View Cart
We are pleased to announce the addition of Andy Stone as T&T's Production Manager. Stone joined Thomas and Thomas two years ago, bringing with him more than 30 years of experience building rods for The Orvis Company.
Andy notes the industry has changed immensely over the course of his career. “In 30 years’ time, I have seen huge changes in machinery technology. Back in the day, you would use a wrench or a hammer to make the correct adjustment, and now you just change the computer program. These machines may look different, but the functions are still very similar.” He adds, “In the last year Thomas and Thomas has purchased all new machines throughout the factory. It’s amazing to see the increased volume of rod parts turning into the rod you will eventually own.”
During his time at Orvis, Stone spent 15 years on the Research & Development and Rod Design teams, in addition to managing a team of associates. Now, as Vice President of Manufacturing here at T&T, he is responsible for managing all parts of the manufacturing process, including scheduling labor requirements, process improvements, R&D projects, technical support and other duties.
It’s a skill set well valued by the team. “Andy’s 30 years of experience in rod manufacturing has been key in improving our flow of production and manufacturing processes,” notes Neville Orsmond, CEO of Thomas and Thomas. “He is a fantastic team player and his management style and meticulous approach will be pivotal in our future growth and success.”
The challenges of the role excite him. “One of my favorite things is to be working side by side on a new project or teaching more advanced methods to Thomas and Thomas associates — educating them on how their jobs affect other associates upstream during the rod process. With increased confidence, each associate is making better decisions and producing higher volumes of rods, and still maintaining high rod quality. Challenging them to set personal goals and helping them meet those goals is very rewarding for me. It feels like a family environment while working here — communication skills are very important to our team, with huge improvements in the past year.”
Andy feels the brand’s future is strong, finishing with, “I love being part of this small town with lots of fishing and great people. Couldn’t be happier working for Neville and the awesome team here at Thomas and Thomas.”