Crayola’s now-CEO leaned in to automation when everyone else was offshoring and now he’s reaping the rewards

• Kids’ art supply maker Crayola went against the corporate grain in the early 2000s when, instead of offshoring production, it invested money into making products better and faster. CEO Pete Ruggiero explains why that process was the right choice for today’s tariff economy.

Two decades ago, the name of the game in U.S. manufacturing was offshoring. Just as China was entering the World Trade Organization and ramping up its capabilities, it seemed like every U.S. company from...