OUR SUCCESS STORY

It was almost 20 years ago that Valerie Ritchie found herself an unemployed, single parent on mother’s allowance struggling to raise her children.

Returning to the work force as a telemarketer in the industry she got frustrated when she was passed over for a promotion in favor of the man she trained. “I was told, women belong in an office,” says Val. “That’s when I realized it was time to start my own business where the potential was unlimited.”

In 1996, V&J Marketing Sales and Installations was opened. The name of the company was changed to Rackman and Conveyor Service and Installation Inc in 1998 and as of 2006 the company name once again underwent a change to what it is now, Racks Unlimited Mfg. Ltd. Since it’s inception and to date it has remained a small family owned business, providing custom metal fabrications such as Automotive Shipping Containers, Stamping baskets & Warehouse Material Storage Products: pallet racking, shelving, fencing, mezzanines.

Certified WBE Canada for three consecutive years and with WEConnect International since 2017, Racks Unlimited Manufacturing proudly displays the women owned logo on her website. Founder and President Valerie Ritchie say “so far our biggest accomplishment has been winning the “Doing Business Award 2015” in recognition of 2014 WBE sales success, utilizing certification, for sales reaching over 1 million.”

With the infrastructure of her company in place and her upcoming ISO9001:2015 certification, Valerie looks forward to growing her business while recognizing that the systems and processes she has in place now may need to change with her business as she realizes her goal of selling millions of dollars in product to the United States market, and expanding into Mexico.

Currently Valerie lives just outside of Shelburne, Ontario with her youngest daughter and fiancé, and enjoys spending time with her horses and dogs in her spare time.

Valerie Ritchie - Racks Unlimited Manufacturing Limited