Michigan Manufacturer Helping to Build Strong 21st Century Workforce to Compete Globally

Romeo RIM is actively engaging in the community with the Ford NGL (Next Generation Learning) initiative, a unique and comprehensive program building a strong 21st century workforce.

Romeo RIM is expanding its efforts after hosting Romeo High School students for the Macomb County Manufacturing Day at the company’s 173,000-square ft. innovation campus exposing them to engineering and manufacturing technology, experienced professionals and best practices.

“Our role is to mentor some of these kids. We hope to have students better prepared to enter college or directly into the work environment including the manufacturing world,” Business Unit Manager Bill Buchanan said.

According to Buchanan, communication skills are as essential as technical skills when it comes to getting young adults ready to work. The Ford NGL high school transformation model exposes students to real-world work environments, showcasing needs for such skills. 

The initiative bringing together educators, employers, and community leaders is entering phase 2, envisioning the future of Romeo High School and creating the underlying structures for business and community engagement.

Among other efforts working directly with students in areas such as offering internships, Romeo RIM will be playing an active role on the initiative’s steering committee. Goals and responsibilities of the committee include cultivating engagement and buy-in within the community; monitoring progress of developing and implementing a master plan; championing sustainability; and assessing new opportunities to engage the community.

Romeo RIM’s LFI technology uses a mix of polyurethane and chopped fiberglass in molds to create products with the unique combination of superior strength and light weight. Romeo RIM was the first company to bring LFI to North America, providing customers with advantages including lower tooling and production costs, dimensional stability, and optimized weight and strength.

The company’s manufacturing technology includes seven highly automated molding machines for parts up to 10 ‘ x 4.5’ x 1’, robot-controlled painting and molding equipment, and a 400-ton, 12' x 12' double shuttle press, which is the largest in North America.