As Cardinal Scale’s new Director of Manufacturing, Landon O’Neal enjoys seeing the factory’s integrated production process in action. It’s a complex and carefully orchestrated operation to take slabs of raw steel, cut and formed, finished and assembled, transformed into precise load cells, and then utilized in a calibrated scale, and Landon loves being part of it.
“It’s awesome to see us turn raw materials into the products that we do,” says Landon, who arrived at Cardinal Scale in September of 2023.
A native of Miami, Oklahoma, Landon first pursued a degree in communication from Oklahoma Baptist University, knowing that degree would be useful just about anywhere life took him.
“I felt like communication skills were something I could learn,” says Landon, who understood how valuable and versatile those skills are. “How we communicate interpersonally can be a big difference maker,” he says.
With the addition of an MBA from Liberty University, Landon first applied those skills at Leggett & Platt in Carthage, MO, where he managed inventory as the materials manager, and worked closely with the Porter International segment that Leggett had purchased in 1997.
“I love manufacturing and working with my hands,” says Landon. “That’s what drove me to Leggett & Platt.”
In 2013, Landon was named Director of Manufacturing, eventually moving up to serve as Assistant Branch Manager and then General Manager in 2017.
Now at Cardinal Scale, Landon says he is excited to be a part of a privately-held company that is driven by growth and product improvement, instead of a publicly-held company focused on its stock prices.
“I love how invested and involved upper management is in all parts of the business here at Cardinal Scale,” says Landon. “We have a vision, and it’s our duty to communicate and execute it so that we are all on the same page.”
As he oversees nine departments at Cardinal Scale, Landon says his goal is to keep the departments working well and working together.
“We’re really good here at solving problems,” says Landon. “My job is to eliminate problems that keep us from greater sales growth.”
He says the keys to such improvements are standardization of procedures, keeping the factory following consistent processes, and improving overall quality so that great products can be delivered on-time.
When he’s not working, Landon and his wife, Christina, can frequently be found at Forest Park Church, where he plays piano and guitar. His family also includes a 23-year-old stepson, a 10-year-old daughter, and a 2-year-old granddaughter.
Golfing, barbecuing, and rooting for the Oklahoma Sooners are also top pastimes for Landon, when he can find the time.
But of course, right now, a lot of his time is spent at Cardinal Scale where he drives production improvements, both large and small.
“I’m excited to be part of the team here,” he says.
