Ellen Pietrowitz-Phillips is the President of LEM Plastics and Supply, A woman-owned fabricator and distributor of raw material plastics, sheet, rod, tubing, and film. Their build-to-print fabrication services the aeronautical division, space division, medical products, radio engineering, and more, providing components for everything from the International Space Station to the production line at Budweiser.
Today, on the Women and Manufacturing Podcast, Ellen shares with Fran her experiences, good and bad, as a woman in manufacturing and the wisdom she’s gained along the way, including the importance of all women sharing what they’ve learned, collaborating and cooperating with other women in the interest of overcoming any barrier to success.
Meet Our Guest, Ellen Pietrowitz-Phillips
Ellen Pietrowitz-Phillips, President of L-E-M Plastics & Supplies Inc., is a force in business and an advocate for women in manufacturing. In the past 20 years, she has created a vibrant community and diverse client base that reaches an international audience. As a third-generation entrepreneur, serving a bigger purpose is at the heart of who Ellen is and what her company stands for. Her company’s mission statement, CCK ™ speaks to Ellen’s character as a leader in the manufacturing industry. At the core of every L-E-M interaction is an effort to be “Collaborative, Cooperative, and Kind.”
Ellen’s favorite part of business is being creative, finding solutions, and taking away what pains you. Her unique background in Fine Arts has proven to set her apart in the precision fabrication industry with a get-it-done mentality. Art and Machining have a major thing in common … starting with a blank, whether canvas or sheet of material, the creator can envision the end result and take pleasure and pride in getting there. Whether it’s creating the right component parts for the space station, patient medical equipment, airplanes, conveyor lines, or first-time inventions, it always comes back to making things. Her years in manufacturing have been full of challenges and made her what you would call a ‘thriver.’ Along with the daily requirements of ownership, she and the business have been through flood, fire, relocation, and almost the loss of the ship. These trials and tribulations have made for an innovative and unique daily playbook that reminds her to have faith in her skills, nourish relationships and embrace the unknown. By following these simple philosophies, she makes a difference in others’ lives every day. Ellen is honored to have people identify with her journey and values. Supporting innovation and new technologies is what L-E-M accomplishes every day. With her stewardship, LEM is looking to make Collaborative, Cooperative, and Kind interactions within the manufacturing industry contagious and habit-forming.