Jim Lehneman – EControls

EControls, headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, is a global leader in designing and manufacturing advanced engine management systems that reduce emissions and improve fuel efficiency. The company’s innovative solutions power everything from industrial equipment to on-road vehicles worldwide. Committed to excellence, EControls ensures its facilities mirror the high standards of its cutting-edge products. For Facilities Director Jim Lehneman, maintaining this commitment meant turning challenges into opportunities for growth and transformation.

When Lehneman joined EControls in April 2023, he stepped into a role that required immediate action and strong leadership. The facilities department faced significant challenges: essential systems like HVAC, compressed air, and chillers were not scaled to match the company’s needs during its dynamic growth. Increased capacity and reliability were key objectives for these systems. He also felt the facilities team needed additional resources and leadership to quickly transition the team into a more effective and self-sufficient team focused on continuously improving the facilities systems and equipment.

Rather than being daunted by these obstacles, Lehneman saw an opportunity to make a meaningful impact.

“The best equipment and state-of-the-art facilities are only as effective as the team responsible for managing them,” he reflects. “With the right people and a clear vision, you can deliver reliable services that make valuable contributions to the company every day.”

Stepping up to the challenge

One of the most pressing issues Lehneman faced was reorganizing the facilities team, identifying equipment and system issues and developing tactical and strategic actions to eliminate them. Recognizing the untapped potential within his squad, Lehneman focused on building a culture of collaboration, trust and accountability.

“By assembling the right team and delivering consistent, high-quality results, the facilities team would demonstrate themselves as an essential partner within the company in achieving our shared goals.”

Through hard work, strategic planning, and a relentless commitment to improvement, Lehneman and his team have begun transforming the facilities at EControls. His leadership demonstrates how challenges can be turned into opportunities for growth, proving that a strong team and a clear vision can drive remarkable progress.

Being reliable

Another main focus when he joined EControls was working with outside contractors and vendors.

“I had to test the relationships we already had in place and figure out who we could count on. Strong relationships with external partners are essential to building a strong team,” he says.

Despite initial challenges finding candidates and vendors who could provide the skills and quality results, Lehneman forged ahead, bringing in new talent and external partners. He overhauled the in-house team, hiring experienced professionals who shared his commitment to reliability and efficiency and external partners who could provide support during emergency situations or help with everyday projects.

“I’ve been lucky to find quality people,” he says. “I look for character first. I can tell if someone knows their stuff or is trying to deceive me. But I’ve made bad hires, too. When that happens, you need to admit it quickly and make a change.”

Building a team isn’t just about hiring the right people; it’s also about fostering their potential.

“You can’t expect everyone to be a go-getter,” Lehneman says. “Some people just want to come in, do their work, and go home. But you also need heroes on your team—people willing to step up in a crisis. As a leader, it’s my job to bring out the best in everyone by finding appropriate roles, allowing everyone to contribute to their maximum potential.”

Once the team was in place, Lehneman turned his attention to the facility’s equipment.

One of the first major projects was replacing the facility’s compressed air system, which is crucial to EControls’ manufacturing and testing processes. The old system was not upgraded as production increased and had become undersized and unreliable, threatening delays and disruptions on the production floor.

“The compressed air system is the backbone of our manufacturing,” Lehneman explains. “If that goes down, we’re in trouble.”

The new system, completed just a few months ago, includes multiple compressors, each able to handle the entire facility’s compressed air needs. This 100 percent redundancy ensures that production will continue even if one compressor fails.

“It’s about reliability,” Lehneman says. “There’s a difference between equipment that’s running and equipment that’s running reliably.”

Lehneman also oversaw the replacement of the facility’s chillers, which are essential for maintaining temperature control in the Texas heat. The first chiller had been replaced before his arrival, and he replaced the second one last year, ensuring that the facility now has two brand-new, fully functional chillers.

“We’re not just putting out fires anymore,” he says. “We’re making long-term improvements.”

These improvements already support future business growth, such as with the Ethium production line that manufactures advanced Li Ion batteries for the forklift and pallet jack industry.

With the significant equipment upgrades, Lehneman focuses on sustainability and energy efficiency. His team is tracking the facility’s energy usage and finding ways to reduce electricity, water, and natural gas consumption without compromising output.

“This is about reducing our overall operating costs while supporting the manufacturing side of the business,” he says. “We want to use less energy but get the same—or better—results.”

The focus on sustainability is not just about cost savings; it also involves supporting EControls’ mission to create environmentally friendly technologies.

“We’re keeping everything running while reducing where we can,” Lehneman explains. “It’s a balance.”

A lifelong passion for problem-solving

Lehneman’s journey to EControls is rooted in a lifelong curiosity about how things work. Growing up in Vermont, he wasn’t particularly interested in academics until a physics class in high school sparked his interest in engineering.

“That class was a life-changer for me,” he recalls. “It fueled the fire.”

After earning undergraduate and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of Vermont, Lehneman worked for 18 years at IBM Microelectronics and eight years at the University of Vermont Medical Center, where he served as facilities operations manager and director of facilities.

His career took a personal turn when he lost his first wife in 2012. A few years later, he remarried and began thinking about retirement. But when the opportunity to join EControls in San Antonio came up, he saw it as a new challenge.

“I wasn’t looking for this job, but when it came up, I thought it would be a wonderful challenge,” he says.

Today, Lehneman is proud of his team’s progress at EControls, but he knows the work is far from over.

“I’m still working on building trust,” he says. “It’s a challenge, especially with a new team. However, the level of trust has improved significantly. We’ve developed good relationships with other departments and   work hard daily to continue improving.”

Looking ahead, Lehneman is focused on improving the facility’s reliability, efficiency, and sustainability.

“You don’t get to be a successful company like EControls by taking shortcuts,” he says. “The leadership here has been very supportive of our facility changes, and it’s paying off.”

For Lehneman, it all comes down to having the right people in place.

“You can have the best equipment in the world, but without a skilled, committed team behind it, it won’t matter. The people are what make a facility great.”

At EControls, that philosophy drives success—one reliable system and one strong team at a time.