Laclede Chain Taps Melissa Searle to Head Up New Division
Laclede Chain, a leader in American made industrial chains and hooks, is creating a new division, Research & Product Development (R&PD). . Melissa Searle has been promoted from the role of Engineer to Director of Research and Product Development overseeing market and product specification research, overseeing requirements and new product development. Melissa attended Missouri University of Science and Technology and has a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. After graduation, she started her career at Laclede’s Maryville, Missouri location experiencing firsthand the inner workings of their manufacturing facility. This experience helped prepare her for this new role which is based out of the corporate office.
Since 1854, Laclede Chain has been dedicated to pushing development and driving innovation with their products and this new division and its leadership will strengthen their technical presence in the industry.
“Melissa has been a key leader in our product development activities since she has joined the company in 2016,” said Tim Riley, President/CEO. “I am convinced that she will bring the rigor, creativity, and capabilities that this role requires. It is exactly what we need to take the next step in pursuit of our purpose – to create a world where people live and work securely.”
In addition to product development and research, Melissa will also oversee technical presentations and papers, technical support of sales and operations and will represent Laclede in technical trade and professional organizations (AWRF, ASTM, etc). They hope to continue to grow the division in the coming months to expand their product development capabilities even further.
About Laclede Chain: Since 1854, Laclede Chain Laclede Chain has been a leading U.S. chain manufacturer and supplier of high quality solutions for safety-driven chain consumers. Headquartered in St. Louis, Laclede produces a wide range of chain making capabilities, including in-house riveting, custom engineering, and a multi-million-dollar powder coating division.