Optimus Steel volunteers help out at Market to Hope, a cause that saw both employees and their children take part. Based in Beaumont, Texas, Optimus Steel produces wire rods, coiled rebar and billets, but it also gives back to its local community and beyond. Below, Ed Goettl and Daniela Pineda offer two different “giving back” efforts.

On a Saturday morning at 8 am, when most people are thinking of having a hot cup of coffee, the Optimus team assembled at Market to Hope, a partner agency of the Southeast Texas Food Bank, supported by Catholic Charities of Southeast Texas. The activity for the day included filling hundreds of boxes full of food for those in need throughout the community.

The team had representatives from every level of our organization. We are especially proud that spouses and children were gladly able to make their contributions to the effort with us. Our youngest team members were 8 and 11 years old! The activity commenced with food items being packed into boxes, in a well-organized assembly line, then filling carts that were delivered to those waiting in line. The activity was well organized, the team worked hard and had fun. We finished early and without any safety incidents. The process didn’t end with distributing the food as it also included disposal of boxes and a 5S (Sort, Straighten, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain) of the warehouse.

This was an important local effort, but Optimus Steel continues to believe in giving back on another level for the greater good. That’s why since 2020, in the name of our customers, we have supported One Tree Planted (OTP). The non-profit association, dedicated to reforestation, is active in 43 countries in North America, Latin America, Africa, Asia and Europe. Since 2014, it has planted more than 40 million new trees. We are proud to say that some of those were donated quarterly in the names of our individual customers. At last count, together we have provided more than 60,000.

Our desire for the future is to continue supporting our customers, our employees, their families, the local community and the wider world by these and other concrete and measurable actions. All of this has helped our team become more aware of our relationship with those we impact, which motivates them to challenge us to do more.

For more on OTP, go to www.onetreeplanted.org.

Manufacturers GIVING BACK

This is part 11 of Wire Journal International's first-ever feature presenting 16 manufacturers that have given back to their communities: hundreds others could just as easily have been here. Each entry has a unique story, yet the common thread is the people—of all ranks—who care about their companies as well as their communities. Big volunteer efforts deserve applause, but so do smaller ones as they all head in the same direction. In a time when there is seldom a lack of daunting news, one can take pride in the industry spirit.

Not currently subscribed to Wire Journal International? Start your free subscription here. Not a Wire Association International member? Become a WAI member now.
We are the leading monthly publication and technical society for the wire & cable manufacturing industry. 

Looking for other parts of this feature series?

Companies Featured:
Hitachi Cable America (now Proterial Cable America), Viakable, Acme Wire Products, High-Performance Conductors (HPC), Kris-Tech, Allied Wire, Ulbrich Stainless Steels & Special Metals, Inc., Cerrowire, Belden, Fort Wayne Metals, Optimus Steel, Prysmian, Minnesota Wire, Southwire, Service Wire, Alloy Wire International
Bonus Content:
> Employer alert! Volunteers make for a better workforce.
> How can a small business start a ‘giving back’ program?

A group photo of Fort Wayne Metals staff after wielding hammers and nails for a local Habitat for Humanity project.

Fort Wayne Metals specializes in making precision wire-based products that are used for critical applications. Below, the company notes how helping out in the community is part of its overall mission.

Supporting the Fort Wayne, Indiana, community is a hallmark of our organization. It begins with our Chairman and CEO, Scott Glaze, who cares deeply about not only reinvesting in his employees, but in a variety of local causes and charities that are close to his heart. Scott’s passion for giving back is reflected in our people. As dedicated as our employees are to making lives better through the work they do, they desire just as much to improve lives in our own community by volunteering their time and talents.

At Fort Wayne Metals, there are plenty of opportunities for our employees to demonstrate their kindness and generosity. Responding to the pressing need for affordable housing, we teamed up with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Fort Wayne. In September, more than 50 people equipped with hammers, nails, saws and plenty of muscle collectively answered the call to help with a panel build on our campus. Working in teams, they constructed the outer walls for a home that now stands in our community. Since 2020, more than 200 employees in all have contributed time and effort in four panel builds that were used to create several homes.

