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Modern manufacturing will play a pivotal role in our long-term economic vitality.

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Michigan Ladder: Stepping Up to New Challenges

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Manufacturing in America is a $1.7 trillion enterprise. Much of that activity comes from small and mid-size manufacturers. Successful companies of all sizes continually step up to new challenges. That is true, figuratively and literally, in the case of Michigan Ladder Company, which has been manufacturing ladders in Ypsilanti, Michigan since 1901.

Michigan Ladder is the nation’s oldest full-line ladder manufacturer and distributor, and it has earned that status over the decades through an emphasis on innovation and product safety. Its customers range from construction contractors and fruit pickers to New York firefighters and the U.S. Army.

In recent decades, the company has manufactured its wood ladders in Michigan, while importing its fiberglass and aluminum models from overseas suppliers. That is about to change. The company is investing in new equipment that will allow it to begin producing fiberglass ladders in Michigan. It is a step they have considered for 20 years, and only now believe can be done economically. That investment also means that its Michigan workforce will likely expand from 20 to 30 employees over the next five years.

With a 110-year commitment to quality and innovation, plus new investment in its Michigan facilities, Michigan Ladder is a Great Manufacturing Story.