Koch donates $200K of steel to Assiniboine

BRANDON, Man. (March 14, 2018)— Welding students at Assiniboine Community College are benefiting from excellent learning opportunities provided by Koch Fertilizer Canada’s donation of nearly $200,000 worth of steel.

“This donation helped students gain experience in welding a variety of different stainless steel products not normally welded in the school environment,” Welding instructor James McGhie said.

Koch Fertilizer occasionally has material left over from other jobs or material where the markings become illegible or the supporting documentation is no longer available.  This material cannot be used in the plant as it is not 100 per cent identifiable.

On approval from Paul Liddle, the Plant Manager, Henry Verner, the Transportation Compliance Coordinator, was tasked to clean up the material and have it removed from the site.  He contacted McGhie to see if the material could be put to good use in the college’s Welding program.

“I thought Jimmy (McGhie) could do good things with the material to aid in the development of our next generation of welders. I am pleased that our donation will assist the program for years to come,” Verner said.

McGhie said the donation allows instructors to bridge the gap between college classrooms and shops with industry, so students feel confident and comfortable working in these environments upon graduating.

“It helps keep us current and provides us with the information we need on what is in demand from employers, including Koch,” said McGhie. “It offers students a sample of the products currently used in industry that we wouldn’t otherwise be able to fit into our budget.”