sustainability Archives - Metal Trades, Inc. Heavy Steel Fabricators, Marine Construction, Ship Repair

Metal Trades: 60 Years of Community Involvement!

Posted on September 30, 2022November 16, 2022 by Michael Lively

Metal Trades, Inc. was founded by the late Ted Corbin in 1962. Sixty years later, MTI is still owned and operated by second-generation members of the Corbin Family, and it continues to thrive.

A Positive Community Impact

All their lives, the Corbin Family has lived in the Meggett/Yonges Island Community. From the inception of Metal Trades, the company has continually sought to make a positive impact in the community. We have long supported local businesses, from the subcontractor to the corner store. We have fostered local talent in the surrounding areas as we built our workforce and apprenticeships, helping to generate jobs in FIVE surrounding counties.

MTI Supports Our Schools

Metal Trades Inc. has regularly found ways to support our area schools. Recent efforts include sponsoring student athletics at Lowcountry Leadership Charter School. We have also made donations to support the Sunshine Committee at Baptist Hill Middle High School. This is a program that strives to create a positive working environment for teachers and staff that, in turn, positively impacts the students.

mti community involvement — Metal Trades supports enrichment programs at Baptist Hill Middle High School

MTI supports athletic programs at Lowcountry Leadership Charter School

Community Beautification

Over the last couple of years, Metal Trades has organized trash pickups on Highway 165 and participated in Meggett Town Hall Clean Up events as well. MTI owners and staff share a very real commitment to our surrounding community. After all, we not only work here, but we also call it Home.

Individual Opportunity

Metal Trades, Inc. wants to be recognized as a leader in the surrounding community, as well as a great place to work. We continually encourage local talent to apply for open positions with our company and join the generations of welders, fitters, machinists, and electricians who have enjoyed long and fulfilling careers as part of the Metal Trades family.

MTI’s Ongoing Community Commitment

Over the many decades, Metal Trades has maintained a commitment to helping our people, our communities, and our schools to grow and thrive. It is a commitment we reaffirm, now and in the future! We invite you to learn more about Metal Trades, Inc at our website.

Sustainability Watch: MTI Aids Artificial Reef Project

Posted on June 29, 2022June 29, 2022 by Michael Lively

A new artificial reef off the coast of South Carolina is boosting ocean wildlife sustainability, and Metal Trades is proud to have played its part!

Artificial Reef projects are a major component of ocean sustainability efforts worldwide. In “dead spots” where a natural reef is not present or is not vibrant enough to support plant and animal life, artificial reefs are employed. It so happens that the South Carolina coast, in its natural state, is one of those dead spots.

“Avid offshore fishing enthusiasts know that the state of SC suffers from a lack of natural habitat to attract and hold fish. Thanks to the South Carolina Memorial Reef projects, what was a desert is now one of the most productive areas off our coast…” SCMemorialReef.com

Decommissioned Ships Become Wildlife Reef Habitats

The SC Memorial Reef Project has been working to bolster ocean wildlife, as well as provide improved opportunities for sport fishing. Often these efforts involve sinking decommissioned sea vessels.

“Large, complex structures…create ideal habitats for a diversity of species. For example, the numerous internal compartments will provide refuge for smaller juvenile fish, while the extensive cargo holds will be useful to larger fish. The vast amount of surface area will allow for expansive invertebrate settlement and growth, which can serve as sanctuaries for larval fish, provide food for juvenile and adult fish, and improve overall water quality.”

M/V Coastal Venture Gets a New Lease on Life

Such a “large, complex structure” is the M/V Coastal Venture, a 250-foot, recently decommissioned cargo vessel. Coastal Venture was something of a Metal Trades alum, having graced our railway in the recent past. In fact, at one time she was one of the heaviest vessels we had docked. As we have grown, however, we have hosted vessels her size or larger in our drydock, including Rail Car Barges, Crane Barges, and multiple dredge vessels.

Promoting Life, and Memorializing It

In addition to its new function as wildlife habitation, the M/V Coastal Venture also furthers the mission of the SC Memorial Reef: to “forever honor the men and women we’ve loved and lost in South Carolina’s sport fishing community.” To that end, memorial plaques were affixed to the hull, as well as a steel cross on the stern of the vessel built by the Metal Trades team.

