Our Culture Book

REINVENTING MANUFACTURING
THROUGH PEOPLE

A Letter From Our CEO

At Wallbank Industrial, we often talk about our vision, values, and culture. But I want to be clear, these aren't just words written in this booklet or hanging on our walls. They are the standard by which we make decisions, measure progress, and hold ourselves accountable.

We believe what we have outlined here is only real when it is lived. When people can see it in how leaders lead, how teams work together, and how we treat our customers and community. For us, that means caring about people, investing in growth, and leaning into challenges rather than taking the easy path because we know it'll result in greater impact.

This booklet captures what we stand for, but more importantly is how we are intentionally bringing this to life through our people and the impact we are making.

It's the reality we're striving to live every day in our personal and professional lives.

Chris Wallbank
President & CEO

BUILDING BETTER, TOGETHER

Wallbank Industrial exists to bring together like-minded manufacturing companies under one vision, one set of values, and shared ways of working.

Today, we touch 400 million lives every year, but what drives us most is the impact we create within our own walls: how we grow people, strengthen teams, and build businesses that last.

Our Story

Then & Now

THEN

In 1954 Phil Wallbank, a spring-maker from England, immigrated to Canada with his wife Betty and young children to accept a foreman position at a spring factory in Ontario. It was a complete disappointment to discover that the factory turned out to be a few machines in a garage. Having sold everything to make the trip to Canada, returning to England was not an option.

After a short time Phil decided to start his own company. In 1955, PJ Wallbank Manufacturing was founded. With a few orders and a $300 bank loan he went to work in the basement of the old farmhouse in which the family was living. Springs were tempered in the kitchen oven and machines were made from old washing machine motors and other hardware scraps. PJ Wallbank Manufacturing became a successful spring company and remains in business today.

In the late 1970's, automakers were looking for a better option than using loose, single springs in their transmission clutches. In 1982, PJ Wallbank Springs Inc. (PJWS) was founded in Port Huron, Michigan by Mel Wallbank specifically to meet this need. Since then, PJWS has exclusively focused on the manufacture of spring packs. Today, PJWS supplies spring packs to customers all around the world. Chris Wallbank is now responsible for leading PJWS.

NOW

For over 40 years, PJWS has been the only company in the world who specializes in clutch return spring packs. This laser sharp focus, combined with the effort of great people, has enabled us to be the global leader in our market. We currently employ more than 120 employees, with annual revenues of approximately $45M. Millions of our products are shipped within the United States and we also have business in Europe, Canada, Mexico, and China.

PJWS collaborates with our customers all around the world in product development and then manufacture these products on proprietary manufacturing equipment and processes we design and build internally.

In 2020, after a period of rapid, triple digit-growth with PJWS, Chris Wallbank founded Wallbank Industrial. The concept is simple. Build a group of manufacturing companies who independently have a distinct competitive advantage and unite them under a common vision, set of values, and key operating practices.

Success for us is not a transaction. We are not looking for an exit and our model doesn't require it. Our intent is to build for the long term and enable the businesses in Wallbank Industrial to exist in perpetuity.

We're building something bigger than ourselves.
Better than what exists today.

Our Why

For too long, this industry has been marked by outdated practices and a disregard for the people who make it run. It doesn't have to be this way. We believe that this industry can be the platform for building something great. For making a significant, positive impact on the world.

For us, manufacturing isn't just about building products. It's about building better lives. For our employees, this means opportunity, respect, and growth. For the world, it means proving that manufacturing can, and should, be a force for good.

We're here to show that people make the difference, that how we work and treat each other matters, and that by relentlessly pursuing "better," we can inspire others to see this industry—and themselves—in a new light.

We're building something bigger than ourselves. Better than what exists today. A manufacturing environment in which we create a ripple effect of lasting positive impact, through not just our products, but our people.

It's a lofty goal, but a worthy one. We're raising the bar in the manufacturing industry. Reinventing an industry with antiquated practices into one you can count on for growth, fulfillment, and impact. This is no easy pursuit, and one that requires hard work, but is unquestionably worth fighting for.

Our Vision

We will enable an exceptional team to create significant enduring value for the organization itself, and our people's lives, through the relentless pursuit of better. Our actions will reinvent what's possible in our industry, inspiring others to follow our lead.

Our Strategy

Our Strategy Flywheel

Our Beliefs

We believe the foundation for pursuing our vision starts with attracting, developing, and retaining hungry, humble, smart people who are aligned with our vision and values.

We believe the growth of our people starts with their desire to relentlessly pursue being the best they can possibly be and is accelerated through intentional development and coaching.

This approach not only enables growth and subsequent future opportunities for our people, it strengthens our teams and ultimately our organization.

