The following article was published in the Echo Press© newspaper (Oct. 21,2015) By Al Edenloff, EditorPeople working together for the common good — not laws — can play the biggest role in closing the gap of getting skilled workers to fill high-tech manufacturing jobs. That was one of the lessons the Center of the American Experiment learned from a public meeting in Alexandria [Minn.] last Wednesday. The center, a Minneapolis-based think tank, selected Alexandria to lead off a dozen informal town meetings because of its track record of success. Alexandria is a thriving regional manufacturing hub, creating 18 percent of local jobs, noted Ron Eibensteiner, a Minneapolis-based venture capitalist and American Experiment board member who co-chaired the meeting with Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen, R-Alexandria. Alexandria is also home to five of the world’s leading manufacturers of automated packaging machines, marking the region as one of the leaders in technology development and

The annual statewide Tour of Manufacturing running through October featured Alexandria Industries’ Not So Heavy Metal Tour on Saturday morning. Alexandria Industries’ director of organizational development Lynette Kluver stated that this tour functions to highlight manufacturing careers within the community via local businesses and the Alexandria Technical and Community College. Part of this event’s goal is to inform the public on several misconceptions of manufacturing as a profession.

Good news at Alexandria Industries in Douglas County, the heart of the Minnesota manufacturing mecca. The aluminum fabrication company, which employs 480 in the Alexandria area, is investing several million dollars to expand its production and warehouse space. The bad news: The privately held firm, which has long surpassed pre-recession revenue and employment levels, is struggling to fill the 50 jobs that are open or anticipated over the next six months at $15 to $30 an hour, plus benefits.

The following article was published in The FABRICATOR magazine (July 2015) By Dan Davis, Editor-in-Chief Alexandra Industries, a producer and fabricator of aluminum extrusions in Alexandria, Minn., recognized the need to get involved in the local school district to boost the image of manufacturing in the eyes of students. But it didn’t just volunteer to send over speakers. It heavily influenced the curriculum at the new high school and donated new manufacturing technology. “Where will I ever use this after I graduate?” It’s a student refrain that high school teachers hear on a consistent basis. Real-world examples can be offered as evidence of the necessity of these educational lessons, but sometimes the message is lost because the messenger and environment aren’t reflective of the world outside the high school campus. That’s slowly changing in certain school districts across the U.S. as local companies become more involved in offering their employees

Alexandria, Minn., has a strong business/education partnership that can serve as a model for other communities. That’s what Al Sholts, chief operating officer of Alexandria Industries, and Laura Urban, president of the Alexandria Technical and Community College (ATCC) told the Civic Caucus in an interview released last week.

Extruded aluminum continues to gain traction as a mainstream OEM choice for designing, engineering, and producing component parts. The alloy and the technique have marched aggressively through the awareness and understanding phases and are now solidly in adoption territory. Frequently, aluminum extrusion is an institutionalized supply chain strategy for optimizing design and engineering, reducing manufacturing costs, and accelerating time to market.

A vertically integrated aluminum extrusion supplier that provides in-house design and engineering can assist with OEM product development, creating opportunities to innovate on quality, precision, functionality, and performance, while optimizing manufacturability that lowers total cost and compresses lead-time.

Alexandria Industries has more than a decade of experience with robots. The company, which makes aluminum parts for everything from medical equipment to military rifles, is a much bigger business.

Workforce development is one of the top issues facing U.S. manufacturers and many other industries today. Believe it or not, the United States has a shortage of skilled workers—preparing a workforce with the advanced skills required in the 21st century is Job One in the competition for new projects.

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Company representatives from Alexandria Industries are quick to point out the advantages that aluminum offers medical device OEMs over other materials that they might be considering for their components. With proper finishing, including anodizing and hardcoating, they say, aluminum products are less porous and cleaner than stainless steel. And the inert chemical compounds in aluminum, combined with proper finishing, are said to help prevent corrosion and chemical absorption – a major key to preventing contamination and easing the cleaning process in medical care applications.