A Century-Long Journey of Reinvention and Global Impact
How Employee-Owned Culture and Digital Infrastructure Solutions are Shaping the Future of Connectivity
It’s truly inspiring to delve into the story of The Will-Burt Company, an organization that has masterfully reinvented itself over the past century, achieving remarkable profitability and operational effectiveness.
Will-Burt is ranked as a top employee-owned company in Ohio for shareholder wealth strategies and, most recently, marked a record-breaking year in sales and share price.
Will-Burt’s vision for growth—exemplified by its “One Will-Burt” global strategy and astute acquisitions, such as Aluma Tower—enables it to provide comprehensive, top-to-bottom elevation and integration solutions across critical sectors, from defense to mobile communications.
This strategy allows the company to cater to diverse needs, whether deploying military-spec private networks overseas or restoring vital communications during disaster recovery, consistently delivering on high-stakes demands.
Beneath these expansive strategies, the bedrock of Will-Burt’s success lies in its deeply ingrained operational excellence and unique culture.
As a 100% employee-owned entity, every individual working at Will-Burt has a vested interest in quality, driving initiatives such as its zero-defect program and ISO 9001:2015 certified quality management system.
This internal drive for perfection, coupled with its robust, partnership-focused approach to vendor relations that prioritizes reliability over mere price, minimizes supply chain disruptions, and ensures superior product delivery.
Additionally, Will-Burt’s continuous investment in advanced automation and ERP systems has skyrocketed its efficiency and responsiveness, solidifying its position as a leading market force.
As digital infrastructure evolves at an unprecedented pace, the Will-Burt Company’s blend of operational prowess and employee-driven excellence will ensure that it not only adapts but dominates the next frontier of global connectivity.
Establishing a Foundational Role in Digital Infrastructure
The Will-Burt Company boasts a rich history that dates back to 1894, with its incorporation officially taking place in 1918.
Originally operating as a general repair machine shop, the company has consistently reinvented itself over its many decades of operation.
“We’ve essentially reinvented ourselves every 20 years. That’s everything, from general machine repair to tiller manufacturing. We’ve manufactured the Versa Vice and coal stokers as well,” says CEO, President, and Chairman Richard Lewin.
However, a pivotal moment in its evolution came when it embarked on the road of acquisitions, specifically the acquisition of Thomas Mold and Die, which, almost incidentally, included a small division focused on manufacturing masts.
This seemingly minor acquisition proved prescient, as masts would eventually become a core offering for the company.
As Will-Burt’s transformation continued, notably in 1985, when it became a 100% employee-owned ESOP, the company’s reputation was enhanced, and it was soon regarded as a prominent leader in specialized manufacturing and an undisputed captain of its industry.
The ESOP structure, which remains in place today, has guaranteed that every Will-Burt employee has a vested interest in the company’s sustained success, serving as a significant driver of both longevity and rapid growth.
“Here we are 40 years later, stronger than ever. We actually set a record in 2024 for both increased sales and share price, and were rated eighth in the state of Ohio for employee-owned companies for shareholder wealth strategies,” Lewin states.
According to Lewin, acquisitions remain central to Will-Burt’s growth strategy and have led to one of its most recent and vital additions, Aluma Tower, which integrates not only its expertise but also its leadership into the broader Will-Burt family.
Those acquisition efforts would go on to become a core part of what is now Will-Burt’s global strategy.
“So, we purchased a company that specialized in pneumatic masts in the 70s, and then in the 80s, when the majority of TV stations across the country switched to the live news reporting format and would send out news vans to cover the news, every one of those vans needed a mobile mast on it, and those were Will-Burt lasts 99%of the time,” says Aluma Tower President Shane Mullan.
Will-Burt fulfilled what, at the time, was a nationwide need within the industry, positioning the company perfectly for its entry into the national stage.
“Around that same time, the Will-Burt Company got involved with the U.S. government and their first rendition of the Patriot Missile program, and today, we still provide the masts needed to transmit data back and forth,” Mullan explains.
This early engagement solidified Will-Burt’s role in critical digital applications, a role that has continuously evolved along with the company’s and the world’s technological advancements.
A Global Commitment to High-Quality Comprehensive Solutions
As the Will-Burt company’s reputation continued to soar, national recognition soon became global.
Today, the company is leveraging its global brand recognition through its “One Will-Burt” strategy, which positions the company as a “one-stop shop” offering comprehensive mobile or fixed solutions with payload integration or top-to-bottom power generation.
This strategy is implemented across its business units, encompassing divisions in the UK, Germany, and Florida, as well as a vast network of 77 distributors worldwide, ensuring consistent, high-quality solutions for diverse markets.
