News photo by Josh Jambor The former DPI plant sits empty after years of operations. Manufacturers like DPI are critical to the local economy.

ALPENA – Alpena was founded in 1871, but its first settlement arrived in the area in the 1830s with a focus on local fishing, but over time, it became a manufacturing stronghold not only in Michigan, but around the globe.

The earliest manufacturing businesses locally stemmed from fishing and logging operations. In the 1830s logging companies locally were at their peak.

Between the 1850’s and 1920’s the area produced billions of board feet of timber to build cities such as Chicago and Cleveland.

In 1855, James Lockwood, John Minor, George Fletcher and John Oldfield purchased land at the mouth of Thunder Bay River. The group acquired 450 acres of land. That property later became Abitibi and Decorative Panel International. It operated in Alpena until the plant closed in 2024.

The Alpena Portland Cement Company was formed by local lumber barons in 1899. In 1902 Herman and Jesse Besser purchased their first crude concrete block-making machine. This was the beginning of the Besser Company. Alpena is still the home for Besser’s world headquarters and produces products around the globe.

In 1904 Besser developed the first hand-tamp block machine. Which is a manual, stationary device used to produce concrete blocks.

The Huron Portland Cement Company, now Amrize, was founded in 1908 and owned the cement plant in Alpena. Although it has exchanged hands several times and underwent several name changes, it still has a major presence in Alpena and helps to bolster the local economy by providing high-paying jobs and being a corporate sponsor for many local events and groups.

The early days of manufacturing locally, outside of fishing, and logging, include the Alpena Motor Car Company (or AMCC).

AMCC arrived in the area in 1910 to produce the “Alpena Flyer” automobile. According to historical data they set up shop at a location on Elm Street.

The company built roughly 480 vehicles, including the Model J and Model F, before declaring bankruptcy in 1914.

The Alpena Garment Factory opened in 1923 as a northern Michigan manufacturer specializing in women’s dresses. The factory closed in 1940 after its workforce went on strike over long hours and low wages.

The Alpena area was a major nineteenth century lumbering powerhouse. Some even considered Alpena the “Metropolis of the North.”

Well known for its white pine, a highly sought-after type of lumber because it’s tall and straight which made it Ideal for construction and for building ship masts.

Throughout the years, many businesses have come and gone. Logging dominated the early years of manufacturing in Alpena, before cement and limestone became the primary resources manufactured locally.

To keep up with the ever-changing ways of the world, local Alpena leaders understand they have to get innovative to keep and grow jobs in the area.

The Future of Local Manufacturing

Lenny Avery, executive director of Target Alpena Development Corp., said the history of manufacturing careers in the area is storied and important. He said larger manufacturing operations might be dwindling, but there is still demand for manufacturing business opportunities and labor to operate them

“Manufacturing opportunities in Alpena haven’t disappeared over the last decade–they’ve changed,” Avery explained. “We’ve seen fewer large, labor-intensive operations, but continued demand for skilled manufacturing jobs tied to existing employers, particularly in maintenance, electrical, machining, and process improvement,” Avery said.

Skilled manufacturing jobs require education or an apprenticeship. Technology is evolving quickly and the need to acquire an education needed to meet the qualifications of some manufacturers. To help bolster the local manufacturing workforce, the Alpena Community College offers several programs that help students learn more about products local manufacturers produce.

Don MacMaster, president of Alpena Community College,explained what resources it offers for people considering careers in local manufacturing.

“ACC offers three manufacturing options. One is a basic machine tool technology certificate and the second is for an advanced certificate. The third is a machine tool technology Associate in Applied Science Degree,” McMaster said.

Macmaster explained that classes offered include machining processes, manufacturing processes, 3D modeling, tech math, intermediate algebra, computer-aided manufacturing, plane trigonometry, jigs and fixtures, machine design, material science, and applied physics.

To keep up with the ever changing landscape of manufacturing, ACC is always looking to bolster its curriculum to train students that could benefit local companies.

“Manufacturing is constantly changing and ACC needs to stay current or ahead of these changes in order to provide students with the skills needed to succeed in a workplace setting,” MacMaster explained.

ACC believes in investing in the future of manufacturing.

“In 2023-24 ACC invested $3.5 million to upgrade our manufacturing and welding labs focusing on improving the instructional space, the technology, and integrating new processes into the curriculum,” MacMaster said.

The education you will receive right here in Alpena county is top notch, MacMaster said.

“We are told that our labs and the technology we teach is the best north of Ferris State University, which is nationally known for their leadership in welding and manufacturing,” MacMaster said.

Ten years from now it is unknown what a career in manufacturing will look like locally, as new technology and products make gains in the marketplace. With the continuously changing technology, it’s clear that skilled positions will dominate job boards.

“Looking ahead 10 years, I expect modest growth in manufacturing opportunities, especially in higher-skill roles,” Avery said.

To bring more opportunities to the area Avery said, “most of that growth will come from reinvestment and modernization at existing facilities, not from large new plants.”

One way to bring those new manufacturing opportunities to the area is by utilizing qualified opportunity zones (QOZ)..

According to the IRS, a QOZ is “an economic development tool that allows people to invest in distressed areas in the United States.”

It further states that their purpose is to spur economic growth and job creation in low-income communities while providing tax benefits to investors.

Avery explained how these zones can help bring future jobs to the area.

“Qualified Opportunity Zones can help by attracting long-term private capital for facility upgrades or redevelopment, but they’re not a silver bullet,” Avery explained. “In a rural community, QOZ incentives work best when they’re layered with other tools and when workforce and site readiness issues are already being addressed.”

Although technology has made some jobs obsolete, overall Avery believes the jobs of the future will require employees with skilled education to keep manufacturers going strong.

“Technology will change manufacturing jobs more than it eliminates them,” Avery said. “Automation reduces repetitive tasks but increases the need for skilled technicians and trades.”

For the Alpena area, staying on top of technological advances could be key to survival.

“For rural communities like Alpena, adopting new technology is often about staying competitive and retaining manufacturing jobs, not replacing them,” Avery said.