November 2013
| Business World Magazine | 53
tant than profits. He expresses disappoint-
ment that this fundamental truth has been
obscured in many professional practices to-
day. “When I look at what is happening in
corporate America, it is very disheartening.
It is all about profitability, and many com-
panies don’t care about how they’re affecting
America ... they don’t care about the com-
munities from which they operate ... it is so
much about money, but business should be
about something more.” This philosophy has
contributed to Fredon’s advancing in quality
standards, customer responsiveness, opera-
tional efficiency and expertise that makes the
company such a model for industry.
ADVANCING EDUCATION
The work of Fredon Corporation isn’t lim-
ited to what takes place on the floor of its
plant, in fact, the company is also consid-
ered as a pioneer in youth training programs.
Fredon was the first company within its re-
gion to develop a program introducing the
machine trades industry to members of the
Boy Scout’s of America Explorer Post 2600.
After it inception in 1992, more than 350
scouts would go on to complete the program
known as “Cannons of Fredon,” an initiative
which also inspired other local companies to
create similar educational programs.
In more recent years, Sustar was the driv-
ing force behind the creation of another ini-
tiative known as the Alliance for Working
Together (AWT). This organization helped
establish a forum for manufacturers to dis-
cuss common business issues and partner
with local schools to develop specialized cur-
riculum to ensure students are both properly
trained and aware of opportunities that exist
within the manufacturing industry, a move
to help mitigate skill gaps in the increasing
need for a new generation of welders, ma-
chinists and other professionals. One of the
most fascinating byproducts of theworkwith
students has been the creation of a RoboBot
competition. Students from a variety of area
schools annually construct a mobile me-
chanical contraption, complemented with a
unique system of weaponry, for a much an-
ticipated battle of the bots. Winning teams
emerge to represent Northeast Ohio in a na-
tional level of competition. Sustar says that
competition initially involved teams from
11 schools, but today, teams from as many as
thirty different schools participate. What’s
more Case Western Reserve University has
stepped in to provide one of its engineering
students to work with each respective team.
The program advances education, accom-
modates hands-on training in the creation
