100 Years of Ulbrich: Entering the New Millennium as "One Ulbrich"

To mark our historic 100th anniversary, this eleventh installment of our history series takes us through our journey from the Y2K era to 2024 where Ulbrich successfully navigated challenges, expanded globally, and solidified our position in niche markets.

CATCH UP ON PREVIOUS ARTICLES:

• Our Founder’s Story
• Fred Sr.’s Dream
• 1929 & The Great Depression
• Another Great War & The Foundation Years
• The Biggest Little Mill
• Expansion, Stalemate, and The Death of Fred Ulbrich Sr.
• The Difficult Years
• In Need of Change
• The Ulbrich Revolution Goes Abroad
• Challenging Milestones and the 75th Anniversary

Leading up to the Millennium, the widespread “Y2K” scare became a stressor for many people at Ulbrich. Computer software had to be rewritten and updated to assure a smooth transition from the digits, “1999” to “2000”. Hardware such as microchips embedded in machinery were updated. Most of the computers had to be replaced. Ulbrich committed $350,000 to safeguard against Y2K after media outlets and various federal governments warned of potential catastrophes involving airplanes, missiles, cars, electronics and malfunctioning machinery. Production, Information Technology, Accounting and other departments had been working on the Y2K issue even prior to 1999. When the new millennium finally arrived, all systems functioned except for minor problems, which were quickly resolved. This once in a lifetime non-event caused sleepless nights and countless hours of work. Ulbrich, like the rest of the world, pressed on unscathed. No planes fell from the sky, and no missiles were launched by malfunctioning controls.

Due in part to Y2K, Ulbrich was well-prepared for the modern age. The company was technically capable, financially strong and uniquely positioned in the special metals industry. Expansion was on the horizon. Management decided in 2001 to purchase a company called Steel Heddle in Westminster, South Carolina. The move was made to complement the products offered at Ulbrich Shaped Wire in North Haven. The South Carolina facility was transformed into a division first known Ulbrich Precision Flat Wire and later renamed Ulbrich Specialty Wire Products.

The flat wire operation in South Carolina expanded Ulbrich's capabilities to produce fine wire for the medical industry and Photovoltaic Ribbon to the solar industry. The location (USWP) services a wide array of customers who purchase medical grade wiring for minimally invasive surgeries and procedures. Other products consisted of things like steel bars for capacitor makers, music wire for string instruments and gold and silver plated wiring for special electronic applications.

Throughout the 1990’s Ulbrich had pressed hard down innovation trail. The goal was innovating upon their titanium manufacturing capabilities to make their special metal aspirations a reality.

In the 2000’s, several proprietary advancements in titanium manufacturing led by Bill Donithorne bore fruit. Ulbrich had mastered the material and the company was able to secure partnerships with a wide array of customers and suppliers. Our sales approach, led by Gregg Boucher, grew Ulbrich over the decade into the largest producer of certain titanium grades and alloys in both North American and global markets.

New products, including the highly technical titanium products, and emerging industries prompted Ulbrich to expand to other parts of the world. In 2002, Ulbrich Precision Metals, Ltd. was established outside of Galway, Ireland. Then an Ulbrich of Asia sales office was opened in Shanghai, China, the same year. Though the Ireland expansion did not last, the Shanghai office has continued on to this day. For about the last twenty years, a Commercial Manager named Bob Wang has been leading sales efforts in Asia.

In the early 2000’s Derek and Jason Ulbrich, two of Fred Ulbrich Jr.’s sons who are Chris Ulbrich’s half-brothers became involved in the company. Around the same time the Ulbrich family mourned the loss of Robert Ulbrich, who sadly passed away in 2002.

In 2004, Yale University called on Ulbrich to host its Masters of Business students. Case studies were carried out by these graduates and many more would follow. Around the same time, a case study by Predictive Index found that Ulbrich managed to retain 99% of its employees. People at Ulbrich were staying at their jobs for a long period of time, and they were refusing to look elsewhere once employed. This consistency among dedicated and loyal co-workers led to even more successful sales figures (and semi-annual bonuses for every employee).

Some employees called 2005 the “Year of Technology" due to Ulbrich hiring new technical staff throughout the company. A new generation of employees came on board with experience in computing. Their job was to refine and boost manufacturing performance, customer service and quality capability. New intranet-based software for tracking coils became the norm at each Ulbrich facility. Company ownership poured capital expenditures into new mills, furnaces and proprietary equipment that led to more machine reliability and less maintenance costs.

