Manufacturing for Good: Christina Keller of Cascade Engineering
Manufacturing is an essential component of the American economy, comprising almost 12% of economic output, and employing 8.5% of the American workforce in 2018. Yet manufacturing companies often struggle to fill job openings, as millennials flock to other industries that are perceived as having a higher social or environmental impact.
In this episode, we learn about Cascade Engineering, a plastics manufacturing company that is fighting to change the narrative. Christina Keller is the President & CEO of Cascade, a family-owned business based in Michigan, with 14 locations around the U.S. and Hungary. Cascade works in a variety of industries, including transportation, recycling services, office seating, and large-scale plastic molding. Cascade is a registered B-Corporation - one of the only manufacturing companies to have achieved this certification. Christina discusses Cascade's commitment to the triple bottom line of people, planet, and profit, and how her leadership style encourages innovation from unexpected places.
"People often think that plastics is not a environmentally friendly area, but I talk a lot about materiality - using the right materials for the right purposes, focusing on durability," says Christina. "I think Cascade's true value lies in the lives that we've impacted, and how we are leading our community to the next generation."