PBN Manufacturing Awards 2024
MEET THE MAKERS: Snow Findings Co.
DECADES AGO, when Rhode Island was commonly called the jewelry manufacturing capital of the world, Snow Findings Co. in Warwick easily manufactured over a million jewelry pieces per week, every week, says company Vice President Randall “Randy” Snow.
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That was considered a small output for the time.
Like Rhode Island’s jewelry industry, that output has changed over the decades, with many giants of the state’s once-boisterous sector now long-shuttered or greatly reduced in operation.
But this industry hasn’t disappeared in the Ocean State. And though Snow Findings was always smaller in scale, compared with its former Rhode Island peers, a pattern of adaptation and resiliency has made the company a surviving holdout more than 70 years after its founding.
Founded in 1951 by William Snow in his garage, Snow Findings once produced more than a million jewelry pieces weekly, though today it operates on a smaller scale. Randy Snow took over the business from his father, Robert, when he was about to retire. The decision allowed Robert to continue working in a reduced capacity while Randy, despite a background in home building, successfully managed the business.
“I asked him if [selling the company] was what he really wanted to do, to kind of see that go, what had been a family business employing my grandparents, my aunts and uncles,” said Randy Snow. “Everyone in the family had put their life’s effort into this endeavor, and I didn’t really like the idea of seeing it all disappear. And I don’t think he did either.”
Today, Snow Findings produces around 40,000 jewelry pieces daily and employs seven staff members, down from its peak of 28 employees. While production has scaled down, the company’s extensive catalog includes clasps, metal stampings and various jewelry components.
The company managed to stay relevant by blending traditional craftsmanship with modern technology. Randy Snow has introduced digital processes to complement the manual methods, aiming to balance both approaches. He also expanded by acquiring two other companies – Unit Tool Co. and Eagle Tool Co. – that have faced similar challenges in the evolving jewelry industry. These acquisitions have allowed Snow Findings to expand its manufacturing capabilities and product lines.
