Leonhardt Manufacturing (Hanover, PA)

Platts visits employee-owned manufacturer in Hanover discusses the story of Leonhardt Manufacturing, a manufacturer of tubular products with 135 employees, and how they are nearing the second anniversary of their ESOP. The article discusses a visit from their U.S. Representative:

Platts, an advocate of ESOPs, said the ability for employees to directly benefit from quality work is the main reason he supports the concept of employee-owned business.

"You have a more direct connection to that return," he said. "It's kind of the American way."

The article also discusses the challenge of educating employees on the concept of stock ownership:

The first challenge was educating employees on the concept of stock ownership, he said.

"People don't understand what it means to be an owner," Jacobs said. "You have to gradually teach people what that means."

The company taught its employees by instituting a 14-hour training session on basic economics.

"That opened people's eyes," Jacobs said.