At Morse, our quality, team members, service, innovation, value, and field support set us apart from the competition. In a recent review of the company’s vision statement, leadership wanted to again differentiate Morse – this time by refining its broad, general scope to instead stay focused on specific company goals.
In strategic planning, a process that began for 2023 in fall 2022, ownership, executive leadership, and a select group of representatives from departments throughout the company gathered to better define the Morse vision, which had been: “We strive to be a global leader in the markets we choose to serve by doing what we say and providing optimal customer solutions.”
“Although we do still feel this way, we thought this was a given. We wanted a more memorable slogan that people can relate to. It began with the ‘It starts with Morse’ campaign, and the thought that to make an idea or design or product possible, you have to first use one of our saw blades,” said Lisa Holbrook, part of the company’s third generation of ownership.
As Morse continues to focus on innovation and growth, “It was time for a facelift,” said Meagan Sonner-Martino, a third-generation owner. “When you think about saw blades, so many of the things surrounding you started with a saw blade. It is exciting to think about the impact our business has in that way. We wanted to create something measurable that we can strive toward, and we can see the progress as we go.”
With facilitation from Peter Vandervaart, product engineering manager, the group worked toward a new vision. It now reads: “To improve cutting solutions that transform ideas into reality.”
Sonner-Martino said the extended strategic planning group brought new insights and vision to the process. “We benefited from bringing in people who hadn’t previously been included in this process. They brought different ideas to the table,” she said. “It is a detriment to rely solely on the executive leaders for these types of exercises because we are not as close to the product as many others in the company.”
The team also reviewed the company’s strategic aspiration: “There is always a better way to cut. The M. K. Morse company will consistently offer leading-edge solutions to our customers.”
“We really wanted to focus on what we are here to do and why we exist. Morse specifically focuses on material removal,” said Alan Holbrook, part of the third-generation leadership team. “In working to be a recognized leader, we needed to include a focus on growing our international business and what success to us would look like – which is Morse really being a globally known name.”
The team developed a new strategic aspiration: “Be a recognized global leader in cutting solutions.”
“As time changes, we can change as well and grow and evolve, and this allows us to do that. We have an international presence, but we are also actively working to continue to grow globally,” said Nick Martino, also a part of the third generation of ownership. Focusing on “cutting solutions” rather than blades specifically allows the company more freedom to expand in innovative technologies, he said.
The leadership team will be reviewing Morse progress toward its vision and strategic aspiration annually to ensure the language remains aligned with the business trajectory.