ELYRIA, OHIO – June 15, 2026 – RIDGID^®, a part of Emerson’s professional tools portfolio, welcomed 68 students to its global headquarters in Elyria, Ohio, for its sixth annual “We Love STEM Day,” a hands-on program that introduces young learners to the role STEM plays in manufacturing and skilled trades careers.

Designed for students in kindergarten through eighth grade, the program showed how mechanical and electrical engineering, along with energy and natural resources, support modern manufacturing. Through STEM activities, students strengthened core science and engineering skills while exploring the legacy of American innovation. In honor of America’s 250th anniversary, each activity connected to an influential inventor, including Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison and the Wright brothers, linking historic breakthroughs to today’s technologies.

“Early exposure to STEM helps students see how problem-solving, innovation and teamwork translate into careers in manufacturing and the skilled trades,” said Stacey Varuolo, event chair and chapter lead, RIDGID Women’s Impact Network for Emerson. “We Love STEM Day gives them a hands-on introduction to the technologies and skills that power our industry.”

RIDGID is committed to advancing education and workforce development through local and national initiatives that strengthen the skilled trades pipeline. In Elyria, the company supports school makerspaces that enhance STEM learning, while also investing in programs that serve both current and future trade professionals and backing industry organizations dedicated to elevating the trades.

Emerson’s professional tools business, which includes RIDGID as well as the Greenlee^® and Klauke^® brands, provides the industry’s broadest portfolio of advanced, reliable tools and technologies for the mechanical, electrical and plumbing trades globally. Visit emerson.com/professionaltools for more information.

About RIDGID

For more than 100 years, RIDGID has been delivering plumbing, mechanical and HVAC tools designed to help trade professionals install and maintain the world’s infrastructure with more ease and efficiency. Inventing the

modern-day pipe wrench in 1923, RIDGID today has more than 100 patents and 300 products that are trusted by professionals in over 140 countries. Headquartered in Elyria, Ohio, RIDGID is a part of the Emerson professional tools portfolio that also includes Greenlee^® and Klauke^®. Learn more, visit RIDGID.com.

About Emerson

Emerson (NYSE: EMR) is a global technology and software company providing innovative solutions for the world’s essential industries. Through its leading automation portfolio, including its majority stake in AspenTech, Emerson helps hybrid, process and discrete manufacturers optimize operations, protect personnel, reduce emissions and achieve their sustainability goals. For more information, visit Emerson.com.

RIDGID^®, Greenlee^® and Klauke^® are trademarks of Emerson or its subsidiaries. All other trademarks belong to their respective holders.