Last Friday was a pretty exciting day here at DR headquarters, because it was the second annual Manufacturing Day. And as a company that builds its own machines right here in Vermont, we were very happy to be a part of it! Manufacturing Day is a nationwide event that aims to raise awareness about the prevalence of manufacturing in the US, educate the public about the challenges it faces, and allay some common misconceptions about the sector.

Each year, manufacturers from around the country open their doors to visitors for tours, demonstrations, and seminars. This year, over 800 manufacturers participated, making it the event’s biggest year yet. DR hosted students and community members at our manufacturing facility in Winooski, Vermont for an inside look at our engineering, manufacturing, and shipping processes. Visitors heard firsthand about how DR products are designed from the ground up by the engineering team, how each component and structure is tested for durability, how the manufacturing team builds each machine by hand, and how orders are processed and shipped directly to customers.

The visitors, many of whom were students from local high schools and technology education programs, were excited to learn more about manufacturing career opportunities and how the skills they learn in the classroom translate into a real-world work environment.

Here’s your own inside look at the DR manufacturing facility: