A large manufacturer that has been in the Drumheller Valley for decades opened their doors to a local elementary school class for a tour of their facility.
W. Ralston has manufactured plastics for decades in Drumheller and Mrs. Gorospe’s Grade 3 class from Greentree School had the opportunity to tour the plant in October. The 19 students had the chance to learn how manufacturing works and the products they make at the W. Ralston plant in Drumheller. Kelly Steen, Plant Manager, shares that the kids had quite an interest. “They asked lots of questions and they were pretty amazed from where we get the product in to where it ends up in the box and goes out the door.”
Steen shares that it is an interesting process on how they manufacture plastic bags at the Drumheller plant. “We get our plastic in from all over the world. We have compostable plastic, we have low density plastic, high density plastic. It all comes in by bulk truck and we melt it down, blow it into a bubble, called blown film, and when convert it on the way down (the manufacturing line).”
Grade 3 class from Greentree School touring W. Ralston; Image courtesy of W. Ralston (Canada) Inc.
It’s great that the young people learn how products like plastic bags are made, admits Steen. “It’s good that they have an understanding. One of the kid’s Dad works here so it was good to see him come through and see where his Dad works. It was really good to see the smiles on kids faces and it was also good to see the smiles on the staff when the kids were getting toured through.”
A thank you poster given to the team at W. Ralston from the Grade 3 class at Greentree School
How this tour came about was the teacher reached out to Steen for the tour. “The teacher, Mrs. Gorospe contacted me and asked if we would willing to tour the kids through and we said for sure.” If your kids class wants to tour the W. Ralston plant, you can reach out to Kelly Steen through the plant office at 403-823-3468.
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