North Country Manufacturing 17

PRESS-REPUBLICAN in partnership with

Manufacturing myths and truths • Wednesday, October 4, 2017 • Plattsburgh, NY 12901

A look into

manufacturing in the North Country

See inside to learn more about the past of manufacturing and people, like Mario Chabau of APG Neuros, working today.

Photo by Kayla Breen

Local manufacturing poised for a bright future

Building talent pipeline crucial to region

By Michele A. Snyder Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs at Clinton Community College A lot of attention is paid to talent. Parents often point out how talented their children are, some for sports, others in music, some as a storyteller, and so much more.

Each of these talents requires some combination of grit or persistence, dedication, creativity and a commitment to learn how to be successful.

Did you know that a career in advanced manufacturing requires the same combination of abilities? Yes, careers in advanced manufacturing require an innovative mind and rely on creativity to make transportation a reality and health care a possibility.

Cutting-edge technology in advanced manufacturing is being used to build our world and reshape our communities on a daily basis. New technologies, such as 3D printers, robotics and the increasing power of computer science, have revolutionized the manufacturing industry.

As a result, careers in modern manufacturing facilities are dynamic, fast-paced and rely on a skilled workforce that is innovative, creative and fueled by technological talent.

Did you know that a career in advanced manufacturing is a high-skill career, offers high wages and has in-demand occupations and professional opportunities?

Advanced manufacturing jobs in the 21st century include engineers, mechanical and electronics technicians, computer technicians, machinists, welders and supply-chain managers, to name just a few.

We are at a critical juncture in America’s ability to sustain its competitiveness in a global economy. It is estimated that, between 2015 and 2025, there will be

CRUCIAL continued on B7

PLATTSBURGH — PERSEVERANCE Clinton County has a strong, One trait that distinguishes steady history of manufacthis region is it has never turing, and the best is yet to stopped, Douglas said. It come, local leaders say. seems whenever a manufacNorth Country Chamber of

By Dan turer does close, another steps Commerce President Garry in to pick up the slack.

Heath Douglas said the region's emWhen a region loses major ployers have manufactured manufacturers, it can lose the things here dating back 150 years or workforce that fills those jobs for a more. generation or more, he said. It then "This is a manufacturing comfaces an uphill challenge to build the munity, first and foremost," he said. workforce needed to attract and retain "We've always been a place that manufacturers. makes things."

"We have never lost our manu-

"I think that is one of the things that gives us an edge in attracting manufacturing."

Norsk Titanium Senior Vice President of Operations Christopher Bohlmann, Supply Chain Manager Andrea Clark and Manufacturing Engineer Savannah Schmidt are proud to be part of what company officials tout as the next Industrial Revolution. The company, with its proprietary additive manufacturing technology, has already landed contracts with Boeing for 3D printed titanium aircraft parts and is working to develop additional applications for the technology that Photo by could lead to thousands of jobs.

OUTPERFORMING NATION North Country Chamber of Commerce Vice President for Economic Development Susan Matton said 45 firms are now identified in the transportationequipment manufacturing sector.

While the companies are spread

facturing base and culture," he said.

CANADA CONNECTION The region has been able to withstand events such as the closing of Plattsburgh Air Force Base and the Imperial Wallcovering plant.

One way was to tap into the power of manufacturers in Quebec and Canada as they looked for locations to expand into the U.S. market.

"That let us attract a new generation of manufacturers here that maintained that culture," Douglas said.

The region benefited from the diversification brought on by the sheer number of Quebec-based manufacturers, which minimizes the risk of stagnation when a one-employer region loses that company.

Perhaps more importantly, Douglas said, it has helped fuel the rise of transportation-and aerospace-equipment manufacturing due to new ties with that sector in Quebec.

"It's a dominant cluster north of the border that has great strategic and business reasons to seek to grow that on this side of the border," he said.

The region continues to develop a critical mass that attracts more and more like-minded companies, as they seek the advantages of similar supply chains and workforce skills.

"That will only become stronger and stronger as that cluster grows," Douglas said.

FUTURE continued on A5

The history of manufacturing

Clinton County transportation

Busting the myths of manufacturing

Past industries in the North Country brought to light See pages A2-A3

Learn more about Bombardier, Nova Bus/Prevost and others See page A5

Pay, environment and women in the workforce explained See page A6-A8

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The history of manufacturing in Clinton County PLATTSBURGH — Luxury cars. Canal boats. Paper mills. Pharmaceuticals.

Those are just some of the industries that come to mind when reviewing the history of manufacturing in Clinton County.

Another business, iron mining, played

By Cara a major role in the lives of communities Chapman throughout the area.

"It gave rise to boom towns, and some of those were sustained through time, and others proved to be a flash in the pan,” said Dr. John Moravek, associate professor emeritus of geology at SUNY Plattsburgh.

LIFEBLOOD Northeastern New York was a major center for iron mining, and in 1880, the U.S. Census identified it as one of the 10 leading mining and manufacturing regions in the whole country, Moravek said.

The whole existence of some local places paralleled strictly with mining, processing and ancillary industries, such as charcoal-making.

Such communities included Palmer Hill, which was located north of Clintonville in the Town of Black Brook, and Arnold Hill, which was in the Town of Peru.

“The iron industry was really the lifeblood of such communities as Keeseville, for example,” Moravek said, adding that horseshoe nails were also manufactured in that area.

And in western Clinton County, Lyon Mountain and Standish were tied to the discovery of ore nearby.

Mining didn’t take off there until the 1860s, and it got a boost when railroads came through in the late 1870s.

By the 1880s, media outlets were writing stories featuring Lyon Mountain as one of the area’s liveliest towns, Moravek said.

“It was a big deal around here in those times.”

Many employees who worked the Lyon Mountain mines at the time of their closure were close to a pension and went to Mineville to finish their careers.

“Many people simply went on early retirement or got odd jobs, or a few found employment dismantling the physical plant, closing and sealing the mines,” Moravek said.

“Many did just leave the area or commuted to Plattsburgh or Malone.”

Man-

ufacturing

HIGH-QUALITY CAR Though its time was short-lived, the Lozier Motor Co. brought recognition and high-paying jobs to Plattsburgh in the early 1900s.

The company’s owner started out by selling bicycles in Cleveland.

He had discovered Plattsburgh while vacationing in the Adirondacks and had built a dam on the Saranac River to power both the factory and Plattsburgh itself, Champlain Valley Transportation Museum Exhibits Director Dick Soper said.

Located where Georgia-Pacific is now, the business arrived in about 1900 to manufacture marine engines and boats.

About five years later, the plant started producing automobiles.

“Lozier cars — they were, at the time, the most expensive, high-quality car in the United States,” Soper said.

For example, a Mercedes or house cost $3,000 at the time, compared to the $5,000 Lozier.

of

Ausable Horse Nail Company in Keeseville used local iron to

Marine engines and luxury cars came out of the Lozier Motor Company factory in Plattsburgh.

MAJOR BRIDGES Chateaugay Ore and Iron Co. was a major player in iron mining locally.

Iron from Clinton County’s mines generally went to smelting works in Watervliet in the Albany area. Some made its way to Pittsburgh and other major centers of iron and steelmaking.

In fact, at a World’s Fair in the late 1800s, Lyon Mountain was awarded a gold medal for the extraordinary qualities of its iron, Moravek said.

“It was utilized in special products like wire rope and cable. It holds up the Brooklyn Bridge … and the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco.”

COMPETITION manufacture nails for horseshoes.

Lozier employed about 600 people, providing high-paying jobs to those pharmaceuticals in Rouses Point started in the 1930s who assembled cars and boats and supported the plant in when Ayerst, McKenna and Harrison Ltd., which started other ways, Soper said. in Montreal, was looking to expand into the United States.

In 1910, Lozier opened a second plant in Detroit, and After a stop at the border, a customs agent showed the the Plattsburgh plant shifted to making parts that would owner an abandoned schoolhouse in the village, Favreau feed production of automobiles in the Motor City. said.

Five years later, the company went bankrupt, largely “So he went to see it, and the rest, as they say, is hisdue to competition by other car companies and a reductory.” tion in price.

The facility went through several name changes, "Even when they lowered the price down, the look eventually operating under the name Wyeth before Pfizer of the car was still the same," Soper said. "It’s a very bought it out in 2009. That plant is now pending closure. impressive-looking car.

Favreau retired from Pfizer, having started working at "The average person drove a Model-T Ford, which was the facility in 1967. a $500 car, and these cars, even at the end, were right “For a while when it was booming, they put up a buildaround $3,000. ing almost every year or two years,” she said.

