Ludlow Manufacturing Looks Back on Year of Challenges, Growth

Challenge and growth are natural companions in the manufacturing industry, and 2021 was no exception at Ludlow Manufacturing. Fortunately, Ludlow Manufacturing has been able to navigate through the challenges and succeed with its forward-thinking and industry-leading expertise and technology.  

Automation Investment

To continue providing the fastest service to its customers, Ludlow Manufacturing added a Bystronic ByStar Fiber 3015 15kw laser in 2021.

“It’s a game changer,” said President Todd Ludlow. “We can laser cut parts really fast, and we can sort them - and we don’t have to have people standing in front of a machine pulling parts.”

The new machine and sorting automation allowed Ludlow Manufacturing to utilize the nitrogen the company makes in-house, process parts faster and reduce labor costs. Ludlow’s cutting speed increased by up to 50 percent using Ludlow’s in-house nitrogen, compared to a 10kW laser.

Material Shortage

In 2021, the steel shortage affected manufacturers in almost every industry, including Ludlow Manufacturing.

“The steel and material shortage has created a two-fold challenge for manufacturers,” says Ludlow Manufacturing CEO Todd Ludlow. “Material has been increasingly hard to obtain, especially common grades of steel.”

Fortunately, Ludlow Manufacturing has met this challenge head-on by employing multiple strategies to navigate through the steel shortage and deliver quality parts on time to their customers.

Space Expansion

In addition to growing their capacity and cutting speed, Ludlow Manufacturing also expanded their facility. The additional space has allowed Ludlow to continue to grow their operations and provide customers with prompt and high-quality service.

Workforce Shortage

While technology is a key element of manufacturing (as demonstrated in Ludlow Manufacturing’s new investments in automation), the need for skilled and unskilled workers continues to exist. The pandemic has had both a positive and negative impact on the manufacturing worker shortage.

“The workforce shortage is definitely a challenge that manufacturers are facing,” says Ludlow Manufacturing President Todd Ludlow. “However, I am confident that our industry can meet this challenge head-on as we continue to grow and expand.”

Ludlow Manufacturing is meeting this challenge head-on, and is continually using their brand and other strategies to attract and retain the best workers.

Conclusion

While 2021 may not have been an easy year, Ludlow Manufacturing was able to employ multiple strategies to meet their customers’ needs. Because of that focus, Ludlow was able to grow in 2021 and position itself favorably for the future.