How Leadership Drives Longevity at EDCO
For 65 years, EDCO has been synonymous with building high-quality, made-in-USA equipment that continually meets and exceeds the needs of its rental customers. With core organizational beliefs rooted in training, quality & safety, technology, and American manufacturing, it is no surprise that the past 65 years have included tremendous growth and success.
While focusing on innovation and change is critical to ensuring a business’s longevity, EDCO takes it one step further by never losing sight of the foundation upon which it was built in 1959. It recognizes that if your company values are structured sustainably, a lot can stay the same across 65 years.
“The change has been phenomenal,” states Sue Stanczyk, co-owner and daughter of co-founder Leo Swan of EDCO. “But the goal has always been the customer first, always. That has never changed.”
Prioritizing Customer Service & Quality
What started as a two-person company building one product out of a garage is now an international full-manufacturing company with over 30 products, all driven by the specific needs of its customers.
“Every need we see, we try to fill,” Stanczyk adds.
“Our philosophy has always stayed the same. Our customers are our most important goal – keeping them happy.”
Jason Stanczyk, President of EDCO
With a desire to be their customers’ most trusted vendor, EDCO maintains a strict commitment to providing customers with safe, long-lasting products that support their success. The EDCO leadership team recognizes that its business doesn’t exist without its customers and fosters a service environment where no purchaser is left with an unanswered question.
“We realized we couldn’t just build equipment and sell it,” notes Bill Harding, co-owner and son of co-founder Ed Harding of EDCO. “We had to educate the people on what the equipment would do and how they could make money with it. So that became a very key factor for EDCO – to go out and train and educate the people.”
That customer service model has also always focused on manufacturing American-made products of the highest quality, with a constant eye on any improvements that can be made.
“We’re always trying to upgrade to make [our products] better. Our equipment has always been built rental-tough and has served the market well,” Harding adds.
Ensuring a Positive Working Environment
As a family-owned company in its third generation of leadership, EDCO’s idea of a family working environment extends beyond the executive level, with the knowledge that employee retention is about making team members feel like a part of the bigger picture.
“What hasn’t changed [at EDCO] is our focus on family,” adds Jason Stanczyk, President and grandson of co-founder Leo Swan at EDCO. “When you come to work, you are in this family. We have always focused on our people.”
The company’s heads feel a deep sense of responsibility to their employees and mindfully invest in the growth and development of their team and processes to ensure that everyone who comes to work for them can do so with confidence and comfort in their leadership.
“As simple as this sounds, we provide a friendly, consistent, safe place to work,” Jason adds.
While safety with machinery and on the manufacturing floor is a top priority, Jason notes that the concept of employee safety at EDCO extends well beyond that.
“We build people up. We provide them a sense of security and make them feel valued.”
That leadership investment in staff also includes their continued commitment to manufacturing their products in America, ensuring job security for their Frederick, MD-based manufacturing team.
“[EDCO] was born here, it has stayed here, and it will stay here.”
Bill Harding, Co-Owner of EDCO
Jason echoes that sentiment, “One of our core values is ‘Stayed in America,’ working together and building together.”
Investing in a Family-Owned Company
Part of EDCO’s long-lasting success is due to a leadership team that learned every part of the business from the ground up from the original generation who founded the company – their fathers and grandfathers.
“As long as I can remember, EDCO has been a part of my life,” Sue notes. “And everything that needed to be done, I did.”
Both Harding and Jason express the same sentiments and fondly remember their early years at EDCO, from the mail room to accounting, purchasing, customer service, marketing, and every department in between. Out of respect for the company’s first generation, they pledged to learn the full breadth of the business before stepping into leadership roles, understanding that knowledge would empower them to be stronger, more effective leaders and allow for strategic growth of operations, employee retention, and effective messaging of the company’s goals and purpose.
“Every day I get up, and I enjoy coming to work,” adds Jason. “This is more of a mission to me, to keep this going.”
With plans to continue adapting their product lines through innovative techniques to serve customer needs, furthering educational & training opportunities for their customers and staff, and capitalizing on increased brand recognition, Sue Stanczyk and Harding believe EDCO is positioned perfectly for the long haul.
Sue notes “The success of the company is the next generation and how they are looking at trends, how they are changing the way we thought about the industry for many years. I’m so proud of this company and everybody in it.” “We have our people in place to continue, to go on, and have EDCO thrive for years,” Harding adds.