MWI Inc.

About MWI Inc.: Graphite machine shop.

Rank on Top 100: 26

Top Executive: Mr. David R. McMahon

Employees: 110

Website: www.mwiedm.com

We asked David McMahon, owner and CEO, to talk about his business.

Question: What does your company do?     
McMahon: MWI Inc. is a graphite machining and technical services company with leading positions in the markets it serves.  Based in Rochester, NY, MWI has several manufacturing and distribution centers throughout North and South America and employs approximately 120 employees.

MWI Inc. superior products are used in numerous high temperature applications in a variety of downstream markets, including:

•    Aerospace
•    Advanced Materials
•    Alternative Energy
•    Fiber Optics
•    Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM)
•    Medical
•    Metallurgical
•    Semi Conductor

Question:What does it mean to your business to be on the Top 100?
McMahon: It is a tribute to MWI's greatest asset, our employees.  The quality, insight, and attitude of our employees have led to our lasting success.

Question: What value do you find in your Rochester Business Alliance membership?
McMahon: The ability to network with local businesses and have access to Rochester Business Alliance's business tools and services has been valuable to MWI.

Question: What would you like to see happen in our region, and in our state, to help businesses thrive?
McMahon: The quality of life in Rochester is second to none and should be leveraged to grow our overall community.   Of course, to attract and promote business activity there needs to be a competitive cost structure.   We need innovative solutions for reduced taxes, workers compensation and the overall cost of doing business in Upstate NY.  We also need to constantly evaluate and challenge the spending side of our tax dollars.

Question: What are the biggest opportunities you see ahead, as well as the biggest challenges?
McMahon: We focus on growth opportunities where we can add maximum value to our product.  This will continue to differentiate our products in a global market.  We will continue to be challenged by the lack of skilled machinists in Rochester as well as the overall cost of doing business in Rochester.