In this year’s What’s So Cool About Manufacturing? video contest, students from Mt. Lebanon School District teamed up with MECCO to explore just how far manufacturing has come and how exciting its future really is.
Their video opens with a laugh and a lighthearted tone, but quickly dives into the impressive story of MECCO, a company that has been a fixture in American industry for more than 130 years. Originally founded in 1889 as M.E. Cunningham Company, MECCO began with simple hand stamp tools. Today, it’s a leader in laser and impact marking systems, serving industries like aerospace, automotive, medical devices, and more.
At its core, MECCO specializes in traceability, the ability to permanently mark and track parts throughout their lifecycle. The students learned how MECCO’s technology has evolved, offering solutions ranging from impact marking using a carbide tip, to advanced laser systems including fiber, UV, green, and CO₂ lasers. Their video highlights the company’s LightWriter™ laser series and gives viewers a hands-on look at how these systems work.
But what really stood out in this student-led piece is the sense of wonder they found in the work. MECCO team members didn’t just explain their tools, they shared their passion for the field. “To me, the coolest part of manufacturing is that it’s in everything we see, everything we do, and everything we use,” one team member said. And they’re right. From the barcode on your phone to the VIN on your car, manufacturing and marking technologies are everywhere, whether we notice them or not.
The Mt. Lebanon students captured that message beautifully. They didn’t just describe MECCO’s legacy. They connected it to something every student can relate to: progress. From Nintendo to PlayStation, from hand stamps to lasers, innovation is about taking what came before and making it better.
Catalyst Connection is proud to support this collaboration. MECCO welcomed these students into their world and gave them a close-up view of what modern manufacturing really looks like. It’s companies like MECCO, and creative young people like those from Mt. Lebanon, that shows us why the WSCAM program works. It makes careers in manufacturing feel real, relatable, and pretty cool.
To MECCO and Mt. Lebanon: thank you for reminding us that the future of manufacturing is already here. Watch the video here.
Interested in learning more about how you can be a part of the action? Contact Hannah Kusenko to learn more about the What's So Cool About Manufacturing? Video Contest at hkusenko@catalystconnection.org