"And the quality and the look of the car is just superior."

“They were really, really something.”

ETHNICITY As mining created jobs, it influenced the ethnic character of surrounding communities.

Cemeteries in Lyon Mountain tell of Lithuanian, Polish, Russian, Swedish, Italian and Spanish families who were drawn to the area by job opportunities.

“Those early arrivals got word back to the Old World that things here were more prosperous and there were plenty of jobs,” Moravek said.

MULTIPLE INDUSTRIES Aside from Lozier, industry in Plattsburgh ranged from gun and dynamite manufacturing to clocks, typewriters and textiles, according to "Plattsburgh, New York: A City's First Century" by Richard B. Frost.

For example, he wrote, the Plattsburgh Shirt Co. at one point employed 200 people and churned out 12,000 shirts each week, though it closed in 1931 due to competition and the Great Depression.

The paper industry has continuously evolved, from pulp mills to Imperial Wallcoverings to Georgia-Pacific today.

According to Frost, factors that helped the Plattsburgh area flourish even before it was incorporated as a city in 1902 included a population of immigrants and relocated rural residents, which provided inexpensive labor and water power provided by local dams.

“Plattsburgh has the biggest population; it’s also the county seat,” Clinton County Historical Association Board of Trustees President Geri Favreau noted.

“It makes sense that there were a lot of businesses, industries that started here, just because of its location."

CLOSURE Republic Steel, which bought out Chateaugay Ore and Iron in the late 1930s, announced it was finished mining in Lyon Mountain in June 1967, Moravek said.

“They were the last player here for iron mining and any smelting at all,” pulling the plug in another mine in Mineville in 1971.

PHARMACEUTICALS The types of manufacturing present in the county were, for a while, quite varied.

“I think that makes sense that each town had something to support their residents, and I think a lot of it was farming, but then there were a lot of other things, too,” Favreau said.

SHOES, BOATS Shoe factories provided employment in the towns of Clinton and Mooers, and the Ausable Horse Nail Co. put out nails for horseshoes.

Canal boats made in Champlain transported goods up and down the lake.

“They didn’t have trucks or planes for all of that, so they used Lake Champlain a lot,” Favreau said.

And five railroad companies went into Rouses Point at one time.

“They used to make sewing machines in Rouses Point,” Favreau said. “There was a factory down on Montgomery Street.

“They made sewing machines; they published books.”

WORK ETHIC Agriculture also played an important role in Clinton County municipalities, with the Miner farms in Chazy and a large potato farm in Clinton.

Both communities south of Plattsburgh and in the Town of Clinton had butter factories, which makes sense, given the lack of transportation available at the time.

“People in the Town of Clinton needed their own industry to support their residents,” Favreau said.

“They couldn’t get in a car and come to Plattsburgh every day to work here.”

Clinton County’s location on Lake Champlain and in the corridor between Montreal and New York City was a big factor in the development of manufacturing here, Favreau said.

“Roads made a huge difference; it killed a lot of communities, but it made ... moving goods a lot easier,” she continued.

“But I think Clinton County — it’s the wonderful people; it’s our work ethic.”

Adirondack Mills at Laphams Mills produced flour, feed Businesses like Mooers Shirt and Power Company provided employment to nearby and meal. residents before transportation developments allowed for commuting to other areas.

Photos provided by the Clinton County Historical Association

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2017

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The history of manufacturing in Clinton County

Lozier Motor Company brought hundreds of high-paying jobs to Plattsburgh.

The logging industry supported several Clinton County communities.

Chateaugay Ore and Iron Company was a major employer in Clinton County. Here, miners in work gear pose at a shaft.

Lozier Motor Company's factory was located where paper product manufacturer Georgia-PaciďŹ c is now.

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Chateaugay Ore and Iron Company miners work a local mine.

LOOK INTO MANUFACTURING IN THE

NORTH COUNTRY Brad Bailey Publisher Lois Clermont Editor Teah Dowling Special Publications Coordinator CONTRIBUTORS Stories by Dan Heath Cara Chapman Jeff Meyers

Toni Smith Photography by Kayla Breen Gabe Dickens

A look into manufacturing in the North Country is published as a supplement to the

PRESS-REPUBLICAN in partnership with

SPECIAL THANKS TO President and CEO Paul Grasso Director of Marketing and Business Development Joanne Dahlen Economic Developer Victoria Zinser Duley Contact Information email: specialpubs@pressrepublican.com or tdowling@pressrepublican.com

Photos provided by the Clinton County Historical Association

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2017

Mario Chabau of APG Neuros: ‘I always try to do the best I can'

By Jeff Meyers PLATTSBURGH — The pieces have fallen into place nicely for Mario Chabau.

The 29-year-old graduated last May with an associate degree from the Computer Electronics Technology Program at Clinton Community College and immediately began a full-time position at APG Neuros Manufacturing and Testing Facility in Plattsburgh.

“This is pretty cool stuff,” Chabau said of his role as a technician in the facility’s control room. “It’s a wonderful job with lots of responsibility. It requires a lot of attention to details at all times.”

APG Neuros tests and calibrates large filtering systems that will eventually be placed into wastewater-treatment facilities across the nation and beyond.

EAGER FOR CHALLENGES Chabau, who recently completed his probationary period at the plant and was also named Employee of the Month, is one of several trained technicians at the facility who test and monitor the sensitive equipment for a variety of working functions.

“There is a lot of technology involved in the processes,” Chabau said. “These blowers (used in wastewater-treatment plants) have been making a huge impact on companies, saving money on power consumption, for instance.”

He clocks in at 9 a.m. and ends work at 5:30 p.m.; he said the days go by quickly and offer new challenges constantly.

“There is a lot of variation in what needs to be done day to day,” he said. “It’s not repetitive work at all. Each task varies, and even when things are slow, there’s always something to do.

"If I’m having a down day, I’ll pick up a blueprint and learn something new, become even more familiar with the blowers.”

MORE OPPORTUNITY Chabau, who grew up in the New York City borough of Queens, has always been an “aggressive” learner, choosing to pick up a book and study whenever he had free time in school.

He began his studies at Clinton and first graduated with a degree in humanities and social sciences.

“I was working as a home-health aide, taking care of the elderly,” Chabau said of the period in his life before computer

The APG Neuros Manufacturing factory floor in Plattsburgh. electronics would become his primary interest. “I always had a passion for helping people, and I wanted to take that a step further.”

So he headed over to SUNY Plattsburgh, where he completed a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Then he began having doubts about his future, and with the start of a new family, looked in another career direction.

“I just felt there was a lot of opportunity in electronics,” he said.

OUTSTANDING PROGRAM He decided in 2015 to return to Clinton and sign up for one of the college’s technology programs.

“There were a lot of jobs (in electronics) and not a lot of people filling them.

“I saw it as a challenge, but I always liked being a student,” he added.

“The program was outstanding. It piqued my interest in electronics, and it really helped prepare me for what I’m doing now.”

Chabau could not say enough in praise of the electronics programs at the school, adding that current and future students at the college are fortunate to have the new stateof-the-art Institute of Advanced Manufacturing facility now available to them.

While learning the field, he became a tutor for other students and also started the Electronics Club.

“Even to this day, I’m thankful for the opportunity Clinton provided for me to become an engineer. Rick Lawrence (a professor in the electronics program) was an excellent mentor and was available whenever I needed help.”

IMPRESSED During a Manufacturing Job Fair at CCC, Chabau made his first contacts with APG Neuros and was impressed with the Canadian-based manufacturer.

In the last few months leading up to graduation, Chabau had job offers from several companies in the area but eventually chose Neuros.

He actually started working on a part-

Photo by Kayla Breen

time basis a month before graduation and began working full time just days after completing his degree requirements.

“It’s a great company to work for,” he said of Neuros. “They really are people oriented, which is one of the things that drew me here.”

Chabau met his girlfriend, Bianca Orem, at college, and the couple have started a family with daughters Estelle, 4, and Amelia, 3.

“They have been such a great impact on my life,” he said of his little girls. “Everything I do is for them.”

Growing up in Queens was filled with challenges, he added, noting he never had the family structure that he is determined to provide for his children.

Creating a home in the North Country with a solid career and an exciting future has helped justify all the hard work he has put in.

“I always try to do the best I can, and I always have a positive attitude,” he said.

About his current life and future plans, he said, “I’m 100 percent optimistic.”

APG NEUROS

APG Neuros started production in the Banker Road Industrial Park in 2010 with 10 employees.

It now employs 28 workers, the majority in technical positions such as test technicians.

The company specializes in high-efficiency turbo blowers.

