Arrow Fastener: Manufacturing is alive and well in New Jersey
Arrow VP of finance speaks at CFO Innovation Conference and Awards event.
Rob Weingartz, VP Finance for New Jersey-based Arrow Fastener Company, made a compelling case for the continued viability of U.S. based manufacturing at the CFO Innovation Conference and Awards event held recently at MetLife Stadium.
“The ongoing need for continuous improvement including productivity or cost reduction doesn’t necessarily require moving manufacturing operations off-shore in search of lower labor costs,” Weingartz told an audience of New Jersey CFOs. “By continuing to innovate based on consumer needs and desired benefits and by continuing to drive productivity, companies with U.S. manufacturing are still able to sustain their global competitiveness.”
Weingartz should know; after working for several other global companies at various locations around the world, he is now Chief Financial Executive for Arrow Fastener Company, a leader in manufacturing of traditional staple guns, hammer tackers and staples.
While many other manufacturers of these products moved production overseas, Arrow has successfully maintained some of its manufacturing in Bergen County, New Jersey since 1966.
“Although moving to low cost countries may sometimes result in overall lower costs, that isn’t always the case,” Weingartz said. “It is important to understand your overall global footprint including the locations of your potential supply sources and the final destinations to reach your customers and consumers.”
Weingartz said that Arrow has thrived by continuously pursuing further improvements.
“As automation and technological advancements have displaced what some people did in the past, workers may be redeployed to address new challenges and opportunities. The human element doesn’t go away, it just transforms as business needs transform.”
Arrow evaluates its manufacturing and supply chain processes with great detail from start to finish, beginning with where to source raw materials and component parts and ending with packaging and distribution.
Two of Arrow’s most popular products — the T50 staple gun and the HT50 hammer tacker — and a variety of other products are made in the USA.
Arrow purchases most of its materials and parts from U.S. suppliers and manufactures most of its finished goods at its Saddle Brook, New Jersey facility, although some materials and products are sourced elsewhere.
Arrow is one of nearly 11,000 manufacturing firms still alive and well in New Jersey. Weingartz spoke as part of a panel discussion, The Evolution of Manufacturing, held during the CFO Innovation Conference which was hosted by CFO Studio.
Arrow Fastener Company is a leading manufacturer of manual, electric, and pneumatic fastening tools for both consumers and professionals. Founded in 1929, Arrow Fastener was acquired by Masco Corporation (NYSE: MAS) in 1999. For more than five decades, the T50 staple gun has been the industry standard, as the world’s best-selling staple gun. For more information, visit www.arrowfastener.com.
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