Paul Nunes was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Ashworth in June 2023. He has extensive experience in various roles with the company for over three decades.
Catalina Mihu: You took on the helm at Ashworth in 2023, having been with the company for about 30 years now. What insights do you value in your new role, from your extended experience with Ashworth?
Paul Nunes: I’ve actually been here for 31 years. At times, stepping into the leadership role still feels new, but most of the time it doesn’t, given my long history here and the close partnership I had with our former CEO, Vincent Moretti. We worked as a team, which made the transition smoother, especially since I have experience across several areas of the company.
After Vincent Moretti’s retirement, we faced new challenges, particularly labor shortages. Like many others in the industry, we struggled to hire in our own facilities. Ashworth has traditionally been a place where employees stay for many years, thanks to our people-focused culture. However, today’s younger workforce is a little bit different, as they choose to go from job to job to gain experience and knowledge, while following their personal goals. In the period following COVID, many people reevaluated their careers and made changes, which added to the challenge. It affected us and our manufacturing operations, especially after having decades of employees who worked here for 30, 40, and even 50 years. From that standpoint, it wasn’t an easy transition. We had to work through those challenges, but I’m pleased to say that things are in a much better place. We’ve built a team of committed employees, we’ve invested in training, and we’ve successfully come out on the other side of this issue.
Mihu: How did you change the company culture to make people want to join and stay again?
Nunes: We focused on retention. Our managers and super-visors received additional training, reinforcing skills they already had but may not have been using consistently. This included having more one-on-one conversations, and schedulingregular check-ins with employees across all levels of the organization to understand their perspectives.
We intentionally created open, honest dialogues that could range from suggestions for improvements to questions or concerns, as well as personal challenges that might be affecting their work. Addressing these issues has always been important to us. Ashworth has a long history of supporting employees through difficult periods, both professionally and personally.
People recognized that we genuinely make an effort to support them, and that commitment has led many to say, ‘I want to work for a company like that!’
Mihu: And you are a prime example of this policy, having built your career with Ashworth for more than 30 years.
Nunes: I am! I started in accounting and finance and then went on to HR. Then I dabbled in a couple of other areas along the way, including IT, so I really have a thorough background of the company and how it runs. I was part of the acquisitions of our European companies back in the 90s, for instance. And that’s one thing I’ve always liked about our company: people matter here. Our employees are the reason our company thrives – whether they’re building our belts, or supporting our customers. We believe in our people, and we invest in them. My time in Human Resources taught me a lot about the value of that investment, while my experience in finance revealed another dimension of the business: measurable results. Through what I call a ‘performance scorecard’, I saw firsthand how effective we were with managing and developing our workforce and how it directly impacts our financial performance. Without the right people, and without training them properly, our results would suffer as a direct consequence. That connection has been paramount.
“Some of our latest developments, such as our plastic conveyor belt line and our side drive technology, also stem directly from customer feedback. Addressing customer concerns is truly at the core of our R&D work. ”
Paul Nunes, President, CEO, Ashworth
A tight-knit team
Mihu: With this diverse background in various fields and company departments, how did you crystallize your own leadership philosophy for the top management role?
Nunes: It certainly gives you a different outlook on things because every area has a different perspective and different workflows. In IT, for example, there’s a sense of urgency. We need to keep the network up and running and rsolve issues quickly. In Human Resources, sometimes we have that urgency, too, when an employee has a concern or needs support. Finance is inherently very deadline- and compliance-driven.
Experiencing all these environments shaped me into a leader with a well-rounded understanding of the business. I can better appreciate where people are coming from when they raise an issue, and I genuinely empathize with their challenges. That empathy has helped me as a leader – people know I understand their situations and that I’m here to help. They feel comfortable confiding in me and coming to me for advice.
Mihu: How many people work for Ashworth?
Nunes: We have about 260 people worldwide, including all of our offices, as well as Jonge Poerink Conveyors (a Dutch manufacturer acquired in 1994), which is a sister company that operates independently of our belt business.
Mihu: What does Ashworth’s network look like?