Features such as oil-free, non-contact air bearings and permanent magnet synchronous motors, all combined in one "plug n play" cabinet-style package, have made the units a leader in municipal and industrial wastewater treatment systems.

APG Neuros test technicians have the opportunity to travel the country to install equipment and ensure it meets customer expectations.

The company sees the potential to double its workforce within the next few years.

BOMBARDIER TRANSPORTATION

Bombardier Transportation opened its rail-car facility in the City of Plattsburgh in 1995 to meet continued demand for its products from the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

The assembly plant was expanded and a test track was added at the former Plattsburgh Air Force Base in 1997, with the track expanded in 2001.

The company solidified its presence in Plattsburgh in 2002, when it closed its assembly plant in Barre, Vt., and consolidated the operation here.

SWAROVSKI LIGHTING

Swarovski came to Plattsburgh after it finalized acquisition of the former Schonbek Lighting company in 2011.

Schonbek was seen as a natural choice for acquisition when Swarovski wanted to enter the lighting market in 2007, as the 140-year-old Plattsburgh manufacturer had used Swarovski crystals in its chandeliers and lighting fixtures for many years.

Plattsburgh is now the global headquarters for Swarovski's Lighting Division, with 270 employees working on two shifts daily.

Swarovski Lighting fixtures, particularly the chandeliers, are considered a premium brand.

They have been featured in films such as "The Great Gatsby" and "Black Swan" and as furnishings in the White House, Buckingham Palace and other landmarks.

Many successful companies call the Greater Plattsburgh region home because we are a progressive 21st century community, uniquely positioned for business development and foreign direct investment. The Institute for Advanced Manufacturing, which is now open, is a testament to the commitment the region has to creating a hub for manufacturing education, and to continuing to support and attract international companies such as Bombardier, Fujitsu, Norsk Titanium, Nova Bus, and Schluter Systems.

Go to www.thedevelopcorp.com or call Paul A. Grasso, Jr., President of The Development Corporation (TDC), to find out what these companies, and perhaps even your competition already knows, come here and your business can go anywhere.

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Transportation equipment manufacturing cluster growing PLATTSBURGH — One of the focal points of regional manufacturing is the ever-growing transportation-equipment cluster.

The concept grew from a study commissioned by The Development Corp.

By Dan and conducted by CAI Global back in Heath late 2013, early 2014.

The transportation cluster now includes 45 companies with nearly 9,000 employees across the seven-county North Country region, with the majority located in Clinton County.

CENTER OF EXCELLENCE That led to the creation in 2015 of the North American Center of Excellence for Transportation Equipment.

The local Center for Excellence has already established partnerships with the Quebec Ground Transportation Cluster and with Aero Montreal, two prominent cluster organizations just north of the border.

The cluster initiative was also a main impetus for an agreement between Clinton Community College and Champlain College in St. Lambert, Quebec.

At the time, it was highlighted that both schools are involved in technical programs that support manufacturing, including transportation equipment.

The Center for Excellence grew from a study commissioned by the Development Corp. to identify the region's potential for economic development through identification and promotion of industrial clusters.

Transportation jumped to the fore due to the presence of major players such as Bombardier Transportation and Nova Bus/Prevost.

BOMBARDIER Bombardier Transportation received its first U.S. transit system order, 36 railcars for Chicago Transit Authority, in 1976.

Its first of several orders for the New York City transit system, for 825 subway cars, was awarded in 1982 — at the time the largest ever awarded to a Canadian manufacturer.

That relationship helped pave the way for the company and state of New York to announce a new contract and assembly plant in the City of Plattsburgh in 1994.

The 62,000-square-foot plant on Wall Street opened in 1995.

The plant was expanded to double its capacity in 1997, for work on new orders with New York City Transit and Amtrak.

That same year, Bombardier built a test track on the former Plattsburgh Air Force Base. The track was expanded in 2001.

The Plattsburgh plant has twice completed orders for more than 1,000 cars with Metropolitan Transit Authority agencies, with additional orders for numerous transit authorities across the country.

Through the years, the Plattsburgh operation has grown to the first, fully integrated railcar manufacturing facility in New York state by 2010.

The company invested $25 million to again expand the plant in 2015, making it Bombardier's lead manufacturing site in the United States.

Bombardier presently about 300 employees in Plattsburgh, working on existing orders for 300 subway cars for New York City Transit and 775 railcars for Bay Area Rapid Transit in San Francisco.

Nova Bus employees Amy D'Aust (right) and Kevin Delisle (left) work on a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning unit atop a new bus in the Plattsburgh plant. The company has about Photo provided 350 employees in Plattsburgh.

FUTURE continued from A1 across the seven-county North Country Economic Development Council region, she said, most are in Clinton County.

Jobs in that sector come with an average annual wage of $67,534, which is 65.7 percent higher than the average for all other professions in the county.

Figures from Empire State Development for 2011 to 2016 showed 445 new jobs in that sector, a 67 percent growth rate. If this region were performing at the national average for that sector, it would have added only 53 jobs, with another 58 generated simply due to the improving job market, for a total of 111.

"So, the region performed at a 4-to-1 ratio compared to the national average," Matton said.

BRIGHT FUTURE Douglas said the current wave of growth during the last few years shows every sign of continuing for the next few years or longer.

"I don't believe everyone appreciates the number of manufacturers here that have been growing tremendously," he said.

One example is Mold-Rite Plastics. Douglas said many people are surprised to learn it is one of the largest industrial employers in the area, with more than 400 workers.

"They have been growing and growing and are still in a growth mode," he said.

Other examples include Schluter Systems, Spencer ARL, Swarovski and Fujitsu. They are all in growth mode, Douglas said, and it all adds up, even if they are only hiring a few employees at a time.

Matton said the New York State Department of Labor statistics showed 3,400 jobs in all sectors of manufacturing as of 2016.

That is 10 percent of the 34,000 employee workforce in the county.

THE NORSK FACTOR Douglas said the future gets even brighter when you add Norsk Titanium to the mix. The firm has about 50 employees in North America at present, most of them in Plattsburgh, and expects that number to grow to 100 by the end of the year.

Production of aircraft components is expected to start in Plattsburgh early

next year, and the company fully expects to have 400 or more employees here within the next few years as it enters into more contracts.

All signs point to a groundbreaking on a SUNY Polytech-owned facility at the former Clinton County Airport as early as this month, business leaders say.

That is expected to eventually become a centerpiece to an additive-manufacturing campus here in Plattsburgh.

"There are already a couple of other international additive-manufacturing producers for aerospace that are in the process of following Norsk to Plattsburgh," Douglas said, noting they are at least a couple of years out.

It is another example of the importance of the cluster effect, which is now spreading to additive manufacturing.

It helps when the company that produces the technology is the anchor. Douglas said not only does Norsk manufacture using the technology, but it will develop future generations of the proprietary process and machines.

The company is presently producing those machines in Norway, but that and research and development will be part of what takes place at the SUNY Poly facility.

"Now you're always going to be at the forefront of additive manufacturing because you're invested in one of the companies producing each new progression of that technology," Douglas said.

Norsk is also drawing attention to the next generation of manufacturing, with an emphasis on skills in computer-controlled machinery and electronics.

Bombardier Plattsburgh Site Manager Dave Black said the company looks forward to a strong presence in the transportation-equipment manufacturing sector in the Plattsburgh region for many years to come.

“Opened in 1995 as a final assembly plant for commuter rail cars for New York's Metro-North Railroad, the Bombardier facility in Plattsburgh is now a full-fledged manufacturing and testing site for a wide range of rail vehicles for New York's rail agencies as well as for transit systems across the United States,” he said.

“We're proud of our highly skilled employees and of the nearly 4,000 high-quality rail vehicles we've produced here."

NOVA BUS/PREVOST Nova Bus opened its Plattsburgh plant on Banker Road in the Town of Plattsburgh in 2008 for the manufacture of inner-city transit buses. The Prevost line, which features premium motor coaches, arrived in 2014.

Joey Varin, from the firm's Plattsburgh Human Resources Department, said it is the only U.S.-based manufacturing facility for the Volvo Group, which is the parent company for both Nova Bus and Prevost.

He said the plant is doing well, with orders continuing to arrive. Nova Bus has 20 percent market share in the U.S. alone, so there is room for new contracts with municipalities.

"We expect, in the years to come, more growth through the Plattsburgh plant," he said.

Varin said there is value in the region's cluster initiatives. Most manufacturing jobs come with a higher pay scale, and that holds true with the transportation-equipment firms.

"If you look at partnerships we have with some of our sub-suppliers, such as SpencerARL and B3CG, those partnerships are unique to the success of our overall end product that we produce here on both the Prevost side and Nova side," he said.

