Snapshot of Why Westminster Tool is MMT's 2021 Leadtime Leader Winner

The winner of MoldMaking Technology’s 2021 Leadtime Leader Award is Westminster Tool of Plainfield, Connecticut. Congratulations!!

Since 2003, the moldmaking industry has recognized outstanding performance and innovation in mold manufacturing every year with MMT’s Leadtime Leader Award. The award is the culmination of the entire mold manufacturing process. It’s not just about having the shortest delivery times. It’s about what you do with what you have. It’s about working smarter and with a passion for what you do. And this year’s winner does exactly that!

Westminster Tool epitomizes a Leadtime Leader—from its leadership and management style, a culture that cultivates continuous learning, improvement and communication to its preventative hands-on manufacturing approach, investment in technology, processes and capabilities and sales & marketing initiatives. The Westminster Tool team is on a continuous path to success

Here are some of this winner’s standouts:

• Westminster Tool began a cultural transformation in 2013, which by 2014, helped the company grab that year’s Leadtime Leader Award Winner title. Key to this win was the company’s “deep awareness of your own capabilities and limitations,” which led to a strong focus on people, and a shift from solely toolmaking to pre- and post-manufacturing services, yielding a dramatic reduction in lead times, improvement in on-time deliveries and increased sales.
• In 2013-2018, the shop only invested in people with no investment in technology.
• A culture founded on continuous learning and continuous improvement.
• Forty percent of its employees are under 25 years of age.
• A “Hire for character, train for skill” motto.
• Utilizes a network of “champions” at the surrounding technical high schools and colleges.
• The main channel for employee growth is Westminster Academy cross-training program.
• In 2018, technological investment commenced to increase capacity, stay current and provide the opportunity for training on new technology.
• In 2019, Westminster Tool partnered with a company to support the research and development of 3D metal printing capabilities.
• Rebranded company to reflect cultural and technological changes to bring equipment and facilities up to date.
• The company has doubled in sales and employees since the start of the transformation and is continuing to grow.

“The value of winning the Leadtime Leader Award is opportunity. The award will provide exposure to people and hopefully spark their curiosity about who Westminster Tool is and why we are being recognized,” says Ray Coombs Jr., president of Westminster Tool. “The recognition over the next year will provide opportunities to the company and to our workforce. It will continue to get the word out about our business model and infrastructure, which opens the door to more opportunities for our team. We believe that ‘Westminster Tool provides opportunities and by the way, we make molds.’”

You can meet this 2021 Leadtime Leader Winner at Amerimold during the live awards ceremony taking place on September 22, 2021 at 5 p.m. EST. Register for free today to attend and celebrate this year’s Leadtime Leader winner with us!