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] |
