Constant innovation, continual product enhancements and new products help make customer’s lives easier, Pond says. The company recently introduced a pipe beveller that cuts the 15 minutes it takes to produce a bevel on a 10-inch steel pipe for welding to just 45 seconds.
“People looked at the machine and said, ‘It’s amazing. I’ve never seen anything like this.’
“That’s when you know you have made a difference,” Pond says.
“There’s always an opportunity to innovate and to make things better … every professional tradesperson wants to produce higher-quality results and to deliver these results in every job they do. It is part of their DNA. Our people are excited to be part of this dynamic which inspires creativity in our new product development. It really is a fun process to watch take hold.
“You need to be able to tap creativity. You need to be able to trigger inspiration. You need to be able to inspire enthusiasm for the business. These are essential cultural elements and come to life in the day-to-day activities at RIDGID®.
“That’s what our customers expect, and it’s a great responsibility for us to live up to.”
How to reach: Ridge Tool Co., RIDGID.com
Takeaways:
- Position your company.
- Strengthen customer/partner relationships.
- Leverage technology and best practices.
The Pond File
Name: Fred Pond
Title: President
Company: Ridge Tool Co. (RIDGID®)
Born: Youngstown
Education: Bachelor of science degree at Phillips University and a master’s degree in business administration at Baldwin-Wallace College.
What was your first job?
My brother had a large Plain Dealer route, and so I assisted him. My first formal job was as a golf caddy. I was probably 13 years old when I first started. It was a few dollars a bag. If you carried doubles, you may have been lucky to make $10 to $12 that day.
What is the best advice you ever received?
It’s truly important to have true passion for what you’re doing. I have been fortunate to have the privilege of running such an incredible company with talented, passionate and dedicated people surrounding me. It’s great fun to watch people develop; to see the ‘aha’ moments. It’s also great fun to solve the problems.
Who do admire in business?
We are a proud division of Emerson. As such, I have been fortunate to learn from some great business minds and been schooled in strong management processes. What’s also been fascinating in recent years is the advent of many disruptive business models, such as Uber. It reminds us all of the values of looking at business with open eyes.
What is your definition of business success?
Wow, that’s a tough one, since you can measure success in many ways. Somebody said you plan to win, you prepare to win, and you expect to win in business. I think that’s what people want to do. Business is about winning, not measured in terms of sales or profits necessarily, but in terms of people who want to be part of something that they can be proud of. That’s certainly true of the Ridge Tool Co.
