Earnest Machine has been awarded a 2017 Business Longevity Award from Smart Business News. The award recognized 44 Northeast Ohio companies with at least 50 years in business that have demonstrated their ability to adapt and evolve with the changing times.
Earnest Machine was founded in 1948 when Paul Earnest Zehnder began selling bolts and fasteners to service the heavy equipment industry that was building the infrastructure of post-WWII America. Today, Earnest remains a family owned business that has grown into a leading master distributor of fasteners in the United States and Europe.
Although the fastener industry can trace its roots to the screw invented by the ancient Greek scientist Archimedes, Earnest Machine relies on modern tools—such as e-commerce, YouTube videos and an innovative quoting app for specialty fasteners—to help it stay ahead of the competition.
“We operate as a startup company,” says Kirk Zehnder, who runs the business and is a grandson of founder Paul Zehnder. “We view our competition as the Amazons and Zappos of the world, the companies that incite innovation to drive success.”
While innovation is important, Zehnder pointed out that the company takes pride in using employee engagement tools and above-market benefits to help create a culture of respect, teamwork, and fun. “My grandfather treated employees like family, with picnics, clambakes, Christmas parties, bonuses and room for growth. Because we still do those things and more, we’ll celebrate our 70th anniversary next year and look forward to many more.”
For more details on Earnest Machine’s Business Longevity Award, check out Smart Business Online.
About Earnest Machine
Earnest Machine was founded in 1948 by Paul Earnest Zehnder, who began selling bolts and fasteners to service the heavy-equipment industry that was building the roads and bridges of post-WWII America. Earnest Machine has since grown into a global importer, distributor, and manufacturer of large diameter and hard-to-find fasteners for the agriculture, construction equipment, heavy transportation, mining, structural construction and wind industries. The company’s slogan—“How Can We Help You Today?”—is a promise to its customers that is delivered every day through the company’s best-in-class customer experience. Earnest maintains warehouses, sales offices, and manufacturing centers in Cleveland, OH, and Wolverhampton, England, as well as warehouses in Atlanta, GA, and Indianapolis, IN.
