PPI adds two former BIW workers

November 17, 2016

By David Nordby The Brillion News

BRILLION – Professional Plating Inc. (PPI) has hired former workers of the Brillion Iron Works (BIW).

Two former BIW workers have been added full time at PPI, with another three potentially on the way. Those three would also be full time.

“As a result of our recent expansion we are in need of 15 new team members,” Carollynn Acker of PPI said. Two of the five workers connected with Acker at the recent job fair in Brillion.

PPI was one of 60 companies to attend the job fair last month that was held at Brillion High School.

114 job seekers attended the fair according to Bobbi Miller, the Business Solution Manager at Fox Valley Workforce Development Board, Inc. The board put the job fair together in conjunction with the Fox Cities Regional Partnership.

Both Miller and Manny Vasquez, the Vice President of Economic Development with Fox Cities Regional Partnership, viewed the job fair as a success.

“At the end of the day, I spoke to one valley area company that said 40 plus people had stopped by their company table,” Miller said.

The job fair gave the opportunity for the BIW workers to connect with many companies at the same time, in what Acker described as a relaxed setting.

”The atmosphere seemed to result in workers being more comfortable in approaching employers and asking questions,” Acker said.

The job fair was the first time that PPI had participated in a job fair specifically set for displaced workers, but not their first time at a job fair in the area.

Ariens Company participated in the job fair at BHS and also held a job fair of its own the following day.

Michigan-based Metaldyne Performance Group Inc. (MPG) purchased BIW for $14 million and announced the foundry’s closing in September leaving behind around 340 workers. MPG was recently purchased by American Axle and Manufacturing for $1.6 billion.

The future of the BIW buildings and grounds is still uncertain.