To augment fine wire sales and to capitalize on demand for solar technology, the company purchased a wire manufacturer in Müllendorf, Austria, which became Ulbrich of Austria. The division was an investment in a new wing of Ulbrich’s business — Ulbrich Solar Technologies, a provider of fine wire, most often tin-plated copper wire to be used in solar modules as photovoltaic ribbon or Light Capturing Ribbon (LCR®).

During the late 2000s, Ulbrich Specialty Strip Mill began to take seriously the philosophy of Lean Manufacturing.

Though Ulbrich had dabbled in continuous improvement initiatives over the years, there was new enthusiasm among employees. The shared goal was to standardize operations and to increase efficiencies. Many employees were energized by the book “Toyota Production System” by Taiichi Ohno. Toyota’s approach was based on pursuing the most effective methods to achieve the elimination of waste. Lean guidance mostly came from a manufacturing engineer named John Peterson who oversaw continuous improvement activities at the Mill.

Later on the company hired a consultant, Bill Greider to teach Lean Manufacturing concepts at all Ulbrich divisions. Co-workers started to engage in A3 projects (continuous improvements initiatives) and 5S projects (reordering workspaces). Everyone was welcomed within reasonable means to rethink their jobs, to save time and to eliminate production waste. According to Chris Ulbrich, “Lean efforts redesigned new manufacturing processes for us that were faster, more precise, cleaner and less complicated.”

Lean became a catalyst for positive and self-induced changes at work. Habitual obstacles, machine breakdowns and material shortages within USSM’s Rolling, Annealing and Finishing departments presented daily headaches. Operators, helpers, maintenance staff, supervisors, managers and office employees were performing tasks aching for updates. Due to thousands of A3 and 5S projects since 2005, massive revisions have been implemented throughout every Ulbrich division.

The business benefited greatly from this new Lean Manufacturing mindset. Specific areas of operation were overhauled completely. For example, the Scotchbrite wash line at USSM was particularly strenuous to set up and operate. Its heavy brush rolls had to be changed frequently. A3 teams were formed to figure out how to prolong the shelf life of the brush rolls. Other improvements allowed the operator to easily replace the rolls, while other initiatives automated aspects of the Scotchbrite machine through the purchase of new parts.

As internal processes were being tweaked, Ulbrich began to trade more heavily in specialty alloys. Rare metals such as Inconel®, niobium, zircalloy and other nickel-based stainless steels were mainstay products. The company became involved in more exotic alloys - the aim being to corner the specialty metals market. Take nitinol for instance, a shaped-memory alloy most often used in medical applications; only a handful of companies including Ulbrich had the capability to draw and roll nitinol. If raw material was difficult to roll and heat-treat like nitinol, then it was more likely that Ulbrich would supply it.

The company continued to cement itself in these niche industrial sectors. Sales eclipsed forecasts thanks to new customers in Central Europe, the Middle East and Asia. International investments were paying off. As a sign of worldly success, Ulbrinox celebrated its tenth year in 2007. Up until the Global Financial Crisis of 2007 and 2008, Ulbrich had not reported a profit loss for twenty consecutive years until 2008.

Early 2007 saw Jonathan Ulbrich move from the role he started in 2004 in the packing department to Ulbrich Shaped Wire’s Inside Sales Department. Jonathan worked in inside sales at Ulbrich Shaped Wire until 2010 when he joined Ulbrich corporate offices as a materials manager for Ulbrich of New England. Chris Ulbrich's son being hired into this role meant that the fourth generation of the Ulbrich family lineage had officially joined the corporate operations of the company.

He followed the path of his father, becoming General Manager of Ulbrich of New England in 2016. In 2019 he moved on to become Director of Purchasing. Various reorganizations lead to Jon becoming Vice President of the Service Center Group in 2021 and then President in December of 2022. About a year after Jonathan joined Ulbrich, Dick Ulbrich — a man who knew the inner-workings of Ulbrich Specialty Strip Mill perhaps better than anyone — passed away at the age of 74.

From 2008 to 2024, Ulbrich navigated significant challenges and embraced growth.

