With plastic pollution becoming a global crisis and governments in Canada, the United States, and beyond implementing stricter environmental regulations, packaging is being redefined. Companies, consumers, and policymakers are all participating in a shift toward more sustainable materials and innovative designs, with a growing focus on reducing plastic waste while maintaining product protection, convenience, and safety.

Plastic pollution continues to be one of the most pressing environmental challenges worldwide. Every year, millions of tons of plastic end up in oceans and landfills, posing threats to marine ecosystems, wildlife, and even human health through microplastics entering the food chain.

In Canada, the urgency of this issue has prompted concrete action. In 2022, the Canadian government announced a plan to ban single-use plastics such as plastic checkout bags, straws, cutlery, and stir sticks by the end of 2025. This move is part of Canada’s broader strategy to transition toward a circular economy where materials are reused, recycled, or composted rather than discarded.

In the United States, initiatives such as the U.S. Plastics Pact, a collaboration of businesses, policymakers, and environmental groups, aim to create a national framework to reduce plastic pollution and increase recycling rates. Corporate leaders have also stepped up, with Amazon committing to eliminating nearly 15 billion plastic air pillows annually by switching to recycled paper fillers in North America. L’Oréal USA has pledged to achieve 100 percent sustainable packaging, aligning with broader sustainability goals and consumer expectations. Such measures reflect an increased recognition that packaging is no longer just functional; it is a critical environmental and social responsibility.

While reducing plastic waste is central to sustainability, the conversation about packaging also encompasses the importance of safe-use plastics. Not all plastics are inherently harmful, and in certain applications, such as food storage, medical supplies, and pharmaceuticals, they play a vital role in protecting health and safety. Innovations in safe-use plastics involve the development of non-toxic, BPA-free, phthalate-free, and food-grade polymers that perform effectively while minimizing chemical leaching. These plastics ensure that essential products remain protected without introducing harmful substances into the environment or consumer products.

Innovations in packaging materials are a big part of the sustainability conversation. Traditional plastics, derived from petroleum, have dominated packaging for decades due to their durability, lightweight nature, and low cost. However, the environmental consequences of these materials are prompting companies to explore alternatives that can match their performance while offering improved ecological outcomes.

Biodegradable and compostable packaging materials have emerged as promising solutions. Notpla, a UK-based company, has developed packaging made from seaweed and other natural polymers. This material is fully biodegradable, does not require freshwater or fertilizer to grow, and can replace single-use plastics in applications such as food containers and sachets. Similarly, algae-based plastics offer an environmentally friendly alternative, breaking down more quickly than conventional plastics while reducing the carbon footprint of production.

Plant-based proteins and agricultural waste are also being leveraged to create sustainable packaging. Xampla, another innovative company, produces biodegradable films and linings derived from proteins in peas, sunflower, and canola. These films are compatible with existing industrial processes, making them a viable alternative for manufacturers seeking to transition from petroleum-based plastics without significant changes to production infrastructure.

Additional innovations are broadening the possibilities for sustainable packaging. Mushroom mycelium packaging is naturally insulating and biodegradable, making it ideal for protecting fragile items during shipping. Companies like Ecovative and TIPA are developing materials from agricultural byproducts such as sugarcane bagasse, wheat straw, and rice husks. These materials replace rigid plastics and foams while integrating into municipal composting systems, effectively closing the loop on the packaging lifecycle. Researchers are also exploring edible packaging solutions, such as rice-paper wraps and seaweed-based films, which offer the ultimate zero-waste solution for certain applications.

Emerging nano-cellulose packaging, utilizing plant-based fibers to create films and coatings that are both biodegradable and remarkably strong, have the potential to replace multi-layered plastic wraps while also improving oxygen barrier properties for food preservation. Similarly, water-soluble packaging made from polyvinyl alcohol is gaining attention for single-use applications, particularly in detergents and cleaning products. Such innovations combine functionality, biodegradability, and safety in applications where conventional plastics were previously unavoidable.

One of the most significant trends is the shift toward recyclable mono-materials. Multi-layered packaging, such as flexible pouches and snack wrappers, has historically been difficult to recycle because it combines different polymers. By using mono-material designs, companies simplify recycling and reduce contamination in the recycling stream. In North America, food packaging is increasingly being engineered to meet both environmental goals and consumer convenience without compromising protection or shelf life. The move toward mono materials is often complemented by improvements in label adhesives and inks, ensuring that packaging remains fully recyclable while maintaining the visual and branding appeal that consumers expect.

Smart packaging is another area of rapid innovation. Incorporating technology into packaging creates opportunities for enhanced consumer engagement and safety. Temperature-sensitive labels, QR codes, and RFID tracking systems allow better monitoring of perishable goods, ensuring safety while providing transparency. Smart packaging can also communicate sustainability credentials, letting consumers understand the carbon footprint, recyclability, or biodegradable nature of a product. Some brands are experimenting with AR-enabled packaging, connecting users to immersive content that educates on recycling and environmental stewardship while also enhancing brand storytelling.

Despite these advances, significant challenges remain. Sustainable packaging often comes with higher costs, which can deter smaller companies or limit adoption in cost-sensitive markets. Not all biodegradable materials yet meet the durability and functionality standards of conventional plastics, which is critical for safely transporting food, medical supplies, or fragile goods. Infrastructure limitations in North America also complicate the widespread adoption of new materials. Many municipal recycling and composting systems are designed for traditional plastics, meaning that new innovations may not be processed efficiently. And contamination and mismanagement can reduce the effectiveness of otherwise sustainable solutions. Educating consumers about proper disposal methods is crucial to ensuring the environmental benefits of these new materials are fully realized.

Globally, countries like Germany, France, and the Netherlands have implemented advanced recycling and composting systems that serve as models for effective circular economies. North American companies are increasingly collaborating with international innovators, adopting materials such as seaweed-based films, plant-protein linings, mushroom mycelium, and nanocellulose to create packaging that is both functional and environmentally responsible. Multinational corporations such as Unilever and Amazon are setting ambitious sustainability targets, ensuring that packaging is reusable, recyclable, or compostable while maintaining global supply chain integrity.

Indeed, the future of packaging will require ongoing collaboration among manufacturers, regulators, consumers, and innovators. Regulatory frameworks like Canada’s single-use plastics ban and initiatives such as the U.S. Plastics Pact provide a strong foundation, but continued investment in research, infrastructure, and consumer education is essential. Safe-use plastics must continue to play a role in sectors where protection and hygiene are critical, even as alternative materials become more prevalent. Ensuring that packaging is both safe and sustainable is not a contradiction but a necessary balance to protect consumers while preserving the planet.

