HAZELWOOD • A large “help wanted” sign at 6002 North Lindbergh Boulevard has for years beckoned people to apply for a job at John J. Steuby Co.

Many of those who decided to make the turn off the busy road in Hazelwood soon came face to face with President Steuby himself, who, at 88, is as old school as his manufacturing plant.

The engineer uses generations of screw machines to churn out millions of precision-cut metal parts found in anything from hydraulic hose couplings to .50-caliber bullets used in Afghanistan.

“When you start idling, you’ve got one foot in the grave,” Steuby, a magnifying glass in his front pocket, said of his longevity.

It’s a mantra of a family business that usually employs about 100 people, depending on the market. Since he first started making parts with a couple of machines in 1962, he’s tried to maneuver production lines one step ahead of an economy that has become more globalized.

He’s followed his gut by taking risks. He recently dove into the fray against China, launching a made-in-the-USA can opener that sells at Walmart and other stores. His zeal for American jobs and fair trade echoes the campaign rhetoric of his presidential favorite, Donald Trump.