On July 18, 2019, Mack Molding opened the doors of its Arlington, Vt., headquarters to 21 kindergarten through fourth-grade students in Happy Days Playschool’s summer program. Students got a first-hand look at manufacturing, including sheet metal fabrication lasers, assembly lines and the amenities enjoyed by employees.
Meet the Interns: Brad Williams
Brad Williams, of Lake George, N.Y., is a senior at Clarkson University in Potsdam, N.Y., and a 2018 Mack summer intern. Brad has been working in the Company’s purchasing department with Supply Chain Manager Eric White and Medical Supply Chain Manager John Preiser.
“The goal of any ‘good’ internship is one that provides value to both employer and employee. I think we accomplished that with Brad this summer,” Eric said. “It was clear from the beginning that his curriculum prepared him for many of the day to day challenges we face. We had a huge amount of new product introduction activities this summer, and Brad played a significant role in helping out the purchasing department.”
It is a perfect fit for Brad, who is majoring in global supply chain management. He has spent the summer researching current topics and issues regarding supply chains, as well as filling out component quality requirements (CQR) paperwork, cutting purchase orders (POs) and debt memos.
“The work I’ve been doing this summer relates directly to my major,” Brad noted. “I now understand the importance of staying up to date and well versed on any findings in my field. If you don’t, you begin to fall behind.”
Brad found out about Mack from the Company’s website and has been enjoying his time in Southern Vermont.
“Mack really cares about the work its interns are doing,” he said. “I’ve been working on projects that are giving me real experience and are expanding my knowledge. I’m also glad I get to spend my free time hiking and swimming, and playing my guitar.”
After graduating in December of this year, Brad plans to work in a supply chain buyer position.
Meet the Interns: Seth Judson
One of Mack’s 2018 summer interns is Seth Judson of Sharon, Mass. Seth is a senior at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., where he majors in biomedical engineering with a concentration in material science.
Seth has been part of the Mack Medical team with Manufacturing Engineer Dick Turner, working on medical device programs. Over the summer Seth incorporated three major areas of focus into is work, including manufacturing engineering, continuous improvement and new process development. The continuous improvement projects have encompassed developing a sensor protector, a device to reduce tool wear and multiple error proofing fixtures. The continuous improvement projects revolved around utilizing SolidWorks 3D CAD software, while the new process development project included initiating process flow diagrams, Process Failure Mode Effects Analysis (PFMEA), line layouts and interviewing potential suppliers of equipment.
“Seth is a very creative individual,” Turner said. “He is always thinking of ways to improve the projects he is working on.”
When Seth graduates in the spring he plans to work in the medical field. Seth heard about Mack Molding from a previous intern who also studied at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and decided to intern here this summer to learn more about manufacturing engineering.
“After working here at Mack, I have a better understanding of risk management and ergonomics, and will be able to use that knowledge at RPI, as well as in the workforce,” Seth said. “The best part of this internship is being able to do hands on manufacturing. We are able to, not only think of ways to improve processes, but also go out and implement those changes ourselves.”
He is also enjoying the great weather we are having this summer in Vermont.
“One of the best parts of spending my summer here is being so close to mountains for hiking,” he noted.
Mack Interns Make a Difference
In honor of Manufacturing Day, Mack is taking a moment to reflect on tomorrow’s manufacturers, engineers and leaders by looking back at the Company’s 2017 internship program. Join us for an inside look at how students are making a difference at Mack and launching careers.
Mack Announces Additions to Team
Growing Molder & Contract Manufacturer Recruiting at a Steady Pace
ARLINGTON, Vt. (June 13, 2017) – Spring has sprung in the Green Mountains of Southern Vermont, bringing with it hues of the state’s namesake and a new crop of employees to Mack Molding’s headquarters ready to deliver on the Company’s mission of total customer satisfaction.
