First Open House in 10 Years Is A Big Success
Current and Prospective Customers invited to LUNCH, TOUR & NETWORK
On May 14th, Willington Nameplate invited a regional mix of customers and prospective customers to have lunch, a factory tour and network with each other and the WNP team, including legacy client, WATTS Water Technology.
President and Head Coach, Brett Greene, kicked off the event with an overview of the company’s 60-year history and future plans. He outlined the industries we serve, the quality compliances we proudly hold and introduced our capabilities and processes to be seen during the tour.
Starting with Customer Service, Pre-Press and Screen Making, our guests began their behind‑the‑scenes look at our nameplate and label operations. Woven into the narrative was how traceability, durability, and compliance shape every decision we make throughout the company. At each station, processes were underway, and guests were available to get a close-up view of our screen-printers in action. They viewed the chemical etch process and the compartments of chemical solutions that make up the etch line. Our cobot was loading the metal sheets onto the conveyor, enabling the technician to monitor other aspects of the process and collect the finished sheets at the end. In the adjoining room, guests saw the incredible work happening in the Waste Water Treatment System existing to support our environmental goals.
Next stop, Fabrication featuring laminating and shearing equipment that cuts larger sheets into manageable strips. We made a special stop at a custom-designed punch press system made specifically for WATTS many years ago by founder Marcel Geopfert. Nicknamed the Ten-Up for the number of parts punched out per strike, Christine Runnells, Global Sourcing Manager at Watts Water Technologies, met the primary fabricator of the Ten-Up, Lisa Turcotte, a legacy employee of over 40 years. The two “Watts Ladies” were happy to meet each other.
At the CNC (Computer Numerical Control) department, each attendee received a personalized Trotec-lasered nameplate to take with them.
In the Roll Department, Brett explained the extensive capabilities for custom flexible identification products, including screen printing, flexographic, digital, and heat transfer, while various samples were passed around for a closer look.
During the final stop on the tour, the Metalphoto® department, audible gasps were heard as the group witnessed the photosensitive process activate before their eyes.
At the end of the tour, Natasha Watson, Sales and Business Development Leader, presented Christine Runnells from WATTS with a legacy plaque recognizing the 40+ years of continuous partnership between the two companies. Christine shared that WATTS continues to cherish the longstanding relationship with WNP, and she is pleased to support its continuation under her watch.
Heather Marson from I2 Systems remarked that WNP’s culture of integrity, quality and transparency was abundantly clear to her as she interacted with employees and witnessed their skillfulness as she moved throughout the factory. Brett responded, “We support our employees through fostering a family-oriented culture, maintaining a safe and clean facility and making WNP the kind of place that makes them want to work hard and take pride in their work.” He went on to say, “Being an ESOP means that everyone has a stake in our success. That is one of the reasons our team takes their jobs to heart.”
Jose Morales, Jr., Operations Leader, said, “We’re proud of the work our team does every day, and it was energizing to share it up close with this group of curious and engaged people.”
Several current customers told us they discovered capabilities they didn’t realize we offered — and they were already brainstorming new ways to integrate our labels, kits, or processes into their existing orders.
That’s the real value of bringing people inside the plant. They get to see the precision, the chemistry, the teamwork, and the ownership mindset that don’t always come through in an email or quote.
Thank you to everyone who joined us. If you were unable to make it and are interested in attending a future tour or technical session, reach out — we’d love to host you.
Open House Video
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