“And we don’t just work on masts. Our strategy has been to do everything underneath the masts and everything on top of the masts,” Lewin notes, highlighting the comprehensive nature of the company’s current workload.
A prime example of their advanced capabilities is their work in establishing private networks, particularly for the Department of Defense.
These fully integrated, military-spec systems enable the rapid deployment of secure networks in rugged environments, complete with servers, routers, and self-contained power generation capabilities.
Such systems are crucial for maintaining communication in critical situations, whether for military operations, large public gatherings like state fairs, or disaster recovery efforts.
For instance, after severe floods in Germany, Will-Burt’s units were deployed to quickly restore local networks, mirroring similar efforts by organizations like FEMA in the U.S.
The company’s technology is also instrumental in boosting local Wi-Fi connections at major events, such as the Super Bowl, and supporting mesh networks in industries like mining, where autonomous vehicles rely on their products for connectivity.
Of course, with so many industries relying on the company, product quality is of the utmost importance; therefore, maintaining exceptional quality is a cornerstone of The Will-Burt Company’s operations.
“We were an early adopter of Total Quality Management (TQM) and Quality Management Systems (QMS), and all of our divisions, through acquisition or growth, are joined to those systems,” Lewin states.
The company operates under the principle that quality is everyone’s responsibility, supported by a dedicated quality department for rigorous oversight. Significant research and development are invested in ensuring that quality is built into every product from its inception.
As an employee-owned company, Will-Burt considers product quality to be deeply personal, which is exemplified by the company’s zero-defect policy, which empowers any employee to halt production to prevent a defect from leaving the facility.
“And everything within our framework is supported by an ISO 9001:2015 certified quality management system, and all of our locations are certified to that,’ explains Vice-President Dave Cotsmire.
The Community Culture Fulfilling the Market’s Evolving Demands
The Will-Burt Company’s distinct culture is rooted in its employee-ownership model and values, which both attract and retain top talent.
This culture emphasizes pride in products and a strong sense of community, extending beyond the workplace.
“One of the things that I found interesting as we were preparing for Will-Burt to acquire Aluma was that we were very culturally aligned, in terms of the sense of pride that we take in our approach to products. Now, as part of the larger organization, I see all the amazing things that Will-Burt does not only for its employees, but also for the community. There’s a lot of community outreach,” Mullan warmly expresses.
Beyond its welcoming atmosphere at headquarters, the Will-Burt Company actively engages in community outreach, exemplified by fundraising efforts for chosen charities like Habitat for Humanity.
“The culture operates from bottom up, not top down,” Cotsmire adds, highlighting how Will-Burt’s employee owners define its core values and cultural beliefs.
In fact, this culture extends even to Will-Burt’s approach to raw material procurement, which is centered on establishing long-standing vendor partnerships rather than short-term transactional relationships.
This strategy prioritizes open communication, honesty, and integrity, ensuring a steady supply of high-quality materials delivered on time and at fair prices.
Looking ahead, The Will-Burt Company envisions its role continuing to evolve in response to the rapid advancements in technology and the increasing demands across its diverse markets, including fire and rescue, the Department of Defense, and Homeland Security.
A consistent trend its leaders have observed is the significant increase in payload weight for the company’s products, necessitating continuous innovation in mast design to accommodate heavier equipment, such as advanced camera systems.
However, technologically, the Will-Burt Company is well-prepared, having made significant investments in automation to improve its processes.
“In the last 10 years, we’ve probably invested in automation more than anything else. And generally, to hold higher tolerances in our machines and improve our product quality, we basically reinvest our capital year after year,” Cotsmire says, explaining the substantial investments the company has made into the ERP systems seamlessly connected to sales and marketing platforms.
On the more human side of things, to remain a market leader, Will-Burt will focus on establishing solid lines of communication and relationships with peer organizations.
“We’re working closely with peer organizations in our markets to make sure that we’re designing and developing a product that is capable of handling the products that they’re designing, so that when you put them together, you’ve got a total solution to go to market with,” Lewin clarifies.
By staying ahead of the curve and designing in both quality and innovation through strategic partnerships, Will-Burt will surely maintain its competitive edge.
As this leading organization’s growth continues, the only question left to ask is: What new frontiers will the Will-Burt Company’s dedication to quality and collaboration unlock next?
AT A GLANCE
Who: The Will-Burt Company
What: A 100% employee-owned manufacturing powerhouse, has spent over a century transforming itself into a global leader in elevation and integration solutions
Where: Headquartered in Orrville, Ohio, with operations in the United Kingdom, Germany, and Florida, and a global footprint spanning 77 distributor partnerships worldwide
Website: www.willburt.com
