Travis Robbins Driving Growth and Innovation at WPT Nonwovens
By Jennifer Wimmer
WPT Nonwovens Corporation is a versatile, highly capable, and experienced nonwoven fabric producer that is family-owned, veteran-owned, and veteran workforce supportive.
The 3 plant sites in Beaver Dam, KY produce American made, resin-bond nonwovens using raw fibers, such as polyester, rayon, and cotton. These are bonded together to create a wide variety of high-quality, environmentally responsible, sustainable nonwoven materials from single-use disposable products to durable products designed for providing a long service life, that fulfill the nonwoven material needs of consumers and industries, as well as medical and hygiene markets, and for the many applications emerging in the industry.
WPT President Travis Robbins is a United States Army Veteran who graduated from Hancock County High School in 2006. He is the grandson of Marshall & Shirley Veach, and Wayne & Pat Robbins.
Travis moved to Hancock County when he was 12-years-old. He said that immediately after moving to the county, and attending HCMS, he felt like his peers really brought him into the fold, and always treated him like he’d lived here his entire life, and that he always felt welcomed.
“I’ve always felt like Hancock County is home,” he said. “I love the county. They’ve always treated me like I was one of their own, even though I kind of was a transplant. I still think a lot of the people that mentored me when I was in school. I have stayed close with some of those people still today.”
Travis played on the HCMS and HCHS boys’ basketball teams, and upon graduating, joined the U.S. Army. When he was deployed to Iraq, his grandfather, Wayne Robbins, purchased WPT. He had been hired by the previous owner in 1993 to be the plant manager of the original plant.
“In June of 2008, the owner of the company called my grandfather, and let him know that he was going to be filing for bankruptcy,” Travis said, “and that he needed to call the customers and tell them that he would be closing the doors on the factory. At the time, my grandfather and the previous owner made a very niche medical orthopedic product, and when he called that customer, they said, ‘We really can’t have you go out of business; You’re the only one that can make this product. We don’t have another option. Would you consider buying the equipment or keeping the plant open if we were to support you?’
My grandfather was 68-years-old. He went home and met with my grandmother. Together they prayed about it, and decided that they would cash in their 401K, put a mortgage back on their house, and go to the courthouse steps and purchase the plant at auction.”
Wayne and Pat purchased the plant, and kept the one customer, and Travis said that customer is still one of their best and biggest customers today.
“At that time, I was in the Army,” he said. “I finished my deployment, and finished my tour, and in 2010 I came home and went to college at night to pursue a degree in business on the G.I. Bill. I was looking for work, and I was newly married to Nicole (Nicole Long Robbins, of Hancock County), and we needed an income. My grandfather hired me for $9 an hour to run one of the machines, and that’s how I got started at WPT.”
When Wayne first started as owner of the company, he began with only 10 employees, one production line, and 1 product line. Today, they have invested and grown, and have put almost every dollar back into the company – almost $30M, to date, Travis said, to grow WTP. They now have over 100 employees, and just opened one of the largest expansions in their market, and in their industry in the U.S., for air filtration and hygiene products.
“We have a brand new, beautiful plant in Beaver Dam, and we are hiring right now for that. The machinery is very clean, and it’s not the traditional manufacturing setting. It’s very state-of-the-art and technical. We’re adding shifts for production quality. We have a couple of administrative roles, as a buyer or in finance. There’s always opportunity; We’re always growing. We’re always looking for the next crop of young leaders.
We also have, and sponsor, the GO FAME program, at Owensboro Community & Technical College (OCTC). People that are pursuing their associate’s degree in industrial technology, we often interview and sponsor them. We help them with their education, and they have a job while they’re pursuing that education. Post-graduation, they have a job here on our technical team.
We try to be very involved in the community, and try to create advanced manufacturing opportunities that haven’t existed in Ohio County in some time. We are a veteran-owned company through the Small Business Administration. We also have a Veterans First Hiring Program so right now if we have candidates apply, if they are veterans or have served in the military, then we look to them to hire our veterans first. I think that’s something unique about our company.
Right now, we have a goal of having over 10 percent of our workforce as military veterans or retired veterans, and we will hit that goal in 2024. We’re very excited about that, and will continue to invest and grow in Ohio County, and create opportunities here that are much needed with manufacturing.”
Travis said that he really cherishes and values his roots in Hancock County, and is very thankful that he had an opportunity to grow up here.
“Although our business is in an adjacent county next door,” he said, “I hope that if there are young people that are looking for an opportunity in manufacturing that they would consider us, and consider what we’re trying to accomplish here in Ohio County. We are a family company. We’re a veteran company, and we’ll be happy to support those that are looking for an opportunity.”
WPT Nonwovens Corporation has the mission of: Growing With Our Community. Travis is committed to strengthening the bonds within Hancock County and surrounding areas, and is excited to announce new job opportunities as part of their expansion. If you are interested in joining their team, please scan the QR code to explore current openings, and become a part of a company that values community and connection. The QR code will take you directly to the application process on indeed.com.
Travis & Nicole Robbins live in Owensboro. They are blessed with 4 children: Amelia (9), Austin (7), Anna (3), and Reed Henry (1). Nicole is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, and is currently full-time homeschooling their children, and supports the homeschool co-op in Hancock County.
To learn more about WPT Nonwovens Corp., please visit the website at: https://www.wptnonwovens.com.
