Springs, Summer 2019 Vol 58, No 3 by Spring Manufacturers Institute

summer 2019

The International Magazine of Spring Manufacture

A Publication of the Spring Manufacturers Institute / Vol. 58, No. 3

Thank You Harnessing the Power of Appreciation to Elevate Employee Engagement 24 Recognizing Recognition 25 SMI Members Say Thanks 28

2001 Midwest Rd., Suite 106 Oak Brook, IL 60523-1335 Change Service Requested

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President’s Message From Steve Kempf

SMI Executive Committee President: Steve Kempf, Lee Spring Vice President: Bert Goering, Precision Coil Spring Secretary/Treasurer: TBA At Large: Gene Huber, Jr., Winamac Coil Spring Past President: Mike Betts, Betts Company Executive Director: Lynne Carr, SMI

SMI Board of Directors

Thanks for Reading “If you want a person to help you, convince them that they’ve already helped you beyond saying. People will work hard to protect their legacy.” When I read this quote from a book by Richard Powers, I thought about an exchange I had with a woman last week who thanked me profusely for something I didn’t even remember that I had done. Now that she’s thanked me, I have a connection with her, and I’m inclined to do more for her. It’s odd, this aspect of human nature – if someone is grateful to you, you have a desire to do more for that person, even though you’ve already gone beyond what was required of you. Perhaps this is because you know that your assistance will not go unappreciated. And you want to hold on to that person’s fond feelings for you. When we thank someone, we’re acknowledging a relationship that has continuity. It isn’t about one transaction. We see a future for the relationship. And we want that person to understand that her investment was noticed. And all of her future efforts will be noticed too. Thanking employees, customers, suppliers builds a sense of community. We’re all in this together. I know it matters to you. You know it matters to me. And we need each other. There’s vulnerability in thanking someone. There’s an acknowledgement that none of us can accomplish much on our own. We need a team. We need support from one another. In recent issues of this magazine, we discussed how the younger generations in today’s workforce highly value receiving feedback and working in an environment in which they feel appreciated. Furthermore, there are plenty of studies demonstrating that giving gratitude not only benefits the receiver, but also the giver. In a business, this in turn is good for the entire organization. So, I’ll start here by thanking our exceptional SMI staff for their dedication and hard work: Lynne Carr, Dina Sanchez, Gary McCoy, Rick Gordon, Gary Van Buren, Dan Sebastian, Laura Rhodes and Sue Zubek. The SMI members owe a debt of gratitude to you all! Now let’s go ahead and give our sincere “Thank You” to others in our respective organizations that have given more than was asked or required. There is much truth to the old adage that “saying thanks costs nothing but gives everything.” And thanks for reading!

Steve Kempf Lee Spring skempf@leespring.com

Kelley Christy, Diamond Wire Spring • Dave Deerwester, The Yost Superior Co. • David DeVoe, Plymouth Spring • Joe Devany, Betts Company • Chris Fazio, Diamond Wire Spring • Linda Froehlich, Ace Wire Spring & Form • Ritchy Froehlich, Ace Wire Spring & Form • Brett Goldberg, International Spring • Agustin Estalayo Ibanez, RPK Mexico SA de CV • Don Jacobson III, Newcomb Spring • Don Lowe, Peterson Spring • Peter Mendel, Kern-Liebers USA • Tony Pesaresi, Winamac Coil Spring • Daniel Pierre III, JN Machinery • Chris and Jeff Wharin, Bohne Spring • Tim Zwit, Michigan Spring and Stamping

Springs Magazine Staff Lynne Carr, Advertising Sales, lynne@smihq.org Gary McCoy, Managing Editor, gmccoy@fairwaycommunications.com Dina Sanchez, Assistant Editor, dina@smihq.org Sue Zubek, Art Director, zubekdesign@gmail.com