The packaging industry is at a transformative juncture. While traditional plastics still dominate, innovations in biodegradable, compostable, plant-based, and smart packaging, combined with responsible safe-use plastics, are shaping a more sustainable and consumer-conscious future. Overcoming challenges related to cost, infrastructure, and consumer behavior will require ongoing innovation, education, and collaboration. North America is making significant strides, and global trends indicate a continued push toward circular economies. By embracing new materials, smarter designs, and collaborative efforts, the industry has the potential to redefine what packaging means for businesses, consumers, and the environment alike.

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Mycelium is one of the most promising organic systems currently being explored by researchers and developers. While products such as non-organic synthetic fabrics, cement, plastics, and others have the planet heaving from toxicity overload, new applications for this magical organism are beginning to turn the world of materials manufacturing upside down. Beyond sprouting fungi, mycelia are root-like matrices comprising hyphae, delicate strands that act as a nature’s internet and delivery service combined, connecting life across entire forest floors and beyond.

This transformation prompts a key question: how did humble fungi evolve from countryside snack to global material solution? The journey began in 1907 when Belgian chemist Leo Hendrik Baekeland introduced Bakelite, the first synthetic compound derived from organics—a leap few could predict would pave the way for later materials with unintended consequences.

As an ever-evolving synthetic polymer craze ensued following another new discovery in 1920, the possibilities these plastics created for everything from the automotive industry to helping save lives through healthcare would later exist in stark contrast to the ecological damage they would cause through gross and micro-pollution.

Today, finding—and more importantly, implementing—alternatives to these polymers and many other environmentally damaging materials is a matter of global urgency, but often easier said than done. While advocates have touted recycling as the solution to keeping plastics and other materials out of landfills, the reality is that in the case of plastics alone, very little waste appears to enter the recycling loop. It is also often more costly to recycle than to produce from scratch.

According to a 2022 report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), less than nine percent of the world’s plastic is recycled. The report cites several reasons for this, including an increase in single-use plastic caused by COVID-19 and the mismanagement of plastic waste, to name but two. In First World countries, this situation appears to defy the purpose of having recycling facilities at all; in Third World countries, where recycling plants are generally a rarity, it entirely nullifies the claims of often well-meaning companies that assure customers their plastic is safer to use because it is recyclable.

Enter novel ways of turning mycelium into vegan leather, packaging, building materials, and even food replacements. American mechanical engineers and eco-entrepreneurs Eben Bayer and Gavin McIntyre, nominated by the European Patent Office (EPO) for the European Inventor Award 2019, established Ecovative in 2007. Today, the company continues working hard to replace what it has dubbed legacy materials with AirMycelium™ technology. The company also offers exciting grow-it-yourself kits that inspire fellow enthusiasts to explore the material.

Growing entirely natural, compostable materials that are non-toxic and water- and flame-resistant, Ecovative has also developed lightweight composites for the construction industry and is working on carbon sequestration and insulating façades. To achieve the basis of its mycelium product, agricultural waste like wood and hemp fibres are “knitted” into a basic substrate—a base material that serves as a support for mycelium growth—by a mycelium matrix over a period of around six days in air- and temperature-controlled conditions before being slowly baked. The best part, beyond being fully biodegradable, is that the material compares to traditional options in price. Moreover, it uses only a fraction of the energy to produce, with minimal emissions.

The material is an especially promising alternative to leather. Luxury brands like Stella McCartney, Hermès, Lululemon, and Adidas have all used the material, trademarked as Mylo™, in their ranges. Three months ago, science and technology YouTuber Matt Ferrell reported the mycelium-based packaging market to already be worth $85 million, with companies like IKEA and Dell having adopted the material.

While apparel and packaging innovators have been building a new mycelium-based paradigm, the construction world has also taken note of its possibilities. While it is not yet a common building material, researchers are committed to changing this situation. One of the first iterations of the product’s use in construction was the Hy-Fi in Queens, New York, a 12-metre-tall compostable tower made of mycelium-bound corn husks, built a decade ago.

An inspiring aspect of the use of mycelium in architectural design and construction is the interdisciplinary collaboration it demands, according to Benay Gürsoy Toykoc, Associate Professor of Architecture at Penn State University’s Stuckeman School. This is just one institution leading extensive research into working with mycelium as a construction material, having established a Living Materials Center to help coordinate the various disciplines involved in making the dream a reproducible, commercially viable reality. Researchers realized that Pennsylvania produces most of the country’s mushroom harvest, making it the ideal place for such studies. Utilizing the university’s mushroom research facility, built in 1960, they have the support of a mycologist, engineers, and many other disciplines to greatly enhance the process of learning about the optimal conditions for its growth, which has greatly expanded material development possibilities. Other universities pursuing this field of study include the University of Bristol in South Africa.

While enthusiasts wait with bated breath for 3D-printed mycelium construction and other marvels to begin appearing on our skylines, companies like Front and Grown Bio provide early adopters with mycelium-based bricks that can be used to create décor elements, interior floors, accent walls, and the like. The next wave will no doubt be one of suppliers setting themselves up throughout the manufacturing industry to meet a burgeoning demand.

We often talk about innovations as having previously existed purely in the realm of science fiction; a world made of mushroom seems more at home in the realm of fantasy or fairy tale. But the most magical part is that building a new world out of mushroom hyphae may soon be a reality.

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Brand and Marketing Manager, Ryland Thiel, says that Tornado Infrastructure Equipment’s solutions have become even more capable with the evolution of technology over the years. This is key, as, when an excavation operation digs a hole as part of a project, it will typically run across hidden electric or gas lines when using a backhoe or dozer machine. This can result in strikes to these lines, leading to a potentially hazardous or dangerous situation with impacts to nearby infrastructure.

Hydrovac technology is the answer to this, avoiding such impacts by offering a more controlled dig site that effectively resolves the risks of digging. Hydraulic excavation applies high-pressure water to break up the soil and create a slurry, and unlike digging, this method will not damage underground utilities. A vacuum system on the truck suctions up that slurry into a debris tank that can then be transported for disposal offsite. Because the excavation is precise, only removing the necessary amount of soil, less backfill is needed when the job is done. It even works in winter, where hot water swiftly loosens frozen soil.

Many North American municipalities are now calling for companies with these capabilities to provide excavation services using hydrovac trucks, and requirements like these have, in turn, created a clear pathway for Tornado’s products to find clients while further accelerating its market growth.

Over the past few years, the company has seen huge gains in its production rates, increasing production from around 80 trucks annually to around 120, with a 2025 target of 180 trucks and an additional milestone of having sold over 1,800 hydrovac trucks since 2008.