We believe that highly engaged employees who relentlessly pursue better, will deliver impressive results that grow/widen our competitive advantage(s).

Performance within the business, as measured by the organization's profitability level, cash generation, and customer satisfaction is how we generate further resources and earn the right to make the impact we want and enable new possibilities for the organization's future.

We believe we will create a ripple effect of lasting, positive change in the industry by clearly demonstrating that the lives of our people improve through an organizational culture built on the pursuit of better.

While the results in pursuit of better clearly matter, how these results are achieved matter to us just as much as the results themselves.

80%

Employee Engagement

We are proud that our score far exceeds the 30% average as measured by Gallup. But, we don't intend to stop at 80%. We are always striving to improve our employee experience.

Hear what our team has to say about working here:

The ideas and values behind PJWS are not something that you can find anywhere you go.

The people I work with I really enjoy…everyone is willing to teach and help support however they can.

You can grow here. You're not just a number.

I have never worked for a company of this caliber. PJWS has definitely set the bar for other manufacturing companies.

I feel respected. This is by far an excellent company to work for on all levels.

HOW WE DO THINGS IS AS
IMPORTANT AS WHAT WE DO.

Our Core Values

Core values are the beliefs we share as a team about what really matters. They guide how we treat each other, make decisions, and show up every day—especially when things get tough. They're not just words on a wall—they're the "how" behind everything we do.

Inspired by Patrick Lencioni, we believe in the IDEAL TEAM PLAYER, and this is what it means to us:

HUNGRY

Hungry means never settling. We're driven to learn, challenge, and push for better always chasing impact, not just effort. Curiosity fuels us, results define us.

  • Hungry to learn
  • Hungry to challenge the status quo
  • Hungry for results
  • Hungry to make an impact
HUMBLE

Humble means putting others before ourself. We show up ready to learn, ready to listen, and ready to be coached because growth matters to us.

  • Lacks ego
  • Puts others first
  • Adopts a rookie mindset
  • Coachable
SMART

Smart means capable in what we do and how we work with others. We're skilled and thoughtful because results come from both competence in our role and how we engage with others.

  • Skilled & capable with people
  • Skilled & capable at their job

We're not just building products
—we're building people.

Driven to Change Lives

We expect our leaders to live out six core traits that define what it takes to succeed in our culture—and to keep deepening them every day. Those who aspire to lead are expected to pursue these traits. Here, leadership isn't about ego or paycheck—it's about growing people, changing lives, and building the future together.

LEADER TRAITS

  • Care About People
  • Think Like an Owner
  • Continuously Learn & Grow
  • Drive for Results
  • Passion for Impact
  • Lead with Intention
  • 1
    CARE ABOUT PEOPLE
    Treat others with empathy and respect by believing in them and their potential. Be an exceptional listener and act with integrity and humility no matter the situation. Maintain expectations of others at the highest levels, out of respect for them and what great people can and should achieve. Put others first. Care about and recognize their success. Always look for opportunities to empower others and help them to grow and develop. Be there for others, especially in challenging times. Take time to get to know others and what is important to them. Use your resources and abilities to offer support.
  • 2
    THINK LIKE AN OWNER
    Approach your role with the mindset of a small business owner, where details matter. Recognize that our existence is driven by our customers and never lose sight of that fundamental truth. Be driven to challenge the status quo, seek out ways to continuously improve, and add more value to our customers. Understand that simplicity often leads to the most effective solutions—though not at the expense of careful thought and consideration. Have a strong disdain for bureaucracy or the inefficiencies of big company behavior. Believe deeply in accountability, to ourselves and to our team. A strong sense of cost consciousness is essential, always thinking through the cost/benefit trade-offs of our decisions.
  • 3
    CONTINUOUSLY LEARN & GROW
    Make learning a regular, intentional habit driven from a natural curiosity about the world and an insatiable desire to never stop growing and getting better at what you do. Instead of waiting for opportunities to learn and be challenged, new experiences and regular feedback are proactively sought and applied. Takes time to offer feedback and coaching to others to help them realize their full potential. Understands that true failure isn't defined by losing in the short term, but by failing to learn from each experience and applying those lessons over time. Examine wins to reflect on what worked and seek ways to repeat it. With the awareness that success tomorrow is never promised, progress is humbly acknowledged and not taken for granted. Always remember where you came from as you pursue getting better.
  • 4
    DRIVE FOR RESULTS
    Understand that ambitious goals are critical, hard work is essential, and there are no shortcuts to success. Strive to execute at the highest level, always holding yourself to rigorous standards. Demonstrate grit through discipline, consistently do what you say you will do, and persevere in the face of obstacles. Lead by example and know that you set the tone for your team. Support your team to build resilience and discipline. Create an environment that is performance-focused and driven by results. Run toward challenges because it's an opportunity for growth, development, and impact.
  • 5
    PASSION FOR IMPACT
    Relentlessly pursue excellence, knowing that those content with the status quo or "good enough" are not the right fit for this path. Have a deep desire to do something truly great and to leave a lasting mark on the world, creating a future that wouldn't have existed without your contributions. Be committed to long-term success, make decisions that prioritize the future rather than focusing on short-term results aimed at simply getting through the month or quarter. Do your part to make an impact through people, enriching their lives and empowering them to reach their fullest potential. Champion our vision and inspire others (internally and externally) to want to help realize it.
  • 6
    LEAD WITH INTENTION
    Believe that people are the difference. Be driven to lead a team not because it's the next rung on the ladder, but because you are deeply committed to coaching others to reach their full potential. Put other's ahead of your own needs and comfort. Recognize successes and give tough feedback. When things go well, look out the window and acknowledge the contributions of others. Conversely, when things don't go as planned, first look in the mirror and own what you could have done differently. Maintain high expectations of others and set ambitious goals because having low expectations stifles progress and kills organizational momentum. Stay committed to building trust and deepening relationships with your team to accelerate their growth, development, and impact on the things we care about.

