Women’s History Month: Celebrating Amazing Women in Business

Women’s History Month is the perfect time to celebrate the women who paved the path for women all over the world and created so many opportunities that we continue to enjoy to this day. As a female-owned company with many women on our staff, UMP is extremely grateful for the opportunities that these women have created. Universal Metal Products would not be the company it is today without the historical female trailblazers who fought against societal norms and overcame adversity to achieve greatness.

We invite you to join us in celebrating Women’s History Month by acknowledging the women who have helped to shape the business landscape, particularly those who have broken through the glass ceiling and challenged societal norms to make the world a better place for women everywhere.

Celebrating Historical Women in Business

There have been so many women who have shaped the business world that it’s hard to list them all! With that said, here is a list of some of the most important women in the history of business: 

  • Madam C.J. Walker: Born Sarah Breedlove, she overcame poverty and hardship to become America’s first self-made female millionaire. Madam C.J. Walker developed a revolutionary line of hair-care products and cosmetics specifically designed for black women. Her business empire not only broke financial barriers but championed entrepreneurship and social justice within the black community.
  • Olive Ann Beech: Often referred to as the “First Lady of Aviation”, Olive Ann Beech played a pivotal role in shaping the aviation industry. In 1932, she co-founded Beech Aircraft Corporation alongside her husband. Upon his passing, she stepped up as president and CEO, demonstrating remarkable business savvy. Under her guidance, Beech Aircraft became a powerhouse of general aviation, and during World War II, a vital supplier of military aircraft with over 7,400 planes built for the war effort. Beech’s leadership expanded the company’s influence in both civilian and military aviation sectors, leaving a lasting impact on the industry.
  • Estée Lauder: This visionary entrepreneur began by selling homemade skincare products and built a global beauty empire that still bears her name. 
  • Elizabeth Arden: A fierce rival of Estée Lauder, Florence Nightingale Graham (known as Elizabeth Arden) pioneered the concept of the modern beauty salon. She revolutionized the industry by blending skincare, cosmetics, and a focus on the complete beauty experience.
  • Coco Chanel: Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel rose from humble beginnings to become a fashion icon. Her designs epitomized modern elegance and liberated women from the restrictive corsets of her time. Her influence reached beyond clothing into jewelry, fragrances, and accessories, building one of the most recognizable luxury brands in the world.
  • Oprah Winfrey: A broadcasting titan, Oprah created a self-made media empire encompassing television, magazines, film production, and philanthropy. From her groundbreaking talk show to her global book club, Oprah Winfrey’s influence has transcended the business world, inspiring and empowering millions around the globe.

About UMP

Universal Metal Products is a female-owned company that helps with the creation of metal components for the automotive, appliance, and industrial industries. We are able to create a variety of custom and standard components for vehicles, HVAC units, refrigerators, electronics, sub pumps, and much more. Along with volunteering, championing noble causes, and charity, we value equality. This is why we focus on creating a culture of inclusivity. We do this by offering family-friendly policies and work shift hours, equal pay for equal work, and a dedication to providing a positive and harassment-free workplace environment. 

We hope you join us in celebrating Women’s History Month by learning more about the amazing women who have shaped history and the women who continue to break new ground, innovate, and lead their teams to success.

If you are looking for metal stamping services, contact us! We’d be happy to speak with you. We proudly work with female-led and operated companies and people of all backgrounds and ethnicities. 

To learn more about our employment opportunities visit our Careers page today.

It’s American Heart Month! Join UMP in Recognizing the Importance of Heart Health

At UMP, heart health is something we take to heart (pun intended). Along with our ongoing dedication to providing clients with high-quality metal components, we also are proud of our focus on our community and raising awareness for conditions that affect us all. 

Heart health is of the utmost importance, but many people aren’t aware of how to best take care of their heart and prevent health issues like heart disease and heart attacks. For some quick tips to better support your heart health, consider the tools and materials provided by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. These important resources could literally save your life! 

UMP encourages our customers and partners to spread awareness of American Heart Month and what can best be done to prevent heart-related illnesses. Some additional resources to consider include: 

Supporting Heart Health Through Donations: The UMP Foundation

UMP understands how important it is to support organizations that serve the needs of those most at risk, research cures, treat ailments, and serve the underprivileged. In order to help those in need, Universal Metal Products founded The UMP Foundation. 

The UMP Foundation is a non-profit that was established back in 2004 with the mission of contributing financial support to top charitable organizations, including those that help treat patients with heart-related issues. Through The UMP Foundation, UMP employees are able to set aside money from their paychecks to contribute to charitable causes. This allows our employees to make a huge impact on the world around them.

