By Cienna Sorell, writer, The American Mold Builder
At the 2021 AMBA Conference in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Raymond Coombs Jr., founder and president of Westminster Tool, was named AMBA Mold Builder of the Year. A leader within his own company, in his community and in the industry, Coombs has earned the respect and admiration of his peers.
Continuous Investment
Ray Coombs founded Westminster Tool in the basement of his home in Connecticut in 1997. He got started in the mold building field when he was just 22, and after only two years, the company expanded into its first full-scale facility. In its new home in Plainfield, Connecticut, Westminster Tool made the jump to 16 employees and advanced from building tool components to complete plastic injection molds. At the company’s current location in Plainfield, the addition of a technology center for in-house validation, tool sampling and low-volume part production delivers a complete mold building experience for customers.
Since 2013, Coombs has prioritized a focus on addressing the skills gap, directing 100% of all capital investment into the development of people through training and personal development. This included the adoption of lean principles, the creation of an internal digital training academy and the enhancement of company metrics, with an emphasis on emotional intelligence. Westminster Tool purchased a second facility to host classrooms, an employee gym and storage, all while providing extra room for future growth. The company continued its growth, advancing from 25 to 37 employees. This forward movement was made possible by the firm determination of Coombs, whose vision was to set a foundation for success and continued prosperity.
The equipment evolution at Westminster Tool started in 2018, with goals in mind such as increasing capacity and allowing growth when it came to the needs of customers. In 2020, the company invested 10% of revenue in updating, replacing and expanding equipment across the shop. This included an Ultimaker desktop 3D printer, which allowed engineers to print a replica of a final molded part for quick and cost-effective testing. This process reduced manufacturing time and helped the company exceed customer expectations. Equipment investments contributed to employee advancement, too.
“Crosstraining always has been a major part of our culture here, but we’ve gotten busier over time – and that’s a good thing,” Coombs said. “These new machines not only let us keep spindles running, but they’ve been a game changer for training, giving our team more access to new technology for learning purposes.” During the height of the pandemic, Westminster Tool was able to utilize the 3D printer to design and prototype ear protectors used to relieve the stress of masks on users’ ears. Then the company manufactured a 2-cavity mold used to mass produce 10,000 ear protectors that were donated to local healthcare facilities, nursing homes and other local institutions in need.
Community Outreach
A long-time advocate for manufacturing education, Coombs and the Westminster Tool team have worked hard and committed significant resources to bettering his community through job shadowing, Westminster Tool’s Learn While You Earn sponsorship, his collaboration with the local Makerspace program and his work with the Eastern Advanced Manufacturing Alliance (EAMA).
At Westminster Tool, potential employees do not necessarily need experience in manufacturing to be successful. The company works with local schools to help spread interest and increase awareness about manufacturing jobs, and students are brought in for job shadowing opportunities to see what certain positions within a production facility may consist of from day to day. This helps with education in the community surrounding the benefits of a career in manufacturing, as well as letting kids who are about to make career decisions see that there are opportunities for growth and employment right in their area.
Westminster Tool also offers a yearly sponsorship opportunity called Learn While You Earn. The candidates must enroll full-time in the local community college’s Advanced Manufacturing Program, which is a full-year certificate program that teaches manufacturing skills to people new to the industry. While enrolled, students are provided with a part-time job at Westminster Tool. If the candidate successfully completes the program, the student receives full tuition reimbursement and the opportunity for full-time employment at Westminster Tool.
At the local elementary school, Coombs funds a Makerspace program to help students experience hands-on, critical problem solving in an alternative-style classroom environment. Westminster Tool has donated $12,000 to the program, and is involved in events, meeting the students and parents, and watching the progress of their projects. The goal of this program is to spark intrest at a young age and aid the community in understanding that a career in manufacturing or another similar industry can be extremely rewarding.
To continue this important work throughout the pandemic, Westminster Tool had to work around the lack of open houses, company tours, workshops and job fairs. Westminster Tool launched a virtual company tour event and career overview campaign that used live video to showcase several of the meaningful career pathways the company has to offer. Coombs said, “We’re well known for our community outreach, but like a lot of companies, we’ve had to improvise and change the way we connect with people.”
Industry Involvement
Coombs joined AMBA in 2001 and is a former AMBA vice president and board member. His company also was the 2017 recipient of the Tooling Trailblazer award. Coombs served as one of the founding members of the Eastern Advanced Manufacturing Alliance (EAMA) and remains an active member today as vice president of the board. Westminster Tool takes part in FLiP: Future Leaders in Plastics, as well as Women in Manufacturing.
In February of 2021, Coombs spoke during the AMBA Meet the Mentor Series where he touched on leadership through ownership and shared personal experiences and stories of his own personal journey through the moldmaking industry. “I am an advocate for embracing adversity, as it makes you who you are,” said Coombs.
Coombs worked tirelessly over the years to secure $20 million in funding for the first-ever Manufacturing Pipeline Initiative in Connecticut, a program dedicated to educating, training and placing graduates who are entirely new to the manufacturing industry. Working alongside the Eastern Advanced Manufacturing Alliance (EAMA) and Eastern Workforce Investment Board (EWIB), Coombs helped to develop the curriculum and several pipeline programs for those interested in careers ranging from machine operation to plastics.
A celebrated year
Coombs’ family has played a huge part in the business – a necessity for a busy business owner who also wanted to be close to his children as they grew up. Since the pandemic began, his children have moved back home, and he has taken great pleasure in the opportunity to work alongside them as adults. Those adults are now taking on critical roles at Westminster Tool.
Coombs said, “It was very important to me that my dream didn’t become my children’s burden.” As such, it’s been an honor for him to see his children take as much pride in the business as he does, and he takes joy in knowing his kids want to play a part in the future of the business that he built.
Ray Coombs considers the AMBA Mold Builder of the Year award to be one of the most prestigious honors in his profession, and he was visibly emotional when he received the award, sponsored by Progressive Components, at a reception during the June conference event. The recognition from his peers clearly meant the world. He said, “You can own a business and do the right thing. Too many people step on top of one another to get to the top, but you can be a good human being to get there.”
Ray Coombs’ love for moldmaking, his dedication to the mold building community and his belief in local outreach are just some of the many driving forces behind the success of Westminster Tool. Congratulations to Ray Coombs Jr. – a well-deserving recipient of the 2021 AMBA Mold Builder of the Year Award.