NET CREATOR OF LEADERS TO THE WORLD

Our Leaders aren't chasing a title, they're chasing impact.

They're smart enough to realize we don't grow our business at the expense of people. We grow because of them. This is a core belief that is often on our minds. In the shower. On a morning run. While driving home.

Each day, we're energized to do more.

We lead not for our own ego but for the betterment of others. Our leaders love to be coached as much as they like to coach. We run towards problems, work well with others to solve challenges, and help people grow faster than they thought possible. Our leaders never hesitate to roll-up their sleeves and contribute individually. We think in systems, and leaders take responsibility for more than their job description.

We're not motivated by a paycheck.

We're driven to change lives.

How We Are Different

GROWTH

We grow businesses and people. At Wallbank Industrial, success isn't about quick wins, it's about building something with staying power. We unite strong companies under a shared vision, values and the proven key practices we used to growth PJWS for decades. We also invest in people—helping them build their skills, grow as leaders, and take ownership of their work. We measure success in decades, not quarters. Growth for us means creating lasting impact and legacy.

ACQUISITION GROWTH STRATEGY | TALENT DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM

PLANNING

We don't plan just to check boxes. We plan to push limits. For us, goals aren't about playing it safe; they're about aiming high enough to make us uncomfortable. If we hit every goal, that tells us we're not aiming high enough. We dream big, set bold targets, and measure progress weekly so we can adjust, rally, and support each other when things get tough. For us, planning isn't perfection. It's the discipline that turns ambition into impact.

ANNUAL OBJECTIVES | QUARTERLY ROCKS | LEVEL-10S | MY ACTION PLAN

PERFORMANCE

Average isn't in our vocabulary. We know that the best people are hungry to work alongside others like them, and we rise to meet that standard. Performance here means delivering impressive results while living our values. We reward growth with opportunity, challenges, and the chance to share in the value created. And when someone isn't the right fit, we coach, support, and treat people with respect as they transition. We aren't ruthless, we're rigorous and fair when it comes to performance because it's critical to building better.

QUARTERLY CHECK-INS | WEEKLY TOUCHPOINTS | PERSONALIZED COACHING

LEARNING

We don't believe in training where you sit in a classroom and listen to a lecture. We believe in hands-on, real-world learning where discovery, dialogue, and practice drive the kind of insights, that fuel real skill building and behavior change. For us, intentional learning is perpetual, never a one-time event. It's a way of growing people and the business together. Learning fuels our progress and progress is how we keep building better.

PERPETUAL LEARNING | FRONTLINE LEADER PROGRAM | ROUNDTABLES

FEEDBACK

We don't see feedback as a formality. It's how we build better. At Wallbank Industrial, everyone is empowered to suggest improvements to our operations and culture, because progress comes from ideas at every level. Monthly listening sessions with our CEO keep voices heard, while recognition keeps engagement strong. Feedback here isn't just going through the motions. It's about continuous improvement, grounded innovation, and making things better in ways that last.

MONTHLY LISTENING SESSIONS | WALLBANK SPOTLIGHT RECOGNITION

LONGEVITY

Building better means our benefits don't just provide care for people when they're sick—we help them stay well in the first place. At Wallbank Industrial, we're investing in longevity and saving lives. From monthly workshops for employees and families to wellness challenges, coaching, and discounts for participation, we invest in keeping our people healthy in mind and body. Our focus on longevity is a responsibility and one that has the power to save lives.

HEALTH COACHES | ONSITE MOBILE CLINICS | PROACTIVE BODY SCANNING

We're rewriting the story of manufacturing.
What part will you play?

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