PONDERAY — Screws and other tiny parts are needed for just about every product, from surgical and dental equipment, to archery and aerospace.

But where do all those little parts come from?

There is a family-owned company situated on Emerald Industrial Park Drive in Ponderay that has been manufacturing such parts locally for 30 years. Another Screw Machine Products Company is the name, though they make a lot more than just screws.

"We make a lot of different parts for a lot of different companies," president Don Blaese, whose father started the business, told Sandpoint High School students in Jake Stark's welding II program on Thursday.

The students took a field trip to Another Screw Machine Products Company in Ponderay to get some insight into one of the smaller, lesser known industries that exist in the community.

"I felt the field trip was very informational and cool to see a different type of manufacturing job in our community," Stark said in an email to the Daily Bee after the field trip. 

"It's a good eye opener for SHS students to see a different type of 'skilled trade' so they know what's out there."

The parts that come out of the shop are made from bar material of steel, brass, copper, titanium, and aluminum alloys, stainless steel, plastic and more. While Stark's class is a welding class, the students are introduced to a lathe and mill, which Blaese said is similar to what they do at the company. They have 18 screw machines in the shop, he said, as well as several supporting machines, such as grinders, lathes, drill presses, tumblers and more.

The biggest challenge, Blaese said, is attracting quality personnel, which is why it is important for today's youth to know about all of the options available to them.

"Not every kid is meant to be a four-year college student — this is an alternative," he said. "And it is a way to make a good living in a great place."

Blaese's son, Dakota Blaese, who is no stranger to the four-year college degree after studying math at Montana State University, said machine shops also, for a long time, got a "bad rep" for being dirty and dangerous.

"But manufacturing is coming back ... the new technology is bringing a certain glamour to the field, which is attracting younger generations," Dakota Blaese said.

The field trip was supported by a grant through the Panhandle Alliance for Education for college and career readiness, said SHS postsecondary counselor Jeralyn Mire. The funds are used to take students to college campuses, as well as showing students a variety of opportunities "in their own back yard," particularly for students who may not be interested in a traditional four-year degree.

"Part of that is exposure — who would have thought about who makes all those little parts," Mire said, adding it can be a "great career" for some, but also an opportunity for someone who thought about machining as a career to find out early if it is not for them. "That is just as valuable. You don't want them going to school thinking machining is going to be a really cool program, and it's really not what they are interested in."

The welding students were chosen for the trip because they have had exposure to metal and fabrication, Mire said. The class consists of sophomores, juniors and seniors, so it was a way to offer the experience to a variety of grade levels as well, she said.

Mary Malone can be reached by email at mmalone@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @MaryDailyBee.