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Welcome to the ESCO Engages blog, a Weir Group publication! At Weir our people take pride in making a difference around the world and in their communities. Our ESCO Engages blog will feature the unique perspectives of our employees who are passionate about education, service and leadership.

Growth Mindset and Agility Drive Accelerated Growth in North America
April 6, 2021

Two new branches went into operation this year in North America. Find out how the Weir ESCO team jumped into action to grow the business and serve our customers in the Malarctic and Salt Lake City areas.

Supporting Civil Rights Education During Black History Month
February 25, 2021

With Mississippi With Mississippi being the epicenter of so much civil rights history and our U.S. flagship operation marking its 50^th anniversary in the state this year, Weir ESCO and the Newton foundry partnered to observe Black History Month this February. Colleagues visited the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum to deliver a $5,000 joint donation, which will be used to promote understanding of the civil rights movement and its impact.

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The Importance of Failing Fast: A First-Time Patent Recipient's Perspective
February 16, 2021

Design Engineer, Chris Johnston of Portland, says his first assignment as a new engineer at Weir ESCO was the Ultralok mining tooth system, which earned him a patent grant. This January, Chris joined 27 other new patent grantees at a recent inventor's celebration honoring the company's commitment to innovation.

Weir ESCO Launches Immersive Leadership Development Program for Recent Engineering Graduates
February 1, 2021

This spring, Weir ESCO is launching an accelerated leadership development program providing early-career engineers the opportunity to jump start their careers in the mining industry.

Philanthropy is a Unifying Thread in the Weir ESCO Culture

January 19, 2021

Hear how Weir ESCO employees continued to keep the community spirit alive and well throughout 2020, despite pandemic challenges. Multiple generations of employees have lovingly nurtured this tradition of community giving through volunteerism, serving on nonprofit boards and giving of their own treasures, explains Steve Schad, philanthropy lead for Weir ESCO.

Annual Engineering Challenge Becomes Fun Family Event During Pandemic
January 6, 2021

With in-person teamwork generally off limits due to the pandemic, organizers of the Weir ESCO 2020 Engineering Challenge had to get extra creative to ensure the tradition continued into its 17th year. Undeterred, they created the first-ever “home edition” of the Engineering Challenge, encouraging employees to involve their families in the fun.

A Career Journey: From Young Engineer to Appreciative Leader
December 15, 2020

When we opened our state-of-the-art foundry in Xuzhou, China, a young engineer named Zhizhou Mu was one of the first employees on board. Mu has sought out and participated in many professional development opportunities around the globe to further advance his leadership and team-building skills.

How Early Education in Computer Science Can Inspire Meaningful STEM Careers

December 1, 2020

Next Monday, December 7, begins Computer Science Education Week (#CSEdWeek). This prompted us to think about how a passion for computers sparked in childhood might still be inspiring Weir ESCO employees in their work or hobbies. Meet two Portland, Ore., colleagues who caught the computer bug early.

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Weir ESCO Awards Two Oregon State Students Engineering Scholarships

Kevin Stangeland | November 17, 2020

In support of our partnership with OSU this year, Weir ESCO funded a scholarship program for engineering students.The first recipients of the Weir ESCO scholarships are two impressive mechanical engineering undergraduates.

Disruption Drives Innovation with new KiruWear App

Juan Arevalo | November 3, 2020

The KiruWear app was born from the voice of the customer. Meet Juan Arevalo, who began developing the KiruWear app before COVID-19 hit in response to customers asking for a more direct way for shovel operators to detect and address wear issues they observe during equipment inspections.

Five Lessons on Weir ESCO's Inclusion & Diversity Journey

Tracey Marsh | October 20, 2020

In recognition of Global Diversity Awareness Month, our Vice President, Human Resources, Tracey Marsh, offers insights and lessons learned along our journey to become more inclusive and diverse, where every employee feels they belong.

Supply Chain Lessons Learned During a Pandemic

Mike Funke | October 6, 2020

Though supply chain disruptions are not uncommon, the uncertain and far-reaching implications of the pandemic quickly drove home the important business advantages of our integrated and digital capabilities.

Weir ESCO Salutes Essential Workers for National Manufacturing Day 2020

October 2, 2020

Today we celebrate #MFGDay 2020 and celebrate the Weir ESCO employees who are part of the critical infrastructure workforce and who manufacture products for construction, mining and the production of critical minerals and materials worldwide.

