As someone who has been following the Universal Douglas shutdown, formerly known as ULT, I am filled with mixed emotions. It is sad to think of the employees who will be affected by this closure, as well as the loss of two great domestic manufacturers. At the same time, I feel anger towards the ownership who mismanaged the brand into oblivion.
In the early stages of my career, I had the opportunity to install Universal brand ballasts into lighting fixtures on the assembly lines at Viscor. It was during this time that I learned about branding and the importance of a company’s name. I saw firsthand how the brand changed from Universal to MagneTek and back to Universal. In the years that followed, I had the pleasure of getting to know many great people at ULT. However, when Panasonic acquired the company, I was hopeful for its future, only to see it eventually transferred to Private Equity, ultimately sealing its fate.
The story of Mollie’s Job tells of Universal Lighting and how changes in ownership have led to lower wages and cost structures, negatively impacting the workers. I believe this book needs to be updated with additional chapters that detail the next stage of the company’s life, where financial wizardry and corporate incompetence took hold. It is frustrating to see how a great company can be so easily wiped out of existence, erasing its inherent values that should have been nurtured and allowed to flourish.
While all companies need to be profitable and generate revenue for their owners, it is essential to remember that employees and their dedication are the backbone of the organization. They deserved better than this outcome.
Santino Nemi is the C.O.O of Viscor, a Leviton Company.