Lampin names 31-year vet as new president
Courtesy/Lampin Corp.
Robin Leclaire, Lampin Corp.'s new president.
Uxbridge’s employee-owned Lampin Corp. in November named employee Robin Leclaire as the company’s new president, succeeding Bill DiBenedetto, who retired in April. Leclaire, who now leads the precision parts manufacturing company, spoke with the WBJ about being promoted to president after more than three decades with the company.
Congrats on being named president. What new ideas do you hope to bring to the company?
I want to get all employee owners engaged in the company. To make Lampin a place they want to work at not just a job for a paycheck and encourage everyone to work hard and be able to retire from Lampin.
How long have you worked for Lampin? In what capacity did you start?
I have worked for Lampin for 31 years, starting in the office with Scott Rossiter who was the owner at the time. I was the first full-time worker in the office; and I took care of the accounts payable and receivable, and everything else that needed to be done.
What does Lampin Corp. manufacture?
Lampin is an employee-owned company producing precision component parts for a variety of industries, including medical device manufacturing, food safety equipment, laser technology and aerospace industry just to name a few.
We always hear about skills gaps and employee shortages from manufacturers. Does Lampin have those same challenges?
Yes, we have had many skills gaps and employee shortages in the past few years. It has been a challenge, but we have been fortunate in being able to do in-house training; and with help from the Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership and Quinsigamond Community College, we are sending our employees to classes for training. We have highly trained machinists; most have been with us for over 10 years.
How do you hope to do to remedy those problems as president?
I plan on continuing to train and stay involved with the community and send the word out to the schools that manufacturing is no longer a dirty job. I plan on getting information out to the public that we have great jobs for students who may want to work in manufacturing while getting or not getting a college education.
It's not often that we see women in leadership in manufacturing. How were you able to overcome that and rise to the top of the company?
Well, I have been here for a long time and have worked from shipping and receiving to tending to a machine. I have done just about every job in the office, so I know the business pretty well.
I am also very happy the board of directors has the confidence in me to lead Lampin to the next level.
How is the climate of manufacturing in Central Mass. right now?
Most manufactures are busy now, and everyone is looking for help. Hopefully the economy and manufacturing will continue to grow.
What do you see for the future of manufacturing in the region?
Manufacturing will always be a big part of this area. We are getting the word out, and the skilled workers will be a big part of growth. If we keep up with new equipment and new innovations, we will be able to produce parts here at a reasonable price.
This interview was conducted and edited for length and clarity by WBJ Staff Writer Zachary Comeau.
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