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HANDS-ON TRAINING PREPARES STUDENT
A CUSTOMIZED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM helps RIDGE TOOL COMPANY train tomorr Ridge Tool Company, the maker of RIDGID-branded products, knows how to manufacture tools that stand the test of time. The company invented its first pipe wrench in 1923, and it is still a favorite among plumbers today. The leaders of Ridge Tool know exactly why their tools hold their value: they solve problems. “In the early 1900s, there was no convenient way to hold a pipe, and that meant plumbers were banging their knuckles during installs and repairs. Our pipe wrench solved that problem,” said Joe Hofferth, plant manager at RIDGID. “That original design is
WINTER 2022
still used on jobsites today, yet as a company we’ve evolved with our customers to create the advanced tools they also need – tools that solve problems using technology, connectivity, and more.” Today, Ridge Tool and manufacturing companies nationwide face their own problem: A shortage of skilled labor that’s exacerbated by an aging workforce. Ridge Tool’s solution, in part, is building a foundation for the future of skilled talent through apprenticeship programs. “As a company, we view ourselves as not simply tool
