Alamance Community College has named Sandvik Coromant as its 2024 Business Partner of the Year. The award recognizes local businesses that provide outstanding support to ACC students and graduates.

 

Jackie Cole, President of The ACC Foundation, made the announcement during the annual Public Officials and Business and Industry December 4. Accepting on behalf of Sandvik were Tom Humphrey, Business Controller / Indirect Purchasing and Direct Materials Manager; and Pattie Baldwin, PU Administrative Assistant.

 

Sandvik Coromant, a metal-cutting machine tools manufacturer with a plant in Mebane, NC, is the epitome of an ideal business partner, having made significant contributions of time, energy, financial gifts, and opportunities for ACC students over many years:

 

• Donated nearly $300,000 in support to ACC students and to the Computer-Integrated Machining program over the past 40 years.
• Has hired a significant number of ACC graduates over the years.
• Sandvik hosted the "Girls Take Over Tech" open house at their Mebane campus in April 2024. This annual event welcomes dozens of middle and high school girls to learn about industrial careers from women already in those fields that have historically been male-dominated. In addition to providing a welcoming space for presentation tables, Sandvik televised videos during the event that presented the inspiring journeys of accomplished women at Sandvik Coromant.
• Since 2012, Sandvik has supported the Alamance-Burlington Schools (ABSS) and ACC Computer-Integrated Machining partnership, a component of Career & College Promise, which provides machining classes on the college campus.
• In 2023, Sandvik Cormorant donated 70 Surface Pro laptops worth about $15,000 to Alamance Community College for faculty and student use.
• Sandvik has also been a vibrant partner with ACC's Information Technology program by hosting multiple Work-Based Learning students over the past 3 - 4 academic years. At least two of these students have been hired by the company, launching their careers in Information Technology (IT). This fall, Sandvik is providing work experience and training for two of ACC’s Work-Based Learning (WBL) students.
• Sandvik hosted ACC’s Apprenticeship Night in 2022 that drew more than 160 participants.
• Sandvik has consistently welcomed ACC groups of visitors for tours of their facility.
• Sandvik partnered with ACC’s Corporate Education Department to create separate youth and adult apprenticeship programs, as well as a Customized Training Project. Sandvik has consistently opened their doors for Corporate Education’s visiting groups to visit.
• Sandvik IT Coordinator Maria Moore has been an active partner by reaching out to ACC first when seeking entry-level IT staff.
• Sandvik Controller, Tom Humphrey, currently serves on the ACC Foundation Board of Directors.
• Sandvik hosted a ‘Welcome to the Community’ event for ACC President Ingle in May 2024.

 

(Above) ACC Foundation President Jackie Cole (center) presents the award to Sandvik representatives Tom Humphrey, an ACC Foundation Board Member, and Pattie Baldwin.

 

The annual Business Partner of the Year award recognizes local businesses or agencies that provide outstanding support to ACC students and graduates in the number and quality of volunteers provided to the College; opportunities provided by the organization for current ACC students; the number of ACC graduates hired annually; and the level of philanthropic support to the ACC Foundation and College.

 

Previous winners of ACC’s Business Partner of the Year Award are:

• 2006: LabCorp and ARMC (tie)
• 2007: Duke Energy
• 2008: Kernodle Clinic
• 2009: Chandler Concrete Company, Inc.
• 2010: Honda Power Equipment
• 2011: Twin Lakes Community
• 2012: Glen Raven
• 2013: County of Alamance
• 2014: Pro Feet
• 2015: Color Landscapes, GKN, Sandvik Coromant
• 2016: Carolina Biological Supply
• 2017: Fairystone Fabrics
• 2018: LabCorp
• 2019: IBM
• 2020: Elon University
• 2021: Truist
• 2022: Engineered Controls International (ECI)
• 2023: Alamance Chamber