(Left) Parade Grand Marshal Chris Ulbrich and wife, Tammie, at Wallingford’s 350th anniversary celebration. Wallingford YMCA. (Right) The Ulbrich Outreach team that helped build the new Ulbrich Steel playscape at the East branch of the Wallingford YMCA.

Ulbrich Stainless Steels & Special Metals, Inc., manufactures hundreds of alloy products. It also has a long family legacy of supporting organizations that develop youth and community in Connecticut in the Wallingford, Meriden, and North Haven areas. Below, the company outlines what it has done.

The Ulbrich tradition of giving back to the local community has been consistent throughout the four generations of the family business.

On May 27, 1963, the Boys Club of Wallingford was founded by a group of dedicated citizens that included Fred Ulbrich, Jr., the son of Ulbrich Steel founder Fred Ulbrich, Sr. It served the community, and two years later was accepted into membership by the Boys Club of America. In the 1980s, girls were admitted as full-time members, and the Boys & Girls Club of Wallingford opened its doors to a new facility on July 3, 1995. On Sept. 9, 1995, in recognition of years of support, the club was officially renamed the Ulbrich Boys & Girls Club, with Fred the co-chairman.

Fred Ulbrich, Jr., was also a founding member of the Wallingford Rotary Club, the former Director of the Oakdale Musical Theater, and campaign Chairman of the United Way of Meriden and Wallingford. His life epitomized philanthropy. He died April 12, 2014, and the Fred Ulbrich Memorial Fund was created in 2015 by his three sons: Chris, Derek and Jason Ulbrich. The Fund has continued Fred’s mission, helping numerous community programs that include music, arts, sports and education.

In 2019, the Ulbrich Boys & Girls Club expanded into North Haven and is currently operating out of seven locations across the two towns. In July 2022, it merged as part of the creation of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater New Haven, which now provides services to thousands of youths in the region.

In 2020, the town of Wallingford was set to celebrate 350 years since its incorporation in 1670. The Covid pandemic delayed the celebration, but on June 18, 2022, the town of Wallingford finally held the long-anticipated parade. The two-mile route was filled with over 2,000 marchers from companies and community organizations across Wallingford.

Ulbrich was the major sponsor and one of the leaders of the parade was CEO Chris Ulbrich as the Grand Marshal, riding in a bright red 1963 Cadillac Series 62 convertible. sitting in style alongside his wife, Tammie, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives for the Ulbrich Boys & Girls Club. Ulbrich employees and Community Outreach Team members proudly marched with their families beside the Ulbrich Steel and Ulbrich Boys & Girls Club floats. 

Furthermore, the YMCA’s summer program for childcare is named Camp Ulbrich, in honor of Fred Ulbrich, Sr.’s extensive support and fund-raising efforts. His community- minded philanthropic legacy lives on, as he was a giant of a man when it came to helping children and those less fortunate than him.

Throughout the years, Ulbrich employees have also been an important part of the efforts. The company has encouraged them to join in to better the lives of children in their communities, and many have done just that.

In January 2020, the Ulbrich Philanthropy Committee was created by the Ulbrich Family in order to manage, evaluate and distribute all donations to non-profit organizations that directly impact our community. It is directed by Chair Liliana Ulbrich, Marie Ulbrich and Susan Ulbrich.

Over the years, the Ulbrich family has donated millions of dollars to community causes. It is safe to say that the Ulbrich name has been synonymous with giving back: the philanthropic legacy lives on through the Ulbrich family and Ulbrich employees, and all those they have served.

Manufacturers GIVING BACK

This is part 7 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?

Allied Wire & Cable staff and a reel named “Pink Betty” that helped raise funds for breast cancer awareness.

Allied Wire & Cable (Allied), specialty distributor and manufacturer of wire and cable, supports multiple causes, both national and local. Below, Chris Gefvert, director of marketing & ecommerce, provides an overview of some of the activities.

AWC has a tradition of giving. Each December, Allied’s six branches across the country “adopts” local families in need for the holidays. The chosen families in the surrounding community provide wish lists of food, clothing, household accessories and (equally important) children’s presents. Last year, over 100 Allied employees purchased the requested items themselves, and each office participated in the gift-wrapping event as part of the holiday celebrations.

For the past four year, Allied has supported breast cancer awareness and treatment. The star of the efforts is a sturdy, vibrant pink reel, nicknamed “Betty,” that is three times sturdier than its traditionally colored counterpart. It replaced one of the most popular and commonly used sizes: 12 x 8 x 5 in., and had a key role in October when we held our charity week fundraiser. To date, Allied has donated more than $60,000 to the cause as part of their Charity Week Fundraiser, as well as through the sales of our Pink Betty reels. To add to the total this year, customers were prompted to enter the word “Betty” into their PO and Allied donated a portion of the proceeds from the order to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Allied’s rollout of pink reels is just one of the company’s initiatives to give back to local and national communities. Thanksgiving is a way for everyone nationwide to express their gratitude and appreciation, and this year Allied teamed up with Comstar to support Philabundance, a local nonprofit food bank that serves families who face hunger. We donated an estimated six tons of turkey to various families in our community. With the help of a local grocery store (Giant Store #6317), we sent more than 650 20-pound turkeys directly to Philabundance.

Individual actions also count. Michael Herman, one of our purchasing managers, bicycled all 2,443 miles of Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica, California for a Charity called Radshare, which gives inner city kids bikes and helmets. Our entire organization got behind him and funded the journey, including PTO time, and donated $2,500 to the charity at the half-way point then another $1,500 when he finished his 26-day trip.

The charities benefit by our actions, but so do employees. “We often think that our work only affects the world of wire and cable, but the truth is that we can impact so much more than that,” said HR Analyst Bradley Warmhold. “I am very happy that Allied is community-focused, not just profit-focused.”

