Meet Isaac Trevino. Isaac is the business development manager for Best Tool & Engineering (BTE) in Clinton Township, Michigan. BTE is a turnkey supplier of plastic components. The shop produces plastic components through injection molding and plastic welding (vibration and hot plate) for prototype runs up to a couple hundred thousand parts per year for the medical, automotive and consumer products industries.

Isaac manages all programs for BTE’s tooling division. He is in close communication with key accounts and other customers. He creates schedules and coordinates purchasing for each job. He also helps on the shop floor, organizing incoming material or assisting in fixture assembly. When he’s not program managing, he works closely with BTE President, Joe Cherluck on retaining tribal knowledge, creating lean systems, training and culture and adopting Industry 4.0 technologies.

Isaac holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering but had virtually no moldmaking experience before BTE. He started his career in 2014 interning at Shannon Precision Fasteners then later at Denso for a couple of years in quality and HVAC. 

After graduating from the University of Detroit Mercy in 2017, Isaac worked full-time for Tarus, one of the last “Made in USA” CNC machine manufacturers. At roughly 100 employees and a centralized location, it was the perfect size to learn what goes into manufacturing and gave Isaac insight into the business world. In addition, he was the only mechanical designer for the electrical and final assembly departments.

“Working alongside moldmakers has taught me a lot about critical thinking, thinking creatively and being curious. So, while my hands may be soft, my heart and mind are calloused with the knowledge that I continue to soak up in being in this trade.”

After a couple of years, his entrepreneurial spirit was fueled, and he decided to transition into sales and worked for Element Materials Technologies. This experience taught Isaac the importance of data and business development. Having been laid off during the pandemic, he decided that this was a great opportunity to either start his own business or work with his father-in-law and take over the business — so he decided to do both.

“Since working with Joe, it’s as if everything I’ve learned over the years has come together in perfect harmony and is now aggressively growing,” Isaac says. “Working in manufacturing and with Joe satisfies my engineering background and allows me to develop myself in entrepreneurship further. I’ve always highly respected moldmakers, anyone dedicated to their craft. Working alongside them has taught me a lot about critical thinking, thinking creatively and being curious. So, while my hands may be soft, my heart and mind are calloused with the knowledge that I continue to soak up in being in this trade.”

Serving on MMT’s EAB, Isaac looks forward to getting more involved with the industry, building new relationships and sharing his insight in shaping the manufacturing environment for the next generation.

Isaac is recently married and just had his first child in February. He is a musician, usually singing and playing guitar, and he’s starting to get into sewing.