Weir ESCO Partners with Portland State to Launch New Master's Degree Program in Applied Data Science for Business

September 22, 2020

This fall, five of our colleagues will be among the inaugural cohort of Portland State University’s (PSU) new master’s degree program in applied data science for business.

Future Engineer Gets Hands-on Experience at Weir ESCO

Erim Hur | September 10, 2020

Local high school student, Erim Hur, is heading into her senior year. She spent her summer interning with Weir ESCO in Portland, Ore. Once set on pursuing a career in the medical field, she says her internship experience changed her future path.

Weir ESCO Children Experience New Cultures Through ESCO Youth Connect

Jane DeLuca | August 25, 2020

With the persistence of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us are relying on our internet connection more than ever before. The internet is enabling remote work, online learning, virtual visits with family and friends, food and grocery orders, and much more. This summer, it also provided passage for 45 Weir ESCO children to participate in a unique cultural exchange through the new ESCO Youth Connect program.

Centenarian Inspires New Generations of Community Philanthropists

August 18, 2020

If you live in Portland, Ore., you’ve probably heard the name Bud Lewis. Bud's "100 laps to 100 years" campaign and community spirit recently moved one of our colleagues to action.

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Insights Into the Paradoxical Partnership Between Metals and the Low-Carbon Economy

Chris Carpenter | August 11, 2020

With the continuing expansion of new technologies and the birth of Industry 4.0, metals have never been more important. Our parent company, The Weir Group, recently announced an ambitious sustainability strategy that, in addition to creating sustainable solutions for our customers, commits to reducing the company’s carbon footprint 50% by 2030 and to net zero by 2050.

The Enduring Benefits of Mentoring the Next Generation of STEM Leaders

Steven Hyde | July 30, 2020

As a 17-year Weir ESCO engineer, Steven Hyde has had numerous opportunities to mentor engineering students and young professoinals, and he continues to do so. Learn how he is paying it forward to future STEM leaders through a unique partnership with Saturday Academy.

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Never Stop Learning: A Front-Line Supervisor Shares his Professional Development Journey

Corrie Devereaux | July 14, 2020

When it comes to learning and growth, the sky's the limit, says Corrie Devereaux, manufacturing supervisor at our Port Hope foundry. Over 24 years with Weir ESCO, Corrie has gained valuable experience in just about every job on the shop floor and is honing in on his unique leadership skills as part of a new professional development program within the ESCO division.

Leaning into Innovation with new Tech and new Talent

Chris Carpenter | March 5, 2020

With talented new team members like Xudan and Jason, and a whole digital group behind them, we have been able enhance our innovative, ground-engaging tools by creating digitally connected products designed to tackle our customers’ most challenging conditions.

Weir's ESCO Division Committed to Increasing Access, Gender Equity in Oregon's STEM Workforce

Anna Thames | February 19, 2020

In recognition of Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day on February 20, Anna Thames, Vice President of North America Operations, shares an inside perspective on women in STEM at the ESCO division of Weir. Anna addresses the gender workforce gap in engineering and calls on all of us to encourage and engage girls in STEM – science, technology, engineering and math – from a young age. This piece originally appeared in the Portland Business Journal’s print edition in August 2019.

Oregon State Graduate on the Power of Professional Growth and a Resilient Team

Tuong Hoang | January 22, 2020

With just a few months of experience at Weir, Tuong has leaned into many opportunities to build her skillset and expand her network as a member of Weir ESCO's dredge team. She's even taking her professional experiences outside the company to inspire the next generation of talent.

A Look Back: Top ESCO Engages Stories in 2019

January 8, 2020

As we usher in the new year, we are looking back at some of the top ESCO Engages stories of 2019. These stories highlight the heart of the work our teams do at the ESCO division of Weir, and emphasize our values as a company and a team. Take a look at which stories most captured readers’ attention in 2019!

Unique Skillset Takes Metallurgist Across the Globe

Melody Glasgow | December 11, 2019

When Metallurgist Melody Glasgow began her master's degree program, she never thought her metallurgical engineering background and skills would take her to places like Chile, China, New Zealand, Australi, the U.S. and Eastern Canada for the ESCO division of Weir.

Award-Winning Engineer Reflects Weir's Passion for Sustainability

November 20, 2019

Jessica Schmidt's vision to create an innovative and highly technical, sustainable solution has been easily transferred to her engineering work in New Product Development. Sustainability is at the heart of creating value for our customers, and Jessica's recruitment to Weir was well-timed with our renewed focus on sustainability.

