Arnold Machine announces leadership transition

TIFFIN — New leadership has been announced at Arnold Machine in Tiffin. According to a press release, Maxwell Ohnezeit was named president, effective Thursday, in place of Zach Arnold, founder and previous president of the company. Ohnezeit said he joined Arnold Machine in 2023, and the transition "is simply leveraging our strengths and putting ourselves in the best position to help the company be successful." According to Ohnezeit, Arnold had been "quietly looking for the right person" to move into the leadership position, and the two (Arnold and Ohnezeit) were introduced through a mutual business peer. "Since I joined Arnold Machine last year," Ohnezeit said, "Zach and I have developed a great synergy, and we are very aligned with the goals for the company." Ohnezeit said he looks forward to being part of the business that Arnold built, "growing and developing the team and ultimately the company." According to the press release, Arnold has stepped into the role of CEO of Arnold Machine. "Arnold Machine has been a labor of love for me for 30 years," Arnold stated in the release. Transitioning to CEO, he said, will allow him to "be more involved in the areas of the business that I enjoy, especially being on the floor with our team and engaging with customers." "Maxwell's leadership will take Arnold Machine to the next level," Arnold said in the release. Ohnezeit said in addition to growing the company's reach, he also will focus on developing and supporting Arnold employees. "My passion is helping team members achieve personal and professional goals," he said. Ohnezeit said he will strive to create an environment that supports mutual feedback and empowers employees. In addition to being known for manufacturing high-quality products, he said, "Zach and I also want Arnold Machine to be known as a talent hub for the community that is focused on the development of their team members." Ohnezeit said the transition was announced internally a few weeks ago, and his first goal was to meet with each employee one-on-one. "I would say that some were surprised when they first heard about the transition but the more conversations that I've had there is a general sense of excitement for our future," Ohnezeit said. According to the press release, "Arnold Machine, Inc. designs and manufactures high-quality, innovative automated equipment and industrial services." The company was founded in 1994 by Zach Arnold, and Arnold Machine operates out of a 75,000-square-foot facility in Tiffin.