Terex Handlers, formerly Baraga Products Inc., was founded in 1984 and produces rough terrain telescoping forklifts used primarily in the construction industry.  In 1996, Baraga Products Inc. was purchased by Terex Corporation.  Terex Handlers is a part of the Aerial Work Platforms Division of Terex Corporation and produces six models of telescoping forklifts at its’ Baraga facility.  Terex Handlers has increased net sales from $33 million in 2003 to approximately $126 million in 2005.  Terex is focused on producing quality capital equipment that delivers the productivity, return on investment and cost effectiveness that customers demand.

A division of Northern Star Industries, Systems Control was founded in 1962 and has gained national recognition as a state of the art designer and manufacturer of control and relay panels for the electrical utility market and specialty controls and equipment for the United States Navy. Systems Control’s hardworking team of engineers, technicians and designers, with years of industry experience, utilizes the latest design and engineering software applications. Today, Systems Control serves a wide range of customers with facilities across the country including American Electric Power, Texas Utilities General Electric and National Steel and Shipbuilding.

EMP Advanced Development, LLC established its’ 30,000 square foot research and development technology center campus in August of 1999 with a staff of 21 employees serving as the research and development function of Engineered Machined Products, Inc. Today, after two large building expansions, the center employs 80 full-time workers. EMP Advanced Development’s capabilities have become internationally recognized and highly sought after by companies from across the globe. The efforts of EMP’s research and development staff have been honored with the 2001 Michigan Manufacturer of the Year award and by Governor Granholm with a Cool Company award in 2004.

Founded in 1847, Cleveland-Cliffs has been active in Michigan since shortly after the discovery of iron ore on the Marquette Iron Range. Currently Cleveland-Cliffs Michigan Operations consist of the Tilden and Empire iron mining and processing facilities, a transportation division formerly known as LS&I Railroad and the Cliffs Technology Group research facility in Ishpeming. Cleveland-Cliffs employs approximately 1,400 workers, is capable of producing up to 13 million tons of iron ore pellets annually and provides an economic impact to the local economy in excess of $300 million annually in payroll, benefits and local services and supplies.

The history of We Energies dates as far back as 1896 when they began as the Milwaukee Electric Railway and Light Co. Since then many changes within the company have occurred, including their name, which was changed to We Energies from Wisconsin Electric-Wisconsin Gas in 2002.

We Energies serves more than a million electric customers in Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and more than a million natural gas customers in Wisconsin. In addition, they serve about 2,500 water customers and 500 steam customers in the Milwaukee area.

Their service area covers over 18,000 square miles in Wisconsin and 5,000 square miles in the Upper Peninsula. We Energies employs 5,700 people with approximately 350 of those in Michigan. This equates to about $1,000,000 economic impact in the UP for 2004 which is expected to grow to approximately $8,000,000 in 2005.

Kleiman Pump & Well Drilling, Inc. was founded by William & Elaine Kleiman in 1946. In 1961, the official reins of the company were passed over to Harry Kleiman who, with his wife Kristen, continued to build the Company to the size it is today.

With 22 employees, Kleiman is a progressive and well respected company in the water well industry. The company is fully licensed to operate in both Michigan and Wisconsin as drillers and pump installers, as well as, holding a mechanical contractor’s license in Michigan. Kleiman provides diamond drilling services along with rotary percussion mineral exploration drilling. Their customers include private, municipal, industrial and irrigation companies.

The company continues to remain in the family as Erik Kleiman, a third generation Kleiman, begins his transition to management.

R.W. Fernstrum & Company is a global leader in the engineering, development and manufacturing of cooling technologies for the marine industry. By focusing their efforts exclusively on marine cooling, this third generation family-owned business has built a respected reputation throughout the industry for outstanding quality and service to their customers.

R. W. Fernstrum & Company is a business built on innovation. The founder, Robert W. Fernstrum, received a patent for the first rectangular tube keel cooler in 1945, setting the standard for keel cooling for the United States Army and Navy. Since then, they have continued the tradition of bringing the latest technology to the marine industry, earning more keel cooling related patents than any other company. Today the Fernstrum family is still at the helm of the company, ensuring that all of their marine cooling products provide their customers with the best in efficiency, quality, and ease of installation.

