6 minute read
SMALL TOWN HAS BIG
BIG IMPACT Small-Town Calumet Electronics Has
By Emily Haines Lloyd
“Rugged” is a word that people in the most northern regions of the Upper Peninsula hear frequently. It’s a characteristic that is put to the test on a daily basis. But in the time of COVID-19, this is a characteristic that allows folks to not only survive but thrive.
Calumet, Michigan, was once the center of copper mining activity in the Keweenaw Peninsula. After World War I, the demand for copper decreased, taking much of the industry, jobs, and people out of the area.
When Calumet Electronics opened its doors in 1968, it had a mission to bring new business life to the area. Its purpose was to create local, familysustaining jobs. Today it is the area’s largest private-sector employer.
Calumet Electronics designs, builds and delivers printed circuit boards (PCBs). These circuit boards are used in energy grids, life support systems, medical devices, avionics, aerospace and defense markets. It’s a source of pride that while Calumet’s boards are found in products all over the world, they are manufactured entirely in Michigan. “Circuit boards aren’t exactly ‘sexy,’” said Dr. Meredith LaBeau, process engineering manager. “But we believe in this area, the lifestyle it can provide, and the people who make it their home. We are proud to create jobs that allow people to build lives here.”
A secret recruitment weapon in Calumet Electronics’, back pocket is a “little” technological school nestled in the woods less than 15 miles away— Michigan Technological University in Houghton.
With engineers in multiple disciplines graduating every year, the efforts to both groom and recruit from the university take a lot of effort and input.
“Ultimately, we’re trying to keep the talented people who have fallen in love with the area—in the area,” said LaBeau.
HITTING THE NATIONAL STAGE
Audra Thurston (right), a process engineer, represents Calumet Electronics, the IPC (Association Connecting Electronics Industries), and the domestic electronics industry at the White House, advocating for workforce development while telling the Calumet Electronics story.
While Calumet Electronics was busy working to balance its small-town way of life with providing world-class technology, it was jarred along with the rest of the world by the onset of COVID-19.
Calumet Electronics has produced PCBs for hospital ventilators for some time. It was an area of its business that was suddenly a piece of equipment that would have life-saving implications in the fi ght against COVID-19.
As individuals contracted the virus, and their symptoms went from fevers and trouble breathing to needing machine-assisted breathing provided by ventilators, production gained national attention. While many businesses have found themselves closed down and unable to engage in even daily activities, Calumet Electronics found the opposite.
“When the COVID-19 hit, we were uncertain like everyone else,” said Todd Brassard, vice president and chief operations offi cer. “What would this mean for our employees and their families? But when the fi rst RUSH order came in for the ventilator PCB, we knew we had a part to play in the fi ght.”
The importance of PCB manufacturing is undervalued. However, with Calumet Electronics’ products suddenly a vital part of the COVID19 battle, employees suddenly had new purpose and a very concrete way to grasp how one little circuit board could have a huge impact.
Problem-solving, which is the backbone of engineering and manufacturing, was put to task as production quickly ramped up to full capacity. Calumet Electronics was not only pushing to produce more ventilator PCBs, but to maintain schedules and production for products of other clients, whose functions are similarly essential, like the PCBs they produce for power grids. To say it was an all-hands-on-deck situation may be an understatement. What started as an effort to increase manufacturing by 15% quickly exceeded that and hit an increase of 39%. This meant all employees in the trenches, including folks who were more likely to be in client meetings and behind monitors, were suddenly on the production fl oor.
“Fundamentally, we’re built for this kind of ‘all in this together’ scenario. We have hard-working, family- and community-focused people,” said Brassard. “At a really uncertain time, it feels good to be able to help, in whatever way we can.”
It’s amazing that in the middle of a crisis that is focused on maintaining physical distance from one another, it is a small-town business with a tight-knit mentality that is able to show that solidarity doesn’t need to be about proximity.
SNAP SHOT
Nightscapes
1. Nightscape on Cady Lake in Dickinson County. Katie Webber 2. Photo of the northern lights taken from Presque Isle Park in Marquette. Diane Lang 3. Main Street evening on Mackinac Island. Katie Webber 4. Torch Lake Milky Way. Lisa Lirones 5. Michigan moon on a clear night. Jill Clelland
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Share Your Photos! Alger Delta invites members to share their amazing photos. Selected photos will be published in Michigan Country Lines.
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Upcoming Photo Topics And Deadlines: Michigan’s Natural Beauty, due June 20 (September issue) Beautiful Birds, due August 20 (October issue) Cute Pets, due September 20 (Nov./Dec. issue) To submit photos, go to http://bit.ly/countrylines. We look forward to seeing your best photos!
Blue Lips In July
n Sunday, July 26, at the Isabella Community Hall, everyone’s lips will be blue. And while snow can fall quite late in the year in the Upper Peninsula, the condition will not be due to cold temperatures. Instead, the historic hall will be the venue for the fourth annual Blueberry Festival. The hall, a notable gem of the community, built in 1912 and lovingly restored in 2015 by a group of dedicated community volunteers, provides an important place for events such as auctions, parties, farmers’ markets and the Blueberry Festival.
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The event will include homemade blueberry pies served with large dollops of vanilla ice cream, raffles, karaoke and, of course, pints of fresh blueberries for sale. Approximately 13 local home bakers make and donate the pies for the event. Numerous raffle baskets and prizes are generously donated by local businesses and include gift certificates for dining, movie tickets, golfing and more.
Funds received from the event will be used to pay for a deck on the historic hall as the existing porch is unsafe. According to committee member Gloria Herod, “We would really like to fix the deck and make it larger. The next big project is to replace the windows. We are hopeful that can happen next summer.”
For more information on this event, please contact Gloria Herod at gherod77@hotmail.com.
Please be advised that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this event may be canceled. Notice of cancellation will be posted at www.nahmatownship.us.
BLUEBERRY BUCKLE
3/4 cup white sugar 1/4 cup butter 1 egg 2 teaspoons lemon zest 11/2 cups flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup milk 11/2 cups fresh blueberries 1 tablespoon flour TOPPING 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon butter, softened 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup white sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/ 3 cup all-purpose flour Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease an 8x8-inch pan. In a large bowl, cream sugar, butter, egg & lemon zest until fluffy. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to sugar mixture, alternating with milk, mixing just until combined. Toss blueberries with 1 tablespoon flour. Fold into batter and spread in prepared pan. Combine all topping ingredients in a small bowl until crumbly. Sprinkle over batter and bake 40–45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
