Jeff Kaphengst (Left) had the opportunity to tour Brooke Industries, Inc. (Bi) in Fond du Lac this week. Kelli Hughes (Mid Left), Executive Director, Mike Arnold (Mid Right), Sales and Marketing Director and Cory Immel (Right), Accounting Director, took Jeff through their beautiful facility.
The Bi facility boasts a huge production area, a newly remodeled Day Services area, a recently expanded warehouse area and loading dock, and a 3,000 square foot refrigerated storage area. Bi provides facility-based Organizational Employment Services, Transitional Services, Supported Employment Services, Adult Day Services, Vocational Assessment Services and a Summer Program. The Bi workforce was engaged in numerous projects, including bearing inspection and packaging for Mercury Marine, food labeling, and packaging for Johnsonville, Klement’s and other food manufacturers, cardboard pallet construction for International Paper, linen services, and label screen printing. Kelli stated that Bi’s biggest challenge has been in relation to WIOA and its impact on Bi’s workforce, which has decreased significantly from their numbers pre-WIOA.