Deb Malewski
Contributing Writer
(Photo by Deb Malewski: Christine Dowding-Metts and Jeff Metts, along with one of their robots, celebrating 60 years of Dowding Industries on June 19.)
Dowding Industries may be known locally as just a factory in Eaton Rapids, but its story is one of innovation, legacy, and a goal of building people, not just parts. Founded in 1965 by Maurice “Skip” Dowding as a small tool and die shop near Narrow Lake, the company was born from Skip’s desire to have a business that gave him the freedom to pursue his passions, hunting, fishing, and aviation.
Sixty years later, Dowding is a world-class manufacturer of metal stampings, fabricated and precision-machined components, and assemblies. Still family-led, the company is now guided by Skip’s daughter, CEO Christine Dowding-Metts, and her husband, President Jeff Metts, at three plants totaling 160,00 square feet on Marilin Street in Eaton Rapids.
On June 19, 2025, they celebrated their 60th anniversary with “Dowding Day”, an employee and family celebration featuring keynote speaker MSU Basketball Coach Tom Izzo, a party, and a well-earned day off for employees.
During a recent visit, I was struck not just by Dowding’s impressive capabilities, but by the values behind the business. At the heart of Dowding’s success is a strong corporate philosophy centered on people. Jeff Metts describes it as a culture of teamwork and of a family workplace built on relationships, shared purpose, and a commitment to excellence that continues to shape both product and community.
I expected to find a traditional industrial setting: tools on benches, men in blue work shirts, grease-stained machines. Instead, I saw a variety of high-tech robots and co-bots (robots designed to work alongside humans in a shared workspace), all busy at work while the factory was closed for the event.
They have purchased 40 robots over the last three years, Metts explained, but have not lost any employees in the process.
“We have changed the way we do business,” Jeff Metts told me. The company intentionally capped its workforce at about 200 to preserve a close-knit, family-oriented environment. Currently employing about 210 people, many from Eaton Rapids, Dowding emphasizes personal growth just as much as technical advancement.
Employees are offered classes in conflict management, leadership, communication, and finance, Metts explained, and even a book club. Their bonus program gets stronger each year, he added. While “normal” business turnover for employees is about 43%, their turnover rate is 21%, with 0% turnover in management.
Amid economic shifts and rapid technological change, Dowding Industries has proven that innovation and heart are not mutually exclusive. By investing in both cutting-edge equipment and the people who run it, they have built more than a manufacturing business, they have built a legacy. In doing so, they have positioned Eaton Rapids not just as a place that makes things, but as a place that makes a difference.
