Loos Machine

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turing new market segments while penetrating a new labor market,” Mertens said.

The growth in a whole new labor market has been helpful for the company but Mertens said it didn’t come without its challenges.

“Overall, the addition of our Bruce location has been quite successful,” Mertens said. “There have been certain small challenges in integrating our operations and culture but some are to be expected within any acquisition. We are excited for the opportunities it has brought us.” The hard working culture at Loos A staple of the Midwest has been the region’s hard-working mentality. Loos Machine and Automation is the perfect embodiment of what it means to work hard. The company builds automated systems for manufacturers of all sorts but have made a living creating manufacturing systems for the dairy and food industries.

The hardworking culture of the business has largely been created using a tactic that keeps the company a tight-knit group: find and keep employees from local areas. A good percentage of the company’s employees come from central Wisconsin. High schoolers from Colby and Abbotsford have participated in school-to-work programs that have allowed them to get paid for work done during the school day. The program can lead to opportunities for full-time positions after graduation. Not only do high school students choose to stay and work for their hometown company, but a number of Loos engineers have gone to college to get engineering degrees and have returned home to work for the company. Many of the employees you see working in the shops and offices today grew up and stayed in central Wisconsin.

The culture that Loos has instilled in its walls is part of the reason why the team is able to build on its success.

“Employees who work well together can achieve greater results, generate new ideas and drive our company forward,” Mertens said. “The collective skills of our employees contribute to our overall success. Without them, Loos would not be where we are today.”

Mertens said the company’s employees are not only a family, they are very good at what they do.

“Our employees bring their expertise, skills and knowledge to the organization,” Mertens said. “Their specialized knowledge and abilities are essential for executing tasks, solving problems and driving innovation within their respective roles and departments.”

The company hosts Christmas parties, golf outings, employee appreciation days and more to help show its appreciation to the hard work everyone has put in. Rising with the tide Being a part of the community they grew up in, many Loos employees currently help create a community within the Loos facilities and outside of them as well. The Loos name can be seen on posters, structures and plaques all over Colby as they have promoted and given donations to schools, Colby Community Library and other entities within the community.

Spectators at Colby Cheese Days can often see Loos employees volunteering at the beer tent or walking in the parade. They can also be seen donating time, money and supplies to local schools and organizations.

The company has allowed high school and even middle school classes to come to their facilities to learn about the engineering and precision that goes into each piece of machinery.

Mertens said the investment in the community helps the ship rise with the tide.

“Our communities are important to all of us at Loos - it’s where we all live and where most have grown up,” Mertens said. “Anything that we can do to give back and support those around our communities only further aids in securing our employee base and their families.”

The team has ensured that as long as Loos is around, the communities they serve will be better off because of it.

Loos encourages anyone who is interested in automation, fabricating or any related field to check out their opportunities for employment on their website at www.loosmachine.com/jobs.