This growth in production rates has meant year-on-year profit growth as well, especially thanks to strong deals made with business partners who supply Tornado vehicles to their clients through a dealership infrastructure. Thiel tells us that unit sales have more than tripled—from 87 units in 2021 to 320 in 2024—and profit has grown by over $100 million.

The business has also expanded through mergers and acquisitions; just this year, Tornado acquired CustomVac Services, which has dealt with hydrovac services in the hazardous waste space. Tornado is also set on growing its operations facilities and is building another 5,000-square-foot facility in Red Deer, Alberta that will focus on production and help the company meet the growing demand for its products. Finally, the company has recently signed new deals with partners such as Ascend Hydrovacs out of Calgary, Alberta, to produce a new type of truck to be launched this year under the Ascend brand.

When it comes to what makes the company distinct in its field, Thiel says, “Quite simply, our products are the best in the industry.” Being of extremely high quality, all components needed to produce the best Tornado end products are sourced from top name brands.

Thiel is appreciative of the company’s suppliers, who give Tornado a competitive edge thanks to quick turnaround, leading to reliable and durable products. For example, the company employs a 24”-diameter core drill that makes for easier concrete removal on job sites as well as site repair that will reduce job time and not impact the environment.

At present, Tornado is looking to keep pace with rapidly evolving innovation in the industry by introducing the Vortex System 2.0, which has only recently arrived to market. Vortex 2.0 is a centralized information system that reports on the monitoring of different components on the vehicle and provides diagnostics, including a troubleshooting process directly in a van body. Thiel explains that this is an onboard interface/screen that displays the results of more than 100 sensors on a vehicle to report diagnostics and performance information—anything from a complex blower’s cubic feet per minute (CFM) rate to whether or not a filter needs to be changed. One can control functional vehicle components through electrical wire or even operate the vehicle itself using the system.

The Vortex 2.0 system serves to benefit operators, Thiel says, and can operate in any climate across Canada and the United States. For those who operate and manage a fleet of hydrovac trucks in a city, the real-time monitoring system permits all trucks to be tracked remotely via a global positioning system. This allows for a greater degree of planning in preventative maintenance scheduling, which in turn, keeps downtime to a minimum.

Certainly, this has been a volatile and unpredictable year for countless businesses, but thus far, for Tornado, there have not been any negative effects to production-related growth alongside its growing client demands. Thiel notes that, although there is ongoing uncertainty in the North American market (as well as globally) with challenges relating to the tariffs imposed by the United States, Tornado has not seen any tariff-related consequences or risks to its growth projections, and is proceeding with a sense of momentum and confidence.

This dynamism is evident as the company continues to expand its existing product lines and introduce new ones as well. For example, when it comes to hydrovac truck operations, spraying water into the soil creates a mixture that cannot be disposed of like typical concrete or asphalt; this newly created material needs to be disposed of at specific locations, which can often mean expensive dumping fees that are passed on to the customer.

There is a solution to this, however. Thiel tells us that at a utility event in October 2025, the company will be announcing its line of trucks which use compressed air instead of pressurized water to break down material. He points out that, although these have seen wide use in the European market, these trucks essentially do not yet exist in North America, so this fleet will be a huge asset to the excavation industry in the coming years.

Never resting on its laurels, Tornado Infrastructure Equipment will continue to focus on research and development, as well as providing a customer-centric approach, Thiel affirms. Continuing to provide the highest quality product in its industry is made possible by focusing on client needs and designing products with intent, while also providing relevant solutions to support customers’ daily operations.

To this end, Thiel says that digital and technological solutions are increasingly finding a home within the company’s wheelhouse. “It’s a digital age, and we are venturing rapidly into it,” he affirms. This includes finding solutions through technology to connect companies, truck operators, operations management workers, as well as customers and partners into a platform that will let Tornado further boost the quality of its service and product delivery while addressing manufacturing and supply chain challenges.

Adopting technological solutions will be a continued focus in the future to provide a more optimal customer journey, as well as tracking and monitoring the company’s performance through each point of interaction with customers over the typical 25-year life-cycle of a Tornado product. And as always, to address customers’ challenges, the company makes use of direct feedback to help gather intelligence on where it needs to focus its attention. Thiel believes that this approach will ensure that the team is aiming at providing quality end products while simultaneously searching for new business opportunities and markets to diversify its excavation equipment products. “Improving our customers’ journey, wherever that can be achieved” has been and remains the calling card of Tornado’s one-of-a-kind service in its field, he says.

As Tornado Infrastructure Equipment looks to the years ahead, its commitment to innovation, customer satisfaction, and product excellence remains unwavering. From its humble beginnings in 1984 to its position today as a leader in hydrovac technology, the company has never lost sight of the values that built its success: quality craftsmanship, responsive service, and continuous improvement.

The post Innovation with a Customer-Centric Approach<p class="company">Tornado Infrastructure Equipment</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

As to what helped DY Concrete make it to the 10-year mark, Vice President and Co-Owner Jason Delehay cites its commitment to customer support.

“We build our business around customer service and support, and that’s something we’re really proud of,” he says. “In the concrete pump industry, when you have issues, it’s very rare that those problems occur at one in the afternoon; it’s always one in the morning, so we have people in place that answer our phones. They can direct an operator on a jobsite, troubleshoot on how to get around problems, and diagnose issues.”

The company’s pumps are manufactured by South Korean company, DY Innovate (DYI). DY Concrete imports these pumps and then adds electrical, mechanical, driveline components, and other finishing touches. The fully-assembled pumps are then sold to clients through a sales network spanning Canada and the United States.

Used to pour and pump concrete at worksites, the company’s pumps fall into two main categories: line pumps and boom pumps. Line pumps have stationary pumping units and can be mounted on trailers or trucks. These compact pumps use hoses for pouring purposes and are well-suited for foundations, driveways, and other residential projects requiring concrete. Trailer or truck mounted boom pumps are much larger, with elongated boom arms that move vast amounts of concrete. Boom pumps are typically used for big projects like parking lots, high-rises, and airports. DY’s pumps feature a user-friendly design and 360-degree continuous swing-boom technology.

New products include the TP-30 trailer pump, which augments the existing TP-50 and TP-70 line. Powered by a 140-hp Tier 4 Final engine, the TP-30 has an output of 50 cubic yards an hour on its rod side and 34 cubic yards on its piston side. Small-size trailer pumps such as the TP-30, meanwhile, are efficient in demanding or cramped worksites.

The 38X-5ZR is a more sizeable addition to DY’s product line. With a vertical reach of 37.5 meters, horizontal reach of 33.5 meters, and output of 160 cubic meters an hour on the rod side and 108 cubic meters an hour on the piston side, this massive boom pump was built to “Midwest spec,” says Delehay. This means the 38X-5ZR was built to meet technical specifications required by Midwestern states, including regulations regarding cold-weather conditions.