Nunes: We have things headquartered in several locations. Our service business is based in the Midwest of the United States; we have an administrative office in Massachusetts, and here, in Virginia, we operate our primary U.S. manufacturing site, which also houses our sales and marketing teams.
In addition, we have offices in Europe handling our sales efforts across the region.
“Ashworth is highly conscious of customer downtime, which is why we continue to advance our smart monitoring solutions. ”
Paul Nunes, President, CEO, Ashworth
Rapid Splice® technology
Ashworth developed the technology to make metal belt splicing faster, safer, and easier, without requiring welding. It is available on Omni-Grid® 360 and Omni-Pro® belts. “Rapid Splice® offers the strength of metal with the simplicity of plastic belting,” Ashworth underscores. The technology minimizes the risk of splice failure and minimizes downtime. It was tested for durability for 100,000 cycles.
Passing the baton
Mihu: You spoke about a smooth transition into your leadership role helped by working with Vincent Moretti for many years before he retired. How did you work together to shape the company strategy? What values and priorities did you both establish and what is changing, in line with transformations in the market?
Nunes: We were very aligned on our values. People are our number one value, and it remains like that today. That was my responsibility, while Vinny oversaw sales and customer-facing efforts, and was involved in the innovation work with engineering. I managed the ‘supporting’ functions, but I also spent many years working directly with customers and staying closely connected to their needs.
As a company, we continue to evolve with the times. The way we navigated recent labor shortages is a perfect example of that adaptability.
People at work
Mihu: R&D is at the heart of going forward for any company. How has R&D at Ashworth evolved? What new priorities are driving new developments?
Nunes: We always start by listening to our customers – their challenges, their needs, and the nuances of their operations. Ashworth has long been established as a solution provider, whether that means developing a new product or finding a more innovative way to supply an existing one. I remember a customer running production 24/7, where downtime simply wasn’t an option. We recommended keeping a spare belt on hand so that, if a belt wore out, the changeover would be seamless. We also scheduled regular engineering and service visits to ensure their equipment stayed optimized. Ultimately, it’s about providing the right solution, and that solution looks different for every customer and every product conveyed.
Recently, we’ve seen increased regulation around food safety, which drives us to enhance hygiene features across our belt portfolio. We’re focused on making our products easier to clean and helping customers minimize downtime. That’s why we developed our SmartSpiral® and SmartOven® monitoring systems, which offer predictive maintenance capabilities. With these tools, we can identify potential issues before they cause a shutdown.
Some of our latest developments, such as our plastic conveyor belt line and our side drive technology, also stem directly from customer feedback. Addressing customer concerns is truly at the core of our R&D work. Another example is our Rapid Splice® concept. For years, we heard how challenging it was to splice a welded belt. It required maintenance crews to intervene at carefully scheduled times, often during late shifts, and the quality of the weld depended heavily on the crew’s skill level. If the weld wasn’t done correctly, the belt could tear inside the system, causing major problems and extended downtime. Rapid Splice was designed to solve those issues by making belt section replacement faster, easier, and far less dependent on specialized welding skills.
Mihu: The Rapid Splice Technology is one of Ashworth’s newest developments; it was one of the highlights at IBIE last year. How was it perfected and how does Ashworth approach R&D for its solutions for bakeries?
Nunes: We tested the Rapid Splice extensively in-house – and we’re still testing it – to ensure it truly meets our customers’ needs. We also conducted field testing, refining the concept based on real-world input and customer feedback. The idea originated from a recurring challenge: many customers didn’t have on-site personnel who could reliably weld, nor did they always have the proper welding equipment. As a result, weld quality could vary, sometimes causing damage within the system and leading to extended downtime when a belt section needed replacement. In many cases, customers had to bring in specialist teams to handle the work. With Rapid Splice, our goal was to eliminate much of that downtime and address the growing shortage of specialized labor by offering a faster, simpler, and more reliable solution for replacing belt sections.
Mihu: How does the technology eliminate the need for welding?