Springs Magazine Committee Chair, Don Jacobson III, Newcomb Spring • Reb Banas, Stanley Spring & Stamping • Lynne Carr, SMI • Ritchy Froehlich, Ace Wire Spring & Form • Bud Funk, Fourslide Products • Brett Goldberg, International Spring • Tim Weber, Forming Systems • Europe Liaison: Wolfgang Herrmann, VDFI • Technical Advisor: Dan Sebastian, Honorary Member Advertising sales - Japan Ken Myohdai, Sakura International Inc. Head Office: 3F・4FＦ ENDO Sakaisuji Bldg., 1-7-3, Bingomachi, Chuo-Ku, Osaka 541-0051, Japan Phone: 81-6-6624-3601 • Fax: 81-6-6624-3602 Tokyo Global Office: 5F Kamei No. 2 Bldg., 2-17-13, Kiba, Koto-Ku, Tokyo, 135-0042, Japan Phone: 81-3-5646-1160 • Fax: 81-3-5646-1161 E-mail: info@sakurain.co.jp Advertising sales - Europe Jennie Franks, Franks & Co. 63 St. Andrew's Road Cambridge United Kingdom CB41DH Phone/Fax: +44-1223-360472 E-mail: franksco@BTopenworld.com Advertising sales - Taiwan Robert Yu, Worldwide Services Co. Ltd. 11F-B, No 540, Sec. 1, Wen Hsin Rd. Taichung, Taiwan Phone: +886-4-2325-1784 • Fax: +886-4-2325-2967 E-mail: stuart@wwstaiwan.com Springs (ISSN 0584-9667) is published quarterly by SMI Business Corp., a subsidiary of the Spring Manufacturers Institute: 2001 Midwest Road, Suite 106, Oak Brook, IL 60523; Phone: (630) 495-8588; Fax: (630) 495-8595; Web site www.smihq.org. Address all correspondence and editorial materials to this address. The editors and publishers of Springs disclaim all warranties, express or implied, with respect to advertising and editorial content, and with respect to all manufacturing errors, defects or omissions made in connection with advertising or editorial material submitted for publication. The editors and publishers of Springs disclaim all liability for special or consequential damages resulting from errors, defects or omissions in the manufacturing of this publication, any submission of advertising, editorial or other material for publication in Springs shall constitute an agreement with and acceptance of such limited liability. The editors and publishers of Springs assume no responsibility for the opinions or facts in signed articles, except to the extent of expressing the view, by the fact of publication, that the subject treated is one which merits attention. Do not reproduce without written permission. Cover art: ©iStockphoto.com/AndreaAstes, BravissimoS

2 / SPRINGS / Summer 2019

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Contents FEATURES 22 Thank You

13 Be Aware Safety Tips

24 Harnessing the Power of Appreciation to Elevate Employee Engagement

17 Dean of Springs

By Gary McCoy

By Lisa Ryan

25 Recognizing Recognition

By Dr. John A. Passante

Is it Time for a Parade? By Dan Sebastian

19 Technically Speaking

Troubleshooting Spring Forming Issues By Dr. Terry Bartel and C. Richard Gordon

38 In a Texas State of Mind

DEPARTMENTS 2 President’s Message Thanks for Reading

42 Countdown to Pittsburgh

7 Global Highlights

47 2019 SMI Scholarship Program Awards $34,000 in Financial Aid

10 Regional Spring Association Report

51 Flashback

59 Springmaker Spotlight

Springmaking is Our Art By A.A. Bonde

Safely Predicting Workplace Inspections By Laura Helmrich-Rhodes

28 SMI Members Say Thanks

SMI Celebrates 2019 Annual Meeting in Austin By Gary McCoy

COLUMNS

52 An Interview with Agustin Estalayo about SMI Membership for Mexican Springmakers

Entrepreneurial Spirit Fuels Growth at Jackson Spring By Gary McCoy

65 Book Corner 66 CTE News 69 Inside SMI 71 Committee Connection 73 New Products 75 Advertisers’ Index 76 Snapshot

Peter Mendel, Kern-Liebers USA

4 / SPRINGS / Summer 2019

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.039 - .354 3.93 13.7 (1) 22.83 1.96 7,936 (1) 29.13 2.36 7,992 (2) 22.83 1.96 9,921

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Global Highlights North America

