Kelly Ward is the president and co-founder of Ward’s Manufacturing, a new metal fabrication manufacturer based in Warren. Ward and her brother Kiffin, who celebrated the grand opening of their business in February, set out with a goal of expanding accessibility to quality metal fabrication made in the U.S.
PBN: What prompted you to launch Ward's Manufacturing, and why did you decide to focus on metal fabrication?
WARD: My brother Kiffin and I were both customers of metal fabrication shops, so we experienced our customers’ needs and pain points firsthand. The metal fabrication industry has become largely internationally outsourced, which is increasingly expensive, slow and risky. We’ve seen manufacturers increasingly turn to domestic metal fabrication companies only to find them backordered and using older technology because the demand for metal fabrication is outpacing the supply. It is difficult to find a shop that can handle specialty orders (e.g., custom design work, thick cuts, unique metals, small quantities) with a reasonable lead time.
Ward’s Manufacturing fills this niche. We use the latest metal fabrication technology, including a fiber laser cutter and a computerized numerical control press brake, to produce high-quality, custom metal parts with short lead times, all manufactured in the U.S. We differentiate ourselves by working to understand our customers’ needs, offering part design consulting and improvement, and accepting both small- and large-quantity orders.
PBN: What prompted you and Kiffin to start a business together, and had you worked as a team previously?
WARD: Kiffin and I have always wanted to start a business together. We are first-generation Americans whose parents immigrated to Rhode Island from England and Canada in the 1960s. Our family has always worked with their hands to make things that their community needs, and we want to continue their legacy of service.
It’s our first time starting a business but as siblings, we’ve had over three decades to learn how each other thinks and works. Kiffin is a mechanical and product engineer who has managed every stage of product development from design to delivery. I’ve helped grow successful startups and have over a decade of experience in strategy, business development, customer success and project management. Our expertise and talents are complementary; Kiffin’s the shop and I’m the office. We have expertise on both sides of the business and work collaboratively to create something unique.
PBN: What were the biggest challenges you experienced launching a new manufacturing business in Rhode Island, and how did you overcome them? Do any obstacles or resources continue to stand out to you for manufacturers in the Ocean State?
WARD: It’s impossible to master all business disciplines from accounting to procurement and everything in between. But when you’re starting a business, you need to have a basic understanding of every discipline so you can make informed decisions. Kiffin and I knew we needed a team of mentors with a variety of expertise. We discovered that Rhode Island has a great network of organizations that offer free mentorship programs for entrepreneurs. Kiffin and I feel incredibly supported by our mentors at RIHub, the R.I. Small Business Development Center, and SCORE. Their guidance has been a game changer for us in everything from financing to site selection to customer success.
Rhode Island doesn’t have the same level of business resources, such as manufacturing equipment grants, as our neighbor states, but we chose to start our business in our home state because of its strong community pride. Rhode Islanders want to help small businesses, and everyone knows someone who could help us or who needs our metal fabrication services. A casual conversation at the grocery store can easily turn into a business partnership. Word of mouth takes time, so we’ve relied on the support of organizations such as [R.I. Commerce Corp.], Polaris MEP, the Rhode Island Manufacturers Association, and the East Bay Chamber of Commerce to help spread the word that we’re here and have a fiber laser and press brake ready to create custom cut and bent metal parts.
PBN: What industries and locations do you typically serve?
WARD: While we supply customers across industries, our typical customers are original equipment manufacturers in the construction, green energy, marine and agriculture sectors. Most of our customers are spread across the country, but we are passionate about supplying more local businesses in New England, particularly in our home state of Rhode Island.
PBN: What are your goals for the business in the next five years?
WARD: Our vision is to be the No. 1 metal fabrication company in New England. We want to become a supplier our customers can trust, who will understand their operations and anticipate their needs.
In the next five years, we aim to increase our capacity by 10 times by creating 10 good jobs and buying additional equipment to expand our metal fabrication services. We will work to become a valued member of our local manufacturing community by donating to local organizations, supplying local businesses, hiring and training young manufacturers, and supporting the institutions that supported us in our early days.
Jacquelyn Voghel is a PBN staff writer. You may reach her at Voghel@PBN.com.
