Month: March 2025

Originally published on Saint-Gobain North America LinkedIn

For people entering the workforce with a degree in engineering, one of the best ways to start a career is through an early career program such as Saint-Gobain North America’s Essentials of Manufacturing (EOM) program. Over the course of 18 months, participants work in a full-time operational role while learning about Saint-Gobain’s business, products, and bridging the gap between educational theory and real-life manufacturing practices.

Mackenzie Moore, a West Virginia University graduate and EOM Engineer at the CertainTeed Gypsum Plant in Moundsville, WV, graduated from the Essentials of Manufacturing program in December 2024. She continued to learn technical and soft skills through the program while she was still in a learning mindset. The supportive environment of this program allows for engineers to work through challenges as part of the learning process.

“The EOM program has given me the opportunity to grow in ways I didn’t think were possible before joining Saint-Gobain. I was able to travel across the US, visiting different plants and learning about various processes, which pushed me outside of my comfort zone and kept me learning.” 

– Mackenzie Moore

When Allie Brayton joined EOM in 2023, she was transitioning from the world of R&D into manufacturing and did not know the doors this opportunity would open for her.

“The various learning and development opportunities provided by the program along with the superb networking helped me flourish in this company right from the get-go, which has helped progress my career far beyond where I thought I would go,” said Allie. “In such a short period of time, I have moved from a local plant to a national role and now into a global position in under two years.”

One of the greatest advantages of the EOM program is the breadth of knowledge and experience it provides, according to Megan Conard, current EOM engineer. Not only does the Essentials of Manufacturing program encourage strong connections within the industry, it can open a variety of different doors. Megan, Mackenzie, and Allie are currently enrolled in the company’s Essentials Global Experience, an international career development opportunity in Paris, France.

Many people who graduate from Essentials of Manufacturing enter into full-time careers within Saint-Gobain, like Benjamin Thieme, current Plant Manager at our GCP facility near Chicago, IL. When he began his career as an EOM engineer for ADFORS in 2022, he imagined that he would be designing and making parts for a company. At Saint-Gobain, he was exposed to so many different aspects of the manufacturing industry, and his career has thrived.

“From an overall standpoint, the EOM program exposed me to the Saint-Gobain way of doing things,” said Ben. “I didn’t feel like just an ADFORS employee but had more visibility into what all of Saint-Gobain North America was doing. So now at my plant in Chicago, I know what Saint-Gobain wants across all its businesses and how I can drive those initiatives at my plant.”

As part of our current and largest EOM cohort to date, Jake Mcbride says working as a sustainability engineer has been an amazing opportunity for him. He’s been able to lead projects and contribute meaningful change, which is a different experience than many of his friends from college.

There are so many possibilities for career and personal growth with Saint-Gobain North America. And we are currently hiring for the next cohort of Essentials of Manufacturing Engineers in both the United States and Canada. Check out our open early career engineering jobs.

Southwire Company, LLC., the leading North American manufacturer of wire and cable, will tap Plug Power Inc. (NASDAQ: PLUG), a global leader in hydrogen solutions for the green hydrogen economy, to implement a green hydrogen ecosystem at its new distribution site in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas.

This initiative marks Plug’s entry into the industrial supplier market, building on its established presence in the e-commerce and retail sectors. Through this partnership with Southwire, Plug is expanding its reach by demonstrating the versatility and appeal of its green hydrogen solutions in new markets.

Under the recently signed agreement, Plug will supply more than 50 hydrogen-powered forklifts, equipped with GenDrive fuel cells, and a fueling station featuring four GenFuel dispensers. Plug will also source hydrogen from one of its production facilities in Georgia, Tennessee or Louisiana. Additionally, Plug will provide on-site service for the fuel cells for an initial five-year period and maintain the hydrogen infrastructure for 10 years.

Aiming to accelerate carbon reduction goals from the supply chain, Southwire has embedded sustainability into the strategy and its business practices. The company’s commitment to sustainability encompasses promoting energy and water efficiency, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, sourcing and redesigning with sustainable materials and enhancing circular economy. The Plug solution is expected to displace over 1 million pounds of CO2 per year from our direct operations.

“The deployment of our hydrogen and fuel cell solutions at Southwire reflects our laser-focused commitment to our core markets and a return to the fundamentals that have driven our success,” said Plug CEO, Andy Marsh. “Today, sustainability is a critical factor in the decision-making processes of many organizations. Our innovative hydrogen infrastructure provides a sustainable alternative at any scale.”

“Our partnership with Plug Power is a testament to the commitment of our stakeholders, as well as our team members to ensure sustainability is part of our culture, embedded in our daily decision-making process,” said Se Oh, Southwire’s vice president of operations sustainability. “As we seek to discover what is possible, we’ll continue to leverage our partners such as Plug Power to help make Southwire generationally sustainable for the next 75 years and beyond.”

Plug revolutionized the material handling industry by establishing the first commercial market for fuel cells. Designed as direct replacements for traditional batteries, Plug’s fuel cells deliver reliable, consistent power while eliminating emissions. With the added benefit of clean hydrogen supply, Plug enables customers to keep their fleets running 24/7, maximizing productivity and operational efficiency.

About Plug Power

Plug is building the global hydrogen economy with a fully integrated ecosystem spanning production, storage, delivery, and power generation. A first mover in the industry, Plug provides electrolyzers, liquid hydrogen, fuel cell systems, storage tanks, and fueling infrastructure to industries such as material handling, industrial applications and energy producers—advancing energy independence and decarbonization at scale.

With electrolyzers deployed across five continents, Plug leads in hydrogen production, delivering large-scale projects that redefine industrial power. The company has deployed over 70,000 fuel cell systems and 250 fueling stations and is the largest user of liquid hydrogen. Plug is rapidly expanding its generation network to ensure reliable, domestically produced supply, with hydrogen plants currently operational in Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana, producing 39 tons per day.

With employees and state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities across the globe, Plug powers global leaders like Walmart, Amazon, Home Depot, BMW, and BP.
For more information, visit www.plugpower.com.

For more Southwire news, visit www.southwire.com/newsroom. To learn more about Southwire’s commitment to sustainability, visit www.southwire.com/sustainability.