Every Day We…
Row Together
Take Ownership
Show Commitment
Keep it Real
At WORD Rock Drills, we exist to Make a Way by serving our customers, supporting one another, and continually improving our craft. Guided by faith, Core Values, and purposeful growth, we strive to do meaningful work with great people and make a lasting difference.
A New Home for the Next Chapter
December 2025
Following years of growth, operating across multiple spaces, and multiple years of award-winning NCDOT Safety, WORD moved into a new state of the art 20,000 sq ft facility in Elon, North Carolina, bringing our team and operations under one roof for the first time. Designed with our future in mind, this new home provides greater production capacity, improved efficiency, and room to continue Making A Way for our customers, our team, and the generations still to come.
Proudly Women-Owned
May 2025
We expanded our WOSB reach further, going national as a certified WBENC member. This additional certification recognized the continued growth of the second generation of our family business and the impact women are making in manufacturing, construction, and the drilling industry.
The Next Generation Takes the Lead
January 2019
Throughout the years, the Patterson children pitched in where needed to help the family business grow. In 2019, their oldest daughter Paige, with a desire to continue building on the foundation her parents established, purchased the family business. While ownership moved to the next generation, the values at the heart of WORD remained firmly rooted in the foundation John and Lisa created.
Time For Expansion
November 2016
After 10 years of continuous growth, our assembly operations officially outgrew the two-car garage, leading to the construction of an 8,000 sq ft production facility. This development created the space needed to increase manufacturing capacity, grow the team, and serve a rapidly expanding customer base. This move represented an important turning point for WORD, transforming a growing family business into a more established manufacturing operation and opening the door for the growth still ahead.
From Parts To Machines
June 2007
Seeing a need in the industry, John took to the drawing board, designing and building our first successful drilling attachment for a fencer in Texas. Still working out in the field to this day, this successful project marked the beginning of WORD’s evolution from supplying drilling components to manufacturing our own line of versatile drilling solutions.
Planting Roots
March 2006
WORD International, Inc. was founded in Colorado by John and Lisa Patterson. What began primarily as a parts business was built on John’s more than 25 years of industry experience and a shared commitment to serving customers well. Just months after WORD began, John and Lisa set out to find a new place to grow the business and their family, eventually planting roots in North Carolina, where WORD would begin growing beyond its humble beginnings.
The Start of Our Legacy
Long before WORD Rock Drills became the company it is today, it began with John and Lisa Patterson, a shared faith, decades of drilling-industry experience, and a willingness to take a leap together.
In 2006, John and Lisa founded WORD International from the attic of their family home in Colorado. What began as a small parts business was built around a simple idea: listen to customers, understand their challenges, and find a way to help. John brought more than 25 years of industry knowledge to the new venture, while Lisa became an integral part of nearly every area of the growing business. Together, they laid a foundation centered on faith, family, service, and genuine care for the people around them.
Now, as John begins a well-earned retirement, his impact can be seen far beyond the equipment WORD has built over the years. From an attic in Colorado to the WORD Rock Drills of today, John and Lisa’s story will always be where ours begins.