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MASON, OH November 1, 2008 - The quality of the whole can only be as good as the sum of its parts. For 100 years, Ashley Ward, Inc., headquartered in Mason, OH, has been supplying machined parts and components to a broad range of manufacturers, from washing machines and weed trimmers to mixers and mowers. "Our entire business is built on making parts that, many times, are not seen in a finished product, but are critical to its quality and operation." said Brian Scalf, Ashley Ward, Inc. National Sales Manager.
Ashley Ward is a third generation business owned by the founder's grandson, Bill Ward, and run by long time employee and President, Terry Bien. The company focuses on high volume parts production of critical components, and is one of the largest suppliers of screw machine products in the United States. With 6 facilities in Ohio, Indiana, and Florida, Ashley Ward boasts 300 employees and more than 250,000 square feet of manufacturing space.
In the early days, Ashley Ward, Sr. made parts, one at a time, in a one-room shop. During the mid 1970's the shop was small, but thriving, when Bill Ward graduated from college and joined the business. He and his father, along with their employees, embraced emerging technologies that led to new processes. Using automatic screw machines, advanced raw materials, and computer technology, Ashley Ward Inc.'s cutting-edge processes propelled their exponential growth. Additionally, the acquisition of smaller shops increased the company's sales and foothold in the industry.
Bill Ward credits the ability to stay in front of the industry as a key to staying the course in these challenging economic times. He said business has been strong for the past several years, and, despite the recent economic downturn, the company continues to see growth as a United States based manufacturer. "We've placed our bet squarely on the notion that the United States - and to some extent Mexico - will continue to be strong manufacturing nations. It's hard to be optimistic considering what's been going on in the economy recently, but this is a big, powerful country. Despite this being the worst year for automobile sales in 15 years, automakers are still going to sell 14 million vehicles this year, and somebody has to make the engines and all of the little parts that go into them," said Ward.
Ward and his team are optimistic about the future of the $5 billion domestic machined parts industry where they've firmly staked a claim. The potential for making parts for alternative energy sources, such as windmills, could be another big boost for the company, and Ward knows it. "It's a good business to be in."
About Ashley Ward Ashley Ward has been making superior screw machine parts for many of your favorite brand name products since 1908. We focus on high volume production and provide our customers with world-class quality.
Working as an outsourcing partner, we provide many of our clients with a one-stop screw machine shop for a wide variety of screw machine products, assembly and other manufacturing services. Through innovation and high quality customer service, we have grown into one of the largest suppliers of screw machine products in the United States.
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