Welcome, Graham Stamping of Hermitage as one of the newest manufacturer members of the Lawrence Mercer Manufacturers Coalition.
Now in its 75th year, the third-generation family-owned progressive stamping operation is a major player in the automotive industry and serves customers in rail, heavy commercial transportation and equipment, racking and mining industries, as well.
David MacHarg III is the company’s president. The business was started by his grandfather, David MacHarg I, before transitioning to his father, David MacHarg II, who passed away in 2018.
“David MacHarg IV is due to be born in October of this year, so he’s already got job security,” the current president jested.
Why LMMC?
Graham Stamping is a sister company to LMMC keystone member Wheatland Steel Processing, whose owner, Tim Jablon, serves on the coalition’s Board of Directors.
“Tim speaks highly of LMMC, and I joined to get more involved in the community and manufacturing space, as well as for networking, expanding our supplier base and diversifying our business,” MacHarg III said.
Graham Stamping is fortunate to have a tenured workforce of nearly 25 employees with an average of 23 years of experience and minimal turnover, but like many of his peers in Lawrence and Mercer counties, MacHarg III keeps an eye on what his future workforce will look like.
“Stamping manufacturing requires a unique skillset,” he said. “You have to be mechanically inclined and smart. There’s a negative stereotype among the next generation about blue collar work, but there’s money and opportunity in the machinist space.”
He hopes adding his voice to the LMMC can help amplify the coalition’s work improving the perception of manufacturing careers among the area’s youth population.
Accepting New Members Learn more about membership in Lawrence Mercer Manufacturers Coalition and the opportunities to network and get hands-on with the group’s priority initiatives by contacting julie@lawrencemercermfg.com
