IMS Co-Owner Andy Martin Announces Retirement
By Molly Schecklman – With the new year comes new changes for Innovative Machine Specialists, Inc. (IMS). Co-owner, Andy Martin, announced that he will be retiring at the end of the year leaving the business to other owners, Bernard Martin and Brian Schmoll.
“IMS started with just a conversation,” said Andy Martin. “I was talking with the maintenance supervisor at Morning Glory and he asked me why my little brother [Bernard] didn’t have his own shop. I started thinking about it and then I went on to discuss it more with Bernard.”
IMS started in November of 1996 in a garage at Andy Martin’s house with just five employees. Over the course of the next year, the business was able to move out of the garage and make its home at 1907 Laemle Avenue where it remains today. Throughout the next 10 years, the business was growing; It went from five employees to 46 and added multiple additions to the building to make room for additional equipment.
In 2010, an additional facility was purchased across the road in the Norwood Industrial Park. “We needed the additional space in order for the business to continue growing. We had used every bit of space we could in our old facility and we just couldn’t expand anymore,” said Martin. This would allow for IMS to move some of their employees, more specifically some welders and fabricators, to the new building to handle larger projects and work more with stainless steel.
Today, IMS still owns two facilities in Marshfield and has 75 employees. With Andy’s upcoming departure, it really makes him reflect on his time spent at IMS. “I am going to miss the people. The personal contacts with the employees, the customers…. It will all be missed,” said Martin.
When asked about the highlights of his career, Martin said that he was appreciative that the business had been chosen for Small Business of the Year in 2004 and Firm of the Year in 2012.
“Just the fact that we survived 2008 – the recession- and were able come out of it and win an award a few years later is an accomplishment,” said Martin.
When the new year starts, Martin plans to fill his free time with some personal hobbies of his.
“I plan to travel, do some work in my own shop on my antique tractors, and continue my volunteer work,” said Martin. “I am really looking forward to participating in some more volunteer opportunities in the community.”