Nunes: The belts have rods that are welded into the links. With Rapid Splice, we use a technology that drills out that weld – so a simple drill is all that’s needed – and then the rod can be replaced. The new rod has a fixed button head on one side and an attachment mechanism on the other, allowing it to fasten securely without requiring any welding. This means the replacement can be done manually and quickly. The technology is designed to remove and replace a damaged section of the belt as a temporary fix, not as part of the standard installation process. It’s a reliable band-aid solution that gets the system back up and running with minimal downtime.
Mihu: And how long can it be in place before welding needs to be scheduled?
Nunes: It works for an unlimited time! When we install a belt, we’re going to continue to weld it during the installation process, when our factory service group is on site. However, if a belt section ever needs to be replaced, Rapid Splice provides a quick and easy way to get that done.
Mihu: What was the reaction to the concept at IBIE ‘25, where it was launched?
Nunes: We introduced it in Las Vegas, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. We had lots of customers and interested industry players come out to see the demonstrations at our booth, which we held almost every hour, as people came along. It was interesting that visitors wanted to see this and thought it was quite revolutionary, since up until now, almost everyone in the industry has had to weld these belts together when they wanted to bring in new sections. It is definitely making things a lot easier for customers!
New milestone: 2026
Mihu: Ashworth was established with the innovations made by George & Elijah Ashworth. This year, the company celebrates 80 years in food conveying. What would you highlight as the milestones in the company’s innovations over the years?
Nunes: It’s 80 years in the belt business, but the company’s history actually dates back to the 1800s, when Ashworth operated in the textile industry. When the Ashworth brothers came from England to the United States, cotton processing was becoming a major focus in the U.S., and the company quickly established itself as an innovator, holding hundreds of patents in textile technology. That spirit of innovation has continued throughout our history. Today, we have around 200 patents in conveying, and innovation remains at the heart of everything we do as we develop solutions for our customers.
Our belt business began after World War II, when frozen food gained popularity. Ashworth introduced the flat wire belt, which is still sold today and widely used for freezing, and then expanded into baking bands shortly after. Our CB5 Baking Band®, patented in 1963, transformed the baking industry with its nearly solid surface and ability to track straight, addressing a major challenge at the time. It became an industry standard for decades and remains highly popular for baking biscuits and crackers.
Then, in the late 1960s, we invented the low-tension system, which enabled belts to turn curves and fundamentally changed what was possible in terms of space-saving
design. More recent innovations include the Omni Grid® 360 Weld, a hygiene-focused solution that allows low-tension belts to be cleaned more easily. These technologies have all become industry standards.
SmartSpiral® Monitoring System
+ Real-time spiral performance data available remotely
+ Continuous monitoring of spiral temperature, belt tension, cage power and motor power (optional: can be expanded with three more sensors)
+ Features a patented bottom bearing wear sensor
+ Ensures secure stand-alone monitoring, independent of the plant’s network
+ Provides access to multiple spirals and plant locations from one screen
+ Issues easy-to-see user alerts and system feedback
Mihu: Is it correct to say that Ashworth is behind the invention of spiral systems?
Nunes: Absolutely! We were the inventors of spirals. It goes to show that innovation has always been part of the Ashworth. And we’ve kept that innovation alive through everything we’ve done.
Mihu: As innovations currently revolve around smart bakeries and smart production lines, most technology solutions now come with a hardware component and a software component. How do you focus on both of these aspects?
Nunes: As a company with an engineering and innovation background, we do believe in data-driven solutions. As digital technology has developed, we have developed the SmartSpiral® and SmartOven® monitoring systems, and we work on continuously refining them. We already have customer reports showing that SmartSpiral has saved them valuable time and many thousands of dollars in maintenance costs.
With monitoring systems in place, customers know exactly when their system needs attention, enabling them to plan service proactively rather than responding to unexpected breakdowns.
A global point of view
Mihu: Ashworth has a global presence today, with a portfolio that consists of Ashworth Bros, Inc., Ashworth Belts B.V., Ashworth Europe, Ltd., Jonge Poerink Conveyors, and Ashworth Factory Service Corp. How do these companies work together?