For many years, our people have volunteered their time by participating in the annual United Way Day of Caring. Employees assist in a variety of clean-up and beautification projects at area schools and non-profit organizations.

Assisting children in need is a cause our people hold dear. Our annual golf outing supports the Boys and Girls Club of Fort Wayne and employees have long volunteered with the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Indiana lunch buddy program.

When it comes to giving back, there may not be a more tangible way than giving blood. The bimonthly visits from the American Red Cross to our campus have resulted in hundreds upon hundreds of blood donations, helping to save more than 1,500 lives.

Our people’s compassion for helping others doesn’t end there. It comes through in their support of the Community Harvest Food Bank, Toys for Tots, Arts United and United Way of Allen County. Our people care about making a difference both through their work and their support of our community.

Manufacturers GIVING BACK

This is part 10 of Wire Journal International's first-ever feature presenting 16 manufacturers that have given back to their communities: hundreds others could just as easily have been here. Each entry has a unique story, yet the common thread is the people—of all ranks—who care about their companies as well as their communities. Big volunteer efforts deserve applause, but so do smaller ones as they all head in the same direction. In a time when there is seldom a lack of daunting news, one can take pride in the industry spirit.

Not currently subscribed to Wire Journal International? Start your free subscription here. Not a Wire Association International member? Become a WAI member now.
We are the leading monthly publication and technical society for the wire & cable manufacturing industry. 

Looking for other parts of this feature series?

Companies Featured:
Hitachi Cable America (now Proterial Cable America), Viakable, Acme Wire Products, High-Performance Conductors (HPC), Kris-Tech, Allied Wire, Ulbrich Stainless Steels & Special Metals, Inc., Cerrowire, Belden, Fort Wayne Metals, Optimus Steel, Prysmian, Minnesota Wire, Southwire, Service Wire, Alloy Wire International
Bonus Content:
> Employer alert! Volunteers make for a better workforce.
> How can a small business start a ‘giving back’ program?

Belden Solutions Marketing Manager Calvin Bow helps clean up a river in Singapore as part of his participation with WWS.

In 2020, Belden introduced Connect with Community, allowing employees to give back to their communities and make a difference to the people around them. All employees are given up to five days of paid leave for the purpose of volunteering with qualified charitable organizations. To date, hundreds of employees around the world have taken part, individually or as part of a team. Below are four examples of employees making a difference.

Brian January, a Belden IT manager based in the Indianapolis, Indiana office, started volunteering for Operation: Job Ready Veterans (OJRV) in the beginning of 2020 just as the pandemic was intensifying. “I sought skilled-based opportunities to give back to the community. I volunteered my time as a salesforce administrator, helping manage the organization’s workflow on client progress, seminar attendance, grant donation requests, endowment reporting and supportive service cost allocations.”

OJRV, a Midwest-based nonprofit organization, provides veterans, service members, their families and their communities transitional, career development and employment services. It offers services across Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, Ohio and Wisconsin. In 2020, it helped attain employment for 573 veterans (10 of which were homeless) and 306 so far in 2021, an amazing accomplishment during a global pandemic “Assisting (them) with their salesforce optimization has been the perfect opportunity for me to help our nation’s veterans while simultaneously keeping my finger on the pulse of technology, a true win-win,” said January, who described his contribution as “truly humbling and gratifying.”

In October, a Belden team in Venlo, Netherlands, hosted their first Connect with Community week. Over 70 volunteers participated. Some activities included renovating a children’s petting zoo, cleaning the Maas River and volunteering at several local retirement homes, allowing some of the elderly to go outside for a walk or bicycle ride.

In honor of Belden’s 120-year anniversary, the Venlo team also raised funds and donated 120 food crates to the local food bank, Venlo Voedselbank. Belden President and CEO Roel Vestjens presented the crates of food and a check for €3,800. “It was rewarding to see employees from our production plant, distribution center and office come together to support these great causes. We really do succeed together through teamwork,” said Franziska Fehring, talent management specialist.

