As the originator and world’s leading producer of mechanical pipe joining solutions, Victaulic is now twenty-five times the size it was fifty years ago and several times the size it was a little over a decade ago. Headquartered right here in the Lehigh Valley, this global company knows how to grow!
Here are three business practices that have contributed to Victaulic’s success and can help your business flourish:
1 Purposeful innovation
When the Victaulic coupling was patented in 1919, its inventors never dreamed of the global footprint it would one day have. With two metal housings bolted over a leak-proof ring, this grooved mechanical coupling provided an alternative to the long-standing practices of welding, threading and flanging pipes together. This initial design fundamentally changed how piping systems were connected, expanded and maintained, and has withstood the test of time. Throughout the company’s history, Victaulic has continued to invent and apply technologies that meet and exceed customer needs and expectations, constantly evolving its innovative offering. Direct customer input solicited through customer visits and customer council events in conjunction with Victaulic Sales and Engineering departments contribute to the new product development process. Consistent focus on customers continues to set Victaulic apart as an industry leader. Engaging your customers and incorporating their voice into company processes as well as product and service development will guide your company’s growth and ensure purpose-driven results.
2 Benchmarking against industry and non-industry peers
Being an industry leader includes being a thought leader. Victaulic is active in being part of industry associations to help set product standards that improve the industry and advance Victaulic products. In addition to a focus on product innovation, Victaulic has chosen to focus on safety innovation through the recent development of a new foundry safety coat to offer better splash protection, breathability, comfort and wearability for its foundry employees. The previous industry standard coat was effective yet in warmer seasons, heat rashes and illnesses were pitfalls. Victaulic sought out industry partners to test fabric and manufacture the coat, and then shared this advancement with others in the molten metal industry in hopes of advancing foundry safety worldwide, and more importantly, protecting its employees. Make sure your company has a pulse on industry competition as well as important industry challenges. Garner attention and success when you share best-in-class ideas and solutions.
3 People
Key to Victaulic’s success in the Lehigh Valley has been its dedicated, hardworking employees – the company’s most valuable resource. The Lehigh Valley region offers a variety of skilled and professional employees who have helped dramatically grow Victaulic’s business. As the company continues to invest in its workforce, it has added several hundred employees over the past few years and will need to attract and maintain an enthusiastic, productive workforce. When you focus on your people, you build a strong workforce that positively contributes to the growth of your business.