Added HR Director Tracey Mitchell, “The opportunity to improve someone’s life, even in the slightest way, is a privilege. Life can be challenging; a smile can brighten or change a person’s day. Morals and values I was raised with and have made sure to instill in my children, no matter what we have or do not have, we give to others.”

Manufacturers GIVING BACK

This is part 6 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?

Katie Warner, a Kris-Tech ERP specialist, provides school supplies from the company’s parking lot.

Kris-Tech is a niche wire manufacturer, but it has a broad sense of mutual trust for employees, customers and community. Below, Wendy Calabrese, director of employee engagement, discusses how that mindset translates to its community in Rome, New York.

Back-to-school can be a difficult time for families in the Mohawk Valley. But sometimes, a little kindness, a handful of volunteers, and a mission to support the community are all it takes to make a significant difference in their lives.

It was a gloomy, humid August morning, but cars started lining up nearly an hour before the gates opened for our “Hungry for Education” giveaway. By the time our team handed out the first backpack stuffed with school supplies, more than 60 cars were stretched around the corner.

The community spirit has never been lost on our Kris- Tech team. When I first asked for volunteers, we had an incredible outpouring of support and had to tell some team members that we had enough help. Eight people stuffed more than $150 worth of school supplies into each backpack. There were 500 backpacks in total. Another 10 employees helped collect food and distribute supplies as part of an assembly line in the Kris-Tech parking lot. All told, nearly $40,000 worth of school supplies were given to needy families, and the Salvation Army’s pantry received about three months of food.

We live, work and play in this community, from working with local schools to getting their school supply lists to ensuring every parent who showed up had everything their child needs to be successful, it’s part of Kris-Tech’s DNA to give back. We love this community and want to do everything possible to help it thrive.

This isn’t an uncommon scene for our team. It’s only the latest in a long series of events Kris-tech has hosted to support our community. Two years ago, we hosted a “Drive ‘n Dine” food drive. For a bag of groceries, donors were awarded a $100 gift card to one of 35 local restaurants.

By day’s end, we gave out $50,000 worth of gift cards while collecting enough food to keep the Salvation Army’s pantry stocked for four months.

Sometimes our efforts go far beyond Rome. The company has donated 16,000 ft of custom cable to two non-profit organizations to help build water purification systems in Kenya.

Kris-Tech feels obligated to do more than just pocket profits. We make monthly donations to local causes based on performance. We have a mission to support our team members and community because they make us who we are.

Manufacturers GIVING BACK

This is part 5 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 small business may not have much flexibility in their budgets when it comes to volunteer work, but there are ways to make a meaningful contribution. Below are some suggested measures that can be considered.

• Donate some of your products. Manufacturers of electrical wire can designate some organizations, such as Habitat for Humanity or Building Homes For Heroes, to help out. If there are local opportunities, you can also encourage employees to help. You don’t need to be a carpenter or electrician, so just about anyone could take part.
• Partner with community institutions. Supporting an existing organization that is already serving the community makes volunteering simpler. There are many causes where employees can take part, from cleaning up a public space to bringing food to a local food bank or homeless shelter. An employee given even a half-day off to help out will appreciate the change of pace, and respect the commitment to giving back.
• Match company expertise to needs. Tying in an industry core competency to the community can be a good approach. That could range from management serving as mentors to local businesses to HR employees hosting workshops on resume writing, practice interviews and job hunting. Individual employees often have interests that could lend to similar purposes.
• Organize a volunteer program. The best way to get people to buy into a process is to ask for their advice. Employees could be asked to list what fields they would be willing to share their knowledge in. It could also be a special dedicated meeting where everyone could provide not just their possible contributions, but discuss what focus the community might most benefit by.
• Pick a specific month. Setting a defined period during which the company will support given activities makes it easier for employees to see how they can best fit in. Outline some specific plans. Asking for suggestions, may result in strong employees response. Make sure to follow up on the results. Post it on social media so everyone can share in the positive results.

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?

An HPC team ready to clean up their adopted road.

It’s a two-mile stretch of Campton Road in Inman, South Carolina—also known as State Rd. S-42-11—and it’s been adopted by High-Performance Conductors (HPC), a business unit of the International Wire Group. Below, Baine Fairley, director of EHS & HR, explains why it was not a hard sell to get volunteers.

HPC has about 160 employees, and of those, about 40 volunteered for the adopt-a-road initiative that to date has seen three clean-up sessions. The initial foray was the toughest one, involving a lot of heavy lifting over the fourhour- long session. Subsequent return visits were easier and took about half the time. It might not seem like an especially important task, but there was a reason why people were willing to do this on their own time.

HPC has occupied a building on this stretch of Campton Road since 1970. There are only four other manufacturing plants in the area, and the rest is residential. The road was chosen because we wanted to give back to the community, which has put up over the years with our operations, including a lot of trucks coming and going. One thing we could do was clean for those people. Our volunteers were provided with yellow vests, trash pickup sticks and orange bags. We kept count of the number of collected trash bags and posted it internally. We also highlighted the initiative in our marketing newsletter, which was distributed between our employees and posted on IWG website and in social media. We did that not for recognition, but to give back to the community we operate in.

There is a sense of pride in doing this. The road had previously been adopted by another company, but no actual cleaning of the grounds was ever done. Since we adopted the stretch, it has been cleaned. There’s a sign with our company name and logo, so passengers on the road know who adopted the stretch and really keeps it clean. We now do this four times a year, and a few employees have been known to do more on their own. It’s our turf, and we like seeing it look right.

Manufacturers GIVING BACK

This is part 4 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?