CEO Paul Hill gives the check to Curry County Director of Administration Julie Schmelzer
GOLD BEACH, Ore. – July 2, 2015 – (Marine NewsWire) In a rare example of corporate-county collaboration for community well-being, Gold Beach, Ore.-based Freeman Marine partnered with Curry County administration to light up the historic Isaac Lee Patterson Bridge. Freeman Marine has been manufacturing in the county for more than 40 years and employs over 120 people. Best known for marine closures, Freeman products are used in military, government and heavy-duty commercial applications.
The people at Freeman Marine feel very strongly attached to each other and to their community. The project to light up the 80-year old, 579-m long concrete arch bridge was on Curry County’s agenda for many years but didn’t take off due to a lack of funds. The closely knit community was getting nostalgic about the glory days of the bridge when it used to be lit up and created wonderful reflections on the Rogue River. The bulbs burnt out, one by one, over the years and the county didn’t have the means to replace them. When Freeman employees brought this up with the management, the team led by chief executive officer Paul Hill immediately approved the funding to replace all bulbs.
“It’s about collaboration. It is at the heart of what we do at our different brands and what we stand for. It is about our people giving back to the community they are part of, ” said Hill.
“I am very impressed with the commitment Freeman and its employees have to the community. It gives me hope that the people care and will do what it takes to improve their community. I’m optimistic Freeman’s leadership will inspire others to engage and be just as supportive. I hope everyone can make it to the bridge lighting ceremony on Sept. 19. We’ll light the bridge at dusk and there will be music and other fun stuff, ” said Julie A. Schmelzer, director of administration for Curry County, Ore.
“I am so excited about this, and I think it might have been a real struggle to amass those kinds of funds. What a great example of community care!” said Jane Stebbins, reporter of the local Curry Coastal Pilot magazine who covered a special BBQ event held at the Freeman manufacturing plant where Hill officially handed over a check for U.S. $9, 893 to Curry County.
About Freeman Marine
Freeman Marine began in 1975 servicing commercial vessels and luxury yachts. Freeman’s first product, an aluminum watertight caste hatch, featuring a unique patented sealing mechanism, has become the industry standard.
Today, Freeman Marine provides a broad range of cast and fabricated closures for yacht, commercial and security markets as well as for civil engineering projects to its customers in over 30 countries. Freeman’s projects range from one-off custom designs to multi-vessel productions.
Freeman Marine is an ISO 9001:2008 registered firm with an 85, 000-square-foot integrated fabrication facility. It operates following lean manufacturing techniques. The company has a full fabrication facility including heavy lifting capabilities for large fabrication projects.
About AdvanTec Global Innovations
AdvanTec Global Innovations (www.advantecglobal.com) is a family of companies, many that have been serving customers around the globe for more than 50 years. AdvanTec’s breadth of products and services is vast, with capabilities across land- and sea-based structural manufacturing and fabrication. AdvanTec’s family of brands include: Advanced Bending Technologies; Advanced Flow Systems; Diamond Sea Glaze; Freeman Marine; Manly Marine; Pacific Coast Marine; RM MachineWorks; Steelhead Marine; and Surround Technologies. AdvanTec Global Innovations is headquartered in Canada.
