Signature Vacuum Furnaces has introduced employee ownership through an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), marking a new chapter for the Pennsylvania-based manufacturer after more than two decades in business. The company joins a growing number of businesses in the U.S. adopting this structure — and is the first in Pennsylvania.
Founded in 2002 by Greg Kimble and Tim Horning, Signature Vacuum designs and manufactures custom vacuum furnace systems for demanding thermal processing applications. The company got its start building systems on a customer’s shop floor — an early example of the hands-on, highly customized work that makes them distinct. Today, Signature Vacuum is known for its technical expertise, close coordination across teams, and long-standing customer relationships.
For Greg and Tim, that foundation shaped how they approached planning for the future. Much of that knowledge, from engineering to customer context, has been developed over decades. As they began thinking about succession, the question wasn’t just when to transition ownership, but how to do so without disrupting the culture and quality they’ve built.
“We’ve had opportunities to sell the business over the years, but we kept coming back to how to carry the culture forward and take care of the people here.” — Greg Kimble, Co-Founder, Signature Vacuum
That led them to explore a range of options, including conversations with outside buyers and other employee ownership models. Ultimately, they chose an approach that allows the business to keep operating as it has, while putting a structure in place to support a gradual transition of ownership.
With the transition to an Employee Ownership Trust, a portion of the company’s ownership is now held in a trust for the benefit of its employees. This structure allows Greg to begin stepping back while Tim remains actively involved, and provides flexibility for a business where project timing and cash flow can vary significantly from year to year. For a company of its size, it also offered a simpler, more practical path than other ownership options.
“For us, it came down to taking care of our customers and our employees,” shared Tim Horning, Co-Founder of Signature Vacuum. “That’s really what guided this decision.”
For the team, the transition opens the door for greater employee engagement and a clearer connection between the work they do and the company’s future — while preserving the culture and collaboration that have defined the business.
Working alongside Common Trust, in partnership with Jeff Parnell, a Transition Executive who works with owners to evolve their companies' ownership models, and with support from the Strategic Early Warning Network (SEWN), Signature Vacuum developed and implemented a transition tailored to its structure, goals, and operating realities.
Looking ahead, the company’s day-to-day work remains unchanged. The same team continues to design, build, and support custom systems for customers worldwide — now with a structure in place that supports long-term continuity, flexibility, and a transition of ownership over time.
“What Greg and Tim recognized is that the value of Signature Vacuum lives in its people, its relationships, and its know-how,” said Zoe Schlag, CEO of Common Trust. “An EOT lets them transition ownership on a timeline that fits the business — without forcing a sale or disrupting the customers and employees who depend on them.”
For other founder-led businesses facing similar questions, Signature Vacuum’s approach reflects a growing shift toward ownership structures that balance flexibility, simplicity, and continuity — especially in companies where expertise, relationships, and long-term thinking are central to how the business operates.
If you’re exploring whether employee ownership could be the right fit for your business, we’d love to talk. Schedule a call with one of our advisors today.
