For PHD Manufacturing in Columbiana, joining MVMC was a calculated move to tackle a pressing challenge shared by many in the industry, finding skilled workers and expanding recruiting reach.

“We need to get our name out there and find more people,” said Jim Hlebak, executive vice president, PHD Manufacturing. “We joined MVMC to connect with a broader network and tap into the resources that help companies like ours recruit, train and retain manufacturing talent.”

Proudly built in the USA

Founded in 1972, PHD Manufacturing has become a leading U.S. supplier of pipe hangers, pipe supports, and strut accessories with 150 employees.

Serving the commercial and industrial construction markets, the company takes pride in keeping its manufacturing operations domestic.

“We are 90 percent manufacturing with only 10 percent of imports, so we get to call our products domestically made in the USA,” Hlebak said. “Our products are made, melted, slit and coated entirely in the U.S., which sets us apart.”

PHD ships its products from Columbiana to distributors and job sites nationwide.

“When tariffs hit, our customers look to us because we’re not reliant on overseas manufacturing. Being fully domestic is a strategic advantage.”

Occasionally, the company does international business, which has included Canada, UAE and Mexico.

Expanding reach with MVMC

When it comes to workforce challenges, PHD faces similar issues like other manufacturers. Many current employees are nearing retirement, and with a smaller talent pool, there’s an urgent need for skilled, entry-level workers.

“We’ve been in Columbiana for over 45 years, but our immediate area is aging. We’ve been trying to reach out to areas like Boardman, Salem and Canfield to find people,” Hlebak said.

Hlebak attended his first MVMC all-member meeting just weeks after joining and immediately saw the value in collaboration.

“It was nice to see how many manufacturers are actually in the Youngstown area working together to solve some of the same problems.”

Getting connected, staying competitive

PHD is already feeling the impact of MVMC’s resources. Hlebak now has a list of contacts and programs to reference, including WorkAdvance, TechCred, Flying High, Columbiana County Port Authority, Lake to River, Ohio Department of Veterans Services, Mahoning Valley Works and JobsNow.

“It was stuff I didn’t know existed. That guidance gave me the next steps to help bring in more employees.”

Becoming a member means the company reaps the benefits of increased visibility through a careers page on MVMC’s website.

“We’re always looking to fill openings for press roll formers and welders,” he said.

Along with long-term workforce development, PHD also aligns with youth outreach efforts and raising awareness about careers in manufacturing.

“Kids today don’t have to move away or go to college to build a successful career,” Hlebak stressed. “There are real opportunities for them right here in the Valley.”

Being part of MVMC, the company is not just addressing workforce needs, it’s also helping to shape the future of manufacturing in the region.

Bolt Construction prioritizes five core values: safety, quality, family, supporting the local community and fostering steady, controlled growth. Over the past decade, there have been significant and exciting developments.

The company has been a family-owned-and-operated business since 1981. Bolt Construction specializes in construction and system installation for the oil and gas/petroleum industries, as well as hydrant fueling systems at airports nationwide.

It has grown substantially since its humble beginnings on South Avenue in Beaver Township.

Building and expanding

Bolt Construction started with just 10 employees handling three projects annually. Now, there are 65 employees managing more than 60 projects each year. The company attributes this growth to the focus on quality and safety, which has helped establish a strong reputation in the industry.

One of the company’s most recent achievements is the opening of its blast and paint facility in 2024, complementing the fabrication shop built in 2014.

“We have a dedicated crew to manage the shop, allowing us to take on more work for outside customers, not just for those we handle installation and construction,” said Melinda Miletta-Miller, CEO of Bolt Construction. “We can pre-fabricate products, send them through the blast and paint facility, and then deliver them.”

Miletta-Miller is witnessing expansions that family members before imagined would come to fruition.

“It was always a dream of my parents and my uncles to have a state-of-the-art blast and paint facility. Even though they’re retired, they’re very happy to see the progression of the company and improvements we are investing in.”

