Pella Celebrates Manufacturing Month: Powered by People, Connected to What’s Next
For more than 100 years, Pella Corporation has paired craftsmanship with innovation to create windows and doors that make life better for customers. This Manufacturing Month, Pella is celebrating the people behind that work and the technology helping them build what’s next.
Across Pella’s manufacturing facilities, team members are combining their experience with connected systems, automation and artificial intelligence to solve problems, improve product quality and create better experiences for customers.
Meet Our #WeArePella Ambassadors
Throughout Manufacturing Month, Pella team members are sharing their perspectives on what it means to work in modern manufacturing. Their stories highlight the range of careers available, the skills they have developed and the pride they take in building products for customers across the country.
Technology Designed Around the People Who Use It
Technology may be changing how products are made, but people remain at the center of Pella’s manufacturing operations. Team members bring the knowledge, creativity and care needed to turn new tools into meaningful improvements. They help identify opportunities, test new ideas and shape solutions around the realities of the manufacturing floor. Their insights are helping Pella build smarter processes while preserving the craftsmanship and attention to detail customers expect.
Pella is connecting equipment, systems and information across its manufacturing operations to help team members make informed decisions and respond to challenges faster.
Digital tools provide greater visibility into production, while artificial intelligence helps teams anticipate equipment needs, identify potential quality concerns and access information more easily. Automation supports physically demanding or repetitive tasks, allowing team members to focus their expertise where it matters most.
These tools are designed to complement human judgment, putting useful information in team members’ hands and making their work safer and more efficient.
Connected to the Customer: Made-to-Order Manufacturing
Every Pella window and door is made to order, creating a level of complexity that requires both flexibility and precision. Across the company, teams are developing solutions that can adapt to different products, materials and customer needs. A system of 35 automated guided vehicles help move materials through production, flexible workstations adjust to support team members and robotic systems assist with detailed processes such as painting products in more than 11,000 custom color and 300 profile combinations.
Behind every new system or process is a customer need. Pella teams use technology to improve consistency, identify and address concerns earlier and give team members better information throughout the manufacturing process.
By connecting people, equipment and data, Pella can continue delivering the craftsmanship customers expect while adapting to new possibilities.
Bringing a Personal Vision to Life
Customer case study: Mysa Hus
Made-to-order manufacturing gives homeowners the flexibility to make choices that reflect how they want to live. Those choices can shape more than a home’s appearance. They can influence its comfort, performance and connection to the surrounding environment.
Mysa Hus, a Scandinavian-inspired home in Minnesota, demonstrates how a highly personal design vision can come to life through intentional product and material selections. Builder Mark Williams designed the home around wellness, using a guiding philosophy to make decisions in the absence of a specific buyer.
“Wellness, to me, is slowing down. It’s quiet. It’s fewer distractions. It’s being more present.” — Mark Williams, founder of Mark D. Williams Custom Homes and Curious Builder
The home includes Pella Reserve triple-pane windows and the Pella Steady Set interior installation system. Mark selected the windows not only for their energy performance, but also for their contribution to the home’s sound control strategy and sense of calm.
Mysa Hus reflects how customer choice can extend beyond color, size or style. Homeowners can select products based on the experiences they want to create — from a quieter retreat to a brighter living space or a stronger connection to nature.
Careers that Grow with the Work
As manufacturing becomes more connected, the work and the skills behind it are evolving. Manufacturing engineers increasingly need to understand how equipment, data and digital systems work together. Curiosity, systems thinking and a willingness to explore technology are becoming essential parts of the role.
Pella’s manufacturing talent development team helps hourly and salaried team members explore new opportunities. Through job shadowing, focused development pathways, standardized training and leadership practice, team members can build skills and prepare for technical and leadership roles.
Team members with hands-on manufacturing experience have advanced into department management, production management, plant leadership and corporate positions.
The People Behind Pella
Every day, Pella manufacturing team members bring skill, dedication and pride to building quality products for customers. They find new ways forward, support one another and help drive the company’s success. Their care, curiosity and commitment connect the work they do today to what’s next for Pella and the people it serves.
Building What’s Next
Manufacturing Month offers an opportunity to recognize the people who keep the industry moving forward. At Pella, that means celebrating the team members whose experience and ideas bring innovation to life every day.
Powered by its people and connected through technology, Pella is shaping the next chapter of American manufacturing.