Industrial Nameplate Inc., Appleton, WI-  Industrial Nameplate Inc. is celebrating 60 years in business and is honoring many milestones in 2020.

First and foremost, we celebrate the life and legacy of Fred Ziegler, founder of Industrial Nameplate Inc. With many tears and broken hearts, we said goodbye to Fred in August. We are truly humbled to carry on the third generation of the business in his honor.

We are excited to announce that as of Dec. 1, 2020, Nicole Swanton has officially taken ownership and the role of President of Industrial Nameplate Inc. and Top Dog Apparel Inc. Nicole has been around the family business her entire life. She has had an active role in the company for over 15 years and she is passionate about carrying on her family’s 60-plus year legacy. We are very excited as Nicole makes the transition to the third generation president of Industrial Nameplate Inc. and Top Dog Apparel Inc.

In this role, Nicole coordinates leadership teams to ensure the success in all aspects of the business, from the accounting office to the production floor. We are in the process of implementing new technologies in our manufacturing operations to drive efficiency, growth and stability.

In addition to her new role, Nicole also serves as the vice chair in The North East Wisconsin Women in Manufacturing Chapter. Women in Manufacturing® (WiM) is the only national trade association dedicated to providing year-round support to women who have chosen a career in the manufacturing industry. At present, there are more than 5,300 individual members representing nearly 1,000 manufacturing companies.

Nicole is a firm believer in gender equality and is an advocate for women in leadership. As the successor to the role of president from her mother, Lynn Lanser, Nicole believes that building a diverse team is needed to foster a company culture where everyone is welcome and respected.

She is no stranger to rolling up her sleeves and working on the production floor. She has spent years developing skills in production and operating machinery including embroidery, vinyl,  engraver, fabricator and CNC machine operator. Nicole’s diverse background in manufacturing, marketing and business development provided the perfect foundation for her succession into the role of president in 2020.

As we head into 2021, our mission continues to be providing customers with the highest quality products and services. We have many exciting changes happening at INI. We plan on expanding our portfolio to include services offered through Top Dog Apparel. Watch for more information on the exciting happenings at Industrial Nameplate Inc.!