Opportunities through MVMC

This streamlined process encouraged the company to explore more partnerships. Already familiar with the MVMC, Bolt Construction reached out to explore membership opportunities.

“With our fabrication, blast, and paint capabilities, we can now handle a wide array of structural steel projects,” said Don Orengia, Business Development Manager at Bolt Construction. “I’ve already started discussions with companies that were previously outsourcing hundreds of tons of structural steel. Now, we can meet those needs locally.”

Bolt Construction has also established relationships with other MVMC members, such as Dearing Compressor and Brilex, and sees great potential to expand its service offerings to the area.

“We’re excited to open new doors and showcase our capabilities to local companies,” Orengia added. “The feedback so far has been overwhelmingly positive.”

Envisioning the future

Looking ahead, Bolt Construction plans to leverage MVMC’s recruitment resources to fill positions for laborers, field workers, equipment operators, painters, welders, and supervisors.

The company is also eager to engage in youth outreach initiatives. Bolt Construction takes pride in supporting families and local organizations throughout the year.

“Kids are impacted by how they’re raised. They can’t help their situation. We don’t do it for the recognition, but it’s important to the company and our employees that we do things to help the community,” Miletta-Miller said.

Another ambitious goal is pursuing certifications as a Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE), Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) and the Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB).

Since the start of Coronado Steel in the early 60s, there have been expansions and many changes. Now, decades later, the company finds itself writing another chapter in its history.

In March 2024, the Canadian firm, Canerector, purchased Coronado Steel. It owns more than 50 independent companies across North America.

“Canerector wanted everything as-is. It’s willing to put money into the business – and has done that at other places they own. It’s committed to growing,” said Kevin Bradford, general counsel, Coronado Steel.

Connecting to MVMC

Part of the next chapter includes being a member of MVMC. Bradford said the company is always looking to hire. Like many manufacturers, retaining employees remains a challenge.

“We talked with MVMC Executive Director Alex Hertzer more than a year before we joined. Then, once the sale happened, we were in contact with him about developing the workforce and taking advantage of the TechCred program.”

Insight and collaboration were attractive reasons for the company deciding to become a member of MVMC. Bradford believes it only helps in working to build a stronger workforce.

“Alex did a really good job explaining how MVMC could help us. It seemed silly to not be part of the organization.”

Multiple industries served worldwide

Coronado Steel currently has 44 employees and manufactures high-alloy castings and machined parts.

It has hundreds of clients worldwide and serves industries such as steelmakers and steelmaking equipment suppliers, heat treaters, petrochemical suppliers, oil and natural gas extraction, medical device suppliers and tooling manufacturers.

“Our top 25 customers make up about 65 percent of business. We always have new and ongoing projects. We have a great capacity,” Bradford said. “We make sand molds, have our own patterning capabilities and work with local pattern shops when customers have something new. From machining, welding and pressure testing, it’s an all-inclusive business.”

He hopes to continue expanding the customer base as well.

“A lot of people out there that buy the kind of stuff we produce don’t know us yet.”

Moving forward

During Coronado Steel’s ownership transition, Bradford has been working alongside general manager Zach Clark. The two have been developing processes to get the company to the next level.

“Canerector believes in the processes, and we’re getting tons of support for the things we’ve always wanted to do,” Bradford said.

Coronado Steel’s former owner was local businessman who stepped away to pursue other ventures.

“It’s wonderful that really good people who had a business they really cared about, and nurtured from something small, to be able to pass it off to people who care about it just as much.”

Improvements in the works

Other changes for the company include a bigger furnace and automation/robotics. Specifically, Bradford is looking to incorporate it into the grinding process.

“We’ve been working on a concept. Grinding is tough work. It would make it easier on the guys to have a robot do the harder part of the job.”

While heading in a new direction, Coronado Steel has the benefit of reaching out to other Canerector-owned companies about issues.

“We don’t have to just rely on what we bring to the table. We can call another foundry and talk about things. There’s a wealth of knowledge there, and we’re all kind of working together for the same common goal,” Bradford said.

