Thanking Manufacturers this Manufacturing Month

Every October, we set aside time to celebrate Manufacturing Month. It’s not just a superfluous date on the calendar designed to be shared on social media (happy National Homemade Cookie day, by the way). It’s a reminder to pause and reflect on the outsized role manufacturing plays in our county and our daily lives.  

Growing up, I was taught to admire the skill and dedication of machinists, millwrights, and tool-and-die makers. In my household, these were the people who truly embodied hard work and craftsmanship. We had our own little fab shop in the back of our motorcycle store, filled with second-hand machine tools that my uncle, a rigger and millwright, tracked down for us. I spent countless hours there, broom in hand, watching my dad bore and hone cylinders, turn custom collars out of round stock, and demonstrate what it meant to shape something with your own hands.  

Those early lessons stayed with me. They gave me lasting respect for the people who make things. The ones whose craft and persistence build the foundation of our community.  

Manufacturing is more than production lines and finished goods. It’s problem-solving, ingenuity, and the quiet pride that comes from knowing your work matters. It’s turning raw material into something the world depends on.  

Too often, we overlook the tools we use, the products we rely on, the comforts we enjoy; nearly all of it begins with a manufacturer. This month, and every month, I’m proud to work in a space that helps such a critical industry sustain and grow.  

So, to our McHenry County Manufacturers, I want to offer a heartfelt thank you. Thank you for your resilience, your commitment to the people in your facilities, and for moving our community forward.  

Behind nearly everything we touch in daily life is the work of a manufacturer. This October, let’s remember to thank them.  

Mark Piekos, Executive Director