Part of that, particularly with SpencerArl, is sharing of knowledge, as they do sub-assemblies for Bombardier buses.

"Communication, partnership and collaboration are key," Varin said.

About 350 employees currently work at the Plattsburgh plant. The company uses its own well-polished training program to teach the skills used to manufacture buses.

Varin said anyone who has some sort of mechanical or electrical experience will have a leg up, but they can train anyone the skills required.

It is critically important that employees have the soft skills to thrive in a fast-paced work environment, such as punctuality, attention to detail and teamwork, he said.

Job interviews are conducted by existing employees, in one-on-one conversations to learn about the potential worker.

The company's expectations are made clear from the start, Varin said.

"It all comes down to what a person wants and what their goals are for them to be successful."

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BUSTING THE MYTHS OF MANUFACTURING

MYTH #1 LOW PAY

Manufacturing can bring prestige, paychecks PLATTSBURGH — Manufacturing can provide a pathway to a rewarding, well-paying career with a number of prestigious companies.

Local firms provide proof of that, countering the myth that the manufacturing

By Dan jobs provide little recognition or financial Heath reward.

The New York State Department of Labor reported 3,400 (9.9 percent) of the 34,200 people working in Clinton County worked in manufacturing in July 2017. That compares with 4.5 percent across the state and 8.5 percent across the country.

And a Chmura Economics Jobs EQ report for last month showed the average annual wage for a manufacturing job in Clinton, Essex, Franklin and Hamilton counties was $52,226, compared with $37,600 for all production occupations, $45,100 for installation, maintenance and repair jobs and $41,628 for all industrial jobs.

RISING IN RANKS Schluter Systems Community Relations and Special Project Manager Tom Remaley said the company's entrylevel positions in its pick-n-pack warehouse operation carry starting pay of about $14 an hour.

It has sometimes been a struggle to fill those positions, he said, even with the potential to advance for those who show a strong work ethic and capability to develop their skills.

"I always emphasize with people who come in that just because you are in an entry-level position doesn't mean you are stuck there," Remaley said.

"We always promote from within first. As you prove yourself, you can easily move up through the company."

They have had multiple employees transfer from the warehouse side to the office complex. Even some people who started out in custodial positions later garnered the skills and knowledge to land technical positions, Remaley said.

"There's no better place to learn about the company than working here," he said.

BENEFITS Schluter Systems offers a generous benefits package, with paid vacations, holidays and health insurance.

Remaley said another factor is job security, as the company has grown to just over 600 people in Plattsburgh and is proud to say it has never had layoffs.

"This isn't a job; it's a career," he said. "You retire from Schluter Systems, and that's a good feeling."

SENSE OF PRIDE Swarovski Lighting carries a rich history, both in its own name and its acquisition of Schonbek, which was finalized in 2011.

Pamela Gomez, a recruiter with the Swarovski Lighting Human Resources Department, said both firms shared features such as long-time family ownership and European roots.

"We're considered a luxury brand, so there's a lot of pride in what we do," she said.

The firm's lighting fixtures, including spectacular chandeliers, have found homes at Buckingham Palace and the White House. They were also featured in movies such as "Black Swan" and "The Great Gatsby," to name but a few.

Gomez said they have about 270 employees at present and recently had two engineering positions and five to six entry-level assembler spots they were looking to fill.

While those jobs might not offer high wages, they all come with an opportunity for advancement as a person learns about the company and develops new skills, she said.

Quite a few members of their accounting, customerservice and product-integration teams started out on the

production floor and worked their way up, she said.

"Even our manufacturing engineer started on the production floor, went to Clinton Community College and earned his degree and is now a manager," Gomez said.

TRAVEL OPPORTUNITIES APG Neuros Plant Manager Gary Cederstrom said that even though the firm has been in Plattsburgh only since 2009, its high-efficiency turbo blowers are rapidly becoming an industry standard in their market, which covers the United States, Canada and Western Europe.

"We have about 1,200 of these units out in the field. Our closest competitor has about 200," he said.

That has led Cederstrom to see the potential to double their workforce in the next two to four years, from 28 at present.

A good number of those jobs will be as test technicians, who make a good starting salary but can also earn an extra $3 to $5 an hour while they travel to various customers to help with set-up and operation.

Production Manager Brandon Chamberlain said that has enabled him to make three trips to the United Kingdom.

"I got to see all kinds of neat stuff over there," he said.

Plattco Inside Sales Manager Danielle Howard-Ross said the 120-year-old firm is now best known for its double-flap valves and slide gates.

GRAPHIC ABOVE PUBLISHED WITH PERMISSION BY SME "We are the inventor of double-flap valves. People often refer to the Plattco valve rather than to a double-flap valve," she said.

It is a worldwide reputation for quality, as more than 30 percent of the company's sales are outside the U.S. and Canada.

That requires employees to make multiple trips to locations around the world every year, as the company prides itself on its ability to custom fit its products with customer needs.

STOCK IN COMPANY Howard-Ross said they also offer very competitive pay, with plenty of advancement opportunities.

Plattco employees can get health insurance and a 401K match.

And, after one year, they are eligible for stock in the company — a by-product of its status as an employee-owned company. That alone offers its own level of prestige.

"I don't think you can get any more opportunity for advancement than to be able to say you're an owner of a company that's been around that long," she said.

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BUSTING THE MYTHS OF MANUFACTURING

MYTH #2 FILTHY JOB

Manufacturing no longer a dirty occupation

By Dan Heath

PLATTSBURGH — Modern manufacturing bears little resemblance to the dirty, noisy environment frequently found in factories of the past.

The manufacturing plant of today often features high-tech equipment and clean, sometimes pristine, settings.

STERILE PROCESS One of the clearest local examples is SterRx, the startup pharmaceutical manufacturer that is in the midst of a steady increase in its workforce.

The company does its manufacturing in "clean room" environments, where air is pushed out of the room during operation to keep contaminants away from the process.

The sterile-product packaging process occurs entirely inside state-of-the-art machines.

"We are a manufacturer that follows current good manufacturing practices in accordance with (U.S.) FDA guidelines," said President of Manufacturing Terry Wiley.

When SterRx founder Dr. Gary Hanley decided to split his other Malone-based firm, Asept Pak, to launch this new start-up, the project included total renovation of the former Pfizer facility in Plattsburgh.

Improvements included new infrastructure, such as the clean rooms, a high-tech system for purified water and the Rommalag blow-fill-seal machines.

"They are the leader in the field for blow-fill-seal equipment," Wiley said.

It was a multi-year project to get all of the equipment in the facility approved for production. Now that the operation has started, the company has grown from about 45 employees back in February to around 100, with more hiring expected shortly.

About 90 percent of their workforce came from the Wyeth/Pfizer operation in Rouses Point, Wiley said, and they are expecting that to continue as the plant nears its end.

They are also looking for workers with the skills to troubleshoot and repair mechanical equipment, especially in hydraulics, electronics and pneumatics.

"Any experience in that area is very beneficial to us," he said.

PUBLIC SURPRISED A clean shop is a priority at Swarovski Lighting, as well. Human Resources Recruiter Pamela Gomez said that is something visitors often remark upon.

"During tours, we're often told they didn't realize it would be so clean," she said.

Numerous processes are in place to ensure the plant is kept tidy, she said, which is important for a company that prides itself on delivering shimmering, often customordered products to its clients.

"When we create these beautiful works of art, we need to make sure they are not full of dust and dirt when they are shipped," Gomez said.

SterRx President of Manufacturing Terry Wiley displays the state-of-the-art water purification system the company installed as part of its renovation process prior to the start of operation as a sterile pharmaceutical manufacturer. The company now has more than 100 employees, and is poised for additional growth thanks to a new marketing and distriPhoto by Dan Heath bution agreement.

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EFFICIENCY The need for efficiency requires clean, organized operations at firms such as Bombardier Transportation and Nova Bus/Prevost.

Those companies have invested millions in factories that provide workers with environments that allows them to maximize their efforts.

"Clean" can also refer to environmentally friendly products.

Nova Bus manufactures all of its compressed naturalgas-powered buses in Plattsburgh.

More recently, it introduced the LFS-E, its first 40-foot, electric-powered bus built in the United States, said Nova Bus/Prevost Vice President of Legal and Public Affairs Emmanuelle Touissant.

"We are very happy to have this first unit that was built there," she said.

"We are looking forward to having new opportunities in

GRAPHIC ABOVE PUBLISHED WITH PERMISSION BY SME the U.S., because we think that is the future."

