Giants of Skilled Trades: Mark Dowell, Scot Forge
Mark Dowell’s journey into the world of skilled trades began in his own backyard. Growing up, Dowell was surrounded by a family and community deeply rooted in craftsmanship. His father, a blacksmith with more than 40 years of experience, introduced him to the art of metalworking. It was then he began to learn the values of hard work, dedication, and precision from a young age.
But as he grew older, unlike so many, Dowell's passions weren't a passing phase. The times he spent learning from his family and friends carved the path for him to forge intricate shapes for defense projects today, as he continues to use his childhood interests in his everyday work.
As an employee-owner at Chicago-based Scot Forge serving as a press operator, Dowell applies the same dedication and desire from his youth in his current role. His journey through different positions within the company has enriched his expertise and solidified his commitment to excellence. Throughout his tenure, he has held various roles including forge utility worker, blacksmith, equipment operator, and welder. In each position, he not only honed his skills, but deepened his appreciation for quality craftsmanship and teamwork. Dowell’s childhood remains a cornerstone of his approach to work today.
Dowell shared his insights into the world of defense manufacturing and the work of which he's proud to be a part.
What specific memories do you have of your family and neighbor growing up that influenced your career choice and inspired you?
My dad is a retired farrier (blacksmith specializing in shoeing horses) of 42 years. While growing up, we had a blacksmith shop in our backyard. As kids, dad would let us beat metal to make hooks and knives. He was always teaching us how to work with our hands. I also had several uncles who worked in skilled trade positions. Many were operators and excellent in their positions. They were always very humble and dedicated to their work.
Growing up, I worked closely with my childhood neighbor, Bobby Z. Bobby always pushed me to work and help him out, whether it was splitting firewood or innovating together to find a better way to do a project. To me, he was a great example of taking pride in his work, chopping and selling firewood, plowing snow, and mowing lawns throughout the neighborhood. Bobby's dad owned a tool and die shop, and I loved helping out there and learning along the way. They really showed me true craftsmanship, took pride in their work, and had the expectation to produce the best possible product. To them, it wasn't about getting something done quickly and taking shortcuts; it was about helping people and creating a quality part. Bobby really motivated me to take welding classes and learn trades.
What aspects of your career do you enjoy the most?
I love working on a hot, fresh piece of steel. When we start to shape and upset pieces and all the scale falls off, it's so mesmerizing. There is so much satisfaction in taking a raw piece of steel and forming it into a clean, concentric, purposeful forging. I love the work we do together as a team, making the absolute best quality products using the best quality steel.
You've held a wide range of roles within Scot Forge. How have the insights you've gained in the different positions made you a better skilled tradesperson?
Flexing from the forge shop to project crew, maintenance, and the tool crib gave me a chance to build new relationships with people across the business and gain an understanding of our equipment and tools. I was able to learn so much in each area. I learned how equipment was operated and maintained to stay at peak performance. The tribal knowledge passed throughout the employee-owners was a huge piece of my development.
Can you tell us more about a memorable project or projects you've worked on?
The one that comes to mind first is a massive piece we make for the Navy. It's truly the largest, most intricately shaped open die forging in the world. We start with converting and consolidating a 50-ton ingot. From there, it is formed into tooling, and the material spreads throughout the tooling into the final shape. Then, we put a hole through the part and drift punch material back and forth in a strategic way, which was learned through tribal knowledge passed down over 130 years of forging. It makes it even more special when we think about this part going into service to keep our men and women in uniform safe. The work our team does to help serve those who serve makes what we do so special.
What are some of the challenges working in defense manufacturing? How do you best overcome them?
All the different grades of steel we work with can be challenging. We stock 400-plus different grades of material. Thankfully, we have an incredible range of talent at Scot Forge that we can lean on, including our metallurgy and forge development teams, just to name a couple. The value we add downstream after forging is best-in-class. Our customers come to us because of that knowledge, skill, and the value our employee-owners add.
I lean on the team around me and work together, using their expertise, to overcome any challenges. Thankfully, we have a great team. A challenge that we've grown so much from in the past has been with the nickel alloys and meeting best-in-class test results. Our presses, being designed and built by Scot Forge employee-owners, are the absolute fastest in the industry. This competitive edge gives us the ability to "stay in control" of material temperature and properties as we go about processing parts.
What qualities do you believe are essential for a person to find success in the skilled trades?
Safety awareness, continuously wanting to learn more, and attention to detail are so important in the trades. The desire to learn and be better each day is essential. And your attitude towards the workplace and how you approach life are keys to success no matter what career path you choose.
What advice would you give to someone considering a career in metalworking and/or the skilled trades?
Stay hungry for more. Opportunities are endless. Ask questions. I've learned so many things from new people asking me questions about why we do something a certain way. It forces me to think about what we're doing and why we're doing it.
How do you hope your contributions to the industry, including your work at Scot Forge, will be remembered over the long term?
I hope the generations after me can see the trend of continuous improvement and continue on the path of innovation. The work our team does serves the nation every day. And I hope to leave Scot Forge better than I found it.
Careers at Scot Forge are among the thousands available right now in the Opportunities section of BuildSubmarines.com.
Written by:
Kacey Bowen, BlueForge Alliance
(Photos from Scot Forge, Mark Dowell)
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