PolarWare helps stimulate economy
McClusky is like most other small towns
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Paul Hagen (left), plant manager, and Kim Erdmann, floor manager, take pride in PolarWare’s ability to employ local residents and maintain jobs. |
across North Dakota. It’s a tight-knit community where children play outside until dusk, adults leave their cars unlocked and neighbors drop what they are doing to lend a helping hand.
Unlike many small towns, McClusky is growing and thriving, thanks in part to a major business that employs approximately 30 area residents. PolarWare, a manufacturer of stainless steel products for the food service and medical industries, opened in McClusky in 2000.
Paul Hagen, plant manager, says PolarWare helps stimulate the town’s economy.
“We ship a lot of product from here. We hire local truckers and contractors, and sell some of our scrap locally. We do what we can to employ people and maintain jobs in the area,” he says.
Business serves national chain
With headquarters in Kiel, Wisc., Polar Ware was founded in 1907 by the Walt Vollrath family. In 1926, the business became a pioneer in the industry when it started manufacturing deep-drawn stainless steel products.
As the company continued
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Operator Jason Hausauer runs a first draw and a full-size steam table pan. All of the PolarWare employees are cross-trained to operate almost all of the machines including a press, shear, welder or wash line, or work in packaging. This gives employees the opportunity to learn new tasks and keep their work diverse. |
When Walt visited McClusky, he agreed the building could accommodate PolarWare’s equipment. He was also drawn to the area’s waterfowl hunting opportunities and the residents’ work ethic. PolarWare’s one and only satellite office opened in 2000 to expedite fast-moving items and accommodate larger runs.
Today, PolarWare manufactures more than 2,000 items including steam table pans and covers, mixing bowls, kitchen utensils, sinks, medical small wares, instrument trays and covers. In McClusky, PolarWare makes approximately 230 different product variations.
The stainless steel arrives at the plant in a coil form. From there, employees cut the steel and insert it into a fully robotic press cell. This equipment, which was made in Denmark, cranks out 4,500 pans each work day.
The company sells some steel products to school districts and hospitals which buy direct. But most of the products are sold to wholesalers like Sam’s Club. PolarWare imports and packages utensils like tongs, serving spoons, pizza cutters and sauce cups, and ships them out to Sam’s Clubs across the United States.
Residents earn supplemental income
Paul Hagen owned and operated the local hardware store in McClusky. When PolarWare opened, he closed the store and accepted the position of floor supervisor. He was later promoted to plant manager.
When asked what he does all day, Paul simply says, “Whatever needs to be done.”
He oversees the company’s three shifts and says Walt’s intuition
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Employee Michael Miller deburrs the edge of a steam table pan as it comes out of the press cell. |
on the work ethic was right on target he hasn’t had a problem finding hardworking help yet. Many of the employees are farmers and ranchers who work for PolarWare to supplement their income.
Since the expansion plant opened in McClusky, Paul says PolarWare has added onto the building twice, and he appreciates the plant’s relationship with Capital Electric Cooperative.
“Now we’re at a capacity where I can add more machines, and I’m not taxing my limit of power coming in.”
Paul now rents out the building that was once a hardware store. His wife, Faye, works as a chief financial officer for Northland Health Care, which has offices in Turtle Lake, McClusky and Rolette. They have two grown daughters and one son, and three grandchildren—all boys.
Paul and Faye take motorcycle rides and enjoy watching their grandchildren grow. He says they appreciate living in such a close community.
“I find it interesting that people from metropolitan areas wonder what we do in McClusky. We do everything they do—and more.
“I would much rather live in an atmosphere like this. People can go from here to Medora without a map. They have friends along the way, and they know where to stop for a good burger,” he says.