Portland State University Co-Op Program Connects Interns to Meaningful Work at Weir ESCO

Steve Irvine | November 7, 2019

The opportunity to mentor someone as driven and talented as Lisa has shown Steve Irvine, director of blades products – and the rest of our team – just how much talent exists in our own backyard and how important it is that we continue to foster relationships with local colleges and universities like PSU.

When Opportunity Knocks: Perspectives of Inside Sales as a Pathway to Career, Company Growth

October 16, 2019

The opportunities for growth within the ESCO division of Weir are limitless, but our inside sales role stands out for the pathway it provides to a variety of other positions and departments.

Weir ESCO Highlights Diversity of Careers in Trades, Engineering, for National Manufacturing Day

October 10, 2019

Each year on Manufacturing Day, thousands of companies and schools open their doors to students, parents, teachers and community leaders with the goal of featuring the highly skilled careers in modern manufacturing. Go behind-the-scenes at the foundries in Newton, Mississippi, and Portland, Oregon.

Personal, professional and process improvement

Matthew Horn | September 18, 2019

Eric Estrada is no longer a hopeful 20-year-old applicant outside the red and white walls of Plant 3. Today, he is one of our strongest team leaders and is approaching his 8th anniversary with the company, all the while working to earn his bachelor’s degree in applied management.

Reflections on a Summer Internship at Weir Portland

Yesenia Meraz-Torres and Mark Beatley | September 12, 2019

The end of summer is bittersweet on our Portland campus as we await the return of drizzly days and say farewell to our bright summer interns. This year, Weir Portland hosted seven talented young men and women in engineering, data science, advanced technology, supply chain and information technology.

Spotlight on Stephanie Poppe and the Growth of the Weir ESCO Women’s Network

Misty Rogers | August 7, 2019

While you may never have met Stephanie Poppe, if you work in one of our remote offices you’ve almost certainly been touched by her role in the Weir ESCO Women’s Network-North America (WEWN-NA), where Stephanie and Misty Rogers share the responsibility for involving WEWN-NA members from our remote sites.

Weir ESCO Women's Network Hosts Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Event

Ermanno Simonutti | July 25, 2019

Weir employees showed their steadfast commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) during a recent event in Portland, Oregon, led by Lillian Tsai, President of Tsai Communications and renowned leader on these important topics.

Customers, Core Values and the Four Corners: Meet Teresa Brown-Bialy

Rachel Hanks | July 10, 2019

In a small New Mexico town tucked away in the Four Corners of the United States with a vibrant Navajo community lies a little known, five-person branch of Weir ESCO that quietly performs a task as unique as their location: keeping the mines of our customers running.

Weir ESCO Sends two Colleagues to Weir Leadership Development Conference

June 26, 2019

This year’s leadership development conference was held in Stirling, Scotland, and included 21 rising stars from across the globe. Hear about the unique experience from Weir ESCO's Alyssa Potratz of Portland, Oregon, and Mateus Ribeiro of Betim, Brazil.

From Student to Mentor: Weir ESCO Guides Next Generation of Engineers

Eugene Havenga | June 12, 2019

Eugene Havenga was an active member of Baja SAE during his time studying at the University of Pretoria. Now he is on the other side of the table, committed to giving back to the next generation of engineers.

Louis Pridey Tackles Challenges with Creative Solutions

May 30, 2019

Louis Pridey remembers the sensation he had seeing castings hot off the pouring line and newly made by his own hands. Today he has a few more irons in the fire, in a new role and new team, and shares with us how his skillset has grown exponentially since joining in 2010.

Take Your Child to Work Day Highlights Diversity in Weir ESCO Careers

May 15, 2019

While the day’s activities vary each year, we always try to teach the kids about all aspects of our business and our products—from engineering to sales to manufacturing at Plant 3.

Career Growth Fuels Building of Stronger Communities

Amir Ceric | May 1, 2019

Since 1998, Amir Ceric's role has taken him all over the world for Weir ESCO, inspiring a lifetime of paying it forward in his own community.

Weir Committed to Inclusion & Diversity

Joe Huang | April 17, 2019

Diversity and inclusion are important aspects of a successful work culture that many companies are working to improve. Our colleague, Joe Huang of Xuzhou, China, is proud to be serving on the company's first inclusion and diversity committee.

One of the First: Weir's Pioneering Female Engineer

Steve Sester | April 3, 2019

When Becky Van Raden joined ESCO’s Dragline Products Group as a design engineer in 1979, she was the first female design engineer hired by the company.

