New Exporter of the Year

Green Valley Manufacturing, Inc.

A leader in mold and die handling equipment extends its reach.

by Jonathan Wright
Green Valley Manufacturing
Photography by Evan Temchin

Founded by a group of ambitious engineers in 1995, Green Valley Manufacturing, Inc. produces die and mold handling equipment inside a 32,000-square-foot facility in Mt. Zion, Illinois. The company found much of its early success in building ergonomic solutions for assembly lines in the automotive industry. Their custom “manveyors,” for example, allowed personnel to move along the line while completing their tasks, while other custom products—such as scissor lifts, turntables and part lifts—helped operators do their work more quickly, safely and efficiently. 

Green Valley also secured a niche as a leader in mold and die handling equipment for the automotive and appliance industries. When a manufacturer changes the part they are making, the corresponding die or mold must be changed as well, which brings production to a halt. “This is where our journey of QDC (Quick Die Change) and QMC (Quick Mold Change) began,” explains Jonathan Simmons, company vice president. As technology evolved and presses and tools got larger, the need to change and transport heavy dies and molds continued to expand… and Green Valley followed demand.Green Valley Manufacturing

Today, the firm lends its years of engineering and controls expertise to a diverse range of industries—not only automotive and appliance manufacturers, but to the medical, aerospace and agricultural industries and beyond. “Some of our customers make sunglasses and some make airplanes, and there are literally hundreds of products in between,” Simmons notes. “Whether we are building a basic steel structure or a very complex system with full automation, we love the challenge of solving problems for our customers.”

With strong growth in recent years, Green Valley sought to enter new markets and expand its dealer network. Working with Bradley’s SBDC International Trade Center, they secured a large export project for a new facility—one of their biggest projects of 2020. “The SBDC International Trade Center has been very helpful in assisting with export regulations as well as tariff codes,” Simmons adds. “Our next goal is to work with them to expand our finance terms and offerings for future export projects.” With a growing international presence and expertise in many different industries, Green Valley is well positioned to extend their reach even further. greenvalleyinc.com PM

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