Ulbrich Appears on Meet the Manufacturers Podcast to Discuss Century-Long Expertise and Family Values
Last month, Chris Ulbrich, CEO, and Jonathan Ulbrich, General Manager UNE and Corporate Director of Purchasing, appeared on Meet the Manufacturers, a new podcast series produced by ManufactureCT. The purpose behind the podcast is to give a voice to Connecticut’s managers, supervisors and machine operators that run the manufacturing facilities that make our future. Established in 1913, ManufactureCT (formerly NHMA, the New Haven Manufacturers Association) is an association whose members include manufacturers of all kinds, located throughout Connecticut. They believe manufacturing is vital to our state’s future, so they exist to serve as a gateway to success and fulfillment in the industry.
On this episode that aired November 19, 2020, Chris and Jon discussed Ulbrich’s process for manufacturing steel within Connecticut and around the world. During the podcast, Chris and Jon explained what it takes to run a successful family business in its fourth generation, and the ways in which manufacturing has advanced over time. Connecticut is known for its rich history of manufacturing. When asked why someone should explore a career in this field, Jon replied,
“Our business is not what you would see in a 1920’s steel mill. We are a very dynamic organization and I think our market is very much like that too…the world’s continuously evolving and someone like Ulbrich is always on the forefront.”
It’s no secret that running a business is a massive feat which takes an immense amount of coordination and teamwork in order to achieve success. The global Coronavirus pandemic has proven now more than ever that strong communication and collaboration are skills that are vital to a company. With nearly 100 years in business, Ulbrich has experienced many challenges and learned the skill of persevering through them firsthand. Chris explained that Ulbrich has endured multiple wars, recessions, and factories opening and closing. He expressed that the strength of Ulbrich’s workforce is what has pushed us through these hard times.
The father-son duo went on to discuss their predictions for the ways in which manufacturing could change in the future and how they plan to handle those changes, as well as the way the supply chain affects the manufacturing business. The need to constantly evolve with customers and the parts they make, as well as continuing that relationship development with customers and our employees will be major factors in the years to come. Chris had this to say in regard to Ulbrich’s company culture: “We have a strong culture from being in business for so long and people stay for so long. It’s very refreshing and people really make the difference in our company.”
Ulbrich Stainless Steels & Specials Metals, Inc. is honored to have been a part of Meet the Manufacturer and to have been given the opportunity to share our story! You can listen to the full podcast here. For more information, visit ManufactureCT.org.
