The numbers are final for 2025. How did the year go for Black Bros.?
Another great year for the company. All our numbers, our financials, were great. We have a lot to be thankful for there. We did what we’ve been doing forever now. We find a new project that we’re taking on for the first time and then use our existing experience and continue to challenge and push each other to create an awesome product for our customers. We also went 365 days (with) no incidents. That is our standard, but that is not always guaranteed either. So we’re thankful whenever we can hit that goal.
What new projects, in particular, challenged us and provided the greatest benefit?
At the tail end of the year we sold the two big 1175 Coaters up north. So, those were very specialized, custom machines (with) Servos on the doctor rolls, coating rolls, elevator — a recirculation system, all the pumps, all the tanks, feed lines. Those were two bears that we took on, and it involved a lot of people and a lot of good overhead here at the company. We crushed it. It was organized very well. We blocked out time to do all the adequate testing and have a group of about 8-10 people (visit and approve the machines). So that was a really exciting project to end 2025. And then on top of that, some other customized projects we did putting Servos on the LIS and the Panel Express. We think that’s the first time we ever put Servos on the Panel Express elevator. The recipe selection that line has and the full control the operators will have is going to be really incredible. We’re super excited to check on (that customer) and see how they’re progressing with that new line.
Back to the Safe Working Days. We had a full calendar year of success and are now over 500-straight days. How do we keep it going?
By looking out for each other. The young guy that’s not afraid to tell the old guy, “Hey there’s a better way to do this.” And then the senior group, who’s not afraid or is fine with confrontation, being able to tell someone, “This is why we do it this way.” The big key reinforced by us is safety has to be personal. This isn’t just work. This is making sure people go home the same way they came in, because we all have families and a life outside of here. So being safe should never be a taboo subject, it should be the number one thing on everyone’s mind.
Look into your crystal ball and tell us what 2026 will bring. What’s your business forecast?
There are a lot geopolitical issues and factors across the world that we cannot control. But obviously, we’re playing our part in this global economy as well, and we’re optimistic. We have a nice backlog of orders, and we’ve heard a lot of optimism for the leads we have. We hope rolls can pick up a little bit more. We’ve done some pretty nice custom rolls, expensive rolls. But at the end of day, the volume has not been where we want. Parts are getting crazier every year as we keep adding these different electronics, wiring, and the ability (for the machines) to communicate with one another. These (along with our stardard) parts keep revenues flowing. Overall, we are very optimistic for another good year in 2026, and we’ll take on whatever is thrown at us.
What do we have to look forward to in terms of capital investments or additions to the shop to help make our processes better?
We are currently evaluating strategic investments to expand our manufacturing capacity, notably in our fabricating and machining departments. We’re doing our due diligence to make sure that if we’re going to make a large capital expenditure, we know exactly what we are getting. And obviously, we have a great fabrication department that’s able to make all the bends, cuts, and troubleshoot the software. So, (without getting into specifics) on how we manufacturer our parts, we do have some things to look forward to or at least in the pipeline for what we might see in 2026.
We had a cluster of retirements at the end of 2025. Speak on that crew and any plans we have to replace their experience.
Carolyn (Gehant) took over the stockroom in 2015 and what a night and day difference. I hear from Megan, our C.F.O., all the time about how detailed and organized the reports are now. She really owned it and took shipping and scheduling in her own hands. And then Rob (Letterly), of course, he led us through a lot of changes. In the past 13 years all the technology changes between the cloud, AI, different servers, countless Windows updates. He navigated us through all those. Obviously, IT is a huge part of any company now in the age of the internet, so we really can’t thank him enough. And then our 44-year guy Todd (Schneider). There wasn’t a machine he hadn’t worked on. He welded, he painted, he did some assembly, stock room, shipping — you name it. Todd had invaluable experience, and we wish him well. We’ll be selective as we always are to make sure we get the right (replacements) in here to align with our culture. I always say work ethic and willingness to learn are going to trump (other attributes). That’s been a lot of the people here that have made us such a successful company.
Black Bros. recently was bestowed the “Centennial Manufacturing Award” for 100 or more years in service. Obviously, there’s a rich history here. For you, does that legacy come with some weight to uphold it?
I wouldn’t say there’s any weight to uphold the legacy. I would say it’s more an honor because we are part of something that not many can say they are. You can see it in the look on people’s faces when you tell them the history of this company. We’ve grown to accept it as business as usual, because it’s a humble group here that does the right thing when no one is looking and shares in the success. But, the longevity is something to be grateful for. Not only the Carroll or Black family, but everyone that’s come through the doors and been part of what we’ve all created.
