So What is Graphite Used For, Anyway?
Working at Semco most days means we are rarely around people who ask “what is graphite used for?” But during the summer holidays, our employees do get asked this question. It gets posed during a polite exchange at a fireworks show or at a campsite, when the talk among the recently acquainted adults turns to “so, where do you work?” When we tell folks at a neighborhood barbeque or at a public lake shore that we work at a graphite machining shop, the question “what is graphite used for?” is likely to be raised. We often wonder if people who work in other industries receive similar queries (“So you work at a rock quarry. What, exactly, are rocks used for?”) It seems that graphite, while not unique in this way, does especially pique people’s interest. This could be due to nearly everyone’s familiarity with graphite pencils. When you think back to how many pencil tips you broke in grade school, you may wonder why anyone would use graphite for any kind of intense industrial purpose. “What is graphite used for?” is a question that noticeably ignores this one universally known graphite application. So when we’re taking some time off from work in the hot summer months, as many of us do, often by taking our RVs off to cool lakes or our ATVs out to the trails, we still find ourselves talking about graphite. The good news for Semco employees is that we find graphite an infinitely interesting topic. It’s usually the people we’re speaking with, and not us, who tire of hearing about it. By the end of the conversation, the question may change to “what is graphite NOT used for?”
Being a patriotic group of people, Semco’s workforce is sure to be celebrating the 4th of July (and a day off of work) at a backyard barbeque or fireworks show, enjoying a cold beverage or two. Many of us love camping and grilling. Relaxing in the summer is blessedly simple, and Semco encourages its employees to be around family, spend time in nature, and enjoy the simple things in life. While some of our machines can now run nearly all day and night, we know that, to our employees, work doesn’t happen without rest. Likewise, great companies don’t happen without happy and fulfilled employees. We hope all our employees enjoy their summer and the extra days off during these summer holidays.