Tag: Dunaway Inc.

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Member Manufacturers

New owner focuses on future, company honor at Dunaway

Tucked off Leffingwell Road in Canfield near state Route 46 is a 40-year-old manufacturing company undergoing some changes.

 

One of those changes at Dunaway Inc. is the transition of ownership.

 

In March 2021, Jason Markijohn purchased the company from founder Mike Dunaway.

 

Hearing Dunaway was considering selling, Markijohn sprang into action.

Dunaway owner Jason Markijohn.
Jason Markijohn is the new owner of Dunaway Inc. in Canfield.

 

“I’d always wanted to own my own company, and the opportunity presented itself,” said Markijohn, who has an engineering background.

 

Dunaway Inc. is a newer member manufacturer of MVMC.

Everything to everyone

Founded in 1981, Dunaway Inc. has historically been associated with maintenance and field service, as well as being a machine shop for aluminum extrusion.

 

Over the years as services and demand grew, so did the building to its current 25,000 square feet.

 

Throughout everything, Dunaway himself “was the company. He was everything,” Markijohn said.

 

To continue the integrity Dunaway is known for, Markijohn recently hired an experienced engineer to ensure operations run smooth.

Building a support system

For 2022, “it’s a transition year,” Markijohn said. “Year one was me being here and trying to understand things, trying to learn as much as I could from Mike.”

 

Now, it’s letting Dunaway retire.

A CNC machine operator works on a project at Dunaway Inc. in Canfield.
Founded in 1981, Dunaway Inc. is a machine shop for aluminum extrusion.

“It’ll be a big gap to fill,” but Markijohn will be able to call Dunaway up with any major questions.

 

There’s also focusing on the field service part of the business, which Markijohn said was well-established.

 

In the meantime, Markijohn is also busy surrounding himself with “knowledgeable people,” which weighed into the company joining MVMC.

 

He wants to learn from other business leaders what they’ve done to build and maintain a lasting company.

 

“This is a big undertaking, and I want to have a supportive team around me.”

 

Categories
Faces of Manufacturing

In Demands Job Week Profile: Dunaway employee builds future as a CNC machinist

When Carmine Zarlenga was planning out his life, becoming a CNC machinist was one way to reach his goals without having to relocate.

He could have his choice of where he would work in the Mahoning Valley while also being well-paid.

“I loved that there are lots of jobs locally,” Zarlenga said. “There’s always jobs for this industry. They’re readily available.”

He works at Dunaway Inc. in Canfield, using machining equipment to produce precision parts.

Carmine Zarlenga is a CNC machinist at Dunaway Inc. in Canfield. He decided to go to MCCTC as an adult to earn credentials, saying there are many jobs available locally with higher pay.

Although working with machinery, Zarlenga is able to apply critical thinking each day while still being hands-on.

“This is the perfect balance of working with your hands but also working with your mind,” he said, as he watched the machine create a part, which he then measured by hand.

To set his career in motion, Zarlenga went to the Mahoning County Career and Technical Center in Canfield for their adult machining program.

“Then I found a job and progressed from there.”

Prior to becoming a CNC machinist, Zarlenga was a diesel mechanic.

Looking at the figures

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the national hourly average of a CNC machining employee is $29 an hour, or $62,300 annually.

Locally, that figure is between $17 and $28 an hour, depending on the credentials earned by an employee.

To become a machinist, courses are offered at MCCTC, Columbiana County Career and Technical Center, Trumbull County Technical Center and Eastern Gateway Community College, where a certification program is offered.

Creating a balance

“You make decent money and make a decent career out of it,” Zarlenga said.

Cost of living in the Mahoning Valley is considerably lower than other parts of the country, making his income stretch further, he noted.

Building off that, the schedule is great, too.

For the most part, CNC machinists know their schedule, which provides a steady life-work balance, Zarlenga said.

“We have a set schedule we work” at Dunaway, he said

For high school students unsure what to do after graduation or adults looking for a new career path, Zarlenga said he would urge them to “greatly consider” manufacturing.

“There are jobs everywhere for it. It’s a good way without a college degree to make a very good living,” Zarlenga said.