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MiddleGround Capital, a new private equity firm, announced in April the acquisition of Peterson Spring, a leading specialty spring manufacturer with 13 facilities throughout North America and the United Kingdom. John Stewart, co-founder of MiddleGround, stated, “Companies like Peterson have historically invested in North American manufacturing and have provided critical manufacturing jobs that have benefited the U.S. economy and supported their local communities. Our investment in Peterson seeks to build upon the company’s strong foundation and position the company for growth while ensuring manufacturing employment opportunities for generations to come.” Based in Southfield, Michigan, Peterson designs and manufactures highly engineered springs, wireforms, related components and sub-assemblies. Leveraging their deep industry expertise, the MiddleGround team will partner with Peterson’s management team and employees to help the company increase operational efficiency and provide necessary resources to fuel the company’s long-term growth. “Peterson is perfectly positioned to continue providing mission critical components to a variety of industries. MiddleGround’s investment in Peterson will enable the company to meet the growing demands of its customers,” said Scot Duncan, partner at MiddleGround. Stewart, Lauren Mulholland and Duncan have worked together in private equity for the past eight years. In addition, Stewart and Duncan have more than 30 years of combined experience working in operational roles at Toyota Motor Company, including leadership positions in engineering, maintenance, production and manufacturing. The L.S. Starrett Company, a leading global manufacturer of precision measuring tools and gages, metrology systems and more, has appointed Jon-Michael Raymond as director of sales, North America, Industrial Products, effective March 25, 2019. Raymond will be responsible for sales of the company’s core products, including precision measuring tools and gages, hand tools and saw blades in North America. He succeeds Tony Aspin, vice president of sales, who retired June 30 after having served the company for 28 years, 18 of them as vice president of sales. Douglas A. Starrett, president and CEO of Starrett, said he is pleased that Jon-Michael is joining the company. “He brings a strong sales and marketing background as well

as experience with distribution and end users and will be instrumental in growing the sales of our broad range of products in North America. We welcome him to the Starrett team and wish Tony Aspin the best in his retirement.” Raymond has worked in the industrial marketspace for more than 12 years, with the past three years serving as vice president of Jon-Michael Raymond sales for PFERD Inc. He has also held various sales and finance positions for Osborn and Norton | Saint-Gobain Abrasives. Raymond is a graduate of Worcester State University and Assumption College, where he received a Master of Business Administration.

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Global Highlights

Obituary

SMI regrets to report the death of Mark Habicht of KirkHabicht on March 28, 2019. Habicht’s parents, Marilyn and David, said, “He fought the good fight of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, aka Lou Gehrig’s disease) for seven years. For the last two years of his life, he was only able to move his eyes. He communicated with a Tobii computer using his eyes, clicking on one letter at a time. He wanted to write his story, but he didn’t get too far. He kept in touch with friends using email. “It is amazing to me, but he never lost his sense of humor,” noted Marilyn. Mark Habicht

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Habicht served SMI on the magazine committee and the board of directors. In Baltimore County, he served on the finance committee and the “School to Word” initiative. Donations may be made in Habicht’s memory to the ALS Association.

International Dr. Vladimir Kobelev has written a new book, “Design and Analysis of Composite Structures for Automotive Applications: Chassis and Drivetrain,” that will be of interest to springmakers who work with fiber composites for chassis and drivetrain applications. Professor Kobelev heads the Calculation, Simulation and Design Optimization department in the Central Unit Research and Development of Mubea, a manufacturer of suspension systems, and teaches at the University of Siegen, Germany.

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2011-11

Global Highlights

According to a news release about the new book, “The basic knowledge on the material behavior of composite materials is described in detail. Thereafter, the focus is on the failure behavior. This is done from a phenomenological point of view and then from the point of view of micromechanics.” One chapter is dedicated to the optimization of fiber structural elements made from composite materials, followed by a look at driveshafts made from composite material. The release further states that in order to understand the difficulty of chassis components, knowledge about the dynamic behavior of rigid and non-rigid structural elements of the chassis is necessary. This is discussed in two chapters. Based on this theoretical basic knowledge,

the book explores different spring shapes and spring types. At the end of the book there are statements on the creep and relaxation behavior of fiber composites. The important appendix lists material characteristics and formulas for the theory of elasticity. According to the publisher, WILEY, the book “is recommended primarily for engineers dealing with suspension design and development, and those who graduated from automotive or mechanical engineering courses in technical high school, or in other higher engineering schools.” The author has included a detailed bibliography at the end of each chapter. To study a chapter, go to: http://www.wiley.com/go/ kobelev/automotive_suspensions