Nunes: Ashworth companies that offer belts or services are all working together interchangeably. The company has grown over time, which can be seen from this list, but we’re all one brand; we are Ashworth. You can get the same solutions from any of these branches; they don’t each act as the point of contact for specific solutions. All have a global reach and in close communication.
The exception is Jonge Poerink Conveyors, which works as a separate company providing modular, custom conveyors to both the food and logistics industries, which are sold worldwide. It specializes in turn curves that connect straight running conveyors, customized and adapted to different conveying surfaces, widths and radius ranges.
“We’re also placing an even greater focus on hygiene – an area that’s increasingly important to our customers – and developing products that perform reliably in a wide range of environments and temperature conditions.”
Paul Nunes, President, CEO, Ashworth
Mihu: From your perspective of working with bakeries all over the world, how would you describe the needs of bakeries in Europe with the needs of bakeries in the US and elsewhere?
Nunes: At this moment, we see European bakeries trying to modernize in terms of food safety, while also dealing with increased regulation, or national-level government regulations. We are also seeing an increased demand for service. And typically, in Europe, we’re challenged with smaller footprints, too, so we need to provide smaller, more compact systems. In the US, that’s not such an issue. Certain products we provide are more popular in Europe because of their smaller footprint.
In the US, we see that there’s very little time for maintenance; capacity is a top priority, and labor shortage is a major issue. We see regulation issues in the US market, too, but not to the same extent. They usually follow changes adopted in Europe, so we get a bit of foreshadowing in that sense, of what we could expect.
And then in Asia, we see some challenges, too, with capacity and upcoming regulations in areas that were not previously regulated.
Mihu: How is your R&D set up across companies, industries, or across focus areas?
Nunes: Our R&D function operates globally and isn’t tied to any one industry or any specific Ashworth company. While some products are developed with a particular industry in mind – usually because customers in that sector raise a recurring challenge – we often find that these solutions benefit multiple industries once they come to market. Many of our developments end up being far more versatile than originally expected.
Our R&D work is always driven by what we hear from customers, and it’s very much a global effort, shaped by input from across all our regions.
For engineering commissioned solutions, our current standard delivery time ranges from six to ten weeks, depending on the complexity of the project.
About Ashworth
1860 The company is founded by George & Elijah Ashworth, as a card clothing manufacturer
1946 Ashworth creates the Metal Products Division, producing woven metal conveyor belts
1955 The Belt Division headquarters opens in Winchester, Virginia
1994 Ashworth acquires Cooper Handling Conveyor Belt (UK)
1995 Ashworth starts international expansion, with the acquisition of Dutch conveyor belt producer Jonge Poerink
2010 Dutch sales office opens in Amsterdam
2010 UK manufacturing plant opens
2011 Singapore sales office opens
2011 Tokyo sales office is established
Mihu: What about software, such as the monitoring system? How long does it take to be implemented?
Nunes: That takes a little bit longer – it can be a few months because the system is highly customized. A small amount of downtime is expected, since installing a spiral monitoring system requires us to access the equipment directly. However, that downtime is very brief.
Mihu: What new developments can bakeries look forward to from Ashworth? And how does your work in other industries build expertise that can transfer to bakery?
Nunes: Customers are looking for products that are stronger, more capable, and longer lasting. Ashworth is highly conscious of customer downtime, which is why we continue to advance our smart monitoring solutions. We’re also placing an even greater focus on hygiene – an area that’s increasingly important to our customers – and developing products that perform reliably in a wide range of environments and temperature conditions. All of these factors guide our work.
Recently, we partnered with a customer in the protein industry on a project involving a smoking operation on a spiral – something quite innovative. Many of the learnings from that project are transferable to the baking industry, because the solutions were designed to perform in high temperature or harsh environments involving ingredients such as eggs, frostings, or glazes, which behave similarly to proteins. That knowledge is easily carried over.
Our advancements in automation and new technologies always begin with what individual customers need. The smoking solution wasn’t something we had originally planned, but it came directly from a customer’s idea, and we developed it together. We would be thrilled to collaborate with baking companies in the same way.