BizVoice November/December 2016

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102 BizVoice/Indiana Chamber – November/December 2016
When soldiers were returning home after World War II, some
were moving into homes built by the newly-formed Whitley
Manufacturing Co., in South Whitley.
The company (still in South Whitley, but with additional
locations in Rochester, Indiana; Marysville, Washington; and Leola,
Pennsylvania) evolved over the years to focus on office buildings.
Whitley Manufacturing still does work for the military and
government. But it is also involved in commercial modular buildings
for industries such as education, health care, industrial, and multi-
family homes and dormitories, according to vice president and general
counsel Drew Welborn.
If you’ve seen “oversize load” trucks barreling down the highway
towing modular buildings on wheels, you might have seen a Whitley
Manufacturing product.
President and CEO Simon Dragan purchased the company in the
early 1990s and has expanded its footprint across the country and the
world. Whitley Manufacturing has about 80 employees in Whitley
County and about 250 nationwide.
“I think the big, pivotal moment was when (Dragan) took over,”
Welborn notes. “He’s very entrepreneurial and willing to try new ideas,
and I think that’s really helped the company grow. We have four facilities,
but in the last year we bought a company out of New York called
Capsys, which does high-rise residential apartments, high-rise apartments.”
The acquisition will allow the company to move into a new
avenue of construction and attempt to stay at the forefront of a highly
competitive market.
Dragan, via email, describes the philosophy on keeping up with a
changing industry.
“Even before we started the company, the market (modular
construction) has been evolving and expanding. For us, it’s a matter of how
we face these challenges that make all the difference. We try to take a
proactive approach; have the right people in the right positions who
continually develop new and innovative products for the customer,” he says.
“That’s the best way to take advantage of emerging opportunities.
And it’s the only way to be a leader in this industry.”
Whitley Manufacturing Co., Inc.
RESOURCE: Simon Dragan and Drew Welborn, Whitley Manufacturing Co. Inc., at
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Whitley Manufacturing Co., Inc. began with a humble mission – to build
modular homes for soldiers returning from World War II. It now constructs
everything from commercial modular buildings to multi-family homes
and dormitories.