Eaton, Ohio facility honored among four North American manufacturers for excellence in quality, advanced automation and employee-driven continuous improvement

EATON, Ohio, Sept. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Bullen Ultrasonics, a leader in precision machining of advanced ceramics, glass and specialty materials using proprietary ultrasonic and laser-based technologies, today announced that its Miller Williams Facility in Eaton, Ohio, has been named a 2026 IndustryWeek Best Plants Award winner.

The honor recognizes Bullen's Miller Williams Facility's performance across quality, advanced manufacturing technology, operational improvement and employee engagement. Established in 1990, the IndustryWeek Best Plants Awards evaluate manufacturing facilities on areas including leadership, quality, employee involvement, technology, production systems and competitiveness through a multistage review process that includes detailed applications and site visits.

"Being named an IndustryWeek Best Plant is an extraordinary honor for our entire team," said Tim Beatty, president of Bullen Ultrasonics. "This recognition reflects much more than any single technology, process improvement or performance metric. It reflects what happens when talented people are empowered to challenge assumptions, solve difficult problems and continually find better ways to serve our customers. Most importantly, it recognizes the culture and teamwork behind those results."

Bullen's Miller Williams Facility provides precision machining services for advanced ceramics and other hard, brittle materials used in semiconductor, MEMS, aerospace, defense and other demanding applications. The facility combines ultrasonic machining, proprietary MicroLucent™ laser processing, high-precision CNC grinding, automation and advanced data systems to produce complex features in materials that conventional machining methods often struggle to process, including silicon, glass, quartz, ceramics and sapphire.

Performance and operational achievements highlighted in Bullen's Best Plants submission include:

• The facility maintains final customer yield levels exceeding 98%, with first-pass yield performance regularly exceeding 97%.
• The team reduced production cycle times by approximately 14% in key areas through targeted continuous improvement and operational refinements.
• Bullen developed and deployed custom automated and robotic ultrasonic machining cells in-house to improve precision, repeatability, throughput and scalability.
• The facility also expanded real-time production-data infrastructure and RFID-based systems to improve process visibility, machine calibration, quality control, traceability and manufacturing decision-making.
• Bullen fosters an employee-driven continuous improvement culture, with approximately 120 continuous improvement suggestions submitted plantwide during the past year and frontline employees participating directly in developing, testing and implementing solutions.
• Employee engagement increased, with Bullen's engagement score rising from 83% in January 2025 to 90.5% in the first quarter of 2026.

Bullen's continuous improvement model places problem-solving responsibility throughout the organization. Frontline operators and technicians work directly with engineering and operations leaders to identify opportunities, test potential solutions, analyze process data and implement improvements. Recent employee-led improvements have included an operations team member collaborating with an engineer to solve abrasive buildup on a critical machine surface and a technician identifying a more efficient production method that, after evaluation, was adopted as a new standard work process. Bullen has complemented its people-driven approach to continuous improvement with investments in advanced manufacturing technology. These include custom automated and robotic ultrasonic machining cells designed and built internally for Bullen's specialized processes. The company has also expanded its machine-level data infrastructure, giving production teams greater visibility into yield, equipment performance and process conditions.

Since 2023, Bullen has grown revenue by approximately 45% while continuing to invest in proprietary technology, automation, operational systems and workforce development. This revenue growth has increased the importance of scalable manufacturing systems that can maintain precision, quality and process control as production expands.

"Our goal has never been to improve one metric or automate one process," Beatty added. "We are building an organization where technology, disciplined execution and the expertise of our people reinforce one another. The goal is to scale without compromising the precision, quality and responsiveness our customers depend on. This award validates the approach we have taken, but more importantly, it raises the standard for what we need to accomplish next."

The Miller Williams Facility opened in 2006 and today serves as the center of Bullen's advanced manufacturing operations in Eaton. Its capabilities have expanded as demand has grown for advanced materials machining and for increasingly complex components requiring high levels of precision, repeatability and reliability.

Bullen will receive its 2026 IndustryWeek Best Plants trophy on October 21 during the Operations Leadership Summit in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

To learn more about the 2026 IndustryWeek Best Plants Awards winners, visit IndustryWeek's 2026 winners announcement.

About the IndustryWeek Best Plants Awards Competition:
Established in 1990, the IndustryWeek Best Plants Awards program annually recognizes plants, located in North America, that are on the leading edge of efforts to increase competitiveness, enhance customer satisfaction and create stimulating and rewarding work environments. Its further goal is to encourage other manufacturing managers and work teams to emulate the honorees by adopting world-class practices, technologies and improvement strategies. For additional information, visit www.industryweek.com.

About industryWeek:
IndustryWeek lives and breathes transformational manufacturing. Decision-makers and disruptors turn to IW for the news, trends, strategies and best practices that help companies leverage talent and technology to achieve revolutionary leadership practices, business models, production systems and products. Visit www.industryweek.com for more information.

About Bullen Ultrasonics
Bullen Ultrasonics is a global leader in the precision machining of advanced ceramics, glass and specialty materials using proprietary ultrasonic and laser-based technologies. Its non-thermal processes enable micron-level accuracy and reduce the risk of microcracks, contamination or structural damage, supporting the production of intricate features in components used across high-performance applications. Bullen's vertically-integrated operations include in-house tool design and custom automation, which help streamline production from prototype through high-volume manufacturing. The company holds numerous certifications, including ISO 9001, AS9100 and ITAR, reflecting its alignment with quality and traceability standards in the aerospace, defense, automotive, medical and semiconductor and MEMs industries. Founded in 1971 and with more than 50 years of experience, Bullen is recognized for its engineering responsiveness and ability to deliver consistent results in regulated, high-stakes manufacturing environments. Learn more at https://www.bullentech.com.

Media contact:
Michael Tebo
Gabriel Marketing Group (for Bullen Ultrasonics)
Phone: 571-835-8775
Email: michaelt@gabrielmarketing.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bullen-ultrasonics-named-2026-industryweek-best-plants-award-winner-302872961.html

SOURCE Bullen Ultrasonics