An Oberg technician visually inspects a downhole drilling component for surface imperfections which is just one of many steps in our quality process.

KITTANNING — Oberg Industries, headquartered in Buffalo Township, was honored with the Employer of the Year award in Butler County by the Tri-County Workforce Investment Board at its annual breakfast and meeting Friday at the Kittanning Country Club.

TCWIB is comprised of 37 volunteer community leaders from Armstrong, Butler and Indiana counties. There were 13 total nominations for employer of the year in all three counties.

“Our company's motto is: 'Customers rely on us and we rely on our people.' We take great pride in all the investments we make in our employees and we're so appreciative of the Tri-County Workforce Investment Board acknowledging those investments,” said Oberg Director of Human Resources, Joe O'Brien.

Oberg Industries was founded in 1948 as a global manufacturer of complex, precision machined and stamped metal components.

The company, which will celebrate its 70th anniversary in 2018, has more than $130 million in annual sales and employs almost 800 skilled workers in its Sarver and Freeport plants, along with facilities in Costa Rica.

TCWIB honored the company for its proactive approach to recruitment and promotion of manufacturing by its participation in and leadership in the Butler County Manufacturing Consortium, the Southwestern Pennsylvania Manufacturing Industry Partnership, along with initiatives with the Southwestern Pennsylvania BotsIQ program, the Moraine Trails Council Boy Scouts of America Technology Academy, and the Junior Apprentice Advantage Program (JAA) with the Highlands High School District.

They were also honored for participation in community and school presentations about careers in manufacturing and representation on community advisory boards for machine technology at area career and technology centers, local community colleges, and universities.