Meet the Man who Brings Weir Engineers' Designs to Life

Heather McGee | March 20, 2019

Tima Peau has grown into his new role as methods technician, showing the personal growth we hope to see in each of our team members.

Mike Funke Speaks to Portland State University as Part of Longstanding Partnership

Mike Funke | March 14, 2019

Weir has a long history of partnership with Portland State University (PSU), both in the college’s School of Business and its College of Engineering & Computer Science.

Beyond Engineering: Weir Supports Career Exploration and Development

Sun Cho | February 28, 2019

Last October, Sun Cho stepped into a new role with the ESCO division of Weir. She brought with her many valuable words of wisdom from her first experience with the Weir Oil & Gas team: adapt, take risks, learn and be vocal.

Weir Engineer's Career Path from Portland to South Africa

Dustin Ashford | February 13, 2019

Weir sees the benefit of investing early in its employees, including engineer Dustin Ashford, who is currently serving on a six-month international assignment in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he gets to interact with the region's customers, improve designs and provide products to best serve our customers.

Why Diversity and Inclusion Matter to Engineer Yesenia Meraz-Torres

Abram Hernandez | January 30, 2019

Yesenia Meraz-Torres, a Senior Design Engineer based in Portland, became the newest member of the ESCO Women’s Network (EWN) Steering Committee in February 2018 and has big plans for expanding the EWN’s role to promote workplace diversity and gender equality.

Robin Churchill Continues to Share 38 Years' of Metallurgy Experience

Daniel Widlund | January 16, 2019

Our Principal Metallurgist Robin Churchill has over 38 years’ of experience helping to develop new processes and advance metallurgy, both within our team and for the industry.

Global Weir Teams Find Common Ground at 15th Annual Engineering Challenge

2018 Engineering Challenge Committee | January 10, 2019

Each year, the Engineering Challenge gives our team members an opportunity to highlight their creative and technical expertise, while bringing together our teams across the world during the holidays. The addition this year of the new teams from other Weir locations added to the fun and sense of collective, collaborative celebration.

Meet the Robinsons: Career Growth at Weir

Kat Robinson | December 12, 2018

Even though Allen Robinson retired at the end of 2017, his story continues to inspire his daughter, Kat, and her colleagues at Weir—not only to constantly seek new challenges and opportunities as Allen did, but also to be proud of the company they work for.

Weir Shares Expertise with Future Engineers at West Albany High School

Kevin Stangeland Kevin Stangeland | November 28, 2018

Throughout the semester, three engineers have visited a group of students at West Albany High School. Find out what happened when we gave the students a glimpse at a "day in the life of an engineer."

Weir-ESCO Hosts 43rd Annual Harvest Dinner for Friendly House

Mike Funke and Kristol Cohn | November 14, 2018

On October 27, ESCO, a Weir Group Division, hosted the 43rd Harvest Dinner in coordination with Friendly House, a local nonprofit dedicated to creating a thriving community by connecting people of all ages and backgrounds.

ESCO Hosts Beaverton High School Students for Future Day 2018

Chris Grewell | October 31, 2018

Did you know what you wanted to do when you were 14 or 15 years old? Weir and Beaverton High School are working to get kids thinking about their futures and the steps they need to take to reach their goals earlier.

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Boy Scouts Build Preserves Camp Clark for Future Generations

Steve Sester | October 17, 2018

Rain or shine ESCO employees take on an ambitious project each year along the Oregon Coast: the annual Boy Scouts of America Build at Camp Clark.

ESCO Engineers Follow Product Lifecycle from Start to Finish

Clinton Wood | October 3, 2018

It’s uncommon for people to connect mining with innovation or high-tech, but the small part Clinton gets to play in the industry allows him to actively contribute to the full product life cycle every day and be part of the continued success of a world-class brand.

ESCO Celebrates Long History with OMSI at 2018 Maker Faire

Eric Blackburn | September 19, 2018

ESCO fired up its casting booth at the annual OMSI Maker Faire held on September 15-16, 2018. While ESCO’s connection to OMSI is deeply rooted in the Swigert family, its legacy will live on and grow as our community and our society continues to focus on STEM education.

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In the Heart of Slabtown: ESCO Shares History and Future of Innovation

Kat Robinson | September 5, 2018

Not many Portlanders know that Slabtown gets its name from the large quantities of slab wood. We’ve been designing and manufacturing innovative products in the neighborhood since 1913. Join us at the 2018 Slabtown Festival on September 8.

