How a Multi-Generational Manufacturer Transformed Its Visibility and Became an Industry Leader
“We're probably too boring for PR.”
We hear this all the time from leaders in industries like manufacturing. Without the glamor and polish of a consumer-ready product or service, it may not feel like the business has a story worth telling. And when operations, hiring, production, and sales demand constant attention, strategic communications can easily fall to the bottom of the list.
But every industry has great stories. If you choose not to tell yours, someone else in your industry will take the spotlight instead.
That’s the challenge that brought a multi-generational manufacturing company to our door back in 2019. They understood that being a leader in their industry meant more than running tight operations. To really take their business to the next level, they needed the outside world to see what they were doing. Their company had a great story. They just needed help telling it.
The Challenge: Another Competitor vs. The Industry Leader
At the time, with over 85 years in business, this company was already ahead of many competitors. They had employees who had been there for decades, deep roots in their community, and cutting-edge technological innovation happening inside their facilities.
But from the outside, none of that was visible.
The company was performing well by every internal measure, but they didn’t want to stop there. They wanted to lead their industry and become the company others tried to keep up with. After decades of building through relationships, operations, and growth, they recognized that modern leadership requires one more thing: an external presence that matches the reputation you've earned.
The Approach: Building Authority Over Time
We started with an audit to understand where the company stood and where the strongest opportunities existed. From there, we built a communications plan to address those opportunities. Each year, we have revisited and refined that strategy to ensure it stays aligned with the company’s growth and direction.
From there, we began by focusing on internal communications. Before scaling, we wanted to make sure they were clear on who they are and what message they wanted to share. Through interviews with leadership and the executive team, we crafted a story that was authentic to the business and its history. As the company grew, they were intentional about protecting their most important asset: their team. They wanted employees to feel connected to the brand and understand how growth impacted them and the company as a whole.
Once a strong internal communication cadence was in place, we expanded into external communications by launching and building their social media presence. We established a consistent posting cadence and a content mix designed to reflect the brand’s voice and give audiences a clear view into what was happening behind the scenes. Leadership became more visible, sharing perspectives on industry trends and company direction. Employee stories highlighted the people behind the work, and company milestones were positioned as proof points that reinforced credibility.
With that foundation in place, we layered in public relations. We built relationships with key reporters and industry publications to secure consistent coverage around milestones, thought leadership, and industry differentiation. We focused on outlets that their customers, peers and competitors were already reading, helping position them as leaders in the space. At the same time, we strengthened their local brand awareness through regional media. When coverage was secured, we amplified it internally and across social channels so every platform reinforced a consistent message.
We also pursued third-party recognition through award submissions aligned with the company’s achievements and leadership. These wins further strengthened credibility and brand visibility.
As the company continued to grow, our strategy evolved with it. Because the foundation was already in place, major milestones became opportunities to launch integrated campaigns across both marketing and PR channels.
The Results: The Payoff of Strategic Investment
By focusing on consistency rather than quick wins, results grew steadily year after year. Here are a few highlights from our multi-year partnership:
Media placements: 282 placements across articles, social media, and newsletters over three years, including features in nationally recognized industry publications.
LinkedIn audience growth: 1,338 new organic followers in a single year, helping position leadership as visible voices on the platform.
Social media traffic growth: More than 12,300 combined profile and page visits across Facebook and Instagram, with both platforms growing organically more than 20% year over year.
Leadership recognition and awards: Honors including the 2024 Fort Worth Chamber Vandergriff Award, 2025 Fort Worth Inc. Entrepreneur of Excellence, 2025 Business Press Great Women of Texas Award, the 2024 D CEO Dallas 500 Most Influential Leaders list, and the 2024 EY Entrepreneur of the Year Southwest and National US Family Business Awards, among others.
Milestone visibility: Coordinated amplification of major company milestones, including an acquisition, as well as the organization’s 90th anniversary.
Company growth: Since we began working together, the company has doubled in both revenue and employee headcount and nearly tripled its number of physical plant locations. While growth of this scale reflects the work of an entire organization, leadership has credited our partnership with providing the internal and external infrastructure to support it, including a stronger employer brand that helps attract talent, and a public presence that opens doors and reinforces confidence in the company's direction.
And here's the biggest shift of all: as we developed this strategic communications ecosystem to support the company's growth, we helped them move their storytelling from reactive to proactive. Instead of scrambling to share news when something big happened, they had a system in place to consistently reinforce their credibility and growth across all channels.
Why This Matters for Manufacturing Companies
This company understood something their competitors didn’t: if you want to lead your industry, you can’t just do what everyone else is doing.
While many other manufacturers were writing off marketing and PR as unnecessary, this company invested in building visibility and authority. That decision set them apart.
They are no longer just another manufacturer. They are sought after for commentary in industry publications, winning leadership awards, and showing up as one of the top names customers find when researching the industry. And because their reputation now precedes them, price is no longer the whole conversation. Every relationship is rooted in story, in who they are and what they stand for, which is what allows them to operate as a premium brand rather than compete on price alone.
This partnership is a great reminder that strong brands aren’t built overnight. They’re built through steady, consistent effort over time. The companies that win aren’t always the ones with the flashiest campaigns. They’re the ones who invest strategically in areas their competitors overlook. In an industry where most companies follow the same playbook, the ones who write their own tend to win.
About The Author
Callie Ward is the Director of Digital Marketing for Kwedar & Co. After graduating from Tarleton State University with a degree in Communications and a minor in Technical Writing in 2019, she has dedicated her career to marketing, focusing on digital media and creative design. She has worked with clients across various industries, including retail, real estate, and service providers, gaining a wealth of experience. Callie excels at designing marketing strategies that help business owners and leaders stand out in a crowded marketplace.
To connect with Callie, please send her an email, or book a consultation.