundbreaking of an additional manufacturing site in 2023. As business growth accelerated beyond projections, expanding existing production capacity became essential.
Sam Wohlford, Director of Manufacturing:
“As demand for our products continues to grow, our focus has been on expanding capacity in a disciplined, sustainable way. That means building the right team, supporting our existing associates through change, and ensuring we can meet customer needs without compromising safety, quality, or operational performance.”
In Wooster, meeting those standards required a shift in how we operate. Prior to the transition, our manufacturing team relied on extended unplanned overtime to maintain output. As growth proved both consistent and sustainable, we made the decision to evolve our operating model to meet demand and ensure work-life balance for our teams. Moving to a 24/7 schedule increased production capacity in a more sustainable way – but required fully staffing an additional crew.
In Bristol, increased hiring supported immediate production needs, providing relief to the existing team while ensuring safety and efficiency remained at the forefront. These efforts also positioned us to staff the new facility when it comes online.
Sam continued:
“What I’m most proud of is how our team has responded to growth without losing sight of what matters most – our people. Expanding capacity is important, but doing it the right way means supporting our associates through change, creating opportunities for growth, and ensuring safety, quality, and teamwork remain at the center of how we operate every day.”
Managing Workforce Transition
Two challenges shaped this effort:
- Staffing for a new operating model
We could not transition to 24/7 operations without building the workforce needed to support an additional crew. This meant accelerating hiring in a competitive labor market while maintaining high expectations for safety, quality, and performance. - Retaining and supporting existing associates
The move to 24/7 operations significantly changed schedules and expectations. Maintaining retention and engagement was critical to sustaining productivity and supporting our teams through that transition.
Execution Through Partnership
Scaling the workforce required alignment across the business:
- Operations defined staffing needs and maintained production continuity
- Human Resources led focused hiring efforts to meet demand
- Leadership aligned resources and reinforced clear expectations
This coordination allowed us to increase headcount while maintaining operational discipline. To support accelerated hiring, the team leveraged a combination of recruitment partners, targeted paid media campaigns, and a strong associate referral program – ensuring we reached qualified candidates while reinforcing our culture and values throughout the hiring process.
Heather Ogi, Human Resources Business Partner – Wooster Operations:
“Staffing for the transition was a challenge. We partnered with trusted staffing resources to bring in qualified candidates, and our internal team did a great job vetting them to ensure they strengthened existing teams. Their onboarding would not have been successful without our experienced associates, who mentored and trained them. Together, we’ve built a workforce that maintains performance, shares knowledge, and delivers excellence around the clock.”
Measured Outcomes
In a six-month period, we:
- Increased total manufacturing workforce by 40%
- Staffed and launched 24/7 operations in Wooster
- Reduced reliance on extended unplanned overtime
- Expanded production capability in Bristol
- Established workforce readiness to support future expansion
- Maintained strong retention during a significant operating model shift
- Developed learnings for experienced associates to play a critical role in onboarding and supporting new team members for future hires
Sustaining U.S. Manufacturing Growth
This is how we build sustainable manufacturing operations – by responding to demand with disciplined execution and investment in our people.
Just as important as adding headcount was retaining and engaging the team we have. Throughout this transition, our associates demonstrated strong ownership and teamwork – welcoming new hires, sharing knowledge, and reinforcing how work gets done here.
We are continuing to create opportunities for people to build meaningful careers in a values-driven, people-centered culture – while supporting the growth of our operations and the communities where we operate.