Touissant said transit authorities are really starting to explore opportunities to add that technology to their fleets.

Nova Bus is working with two rapid-charging technologies, one by Siemens and one by ABB, with the latter in use in Plattsburgh.

Tests in Montreal since May results show the new technology results in charge times as fast as three minutes, which is better than initial expectations.

Because buses don't need to be parked and out of service for charging, it is a better fit for some municipalities.

"This is a huge advantage," Touissant said.

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BUSTING THE MYTHS OF MANUFACTURING

MYTH #3 NO WOMEN

Local women share experiences in manufacturing

By Dan Heath

PLATTSBURGH — Strong careers are available for women in manufacturing, and Clinton County firms have examples to prove it.

Even 20 years ago, women in manufacturing were often seen as

an anomaly.

Today, it is a reality, as 1,862 out of 7,257 manufacturing employees in Clinton, Essex, Franklin and Hamilton counties are women.

READY FOR CHALLENGE Plattco Operations and Engineering Manager Michele Derrigo-Barnes has seen the changes first hand.

When she graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering (with a concentration in manufacturing), the student ratio was one woman to every four men.

"It had its challenges, but I think if you are willing to put the work in, you can be successful in no matter what you choose to take on," she said.

Derrigo-Barnes went on to earn a master's in business administration from Clarkson University.

Before Plattco, she worked as a design engineer at Protech, then as a manufacturing engineer at Prim Hall.

Derrigo-Barnes has been at Plattco for the last 12 years, advancing from manufacturing engineer to her current positions.

She got her start at Plattco by giving a friend who worked there her resume. It was forwarded to CEO Doug Crozier.

"He brought me in, and they hired me on the spot. They created a manufacturing engineering job for me," Derrigo-Barnes said.

Because she didn't have children at the time, she put in as many hours as required, taking on additional roles in quality control, purchasing and maintenance.

Derrigo-Barnes said she is thankful the company has since provided her the flexibility to thrive as a manager and mother.

"My children will always come first, and the company is very understanding of that," she said.

"If you find the right company and the right fit, it is possible."

SterRx Plant Manager Sarah McCoy high school that focused on those studies.

Clark took a different path from many of her classmates, who went into marketing as that was the orientation for many women at her school.

"I always liked the challenge of manufacturing, because it is not as straight forward. It is very technology driven and complex, which makes it very interesting," she said.

WORLD TRAVEL During high school, she worked for IBM. Clark later worked in wind energy for Siemens and in the aerospace division of Rolls Royce.

Most recently, she held positions in project management, operations, supply-chain operations and strategy for Bombardier.

Her career took her to Germany, Denmark and Thailand before she located to Plattsburgh.

Her role at Norsk is rewarding as she is no longer just one cog in a vast multinational corporation. She is one of four people handling the firm's supply chain: two in Norway and two in Plattsburgh.

Clark finds it rewarding to be part of the team that is setting up the systems that will soon pave the way for production in Plattsburgh.

She is looking forward to the challenge of rapidly responding to any issues that arise to ensure production flows smoothly.

"If you don't react, you see the impact of your decision on the manufacturing line," Clark said.

At job fairs, she often points to her own experience in manufacturing.

"I've always worked in technology companies that are very engineering driven, but I don't have an engineering degree.

You don't have to have an engineering degree to work in manufacturing," Clark said.

(L) Norsk Titanium Supply Chain Manager Andrea Clark and (R) Manufacturing Engineer Savannah Schmidt Labor's Trade Adjustment Assistance Program to get her LPN degree when Pfizer announced closure of its local facilities.

"I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, but knew I wanted to stay here and knew I wanted to contribute to the workforce," she said.

McCoy responded to an ad for jobs at Malone-based AseptPak, where Dr. Gary Hanley was using high-tech blow-fill-seal machines to create medical devices, including some pre-filled with medications.

She started as a micro-lab manager and pursued every opportunity for advancement. That led to stints as a lab manager and then quality-assurance manager.

When Hanley split the company to launch SterRx to take advantage of new regulations for compounding pharmacies, McCoy made the move to Plattsburgh.

She started as quality-assurance manager at the new facility and was promoted to plant manager in 2014.

Plattco Operations and Engineering Manager Michele Derrigo-Barnes "I've had a great career with AseptPak and SterRx," she said. "It's a small business and the opportunities are abundant.

You just have to be willing to take a chance."

She credits Hanley and Terry Wiley with providing the support and assistance for the new role, as they saw value of her diverse skillset.

"They acted as mentors as I built on the skills I had from my time at Wyeth/Pfizer," McCoy said.

'BRIGHT FUTURE' It has been rewarding to be part of the emerging success story, she said.

The company has grown from about 40 employees in March to more than 100 at present and is looking to add another dozen or so in the immediate future.

"It's neat to see everything happen, and I get to be part of it," McCoy said. "I see a very bright future."

'AMAZING' Manufacturing Engineer Savannah Schmidt joined Norsk Titanium in August 2016.

It was her first job after college, where she earned a Bachelor Degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Notre Dame.

She finds it exciting to be part of a startup that is bringing its cutting-edge technology to the world.

"It's really amazing to be part of something you know is going to be changing the industry," Schmidt said. "That energy drives a lot of people here to put in extra EDUCATION MIX effort. It's a contagious environment to be Sarah McCoy is the plant manager at in."

SterRx, another firm at the cutting edge of She had a strong interest in science and technology in its field, which is pharmamath and was encouraged to go into a ceutical manufacturing.

STEM field. She credits an instructor in McCoy has a degree in cellular biocheman Introduction to Manufacturing class at istry from SUNY Plattsburgh, an online Notre Dame with piquing her interest in PRESS REPUBLICAN degree in business administration and that field. certification as a licensed practical 473 nurse THIRD STREET "He asked us to take the information NIAGARA FALLS NY 14301 from CV-TEC. we learned and take it to the next level," (518)561−2300 "My combination of education is kind of Schmidt said. rare," she said.

"I really liked that critical and analytical She wanted to live in this area,CONFIRMATION as her ORDER (CONTINUED) thinking and that it fit into manufacturing." family is here, so she took a job at Wyeth/ During the course of her studies, Pfizer, where she worked for just under 10 Salesperson: SALLY WOOD Printed at 09/27/17 09:24 by sguyn Schmidt found she really enjoyed that, years. −−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−− particularly the ability to solve problems McCoy obtained her MBA during that Ad #: 1337310 Status: K that arose. It also helps whenAcct you can#: 504951 time, then used the U.S. Department of actually see and touch the end result.

"At the end of the day, you have something physical you have made," she said. "There is a great deal of satisfaction in that."

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Manufacturing myths and truths • Wednesday, October 4, 2017 • Plattsburgh, NY 12901

A look into

manufacturing in the North Country

Photo of the Institute for Advanced Manufacturing at Clinton Community College by Kayla Breen

See inside to learn more about the area’s educational offerings, and tips on how to land a job in manufacturing

START LEARNING TODAY

A group of Beekmantown Central School eigth-graders are making bottle rocket during their project-based-learning curriculum Photo by Kayla Breen focused class.

Sophmore Christian Harris works on his Digital Electronics I class work in the electronics lab inside the new Institute for Advanced Manufacturing at Clinton Community College.

Photo by Kayla Breen

DID YOU KNOW?

Bryce Burl and Danny Jiguere of P-Tech Photo provided

GRAPHIC PUBLISHED WITH PERMISSION BY SME

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Project-based learning teaches lasting skills PLATTSBURGH — Collaboration and problem-solving skills.

Those are the abilities Beekmantown Middle School teachers focused on as they developed — and continued to hone — their project-based-learning curriculum.

By Cara “That’s what the business community is Chapman looking for: employees who will be selfstarters who know how to work within a team,” said Sarah Vagi, who teaches social studies.

“We’ve taken that, I think, as the years have gone and just seen how it really lines up with what we were thinking, though it wasn’t intentional at first.”

WHAT MATTERS When they initially brought project-based learning to eighth grade, they were looking for more authentic learning opportunities.

“As we kind of dug into what that would look like and (were) starting our first project in meeting local community members and business owners, it kind of shaped the way we went about forming our projects," said Vagi, surrounded by fellow teachers in Team Summit and Team Ascent, which work with eighth-graders and seventhgraders, respectively.

GOOD WORK HABITS Technology teacher Seth Spoor recalled attending a local Manufacturing Day four or five years ago where a panelist told educators that the reason kids aren't hired out of high school isn't because they can't technically do the jobs.

Employers can teach them technical skills but not how to be good employees: showing up on time, getting along with co-workers and being responsible, the panelist said.

