MiMfg Magazine
INDUSTRY
22
May 2018
Member
Spotlight
Randall McLeod
Stewart Manufacturing
Member since July 2010 • Employs 120 Michigan workers • Learn more at www.stewart-mfg.com
“
Talent development is a 24/7 challenge for
manufacturing. From locating and hiring to training
and retaining, a small- to mid-sized manufacturer
could dedicate a large percentage of resources to
workforce development and still feel it is falling
behind. The fight for talent is even more difficult
in Michigan’s mostly rural Upper Peninsula.
“You have towns here that most people have
never heard of, where incredible products are
being made, yet companies struggle to find new
skilled talent,” says Randall McLeod, vice
president for Hermansville-based Stewart
Manufacturing. “It’s amazing what we have
accomplished — being a global supplier in a town
of 200 or 300 people — but with the right talent
resources we could do so much more.”
Stewart Manufacturing provides CNC machining
services to a wide range of customers in the
automotive, agriculture, mining, diesel engine,
heavy equipment and power generating industries.
Products from Cummins to Caterpillar owe much
of their success to the hard work being done by
Stewart and other manufacturers in nondescript
buildings across Michigan’s many small communities.
Despite the talent challenges, McLeod and the
Stewart team remain competitive thanks to dedicated
people, top-of-the-line products and a sterling
reputation resonating far beyond the U.P.
“We started with only a handful of employees
and focusing on low-volume projects,” McLeod
explains. “Thankfully, we had the confidence to
believe we could do more. Once we began to do
high-volume production, our workforce increased
It’s amazing what we have accomplished —
being a global supplier in a town of 200 or
300 people — but with the right talent
resources we could do so much more.
”
— Randall McLeod, Stewart Manufacturing
12-fold and we started to get noticed as a supplier
Tier One and Tier Two companies could rely on.”
Stewart’s move to a 92,000-square-foot facility
in 2005 was further evidence of the U.P. supplier’s
future capability. Unfortunately, the more Stewart
Manufacturing works to grow, the more it finds
the same barriers in its way — a shortage of talent.
While competitors carve out space in new markets,
Stewart must first compete for skilled workers
who have an eye on leaving the region.
“We’re located near two large foundries so that
works to our benefit, but we still have difficulty
locating the people who want to stay in the region
because it is very remote and out-of-the-way,”
says McLeod. “If you’re a die-hard camper or
fisher or just love the outdoor lifestyle, this is the
place to be. And if that passion extends to working
with your hands and being creative, then manu-
facturing is a career path full of excitement and
the chance to experience something new every day.”
McLeod’s focus is now on showcasing existing
career opportunities and reminding job seekers
that those opportunities exist in Hermansville and
across the U.P. Through partnerships with local
schools, Stewart employees mentor children aged
8-12 in robotics camps, host MFG Day
events like open houses, community expos
and on-site co-ops, and participate in mock
interview programs with high school and
college students. Stewart also provides tuition
reimbursement for employees who wish
to expand their education while working.
“Our company is committed to one
thing — people. Whether it’s our customers,
our community or our in-house talent, that’s
where our loyalty lays,” explains McLeod.
“We’ll jump on a plane today to ensure
the service we provide remains first-class.
I think ours is a business model