Busy Bee

This Mendham CEO’s business is buzzing

By Susan Brierly

For Steven Goldthwaite, President and CEO of New Jersey–based Metem Corporation, life is abuzz on all fronts—personal and corporate.

In his personal time, Goldthwaite enjoys beekeeping because it’s a relaxing hobby that produces a big return on minimal effort. “Beekeeping suits my business schedule because I don’t have to tend to it every day,” he says. “You just set up the hives and let the bees work their magic. The biggest challenge is keeping bears away from the honey.”

When not attending to the hives at his Mendham and Rockaway, N.J., homes, Goldthwaite runs a 200-person manufacturing business started in 1962 by his father, Val Goldthwaite. Metem Corporation specializes in high-precision metal- working for industrial gas turbines and aerospace engines. Its primary customers are GE and Siemens.

“In the midst of global warming, gas turbine technology is a significantly cleaner technology than coal-fired power plants,” notes Goldthwaite. “In fact, 30 percent of all North American energy comes from industrial gas turbine technology.” Metem is experiencing steady growth from its privately held facilities in Parsippany and Allentown, Pa. And the company just established a European presence by opening a facility in Budapest.

“We’re making a real difference by manufacturing energy-efficient parts that help turn the lights on for millions of people around the world,” Goldthwaite adds. “My role as CEO is to grow our business globally and introduce new technology and processes to the manufacture of turbine engine components.”

That really sounds like a honey of an opportunity.