When our founder, Rudolph Orlob, started the business in 1916, he understood that when his community thrived, his business would too. With this philosophy in mind, Orlob built his business but also worked equally hard to build his community. Confident that fostering a community in which individuals could participate fully - not only as consumers, but also as citizens, workers, family members and volunteers — he nurtured principles that guide our company today.
After nearly 100 years of supporting industry, we fully understand that supplying industries such as Kennecott, Boart Longyear and the former Geneva Steel allow these companies to provide the work and livelihood of thousands of individuals who are strengthened and unified by their communities.
To further support our communities, we give back through charitable donations and our work with organizations, including the Utah Food Bank, Prevent Child Abuse Utah, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the Huntsman Cancer Foundation and many other local institutions that contribute to the well-being of individuals in our community.
Because each community has its own unique facets, we also stay engaged in additional activities that help strengthen our economy, our sense of unity, and our internal workforce.
ECONOMY
In our early years, we focused on our core capabilities by providing tools and supplies to companies that built the railroads and the transportation infrastructure, manufactured the materials for our war efforts, and mined the minerals that fueled facilities and businesses in the area. We helped contribute to the local economy, in the subtle way that all companies did then — by simply doing the work that was needed to keep the country in motion.
While efforts to sustain and grow the economy have become more sophisticated since those early days, our business has moved with the times. Our Board Chairperson, Phil Thompson, has served as the Chairperson of the Economic Development Corporation of Utah (EDCU), and worked closely with the Utah Governor's Office of Economic Development (GOED) in an effort to promote business development and growth in the area. We continue to be involved in these, and other, organizations that have the similar goal of keeping our local and regional economies strong.
UNITY
We are fortunate to be in an environment where we can participate in organizations centered around industry, sports and special events. These opportunities have allowed us to support activities that help bring our community together. For nearly 30 years, we have supported the University of Utah Utes; and in 2002, we sponsored the U.S. Olympics Skeleton Team. We are members of several industry organizations, and currently sponsor the safety trainings offered by the Utah Manufacturers Association (UMA) and the Association of General Contractors (AGC).
WORKFORCE
Our employees are truly at the core of our success, so it is important to us that we provide a work environment that is supportive, healthful, and representative of our community.
By providing our employees with training and programs that enhance their knowledge, we add value not only to our customers who tap into that knowledge, but also to our employees’ skills sets and capabilities. This training supports the advancement and growth of their long-term careers. Since 1978, our Summer Jobs Program for Student Athletes, in association with the University of Utah, has helped us create an employment bridge that enables students to transition into our company's workforce and build a career locally. Two of these program participants are now part of the company's senior management team.
In addition, our company provides a fitness center, and wellness programs that have been recognized twice with awards from the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness as the most outstanding on-site employee fitness area. By providing our employees with these resources on site, we can support our employees’ ongoing health and well-being.
Our company's workforce is also among the most culturally diverse in the state because we support giving employment opportunities to under-represented groups. Our work with the GOED's Mentor Protégé Program, which was developed to assist minority and women-owned businesses become certified under the 8-A Enterprise Certification, encourages greater gender and minority representation within the business sector. We believe that by embracing the insights and perspectives of a diverse group of individuals, we are better able to understand and address the needs of customers in our community.
Throughout our history, we have applied our founder's philosophy, and used it as our guiding principle for our corporate environment. Going forward, we are proud to honor his legacy of commitment to the community.
