The talent and labor we needed in the US just wasn’t there anymore. Mexico not only solved that issue, it offers a platform and pathway to our future.
Overview
“How do you preserve a family legacy while adapting to a changing manufacturing world? For Danielle and Devin, continuing their father’s vision and passing it to their own children meant making decisive choices to secure Aakron Line’s future. Their strategic move into Mexico with Entrada Group is not only preserving the family’s hard work but fueling new growth.”
As children, Danielle Robillard and Devin Piscitelli (who are brother and sister), used to walk the floor hand-in-hand with their father Raymond, the founder and owner of Aakron Line, a family-owned and community-based business that manufactures for the promotional products industry. Based just outside of Buffalo and now in its second generation of family ownership, Aakron Line was founded in the late 1960s. For as long as Danielle and Devin could remember, they had been intimately involved with the company their father built.
Aakron Line was an instrumental part of the community. Family members from multiple generations worked at the company. Danielle and Devin went to school with children whose parents worked at Aakron Line, and later were employed at the company themselves. For as long as the siblings could remember, their father talked about the importance of securing and growing the family business so he could pass it on to them when the time was right. The goal was to ensure that Aakron Line remained not just a viable business, but a thriving legacy that Danielle and Devin could eventually pass along to their own kids as well. Doing so would mean adapting to global changes in manufacturing, including an aging workforce, tariffs and customer needs.
When Lack of Labor Threatens Growth
By the time Danielle Robillard (who is now CFO) and Devin Piscitelli (who is President) assumed leadership roles at Aakron, it became clear that realizing the goal would require a new approach. The workforce in Buffalo and Chattanooga, Tenn., where Aakron had production facilities, was retiring and younger generations were less inclined to pursue careers in manufacturing. Maintaining production solely in the US could hamper growth. They realized they needed a strategy to make the business better and stronger over the longterm, while still maintaining high product quality and their advantage in customer proximity over competitors in China.
The Strategic Shift to Mexico
The answer came in the form of a strategic partnership with Entrada Group, a provider of manufacturing shelter support services in Mexico. In 2022, Devin decided to setup production outside of the US, at Entrada’s manufacturing campus in Zacatecas, Mexico. By working with Entrada Group, Aakron Line would be able to piggyback onto Entrada Group’s expansive manufacturing support platform in Mexico, without the need to build everything on its own: numerous import/export certifications, labor pool, corporate infrastructure and shared services, trade compliance team. Building these essential components on its own would take any new-to-Mexico company several years to build and refine. Instead, Aakron Line leveraged what Entrada Group had already built over the course of two decades in Mexico, launching manufacturing within just 12 weeks.
Mexico production now complements Aakron Line’s US-based manufacturing. The company retains control over quality, while also remaining close to its US customer base. By leveraging Entrada Group’s resources and Mexico expertise, Aakron Line was able to quickly ramp up operations with 25,000 square feet of manufacturing space and a workforce of 60 employees, all while keeping its US locations in Buffalo and Chattanooga active and as integral parts of each community.
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The Benefits of Mexico
The move to Mexico wasn’t about cost savings—it was about maintaining control over production, retaining the customer proximity that Aakron Line had always been known for and driving long term growth for the future generations. With Entrada Group’s support, Aakron Line ramped up its operational capability over time; now Aakron can ship directly to customers in the US from Zacatecas, Mexico nearly every day. This level of efficiency and speed, without a dropoff in quality, strengthened Aakron Line’s competitive advantage over competitors in Asia, who couldn’t match the rapid turnaround time.
A Legacy Preserved
Danielle and Devin’s commitment to keeping Aakron Line as a family-run business didn’t end with the move to Mexico. The ties to their US locations remain strong, with many employees who have been with the company for decades continuing to be a part of the Aakron family. Some of these long-term employees now travel to Mexico to train and mentor the local team, ensuring that the values and standards of Aakron Line are maintained across borders.
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The Next Chapter for Aakron Line
With the success of its Mexican operations, Aakron Line is poised for even greater growth and in a good position to be passed on to Danielle and Devin’s own children, the third generation. The company is exploring opportunities to increase domestic production in Mexico, with plans to grow headcount and expand into new product categories. The flexibility and scalability of Entrada Group’s model mean that Aakron Line can continue to evolve and adapt to market demands without losing sight of its core values.
As Danielle and Devin look to the future, they do so with the confidence that their father’s legacy is secure. Aakron Line is not just surviving—it’s thriving.
For other manufacturing business owners, the story of Aakron Line serves as a powerful reminder that preserving a legacy requires foresight, adaptability and a willingness to embrace change. By partnering with Entrada Group and expanding into Mexico, Aakron Line has secured its place in the future while staying true to its roots.
