Altronic designs and manufactures ignition, control and instrumentation products in Girard for natural gas engines and compressors used around the world.
Its products support the systems that help these engines start, run and communicate reliably in demanding industrial environments.
“Some engines we support are the size of the engine in your car and geared toward oil and natural gas production,” said David Bulkley, vice president of operations, Altronic. “Others are much larger industrial systems.”
The company serves original equipment manufacturers and aftermarket distributors in the United States and global markets.
Where precision takes shape
Altronic’s Girard operation is highly integrated, with about 200 employees working in production, engineering, sales, field service and administrative roles.
The facility includes a machine shop, printed circuit board assembly area, final assembly, harness and coil manufacturing, warehousing, logistics, shipping and a control panel shop. That operation was moved from Texas to Girard in 2019, helping Altronic keep more work under one roof and improve inventory control.
“Our control panels require a higher level of skill set,” Bulkley said. “You need to be able to read and interpret a schematic.”
That range of work creates many career opportunities, from hands-on assembly and machining to electronics, engineering and technical support.
Wiring into workforce with MVMC
As Altronic continues to grow and adapt, there’s also a need for a strong workforce pipeline.
Bulkley said the company’s connection to MVMC grew out of a broader effort to stay connected to the region’s manufacturing and education community.
“I try to be involved as much as I can in the area. It’s about being part of the valley and what MVMC is trying to do – being on the same page in terms of keeping manufacturing here,” he said.
Through MVMC, Altronic has access to workforce development resources, training partners, youth outreach opportunities and other manufacturers facing similar challenges.
That support is especially valuable as companies compete for talent and look for practical ways to develop, retain and promote employees.
Sparking early interest
Youth outreach is one area where Altronic already sees opportunity.
Bulkley said the company has supported student robotics programming, hosted students for plant tours and explored hands-on ways to introduce young people to electronics and manufacturing careers.
“I know that’s something I wanted to do, where we offered to maybe go in there for a day and bring some little circuit board kits that the kids can solder and learn how to solder,” he said.
Through MVMC, Altronic can build on those efforts and connect with more students, educators and families who may not realize the range of modern manufacturing careers available close to home.
For Bulkley, the value of membership comes back to collaboration and a shared interest in the future of the region’s manufacturing industry.
“A lot of that requires collaboration and thinking alike.”