Argonics, Inc. is a local manufacturer and processor of polyurethane plastics. Located in Marquette, the company has been in business since 1994. Argonics started out with only 9 employees, growing to over 65 employees to date including its own engineering and tooling development departments. Through the years, Argonics has developed, produced and held numerous patents.

Argonics currently makes over 5,000 different performance based polyurethane products and ships to a diverse range of industries around the globe. Industries benefiting from Argonics products include concrete, aggregate, agricultural, mining and construction equipment. In 1999, Argonics was honored as the “Michigan Best Small Business of the Year” by the Michigan Small Business Development Center.

Pettibone/Traverse Lift, LLC has been in business for over 50 years manufacturing a variety of versatile, material handling equipment. Product lines include the CaryLift, which is ideal for handling steel pipes, logs, poles, lumber, scrap and other heavy loads. The company also manufactures railroad maintenance equipment and telescoping boom rough terrain forklifts.

Pettibone recently began a company-wide shift in philosophy from price reduction to building the best performing, most reliable high-quality machines. Their goal is to make a high-quality product that saves the customer money in the long run by eliminating the need for expensive repairs and reducing the need for replacement parts early in its product life.

Pettibone/Traverse Lift, LLC, under the direction of Kevin Walsh, has made improvements by focusing on lean manufacturing and eliminating waste. They have been so pleased with the changes in their bottom line, that they have been vocal advocates of continuous improvement principles to their own suppliers as well. Walsh’s vision for continuous improvement continues to evolve and flow into other areas of the business. With an uncertain economic climate in an industry plagued by over-capacity, Pettibone continues to look for and address improvement opportunities. Their desire to share these lessons with their suppliers and translate them into shared cost savings for their customers has made Pettibone and industry leader.

Since 1963, Operation Action UP has been bringing together interested industrial corporations, financial institutions, utilities, institutions of higher learning, businesses and concerned citizens into a coalition that works to create a favorable economic climate and a strong employment base for the U.P. For more information on Operation Action UP, contact their office in Marquette at 906-225-0089.

International Paper is the world’s largest forest products, paper and packaging company that is complemented by an extensive distribution system, with primary markets and manufacturing operations in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Pacific Rim and South America. The Company’s businesses are separated into six segments: Printing Papers; Industrial and Consumer Packaging; Distribution; Forest Products; Carter Holt Harvey; and Other Businesses.

As one of the largest private forest landowners in the world, the company manages its forests under the principles of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative Program – a system that ensures the continual planting, growing and harvesting of trees while protecting wildlife, plants, soil, air and water quality. Headquartered in Stamford, CT, International Paper has operations in over 40 countries and sells its products in more than 120 nations.

And for over 17 years, International Paper’s Quinnesec mill thrives as the economic “anchor” in Dickinson County. The Quinnesec mill is a $1 billion state-of-the-art facility that manufactures bleached hardwood kraft pulp and high-quality coated printing paper used in magazines and catalogs. With over $50 million in annual payroll and benefits, IP employs 543 at the Quinnesec mill and 43 in the (Norway) forest resources office.

IP-Quinnesec recently celebrated their 10 year partnership with the National Geographic Magazine. Currently, the IP Company (IPCo) Foundation
underwrites over 5,000 subscriptions of the (new) National Geographic for Kids Magazine for 3rd through 6th grade students in the greater Dickinson and Houghton County areas.

In addition to a state-of-the-art facility, great employees and strong customer relations, the mill’s workplace safety and health excellence has been recognized by the Michigan Occupational, Safety, and Health Administration (MIOSHA) for its achievement as a Michigan Voluntary Protection Program (MVPP)-Star site. Quinnesec is the fourth site in the state of Michigan, first pulp/paper mill in Michigan, and the first company in the Upper Peninsula to receive the MVPP Star recognition.

P: 906-226-6591          F: 906-226-2099