How the Blasting Industry is Solving Workforce Challenges
Abrasive blasting is physically demanding, often loud and dusty, and requires a level of safety awareness and discipline that not every worker possesses. Those who excel at it develop skills that are as specialized as they are vital.
But that specialization can be a double-edged sword. The workforce that knows how to properly set up blast rooms, calibrate nozzles, maintain compressors and manage media recovery systems is aging; many are nearing retirement.
At the same time, very few young people even know this kind of work exists, let alone view it as a viable career path.
In this write-up for Products Finishing, Titan Abrasive CEO Brandon Acker, discusses how the blasting industry can solve workforce challenges, including awareness and outreach, training and certification pipelines, and retention and career development.
Brandon Acker: President
Brandon purchased Titan Abrasive from his uncle and founder in 2013. Titan has since redesigned its entire product line to solve dozens of industry challenges.
Brandon purchased Titan Abrasive from his uncle and Titan founder, Bruce Maurer, in 2013 after spending five years learning the ins and outs of the business. He and VP of Engineering Brian Fox have completely redesigned the entire product line to solve the dozens of challenges that have plagued the blasting industry for decades.
Brandon is passionate about American manufacturing, the jobs it creates, the quality produced, and the bright future that lies ahead. He’s a frequent guest on manufacturing podcasts where he shares his deep industry expertise. Brandon holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Arizona State University.
