May 2013
| Business World Magazine | 177
larger companies that were expanding their
own respective product lines and service of-
ferings. The growth of Pratt & Whitney, for
example, contributed to the growth of Con-
solidated. Another significant development
occurred when the ship building company
of Newport News determined to cease its in-
house forging operations and outsourced the
job to Consolidated. In fulfilling demand for
these major accounts, Consolidated routine-
ly invested in new equipment and further ex-
panded its capabilities, all along growing its
reputation as an integral partner in the sup-
ply chain of leading manufacturers.
The company endured through eras
of varied corporate ownership before a lev-
eraged buy-out saw it acquired by a team of
financiers collaborating as the Consolidated
Industries Acquisition Group. This occurred
in 1999 and the new CEO, John Wilbur,
instinctively realized that for Consolidated
to move beyond the new millennium, the
company would have to be more aggres-
sive in securing new clients. Over the next
decade of his leadership, annual sales went
from $8 million to more than $30 million.
Business planning, performance monitor-
ing & mea`suring, and the demanding drive
