Sometimes, life goes the way we expect it to. Other times, it has different plans for us. This couldn’t be truer for the Area Tool & Manufacturing, Inc. team, which had to pivot when faced with a tragedy.
NTMA chatted with Ashleigh Wehrle, the Operations Manager at Area Tool & Manufacturing, based in Meadville, PA. Ashleigh talked through how NTMA has supported her since the beginning of her business management journey to today.
Let’s explore Area Tool’s membership journey, which has just officially reached 25 years!
Early Years of Membership
When Area Tool & Manufacturing first became a member in 1999, Ashleigh’s father, John Wehrle, ran the business. With years of industry experience under his belt, John primarily benefited from a number of NTMA’s Affinity Partners programs. These programs offer members discounts on tooling, insurance, workers’ compensation, and other crucial investments needed to run a successful manufacturing business.
A New Need for NTMA
In 2011, tragedy hit Area Tool when John passed away suddenly. At 30 years old and with virtually no experience, Ashleigh stepped up to assume a management position in her father’s honor. Lacking expertise in running a shop, working with buyers, and operating within the industry as a whole, Ashleigh made a career-defining decision: she asked for help.
Ashleigh connected with the executive director at her local Northwestern PA chapter, explained her situation and asked what resources she should turn to. Before she knew it, every shop in town was in touch, offering their condolences and quite literally opening their doors to her and her team. “The outpouring of community support that came through NTMA was something beyond what I could have imagined,” Ashleigh states.
Fellow NTMA members in the region became her sounding board, providing guidance on handling specific situations like hiring and training, what software programs to use, and other best practices integral to running a business. Ashleigh adds, “The tribal knowledge that I gained in interacting with folks that had been in the industry for a really long time was certainly invaluable to learning how to run a business.” Ashleigh continued to lean into this peer network in the years that followed.
How Area Tool Benefits from NTMA Today
Today, Ashleigh’s journey has come full circle since her first interactions with her NTMA community 13 years ago. She has taken on leadership positions at her local chapter, first as vice president and president, then on the executive committee. She currently serves on NTMA’s national board on the budget and finance committee.
Though her relationship with NTMA has evolved from the beginning of her career to today, she still finds value in bouncing ideas off her peer network and listening to their perspectives. In addition, Area Tool leverages their NTMA membership in the following ways:
Workforce Solutions
One of the most common challenges for today’s manufacturers is hiring skilled talent. Area Tool has been able to effectively address this issue, thanks in part to its involvement with NTMA. The apprenticeship programs have been a key resource for workforce development at Area Tool, with two current employees having graduated from NTMA’s program.
Event Attendance
On behalf of Area Tool, Ashleigh has attended several events, including her local chapter’s annual golf outing. She also enjoys serving as a scorekeeper for NTMA-sponsored RoboBots competitions at local schools.
Ashleigh has reaped the benefits of NTMA’s Engage Conference multiple times, absorbing as much as she could from peers and suppliers in attendance. “The Engage event is top-notch,” Ashleigh says. “It really helps you widen your bubble and speak to folks across the country. You get a chance to interact with other business owners and understand that they’re facing a lot of the same vices you have. It’s a great opportunity to share best practices and ways to manage your business better.”
Industry-Specific Expertise
Ashleigh particularly appreciates NTMA’s comprehensive focus on all facets of manufacturing. From the business side of HR, accounting, payroll, and tax resources to the nitty gritty of what it takes to run a shop, NTMA’s resources cover it all. Ashleigh explains, “They sort of have their thumb on the pulse of both sides of what it takes to run your business. And I think that’s absolutely critical.”
Make the Most of Your NTMA Membership
Want to hear Ashleigh’s advice to NTMA members? Take the time to understand all the resources available to members. “NTMA makes it really easy to get a return on investment on your dues. You just have to look for those opportunities, and you have to engage.” If you’re unsure where to start, reach out to fellow members or your local chapter’s executive director to find out what you haven’t discovered yet!
Gain access to the expertise you need to manage and run your business. Become a member of the National Tooling & Machining Association today!