The addition of new talent coincides with investments in capital equipment, bolstering a period of growth that promises to position Mack to ensure the Company, and its customers’, success well into the future. The Company’s newest recruits include five former interns who have chosen to officially begin their careers with Mack. The internship program is the keystone of the Company’s workforce development efforts, and a testament to its success as 11 students have now returned to the Company full time in the last two years.
“Welcoming interns back to us full-time after the commencement season is starting to become a tradition,” said Mack Molding President Jeff Somple. “It is a rewarding and valuable experience as they bring a unique combination of fresh insights and familiarity with our organization. While we often focus on the success of Mack’s mobilization of the industry’s next generation, it is important to note we are filling positions at all levels of experience and across the organization. The business has seen four consecutive years of excellent growth, and recruiting high-quality, skilled professionals and engineers is key to maintaining that momentum. It is an exciting time here, and with dozens of positions being filled from the shop floor to engineering to the front office, the time is right start your career with Mack.”
Former intern Tracy Weinstein is no stranger to the Mack, bringing a deep familiarity with the Company and its processes to her new position as a manufacturing engineer. Tracy earned a bachelor of science degree in biomedical engineering from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, N.Y., with minors in general psychology and marketing. The manufacturing experience and medical product insight she garnered during her tenure as an intern, coupled with the knowledge she gained as a student at RPI, will serve her well in this new position.
Mack has welcomed Casey Magrath as a business development manager. A recent graduate of the Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), Casey has a bachelor of science degree in management engineering with a concentration in chemistry. She is currently working on her master of science degree in management at WPI. Prior to joining the Company full time, she was a Mack intern, developing valuable product development and validation experience while working with orthopedic customers. Casey also developed her sales and relationship development skills as an athenahealth intern in Watertown, Mass.
Trevor Pollock joined Mack as a supplier quality technician in March 2017 and was recently promoted to supplier engineer, ensuring Mack suppliers meet customers’ quality expectations. Prior to Mack, Trevor designed an energy system for a landfill gas power plant and assembled a grant proposal for research on the effect of a gene on bone loss during space flight at the University of Colorado Boulder, where he received his master of science in mechanical engineering. Trevor also has a bachelor of arts in mathematics with minors in physics and economics from Vermont’s Middlebury College.
Kyle Pilote has been appointed as a supplier engineer within the purchasing organization. Prior to Mack, Kyle served as maintenance and facilities manager at NSK in Bennington, Vt., where he was previously a manufacturing engineer. He also was a manufacturing engineer for Allred Associates and Val-Tech Holdings. Kyle has a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from the Rochester Institute of Technology. As a supplier engineer, he will ensure Mack customers receive the highest quality parts.
Colin Derby, who spent two years in Mack’s internship program, has joined the Company full-time as an associate manufacturing engineer. A graduate of Randolph-based Vermont Technical College, he earned his associate’s degree in mechanical engineering technology and bachelor’s degree in manufacturing engineering technology. In addition to his Mack internship, Colin gained manufacturing and machining experience during internships at Plasan Carbon Composites, Kaman Aero Space and Abacus Automation.
Cody LaFlamme has joined Mack’s purchasing team as a cost estimator; however, he first entered the doors as an intern in 2014. During his tenure as an intern, Cody became familiar with Mack’s supplier base while gaining experience in ERP navigation, as well as quality and risk assessments. A graduate of the State University of New York at Oswego, he has a bachelor’s degree in technology management with minors in business administration and athletic coaching.
Castleton University graduate Alex Hawley has accepted a position as a manufacturing clerk. Alex, who received a bachelor of business administration with a dual concentration in marketing and management, is already a familiar face around the office having spent four summers interning for Mack. As an intern, he worked on bills of materials, inventoried products and assisted the metal fabrication team while building keen insights into Mack’s operations.
About Mack Molding
Mack Molding is a leading custom plastics molder and supplier of contract manufacturing services. Mack specializes in plastics design, prototyping, molding, sheet metal fabrication, full-service machining and medical device manufacturing. Founded in 1920, Mack is a privately owned business that operates 11 facilities throughout the world. Don Kendall is CEO and chairman. For more information, go to www.mack.com.
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