So that made Spoor think about what was important for him to focus on in his teaching.

“Is it technical skills that they’re going to have to be taught again anyways when they get into the workforce, or is it these employability skills that are going to be with them no matter which occupation they go into?”

'SOFT SKILLS' Spoor incorporated that mentality into his own curriculum, and that thought process spread when project-based learning was implemented at Beekmantown Middle School.

These “soft skills” include shaking hands, making eye contact, learning to communicate properly and just being respectful.

“I had a student re-write an email yesterday because the first one they sent wasn’t appropriate,” family consumer science teacher Erin Kelley said.

“They have to call businesses and talk to professionals,” special-education teacher Chris Work noted. “So they’re actually interviewing people in the field, which has been great for them to have that exposure.”

NOT IN SILO The students spend five out of nine periods on projectbased learning, and teachers “push into” each other’s classrooms, creating cross-curricular opportunities.

That gives rise to new projects that may combine multiple subjects, smaller than the two overarching fall and spring projects.

Being in each other's classrooms helps kids see that the teachers are all one team and learning doesn't happen "in a silo," science teacher Diana Danville said.

In the real world, people aren't thinking about using English language arts skills as they're writing memos or math skills as they do math.

“We don’t departmentalize things like that in a realworld setting so ... we try to bring that down to the classroom with our small projects and our larger projects," Danville said.

FINDING STRENGTHS For one project, students filled out a job application.

“We were looking more for why they thought they would do well in a position of CEO or a position of design," Vagi said.

Once they were assigned positions within their groups, they had to learn what really went into those jobs.

At a conference, businesspeople in the audience asked the students what they took out of their roles.

“One student said, ‘I learned to find the strength Beekmantown eighth-graders Ben Bordeau (left) and Ethan Worley in the other students and take apply hot glue to their bottle rocket during their project-based-learnthat strength and make it a ing curriculum focused class at Beekmantown Middle School. part of what we were doing,'" Vagi said. for the answers.

For example, the CEO might realize an administrative “So that tells me we’re setting up a real-world situaassistant is good at drawing and try to get that person tion,” Vagi said. designing more.

When eighth-graders meet different people in the com“And I think that kind of helped shape in their minds how munity, they learn about more career options, she added. they would go about that in future situations," Vagi said.

The focus of a workshop she attended was how to get students educated here to stay here and become part of the RELY ON TEAM local workforce.

CEO tends to be the most popular position, though “I think being able to meet with the businesses outside students start to realize it can be hard to get people to do in these kind of very friendly, very helpful ways makes what they ask. a strong connection to our community, and I hope that This past spring, eighth-grader Ethan Tisdale served as reinforces them wanting to stay around,” Vagi said.

CEO of his group.

He and fellow seventh-graders at the time were tasked LASTING KNOWLEDGE with picking a room in the school to modernize as part of Middle School Principal Amy Campbell pointed out a capital project. that educators teaching a subject or content may wonder “The hardest part was probably just to motivate people how long students remember that information. just to think outside of the box," Tisdale said, "because “All of these people can tell you that they have taught as much as I love PBL (project-based learning), I’m not someone how to shake a hand and make eye contact," she the most out-of-the-box thinker — I’m more direct, just said. “We’ve watched kids who are introverted, shy, not textbook stuff. comfortable even with their own peers who can now get “So I had to really rely on my group to think out of the up and speak to complete stranger adults and give them a box to help me out.” presentation on the research that they’ve done.”

And he had to help them complete different tasks on time.

Eighth-grader Maggie LaBarge said that over the first “It was difficult, but at the same time it just teaches you couple weeks of school, teachers told students that it will things that you wouldn’t probably learn if you didn’t have be up to them to figure things out so they can be more PBL.” independent.

“And they want us to be better public speakers, which LOCAL MENTORS is good because I don’t really like public speaking that A big piece of the projects involves setting students up much. with a local mentor who is their real-world equivalent.

"And I’m really excited about us being able to kind of “I have to say a lot of the people in the community that take control of each other.” we’ve paired our kids with have been really great about being available as a resource to the kids,” English teacher CONTRIBUTORS Anthony Perez said.

Tisdale thinks he would like working as an engineer for Students can send emails to or call these professionals the U.S. military, perhaps in a managing capacity, though he for advice on challenges they are facing. admits he’s changing all the time.

“Our partnerships have just been great in terms of And LaBarge would like to be a general surgeon. people being willing to come in here and sit with our “I think PBL is great,” Tisdale said. “It makes kids want kids, explain their job, ask them questions about what it is to go to school. they’re going to do, serving in a capacity to help the kids “It makes kids communicate more, get out of their really learn what it means to work in that type of a capaccomfort zone.” ity," Perez said.

More than 200 kids have gone through the program already, Campbell said.

REAL-WORLD “When I look at them as sophomores and freshman in Student CEOs meet with Beekmantown Central School high school, I know that they are more confident, more Superintendent Dan Mannix, who is the district’s equivacapable of just managing the day because of the experilent of a CEO, Vagi said. ences they had here.

Mannix has told the teachers that the questions the stu“\I know that they are able to be better learners and better dents ask are the same ones for which he is still looking contributors to society because of what they’ve done here.”

Beekmantown eigth-graders Alan Frost-Jones (left) and Tyrel LaRoe check the parachute on their bottle rocket, a class project Beekmantown Photos by Kayla Breen middle schoolers are making as part of their project-based-learning curriculum.

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CCC, CV-TEC teach manufacturing skills PLATTSBURGH — CV-TEC and Clinton Community College provide a variety of routes to acquire skills coveted by local manufacturers.

The new Institute for Advanced Manufacturing at Clinton Community College

By Dan is receiving a tremendous amount of atHeath tention after opening for its first students.

Clinton Community College Director of Advanced Manufacturing and Technology Kristopher Renadette said the entire facility was designed with flexibility in mind, to meet the present and future training needs of manufacturers and the students who will make up their workforce.

HIGH BAY The institute features a 7,000-square-foot bay area with 30-foot-high ceilings that is home to a machine shop, welding lab and student project area.

It also houses equipment that manufacturers provide for specific training sessions.

"There is plenty of room for companies to bring in equipment to train employees before they implement its use in their own facility," Renadette said during a recent tour.

LAB SPACE The first floor also has the 5,000-square-foot flexible manufacturing lab, which houses the FAB and Mechatronics labs FAB is an innovation hub that will include equipment such as 3D printers to help bring concepts to reality.

Mechatronics is space where mechanical, electrical, computer- and automation-control systems are mastered individually and then in conjunction.

Renadette said the goal is to make students proficient not only in operation and set-up, but also trouble shooting and repair.

The first floor will also have space for a computer technology lab and an electronics technology lab.

CONFERENCE ROOM The second floor has a spacious conference room with state-of-the-art audio and visual equipment, including two 90-inch and two 60-inch flatscreens.

That area will double as a distance-learning center.

That space will be available for businesses to hold video conferences or training sessions with their other offices around the world.

CV-TECH CHANGES CV-TEC is working to reinvigorate the Plattsburgh Aeronautical Institute program to attract students looking for manufacturing careers.

The school's faculty and administration were encouraged by recent meetings with Norsk Titanium, whose leadership team recognized the value of graduates who completed the 2,100 hours of aviation-industry training.

"It's opening the eyes of the community to the fact that this certification can lead to a manufacturing position just as much as an aircraft-maintenance position," said CVTEC Satellite Campus Principal James McCartney.

A number of the school's other programs provide skills that can be useful in a manufacturing environment, such as its welding, engine repair, heavy machinery and even digital art and design.

Digital design involves use of 3D printing and other computer-controlled technology, which Friedman said makes it a good fit with further study at the college.

Many of the programs are articulated with Clinton Community, so students can earn between 18 and 30 hours of college credit while still in high school.

ASSEMBLING INDUSTRY The two schools, along with the teams at OneWorkSource and ETS, also collaborate on the Assembling Industry: Manufacturing and Education Program.

The eight-week program provides participants with skills they can use to show their readiness for employment with local manufacturers.

That includes earning the National Workforce Readiness Credential, U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration 10 certification, the Manufacturing Skill Standard Council's Safety and Manufacturing Processes and Production certificates.

The sessions start off with tours of some local manufacturers, include assistance in preparing for job interviews and end with a job seminar with local employers.

"We are trying to expose eligible potential employees to the manufacturing opportunities that are available in the area," said CV-TEC Director Michele Friedman.

CONNECTING TO JOBS The school's programs have advisory committees, which include representatives from local manufacturers so the school can continue to produce graduates with skills that fit the local workforce.

