Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1179292
www.HartfordBusiness.com • October 28, 2019 • Hartford Business Journal 31 FAMILY BUSINESS AWARDS 2019 2 ND PLACE — 76-plus full-time employees category Phoenix Manufacturing Inc. P hoenix Manufacturing special- izes in custom and intricate manufacturing work for aero- space and other industries. Recent accomplishments: Originally founded in 1989 as a two-person machine shop, Phoenix Manufacturing celebrated its 30th anniversary earlier this year and recently moved from a 24,000-square- foot build- ing to an 114,000-square- foot state-of- the-art facil- ity in Enfield to keep up with growth. The company has grown its workforce by 40 percent. How do you stay competitive? Phoenix continues to aggres- sively pursue Manufacturing 4.0 methods such as incorporating robotics for machining, as well as vertically integrating manufactur- ing and special process operations, such as non-destructive testing. As a result, Phoenix product costs remain competitive in the global market while also guaranteeing on- time delivery at the highest levels of quality. This strategy's effectiveness was reflected by the company receiving United Technologies Corp.'s highest performance 'Supplier Gold' award this year. How do you instill your family values in your employees? Phoenix Manufacturing's lead- ership spent hours identifying what core values would guide the company's future. They include: determination, passion, empathy and integrity. Phoenix is so focused on ensur- ing our culture embodies these values that they are written on our 'Company Roadmap' and posted throughout our facility. During interviews, candidate employees must be comfortable with these core values, or else they won't be the proper fit. 2 ND PLACE — 25–75 full-time employees category Tile America T ile America is a retailer of tile and stone for the individual and commercial markets. Recent accomplishments: We've heavily invested in our people, our facilities, and our logis- tics over the last five years. We've purchased our real estate, installed three solar ar- rays, improved landscaping and building facades, bought new trucks and equipment, implemented a new ERP system, and beautified our interiors. How do you remain com- petitive? An aggressive digital market- ing campaign combined with innovations like a room visualizer and in-home consultation program has set us apart. We have remained dedicated to high quality and high service and bucked the trend of discounting and cost cutting. To remain competitive we have also renovated our seven Connecti- cut locations and built the most com- fortable and beautiful showrooms in our market. We have remained the specialists in our field by focusing solely on ceramic tile and stone. We like to say we are a 'Jack of one trade and master of it.' From providing cutting-edge design service in our showroom to educating our contrac- tor customers in the latest installa- tion techniques, we continue to be Connecticut's tile experts. How do you instill your family values in your employees? Our average employee tenure is 12 years and that is due to our heavy focus on a healthy culture. Using our employee-recognition program, experiential-training events, corporate-responsibility initiative, open-door policy and a yearly company-wide meeting, we've been able to attract and keep the best in the business. What's your biggest challenge? Trying to grow in a state with no population growth, little new con- struction, and high taxes that limit disposable income is not easy. Add to that the Amazon effect on brick- and-mortar stores, but I'm glad to say growth is still possible. Tile America Headquarters: New Haven Industry: Ceramic, Tile & Stone Year Founded: 1964 Founder: Jack Knies Generation Currently Running Company: 2nd No. of Full-Time Employees: 59 No. of Part-Time Employees: 7 Family Members Currently Employed at Company: Brian Knies, President/Owner, Husband; Louise Knies, Financial Officer, Wife Company Website: www.tileamerica.com Phoenix Manufacturing Inc. Headquarters: Enfield Industry: Aerospace Manufacturing Year Founded: 1989 Founder: Lech and Krystyna Paluch Generation Currently Running Company: 1st No. of Full-Time Employees: 88 No. of Part-Time Employees: 5 Family Members Currently Employed at Company: Krystyna Paluch, CEO & Founder, Mother; Martha Paluch Prou, Director Administration & Compliance, Daughter; Peter Paluch, Manager, Manufacturing, Son; Alicja Allen, Purchasing, Sister of Krystyna Paluch. Company Website: http://phoenix-mfg-inc.com/ Phoenix Manufacturing's Martha Paluch-Prou (far left), Krystyna Paluch, U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy and Peter Paluch. Husband and wife Brian and Louise Knies are second- generation operators of Tile America.