Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Jessica Frost, CEO of Lake Shore Systems Inc., spoke to an Ontonagon crowd about the work in all the company's facilities, including Ontonagon. The power presentation included the picture of the Ontonagon facility in the background.
By JAN TUCKER
Ontonagon - Jessica Frost, CEO of Lake Shore Systems, owners of the Ontonagon shipyard, had praise Thursday for the Ontonagon facility and especially the access to water testing which it provides.
Lake Shore Systems recently acquired several Oldenburg facilities, including Ontonagon.
Frost was in Ontonagon at the request of the Ontonagon Downtown Development Authority to present a company overview and its expectations for 2017. More than 50 people crowded into the Ontonagon Community Action building to hear, in particular, what the company's plans are for Ontonagon.
Frost said that presently there are four full-time and at times six to 10 technicians working at the Ontonagon facility. She cited the access to water testing with the facility located on the Ontonagon River and Lake Superior as "a key part of the operations and we expect to be here for a long time." Ontonagon is the only of Lake Shore Systems facility located on the water.
Frost detailed some of the plans for the near future, including security building demolition, addition of two new cranes, reopening the welding shop and a fencing project. She said some fencing and the paint shop were lost to Lake Superior.
She recalled that several years ago the company looked for 10 welders to work in the area, but only could get four qualified out of six.
She said she met with Ontonagon Area Superintendent Jim Bobula and was "very impressed" with the welding program, which she called "comparable and somewhat even better than others she has seen." Frost and Bobula discussed an apprentice training program and how to attract students, once the details are worked out.
In answer to a question, Frost said Lake Shore Systems owns the shipyard building and "it is not for sale." She noted having the railroad still going into the facility would have been a great asset, but added she understood that if manufacturing or large employment returned, there is a possibility it could be restored.
Her presentation featured the activities in Lake Shore Systems in Kingsford, Iron River, Rhinelander, Wis., and Ontonagon, as well as some of the equipment the company has built for ships and mines throughout the country.
"We are proud to make the biggest aluminum ramps in the world," she noted.
In addressing the importance of a facility with water availability, one resident noted the harbor is being dredged again. Dan Bruso, Executive Vice President/Operations, said "if the area has any problems with getting the dredging, feel free to call because this is important to us."
Frost said the company is also into manufacturing mining equipment and if mining does become a reality in the area, those products could be manufactured or rebuilt in Ontonagon.
Prior to the presentation, Dan Sullivan, chair of the Ontonagon DDA, said the recently re-instituted DDA wanted to reach out to Lake Shore Systems when it learned of the purchase of the facilities, including Ontonagon. He said Frost immediately said she would like to talk to the community.
He introduced the members of the DDA and Ontonagon Village Council.
Sullivan said Frost coming and willing to talk to the area is "breaking new ground for us." He added, "I feel Ontonagon is on track and on the way back."