Calvin Bow, a Belden solutions marketing manager, has been volunteering with Waterways Watch Society (WWS) for more than five years. The non-governmental, nonprofit organization fosters appreciation and promotes conservation of the environment, especially the waterways in Singapore. Established in 1998, WWS has some 500 volunteers, ranging between ages 5-80 years old. They patrol the Singapore, Kallang and Geylang rivers on boats to fish out litter to ensure the waterways are clean and safe for all to enjoy. Over the years, WWS has grown to include patrols on bicycles, kayaks and pedal-boats.

“I have been volunteering with WWS to help educate the public on how littering upstream can affect water quality when it reaches reservoirs,” said Bow. “I am the skipper/ leader for the boat patrol and the land cyclist patrol and volunteer my time as part of the kayak patrol team.” He was also appointed a Community Volunteer Leader (CVL) by the National Environmental Agency (NEA) and the Public Utility Board (PUB). Both government bodies protect the environment and our water resources.”

“I volunteer with the WWS because it’s an amazing organization with a strong mission statement,” Bow said. “I also wanted to contribute with skills I have acquired through my life. I have my keel/boat skipper license, am a certified first-aider and also have a one-star kayak certificate. I appreciate how Belden recognizes and encourages employees volunteering in their communities.”

As part of the Connect with Community program, the Belden team in Singapore launched a corporate volunteer partnership with Food from the Heart. Belden employees helped with logistics by processing and packing donated food items at the warehouse. Employees from the Singapore facility filled 143 bags with rice, noodles, canned food, biscuits and other dry food for distribution to local families in need. To date, Belden associates have packed a total of 543 bags of food and donated a large number of items.

“It was really fun to have our colleagues come together for a great cause. It feels good to know that the work we are doing is making a positive impact on our community,” said HR Manager Mandy Hui.

Manufacturers GIVING BACK

This is part 9 of Wire Journal International's first-ever feature presenting 16 manufacturers that have given back to their communities: hundreds others could just as easily have been here. Each entry has a unique story, yet the common thread is the people—of all ranks—who care about their companies as well as their communities. Big volunteer efforts deserve applause, but so do smaller ones as they all head in the same direction. In a time when there is seldom a lack of daunting news, one can take pride in the industry spirit.

Not currently subscribed to Wire Journal International? Start your free subscription here. Not a Wire Association International member? Become a WAI member now.
We are the leading monthly publication and technical society for the wire & cable manufacturing industry. 

Looking for other parts of this feature series?

Companies Featured:
Hitachi Cable America (now Proterial Cable America), Viakable, Acme Wire Products, High-Performance Conductors (HPC), Kris-Tech, Allied Wire, Ulbrich Stainless Steels & Special Metals, Inc., Cerrowire, Belden, Fort Wayne Metals, Optimus Steel, Prysmian, Minnesota Wire, Southwire, Service Wire, Alloy Wire International
Bonus Content:
> Employer alert! Volunteers make for a better workforce.
> How can a small business start a ‘giving back’ program?

Deloitte has done multiple surveys on volunteering, and it has consistently found that creating a culture of volunteerism makes for a happier, more engaged workforce. That, they note, translates to better morale and a workplace atmosphere that has more of a team spirit.

The Deloitte reports (“Volunteerism Survey”) indicate that most people want to work for a company that supports volunteering by staff. It reports that 89% of working Americans believe that companies that sponsor such activities offer a better overall working environment. “In fact, 70% of respondents say that volunteer activities are more likely to boost employee morale than company-sponsored happy hours, and 77% say, ‘volunteering is essential to employee well-being.’”

Of the respondents, just 38% said that their employers provide access to company-sponsored or coordinated volunteer programs. Also, 69% said they are not volunteering as much as they would like to, and of those respondents, 62% said they cannot volunteer during the workday. “It appears that many employees understand the value of volunteering and have the desire to do more, but they aren’t reaping the full benefits,” said Doug Marshall, Deloitte’s managing director of corporate citizenship.

There are some caveats to volunteering. One survey of working Americans who had volunteered in the prior 12 months said that they want to be part of a program that is compelling. They want to see results that confirm their help mattered. Most employees would like to be able to suggest a different cause, not just always the charity that the company president prefers.

There are multiple benefits to employers who support volunteering efforts. Such programs create deeper connections and friendships among coworkers, which in turn can lead to smoother teamwork and better collaboration back at the office. Also, the volunteering experience helps foster a person’s leadership skills. Today’s dedicated volunteer could grow into a key company contributor and leader.

