Heart of Business
Holmatro: Where Maryland Manufacturing Meets Life-Saving Mission
Feb 18, 2026
Holmatro has been designing and building life-saving hydraulic rescue tools in Maryland for more than 40 years. From machinists to sales managers, every employee plays a role in giving first responders the equipment they need to save lives.
For more than 60 years, Holmatro has designed and built hydraulic rescue tools that first responders rely on in critical moments. For the last 40 of those years, that work has taken place in Anne Arundel County, where machinists, engineers, trainers, and customer support teams come together to ensure every tool performs when lives are on the line.
These tools are not simple devices. Many have nearly 300 components, all crafted with precision and assembled with care. Behind each product is a team of employees who take pride in their work, knowing that the equipment they make may be used to stabilize vehicles, lift heavy objects, breach doors, or extract individuals in life-or-death situations.
Manufacturing a Mission
Walk through Holmatro’s Maryland facility and it’s clear this is more than a production floor — it’s a mission-driven ecosystem. Machinists, engineers and quality managers work alongside sales, training specialists and customer service specialists to make sure every product meets the highest standards.
Training is not an afterthought; it’s a core competency. Holmatro sponsors apprenticeships in its machine shop, offers on-the-job training and provides employees with ongoing learning opportunities to sharpen skills that support both the company and the first responders who depend on its tools.
Stories from employees underscore the purpose behind the work. Machinist Chuck Cain, in his 31st year at Holmatro, said, “As a machinist, my brain is always working. If you can’t keep my wheels turning, I’m gone.” Thirty-one years later, his wheels are still turning — and the company continues to innovate.
Training and Rescue Specialist Laura Huggins draws on her fire service experience to ensure first responders and employees alike are prepared for every situation.
Customer Service Manager Michelle Gibson experiences the impact personally — her son recently became a firefighter in Howard County and uses Holmatro equipment in the field.
And Quality Manager Timo Gerlings shared a story of a team in Arizona using Holmatro tools to extract a driver from a vehicle that had been torn apart; without the equipment, the individual might not have survived.
Workforce and Competitive Challenges
Holmatro is fortunate to have employees with deep roots in Maryland, but attracting new talent remains a challenge. “Maryland has a high cost of living — housing, energy, taxes — and that affects both our employees and prospects,” explained President Shelly Elliott. For a company competing globally on precision and speed, recruitment and retention are critical to performance.
Competitive pressures go beyond workforce. Holmatro manufactures domestically, with a full machine shop and assembly operation, but rising material costs, labor costs and global tariffs impact how competitive Maryland manufacturing can be. The company works diligently to offset these pressures while maintaining quality, precision and reliability — because first responders depend on it to save lives in their communities.
Teamwork and Culture
Beyond economics and policy, Holmatro shines as a workplace where collaboration, voice and purpose matter. Employees consistently describe a culture where their experience is valued, contributions make a difference and teamwork mirrors the family-oriented environment of fire service.
Annually, Holmatro surveys employees for feedback to action on and in 2025, was named a Baltimore Business Journal Best Place to Work. “Training is a big thing,” Huggins said. “Whatever training we can provide to help people do their jobs to the best of their ability — that lifts the entire workforce.”
A Maryland Company with Global Impact
Holmatro is more than a manufacturer — it’s a community partner. The company supports the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, hosts local fire departments for training, backs United Way of Central Maryland, and invests heavily in workforce development. Through these actions, the impact of Maryland manufacturing radiates outward — into communities, career pathways, and real-world outcomes measured in lives saved.
The Holmatro story demonstrates that economic development isn’t just about charts, incentives, or taxes. It’s about people, purpose, and the tools they build together. By combining precision manufacturing, workforce development, and community engagement, Holmatro strengthens Maryland’s economy while helping first responders across the US save lives — one tool at a time.