With holes strategically cut in the hull and the aid of water cannons, it still required ten hours to sink the M/V Coastal Venture. Take a look at the following photos of the process!

The South Carolina Memorial Reef is an ongoing project. Metal Trades encourages you to learn more about their sustainability efforts by visiting https://www.scmemorialreef.com/.

Team Up to Clean Up with MTI!

Posted on May 11, 2021 by Michael Lively

Metal Trades, Inc. (MTI) gave a preview of our Team Up to Clean Up efforts back in March of this year. That’s when a team of internal volunteers joined together for our Highway 165 clean-up day. Based on that success of that project…

“Metal Trades is committed to making community clean-up a regularly scheduled event. The Town of Meggett is planning the next event for Saturday, April 17th. We are planning to attend to show our support and commitment to keeping our community beautiful.”

That was the sign-off for our previous blog post, “MTI Community Clean-Up: Picking Up, Giving Back.” And sure enough, we were back at it several weeks later as part of the Town of Meggett 2021 Annual Big Spring Clean Event.

MTI and Local Students Team Up to Clean Up

On April 17, 2021, despite a misty rain, a Metal Trades team consisting of Rusty Corbin, Patsy Corbin, and Kristi Rowe joined forces with several Lowcountry Leadership Charter School students to become MTI’s “Team Up to Clean Up” crew. The Town also provided the students with community service hours for volunteering their time.

Of course, as everyone fanned out to fill their trash bags, a little friendly competition developed to see who could find the oddest item by the side of the road. Some interesting items found by our team members included extension cords, safety glasses, gloves, a trash can lid, medicine bottles, and a whole bunch of other bottles! Other volunteers found a snake in a jar and a circular saw which proves anything can be found on the side of the road!

Team Up to Clean Up: MTI Gives Back to the Community!

That concludes this most recent example of MTI giving back. There will definitely be more to come, as Metal Trades takes community service and involvement very seriously. So stay tuned!

Community Clean-up: MTI Picking Up & Giving Back

Posted on April 14, 2021May 11, 2021 by metaltrades.com

Why a Community Clean-up Day? Metal Trades, Inc. (MTI) has been part of the Meggett community for almost 60 years. Like any good corporate citizen, the company continually looks for ways to give back to the place we call our home and to lead the way in making our town a better place to live, work, and play.

In that spirit, MTI employees completed another successful community clean-up day on Friday, March 5th, 2021. Team members scoured ditches, shoulders, and the roadside from Ethel Post Office Road to the end of Highway 165 at Metal Trades.

Highway 165: Target-rich Environment for Community Clean-up!

Highway 165 is the main road that travels between the town of Meggett and the Metal Trades facility. There is high traffic volume, some speed issues, and the occasional bit of littering. As a candidate for a community clean-up, HWY 165 is a target that makes sense, and one that provides bang for the buck. What’s more, it provides evidence of what we always knew – but perhaps the community did not – that MTI truly cares about the local land and water that provide us our livelihood.

Environmental Avengers, Assemble!

And so, on that clear, cool Friday morning a team of smiling MTI faces assembled, including Camy Swanson from Accounts Payable and Receivable, Safety Director Patti Corbin, Director of Contracts Megan Dean, Controller Daniel Reed, Human Resources Director Kristi Rowe, and Estimator Greg Crites.

Armed with positive attitudes and upbeat tunes, our band set about their task, dancing down the highway and filling their trash bags for the entire morning. Together, our team picked up an impressive amount of trash (10 bags!) along Highway 165. All agreed it was an extremely rewarding and productive session.

Environmental Leadership by Example

With our longstanding presence in the community, MTI has a duty to lead by example. We will continue to demonstrate our commitment to environmental stewardship. We will continue to positively impact our community. And together with the Town and its people, MTI will continue to do its part to keep Meggett clean. If you have questions or suggestions to help us achieve our goal of environmental leadership, please contact MTI today!

* * *

MTI is committed to making this a regularly scheduled event. The Town of Meggett is planning the next community clean-up on Sat April 17th. We are planning to attend to show our support and commitment to keeping our community beautiful.

Tag: sustainability