30 Under 30 Class of 2021: Western-Based Talent Proving Their Mold Manufacturing Grit

West

Kingson Mold and Machine (Brea, California)

Austin Ramos, Junior Moldmaker

Austin is one-of-a-kind. He has been a huge asset to the Kingson Mold family ever since we recruited him back in 2015 while working at a grocery store. Austin was looking for a career, and despite his lack of experience in manufacturing, his attitude and willingness to learn matched what we were looking for in an apprentice.

During Austin’s apprenticeship, he demonstrated that he possessed the characteristics needed to be a successful moldmaker. He is a sponge when it comes to learning. He takes his job very seriously, yet can also be the life of the party. Austin takes ownership of every job he is assigned and any task thrown his way. He programs all of his jobs and manages three to four machines simultaneously. Over the past year, Austin started to project manage his molds and expanded his capabilities into finishing.

Austin is a true leader. His mindset to improve everything he touches has had a positive impact on the entire team. His shop floor colleagues look up to him and lean on him for advice daily. His organization and attention to detail leave little room for error.

Anytime you need something done, the team knows to go to Austin. He will make it happen.

M.R. Mold & Engineering (Brea, California)

Valeria Magadan, Technical Center Manager

Valeria came to M.R. Mold as a press operator but has become so much more in a short amount of time. She shows great potential for becoming an effective leader by always leading by example. She always lends a hand to her coworkers, looks for ways to gain more experience and expand her knowledge base, and takes on challenges beyond her original job description.

Valeria is a valuable asset in the testing center. She uses a variety of inspection equipment for checking molded product, developed procedures for parts handling and removal during production molding and participate in mold installations and removals. She also disassembles, cleans and reassembles cold runner systems, which has given her a better understanding of injection-mold construction.

Valeria seeks more responsibilities. Her ultimate goal is to learn processing. She is intrigued by moldmaking and sees the challenges of generating molding processes and preparing molds to be production-ready. Her strong work ethic, attention to detail and willingness to work with others make her a positive addition to the company.