In Mineral Ridge, Jaxon manufacturers parts that play a quiet but essential role in keeping freight moving across the country.
Since 1991, the company has been producing components used in rail applications, including coupling rods and boxcar door products.
“We serve customers across North America — including the U.S., Canada and Mexico,” said Adam Stryffeler, president at Jaxon.
Even though the company serves customers well beyond the region, Jaxon’s next chapter is centered in the Mahoning Valley.
The company is building a stronger local presence as it grows and adds new services. That’s what led Jaxon to join MVMC.
“It really gets down to the networking,” Stryffeler said.
Growing out of space
The company has expanded quickly in less than a decade, growing from four employees to about 36. A second building was recently added to its current location, bringing Jaxon’s footprint to roughly 120,000 square feet.
“They’re both completely full. Basically, we’re already out of space,” Stryffeler said.
That growth has come with ongoing investment. Over the years, Jaxon added equipment aimed at expanding the kind of work it can take on beyond rail.
“Five years ago, we put a lot of effort into fabrication. We put in a laser and a brake press. Right now, we’re installing a robotic welding cell.”
Hiring is not a major focus for Jaxon right now. Still, the company is facing the same workforce challenges many manufacturers see, especially in skilled roles like welding.
Stryffeler said automation is one way Jaxon plans to protect capacity and keep production moving as it grows.
MVMC amplifies visibility, builds relationships
For Kacie Mosora, Jaxon’s account manager, MVMC first stood out through its online presence and the realization that if the company wanted stronger local visibility, it needed to be part of the region’s manufacturing conversation.
“Being that we want to get our name out there locally, we need to get more involved in the community if we want good community response,” Mosora said.
She reached out to MVMC Executive Director Alex Hertzer, and the connection moved quickly.
“He responded back, he came here to meet with us, and then we decided to join MVMC,” Mosora said.
Jaxon’s membership isn’t about just adding another logo to a list. It’s about access to peers and the kind of practical, experience-based problem-solving that manufacturers trade every day.
Stryffeler said MVMC helps manufacturers compare notes on what’s working, what isn’t, and what they’d do differently, even across different markets.
Sometimes the real value is the extended network that comes with every new connection.
“You start getting into the second, third, fourth level that employers know, and that’s where introductions and referrals happen,” he said.
Mosora saw that network in action right away during the first MVMC all-member meeting she attended.
“We left there feeling really good, and we met a lot of people,” she said.
For Jaxon, joining MVMC is a way to stay connected while the company expands – building relationships, sharing ideas and finding new opportunities in the Mahoning Valley.
