About Us

At a luncheon on July 18th, 2011, Sumitomo's CEO-Ron Smith, CFO-Jim Solomon, HR Director-Mike Lulofs, Receiver-Beau Price, and Marketing Communications Coorinator-Sarah Heckman, received awards for not only the Best Mid-Sized Company in Hampton Roads, but also Best Overall Company in Hampton Roads. Sumitomo was commended for their excellence in communication, functions it provides for employees and involvement with the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia.

Founded in 1966 in the U.S., Sumitomo Machinery Corp. of America is a subsidiary of one of the largest machinery manufacturers in Japan, Sumitomo Heavy Industries. In 1988, SMA moved its corporate headquarters to Chesapeake, and was managed by Japanese executives until 2007, when its current, American CEO, Ron Smith, came on board. SMA has corporate responsibility for operations in the United States and all of Latin America. With about 200 employees at the Chesapeake facility, which has about 200,000 square feet of manufacturing space, SMA still has a personable feel.

"We've always strived to be an employer of choice," said Ron Smith, CEO. Our benefits are among the best in the area, with very low contributions required by employees. Events such as the Super Bowl party, Christmas party/sing-a-long and Summer Bash are examples of the fun we all have while at work. It's evident that people who come to work with SMA like it and stay here. The average length of service with SMA among Chesapeake employees is 8 years, and over 75% of the employees in Chesapeake have been with SMA for at least 2 years. These are among the traits that will continue to make SMA a great place to work."

"We try to keep a very professional atmosphere, but at the same time, we like to have fun at work as much as possible," said Jim Solomon, CFO. "I've never been any place where the employees are so good to work with. We are a family environment, and we work well as a team. That's what makes work enjoyable."

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For more information about Sumitomo, please contact Maryanne Bronson, Marketing Communicatons Supervisor