While his goal as the CEO and founder of Gross Automation, LLC, is to provide tremendous value to his customers, what fuels Robert Gross’ passion is waking up every morning knowing that the company is collectively responsible for providing the livelihood of its employees and families. “We have 28 employees, and they all have spouses, significant others, children or elderly parents living with them,” he said. “They all sit at the table and that alone drives us to work hard every day.”
Gross said his greatest accomplishment is the positive feeling that the company is making a difference in the lives of his staff. “It was 33 years ago that I incorporated this business, and I would not go back and redo anything because everything we did, led us to the next step in our evolution,” he said. “We are still here, standing tall and proud of our accomplishments, which includes building an awesome team.”
Gross Automation, LLC, is a growth-oriented, cutting-edge electrical and automation controls distributor with multiple value-added services amongst which include supplemental engineering and UL-certified panel assistance.
The last three years have been significant for the company, said Gross. The firm rebuilt revenue that is now above the pre-pandemic levels and on path for accelerating growth. The company has also rebuilt the team and added training and development for sales and management team members. New vendors have also evolved, despite challenges with the supply chain. “The new normal for us includes a backlog that has grown to over 45 percent of our annual sales from its 20 percent pre-pandemic level,” said Gross.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Gross said the team resumed international travel and trade missions and added intellectual property to the company’s manufacturing capabilities while also investing in green energy. “We are walking the walk before talking the talk,” said Gross.
Looking forward, Gross said one of the major initiatives over the next year is to develop the company’s manufacturing capabilities while designing and building a special-use panel for delivering rural broadband access to some of the poorer counties in the United States.
With a multi-generation and diverse workforce, the culture at Gross Automation has evolved into one where everyone learns from each other, said Gross. “This helps us to bond, while creating an environment of trust, respect and integrity,” he said. “As an employer of choice, we need to be as attractive to employees in the same way we need to be attractive to customers for attraction and retention.”
As a second-year Titan 100, Gross is recognized for his commitment to his client base and his staff for more than 30 years.