An intense, manual process for Xaloy in Austintown has been made easier with the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) incorporated into its quality management system. Funding for the project was secured through the Youngstown Business Incubator.

Prior to the change, it was an Excel-based process. Now, everything is electronic and stored in one location on Xaloy’s server.

“Overall, there was no system in place. Bits and pieces were all over the system. The software now provides structure and accountability,” said Ron Seifert, director of quality, Xaloy.

The system tracks things like internal/external complaints, gauge calibration, in-process inspection, quality inspection, internal audits and more.

“Email notifications are sent when something comes in. It then requires the recipient to acknowledge it, and notifications are sent for each step,” he said.

Seifert noted most of the applications have been launched, and the final ones are expected in the third or fourth quarter of 2024.

Project application process

He said working with YBI was smooth from start to finish.

“After I researched the program, we did a submittal to justify why we should be considered. After a couple of tweaks, we were approved. It went quickly.”

Seifert could not emphasize enough how helpful YBI was with communication and support through the process.

“I have nothing but great things to say about Daniel Longo and YBI.”

Through the YBI’s program, companies looking to implement Industry 4.0 or IIoT were eligible to be reimbursed up to $15,000 toward the cost of the project.

“This was a grant opportunity for what the company needed, and it was a good fit,” Seifert said.

He encourages manufacturers to step out of the box when it comes to implementing new technology.

“It’s provided great structure. Improved technology not only benefits us – but also the county, city and state. When you find a better way to do things, it saves time, money and jobs.”

Since 1951, Cubbison Company has been offering nameplates, labels, overlays and signage for industrial and commercial applications across the globe. Its 30,000 square-foot facility is located on Victoria Road in Youngstown.

The top customers served are original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) but also include military/defense, transportation, aerospace, medical, oil and gas, and agriculture. There are currently about 70 employees at Cubbison.

Chief Operations Officer JC Kocjancic says the company is fortunate to have a long-standing workforce and isn’t dealing with shortages or turnover. He’s been with the company for 14 years.

“It hasn’t been as bad for us as other places have experienced. We’ve been able to attract good employees even when we do lose people,” Kocjancic said.

Importance of MVMC membership

Kocjancic also ran Cubbison’s sister company, Drake Industries, in Austin, Texas for more than three years. That’s where he recognized the importance of interconnectedness among businesses.

“I learned a lot about the manufacturing industry through Drake and realized there were organizations like MVMC out there.”

Kocjancic knew about MVMC for a while before joining. He believes the company’s good culture and reputation helps with employee retention, but it never hurts to be part of a manufacturing-focused organization.

“We get to talk with the right people, make connections that will help us with the customer side, vendor side and anything else we may need.”

Products and technological advancements

Cubbison’s metal nameplates, labels and overlays have been primary staples for years. The company has also grown its capabilities to match the changing technology.

Barcodes for nameplates and label designs help with product tracking and asset management needs. In addition, the company offers user interface products like membrane switches, sensors and touch technologies that incorporate the Internet of Things (IoT) and Manufacturing 4.0.

Kocjancic says the type of material used for a product and how it’s made comes down to what’s most efficient and cost-effective for the customer.

“There are variations of nameplates and labels. In the printing process, you might need UV or chemical resistance, or the product might be subject to corrosive environments. There are also different adhesives that depend on surface requirements. The longevity of products is paramount to a lot of our industrial customers.”

A new age in printing

Kocjancic adds that Cubbison has come a long way from decades ago.

“A lot of people usually think large equipment. We’ve transitioned from old school ways. We have high-speed digital printers now. They’re fun to run. It’s not a tedious process anymore, and it’s more efficient.”

That includes a printing press and converting equipment installed at the end of 2022. It can handle large-volume orders and makes the printing process faster and much more efficient.

Even with a growing business and a loyal workforce, Kocjancic wants to remain prepared to handle whatever curves might come down the line.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen in the next 15 years, but having the outreach to MVMC is a good thing,” he said.