Our trip to Virginia Industrial Plastics was a fantastic learning experience. Mr. Brent Mercer (President) was our host and provided us with a business history, safety refresher lesson, plant tour, and then wrapped up the visit with lunch (pizza and refreshments). Thanks so much to all of the employees of Virginia Industrial Plastics and their gracious hospitality, and to the Blue Ridge Tech Prep Consortium and Mr. Lester Smith for the financial assistance and funding of this event.

Throughout the tour, students learned about the company, and how it got started from the President, Brent Mercer. They spoke to engineers, and workers throughout the plant, and saw what a “day in the life” was as the employees carried out their various jobs… making, creating, trouble shooting, and problem solving for themselves, and for their many and varied customers… Topics such as Safety, Accident Prevention, Ordering of Materials, Fabrication, Recycling, Security, Distribution, and Materials Handling, Working Conditions, and much more were discussed…

Job Safety, Engineering, Sketching, Computer Designing using SolidWorks, Laser Cutting, CNC-Computer Numerical Control, Robotics, 5 Axis and 6 Axis Machining, Vacuum Forming, and many other terms, and processes were shared during our plant tour…. From Development, through mold making, and production…

5 and 6 Axis Industrial Robots at work cutting out “high end” after- market parts for Golf Carts.

This trip concludes a school-year long adventure for the Skyline Middle School Technology Education Department. The $3100 grant included the purchase and set-up of a vacuum forming system, as well as working with Virginia Industrial Plastics to create a mold, supply material, and to provide help and expertise with the system. The last step of the process was our visiting their facilities.

This trip concludes a school-year long adventure for the Skyline Middle School Technology Education Department. The $3100+ grant included the purchase and set-up of a vacuum forming system, as well as working with Virginia Industrial Plastics to create a mold, supply material, and to provide help and expertise with the system. The last step of the process was our visiting their facilities.