Business of the Year Nominee: Metal Craft
This award will recognize the organization(s) that have been in business for at least five years. The award will feature businesses that have exhibited outstanding initiative, leadership, and organizational skills which produce significant results that benefit the community. Such benefits may include excellence in customer service, conservation/energy-smart practices, a track record of growth including local investment and support of community organizations. To receive the award, the business must be an Elk River Area Chamber member in good standing.
“I am proud to nominate Metal Craft for the 2020 Business of the Year. Through our partnership with Metal Craft, I can attest to their dedication to provide high quality, life-saving products along with encouraging innovation and growth opportunities for their employees.
Metal Craft is focused on supporting and educating our students and their future workforce. They give back to the community through its involvement in donating funds to the schools to improve technology, volunteering time to teach in classrooms, participating in career exploration events and being an active member on advisory committees. Last year, Metal Craft started hiring and training high school students in the CTE internship program, where students learn on the job and earn high school credits.
Metal Craft upholds the highest standards for our interns. They spend time mentoring and training students about all opportunities and careers within the organization. Students job shadow and work alongside engineers, quality analysts, programmers, machine operators, drafters, production managers and more on the shop floor. They also have student interns learning in the business office working with marketing managers, the finance department, human resources and administration.
When placing a student at Metal Craft we know that the student will be exposed to a variety of careers, have a strong mentor and support through the process and build cutting edge technical skills and professional skills. CTE Internships are a smart investment at Metal Craft as students can find their passion, build their confidence and continue their education. Metal Craft’s commitment to professionalism and best practice is embraced by their staff, regardless of their position.
I am excited to continue to work with Metal Craft to explore apprenticeships and dual training opportunities to provide new graduates and existing staff with additional credentials and degrees with little or no cost to the employee. It is my honor and privilege to nominate Metal Craft for Business of the Year in both its business operations and as a community leader.” — Amy Lord
About Metal Craft
Metal Craft was founded by Jack Mowry 42 years ago in 1978. Jack was determined to be the owner of a company and he wanted to start a company in a smaller, rural community. He identified Elk River as the ideal location to start Metal Craft.
Website + Facebook + Twitter + LinkedIn + YouTube
What inspired the start of Metal Craft?
Jack Mowry attended Dunwoody and received his machinist certificate. After, he started his career being a machinist and drafter. While he had great jobs over the years with great companies, which are still thriving today, he wanted to see if he could build something on his own.
Jack instilled family and community throughout the organization and it was important for him his family become involved in the organization. In the early 90s Jack had his children, Sean and Trisha, join the company full time. In the early 00s Jack transitioned the companies to Sean and Trisha, who run the organization today. Through the transition, Metal Craft and Riverside have advanced in technology and continued to grow. While started by their father, Sean and Trisha have evolved the company to be a place where we remember our foundation; Metal Craft takes care of every family and the work we do is focused on saving lives and protecting families.
Who does Metal Craft serve?
Metal Craft’s primary customer is the Medical Device OEM, which are companies like Stryker, Johnson & Johnson, Zimmer Biomet, and many others. Our focus is in surgical instrumentation, custom instruments used to prep the body for replacement or repair surgery. Our sister company Riverside, in Eau Claire, WI, is focused on the aerospace and military.
Metal Craft’s investment in Elk River and the Surrounding Area:
The community has grown over the years and it is where Metal Craft’s staff shops, lives, and where our families go to school. It is important to us that we help support the local businesses and partner with the schools to support the development of future generations and leaders. We also donate to some wonderful nonprofits that help support the needs of our community.
A Little-Known Fact About Metal Craft:
Metal Craft/Jack helped to develop the first generation of ceramic heart valves. Metal Craft also had subsidiary business building and manufacturing food processing equipment for things such as ice cream filling equipment for Schwan’s (improving the consistency of the fill rate, water jet cutting sandwiches for Super America, and filling burritos for sale in grocery stores.)
Looking to the Future:
We are continuing to grow within both communities, Elk River & Eau Claire. Metal Craft customers are looking to partner with organizations who focus on improving lives and protecting families. Customers want us to ensure we have the capacity to grow with them and that means people, technology and jobs. It continues to be a great time to be a contract manufacturer in the world today.
Metal Craft’s Involvement with the Chamber:
We have always supported the Chamber during our time in Elk River. Trisha has served on the chamber board a few times over the years and we encourage our employees to seek out board positions. We continue to partner with the chamber to host meetings, give tours to future employers, attend training offered by the chamber, and donate to various organizations within the community. Metal Craft has also partnered with the local school district by donating our time to educate employees/students on the benefits of a career in manufacturing. We also look to the chamber for connection to our representatives and keeping us informed on issues.
Metal Craft’s Involvement with the Chamber:
The community is where we live, work and play. You get back what you put into it and we believe in helping where we can. Our business does not work with the general public; however, we connect with other businesses, we help out our neighbors and they help us as well. It is a great community for our company to be in and we plan to stay into the next generation.
On behalf of all of us at ERACC, we’d like to say congratulations to Trisha, Sean, and everyone at Metal Craft for their nomination for Business of the Year
