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Eaton celebrates manufacturing
month with a visit from the Makers on the Move bus tour
[October 07, 2025]
Monday, October 6, a large
crowd of Eaton employees cheered as the “Makers on the Move” bus
arrived at the manufacturing facility in Lincoln.
The visit was part of “Makers on the Move” bus tour, which was
launched by the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association and the Illinois
Manufacturing Excellence Center October 3. This tour celebrates
Manufacturing Month and highlights career opportunities in the
industry.
David Boulay, Sarah Hartwick
and Clinton Thompson speak during the Makers on the Move visit to
the Lincoln, IL Eaton facility - Video
David Boulay, president of the
Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center, greeted Eaton employees
with the words, “Happy Manufacturing month.” Boulay said Illinois
has so much manufacturing that we need a whole month to celebrate.
This is what manufacturing month is all about and that's what the
bus tour is all about.
Along with the great partners at the Illinois Manufacturer’s
Association, Boulay told everyone that this statewide tour helps
celebrate manufacturing and helps celebrate you.
As Boulay said, manufacturing has such an incredible tradition. Our
parents, grandparents and great grandparents have all been makers,
so manufacturing is in our DNA. It's made us the powerhouse that we
are today as a state. Whether it's the number of employees, number
of companies, or the output value of what we do, we are a top
manufacturing state.
From that great tradition and great
powerhouse that we are, Boulay said. ‘we're setting our future
incredibly brightly because there's a lot of change afoot. There's
change in supply chains and change in technology. With all of those
changes we are ready to embrace it all and to ensure that we have a
successful future as manufacturing and you are a shining example of
doing that right here in Lincoln, Illinois.
Boulay then talked more about the reason for the bus tour as he
said, “this tour is to really help elevate your story and help
elevate the stories of manufacturing and the careers and the
opportunities. This tour happens because you open up your doors you
show your pride. The sponsors show the path that helped make these
wheels turn. The federal state and local officials have helped the
innovation that we have.”
The tour truly happens with the team from IMEC. Boulay said, “I've
got several of them here that bring the passion into a mission of
what we do and then with our great partners at the Illinois
Manufacturers Association. It couldn’t have happened without them.
Next, Boulay handed the microphone over to Sarah Hartwick, vice
president of education and workforce policy at the Illinois
Manufacturers’ Association. Hartwick said, “this is amazing. Thank
you so much. She said the group is on day three of the seven-day
tour travelling throughout the state of Illinois and making almost
40 stops.
Hartwick told the crowd gathered, “we are so thankful with the
leadership of IMEC to be able to coordinate a stop here at Eaton and
Lincoln.” She said, “I want to mention a little bit about our bus
design, which is also really cool. We are travelling the state to
bring awareness to all the manufacturing in various areas.
Hartwick has found there's so many times, and so many communities,
where people drive past these buildings and they may not even know
what is made inside. Hartwick said, we are bringing awareness to
those cool products that have an impact in the region, the state, in
the country and oftentimes in the world. We are showcasing the
incredible manufacturing industry across our state.
Hartwick said the bus wrap was
designed by future makers. A student from the Capital Area Career
Center in Springfield designed the wrap this year. Therefore, she
said, we are trying to not only bring awareness to the industry but
expose the industry to the future makers.
There's going to be a significant need for more workers in
manufacturing in the next five, ten or fifteen years, Hartwick told
everyone there, “we need to encourage those young folks to consider
careers in manufacturing to see how cool it is.” She told current
employees we appreciated you for telling your story and showcasing
why you work in manufacturing and why you come to work every day and
choose manufacturing. It is not because it's dark, dirty and
dangerous. That is in the past.
Hartwick said manufacturing is high
tech, cool and sustainable. She referred to manufacturing as sexy
and fun then thanked everyone for choosing careers in manufacturing
and thanked Eaton for hosting the group. Hartwick also wanted to
recognize a really great partner you have in the General Assembly,
State Senator Sally Turner and thanked Senator Turner for coming.
The final person to address the crowd was Clinton Thompson, a plant
manager at Eaton.
Eaton celebrated manufacturing day
Friday, October 3 across all shifts and Thompson said it was a great
opportunity to thank everyone in the plant for what they do and for
allowing us to do what we do.
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Geographically,
Thompson said Eaton is in the center of Illinois and the center
of manufacturing in Illinois. Thompson then provided an
introduction of the plant.
The Lincoln facility is part of the residential wiring division
in electrical sectors of America. Thompson said the facility
opened in 1958 as Cutler hammer and 20 years later in 1978 was
bought by Eaton.
Eaton consists of 400,000 square
feet under roof and manufactures metering and load center devices,
which are on the display boards. Thompson said, we have fabrication,
paint, assembling and logistics operations in house and are proud to
be the largest private employer in Logan County.
Thompson said we have invested millions into our plant in recent
years, which demonstrates our commitment to be the employer of
choice in Lincoln and the surrounding communities. He encouraged
everyone to check out the truck, trailer and display boards to see
our Lincoln made products and other Eaton offerings.
In addition, Thompson said we have
documents and booklets from the archives on the table for employees
to see the plants history. He thanked the HR team for organizing the
display.
Thompson said we are committed here at the Lincoln plant being a
pillar within our community and partnering with local organizations.
The plant is a proud partner of United Way of Logan County, and the
largest contributor to the local United way chapter which includes
employee donations from the plant and the Eaton corporate donation
match program. We are honored to have four of our Eaton employees
represented on the United way board.
Eaton holds membership with the Lincoln Economic Advancement and
Development Corporation, including Eaton representation on the
board.
Thompson said, we're also proud
that we partner with local educational institutes to collaborate on
workforce development apprentice programs and community initiatives
including Eaton representation on advisory committees. The plant
sponsors the land of Lincoln CEO program, which Thompson said is
made up of high school students doing business projects.
Through various initiatives, Thompson said Eaton employees have
logged countless volunteer hours in our community. In addition, over
the last five years, the plant has provided more than $100,000 in
donations to local charities and organizations. Eaton Corporation
has donated over half a million dollars in grant funding over those
same five years.
After Thompson carefully considered
how he wanted to express such significance of manufacturing for both
himself personally and for the employees, he said, “I decided the
best way to describe what manufacturing means to us is to share
information about our employees and the people that enabled our
factory to be in Lincoln for 67 years.
Thompson then said, “We have 74 employees with 25 years or more of
service. One of those employees celebrated 59 years of service this
year and will celebrate her 60-year anniversary next May.”
For some, Thompson said, manufacturing is a way of life. He closed
by extending a special thanks to IMA and IMEC for allowing Eaton to
be part of Makers on the Move. He thanked the guests and visitors
for coming and asked everyone to join him in applauding the
dedicated employees at the plant.
When Thompson finished speaking,
Eaton employees were asked to pose for a photo in front of the bus
and then sign their names on the bus.
[Angela Reiners] |
