Making it in Windsor

by Dave Hall,
The Windsor Star, Oct 6, 2006

New Book Clare Winterbottom, former owner of Anchor Lamina, has turned his impressive collection of photographs and stories into a book titled Made in Windsor. Co-author Chris Edwards is shown at left.

Over almost a quarter century, a small Windsor company came to dominate the world's die set industry, largely under the leadership of one man.

By the time Clare Winterbottom was ready to recommend the sale of Anchor Lamina in 1997, the business had grown from nine employees to almost 1,000 and was worth $250 million.

Winterbottom stayed as president and CEO for three years, but it was under his vision and leadership the company made huge progress, beginning in 1975.

On Tuesday, Winterbottom and his wife Anne will host a book launch at the Art Gallery of Windsor for a group of friends, former employees and shareholders, beginning at 7 p.m.

Co-written with Chris Edwards, owner of Walkerville Publishing, "Made in Windsor -- The Anchor Lamina Way" is not only a tribute to the hundreds of workers who helped the Windsor company dominate the global die set business but also a tale about Winterbottom's vision, cour-age and entrepreneurial spirit.

Winterbottom said: "The book isn't an MBA text and it's not an autobiography. It's an illustration of how people who work together can achieve remarkable things. At Anchor Lamina, we proved it."

Started as a Scrapbook

Winterbottom said the book started as a scrapbook with a copy to be given to each employee at an Anchor bash over a year ago.

"Someone suggested we turn it into a real book and a year later, here it is," said Winterbottom.

After graduating from Queen's University with a degree in accounting, Winterbottom joined Wheatley Manufacturing in 1961 as controller and quickly became vice-president.

By 1975, Winterbottom and some former Wheatley employees bought Mississauga's Anchor Machine and Manufacturing Company, which had nine employees and sales of $400,000.

Over the next 15 years, sales increased to almost $50 million amid expansions and acquisitions.

"Throughout the 1980s when Chrysler was in trouble and we suffered through a recession, we were always confident that not only would we survive but the industry would also survive," said Winterbottom.

"We added new equipment, re-tooled our plants, and we not only survived, we prospered."

By 1991, the company was growing and preparing to buy new equipment.

What followed next was a stroke of pure genius.

Winterbottom recommended that instead of buying one new grinder for $575,000 from Blanchard Manufacturing, the only company which made them, Anchor should buy five at a discounted price of $525,000 each.

"By ordering five, we had one each for our plants in Windsor and Mississauga, one each for plants we planned in Cambridge and Grand Rapids and one extra," said Winterbottom. "But more importantly, we tied up the manufacturer's production capabilities and prevented our competitors from buying any for three to five years.

To sweeten the pot, Winterbottom also handed over a $1-million bonus cheque to Blanchard.

Winterbottom said "the deal was not only important for our company's growth but it told our competitors we meant business and we were deadly serious about dominating the marketplace."

Winterbottom paid Big 3 wages, offered a stock purchase plan and profit-sharing which returned 10 per cent of profits yearly to employees. It had sales of $190 million by the time it was sold to Harrowston Inc.

It was so successful that when the company was sold, 12 employees became millionaires.

Two years ago, the company merged with Danly IEM of Chicago, solidifying its position as the largest die set company in the world.
Now semi-retired and running Winclare Management, a consulting firm, Winterbottom and his wife Anne remain two of Windsor's largest supporters and benefactors.

Quiet contributors to numerous charities and organizations and members of a variety of boards, both believe "if one has had the good fortune to live and work in a wonderful city such as Windsor, it is important to give back to the community."