WiM East 2026: Celebrating Female Leadership and Manufacturing Excellence
Female Leadership
At The Coating House (TCH), we believe in the importance and impact of female leadership in the manufacturing industry. Attending the WiM (Women in Manufacturing) East 2026 was a natural extension of our company’s everyday mission as a proud women-owned business.
A Shared Mission of Female Manufacturing Leadership
WiM is dedicated to supporting, promoting, and inspiring women in manufacturing careers. At TCH, we live this every day. Since 2016, Owner Kim Casineau has been a driving force behind the company’s innovation and industry growth, transforming the company by increasing experienced employees, modernizing operations, embracing cutting edge technology, expanding the facility space, and prioritizing certified quality processes.
Casineau is now a proud member of WiM’s Executive Membership, an opportunity through invitation-only and reserved for CEOs. As part of this exclusive group, Casineau and other members are at the forefront of shaping the future of women in manufacturing fields. Casineau’s involvement with the WiM leadership team ensures TCH remains at the forefront of those developments.
Casineau fosters WiM values within the TCH team as well. A TCH team member, Destinne Edwards, is currently enrolled in WiM’s Women in Production program, an in-depth 20-week course designed to develop leadership capabilities and professional skills. Supporting women in manufacturing is a key value of TCH, highlighting opportunities for growth and positive impact at the industry level.
Insights from WiM East 2026
WiM East 2026 provided the opportunity for female professionals across manufacturing to network, attend events, and grow among colleagues. While at WiM East 2026, Casineau and Edwards visited Henkel’s display, the event’s presenting sponsor and a trusted partner of TCH. Henkle®, the owner of Loctite™, certifies TCH as one of eight pre-applied service centers for its Loctite™ coated fasteners in the U.S.A.
The Henkle® session featured a powerful panel of three women leaders from Henkel®, with a combined 80 years of experience with the company. Their stories highlighted the WiM’s long-standing commitment to supporting women in manufacturing.
What’s Next for TCH
One of the most valuable aspects of attending WiM East 2026 was the opportunity to turn information and inspiration into tangible next steps for TCH. Motivated by the WiM session, Casineau plans to invest in digitizing workflow, bring a new product line, and introduce screw machining to TCH. By investing in female leadership training, TCH ensures its team is skilled in their technical roles, while also equipping them to lead, mentor, and drive innovation.
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