"They are connected to the programs so they can have an impact to ensure a steady flow of employees," Friedman said.

BOMBARDIER NEEDS Bombardier Transportation spokeswoman Maryanne Roberts said their most pressing need in Plattsburgh is skilled welders, particularly those with formal training, experience or those up for the challenge of welding on the paper-thin stainless steel used in railcar bodies.

Bombardier works with CV-TEC to help provide welders with the skills the company needs, such as donating the materials to gain the required experience.

The company has also hired grads from Clinton Community's mechanical technology program, she said.

CV-TEC Director Michele Friedman and Plattsburgh Aeronautical Institute Principal James Photo by Gabe Dickens McCartney And Bombardier partners with Clarkson University to provide internships for its engineering students and with SUNY Plattsburgh for internships in global-supply-chain students.

PLATTCO TRAINING Plattco Operations and Engineering Manager Michele Derrigo-Barnes said they value potential production workers with aptitudes and skills in fields such as math, blueprint comprehension and electrical or mechanical assembly.

It is more important that they have the soft skills embodied in the National Workforce Readiness Credential, as Plattco offers on-the-job training to new hires.

"As long as they have a strong work ethic and are a creative thinker, we can turn them into a strong machinist," she said. "I've seen it."

JOBS FOR TECHNICIANS APG Neuros Plant Manager Gary Cederstrom said their firm's main employee growth has been in tech technicians.

Of their 28 employees, 12 are test technicians, as well as a lead test technician and production manager.

"That is the area where we've focused on higher skilled employees," he said.

They have had good fortune with graduates from Clinton Community and SUNY Canton, he said, with about a dozen employees coming from those sources.

Cederstrom expects the

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relationship with Clinton Community to get even stronger as students move through the new Institute for Advanced Manufacturing.

"We're looking to work with them to develop our own customized training program," he said.

"We've got some people here in assembly that we believe could develop into a technician role."

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Tips on landing a job in

MANUFACTURING

By Toni Smith PLATTSBURGH — The job search is arguably one of the most important events in many people’s lives.

It can also be one of the most stressful experiences a person will face. But if there is one word that can best describe a prospective employee’s attitude, that word should be “confidence.”

“The job interview provides that first impression the boss has with an individual,” said Virginia Seiden, a recruiter for the Industrial Staffing Division at ETS Services in Plattsburgh. “It is so important to stress confidence during that initial interview.

“A firm handshake and steady eye contact help to establish a strong first impression,” she added.

“Sure, everyone walks into the interview with a level of stress, but you have to stay calm at the same time.”

PRACTICE AHEAD Seiden recommends practicing the interview process at home.

“Sit down with family or friends and practice answering the most basic questions and the more difficult questions,” she said.

“Bury yourself in the role until you feel comfortable with your answers.”

Of course, it is paramount for anyone applying for a job to do research on the company before attending any interviews. That will help applicants better answer any questions and will show the potential boss that they are serious about the job opening.

It will also help someone determine whether the job will be a good fit. During research of the job and the company, applicants may realize they are not well-suited or well-prepared for the position or company or give them confidence that they are.

ASK QUESTIONS Research can also help an applicant prepare a list of questions to ask during the interview.

“You never want to leave that interview without asking questions,” Seiden said. “You always want to be engaged throughout the interview, and you always want to have a few questions to end the interview.”

WHEN TO START The job search begins long before an interview ever happens. It is also important to start a job search on the right foot.

Seiden suggests that students begin their initial job search at least a month before they are ready to graduate.

“Make sure you have all of your ducks in a row,” she said, adding that ETS Services helps prepare its prospective employees by assisting with the preliminary steps, such as creating a successful and persuasive resume.

“We don’t like to send anybody out to an interview without being properly prepared for a full-time, long-term position,” she said.

RESUME TIPS Building a solid resume is one way to ensure “It’s so important to an interview runs stress confidence during smoothly. In fact, that initial interview.” potential employees will not reach the interview - Virginia Seiden, phase without recruiter at ETS first impressing the potential boss with a professional resume.

“A lot of people are not experts at resume building,” Seiden said. “We offer templates that candidates can use to personalize their own resumes.”

A resume should not include excessive information but should include the work and educational experience that match the potential employee with the position available, she added.

She also suggested people have their resumes on file as Word documents and ready to send out when needed.

The resume is a “living document” and should be updated as a person gains experience and skills, Seiden said.

Whether a person includes a job objective or not may depend on the situation, she added.

An objective that matches a specific job opening can influence a boss to pay closer attention to the resume.

But if a resume is sent out to a company with hopes of a future job opening, an objective might limit the candidate’s chances.

fine, Seiden said.

She his been working for five years as a recruiter at ETS Services, which serves Clinton County and recently opened a branch in Vermont.

The company has three divisions: industrial, office and administration and professional search.

A little preparation can enhance a person's chance at snagging a good job.

DRESS FOR INTERVIEW If a candidate is called in for an interview, the candidate should “dress for the position.”

If the job is in management or requires more formal attire, then candidates should wear appropriate formal clothing.

If formal attire is not a normal part of the daily dress code, then casual but neat clothing is

You deserve to be happy at work.

With GREAT... pay benefits work environment Maybe you have a job, but we can help you find the RIGHT job where you'll be appreciated and work on your terms.

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Every step of the way - we've got you covered! www.etsjobs.com Serving Plattsburgh, Burlington and the entire North Country

ETS is a proud member of the 2017 North Country Manufacturing Day committee.

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ADK P-Tech Program creates new handson learning environment for local students

By Toni Smith

ing a neurosurgeon, like Alyssa Lomeli, a second-year student who enjoys “getting to work with everybody. I’m with freshmen, juniors, seniors."

Projects are a large part of the curriculum.

Students work together to create solutions to problems that occur in the work environment.

The students in the program are very enthusiastic about their learning environment, which incorporates non-traditional learning with typical secondary education.

“It’s a lot better than what you get in normal school," said Joshawa Jiguere, a first-year P Tech student.

"Because there’s not a lot of kids, teachers can really one-on-one with you more.”

Jiguere hopes to become a computer engineer or a mechanical engineer upon graduation.

“We have so many free, open projects.

You can do anything,” said Dakota Lawson, a third-year P Tech student.

Lawson and fellow P Tech student Christopher Goheens, an aspiring animator or graphic artist, are working on an animation project.

PERU — The world is changing, and so is the workplace. One local program is helping students catch up.

The ADK P-Tech Program, housed at Peru High School, is one of 32 sites in New York state funded by an education grant that focuses on non-traditional learning.

This high school/early college program prepares students for the future by exposing them to authentic college and workplace experiences.

SIX-YEAR PROGRAM Students participate in a six-year program where they earn both a Regents high school diploma and an Associate's in Applied Science degree at no cost, granted by Clinton Community College.

“It’s not really high school; it’s not really college — it’s a little bit of both, with workplace experience,” said Michele Armani, coordinator of the ADK P-Tech program.

The program pulls students from four area school districts: Plattsburgh, Saranac, Beekmantown and Peru.

The ADK P Tech program, started in 2013, focuses on advanced manufacturing, engineering and design.

It provides a bridge between learning the traditional math, science and English material and gaining the experience of being on an actual job site, Armani said.

ALL ABOUT TEAMWORK According to Goheens, combining the different personalities of students and teachers creates a great learning environment. And the focus on STEM learning versus regular school is appealing to those students who learn differently.

“I wanted to become a computer engineer, and this was the best pathway to get closer Adirondack Pathways in Technology students (from left to right) Blake BETTER OPTIONS to becoming a computer engineer.” Lawson Wright, Elizabeth Garrow, Cody Gonyea, Malcolm Hyde, Kylie McFadStudents learn all aspects of business, said. such as marketing, computer information den and Allan Brown stand next to a structure that they built using “I like to being able to work with other Photo provided scrap metal from Jeffords Steel at Peru High School. systems and much more. students who I didn’t know before, who can “So many students are not successful in help me if I’m having trouble," said Destiny post-secondary, and we have to do a better Lombard, a sophomore, second year P-Tech student. job of preparing them for that," Armani said.

"I like all the teamwork.”

"We need to give them the tools to make informed choices."

Shey Manor, a second-year student with an eye on a law-enforcement career, agrees.

P Tech students come in with diverse interests, which include the science, technology, The traditional educational setting is “not really focused on group learning like I want it engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. to be," Manor said. " I kind of like group learning.”

Many are first-generation college students.

Armani hopes, in the coming years, to be able to open the program up to all the local “The one common denominator (among students) is that we try to find students who school districts. This would mean expanding physically by moving into a new space that value learning,” Armani said. can house a larger number of students.