Manufacturers GIVING BACK

This is a sidebar from Wire Journal International's first-ever feature presenting 16 manufacturers that have given back to their communities: hundreds others could just as easily have been here. Each entry has a unique story, yet the common thread is the people—of all ranks—who care about their companies as well as their communities. Big volunteer efforts deserve applause, but so do smaller ones as they all head in the same direction. In a time when there is seldom a lack of daunting news, one can take pride in the industry spirit.

Not currently subscribed to Wire Journal International? Start your free subscription here. Not a Wire Association International member? Become a WAI member now.
We are the leading monthly publication and technical society for the wire & cable manufacturing industry. 

Looking for other parts of this feature series?

Companies Featured:
Hitachi Cable America (now Proterial Cable America), Viakable, Acme Wire Products, High-Performance Conductors (HPC), Kris-Tech, Allied Wire, Ulbrich Stainless Steels & Special Metals, Inc., Cerrowire, Belden, Fort Wayne Metals, Optimus Steel, Prysmian, Minnesota Wire, Southwire, Service Wire, Alloy Wire International
Bonus Content:
> Employer alert! Volunteers make for a better workforce.
> How can a small business start a ‘giving back’ program?

The Cerrowire crew that wired a Habitat for Humanity house.

Cerrowire manufactures building wire at plants in Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, and Utah. It also partners with nonprofit organizations across the U.S. in the local communities where employees live and work. Below, Phil Schmidt, Cerrowire brand manager, discusses a very recently completed volunteer project.

On Nov. 9, 2022, 11 volunteers from the Cerrowire plant in Hartselle, Alabama, arrived at a Habitat for Humanity jobsite about 10 miles away in Decatur. They brought coils of CerroMax NM-B donated by Cerrowire.

While the volunteers make miles of NM-B every day, many of them had never been part of an electrical installation team. That day they helped a good cause while learning more about the products they make. Under the supervision of a professional electrician, Cerrowire volunteers pulled and stapled wire for lights, switches, outlets and appliance connections in the new home being built by Habitat for Humanity.

They finished in three hours, leaving with the knowledge that they had helped make it a better day for someone in need. Tim Staten, production lead, explained why he had volunteered again. “I feel it’s important to pay it forward, to help people. It also says a lot about my company (Cerrowire) to not only donate the wire but to organize a team to install it. It was a good day.”

Colleague Chris Shackleford, a jacket line operator, said that he was thrilled to have been part of the Cerrowire volunteer team. “I love helping people, and we’re building rapport with people outside of our job.” It was his first time volunteering and allowed him to “get into the electrician’s world.” Habitat was a great cause, and he will reach for the sign-up sheet when the next one is done.

This is the 8th Habitat Home that Cerrowire has sent crews to wire in North Alabama in the past few years. The local Morgan County Habitat group says they plan to increase the number of homes built each year to four or five. Cerrowire will be there when the call goes out.

Manufacturers GIVING BACK

This is part 8 of Wire Journal International's first-ever feature presenting 16 manufacturers that have given back to their communities: hundreds others could just as easily have been here. Each entry has a unique story, yet the common thread is the people—of all ranks—who care about their companies as well as their communities. Big volunteer efforts deserve applause, but so do smaller ones as they all head in the same direction. In a time when there is seldom a lack of daunting news, one can take pride in the industry spirit.

Not currently subscribed to Wire Journal International? Start your free subscription here. Not a Wire Association International member? Become a WAI member now.
We are the leading monthly publication and technical society for the wire & cable manufacturing industry. 

Looking for other parts of this feature series?

Companies Featured:
Hitachi Cable America (now Proterial Cable America), Viakable, Acme Wire Products, High-Performance Conductors (HPC), Kris-Tech, Allied Wire, Ulbrich Stainless Steels & Special Metals, Inc., Cerrowire, Belden, Fort Wayne Metals, Optimus Steel, Prysmian, Minnesota Wire, Southwire, Service Wire, Alloy Wire International
Bonus Content:
> Employer alert! Volunteers make for a better workforce.
> How can a small business start a ‘giving back’ program?