Advanced Manufacturing provides a variety of jobs encompassing a wide range of skills.
This sector includes companies that manufacture fabricated metal products; transportation equipment; computer and electronic products; machinery; electrical equipment, appliances and components; and plastic and rubber products.
The Chamber plans to establish a Greater Waco Advanced Manufacturing Alliance to maintain communication between key advanced manufacturing employers and economic and workforce development representatives.
The existing Area Industry Managers Group continues to be a forum for identifying overlapping needs of businesses in the advanced manufacturing, aerospace and defense and other local manufacturers. The group, made up of 10 or 12 representatives, has been in existence for more than five years and meets quarterly to address relevant issues collectively.
The Chamber also has worked to recruit new advanced manufacturing companies to the area such as Sanderson Farms, Inc., and Caterpillar Work Tools & Services and continues to help meet the needs of our existing businesses in this sector.
Here are a few examples of Waco's Advanced Manufacturing sector:|
Caterpillar Work Tools & Services
The location was originally built to be an assembly factory for articulated dump trucks. Caterpillar ceased operations at its Waco facility in 2003. In June 2005. the facility was designated to build excavator buckets for the company's work tools division.
"The vision for this facility from the onset was to create a world-class manufacturing facility."
Adam Mize, Facility Manager
Caterpillar Work Tools & Services
Caterpillar sells its products primarily to the construction industry in North America and plans to expand its line to offer more types of buckets.
Time Manufacturing Company Time's product is the "man lift" under the Versalift and Condor names. The lifts are used for people working on signs, telephone poles, tree trimming, line construction and in other elevated spaces. Time also produces a heavy duty lift to hoist transformers or signage and makes special devices for use on the narrow streets of Europe.
"We market all over the world. We export 45 percent of our products to places such as China, Taiwan, the Middle East, Europe, Latin America, South America and Mexico." Thomas Motyka
Vice President of Operations
Time Manufacturing Company
The company was founded in 1965 and still has its first lift, "Old No. 1," in front of its building. The company is now producing about 18 lifts every day, said Motyka.
Some 80,000 pounds of sheet steel is used every week, and laser equipment and nesting software has decreased scrap from 13 to eight percent. While continuing to streamline its operations, Time refines its advantage in the industry.
Alcoa Fastening Systems Alcoa Fastening Systems produces Huck brand fasteners at its Waco facility, said Bart Preston, director of operations for Alcoa.
The fasteners range in size from two inches to the length of a baseball bat and are used primarily in the truck, trailer and railcar industries.
"We are the largest heat treatment and metal finishing facility in the Southwest. We take pride in being a good employer and providing wages, benefits and promotional opportunities that give employees reasons to stay." Bart Preston, Director of Operations
Alcoa Fastening Systems
Alcoa fasteners are distributed nationally and internationally, with prime markets being Mexico, Canada, the United Kingdom, China and Australia.
The 400,000-square-foot Waco facility has more than 500 employees and parts of the operation function 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The Waco site produces 200,000 pounds of fasteners every day out of aluminum, carbon steel and stainless steel.
Alcoa is rated as the safest company in the world.
Caterpillar Work Tools & Services
Time's product is the "man lift" under the Versalift and Condor names. The lifts are used for people working on signs, telephone poles, tree trimming, line construction and in other elevated spaces. Time also produces a heavy duty lift to hoist transformers or signage and makes special devices for use on the narrow streets of Europe.
Alcoa Fastening Systems produces Huck brand fasteners at its Waco facility, said Bart Preston, director of operations for Alcoa.