Continuing and strengthening industry partnerships with local companies will also help MIX OF AGES the program expand.

While receiving a free college education is high on the list of pluses that come with the “We know that what are students are learning won’t only help them get a diploma but program, the other benefits are evident from speaking with the students. help them be employable at the end of this process," Armani said.

Their career goals vary from being a mechanical engineer, like Andrew Lauzon, a "We’ve filled an important gap.” second-year student who values learning what it is like to be in the workforce, to becom-

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As we continue to grow in our 400,000 square foot facility, we have almost 400 employees, 80 injection-molding machines, 36 lining machines and 17 decorating machines. Mold-Rite Plastics has maintained its heritage and continues to provide design, engineering and printing services for our customers packaging needs. In August 2010, Irving Place Capital acquired MRP after discovering the strength of the value the company delivers to their customers. Acquisitions of Stull Technologies and Weatherchem Corporation in 2012 expanded the Mold-Rite product line and added manufacturing facilities in Somerset, NJ and Twinsburg, OH. With these added resources and new partnerships, Mold-Rite Plastics will continue to innovate and provide our customers with reliable service and cost effective packaging solutions.

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NOW OPEN

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27 Montgomery Street, Rouses Point, NY 12979 Manufacturer of Fragrances, Bath & Beauty Products since 1946.

100% employee owned

• Production • Logistics • Customer Service

Currently hiring for:

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The partners and staff at Martindale Keysor & Company, CPAs

are thankful for the opportunity to serve the North Country and for being named Readers Choice for accounting firm.

It is rewarding and appreciated that our commitment to our clients and our community has been acknowledged.

We will continue our dedication and quality of service because at Martindale Keysor & Company, CPAs

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Snap-on Industrial's Northeast Business Manager Terry Maney explains the type of technology used in Snap-on tool chests that will help teach students about accountability in the work place at the Institute for Advanced Manufacturing. Photo by Kayla Breen

Clinton Community College Institute for Advanced Manufacturing presents:

North Country Manufacturing Day

ProTech Business Solutions works with Local Manufacturers providing employees for various technical positions.

Thursday, October 5, 2017

“Integrity, Trust, Commitment”

Open House 4pm-7pm Free & Open to the Public At the new IAM facility on the Clinton Community College Campus, Plattsburgh NY

Visit us for: •Equipment demos by instructors.

Manufacturing is the foundation of our economy, but a massive skills gap threatens to leave more than 2 Million manufacturing jobs unfilled in the next decade. We need the next generation to start seeing manufacturing as an exciting career option. That's why Manufacturing Day was created! Be a part of the movement; come see what manufacturing is all about.

ProTech Business Solutions offers: • • • •

•Meet with the local industrial community to discuss programs and career path-ways.

Professional and Technical Staffing Contract Hire Permanent Hire On Site Recruiting

We are currently looking for: • Skilled electrical and mechanical assemblers • Experienced Welders • Supply Chain Planners and Analysts • Various Technician Positions (QA, Electrical, Methods) • Material Handlers and Warehouse Worker

• Tours of the new IAM building at: 4:30 pm, 5:15 pm, and 6:00 pm.

Explore the world of manufacturing by learning about: −Welding and Machining −3D Printing −Mechatronics −Computer Electronics

If you are interested in joining our manufacturing team, please contact us at 518-324-4994 or send a resume to holly.black@protech-solutions.net.

−Computer Information Systems −Wind Energy −Renewable Energy

Visit our website for more information:

ncmfgday.weebly.com

109 West Bay Plaza Box 5 Margaret Street Plattsburgh, N.Y. 12901

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Manufacturing Day to show future of local workforce

By Toni Smith PLATTSBURGH — Good-paying jobs are available in the North Country, as long as you know where to look.

And the Advanced Manufacturing and Technology Institute at Clinton Community College will be a direct line to those jobs.

“Manufacturing isn’t dying, by any means," said Kristopher Renadette, director of the institute.

'It’s coming back in a big way, but if we don’t get the people to come into these careers, we will be in trouble."

SPECIAL EVENT Renadette is one of the people organizing a local Manufacturing Day, to be held at Clinton Community on Friday, Oct. 5.

This event piggybacks off National Manufacturing Day, which started a few years ago. The purpose is to increase awareness of what manufacturing is, the career pathways and opportunities and how the field is immersed in all communities in the United States.

“There’s definitely a need in this area to learn and understand what manufacturing really is and what opportunities there are here and how it actually affects our community as a whole — how it touches every single one of us, even if though we may not understand how,” Renadette said.

For more information on Manufacturing Day or the Institute for Advanced Manufacturing, contact Kristopher Renadette at 518-562-4304.

CRUCIAL continued from A1

upwards of 2 million jobs in manufacturing that will go unfilled due to a talent shortage. We can solve that shortage by fostering greater awareness about technical education and supporting STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) programming that links technology and computer training opportunities for our youth early on in their public-school education.

Career and technical education programs, such as those at Champlain Valley Educational Services and Clinton Community College, provide practical, relevant and accessible learning through hands-on experiences directly related to employment.

Program offerings align with the needs of the economy while serving individual career goals. High school and two- and four-year post-secondary partnerships and pathways are essential to filling the skills gap and supporting the growing advanced manufacturing industry in our region. Equally important is engagement of industry with educational partners in the region.

You might ask how our region plays a role in global manufacturing competitiveness. Building the talent pipeline in our area is crucial for our region because a skilled, talented workforce attracts more industry to the area, spurs economic prosperity and supports a higher standard of living for the members of our community.

What is happening locally to close the skills gap and feed the talent pipeline?

• Partnerships between high schools

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ALTERNATIVE PATHS “There are other options other than four-year degrees.

There are countless opportunities in industry,” Renadette said.

At Manufacturing Day, student visitors will be rotate through different stations at the institute, like robotics, computer technology, machining and welding and visit the electronics lab.

Local manufacturers will be on hand to discuss career

and post-secondary institutions and transfer programs between two- and four-year institutions that are providing direct pathways to high-level technical skills attainment and credentials leading to greater job opportunities and higher wage earnings.

• STEM programs that focus on highdemand career and skill development, encouraging career exploration.

• Development of internship and apprenticeship programs, along with technical certifications and industry credentials, that are critical in the development of a highly skilled workforce.

• Initiatives that raise awareness and increase participation of underrepresented groups, such as women and minorities, in STEM careers that are essential to expand and grow a skilled workforce.

• Events that inform and educate the community, such as Manufacturing Day, provide industry the opportunity to engage, interact and showcase their career pathways and opportunities through facility tours, seminars and open houses that highlight modernized manufacturing processes and innovation occurring in industry today.

• Training for current employees that support a highly skilled workforce.

The question remains: How can our community shift its attention toward moving its talent into an advanced manufacturing workforce that supports economic prosperity in a continuously expanding field?

paths and what jobs are available to students.

Events like this help make local schools more aware of the options available for students who may not take the traditional route after graduating high school.

The push for graduating seniors over the last few decades has been toward four-year colleges, Renadette noted.

“Manufacturing Day has created those relationships (with school counselors) to grow career-based education in our schools," said Michele Armani, coordinator of the ADK P-Tech program at Peru High School, which exposes students to manufacturing, design and engineering careers.

COMMUNITY TIME In the evening during Manufacturing Day, the community is invited to come experience the new facility at Clinton Community.

There is a great deal of evolution in the manufacturing industry with the introduction of new technology, according to Renadette.

New jobs are created, and local manufacturing companies are looking for a workforce that is willing to learn and grow with the industry.

“Our advanced-manufacturing partners are desperate for employees,” Armani said.

“We try to open the doors for awareness,” Renadette said.

Starrett Vice President of Operations James Taylor demonstrates how to measures a bolt using the Starrett Precision Optical HB400 machine that students will be using at the Institute for Advanced Manufacturing.

Photo by Kayla Breen

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START EARLY Renadette has invited local schools to visit during the day and experience what manufacturing is like in the North Country.

Many students do not realize their interest in activities like Legos, puzzles, science, technology and mathematics can connect them to a career in the manufacturing sector.

Ask school-age children what they want to be when they grow up, Renadette said, and they will answer with what they have been exposed to through family, television and books.

“If we are only talking to juniors and seniors (in high school), it’s already too late. They’ve already made up their mind," he said "They don’t know or didn’t see what math, science and technology can give you and what all the options are.”

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Sophomore Dustyn Setzer catches up on some reading for his Electronic II class inside the electronics lab at the Institute for Advanced Photo by Kayla Breen Manufacturing.