At SECO/VACUUM, Caleb Johnson supervises the installation, startup, and commissioning of vacuum furnaces, as well as troubleshooting furnace issues and performing furnace rebuilds and repairs. After earning his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Geneva College, Caleb began his career with SECO/WARWICK Corporation in 2015.

Caleb has repeatedly shown hard work and dedication (along with some good old-fashioned determination) pays off. Starting as a field service engineer, he quickly showed he was not afraid to roll up his sleeves and dig into any problem that faced him in the field. Within the first year, Caleb advanced to commissioning new furnaces on his own with only minimal help from his colleagues and superiors. By 2017, he was one of the key members of the service team. His responsibilities included new equipment assembly and startup, troubleshooting furnaces in direct support of his clients, and traveling to distant areas of North America assisting his clients with on-site support.

It became clear that Caleb was not only dedicated, but would always put the client first. Many times, he was sent to some of the most challenging projects, which he approached with enthusiasm. Through those challenges, his determination was clear as he remained laser-focused on the fact that the client must come first.

This attitude enabled him to commission 10 furnaces while also assisting or leading several rebuilds over the next three years. This experience, coupled with his insight and understanding of the importance of field service in the heat treating industry, meant he was the perfect match for the position of field service manager when the opportunity arose in 2021.

Since advancing to this leadership position, he has guided the field service team through the challenges of the post COVID-19 market while developing new processes to streamline and strengthen field service operations. Each day, Caleb continues to grow as a contributor to the team at SECO/VACUUM and is certain to continue to have an ever-increasing impact on the heat treating industry.

Recently, Caleb was a guest on Heat Treat Radio: 365° Look at Troubleshooting Vacuum Furnace Maintenance Issues. Along with Don Marteeny, vice president of Engineering at SECO/VACUUM and previous 40 Under 40 Class of 2021 award winner, Caleb outlined top vacuum furnace maintenance concerns.

Nominated by: SECO/VACUUM