Also on deck is a new 20-meter pump called the 20X-4Z which will feature “the lowest unfolding height in its class in North America,” and should be “mounted and ready for delivery in early Q1,” he shares.

In addition to its product line, the company maintains a parts and service branch in Calgary, Alberta, is partnered with a sub-dealer in Ohio, and is starting to work with a service sub-center in North Carolina. And now, the company’s much anticipated e-commerce site, which will enable customers to order parts and equipment online, is in the final testing phase. If all goes to plan, the e-commerce platform will launch this fall. “Anything related to a concrete pump will be available on that site,” Delehay notes.

While the site welcomes all clients, smaller companies should find the platform particularly helpful. Businesses with only one or two pumps run by a time-pressed owner who has to pump concrete themselves will appreciate having a quick, convenient method for ordering parts and components. DY will deliver parts directly to clients based in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area and ship to customers elsewhere via the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. “Whether it’s FedEx, UPS, or putting it on air cargo, we can pretty much provide the majority of the United States and Canada with quick overnight delivery,” says Delehay.

Of all DY’s new products, its virtual reality (VR) simulator might be the most attention grabbing. Produced through collaboration between DY engineers and programmers in South Korea, the VR simulator gives users the realistic feeling that they are pouring concrete from a pump. “We’ve got a lot of really good feedback on it,” says Marketing Director Braden Huggins. “The operators were very impressed with the realistic nature of it. Of course, you don’t have the vibrations (or your concrete guy yelling at you!) but operators said as far as the functions, it’s really spot-on. We’re hoping this will be a good training tool for DY customers.”

The VR simulator was a hit at an in-house ‘pump rodeo’ the company hosted in June to celebrate its 10^th anniversary. An obstacle course in which participants had to maneuver a boom pump around a variety of impediments was another popular draw with rodeo attendees.

The company hopes to make the simulator commercially available in the near future as it was also a key attraction at the company’s booth at the last World of Concrete (WOC) event. WOC is “the industry’s only annual international tradeshow dedicated to the commercial concrete and masonry industries,” in the words of organizers, and it is also one of DY Concrete’s pivotal promotional forums. The team is already gearing up to display its trailer pump lineup at WOC 2026, and the company is also actively involved with the American Concrete Pumping Association (ACPA) trade association.

Looking ahead, DY Concrete Pumps aims to increase the amount of community and charitable work it does. “As a company, we’ve looked for more charity opportunities with our local community,” says Huggins. A food drive held last Christmas was a big success, with staff donating a significant amount of canned goods. This year the company is launching a breast cancer awareness campaign. One of the company’s trucks will be decked out for this campaign and showcased at the next WOC show as well as local community events and parades. People will be encouraged to add the name of a loved one who has been affected by breast cancer on the side of the vehicle. DY Concrete has also supported local animal shelters and Future Farmers of America (FFA) groups. This caring attitude is typical for people who are part of what Delehay calls “the DY family.”

“Whether it’s employees or customers, when you’re underneath the DY umbrella, you’re treated like family and treated with respect, and that goes a long way,” he says. “We’re continuing to build a culture here where people are proud to come to work. People are proud to represent our brand outside of work as well. You’ll see employees at personal functions wearing DY brand clothing.”

The notion of a family is not just metaphorical; Delehay and his father Joe are the owners of the company, and clients have “direct access to the owners. You don’t have to go to a board of directors and wait two weeks to hear something if you have an issue with your truck. We’re all about making sure we get things done right away and get things done the right way,” he says.

In terms of challenges, the company has been buffeted by some economic headwinds as of late, with the workforce dropping from roughly 80 employees at the time we previously spoke to around 55 today. “There’s been a little bit of uncertainty in the market this year,” says Delehay. “Talk of wars and political challenges have made people kind of hit the brakes a bit. Interest rates are still higher than where they should be, and everyone right now is dealing with the ever-changing world of tariffs. These seem to change every other week. Of course, that affects our cost and retail pricing.”

When the company does ramp up again and hire new staff, it will likely focus on youth. “We’re always looking for that younger generation,” Delehay states. “We’re looking at building with people who want to be here for the long term. If they have a good attitude, then they can build a career with DY.”

He is optimistic about the future and proud of the company’s heritage. “In 10 years, we’ve had a lot of growth. We’ve exceeded people’s expectations of where we’d go in 10 years… we want to be able to say we’re the best overall when it comes to service and supporting our customers.”

The post Built to Perform<p class="company">DY Concrete Pumps</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

Making the right decisions is especially important in electronics. We learned many lessons during the recent pandemic, and one of the most telling was what happens when the world has a shortage of chips.

Strengthening supply chains
Seeing that a profusion of chips is at the heart of such products as cars, manufacturing machinery, medical equipment, and computers, manufacturers of these products found that they could not complete them, let alone sell them. As for the chips that could be sourced, logistics, supply issues, and long wait times for overseas cargo shipping slowed their delivery even further.

This led to the creation of the CHIPS and Science Act in 2022, and the federal government’s authorizing almost $300 billion “to carry out activities relating to the creation of incentives to produce semiconductors in the United States,” according to Congress.

“Right now, we are getting a lot of projects, customers, and inquiries. Pretty much everybody wants to stay out of China and Taiwan because of the geopolitical issues,” says Chris Dickey. As Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Plano, Texas-based SVTronics, Inc., Chris has seen his share of market shifts over the years.

With an eye on its 30^th anniversary in 2026, SVTronics is a premier American advanced technology manufacturer. Providing the highest-quality products and services to its clients, the company is organized into four business groups: electronics contract manufacturing; military/aerospace/government; cable and wire harness; and engineering services.

Through these units, SVTronics offers automated surface-mount technology (SMT) assembly lines, 3D solder paste inspection, advanced test capabilities, tactical rugged computing, systems integration, military cables and harnesses, schematics capture and printed circuit board (PCB) layout, SolidWorks modeling and rendering, electrical testing, and many other products and services.

Build America, Buy America
Responsible for increasing sales leadership, expanding customer relations, and “increasing the alignment between business growth and the SVTronics production team,” Chris says one of his biggest responsibilities is making the company’s supply chains more robust and not dependent on tariffs, which can fluctuate.

Enacted in late 2021 as a key part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the Build America, Buy America (BABA) Act mandate required steel, iron, construction materials, and manufactured products (used for federal financial assistance programs) to be produced in the United States. BABA applies to projects such as airports, public transportation, and highways, and Chris says plenty of customers are focusing on Made-in-America products. SVTronics is still acquiring new customers through former President Biden’s CHIPS and Science Act, including some Texas-based semiconductor companies seeking funding, resulting in new growth for the company.

