The PPS facility in Batesville, Indiana, is turning a corner under Plant Manager Michael Earney. Since taking over in the summer of 2025, Earney has focused on rebuilding operations, stabilizing staffing, and driving the plant toward profitability.
“When I got here, there were some serious inconsistencies,” Earney said. When leadership and day-to-day operations aren’t closely connected, teams feel it. That quickly began to change. In just a few months under Earney’s leadership, the plant reported its first month of profitability—a milestone he sees as just the beginning.
Earney’s plans for Batesville are ambitious yet grounded. He’s rebuilding the second shift and preparing for future growth that could include a third. “The first shift is solid,” he said. “Now we’re investing in people and processes that will sustain us as we grow.”
The plant’s renewed energy is attracting both large industrial clients and smaller local customers. “It’s about quality and word of mouth,” Earney said. “If we do great work, they’ll come back—or tell someone else.”
Earney’s efforts are supported by MPW and PPS leadership, with a major facility renovation planned in the next 16 months. “That kind of commitment tells you we’re serious about growth,” he said.
Earney’s confidence is rooted in experience. He joined MPW in 2017 at a large trucking manufacturer’s site in Ohio, later transitioning to a major automotive facility in 2023 under the guidance of Porta Kleen Division Manager Sean Masten. After a brief departure following the end of that project, he returned to MPW in early 2025. “That departure was a short-lived chapter. I missed the structure, the people, and the vision here at MPW and PPS,” he said.
“I’ve had the privilege of working with Mike Earney for many years across multiple MPW locations,” Masten said. “His dedication and reliability have made a lasting impression wherever he goes.”
Much of what Earney brings to PPS was learned under pressure. “Working under Sean taught me a lot about operations, systems like JD Edwards, safety protocols, and how to manage change. All of that made this move to PPS a natural fit,” he said.
With the renovation on the horizon, a growing customer base, and leadership committed to success, the Batesville plant is in good hands. “We’re just getting started,” Earney said. “We’re going to take this as far as it can go.”