Quality Manufacturing: The Story of Apex

By Kim Dykman, Apex Purchasing/Supplier Development, April 19th, 2021.

Apex Spring & Stamping Corporation recently celebrated 44 years in the business as a top West Michigan manufacturer. This is a milestone that is representative of the hard work and dedication of every Apex employee and partner, past and present.

Recently, our team was onboarding a new employee. We were walking through our standard process when they asked us a question that took us by surprise. “Where did the name ‘Apex’ come from?” they asked. Sure enough, this is not an odd question. The odd part about this was that we realized the story behind the name “Apex” was not shared on a regular basis.

As many of us know, it is common to talk about a mission statement or even a vision, but oftentimes the story of how a brand got its name and the “why” can get lost in the excitement of sharing where the company wants to go. As we sat there with this new employee, we could help but smile and be grateful because what they just asked, opened our eyes to the importance of something bigger: the story of Apex.

In 1977, Wayne L. Nash started his journey building the company. Establishing a manufacturing company in the 70’s was a risk especially because the company was starting from the ground up. The industry was extremely competitive in West Michigan and it was common that the “little guy” would not survive.

As Mr. Nash started to lay the groundwork for the business, he understood that a name was not just a name; it was foundational to the “why” the company functions the way it does.

Simon Sinek talks about “How Great Leaders Inspire Action” and it revolves around the idea that in order to inspire action within your organization, it is vital to talk about the “why” you do what you do. It’s the center point of what he calls the “Golden Circle”. Although this language and information was not around in 1977, it was a concept that Mr. Nash understood. He was passionate about finding a name that clearly represented the type of company he wanted to create.

He decided to use the name “APEX”. By definition, ‘apex’ means “the uppermost degree” or the “most successful, highest level”. Mr. Nash wanted this to be the mentality that would drive the company forward.

Before the doors of Apex’s first facility even opened for business, the goal was to be the best. No matter how competitive the manufacturing industry was, to be successful our name was going to reflect our actions.

The story of Apex has written many chapters over the past forty-four years. It’s a long time to maintain and live out the definition of “Apex”, but we know that the best is yet to come. We are committed to always improving, never growing complacent, and delivering exceptional value and service to every customer.

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