2019 Year in Review

As exciting as it is to enter a new decade, we at Max Weiss Company acknowledge that 2019 will be hard to top.

Business-wise, it was great in terms of forging new relationships in the metal fabrication, sheet metal forming and rolling mill world. Our emphasis on consistent quality, coupled with outstanding customer service, continues to bear fruit.

The elements that really made 2019 outstanding, though, were less tangible … but no less important.

We undertook several first-time charitable initiatives, spurred by employees who were involved with non-profit organizations. We expanded our community footprint in the Milwaukee area, seeking out opportunities to improve it for both today and tomorrow.

Along the way, we achieved some notable “firsts”: Landmark employee anniversaries. An intern’s youthful vigor. A worker safety hallmark. The visit of an industry icon. A live broadcast by a TV station morning program.

Yes, 2019 was quite the year … and here’s a quick recap:

• A group of local elementary school students toured our plant in January through Be the Spark, a business education program organized by the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce. They had LOTS of questions! We were glad to answer them, and explain how workers can make a good living in the metal rolling and plate bending industry.
• The Godfather of job shops visited in February. Vincent Bozzone, a leading authority on the structure and management of job shops, stopped by and provided some great suggestions and guidance. Despite his prominent industry stature, Vince was a down-to-earth guy who really dug in and embraced our strengths and challenges.
• We celebrated a year with no workplace injuries in March ... a status that still holds true now, in early 2020. Much of the credit goes to Antonio Hernandez and Dave Gregg, who oversee our in-house safety program. In a welding, fabrication and metal forming work environment, theirs is a never-ending job!
• The North American Steel Construction Conference is a don’t-miss event in the structural steel rolling industry … and we didn’t! Our team once again had a successful visit networking with fabrication shop peers, and catching up on the latest metal forming trends.
• We renewed our sponsorship of the Lakeshore Chinooks, a Northwoods League baseball team that plays nearby in Mequon, Wis. Our banner prominently hung on a dugout. We kept fans limber, too, as name sponsor of the seventh-inning stretch!
• Good employees are crucial to any successful organization … and we’re fortunate to have many. Three - Nick Montijo, Al Sanders and Dave Nader - celebrated their 10^th, 30^th and 40^th work anniversaries, respectively, in 2019. Their dedication does not go unnoticed!
• Educating our future workforce is always a priority. We welcomed a summer intern, Grayson Vandenbush, to our plant … and even held a signing ceremony for him, similar to high-profile athletes! Grayson tackled a lot of tasks, and livened things up with his energy and curiosity.
• Our employees took the lead as we supported two new charities: the American Heart Association via its 2019 Greater Milwaukee Heart & Stroke Walk, and Guardians of the Children, a child abuse organization affiliated with Harley-Davidson motorcycle clubs. In each case, an employee had a very close, personal connection … another way our people are the best.
• Most mornings are pretty much the same … except the one in November when Brian Kramp of FOX6 WakeUp, a local morning news program, visited. Brian broadcast four live segments to the television audience, and filmed a fifth for later viewing. He mentioned later via social media that he had a great time at Max Weiss Company!

Yes, 2019 was an eventful year on many fronts, with many new positives achieved. Who knows what 2020 will bring? If it’s anything like 2019, suffice to say we’re ready to – no pun intended - roll!