Speed and simplicity
Repeat and new clients alike choose SVTronics for many reasons, including its outstanding PCB manufacturing capabilities and adherence to strict compliance, laws, regulations, and security standards. These include International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), as set by the U.S. Department of State. But one of the greatest advantages of working with the team at SVTronics is the company’s online ordering system. In just seconds, customers can get quotes for all their custom PCB assembly needs.

Through the company’s Online Ordering Instant Quote system, clients can request PCB assembly for prototyping or high-volume production through an efficient, easy-to-use platform. By simply dragging and dropping Gerber and ODB++ files—a proprietary CAD-to-CAM data exchange format—clients can use the Quick Price tool to immediately calculate circuit board assembly and manufacturing project costs and timelines.

“We’re getting positive feedback,” says Chris of the online ordering system. “It’s quick, convenient, and provides fair pricing.” Promoting the online tool for the past several months, the company has teamed up with a digital marketing firm and is using email marketing and social media to drive traffic to the site.

“It’s simple to use,” comments Chris. “Customers can just drag-and-drop to upload. The software will segregate the Gerbers and build materials. It does it all for you.” All clients need to do is enter quantities and how fast they need delivery, and they will get pricing.

Although still in its infancy, the company’s online ordering system shows promise for the company and clients alike. “We are going to look at possibly building some scripts that will integrate that into our Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system,” Chris shares. This will automate steps in the process, such as building materials, drawings, and routing, and get them directly to Material Requirements Planning (MRP) so procurement can kick off. “I would love to automate a large portion, if not all of that, because what we do is so labor-intensive.”

The road ahead
Continuing to work with customers across a range of sectors, including transportation, communications, energy, computing, and industrial, SVTronics is seeing increased demand from the military/U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). Due to the sensitive nature of the projects, he cannot say specifically what the technology is being used for. “Some of the projects we’ve worked on will have five or six different EMS providers working on small bits of it, because they don’t want any one customer to have all the information.”

In the coming years, the company will continue to procure as much as possible stateside. This is admittedly a challenge, with most electronic components still manufactured in Asia. And since it takes years and billions of dollars to build, equip, staff, and get production facilities in America up and running, the vision is long-term—but it is one that SVTronics, with its expertise, drive, and deep level of commitment to its clients, can achieve.

The post Bring Manufacturing Back to America<p class="company">SVTronics, Inc.</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

Founded in 2014, Wind River Built used to focus exclusively on tiny homes—that is, small, comparatively inexpensive residences on wheels. The firm was featured on the hit reality show Tiny House Nation and gained a reputation as a premier builder in this sector. In recent years, it has tweaked its business model and expanded into modular construction.

“It was more of a shift in where we think the bulk of our business is going to come from,” explains Director of Business Development, Amelia Dicks. “We will never fully move away from building tiny homes on wheels.”

Modular buildings have foundations and are fashioned from segments built in factories. These segments, or modules, are transported to the building site then fitted together like huge building blocks. Offering a faster, cheaper, and greener alternative to traditional construction processes—in which residences are erected at a building site—modular construction is rapidly gaining in popularity.

Production is carried out at Wind River Built’s 100,000-square-foot plant on 30 acres of land. The company runs a single shift at the moment, built around a shortened week as production crews work 10 hours a day, 4 days a week. Production staff enjoy their three-day weekends, and such a schedule “is part of our culture that everyone seems to enjoy and appreciate,” says Dicks.

The company’s production duties are all self-performed. “We do everything in-house. We have our own cabinet shop, paint booth, spray foam, we do HVAC in-house,” Dicks notes with pride. “We don’t have any subcontractors.” The company does, however, partner with third parties who install its modular buildings. The team works with developers and designers who approach the firm with design concepts that it then brings to fruition, and also offers model designs for modular buildings which can be viewed on the company website.

The factory complies with industry standards from the ICC NTA, an International Code Council organization that certifies modular buildings. When it comes to tiny homes, Wind River Built adheres to American National Standards Institute 119.5 to certify the tiny homes as Park Model RV’s through Pacific West Associates, an engineering firm that provides consultation and quality assurance services for the tiny home niche.

This intense focus on quality is a key element in ‘The Wind River Difference,’ a company ethos that also encompasses excellence and community spirit, says Dicks. That difference is all about “care for both our people and our products,” she says. “It really does translate into everything our clients get from Wind River Built: carefully-crafted products and a customer experience that makes them know they found the right build partner. We’ll welcome anyone to our shop to see and feel this for themselves.”

The Wind River Difference is clearly having an impact; earlier this year, the company won a prestigious Excellence in Innovation Award from the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of East Tennessee.

We last spoke with Wind River Built in November of 2024, and at that time, “We had just released our Hospitality series,” says Dicks. “Hospitality has been a great industry for us, but we also care deeply about building homes for people. So, since our last interview, we’ve released a few signature residential models and have a few more that will be online soon,” she says.

The hospitality sector is still the company’s largest market at present, and designs include the Nova (286 square feet in size with a gable roof, open sleeping area, kitchenette, private bath, and dining area) and the Ronan, which is 390 square feet with floor to ceiling windows and a private sauna. Other hospitality designs include the Rogue (small at 180 square feet, it still offers a porch, coffee bar, and spaces for living and sleeping) and the Wind River Sauna (104 square feet, complete with a private outdoor shower).

For all that, the company’s most popular modular design is a residential model called the Cascade, Dicks tells us. This model home features one bathroom, a pair of bedrooms, and an open floor plan. The house exterior is 43’ long, 25’ wide, and 13’ tall, with 700 square feet of interior space and a base price under $200,000. She attributes the Cascade’s popularity to the fact that “it’s hard to find single family homes at that footprint size… built with traditional construction anymore.”

Given its diminutive footprint, the Cascade could also fit into the emerging accessory dwelling unit (ADU) category, she adds. Sometimes called ‘granny flats,’ these units are secondary residences located on the property of an existing home. They are often small and, as their nickname implies, frequently house older relatives who want to live independently but remain close to their families, or young adults preparing to launch. ADUs can also be used as guest houses for short-term visitors.

While Wind River Built is eager to explore opportunities in the ADU market, permitting and extensive paperwork can make it a challenge to get such units installed. Obtaining pre-approval for building plans from municipalities would be one way to speed this process along, Dicks says. The company is also looking to expand its presence in the student and workforce housing sector as well as the single- and multi-family residential sector.

