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Friday was National Manufacturing Day, and the event was marked in Wells County by giving high school students a look at what’s done here, where it’s done, how it’s done, and selling them on the idea that they can do it  here, too.

Students from Norwell High School went to Roembke Manufacturing and Design, Inc., and Rethceif Packaging; students from Southern Wells High School went to Dedrick Tool and Die, 20/20 Custom Molded Plastics, Alexin, and Bluffton Motor Works WEG; and students from Bluffton High School went to Pretzels, Inc., and American Axle and Manufacturing (formerly known as Metaldyne),

Employees at the various companies at each stop demonstrated their operations to the students.

This is a program that has been going on for awhile, but Friday’s tours were linked with the National Manufacturing Day promotion. Chad Kline, Wells County’s economic development director, said the goal is to give the students a ground-level view of what’s done at area manufacturing facilities.

According to information provided about the local tours, “Manufacturing Day addresses common misperceptions about manufacturing by giving manufacturers an opportunity to open their doors and show, in a coordinated effort, what manufacturing is — and what it isn’t.”

The day is “meant to inspire the next generation of manufacturers.”

The Indiana Manufacturers Association says that the state’s manufacturers account for 29 of the state’s total economic output, amounting to $99 billion.

Article by Dave Shultz, Courtesy of the News-Banner