ESCO Provides Research Opportunities for PSU Engineering Students

Daniel Widlund | August 22, 2018

Portland State University students gain major support with their research-based projects in collaboration with the Oregon Metals Initiative. Learn why this type of initiative hits close to home for ESCO's Chief Metallurgist.

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Shared Passion for Engineering Leads Lo Brothers to Innovation Center

August 8, 2018

Brothers Pha and Phai, and their cousin Hue, all started their careers at ESCO working in operations. Today they work in the Hank Swigert Center for Innovation, but the paths they each took to reach that point and find their passion for innovation and engineering varied.

Weir-ESCO Partnership Comes Full Circle for Long-time ESCO Employee

July 25, 2018

As one of few current ESCO employees who has worked for Weir in the past, Hamilton has the unique experience of watching his career co me full circle as the two companies become one.

FIRST LEGO Robotics Provides STEM Learning at All Ages

James Ritzman | July 11, 2018

LEGOs is a perfect medium for learning, because it is intrinsically modular, includes interconnectable parts, and you can easily use existing elements to build prototypes and test hypotheses. An ESCO colleague shows us how he is inspiring the future STEM leaders of tomorrow just as FIRST LEGO League seeks to do.

Baja SAE Partnership Promotes STEM Education, Experiential Learning and Workforce Development

by Steven Hyde | June 27, 2018

Oregon will have an estimated 40,000 new job openings per year in STEM-related fields by 2020. When looking at current and future STEM jobs in Oregon, it is ever more important that we continue to support all partnerships between industry and STEM programming like Baja SAE Oregon.

ESCO and Camp Fire Columbia Dedicated to Community Engagement

by Nancy Schmugge | June 12, 2018

I recently joined the Board of Directors for Camp Fire Columbia, a youth development organization that aims to build caring, confident youth and future leaders. In serving as a Camp Fire board member, I recognized that a major part of our culture at ESCO is about supporting the communities where we live and work.

How ESCO’s Commitment to Higher Education Impacted my Career

by Beatriz Moraga | June 1, 2018

Beatriz Moraga shares how her days as a student attending Portland State University and ESCO's support to higher education led her to landing a dream job with our company.

ESCO Shares Education, Career Opportunities on Take Your Child to Work Day

by Dan Kearsley | May 17, 2018

For our annual Take Your Child to Work Day event on April 26, we hosted a fun, hands-on experience for children of
ESCO employees. This is a U.S.-based event best known for introducing careers to children of all ages. At ESCO we
offered a variety of activities showcasing what we do as a company, as well as the educational and career opportunities
that exist in different fields.

ESCO Celebrates Earth Day with Forest Park Conservancy

by Dziugas Radzius | May 2, 2018

More than 30 ESCO volunteers dedicated their Friday afternoon to wheel-barrowing 12,500 pounds of large rocks and gravel to be staged for future trail work later this summer.

Misty Rogers Honored with 2018 STEP Ahead Award

by Todd Steimer | April 24, 2018

We have many outstanding employees here at ESCO, but it is important to recognize the unsung heroes—those whose contributions often take place behind the scenes. Misty Rogers, our North American systems manager, is one of those unsung heroes.

ESCO Supports Local Robotics Team with Custom-Built Parts

by Kevin Stangeland | April 4, 2018

I’d like to highlight a group of high school students right here in our own backyard who sought new opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).

ESCO Celebrates International Women's Day with Lean In Discussion

by Brittni Beers-Branco | March 21, 2018

In recognition of International Women’s Day, ESCO recently held an event for our female employees both in Portland and across the United States based on the book, Lean In, by Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg.

STEM Gender Inequality - the Workforce Problem and ESCO's Commitment to be Part of the Solution

by Sarah Heiner | March 7, 2018

Many industries, civic leaders and non-profits have wrestled with the question of how to bring more women into the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) workforce and support career advancement.

How Engineering Companies can Help Make STEM fun

by Anna Thames | February 21, 2018

As one of the leading engineering companies in the world, ESCO is dedicated to expanding student interest and access to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education. But, with all of the noise and distraction in the world, how do we cut through the chaos and encourage students to engage with STEM education tools?

Oregon Must Solve Fiscal Challenges and Invest in the Future

by Jon Owens | February 14, 2018

For many companies like Esco, the question remains: What will we need our workers to do in the future?

‭(Hidden)‬ Career Growth Fuels the Building of Stronger Communities