Industry: Manufacturing
Led by: CEOs Darrell LaCrosse and Todd Robinson
Headquarters: De Pere
Number of Employees: 855
robinsoninc.com
In less than a decade, De Pere-based Robinson has transformed from a hybrid job shop into an integrated manufacturing powerhouse, growing revenue from $58 million in 2016 to $350 million booked for the current fiscal year.
Founded in 1975 as Robinson Metal & Roofing, the company made a strategic pivot from traditional sheet metal work to contract manufacturing, focusing on designing, building and installing custom enclosures for energy storage, power generation and battery storage systems.
This shift has positioned Robinson at the intersection of two exploding markets: data infrastructure and energy storage.
“Over this 10-year period, there’s been a lot of growth and a lot of opportunity to really focus on what we’re good at and where we know we bring value to our customers,” says President Sam Thomas. “In a lot of ways, we were able to remove things that were just robbing us of time and capacity.”
The company’s generator enclosures — some larger than semi-truck trailers — have become essential as data centers boom, with some new facilities requiring 12 to 20 units lined up side by side.
Robinson has invested more than $60 million in capital equipment over the last two years, expanding to four facilities totaling 800,000 square feet and employing 855 people.
In 2023, Robinson completed another major transition, becoming 100% employee-owned through an ESOP, ensuring its growth‑focused culture continues for generations to come.
