Holding things together, literally, is no easy task. And depending on what you need, it can be tricky to get the right part. Clampco Products specializes in making clamps, which hold things together to make sure they stay where they are supposed to be in the way the are supposed to be there. For example, on a big rocket like they use for SpaceX, you may need to make sure parts are secured and don’t move around. You use a clamp to make that happen. And guess what? There are actually Clampco clamps on SpaceX rockets!

We are definitely seeing a shortage of all types of engineers. An engineer designs, builds, and maintains products and we need people with those skills. They have to be able to see a new situation and figure out how to solve the problem presented. We also became an Employee Stock Ownership Program (ESOP) company last year. That means we moved from having owners in Jim and Linda Venner, to the employees owning the company. We still have management at the top, but they answer to the employees. It is a challenge in such a good way. Where in the past we might have questioned sharing details about something going on, now we get to tell everyone. And the employees feel that sense of ownership so it has created even more collaboration than we had before.

Our steel comes from U.S. based steel mills. We have some European suppliers that make bolts that are very specific to an application. On the customer front, eleven and a half percent is shipping outside the U.S primarily  to Canada and Mexico. We are working right now on expanding to the Pacific Rim, Malasia, and working closely with a distributor in the U.K.

In addition to other quality certifications, we are ISO 14001 certified which means we have had an organization come in and confirm we have a sustainability plan, we are recycling, reusing, and eliminating the use of single use items as much as possible. Steel can be recycled over and over so it is a great material to work with.

We took advantage of a program through Global Target that helps U.S.-based businesses connect with markets over seas. It is really difficult to make that jump by yourself when you don’t know who to contact, how things work in any given country, and what to do. XXX worked with us to build relationships, develop the right marketing materials and connect with potential customers. We also work closely with our local government officials to provide feedback and insight into what the business community needs.

We use the usual channels and our associates bring people in regularly, but we also get referrals from people who just know us. They don’t work here, they aren’t customers or suppliers. They just know our company and how we treat people and send us workers. It is both flattering and humbling when it happens. 

Why do people like to work here?

 Our employees are cross-trained in different areas so they don’t have to do the same job every day. They also understand how their coworkers fit into the work as a whole that way so it builds collaboration. They also know they can speak up if they see something that would make things better and will be heard. When they go out in the community and tell people they work for Clampco, people know the company and have good things to say. That reputation helps people feel pride in their work. We all try to be generous with our time and people feel that. And we all want to win. Business is about growth and everyone here is on board with that.