March 28, 2024

Cline Tool hosts area students for National Manufacturing Day

Cline Tool hosted students from the DMACC Newton Career Academy and Newton High School Friday for National Manufacturing Day.

An announcement was made at the event that Cline Tool will give two $500 scholarships to students attending a two or four year college and studying in the areas of CNC, tool and die and machining.

Students, along with Mayor Mike Hansen and JEDCO Executive Director Chaz Allen, listened to a presentation about what Cline Tool is, what it does, who it works for and how the tools are produced. Tools that will be a part of a motorcycle and the 2017 Ford F-350 were shown to the students.

“Anything a manufacturer needs, we want them to come to us,” Jason Benson, CFO said.

Cline Tool leadership wanted to make students aware of the career pathways available in advanced manufacturing and show them what present-day manufacturing looks like. The public perception of manufacturing is that it is a repetitive, dirty job; Cline Tool leaders wanted to show that is not always the case.

Through a tour of the facility, Cline Tool President Jim Long hoped to inspire the students to consider careers in manufacturing and educate them in the skills they would need to qualify for positions in the company, he said.

The students took part in a tour that walked them through the shop and showed normal tool manufacturing process. From tool design and software to production, students were shown each step by the employees who do it every day.

Cline Tool decided to host the tours to promote the “Elevate” campaign started by the Iowa Association of Business and the Iowa-Advanced Manufacturing Consortium. The purpose of the campaign is to promote careers and education in advanced manufacturing. To go along with the campaign, National Manufacturing Day was designed to expand knowledge about and improve general public perception of manufacturing careers and the value that it is to the United States economy.

Founded in 1948, Cline Tool has grown to be one of the largest custom tool manufacturers in the U.S. servicing industries worldwide including agriculture, construction equipment, automotive, appliances and hydraulic valve controls, Cline provides a full range of engineering services, full-line distribution of manufacturing supplies, tool reconditioning and complete project management.

Since 2010, the work force at Cline has grown from 48 employees to 80 and its sales staff has doubled. Manufacturing in Iowa contributes more than 18 percent of the state’s economy and employs more than 208,858 people, about 14 percent of Iowa’s total work force and is growing according to Elevate Iowa.

Contact Staff Writer Jamee A. Pierson at (641) 792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com.