Integrated Fabrication & Machine sits just outside Greenville in a 74,000-square-foot facility where the hum of welders, grinders and CNC equipment sets the pace for a company that plays a real role in keeping the nation’s power grid running.
How the Company Got Its Start
Before the busy shop floor and growing workforce, the company began with a major step from Brent Ward, President/Owner, and his wife Diane Ward, Chief Financial Officer. They bought the assets of JEB Fabricating and used that foundation to build what is now Integrated.
The business has evolved steadily since then, expanding its capabilities and developing a reputation for quality work that supports critical power grid components.
A Shop Floor with Every Skill Under One Roof
Today the company employs about 60 people across a wide range of roles. The shop floor includes laborers, grinders, burn table operators, saw operators, welders and machinists along with a team of office personnel who support the work happening out on the floor.
Once those roles are laid out, the next question for any job seeker is simple. Is there room to grow?
Ashley Smith, HR Manager at Integrated, explained that the company doesn’t just allow career movement but encourages it.
“One of our best welders started out as a grinder,” she said. “We’ve brought people up to group leader positions and even moved people from the floor into office roles. If someone shows up, learns and puts in the effort, there are so many places they can go here.”
A Culture That Feels Like Family
That sense of opportunity connects directly to the culture that the Ward’s shaped from the beginning.
“I’d say it’s definitely a family culture,” she said. “Brent and Diane care about people in a way you don’t find everywhere. I always tell candidates they won’t find owners who care the way these two do.”
Jason Minnich,Vice President of Operations at Integrated, highlighted how meaningful the company’s work is to the team.
“We serve the power grid, so people here know how important our work is,” he said. “They take pride in it.”
Training the Next Generation
Integrated partners with colleges like Thiel College and City College, welcoming students for tours and hands on exposure to manufacturing.
“We have an open-door policy for any college or high school that wants to come in here,” said Ward.
While the company hasn’t added formal job shadowing or shop floor internships yet, they recently hosted two office interns and hope to expand opportunities as demand grows.
Why Integrated Joined LMMC
Hiring challenges are common across the region, and Smith said it has been no different for them.
“There’s not a lot of kids going into manufacturing out of school,” she said. “A lot choose the college route or the military. We want to work with LMMC to help people stay in this area and choose manufacturing.”
For Integrated, supporting LMMC is more than membership. It is a way to invest in the community they call home and ensure that the next generation sees a future here.
And in a place where the work keeps the nation’s power grid running, that future is not just bright, it is essential.
