“Your Story Made Here”: Micropulse
"Your Story Made Here": Micropulse
By Melissa Long - 21Alive
March 25, 2014 Updated Mar 25, 2014 at 5:18 PM EDT
Brian Emerick was a tool and die maker when he decided to put a CNC machine in his garage. After two years of working full time and taking jobs in his spare time, he launched his Whitley County Business. He had a formula: buy equipment, hire some people, repeat. In short, he took a risk. Soon, he had two machines, then three.
Brian Emerick says: I was offering a manufacturing service to people. More specifically, it was a process called wire EDM machining. Today it's a contract medical device manufacturing company with 250 employees. We operate 6 days a week with 3 shifts. We have clients all over the US and some overseas.
Micropulse primarily makes implants, surgical instruments and sterilization cases and trays for the orthopedic industry. The company operates out of a 100 thousand square foot facility with plans to add another 40 to 60 thousand square feet later this year.
The company hires about 25 new employees a year….often one at a time. Emerick says there is no more important job for the leader of a company than to hire good people.
Emerick says: We are always in a hiring mode. In fact there are many times when we hired people that we didn't really need because they were the right people. When we identify people that have the skills and the right attitude and all the ingredients that we like to see….we tend to hire them.
They employ a variety of engineers and CNC machinists. People who can work lathes, mills, 5 axis equipment, electrical discharge machines, RAM sinker EDM machines, turret punch presses, waterjet equipment, laser marking equipment, swiss turning centers.
The company looks for employees on internet job sites but often relies on word of mouth.
Emerick says: The best way to get the word out is to have a satisfied employee tell a friend or family member…hey this is a great place to work.
Emerick plumbs high school cooperative education programs also and has a number of employees who started working at Micropulse in high school and are now in leadership positions.
Emerick says: It means going into the middle schools and trying to get the word out that manufacturing is NOT DEAD! I'm very excited about manufacturing in northeast Indiana. Most people aren't aware that northeast Indiana has the highest per capita manufacturing job count in the country and I think we can be proud of that.
THIS manufacturing business has provided a great living for 250 people and Emerick hopes to continue growing and adding people in the coming years. Perhaps you can be one of them.
