August 9, 2023

McGruder signs on as Project Manager at LAVATEC

Beacon Falls, CT. – October 4, 2023 – Michael McGruder is the new Project Manager at LAVATEC. Based in Cincinnati, he has over 30 years of design, manufacturing, project engineering and project management experience. He is responsible for project planning and equipment installation and reports to Eric Mueller, LAVATEC’s Vice President of Engineering.

McGruder began his career as a civilian employee for the United States Army Corps of Engineers. As a Mechanical Engineer and Project Manager in Fort Worth, Texas, he managed 14 projects for the Army’s Operation and Maintenance program and four projects for the Air Force Military Construction program. The projects had a combined value of $12 million.

Since 1996, McGruder has worked at several Cincinnati area companies or affiliates including Ford Motor Co., General Electric Aviation, Proctor & Gamble, and Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America. Prior to LAVATEC, he spent the last 18 years as a Project Manager for Meyer Tool, Inc., a high-tech aerospace manufacturer of precision components.

"My responsibilities at Meyer Tool were to manage the design, programming, processing, and partial quality assurance for aircraft engine component and assembly contracts," he confirmed. At LAVATEC, he will be overseeing all of the details to ensure a smooth equipment installation process with each customer.

"When I was recruited for this position, I was intrigued about the industrial laundry industry but was not aware of its scale," continued McGruder. "The equipment and cleaning process, and the challenge of managing these types of projects, is what convinced me to join LAVATEC."

A graduate of Prairie View A&M University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, McGruder earned a certificate in Manufacturing Engineering at the University of Cincinnati’s Center for Advanced Manufacturing Systems. He also has a certificate in Renewable Energy. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his adult son, riding his bicycle, reading, and participating in fitness sports and watching sports on television.

About Lavatec Laundry Technology, Inc.
Delivering dependable commercial laundry equipment engineered for higher returns throughout their lifecycles has been the Lavatec Laundry Technology mantra for over three decades. Some LAVATEC manufactured equipment has been on the job for more than a quarter century. A rarity among manufacturers of continuous tunnel washers, LAVATEC offers center transfer, bottom transfer and double-drum construction options, plus a full range of readily integrated, end-to-end laundry system components: washer extractors, extraction presses, centrifuges, dryers, conveyor systems, pickers, feeders, ironers and folders. Simple design, durable construction, user-friendly operation and low maintenance are hallmarks of LAVATEC machines. A global leader with equipment in laundry operations throughout Europe, the Far East, South and North America, more than 8,000 LAVATEC machines have been installed in the United States alone. For more information, visit www.LLTusa.com.