Weir - ESCO Division

Meet Dan Gorgas.

Since starting as a summer helper at Weir’s ESCO foundry in Newton, Mississippi, Dan Gorgas has worked in 14 different roles under eight site leaders. On 1 July, he marked an impressive 50 years of service.

Dan cut his teeth at the foundry digging out the sand from the molding lines. From there, he moved up through the maintenance, melting, methods and heat treat departments before spending about a decade in quality creating written work instructions for the site. He was named to his current position, operations manager, in 2022.

“Each experience provided new perspectives and contributed to my development as both an employee and a leader,” says Dan.

“When I began, our operations were entirely manual,” he says. “We relied on circular paper charts to measure oven temperatures, hand-held calculators and handwritten logs to manage production. Over time, I had the opportunity to work alongside many skilled metallurgists and engineers as we modernized our processes and improved our capabilities.”

During his five decades, the business’s customer base evolved significantly, too. What was once primarily a North American business is now a global operation.

Of all his roles over the years, Dan says his time in quality made the biggest impression because it allowed him to see how different functions within the operation fit together. But what stands out most to him are the relationships built along the way.

“Many colleagues became far more than coworkers — they became trusted partners, mentors and friends,” Dan shares. “Those relationships have been the most meaningful and lasting part of my career.” Many of those colleagues – past and present – and family members turned out for a special celebration in Newton honoring Dan and his lengthy service.

Congratulations, Dan, and thank you for your countless contributions over the last 50 years!

PHOTO GALLERY

One week ago on 12 June, we celebrated PRIDE at Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) during an event that blended STEM learning with the spirit of inclusion. Our mobile metal casting booth brought together two core elements of Weir’s culture and purpose: the craft and innovation behind manufacturing and engineering, and the power of community and belonging.

Thank you to our incredible Weir employees and family members who kept our mobile casting booth running smoothly for four nonstop hours. What a meaningful way to honor Pride Month in the Portland community!

PHOTO GALLERY

Today is World Environment Day and Weir is proud to observe it in locally meaningful ways. For the 12th consecutive year, 45 Weir Portland teammates joined up with Forest Park Conservancy to roll up their sleeves in a place that means a lot: a 5,200-acre urban forest, a stone’s throw away from ESCO Division headquarters.

We cleared a couple of miles of overgrown brush, which enables runners, walkers, hikers and other outdoor adventurists to continue enjoying the grounds. We want to give a big shout-out to our employee volunteers and Dziugas Radzius for making this another unforgettable and impactful World Environment Day experience!

Forest Park Conservancy