LINK Industries Trains 13 Thanks to Skilled Trades Training Grant
LINK Industries has been a cutting tool manufacturer for over 65-years in Indian River, Cheboygan County. Since 2014, LINK has committed to an ambitious program to turn its northern Michigan facility around. The company made major investments in new equipment, building upgrades, management team and extensive training for their workforce. LINK works closely with Michigan Works, North Central Michigan College and strategic Michigan vendors to design a training and hiring plans to make them competitive.
As a result of LINK’s STTF grant funding the company has been able to invest over $1,000,000 in facility and machine technology upgrades to support the company’s new business growth. Eighteen of the their twenty-one full-time employees participated in skilled training programs this year. Looking to the future; LINK focused the STTF Grant Funds on needed skills for new areas, such as CAD Inventor 3D, more CNC Grinder training, and LEAN Manufacturing principles for both manufacturing and management teams. Thanks to the 2018 STTF award, LINK utilized $19,550 in Skilled Trades Training Funds to train 13 employees.
General Manager Jeff Veryser reports that thanks to the training, “our employees moved from manual grinder to CNC Lath, our CNC Lath position was able to move to the CNC Mill, and we were able to hire a new employee for the center less grinder position.”
Veryser continues, "With this grant for training in CNC and Lean Manufacturing there was a flow of opportunity in advancement for the current employees. Now our employees are cross-trained, which is strengthening the company."
"I had not been through CNC training before. We had the same instructors through the training process and they were excellent,” states trainee David P. “Now I am moving to a new position and training the new employee on the center less grinder.”
LINK is committed to further invest in facility upgrades and new technology; and also remains committed to Northern Michigan and Cheboygan County. LINK continues to grow the business by upgrading their employee skills which will recreate demand to hire new Michigan talent. LINK has leveraged company funds, along with college and community funds to make them a leader in the region.
LINK has demonstrated a remarkable commitment to training their employees over the past several years. This commitment has paid off with back to back years of record growth for this division, resulting in 3-4 new hires per year. Their commitment to training has also resulted in a remarkable track record of upward mobility for employees within the organization. In addition, training has directly impacted employee job satisfaction and their financial well-being.