These causes are selected by the UMP Foundation Committee on a quarterly basis. Some of the organizations The UMP Foundation has donated to include: 

  • The Lake Health Foundation
  • University Hospitals
  • Cleveland Clinic Foundation

About UMP

Universal Metal Products is a female-owned company that helps with the creation of metal components for the automotive, appliance, and industrial industries. We are able to create a variety of custom and standard components for vehicles, HVAC units, refrigerators, electronics, sub pumps, and much more. Along with volunteering, championing noble causes, and charity, we value equality. This is why we focus on creating a culture of inclusivity. We do this by offering family-friendly policies and work shift hours, equal pay for equal work, and a dedication to providing a positive and harassment-free workplace environment. 

We hope you join us in celebrating American Heart Month by donating to a top heart health awareness and/or treatment services charity, or by simply spreading awareness of the issue by sharing the links above with your loved ones.

If you are looking for metal stamping services, contact us! We’d be happy to speak with you. We proudly work with female-led and operated companies and people of all backgrounds and ethnicities. 
To learn more about our employment opportunities visit our Careers page today.

UMP Aims to Raise Awareness During Diabetes Awareness Month

As part of our ongoing dedication to not only providing clients with high-quality metal components but also supporting those in need, UMP would like to acknowledge Diabetes Awareness Month by spreading the word about this serious and chronic disease.

As many as 1 in 10 Americans suffer from diabetes, with another 1 in 3 American adults being prediabetic. These statistics illustrate just how important it is for all of us to stand up and fight diabetes through awareness and support for organizations that look to combat both the effects and the causes.  

Many people are unaware of what diabetes is, who it affects, and what symptoms to look out for. For more information about diabetes and to support the fight to end diabetes, consider checking out the American Diabetes Association website. There you will find more about what diabetes is, who it affects, how diabetes can be managed, and more. 

Supporting Diabetics Through Donations: The UMP Foundation

UMP understands how important it is to support organizations that serve the needs of those most at risk, research cures, treat ailments, and serve the underprivileged. In order to help those in need, Universal Metal Products founded The UMP Foundation. 

The UMP Foundation is a non-profit that was established back in 2004 with the mission of contributing financial support to top charitable organizations, including those that help treat patients with diabetes. Through The UMP Foundation, UMP employees are able to set aside money from their paychecks to contribute to charitable causes. This allows our employees to make a huge impact on the world around them.

These causes are selected by the UMP Foundation Committee on a quarterly basis. Some of the organizations The UMP Foundation has donated to include: 

  • Lake Health Foundation
  • University Hospitals
  • Cleveland Clinic Foundation

About UMP

Universal Metal Products is a female-owned company that helps with the creation of metal components for the automotive, appliance, and industrial industries. We are able to create a variety of custom and standard components for vehicles, HVAC units, refrigerators, electronics, sub pumps, and much more. Along with volunteering, championing noble causes, and charity, we value equality. This is why we focus on creating a culture of inclusivity. We do this by offering family-friendly policies and work shift hours, equal pay for equal work, and a dedication to providing a positive and harassment-free workplace environment. 

UMP cares about our clients, our staff, and the members of our community. We hope you join us in celebrating Diabetes Awareness Month by donating to a top diabetes awareness and treatment services charity. Remember, every dollar counts! 

If you would like to donate to the American Diabetes Association, click HERE: American Diabetes Association | Research, Education, Advocacy

If you are looking for metal stamping services, contact us! We’d be happy to speak with you. We proudly work with female-led and operated companies and people of all backgrounds and ethnicities. 
To learn more about our employment opportunities visit our Careers page today.

The Recent Rise of Reshoring: Why It’s Happening and Who to Contact for Domestic Metal Stamping in North America

Both providers of metal components and consumers have likely noticed a recent trend—reshoring. For those that aren’t aware of the term, reshoring (also known as onshoring or inshoring) is the process of moving manufacturing back to a company’s country of origin. This includes the United States. 

The “why” behind this is due to a few main things. One is the recent supply chain scare that everyone experienced in 2021/2022, and the post-COVID supply chain hangover. This has led manufacturers to want to move their plants closer to their point of consumption to reduce the risk of delayed deliveries while providing more support to fluctuating demand schedules. 

By choosing localized suppliers like UMP, consumers don’t need to buy components from overseas, saving them from the time and risk of getting those components to NA (North American) manufacturing locations that comes with overseas purchasing. When properly evaluated, it’s easy to see that the landed cost of components in NA is very close to parity with those sourced in low-cost countries.

Risk is just as big of a factor as predictability. If a consumer is bringing a component into NA from offshore which might take 6 weeks once it’s put on a boat, what happens if the longshoremen strike or the ports back up like they did in 2021/22?  Saving 0.02% on parts means nothing if those parts are delayed for an extended period of time.

