Finish Thompson: Made in the USA
It’s a typical day at the factory. In one part of the facility, several Finish Thompson employees are overseeing the continuous cycling of injection molding presses. In another, they’re working on precision machining. In yet another, products are receiving a final coat of paint.
Within the walls of the 80,000 square-foot facility in Erie, Pennsylvania, Finish Thompson associates handle nearly all of the product design, manufacturing, assembly, and shipping of products that reach a global marketplace counting customers in more than 100 countries. As a result, more than 90% of Finish Thompson product content is Made in the USA.
“Our goal is to keep as much as we can in-house,” explains Casey Bowes, CEO. “We’ve invested in the machinery and the workforce to expand our facility here in Erie. This has provided the resources we need to make sure nearly all of our products qualify for that ‘Made in USA’ label.”
Bowes’s father, David, was the company’s owner since the mid 1970s. Casey subsequently took the reins and together the Finish Thompson team continues to maintain this positive history and keep the company USA-based.
The Finish Thompson workforce has grown 300% in the last 15 years. Bowes notes the company has a long history of satisfied employees. The payroll includes many employees whose parents worked for Finish Thompson or still do, as well as husband-and-wife teams, and siblings.
Helping to attract employees to local job opportunities is Finish Thompson’s robust profit-sharing program. “We annually share well over seven figures in profit with employees,” says Bowes. “So, the money stays in the community.”
The company’s private ownership allows Finish Thompson operations to stay customer- and community-focused. “Most of our competitors are publicly traded,” explains Bowes. “It’s rare that our customers and distributors get to work with a company that listens to them – not stockholders – and we’re committed to them, not the bottom line. In the end, the profits we do make stay in our community.”
This commitment extends to Finish Thompson employees, too. Every employee, at all levels, gets to attend Finish Thompson University, a course that teaches how Finish Thompson products are used in the real world and how each employee’s contribution affects profitability.
Much of this company culture is summarized in Finish Thompson’s Manufacturing Code (see photo, top right), which is proudly displayed on a banner in the company’s manufacturing facility. This statement is employee-created, to express the values of the workforce and guide efforts for continued mutual success.
Are you ready to learn more about this USA-based company and its products made by a team of proud and driven associates? Contact us today to learn more.
