Black Brothers Company has appointed Aaron Perryman as its new director of manufacturing.
Perryman will oversee all manufacturing operations for the company, supporting continued operational excellence and customer service across Black Bros.’ global markets.
Perryman brings more than 20 years of experience with Black Bros., having served in a variety of technical and manufacturing roles including mechanical assembler, electrical assembler, and electrical engineer. His extensive hands-on experience throughout the organization provides a unique understanding of Black Bros. equipment, manufacturing processes, and customer requirements.
“I’m looking forward to getting back down in the shop and working with the guys,” said Perryman, who will also keep some of his duties in handling electrical prints and programming when needed.
“I’ve been there, done that. And I think that carries a lot of weight on the shop floor — so the transition will be fluid. Quality machinery and pride in our work will continue to be the standard.”
Throughout his career at Black Bros., Perryman has played an important role in several operational and engineering initiatives, including recently helping the company achieve Underwriters Laboratories (UL) listing certification for its control panels. In addition to his manufacturing and engineering background, Perryman has significant field experience with Black Bros. equipment, giving him valuable insight into customer applications and service needs.
“Aaron’s broad technical knowledge, manufacturing expertise, and understanding of our customers make him exceptionally well suited for this position,” said Jeff Simonton, COO. “His ability to connect manufacturing, engineering, sales, and customer support will continue to strengthen our operations and enhance the value we provide to customers.”
The company also announced the upcoming retirement of Mike DeLong, plant superintendent, effective June 26, following more than 37 years of dedicated service.
During his tenure, DeLong played a critical role in advancing manufacturing operations and improving production efficiency. He was instrumental in developing and organizing manufacturing scheduling and routing functions within the company’s ERP system and became widely recognized for his extensive expertise in roll manufacturing. DeLong also provided key leadership in inventory management and operational planning to help ensure customer needs were consistently met.
“It’s been a good run,” said DeLong. “I’ve been all around the company starting in the lab, then moving to production, stock room, assembly, machine shop and (eventually) supervisor. But rolls have been my thing since I picked that up, and now everyone just kind of comes to me for roll numbers and roll information.”
DeLong mentioned observing Black Bros. expand from a single small factory building to a now large, multi-faceted operational space as a career highlight along with the lessons learned and relationships formed with various coworkers.
“Lots of good people. Still today, but the old-timers knew a lot and had a different mentality. Their work ethic — put your head down and get ’er done — was something I learned a lot from. We all worked together and nobody was out for themselves, and that is something I hope to see Black Bros. carry into the future.”
Black Bros. extends its sincere gratitude to DeLong for his years of dedication and wishes him a happy and healthy retirement.
“Mike’s contributions over nearly four decades have been extraordinary,” said Simonton. “His knowledge, leadership, and commitment to operational excellence have had a lasting impact on our company and our people.”
Founded in 1882, The Black Bros. Co. is a leading manufacturer of roll coating, laminating, and specialty adhesive application equipment serving customers worldwide across the wood, building products, converting, and industrial manufacturing markets. Black Bros. is recognized for delivering innovative-engineered solutions, durable equipment, and long-term customer support.