Another main reason for the growth in reshoring is USMCA (formerly NAFTA) legislation that increased the requirements for manufacturers regarding “domestic content.” The USMCA legislation is a trade agreement between the United States, Mexico, and Canada that replaced the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 2020. One of the changes that the USMCA introduced was an increase in the requirements for manufacturers regarding “domestic content”. This means that a certain percentage of the materials or components used to produce a product must originate from one of the USMCA countries in order to qualify for preferential tariff treatment.

UMP (Universal Metal Products) is positioned well, with US/NA manufacturing locations that meet the requirements of “domestic content” that major OEMs want to see. This, combined with UMP’s minority ownership status, makes UMP an excellent option for OEMs of all sizes. 

UMP is a female-owned company that helps with the creation of metal components for the automotive, appliance, and industrial industries. We are able to create a variety of custom and standard components for vehicles, HVAC units, refrigerators, electronics, sub pumps, and much more. UMP is based in the United States, and our local manufacturing allows for superior production with on-time deliveries. You’ll receive the highest-quality, custom metal stamping products and services provided by a North American company that specializes in top-quality production within a timely delivery schedule. 

If you are looking for metal stamping services, contact us! We’d be happy to speak with you. We proudly work with female-led and operated companies and people of all backgrounds and ethnicities. 
To learn more about our employment opportunities visit our Careers page today.

UMP Celebrates National Safety Month with an Ongoing Commitment to Workplace Safety

Did you know June is National Safety Month? This holiday was created in 1996 by the National Safety Council with the intention of bringing awareness to proper safety practices and health hazards in the workplace. It serves as a great reminder both for business owners and employees about how important safety precautions are to ensure everyone’s safety.

As Universal Metal Products has an outstanding and complex factory that creates metal components, safety is paramount to our day-to-day operations. This means ensuring the flooring is dry, tripping hazards are addressed quickly, and all workplace safety mandates are not only met but exceeded. Our goal at UMP—in everything we do—is to go above and beyond and pay attention to the details. That’s how we’ve created a safe and enjoyable working environment where our workers are able to provide outstanding services without having to fear for their safety. This means more focus on creating your components and less time worrying about tripping, falling, slipping, or other injuries.

We are committed to continuing to create a safe workplace for our employees and we are proud of our staff for their adherence to proper safety measures. 

About Universal Metal Products

Universal Metal Products is a female-owned company that provides metal component creation services for the automotive, industrial, and appliance industries. We are able to create a variety of custom and standard components for vehicles, HVAC units, electronics, refrigerators, sub pumps, and much more. 

UMP is based in the United States, and we are proud of our American heritage. With that said, we are also grateful for the opportunity to work closely with our international customers (including our incredible customers in Latin America). We believe strongly in equality, inclusivity, and fairness in the workplace—regardless of race, sex, religion, or nationality. We are also proud to hire veterans!

If you are looking for metal stamping services, contact us! We’d be happy to speak with you. We proudly work with female-led and operated companies, veteran-owned companies, and people of all backgrounds and ethnicities. 
To learn more about our employment opportunities visit our Careers page today.

National Hispanic Heritage Month: What Our Hispanic Employees and Clients Mean to Us

It’s officially National Hispanic Heritage Month, and Universal Metal Products has decided to celebrate by honoring our amazing Hispanic employees and clients. 

From our plant workers to members of management, we are proud of the outstanding work provided by our employees of Hispanic and Latino descent. Having a plant in Texas, our staff is very diverse. Many of our employees are bi-lingual, which is particularly helpful since we ship internationally to Mexico and Latin America. 

We are happy to provide services for our Hispanic and Latino clients. They are extremely accommodating and wonderful to work with. We are grateful for all of the business we receive from clients in Latin America, along with our clients in the United States and other regions.

It is extremely important to provide employees from all backgrounds with opportunities for growth. Regional managers, plant supervisors, and employees in many other positions have been able to grow with Universal Metal Products. This includes members of the Hispanic community that we employ. We recognize the outstanding work provided by our employees, and it’s our goal to reward our top workers with not only praise but promotions and new opportunities. Developing a phenomenal workforce is done by encouraging our team to reach their full potential, while also showing them that there is plenty of opportunity for growth in the company. 

Universal Metal Products is a female-owned company that provides metal stamping and manufacturing services for our clients. This includes the creation of metal components for the appliance, automotive, and industrial industries. We are able to create a variety of custom and standard components for vehicles, HVAC units, refrigerators, electronics, sub pumps, and much more. 

UMP offers many new career opportunities in different areas of the country. If you are interested in working for Universal Metal Products, visit our Careers page. Being bi-lingual is a major plus! 

Thank you again to all of our employees and clients of Hispanic and Latino descent. We appreciate you greatly and are happy you are a part of the Universal Metal Products community. 

If you are looking for metal stamping services, contact us! We’d be happy to speak with you. We proudly work with Latin American companies and people of all backgrounds and ethnicities. 
To learn more about our employment opportunities visit our Careers page today.