In 2008, Ulbrich Steel's journey through the Global Financial Crisis was marked not by mere survival, but by the remarkable sacrifices and commitment of its staff. During this period, the company faced unprecedented challenges, including furloughs that lasted up to four months and the first layoffs in its history. Many employees returned post-layoff, but the experience was a learning curve: the loss of talent inadvertently set the business back for years. However, these hardships taught valuable lessons. Ulbrich would later avoid the same mistakes during challenging financial environments.

By 2010, the economy, and Ulbrich, began to recover and the next decade would mark an era of growth and technological advancement. The company, often described by its longtime Chief Operating Officer Jay Cei as a "capability-driven company," continued to provide high-quality stainless steel and special metals to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) at extremely low tolerances with exceptional precision.

As COO, Jay Cei led the company’s operations for many successful years and was a firm believer in utilizing technologies, such as IoT and advanced analytics, to improve Ulbrich's product and further ’its position as a capability-driven market leader. Like many others within the Ulbrich family tree, Jay is quite accomplished philanthropically having worked in collaboration with Wallingford, Public Schools to make a pre-engineering and advanced manufacturing course available to high school juniors and seniors. The program created a school-tocareer pathway for interested students, equipping them with the skills necessary to excel in the fields of engineering and manufacturing.

To retain its status as an industry leader, Ulbrich continually kept up with international quality standards. Countless applications, audits and improvements earned the company notable manufacturing certifications and approvals. Over the years, Ulbrich has held certificates from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program (NADCAP) - as well as aviation industry approvals from Rolls Royce, General Electric Aviation and Pratt & Whitney (United Technologies).

In 2014, as the company his father started celebrated its 90th anniversary, Fred Ulbrich Jr. passed away. Fred Jr., who had been the heartbeat of the company since the late 1950s, was not only Ulbrich's first salesperson but also a visionary leader who guided the company financially through tough times and spearheaded its international expansion. The Ulbrich of today reflects his vibrant personality and enduring legacy. His funeral was a profound event, with every Connecticut employee lining up in front of the Strip Mill to honor him, marking one of the most memorable moments in Ulbrich's history.

At the time of Fred Jr.’s passing, three members of Ulbrich’s fourth generation family members were employed by business: Jonathan, Mark, and Weston. They were among a headcount of approximately 700 employees spread across a dozen divisions. Around this time, Ulbrich realigned its business philosophy under the banner of “One Ulbrich.” "One Ulbrich" symbolized a commitment to the culture established during the Ulbrich Revolution, now under the new leadership of Chris and Jay.

Changes implemented included a new ERP system, a substantial investment in capital expenditures, and an expansion in the focus on quality and precision. The commercial team's expanding professionalism, highlighted by a West Point Leadership training, reflects the company's growth and adaptability.

This commercial strategy assured customers that Ulbrich not only supplied precision metal products, but was also a supply chain and development partner with customizable solutions. In a sense, it was a renewed commitment to excellence in customer service and technical support.

“One Ulbrich” capital expenditures were seen in divisions throughout the company. Ulbrich Shaped Wire installed a Fuhr Shaping Mill allowing the division to expand its business into the wedge wire market. Because of increased demand for its products, a warehouse would later be erected at Shaped Wire. Through a series of investments in South Carolina, Ulbrich Specialty Wire Products expanded into the High-Performance Cable market. The family business was finally dusting off the last cobwebs of the old days by investing in every aspect of the factory floor.

Of course, the flagship facility, Ulbrich Specialty Strip Mill, received its fair share of attention. Its rolling mills were fitted with special X-ray powered micrometers and sensors. Precisely measuring coil specifications during the rolling process was a valuable improvement. Meanwhile, internal management and information systems allowed for Ulbrich’s data to become traceable and more quantifiable. The company’s complex network of hardware and software were intermingling more than ever before.

A significant milestone was the acquisition of Ulbrich of California in 2022. This purchase from ATI marked a return for Ulbrich to the west coast, solidified a valuable partnership with melt mills, and allowed the company to expand its product offerings, particularly to west-coast aerospace manufacturers, while creating synergies with the specialty strip mill. By 2024, “One Ulbrich” had positively impacted the company’s financials and relationships with its vendors, suppliers, customers, and employees; the business was well-positioned to celebrate its 100th anniversary.

Want to learn more about Ulbrich’s century of excellence?

Visit our Centennial website for a company timeline, treasured memories, and more!