Today we’d like to introduce you to Rob Haake.
Hi Rob , so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Rob Haake is the President and Owner of AJ Manufacturing and brings nearly three decades of experience in the HVAC and healthcare construction industries, with more than 25 years dedicated specifically to operating room environments. His career began in the most hands-on way possible—working for his father’s company while still young—learning the business from the ground up on shop floors, in job trailers, and in the field. Those formative years instilled a deep respect for craftsmanship, integrity, and hard work—values that remain central to AJ Manufacturing’s culture today.
Rob’s leadership style reflects the values he learned early in his career: hands-on involvement, transparency, and a genuine commitment to relationships. He believes success is built not simply through products, but through trusted partnerships with clients and teammates alike. Today, Rob continues to guide AJ Manufacturing with the same passion that sparked his career—honoring the company’s family roots while driving innovation for the future of healthcare construction.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
As healthcare construction became more complex—with tightening codes, advancing airflow standards, and increasing demands for performance accountability—Rob faced the challenge of evolving AJ Manufacturing from a traditional fabrication company into a solutions-driven healthcare specialist. That transition required difficult investments in engineering, training, and technology, along with rebuilding internal processes that could scale while maintaining quality. There were moments of uncertainty and risk as the company navigated shifting market conditions, project delays, and the growing pains that come with expanding a family business into a national operation.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
AJ Manufacturing specializes in the design, fabrication, and integration of modular ceiling systems and airflow solutions for healthcare and cleanroom environments, with a primary focus on operating rooms, procedure suites, and other critical care spaces where air quality and flexibility are essential.
Their core expertise centers on delivering fully integrated, turnkey ceiling and infrastructure systems that streamline installation, reduce project risk, and support strict regulatory compliance.
Core Specialties
1. Modular Operating Room Ceiling Systems
Factory-built ceiling modules designed for rapid installation and maximum flexibility—allowing hospitals to adapt layouts as technology and equipment evolve without costly field reconstruction.
2. Laminar Airflow & Infection Control Solutions
High-performance laminar flow diffusion systems engineered to meet and exceed ASHRAE 170 and 241 guidelines, optimizing sterile field coverage and air change performance for critical environments.
3. Fully Integrated Ceiling Infrastructure
Turnkey solutions that combine:
Lighting (surgical and ambient)
Medical gas and electrical integration
Imaging rails and boom mounting
HVAC supply and return systems
Structural and non-structural grid coordination
—all pre-engineered into a single ceiling platform to minimize coordination challenges and reduce on-site labor.
4. Cleanroom & Specialty Space Systems
Design and fabrication for cleanrooms, sterile processing departments (SPD), labs, pharmaceutical spaces, and ISO-classified environments requiring precise airflow and contamination control.
5. OEM & Healthcare Partner Solutions
AJ works closely with OEM partners, architects, engineers, hospitals, and contractors to configure tailor-made ceiling systems that integrate seamlessly with surgical booms, lighting platforms, and ventilation equipment—ensuring compatibility, performance, and code compliance.
What makes you happy?
Family
Challenging myself mentally and physically. I enjoy working out and spending time with family
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ajmfg.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aj-manufacturing
- Youtube: @ajmfgcoinc