Regardless of the sector involved, almost all of the firm’s projects are based in the Southeast, Tennessee in particular. That said, “We are actively pursuing development projects across the country and have been approached with some bid requests for the Caribbean and other islands,” Dicks shares.

The company currently has 110 employees and in terms of new hires, “We look to find people that fit with our culture, that want to grow with us. We look for people with integrity… that want to do good work and be part of something that’s meaningful and fulfilling for them.” Led by an accessible, open-minded team, the company is “not corporate,” she says. “Everyone gets a voice.”

Non-corporate as it may be, Wind River Built is starting to land some big contracts. One project mentioned when we last spoke, to build 75 cabins for a resort in the Great Smoky Mountains, has since been completed. The cabins are done, pending installation.

To keep growing, the company attends trade shows, is active on social media, and engages in old-fashioned networking, the latter involving “finding people we want to work with and reaching out to them.” Wind River Built also hosts events at its own facility and takes on in-house projects that showcase its talents and the benefits of modular construction. At the time of our interview, the team was in the process of having a Cascade model modular home installed in Signal Mountain, a town near Chattanooga. VIPs and “people who may be modular-skeptic—who haven’t seen a modular home before” have been invited to view the residence, says Dicks.

Another project involves the installation of a Cascade home on a parcel of land donated by the Chattanooga Land Bank Authority, an affordable housing organization. This partnership is one of Wind River Built’s latest charitable endeavors. The firm has also worked with North Carolina-based nonprofit group, Patriot Relief, to build homes for victims of Hurricane Helene. The team assists with classes that raise awareness about the trades, supports the United Way, and regularly picks up litter as part of an Adopt-a-Highway effort as well.

The company also maintains an internal ‘Helping Hand Fund’ that is used to assist “our Wind River Built family as well as community members,” says Dicks, and has a committee that brainstorms team-building exercises that often involve a philanthropic component.

Going forward, the company may build another facility on its property. It also aims to cement relationships with designers and architects as it takes on larger assignments.

“A lot of developers will go to their existing professional team, which might include [architects and designers], asking about modular, and then those architects and designers are tasked with finding manufacturers,” Dicks explains. “So, we’ve been putting more effort into expanding those relationships and we encourage people to reach out to us if there’s interest in doing developments with modular construction.”

Wind River Built is also determined to educate politicians and the public about the benefits of modular construction. While becoming more commonplace, many people still mistakenly associate modular with lower-quality trailer homes. “We have to talk to municipalities, talk to the community, help them understand that these are real residential homes, and they’re of a high quality,” notes Dicks.

The post Establishing a Model for Modular Construction<p class="company">Wind River Built</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

Few people appreciate this in quite the same way that Murray does. His business has grown to become a significant manufacturing partner for the mining industry and oil fields in Canada and beyond.

And it all started with an unfortunate accident back in 1980.

“My dad fell off a ladder, smashed his heels, and was in a wheelchair for a year and a bit,” says Murray, who had trained as a sheet metal worker. His dad was a coppersmith by trade. “Once he had the accident, our life, everything changed.”

As part of this rollercoaster, Murray joined the family business, which specialized in welding for auto industry players like American Motors and Chrysler. It was based on the family farm near Thornton, Ontario, where his parents still live. He and his dad decided to reinvent the company, and Murray went on to become CEO as they grew and pivoted, now leading in industrial parts and heavy equipment. He’s proud that it’s still a family business.

Part of this new venture included projects with a company called Ramsey Engineering, which makes high-precision weighing equipment for industrial automation. “They would build belt scales that would weigh material, like iron ore going into the mill at the mine or sawdust, aggregate, or cement,” Murray explains. So JEBCO began working on projects for bridges, underground conveyances, cages, hoppers, and bins.

Things can change on a dime in business when a main client is sold. Ramsey was bought by Thermo Fisher Scientific, an American biotechnology company and global medical supplier—which no longer had need of JEBCO’s services. This was a crucial moment and an important change for the company, and the team began to focus more of its resources on third-party or OEM manufacturing.

“We went through the ’90s being a custom manufacturer. We did not get into the construction industry at all,” Murray says of the company’s decision to pursue opportunities in water treatment systems and then pulp and paper. “We stuck with mining or heavy industry, and that took us into pulp and paper because they’re all related, with common threads.”

Processing equipment for the oil sands was a particular growth area, and the company won its bid for weld overlay work for projects with Canadian Natural, one of the largest independent crude oil and natural gas producers. “Basically, it was a hydro cyclone with a feed launderer for the processing of the bitumen product,” Murray explains. “This particular project had a vessel that was lined with what we call a chrome carbide weld overlay. But they hadn’t actually executed it yet.”

The trouble was that the company that JEBCO contracted the work to was unable to provide that service. “We were in a very tricky position of needing to deliver on this, so we developed the process ourselves by being entrepreneurial and just finding a way while being under pressure.”

The feat made JEBCO one of the very first companies in Canada to have a weld overlay over a pressure boundary weld without needing to test twice. Named Ultraclad, this innovation was the world’s first and only fully robotic cladding technology, operating in the continuous 1F welding position, capable of cladding any shape or size of pipe.

Impressed, Canadian Natural came back to JEBCO again a year later, looking for work on the pipe and fittings in Alberta’s massive oil sands. “They awarded us a $10 million contract to line their pipe and fittings. We do this chrome carbide overlay on the inside of an elbow in the 1F position, which, to this day, is not being repeated. And we became a major supplier.”

Company expansion followed, and JEBCO bought a large complex in Barrie, Ontario in 2000, employing about 140 employees, including a full engineering staff. This marked a bright streak in the company’s history until the pandemic struck in 2020 when, like many businesses, JEBCO was upended.

“They announced the official state of emergency and then the six-foot distancing,” Murray recalls. “In the oil industry, they have large coaches to pick you up, holding anywhere from 45 to 65 people. There are thousands of people who they move by coaches, whether it be to the ExxonMobil or the Syncrude site, or the Canadian Natural sites—nobody drives to work.”

One can picture trying to get people six feet apart on a coach; a coach that can hold 60 people now only has 10 people. These logistical challenges coupled with reduced demand meant a slowdown for the whole sector. JEBCO came to a complete halt and had to rethink its business outlook. Part of the redirect included a return to its mining roots and applying its cladding technology.

On the upside, the past five years have seen a pattern of regrowth. “It’s a different landscape. We shifted from 80 percent mining and 20 percent oil sands supply to 80 percent oil sands and then back again to mining and water treatment,” Murray tells us.

While this was a painful shift, JEBCO is seeing the benefits of its agility. More emerging technologies are looking for minerals that the company helps to extract, like silver, gold, and copper. This pivot has also brought JEBCO back to its roots again. The company was reengaged by Ramsey to manufacture the belt scales and tramp metal detection for metal detectors.

