November 26, 2019

In the spirit of giving this holiday season, we talked to some of the employees at Caster Concepts to see get their perspective on the process of giving back. We wondered what they thought of the Caster Cares initiatives and what they have meant to Albion’s community. Here are their stories:

Andrew Dobbins, General Manager

Andrew is starting to see through local leadership that things are beginning to change. In his view, you are only as strong as your people. “In this day and age, you have to be a part of your community. It is easy to be in your own cocoon, but that isn’t how my grandfather taught us,” explains Andrew. “It’s important that we take the lead and play an integral role in projects. Being a part of this community is extremely important. Never say never. It can always be done.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zXBpuPmFIQ

Bruce Swart, Controller/CFO 

The older Bruce gets, the more important his family, whether its work or home, becomes to him. He and his wife (a social worker) are very active in teaching and coaching young students. “Family is very important to me, and CCI has always done a great job regarding this process, notes Bruce. “There are programs at Caster Concepts that go beyond anything that I have seen. A lot of groups and people are invested in this, and Caster drives a lot of this stuff. It is pretty amazing.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=663afVQ4cmU

Jim Swank, Quality Control

The city of Albion is coming back into form. New businesses have opened, and he believes the downtown looks really good. “Caster Concepts is helping the community. We are trying to open up the downtown development, and I believe that if we don’t continue this, we are going to lose it,” states Jim. “Caster Concepts giving back is huge. I think that Albion is on its way up and coming back, and I think that it has a lot to do with the Caster Cares initiative. I definitely invite people to come visit Albion and see what we’ve got going on here.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRhfysy0yYc

Caroline Dobbins, Special Projects Manager

“As company and organization, Caster Concepts is committed to more than just the product that goes out the door,” exclaims Caroline. “The community that our employees live and work in and are part of something bigger. Caster Cares impacts everyone  in some way.”

She loves working for a company that wants to get involved, and who thinks creatively about what getting involved really means. “It’s not just writing a check. Its also about empowering employees to enjoy their community and try something new. To build a strong bond that will bring our community forward for generations to come.”

Dean Mabus, Welder

How does Dean see the positive changes that have been happening? “I have seen Albion grow significantly with the work Caster Concepts has put in. Smaller businesses are growing, and new ones are coming in. Being that I am a family man, I love the whole small-town community thing.”

Dean also believes that Caster Concepts is a good example of showing that just because you are a big business doesn’t mean that you don’t care about your small towns.  The initiatives of Caster Cares keep changing Albion for the better.

Travis Foster, Lead Assembler

“With what Caster Concepts has brought everybody, it’s not just bringing the company up; it’s bringing Albion back,” says Travis. “Its jobs that put in more business, which is important to my community, because that’s what makes our community a community.” Travis believes that Caste Concepts is a big giant family. Albion is “not just a town that you come into and leave. It’s a town that you can come into and establish yourself and make it a home. And I thank them every day for that.”