Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/869069
8 S T U F F • 2 0 1 7 ground can enter and receive on-the- job training." The manufacturing industry had a 3.4-percent unemployment rate in June and expects to need new people. "People are retiring, and businesses need to young employees who have fresh ideas and a new way of doing things," said Susan Janus, regional man- ager for the Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership. Be Hoppy Wormtown Brewery in Worcester is growing by leaps and bounds, with Boston as its No. 1 market, Gillette Stadium as a huge consumer, explod- ing business deals on Cape Cod, and more than 1,500 restaurants carrying its beer, which focuses on using Massachusetts ingredients for products like Be Hoppy IPA. Timothy Wolfe, who has worked for Wormtown Brewery as a shipping pro- duction worker since December, brings military training to new role. This is "the coolest job ever because you're making something that people use and enjoy," Wolfe said. Relationships first, products second Devens manufacturer Laddawn, Inc. is a family-owned operation established in 1976, distributing low-density poly- film to companies small and large, including retailers like Staples. Laddawn uses materials sourced from the Gulf of Mexico to manufacture using a process called Blown Film Extrusion, in which low density polyeth- ylene is extruded in a bubble of film in diameters as large as 150 feet and con- verted downstream in the process to bags, film and tubing. Laddawn is the only packaging company nationwide manufacturing its own product and stocking it as well. Lamika Mitchell, Maggie Cameron, and Marybeth Bonina – customer rela- tionship leaders at Laddawn – were promoted to a position created espe- cially for them because of their excel- lent customer service and work ethic. The "best product at Laddawn are the employees," said Mitchell, adding build- ing client relationships sells products. Bonina left a managerial position at a family-owned business to come work for Laddawn, starting as a part-timer Continued from page 6 Continued on page 10 P H O T O / N A T H A N F I S K E