July 2018

44 45 into the VR layout to make sure everything has clearances and understand how it works in its proposed location.” The Schaefer Group won’t just follow the virtual path into the future, though.White gets back to the basics: “We’re always looking for ways to save energy, better insulate and employ better tech- nology.We’ve done a lot with immersion element furnaces where we have electric elements right down in the bath surrounded by a tube. I think in the future, we’ll be melting that way with elec- tricity. It will take a little more space, but if we can melt at 75 to 80 percent efficiency as op- posed to 68 percent as we do now, that would be a huge benefit.” As the firm focuses on its future, filled with ever-changing technologies and improvements, it recognizes a singular constant over time - the Schaefer Group’s experience, knowledge, and dedication to innovation are all the result of its people. According to White, “Our mission state- ment states that the most important resource The Schaefer Group has is people.” Describing the company’s ethos, he states, “We are a family-owned company. The owner, Dick Schaefer, is Frank Schaefer’s son, and cares greatly about our employees.” But appreciation doesn’t stop there. “We also treat our customers like fam- THE SCHAEFER GROUP PREFERRED VENDOR n Stellar Materials LLC www.thermbond.com ily. Our goal is to help people more than it is to make money.We treat a process or a problem first, and then make money.” This dedication to people has not gone unno- ticed. “We have an excellent reputation in the industry,” exclaims White. “There are very few peo- ple in North America who don’t know who The Schaefer Group is. It’s because of our reputation and longevity.” The organization undoubtedly knows it has a good thing going. Once again,White puts it sim- ply: “We are driven to produce the highest quality and the most efficient furnaces we can. And I think we do a pretty good job at that.”