Business View-Oct 2023

146 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 10, ISSUE 10 Machine Works, Blow points out that in his considered estimation, continued growth and even greater prosperity are the watchwords for the next decade or so. “It’s the bottom line,” he emphasizes, citing a years-long process of putting in place all the missing pieces of the puzzle, adding that, “As a small company, you tend to start out small and wear many, many hats. We were no exception.” Over the years, Blow continues, Astro added a company controller (Brian Martin) in order to better address the financial aspects. In 2010, human resources was added, and Gift came on board. At the same time, a quality manager (Henry Robinson) was added. Since then, a safety manager (Brian Brown) has been added. Further, new positions have been created for managing information technology (or IT) and other areas. Concluding with the topic of the ESOP, Blow emphasizes that for Astro’s people, it’s all about openness, trust, sharing. “Rewarding them for their success,” he concludes. PREFERRED VENDOR/ PARTNER n Hatts Industrial Supplies, Inc. stores.truevalue.com