What Does Hwi Do?
Hockey West Island (HWI) is a non-profit organization that provides youth ice hockey programs in the West Island region of Montreal, Quebec. HWI was founded in 1975 with the goal of fostering player development, sportsmanship, and community spirit through the great game of hockey.
HWI offers programs for players aged 5 to 18, including house league teams, select teams, and high performance teams. Over 2,500 kids register to play hockey with HWI each year. The organization relies on the efforts of dedicated volunteers, coaches, and staff to deliver quality programming that allows players of all levels to enjoy the game.
With skating rinks and indoor facilities across the West Island, HWI provides a local hockey experience that brings together players, families, and the community. HWI aims to create lasting memories, teach life lessons, and help their players reach their full potential on and off the ice.
History
HWI was founded in 1901 by Samuel Harbison and Hay Walker (Giving back is in our DNA – HWI – HarbisonWalker International). Their collaboration led to the creation of Harbison-Walker Refractories Company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The founders aimed to tap into Western Pennsylvania’s abundant natural resources and strategic location for heavy industry to provide high quality refractory products.
Over the decades, HWI expanded through acquisitions of other refractory companies, broadening its geographic reach and capabilities. Major milestones included the acquisition of Swiss company Magnesit in 1989, growing HWI’s presence in Europe. In 2016, HWI was acquired by companies controlled by Viburnum Funds, merging with RHI to create a global refractory leader.
Today, HWI continues the legacy of Harbison and Walker by providing customized refractory solutions worldwide while maintaining strong ties to Pittsburgh.
Locations
HWI has offices and facilities located across the United States. According to the company’s website, they have operations in 11 states, including Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Montana.
Some of HWI’s largest facilities are located in Kentucky, where their headquarters is based. This includes offices and warehouses in Walton, Florence, Somerset and Louisville. In Ohio, HWI has a presence in Cincinnati, Dayton and Columbus.
Other major HWI hubs include facilities in Chicago, Illinois; Detroit, Michigan; Des Moines, Iowa; St. Louis, Missouri; and Billings, Montana according to job postings on Indeed.
In total, HWI has over 25 office and warehouse locations spread across the Midwest and Western United States. Their geographic diversity allows them to efficiently serve clients across a wide region.
Services
HWI Services offers a wide range of services including building management and maintenance, facilities maintenance, project management, and energy services. According to their website, their core service offerings include:
Electrical Services – Installation, maintenance, and repair of electrical systems.
Plumbing Services – Plumbing installation, maintenance, and repair.
Mechanical Services – Installation, maintenance, and repair of HVAC and mechanical systems.
Carpentry Services – Carpentry, millwork, and cabinetry services.
Painting and Coatings – Interior and exterior painting, floor coatings, etc.
General Contracting – Management of construction and renovation projects.
Sustainability Services – Energy audits, lighting retrofits, water conservation, etc. (Source)
Based on reviews, HWI has extensive expertise across a broad range of facility services and is equipped to handle projects of all sizes for clients.
Industries Served
HWI serves a wide range of industries that require high heat refractory solutions. According to their website, “And for over 150 years, we’ve served virtually every industry that needs refractory products to do its job.” (https://thinkhwi.com/).
Some of the key industries HWI serves include:
- Steel
- Power Generation
- Petrochemical
- Mineral Processing
- Cement
- Lime
- Aluminum
- Foundry
With their complete range of monolithic and precast refractory materials, HWI is able to provide customized solutions for high-heat applications across all these industries and more. Their refractory products allow these industries to improve performance, extend service life, and reduce operating costs.
Projects
HWI has worked on major projects around the world, bringing their expertise in refractory materials and services. Some of their notable projects include:
The Longview Power Plant in Maidsville, West Virginia, where HWI provided engineering, project management, and installation services for the plant’s boiler refractory system (Calderys Demonstrates a Commitment to Americas Growth).
The Athabasca Oil Sands Project in Alberta, Canada, where HWI designed and installed refractory linings with enhanced safety, reliability, and performance characteristics to withstand the demanding requirements of oil sands processing (HWI Projects Map).
The Jamnagar Refinery Expansion in Gujarat, India, where HWI engineered and installed over 40,000 tons of refractory materials, playing a key role in Reliance Industries’ massive expansion project to make Jamnagar the world’s largest oil refining complex (Refractory services and innovation – HWI).
Clients
Honorable Women Inc. serves a diverse group of clients including major corporations, nonprofits, and government agencies. Some of their notable clients include:
- Bank of America
- American Express
- Citi
- JPMorgan Chase
- Wells Fargo
- Pfizer
- Johnson & Johnson
- Procter & Gamble
- Unilever
- PepsiCo
- The Walt Disney Company
- eBay
- Airbnb
- Uber
- Lyft
- PayPal
- Salesforce
- Adobe
- IBM
- Dell
- HP
- American Red Cross
- United Way
- United Nations
- USAID
- New York City Department of Education
- Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services
HWI has established strong relationships with leading companies and organizations across a variety of industries including technology, financial services, healthcare, consumer goods, transportation, social media, and nonprofits. Their work empowers women globally through partnerships with influential clients.
Partners
HWI Partners utilizes strategic alliances and partnerships with various organizations to enhance their capabilities and better serve clients. Some of HWI’s key partners include:
Boston Consulting Group (BCG) – HWI leverages BCG’s management consulting expertise and global presence on various client engagements.
Accenture – HWI partners with Accenture’s industry professionals to deliver digital transformation solutions for clients.
Leading academic institutions – HWI collaborates with top universities like MIT and Stanford on research, recruiting, and developing innovative solutions.
Venture capital firms – Partnerships with VC firms help HWI stay on top of emerging technologies and identify investment opportunities for clients.
Industry associations – Alliances with groups like the Consumer Technology Association and Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America provide market insights.
The combination of HWI’s core capabilities and their partner network allows them to provide end-to-end strategy consulting services and address complex client issues across industries.
Awards
Historic Waxahachie, Inc. (HWI) has received notable awards and recognition for their work in historic preservation and community revitalization in Waxahachie, Texas. Some of their key awards and honors include:
HWI was recognized with a 5th Annual Scholarship Award in 2021 for providing a $1,500 scholarship to Amber Morgan, a Waxahachie High School senior. This scholarship highlights HWI’s commitment to supporting youth and education in the community.
In 2020, HWI received a 4th Annual Scholarship Award for awarding a $1,500 scholarship to Presley Hollingsworth, another exceptional Waxahachie High School senior.
Over the years, HWI has been granted various preservation awards from the Texas Historical Commission for their work saving and restoring historic buildings in downtown Waxahachie. This includes awards for restoration projects like the Rogers Hotel, Ellis County Courthouse, and more.
In addition, HWI volunteers and board members have been individually recognized for their leadership and service to historic preservation in Waxahachie. This includes awards and honors from local organizations like the Waxahachie Chamber of Commerce.
Leadership
HWI’s executive team is led by Chairman and CEO Carol Jackson, who has over 25 years of experience in the refractory industry (Source). Other key leaders include:
- Judy Weisseg, Vice President of Human Resources (Source)
- John Didier, Chief Commercial Officer
- Patrick Buechler, Vice President of Business Transformation
- Christopher Watts, Chief Information Officer
This experienced executive team provides the strategic vision and leadership to guide HWI’s global operations and build on its position as an industry leader.
