Jackson County Industrial Development Corporation

07/21/2026

07/21/2026

We are pleased to share that Rodd Roofing Company has joined the Royalty Roofing family of companies.

For more than 100 years, Rodd Roofing has served homeowners, businesses, and communities throughout Vermont and New Hampshire with quality workmanship, integrity, and dependable service. Those values have built a strong reputation across New England, and they are the foundation we intend to preserve.

For our customers, this transition means continuity. The same local team will continue serving the region from St. Johnsbury, supported by the additional resources and capabilities of Royalty Roofing.

"Joining Royalty Roofing gives us the opportunity to continue building on the legacy our family and team have created over the past century," said Casey Rodd. "Our customers will continue working with the people they know and trust, while our employees gain additional opportunities and resources to support our future."

We are honored that Steve and Casey and the Rodd Roofing team have chosen to partner with us, and we look forward to supporting the company as it continues serving customers throughout Vermont and New Hampshire.

To our customers, employees, suppliers, and community partners—thank you for the trust you have placed in Rodd Roofing over the years. We are excited for what the future holds and remain committed to providing the same quality and service that have defined the company for generations.

Welcome to the Royalty Roofing family.

07/21/2026

Nippon Steel Pipe America Inc. in Seymour is a material supplier of various sizes and shapes of carbon and stainless steel tubing to the automotive industry. While end consumers of the tubing are many and include the most popular automobile brands in the world, NSPA tubing has even more direct original equipment manufacturer customers who form and incorporate the tubing into products that are among the best made shock absorbers, struts, exhaust systems, door impact beams, instrument panel beams, steering and suspension systems and more. A small percentage (1%) of NSPA tubing is used in nonautomotive applications.

Nippon Steel Corp. is based in Tokyo, Japan. With manufacturing bases in Japan and 15 countries or more worldwide, the company is Japan's largest steelmaker and one of the world's leading steel producers. Nippon Steel Group does business in four areas, starting with its core segment of steelmaking and steel fabrication and including engineering and construction, chemicals and materials and system solutions.

07/20/2026

This feature showcases products made at Jackson County companies.

Next: Crankshaft adapter made at Excel Manufacturing Inc.

Here's information from the company: Excel Manufacturing Inc. in Seymour manufactures a crankshaft adapter used in the QSK95 engine made at Cummins Seymour Engine Plant. The 95-liter, 4,400-horsepower diesel engine, also known as Hedgehog, is the largest made by Cummins Inc. It's used in the mining, rail, marine and power generation industries.

Information: excelmanufacturinginc.com

Where's the company? 1705 E. Fourth Street Road, Seymour

07/17/2026

With Kool & The Gang's "Celebration" playing over a video of kids riding Guardian Bikes bicycles, the Seymour-based company shared some big news.

Since the Guardian Bikes brand started, the company recently hit a milestone with 1 million bikes sold.

Brian Riley and Kyle Jansen appeared on the TV show "Shark Tank" in 2017 and landed a deal with Mark Cuban. Operating from Austin, Texas, Riley, who is the company's CEO, and his team began looking into other sites that would allow them to reshore their company’s manufacturing to the United States. Ultimately, they settled on Seymour and opened their first U.S. factory in 2022.

"It's official. We've sold one million bikes," the text says in the video. "That's one million first rides, one million family rides, one million 'I've got this,' one million adventures, one million safer riders, one million times infinity priceless moments."

During a recent celebration featuring a cookout and games, Riley spoke to his employees.

"There's still a lot to learn, and there's still a lot to improve, but what we've accomplished so far is nothing short of extraordinary. That is not easy to do," he said.

Initially, Guardian operated out of one building in the Freeman Field Industrial Park. Today, the company occupies seven buildings and continues to work toward having its bicycles 100% made in the USA.

"It's not just a million bikes that we've shipped out there," Riley told his employees. "We're all connected to these million customers that have gotten a bike and gotten this kind of experience, and to keep doing this really well at scale, we just need to continue to take a lot of pride in what we make and the quality at which we make it because every single one of these, when they leave the door here, they are going straight to somebody's door, and it's making a 6-year-old's whole life. It's a huge deal for these kids to have a bike like this, and it really does transform them."

Guardian Bikes are only available to purchase online at guardianbikes.com.

Check out this JCIDC video featuring Mark Cuban: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TihhzZRL6Ig&list=PLAXoByhJl4ML6bDeWTpcuMIvepA_HIROx&index=1

07/17/2026

Congratulations to Jodi!

The Schneck Foundation is proud to recognize Jodi Jenkins as a Champion of Care! A grateful patient recently made a gift to the Schneck Foundation in honor Jodi, recognizing the exceptional compassion and care she provides.

"Jodi, thank you for your knowledge and compassionate guidance through my physical therapy. Your guidance will help me as I continue to do the exercises you have taught me. You are always a wonderful listener. Thanks so much!" -Grateful Patient

To learn more or to recognize your Champion of Care, visit https://www.schneckmed.org/foundation/champion-of-care

07/17/2026

07/16/2026

In the photos from 1967, clockwise from top, women turn out quality shirts at F. Jacobson & Son Inc. in Seymour, a shirt is treated with 355-degree heat for 15 seconds for a permanent press and plant manager Roger Shepherd, right, is pictured with employee Earl Dickey.

The company made brand-name dresses and ivy league shirts and was one of six factories operated by the New York-based firm. At the time, the Seymour location employed 432, mostly women, who completed the 135 steps necessary in making a man's quality shirt of the Jayson and Bentley by Jayson brands. Each shirt went through the hands of 53 employees before it was packed for shipping.

They used automatic equipment, including an $8,400 machine that handled the cuff operation and a $12,000 unit that handled the pockets. Another machine placed buttons on the shirts and stitched them on with very little machine control necessary by the operator. There also were 450 sewing machines.

Shepherd was a veteran of 50 years in the industry. He was named the Jaycees Boss of the Year for 1966.