Precision Edge was founded in 1989 as a bur manufacturing facility near the city of Sault Ste. Marie in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Originally operating out of a 1,100 sq. ft. facility, its founder and his family hired and trained a talented young work force from the local area. The company expanded to outgrow a 14,000 sq. ft. facility located in Barbeau, Michigan and today is operating from a 37,000 sq. ft. facility and employs over 100 highly skilled workers engaged in the design and development of thousands of various sized burs, blades, drills and other surgical cutting accessories.

Precision Edge Surgical Products, Co. is a world-renowned manufacturer of fine surgical components, cutting tools and accessories for powered instruments. As a surgical cutting tool manufacturer they are foremost in the industry in technical diversity, versatility, innovation and customer support. They understand the critical nature of superior performance from a surgical instrument and their team takes extreme pride in building quality into their products to provide a competing edge for their customers.

Products include: carbide, stainless steel, tool steel, and diamond burs, saw blades, cannulated drills and reamers as well as standard types, rasps, bone harvesting tools, screws, bone taps, fixation devices, K-wires, pins, trocars, etc…

TriMedia Consultants is an environmental and safety service company assisting private and public clients throughout North America. Since its inception in 1995, TriMedia has earned a reputation for prompt, technically efficient service that balances cost and results.

From its regional offices in Marquette, Michigan; Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin; and Bozeman, Montana, TriMedia consults with national, regional and local firms to develop compliance solutions to environmental, health and safety issues. From contaminant investigations, feasibility studies and clean-up, to due diligence evaluations, Brownfield redevelopment, and permit assistance, TriMedia provides comprehensive environmental services. A summary of its active environmental projects include: remedial treatment system operation and maintenance at K.I. Sawyer; facility clean-up in Sidney, Nebraska; surface water management in Livingston, Montana, Brownfield redevelopment of the lower harbor property here in Marquette, and compliance planning for railroad facilities in California, Colorado, Louisiana, and Texas.

Its health and safety projects range from compliance audits, ergonomic assessments, and industrial hygiene, to asbestos management, written safety program development and employee training. A summary of its active health and safety projects include: emergency response training for We Energies at its fossil steam and hydroelectric operations throughout Wisconsin and Michigan; industrial hygiene involving mold abatement at K.I. Sawyer; resident health and safety management services for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Bozeman, Montana; and asbestos management for Northern Michigan University.

TriMedia’s staff of Professional Engineers, Engineers-in-Training, Certified Safety Professionals, Professional Geologists, Certified Hazardous Materials Managers, Industrial Hygienists, Biologists, Earth Scientists, Compliance Specialists and technical support staff, are experts right here in the Upper Peninsula on whom you can rely.

It would be impossible to give a brief history of Besse Forest Products Group Companies, without mentioning the founder, John Besse. Born into a lumbering family, his father owned and operated a hardwood sawmill. He pursued a degree in forestry while working in his father’s sawmill, and went on to hold powerful positions in companies before venturing on his own.

In 1966, John formed Northern Michigan Veneers, Inc. a veneer splicing company. Utilizing the former Atlas Plywood plant, Northern Michigan Veneers began operations in September. By January of 1967 they were splicing 1,000,000 square feet of veneer a month. John Besse’s belief in supplying a good product at a fair price has led to the expansion of the Besse Forest Products Group.

His son Greg, who is currently the Executive Vice President, has worked all his years in the company business. Today, the company has grown to its present size with over 1100 employees and 750,000 square feet of manufacturing facilities. They are one of the largest producers of hardwood face veneers in North America. In addition to logging crews and a forestry department, the group has four rotary cutting mills, two veneer slicing plants, two veneer splicing plants, two plywood departments, and five complete sawmills. They are emerging as a leading exporter of North American Hardwood Products to markets and customers around the world.

For 45 years, the White Pine Mine was the major source of employment and economic stability in the Western UP. In it’s heyday, the mine employed over 2,000 people in it’s various operations. When they could no longer afford to operate, because the cost of production and the market price of copper shifted, the mine closed.

Rather than lament the loss of a major employer, local visionaries were determined to find something positive in the change. The last manager of the mine suggested the ownership of the vacant mining properties be transferred to the Ontonagon County EDC, so they could be turned into active business centers.

The EDC rose to the challenge and spearheaded a coalition of local government units to develop an industrial park at the former mine site.

Today, with the aid of $1.2 million in loans and grants, the infrastructure is in place for the site to grow into an industrial center and magnet for industry. A number of companies have already moved into the park, which also has room for future development.

Here to accept the Award of Excellence for the White Pine Industrial Park is Barry Fay. He worked for three years on the White Pine Industrial Park project and is currently responsible for figuring out “what to do” with an idle, 40 megawatt power plant that provided electricity to the former Copper Range mining site.

Michigan Limestone originated in 1912 with the opening of the Calcite Plant located on northern Lake Huron in the northwest lower peninsula of Michigan near Rogers City by the United States Steel Corporation. Another plant opened by the Inland Steel Corporation in 1920 for the same purpose, was the Port Inland Plant in the middle of the Upper Peninsula on Lake Michigan near Gulliver.

In 1955, Port Dolomite was opened by the United States Steel Corporation to accommodate a changing market in the steel industry. Port Dolomite is located on northern Lake Huron near Cedarville Michigan. In the year 2000 the three plants became one company, Michigan Limestone Operations, Inc., a division of the Oglebay Norton Company.

Nelson Paint Company/Nelson Technologies- The Nelson Paint Company was founded in 1940 by Charles and Evan Nelson and has been a family operated business for over 60 years. Nelson Paint is world renowned for making top quality paintballs. Great pride is put into manufacturing premium products and being a leader in the industry.

The Nelson Paint Company originally served the forestry market. Faced with the challenge of marking trees in hard to reach places, Charles Nelson invented a paint pellet that could be shot out of a gun. Hence, the birth of the paintball! In 1996, they began their paintball manufacturing operation. They were one of the first companies to enter the softgel manufacturing business. Paintballs have since taken on a life of their own. The first survival games were held in the early 80’s and the sport is continues to grow.

The Nelson family holds great pride in the fact that they invented the first paintball.  This fact has not stopped them from continual improvement.  Nelson’s high quality production team strives to make the best paintballs with state of the art equipment, materials, and technology. Today they have 50+ employees, six paintball machines and produce approximately 900 million paintballs per year.

Sawyer Lumber Company for their commitment to the economic vitality of Marquette County through the start up and operation of a state-of-the-art, high tech stud mill.  Their people, processes and technology elevated sawmill technology to a new level in the Lakes States.

Louisiana-Pacific Corporation, the world’s top producer of oriented strand board and North American’s number one producer of stud lumber, for their acquisition and continued operation of Sawyer Lumber Company at the former Sawyer Air Force Base.

Soo Plastics, Inc. is a major worldwide supplier of plastic injected molded parts for several major industries including automotive, furniture, railroad, recreational vehicle and medical equipment.  They currently employ 275 people occupying a 135,000 square foot facility in Sault Ste. Marie.  This past year Soo Plastics was named “Worldwide Supplier of the Year” by General Motors.

White Water Associates, Inc. is an acknowledged leader in the fields of analytical chemistry, scientific consulting and environmental education.  Located in Amasa, White Water staff projects have received state and national recognition with a research/education program being recognized by the President’s Commission on Environmental Quality.

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