Barletta Celebrates Production Milestone & United Way Kickoff
Bristol, IN -- Barletta Pontoon Boats, located in Bristol, IN, recently hosted it’s entire team for a catered luncheon to celebrate a new production and shipping milestone. Employees were treated to steaks and barbecued chicken from Sweazy-Q Catering out of Goshen, IN.
Production rates have steadily increased since Barletta’s inaugural dealer meeting held in August. Dealers from around the country, and prospective dealers in town for other manufacturer’s meetings, spent time with the Barletta team learning about the relatively new brand and its product offerings.
“We were blessed to be able to host several of the best dealers from around the country, and in many cases, add them to the Barletta Pontoon Boat dealer network,” stated Bill Fenech, President and Co-Owner of Barletta Boats, LLC. “It was because of the collective efforts of the entire Barletta team that we are enjoying a strong order backlog and the ability to ramp up production now and for the foreseeable future.”
With the addition of the new class of Barletta Pontoon Boats, the E-Class (Elite), the production line has successfully split into two separate assembly teams. This in turn has led to a steady up-tick in hiring.
“Many of our peers and competitors are having difficulty hiring quality people for their production teams,” said Gene Chastain, VP of Manufacturing. “We’ve been fortunate, and sometimes overwhelmed, with a constant stream of applications flowing into our HR team. It speaks volumes about the culture we are building here.”
Family is a word that outsiders will consistently hear at the Barletta production facility, and a word that’s not taken lightly.
“It’s not just lip service,” continued Chastain. “The team we’ve assembled here is our Barletta family. We spend so much time together, driving towards our common goal of being the best manufacturer in the industry, that you can’t help but be invested in your co-workers and their well-being. We take care of our own...and today, we welcomed in United Way to encourage each other to pay it forward.”
Bill Rieth, President/CEO of United Way of Elkhart County, joined the Barletta team at lunch and spoke of several opportunities for Barletta team members to get involved. Whether it was educational support, financial counseling, prescription assistance, or emergency assistance, one out of four people in the local community are impacted positively through United Way.
“We take care of our own, and with United Way’s help, we can help take care of others, too,” continued Fenech.
Learn more about Barletta Pontoon Boats.
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About Barletta Pontoon Boats: Offering a customer-focused/dealer-centric approach, Barletta Pontoon Boats brings a unique approach to the marine industry. Barletta is partnered with Mercury Outboards and Yamaha Outboards. To learn more about Barletta Pontoon Boats, visit www.BarlettaPontoonBoats.com or get engaged with us on social media.