ATHOL, MA, U.S.A (October 12, 2018) – As he clicked through to a new PowerPoint slide, Human Resources Manager Joel Shaughnessy recited a quote from founder Laroy S. Starrett to the room.
“I have believed that I could do no greater good than help create a business that would give people employment and a chance to earn an honest living.”
“He was a pioneer,” Shaughnessy said when he finished. “He was promoting manufacturing and knowing that it would give people good jobs back in the 1880s.”
Among the crowd stood State Representative Susannah Whipps, who excitedly announced to the room that she was wearing her grandfather’s 25th anniversary Starrett watch. “The Starrett Company is the reason my dad’s family came to Athol,” Whipps said.
The longevity of the manufacturing industry was an unspoken theme for The L.S. Starrett Company’s second annual Manufacturing Day event, held on Friday, Oct. 12 at the Athol headquarters. Manufacturing Day (known as MFG Day) is a day celebrated nationally that encourages manufacturing companies to open their doors to the public and inspire interest in the industry. Created in 2012 by Founding Partner Fabricators and Manufacturers Association, it is now produced by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) – of which the L.S. Starrett Company is a member – and backed by the Manufacturing Institute (MI) and Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP).
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One-hundred and fifty visitors, comprised of community members and politicians, as well as teachers and students from five area schools, attended. Joining Whipps from the political realm were U.S. Congressman James P. McGovern and State Senator Anne Gobi, who toured the plant with Athol Town Manager Shaun Suhoski, and Ted Bauer and Leslie Parady of MassMEP. Visitors were able to interact with 15 different departments, seeing processes such as micrometer assembly, tumbling, laser engraving and photo chemical production. The tour also visited service departments to speak with personnel in drafting, marketing and IT. At the end of the tour, each guest had the chance to assemble a Starrett Center Punch and grab some popcorn.
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Similar events were held at the Starrett Bytewise Division in Georgia, the Starrett Tru-Stone Technologies Division in Minnesota, and Starrett Kinemetric Inc. in California.
Watch a video with scenes from Manufacturing Day by clicking here.