Now Murray has signed a licensing agreement with an Australian company to provide clean air solutions for mining and construction support. This is a major win for the company and industry workers in the field, he says of the technology.

“They are basically gigantic dust collectors used to prevent silicosis issues that are prevalent everywhere as soon as you start digging in the ground, whether tunnelling, underground mining, or demolition work. We can collect that dust from the source and remove it from the workers.” By partnering with the founder of the product in Australia and Britain, JEBCO is bringing that technology to the U.S. and Canada and will be its only manufacturer.

Murray sees this as a critical turning point where the industries the company supports are making environmental impact a priority. It comes at a time when businesses with green initiatives have better brand recognition, investor support, and long-term sustainability. Take a ship loading cement: the loader moving the cement onto the ship needs a belt scale on it. The belt scale weighs exactly how many tons are going aboard. JEBCO helps make that happen. Then the ship with that belt scale also needs dust control while being loaded. That’s where JEBCO manages dust control to protect the environment and workers.

“So, whether it’s cement, iron ore, or other products, we feel that we’re setting ourselves up to be complementary to the environment and complementary to our industry,” says Murray. “We’re making good, honest, billable support through our belt scale, so that our clients understand that what they’re paying for or what they’re selling is accurate, and we’re controlling environmental dust issues.”

Looking ahead, JEBCO will be moving to a larger facility in Barrie next year, primed and prepared for what is to come. “We have a great general manager and a great financial manager handling our day-to-day operations as we scale for the future,” emphasizes Murray. “We’re pumped to be going through this next phase of our journey, and we have a great team.”

The post With an Eye for Opportunity, This Manufacturer Welds Its Way to the Top<p class="company">JEBCO</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

At its core, Benson Systems is about more than just systems integration; it is about protecting people, safeguarding property, and delivering solutions that blend cutting-edge technology with the personal touch of a family-run operation. The company’s reputation has been built over nearly four decades by staying true to its values while continuously adapting to new demands. “Being a second-generation company means that we carry forward not only the name, but also the values and reputation built by my father,” says Eric Benson, President and CEO. “That legacy is something we take very seriously, and it motivates us to keep raising the bar.”

Benson Systems’ origins trace back to 1986, when Shawn Benson first launched the business with a simple but ambitious goal: to provide reliable, professional service in an industry where safety and trust are paramount. At the time, Arizona was experiencing steady growth in both residential and commercial development, and there was a growing need for specialized systems that could keep up with new construction and regulatory standards.

Over the years, the company evolved from a small local operation into a trusted regional leader. From its earliest days, Benson Systems has stood out for its family approach: treating every client as a long-term partner, not a mere transaction. This philosophy helped build relationships that have endured through multiple projects, property expansions, and even generational changes on the client side. Now, under Eric Benson’s leadership, the family legacy continues.

Family ownership, he notes, is about more than succession. It is about continuity of values, consistency of service, and accountability that extends beyond the bottom line. “When you work with Benson Systems, you’re not just another project or number,” he explains. “You’re part of a relationship. We bring a personal touch that bigger firms often can’t replicate, and we take pride in delivering on promises.”

Employees benefit from this approach just as strongly, and many have stayed with the company for decades, creating a workplace where technical excellence and loyalty go hand in hand. That sense of belonging and shared mission helps Benson Systems maintain consistency, even as the company grows and adapts to shifting markets, regulations, and innovations.

“You don’t make it 40 years in business without adapting to changing markets and technology, or without staying true to who you are,” Benson reflects. “Our customers know they can trust us because we’ve been here for the long haul.”

This dual focus—evolution paired with consistency—is at the heart of Benson Systems’ longevity. The company has successfully navigated multiple economic cycles, from the housing booms of the early 2000s to construction slowdowns during recessions. Through it all, Benson Systems kept investing in people and technology, ensuring it was positioned to serve clients when demand rebounded.

Looking ahead, the 40-year mark is both a celebration and a launchpad. Benson Systems plans to honor its long-term clients, spotlight its employees, and use the milestone to showcase a vision for the future. For Eric Benson and his team, the anniversary isn’t simply about looking back but about setting the tone for the decades ahead.

One of Benson Systems’ priorities is keeping work in-house. The company maintains a staff of highly trained engineers who manage design, implementation, and support under one roof, allowing the team to ensure quality control, shorten project timelines, and adapt more quickly when challenges arise. Teams enjoy a collaborative culture wherein they share knowledge and mentor new talent, creating a pipeline of skilled professionals ready to carry the company forward.

“Having engineers on staff gives us the ability to respond quickly, customize solutions, and control quality at every step,” Benson says. For example, on a recent large-scale commercial installation, Benson’s engineers were able to customize a low voltage and fire life safety system that integrated seamlessly with the client’s existing operations, and were able to pivot quickly when needs changed. The result was a project delivered on time, on budget, and with long-term reliability.

While Benson Systems provides a wide portfolio of services, its reputation is strongest in low voltage technologies and fire life safety, specializations that reflect both industry demand and the company’s commitment to protecting people and property.

Low voltage systems encompass everything from structured cabling and communication networks to access control and security cameras. In today’s connected world, reliable low voltage infrastructure isn’t just a convenience, it’s a necessity. Businesses, hospitals, schools, and municipalities all rely on these systems to function safely and efficiently.

Equally critical is fire life safety. From detection systems and alarms to emergency communication and monitoring, Benson Systems designs and maintains solutions that meet rigorous codes and exceed client expectations. This work is not only technical but deeply personal, as lives depend on systems performing without fail.

“Fire safety isn’t optional, it’s life and death,” Benson emphasizes. “That’s why we’ve made it a core part of what we do. Our clients depend on us to keep their buildings and their people safe, and that’s a responsibility we don’t take lightly.”

By focusing on these specialties, Benson Systems has carved out a reputation as a trusted partner in industries where there is no margin for error. Clients know they can depend on the company not just to meet compliance requirements, but to design systems that provide real-world reliability when it matters most.

Operating for four decades means facing and overcoming numerous challenges, and one ongoing issue has been the shortage of skilled labor in the technical trades. Rather than accept this as a barrier, Benson Systems has doubled down on training and development, building internal pathways to grow talent from within.

Another challenge lies in balancing customization with standardization. Every client has unique needs, but too much customization can increase costs and timelines. Benson Systems has found the sweet spot: creating repeatable frameworks for efficiency while maintaining the flexibility to deliver bespoke solutions.

