Thiel College students deliver operational plan to Mercer-based Imperial Systems Inc.

GREENVILLE, Pa.-- Students in Thiel College’s Fall 2025 Operations Management course presented an in-depth operational plan to Imperial Systems Inc. on Friday, Dec. 5, providing analysis and recommendations to support the company’s continued growth and strategic decision-making.

Imperial Systems, a leading manufacturer of industrial air-filtration and dust-collection equipment, is headquartered in Mercer, Pa., with an office in The Colony, Texas. The company has experienced significant expansion in recent years, growing its workforce from 43 to 145 employees, according to statistics from the state of Pennsylvania and earning recognition as a “major key player” in the industrial dust-collection sector by Global Markets Insights.

Working with ISI Controller Lee Totten ’14 and Chief Operating Officer Chalmer Ritzert, students analyzed several major operational questions affecting the company’s next phase of development. Central topics included:

• The feasibility and cost implications of consolidating all manufacturing operations into a single site in Mercer or Grove City.
• The potential benefits of moving component manufacturing from Mercer to the company’s expanding Hadley facility.
• Evaluating and improving the financial reporting system, including allocation methods for indirect expenses.
• Conducting make-or-buy analyses for control panels and end caps to determine whether domestic sourcing or in-house production offers greater long-term efficiency.

The project aligned closely with ISI’s ongoing expansion efforts. On Oct. 15, 2025, Governor Josh Shapiro announced the company’s nearly $8 million investment to expand its Mercer County manufacturing footprint, a project expected to create at least 47 new full-time jobs while retaining ISI’s current workforce of 145 employees. As part of this expansion, ISI acquired a new facility at 1264 Fredonia Road in Hadley, complementing existing locations in Williamstown and Mercer. The Hadley site will grow by an additional 17,000 square feet to support steel coil processing and new product lines.

The Thiel student teams mirrored a professional consulting model, with five groups reporting to overall project managers Laura Brumbaugh ’26 and Kendall McLaughlin ’27.

Team leads and members included:

• Financial Reporting Team
  Team Leader: Josie Gadsby ’28
  Members: Natalie Pape ’26
• Consolidation Team
  Team Leader: Richard Cianci ’26
  Members: Sara Owens ’27, Hunter Crouse ’26, Brett Channell ’27, Preston Lefkowitz ’28
• Hadley Site Team
  Team Leader: Natalie Hering ’26
  Members: Sofia DeJohn ’27, Edward McCarthy ’26, Abigail Rottman ’26, Reagan Nelson ’27
• Control Panel Team
  Team Leader: Derrick Zappa ’26
  Members: Danielle Ficeti ’26, William Donaldson ’26, Luca DiRienzo ’27, Logan Lentz ’27, Brady Rzodkiewicz ’27
• End Cap Team
  Team Leader: Ethan Tabaka ’26
  Members: Austin Parker ’26, Kailee Matter ’26, Alex Mittner ’27, William Zimmerman ’26

The semester-long project served as an applied learning experience in which students used operational management principles to address challenges faced by a fast-growing regional manufacturer. Their analysis is expected to support ISI leadership as they implement new operational strategies and continue expanding their capabilities in Mercer County.

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