Original article posted on the AEM website. Download the press release here.
------
AEM member company Melfred Borzall hosted U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.) this week for a tour of their facility in Santa Maria, California. The visit included a roundtable discussion with company leadership on how the AEM-supported, bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) has helped Melfred Borzall add employees and equipment while also giving them the ability to invest in their facility’s expansion. Earlier, Melfred Borzall was awarded Special Congressional Recognition in honor of receiving the Industry Innovation Award for our outstanding and invaluable service to the community. It was an honor for Melfred Borzall to be a pioneer in the path forward for local and national jobs and infrastructure investment.
During the visit, Melfred Borzall’s family leadership team of Dick, Eric, and Peter Melsheimer thanked Representative Carbajal for his leadership in passing the IIJA, the legislation also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that provides historic investment in core infrastructure needs in the United States.
“As a multi-generational, family-owned company, we were incredibly honored to have Congressman Carbajal visit with us and get a firsthand look at how the bipartisan infrastructure law has helped us invest in our people and equipment so we can continue helping build the world,” said Peter Melsheimer. “We really appreciate the time he spent touring our facility and meeting with our employees because they’re the ones who are ultimately benefitting from his leadership in getting this legislation passed into law.”
Underground Tooling manufactured by Melfred Borzall are used in IIJA-supported projects such as upgrades to underground U.S. power infrastructure, telecommunication networks, and natural gas infrastructure.
"Central Coast manufacturers like Melfred Borzall, a 78-year staple in our region, are economic powerhouses, not only supporting hundreds of good-paying jobs around our region but also taking steps to foster the next generation and harness 21st-century technologies,” said Rep. Carbajal. “And with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law boosting investment in broadband, manufacturing, and public-private partnerships, the Melfred Borzall team is on the frontlines of making those projects a reality both in Northern Santa Barbara County and across the country. I appreciate the Melsheimer family and the entire team for taking me on a tour of their facilities and showing me the cutting-edge work they are doing every single day."
Employees also received an I Make America Explained presentation and were treated to a Santa Maria-style barbeque.
"Taking the opportunity to walk through grassroots advocacy and important policy issues with the employees is a critical building block of successful advocacy at our association," said Wade Balkonis, AEM's director of grassroots advocacy. "Coupling the I Make America Explained presentation with a formal facility visit from an elected official is a textbook way to celebrate equipment manufacturing and empower folks to make a difference for their industry."
