Pella Celebrates Manufacturing Month by Spotlighting the People Shaping What’s Next
The company’s 2026 theme, “Powered by People: Connected to What’s Next,” explores how team members, technology and innovation are helping Pella deliver for customers
At Pella Corporation, every window and door is made to order, requiring manufacturing operations that can deliver choice and customization without sacrificing quality or reliability. This Manufacturing Month, Pella is recognizing the people behind that promise and sharing how connected technology, career development and team member expertise are shaping the future of manufacturing.
“Manufacturing innovation starts with people,” said Travis Turnbull, vice president and chief information officer at Pella Corporation. “Our team members understand the work, identify opportunities and help us turn new ideas into practical solutions. When we pair that experience with connected technology, we can create better ways of working and deliver greater value for our customers.”
Delivering Customization at Scale
As homeowners seek spaces that feel more personal and support how they live, Pella combines customer insights, product innovation and manufacturing capabilities to offer a wide range of options. Connected manufacturing systems and quality analytics help Pella’s teams improve accuracy and consistency, identify patterns and address issues earlier. Together, these capabilities help Pella expand customer choice while keeping craftsmanship at the center of its work.
Connecting Technology Around the People Who Use It
By connecting technology across manufacturing workflows, Pella can reduce repetitive work and give team members more opportunities to solve problems, build technical skills and focus on craftsmanship. The result is a better experience for team members and greater quality, customization and reliability for customers.
Pella’s Intelligent Operations team works alongside manufacturing and engineering team members to identify needs and develop connected solutions around the people closest to the work. Examples include:
- Voice technology, vision systems and digital tools that work together to reduce repetitive decisions and provide information when and where it is needed
- A system of 35 automated guided vehicles connects with production tracking and other technology to move heavy materials, reduce manual handling and help maintain production flow. Since its installation, the system has contributed to an approximately 80% reduction in material-handling damage.
- Connected workstations recognize individual team members and adjust to their height, task and language preference, creating a more personalized and ergonomic work experience.
- Robotic painting systems improve consistency across more than 11,000 custom colors and 300 product profiles while shifting team members away from a physically demanding process.
Empowering Team Members to Innovate and Grow
Team members are encouraged to identify opportunities, test ideas and improve processes, turning firsthand experience into practical solutions for customers and colleagues. Through job shadowing, focused development pathways, standardized training and leadership practice, employees can expand their capabilities and explore new opportunities. Team members have advanced from hourly manufacturing roles into department management, production management, plant leadership and corporate positions.
“By focusing on our customers, team members can use their firsthand knowledge to improve processes and solve complex problems that support changing needs,” said Laura Phillips, vice president of Engineering and Manufacturing – Vinyl & Fiberglass. “Creating opportunities for our people to build skills, lead teams and contribute to new ideas strengthens both their career paths and our operations.”
Throughout October, Pella will bring “Powered by People: Connected to What’s Next” to life through student shadow days, team member events and content highlighting team members and their work. These activities will introduce students to modern manufacturing careers, recognize the people driving innovation across Pella and show how their ideas are shaping the future of manufacturing.
For more information about Pella, visit pella.com.