It is not difficult to gauge the level of success achieved by Detroit-based Bridgewater Interiors. All one has to do is look at any of the highly respected Black Enterprise magazine’s annual “Top 100 Lists” of Black-owned companies in America, and Bridgewater can be found in the “elite upper tier” of businesses based on yearly profits.
Established in 1998 as a joint venture between Epsilon Technologies LLC and Johnson Controls, Inc., Bridgewater has evolved into a premier automotive interiors company that specializes in just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing, sequencing and delivery of seating, as well as overhead and center console systems. With operational facilities in Detroit, Warren and Lansing, as well as Eastaboga, Ala., Bridgewater, a certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) company, has more than 2,000 employees and an annual revenue close to $2 billion. The company’s list of clients include General Motors, Ford Motor Company, Chrysler, and Honda Manufacturing of America.
As with many American companies — Black or White owned — the ebb and flow of the economy has been a decisive factor in determining levels of respective workforces and annual financial performances. Yet, Bridgewater has been “a bridge over troubled waters,” able to avert the severe brunt of a stubborn economy that has impacted other enterprises.
“We are very pleased as to how the company has weathered the recession and emerged well positioned for stability, and what we hope is long term growth,” said Ronald (Ron) E. Hall, Jr., Bridgewater’s vice president and general council. “A lot of companies, particularly minority business enterprises, have struggled and have had setbacks, or even had to close during this economic downturn. However, we have been able to keep all of our plants open and our people employed.”
Hall, Jr. attributes such resilience to the dedication of company employees and a core team of executives and managers, all of whom are under the leadership of Bridgewater’s top executive, his father, Ronald (Ron) E. Hall, Sr., who is company president and CEO. “This company has been my father’s life’s work for the last 15 years,” Hall, Jr. said. “I know that he sees the company as an important part of his legacy, and I know that he is very much personally committed to the company, employees, partners,and our customers.”
While the annual revenue of any company is paramount to survival, the organization prides itself in empowering the community through ongoing social, educational, and community initiatives. Through the years, Bridgewater has regularly partnered with charitable organizations and community groups that seek to improve the quality of life for adults, youths and families. Each year, Bridgewater commits more than $100,000 to such organizations as the American Diabetes Association, Detroit Police Athletic League (PAL) and the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), and more.
The company’s social missions have not gone unnoticed. Last year, UNCF presented Bridgewater with the Company of the Year Award for Bridgewater’s top fundraising efforts in supporting UNCF’s Annual Walk for Education.
In recognition of Bridgewater’s giant strides in the automotive industry, the company was the recipient of the 2013 Minority Manufacturer of the Year Award presented by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency. The award, which was presented to Bridgewater in Washington, D.C. last December, was created to pay tribute to minority entrepreneurs who have demonstrated industry leadership, business success, economic impact and community involvement.
In February of this year, U.S. Rep. Gary Peters presented Bridgewater with a congressional proclamation in honor of the company receiving the 2013 Minority Manufacturer of the Year Award.
“Small businesses are the engine of growth in our economy and strengthen our middle class,” Peters said during the presentation. “Through their dedication to diversity in the workforce and to providing good paying manufacturing jobs in the U.S., Bridgewater Interiors and CEO Ron Hall, Sr. are demonstrating how Michigan can lead the way in innovation and business and invest in our future.”
“It’s an honor to accept this recognition from Congressman Gary Peters,” said company president and CEO Ron Hall Sr. “It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire Bridgewater team and their commitment to our customers and the community we serve.”
Bridgewater Interiors will continue to advance in the industry and community under the leadership of Hall, Sr., who has been at the helm of Bridgewater since its inception. The native Detroiter, who holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Western Michigan University and an MBA from Wayne State University, is considered to be one of nation’s most respected business minds and someone who exemplifies good corporate citizenship, especially diversity in the workplace.
“Our commitment to creating a diverse environment is a top priority and a key source of our success,” Hall, Sr. said after being honored for his company’s diversity by Corp! magazine in 2012. “As an industry leader in diversity, we are able to better serve the global automotive market effectively.”
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