Get to Know Worth Iron Co.

Worth Iron Co. has been one of the foremost iron work shops in the Philadelphia area since opening in 1950. The company started as a family business, and it has kept those small business ideals to focus on customer satisfaction. Offering many services, like restoration, painting, and custom design, Worth Iron has recently expanded to work in Lehigh County. Let's get to know this company, and its owner, Thomas Hladczuk.

1. Do you know why your family chose iron work as the business to venture into?

My father was a machinist, and so was my grandfather. My grandfather came over from Ukraine and he was a machinist by trade, so my father became one. However, on the side, he started doing iron work. Then he saw the opportunity at the time, because the economy was really booming, and he decided to go into his own business. This was back in 1950, so he and my grandfather, that’s how they started.

2. What has been the most rewarding part of your job?

The most rewarding part is getting to meet the challenges of today’s market, going from where we came from, and being able to adapt to the changes in the marketing philosophy. Building product with quality and keeping customer service in mind is what we were founded on. Being able to satisfy our customers with high level of satisfaction, being able to coordinate the workforce, customers, suppliers, and at the same time adapt to the new marketing tools available to you in order to grow is what we’ve been doing. Small business have a high degree of failure rate, especially newer ones, and as a whole, so it’s rewarding to know our company can keep going through all the changes in the market and keep things flowing. I find that very rewarding.

3. Did you always want to run the family business?

No, I did not always want to, but maybe as a teenager. Then I went into the service, and then went through the education process, so I thought I’d go another route. Then the opportunity presented itself after I had a couple ventures into the business world, so I saw the chance to take it to another level...and here I am.

4. Tell us about your favorite project you’ve ever done.

In terms of a work project, there’s a lot of them. There’s been a lot of interesting ones over the years, different things that customers have really liked, but my favorite project is bringing my business that my father started, to where it is now. As he got older, he started to have health issues and the income started to decline, so his interest waned and it started to get to the point where he needed some help. At that time, I was involved in another endeavor in real estate, but when he called me back to be a partner, I thought he needed help.

5. How big is the Worth Iron family?

The business started with my grandfather, onto my father, brother, myself. I am the last remaining Worth Iron family member.

6. What are your hopes for the future?

To build a dynamic organization that constantly tries to attain the most satisfied customers, and a full service organization, surrounding myself with great people. I’ve had great administrative help, and I have a great person now in that position. I have a great dynamic, knowledgeable, technical leader in my shop, whom I’m trying to build a team around. I have some ideas and dreams for the business, and once they’re implemented we’re going to rise to a high level. I have no limitations, so I won’t place them on myself: the sky’s the limit. We’re going to keep our customers’ satisfaction foremost, the most important thing we try to achieve. That’s my hopes for the future, but I think we can do more than hope: I think we can make it happen.

7. If you could do any other job, what would it be?

I’m an amateur guitar enthusiast; I’ve played most of my life. It started with lessons when I was a child, and playing off and on through the years, but I’m getting back into it now. Being an entertainer, solo, duo, trio, group, would be amazing. I love making people happy, having them smile, having a good time. I think I would really enjoy that, especially that atmosphere. It’s always been a fantasy as a child. Maybe that’s why I like being in business and being able to satisfy my customers. But being a rockstar would be it. Or a professional athlete--one or the other. Those two jobs would suit me just fine.