The company has also kept pace with rapid regulatory change. Fire codes, building standards, and safety regulations evolve constantly, and Benson’s in-house expertise ensures the team can interpret and implement these changes seamlessly for clients.

Beyond its work for clients, Benson Systems also plays an active role in the community. Sponsorships, charitable giving, and educational initiatives reflect the company’s belief that success should be shared. As Eric Benson puts it, “We don’t just work in these communities; we’re part of them.”

Indeed, the future for Benson Systems looks as dynamic as its past. Smart building technology, integrated security solutions, and advanced fire life safety systems are reshaping the industry, and Benson is investing heavily to remain at the forefront. Sustainability is also becoming a priority, with a focus on energy-efficient systems and environmentally conscious practices. Most importantly, the company is preparing the next generation of leaders, both within the Benson family and among its engineers and technicians. This commitment to people, alongside innovation, ensures Benson Systems will remain relevant and respected well beyond its 40^th anniversary.

Eric Benson sums it up best: “Our legacy is important. But so is the work we’re doing today and the opportunities ahead. We want Benson Systems to be here for the next 40 years and beyond, continuing to make a difference in the lives of our clients and communities.”

At its heart, Benson Systems is more than a business; it is a legacy. Built on family ownership, strengthened by in-house expertise, and distinguished by a specialization in essential systems, the company has stood the test of time. With its 40-year anniversary on the horizon, Benson Systems is not just reflecting on its past but laying the foundation for its future. For clients, employees, and the community, that means one thing: a trusted partner that will continue delivering safety, reliability, and excellence for decades to come.

The post 40 Years of Safety and Innovation<p class="company">Benson Systems</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

An ISO 9001-certified company, Samco proudly serves clients in more than 35 countries, combining deep industry expertise with a commitment to engineering precision and innovation. Every solution is custom-designed and engineered-to-order, ensuring that each customer’s unique production requirements are met with efficiency, quality, and reliability.

Vertically integrated: empowering customers through flexibility
While Samco was originally established to meet the market demand for roll forming machinery, helping customers achieve speed, precision, and high-volume production, the company has since evolved to meet a broader range of manufacturing needs.

Through its Rolling and Fabrication Divisions, Samco now supports organizations whose requirements may be smaller in scale, i.e. companies without high production volumes, with limited floor space or startup capital, or those whose business models are better suited to contract manufacturing rather than equipment ownership.

“I’ve been with Samco 11 years, and my job was to look for those opportunities and seek out organizations that required that type of service,” explains Darryl Levesque, Vice President – Rolling & Fabrication Division.

Samco’s deep focus on customer-centricity led to the creation of its Custom Roll Forming Division, designed specifically to serve clients who needed manufacturing services rather than full-scale roll forming machinery.

“That’s where the Rolling and Fabrication Divisions came in, to satisfy those customers who didn’t need a roll forming line; they simply needed a roll formed or fabricated product,” says Darryl. “Many of these companies weren’t interested in producing in-house. They were looking for a contract manufacturing partner who could do the work for them.”

By leveraging its expertise and advanced production capabilities, Samco helps clients save both time and capital, producing the volume they need without requiring investment in machinery or specialized labor.

“We sought out these opportunities, grew the business, and found customers that really needed that type of service,” Darryl adds. “Whether it’s prototype parts or small production runs, our vertical integration gives customers the ability to start small—and dream big.”

Rolling out the Rolling Division: extending Samco’s customer commitment
Samco’s Rolling Division represents the same dedication to excellence that has defined the company since its founding, a relentless drive for execution, delivery, and customer satisfaction.

Relationships at Samco are built on trust, expertise, and shared success. The company’s collaborative approach begins with active listening, which fosters open dialogue, sparks innovation, and leads to process improvements, shorter lead times, and reduced costs.

“The customer is everything,” Darryl stresses. “You’ve got to put yourself in their shoes. They’re not familiar with the roll forming process or the technology, so through our ability and knowledge of what can and can’t be done, we are able to confidently educate them about what we are, and ultimately, what they are capable of achieving.”

From concept to completion, each project is guided by Samco’s commitment to precision and efficiency. Depending on the complexity, the journey from development to tooling can be extensive, but Samco’s in-house design and tooling teams streamline this process from start to finish.

“That’s one of the benefits we have with design staff in-house,” Darryl explains. “We design our own roll tooling in a way that meets our standards and, at the end of the day, produces the product the customer is looking for.”

Furthering fabrication: completing the vertical integration
Five years ago, Samco identified both a need and an opportunity to expand beyond roll forming and become a fully vertically integrated manufacturer. The company responded by investing heavily in new equipment, advanced capabilities, industry certifications, and deeper engineering expertise.

“There are a lot of other fabrication shops and competitors out there,” notes Darryl, “but what we offer is the engineering knowledge and backing, the right equipment, and the understanding of where the customer wants to take their business.”

Today, Samco offers a comprehensive suite of fabrication services including laser cutting, brake pressing, shearing, bending, robotic welding, and certified structural welding. This end-to-end capability provides customers with economies of scale and the convenience of a one-stop shop.

“The one-stop shop mentality works in leaps and bounds,” says Darryl. “Not only do we have the core competency to offer all those processes, but we’re already pre-qualified in terms of quality.”

Samco’s ISO certifications further reinforce its dedication to quality. “We take them very seriously,” Darryl emphasizes. “We have extremely high standards and requirements in-house.” Each Samco division is individually ISO certified, giving customers the added benefit of time, cost, and efficiency savings.

Building relationships: the core of Samco’s success
At the heart of Samco’s continued success is a commitment to people, both customers and employees. The company’s focus on building strong, lasting relationships has been central to its growth for more than five decades.

“The machinery side is incredible, one of the first things that drew me to this company,” says Darryl. “Building the Rolling Division was really an extension of our pride in what we’ve accomplished on the machinery side, knowing that our machines have been in the field for 40-plus years and that our customers trust us for quality.”

That same innovative spirit drives Samco’s engineering team, a “fantastic crew,” as Darryl describes them, who are developing proprietary software and programs that anticipate and integrate AI-driven process advancements.

“There’s an expectation from the marketplace that if AI exists, it should make a client’s process easier and we’re addressing that,” says Darryl. “We’re constantly investing in R&D and reinvesting in resources—not just equipment, but knowledge to help our customers be more successful and efficient.”

For Samco, the formula for long-term success is simple: listen, innovate, and deliver.

“It’s about clients knowing they can count on us,” Darryl concludes. “Knowing that Samco will deliver and go to the ends of the Earth to meet their needs.”

The post From Roll Forming Leader to Industry Pioneer: Samco Redefines Custom Roll Forming and Fabrication<p class="company">Samco Machinery</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.