Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | April 3, 2023 | Worcester Business Journal 11 M A N U F A C T U R I N G E X C E L L E N C E A W A R D S F O C U S Wirefab has transformed itself to drive record profits W irefab, Inc. is the kind of place with a plaque in its office space for employees who have been with the com- pany for a long time. It recognizes and celebrates longevity. But this isn't your typical longevity. is is generation- al-spanning employment: 30 years, 35, 40, 45, and 50. With that kind of loyalty, it would be easy to sit on your laurels and keep doing the same thing over and over again. If it isn't broken, don't fix it, as the saying goes. But something did need to change. e company, which was started by Asbed Zakarian and incorporated in February 1955, had become stale, and the family business had become comfortable, which is never a good sign in any field, but especially not so in the volatile marketplace of manufacturing, where contracts can swily disappear. And it looked like it was going to stay that way until Chris Bousbouras threatened to leave in 2019. In stepped Elizabeth Lukose, granddaughter of Zakarian, to try and keep Bousbouras, a long-time employee who had become vital to its manufacturing arm with his engineering skills. Aer a long lunch, Lukose saw Bous- bouras's vision. She wasn't working for her family's company at the time, but took it on herself to help Bousbouras, whose grandparents worked at the fac- tory, see that change was possible. ere was a future. "Chris wanted capital investments for what's next. He wanted to go places, but there needed to be leadership," Lukose said. e pair hatched a plan to revamp the company. Lukose's father gave her control to do just that. ey stripped everyone of their titles and restructured roles. No longer would people be siloed into their title or category. is was a company now, and everyone was expect- ed to row in the same direction. If you didn't want to, then you were out. e company invested in new equipment and went aer new contracts in new industry subsectors. Wirefab changed its model from bending to the whims of customers to being proactive and creat- ing its own identity that made customers want to work with them. "e company was struggling for culture," Bousbouras said. ere wasn't even a break room before. Now there are communication classes for people who don't speak the same language on the floor and basic shop math classes, as well as parties and a break room where employees can meet for lunch and inter- act with each other. It's paid off. Wirefab not only con- tinues to make the donut baskets for Dunkin', which it has done forever, but now it contracts work out for aerospace and biomanufacturing. e company is having its best years, in terms of profits. And, at the same time, the company is an ESOP (employee stock ownership plan) and investing in its employees by giving them an ownership stake in the company for their retirement and paying for college classes. Sometimes, a refresh is needed. May- be what looked alright on the surface had cracks waiting to break, and it's best to repair them before everything comes crumbling down. BY KEVIN KOCZWARA WBJ Staff Writer The Wirefab team includes multiple employees who've been with the company for decades. Overall Manufacturing Excellence W i r e f a b , I n c . Location: Worcester Industry subsector: Finished wire and metal goods Founded: 1955 Employees: 55 Top executives: Jim Samsel, president; Elizabeth Lukose, executive vice president; Christopher Bousbouras, VP engineering & operations Primary product: Tailored fabrication, specializing in scalable wire and metal manufacturing, engineered design, and efficient supply solutions. Rising from the ashes: More than 130 firefighters battled Wirefab's five-alarm blaze on Oct. 17, 1987, which destroyed the entire 40,000-square-foot production facility and warehouse at its current location. W PHOTOS | COURTESY OF WIREFAB, INC. Wirefab founder Asbed Zakarian A Wirefab employee gives a tour of the com- pany's operations.

• Cover