OCTOBER 1–3, 2019 • PITTSBURGH

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The 10th International Congress of Spring Industry will be held Sept. 27, 2019, at the Hyperion Hotel in Hamburg, Germany. The event is organized by the European Spring Federation (ESF) and Verband der Duetschen Federnindustrie (VDFI). For more information, including the Congress program and to register, visit: https://timechange.etool. biz/10th-international-congress-ofspring-industry-2019. Wolfgang Hermann, chairman of the International ICST committee and general secretary of ESF and VDFI, has also announced that the 2nd International Conference on Spring Technologies (ICST) will take place Sept. 14-16, 2020 at the InterContinental Düsseldorf (Germany). Authors are invited to submit abstracts describing original and interesting work. Abstract text should not exceed 200 words. Abstracts also must include the title, keywords, the name of the authors and their institution. The abstracts will be peer reviewed by the national committee and should be submitted to weinrich@federrnverband.de. Abstract submissions for the conference will be received until Sept. 6, 2019. Registration for the conference will begin later this fall. Detailed information concerning the conference, including abstract submission guidelines, can be found at www. icst2020-germany.de. n

SPRINGS / Summer 2019 / 9

©iStockphoto.com/Scott Hirko

Regional Spring Association Report NESMA Expands Networking at Casino Night By Jim Mintun, Gibbs

he New England Spring and Metalstamping Association (NESMA) hosted its fifth annual Casino Night March 14 at the Doubletree by Hilton hotel in Bristol, Connecticut. The Casino Night has developed into our most popular event and supports our annual fundraising efforts dedicated to the various educational and community grant programs sponsored by the organization annually. The 2019 event had 33 vendors/ sponsors exhibiting their products and services in a trade show format and included a cocktail hour. Gaming tables and sponsors increased from 7 in 2018 to 11 this year. Members of the Precision Metalforming Association (PMA), Spring Manufacturers Institute (SMI), Precision Machined Products Association (PMPA), and the Small Manufacturers Association of Connecticut (SMA-CT) were invited to expand networking and collaborative efforts on workforce development and legislative fronts. With well over 180 attendees, a record for the event, gaming was exciting and frenzied at times. We would like to recognize the hard work by the events committee for another wildly successful event and we look forward to next year’s event. NESMA members, please keep the following dates open on your calendar for future events: • July 9, 2019—SMI Roadshow • Sept. 16, 2019—NESMA Golf Outing • Oct. 1, 2019—Spring Winding Class at Naugatuck Community College. Registration starts July 1, 2019. 10 Classes. NESMA would

10 / SPRINGS / Summer 2019

like to recognize equipment sponsor FENN/Torin. For more information, contact Lucas Karabin: lkarabin@acmemonaco.com. • Dec. 6, 2019—NESMA Holiday Party • Dec. 7, 2019—NESMA Annual Meeting

NESMA is pleased to help direct its members toward a wide variety of resources designed to assist their employees and businesses. Please visit our new and expanded website at www.nesma-usa.com for more information.

WCSMA Celebrates its Annual Spring Fling Members of the West Coast Spring Manufacturers Association (WCSMA) embarked on the Carnival Cruise ship “Inspiration” for a scenic trip to Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. The cruise took place April 26 as part of the WCSMA’s annual Spring Fling. For more information on WCSMA, visit www.wcsma.us.

Regional Spring Association Report

CASMI Report By Michael Bandy, Co-Executive Director

CASMI Announces Headquarters Relocation Ef fect ive May 1, 2019, CASM I’s new address is: 218 Glorieta Drive, St. Augustine, FL 32095. Bandy & Associates, Inc. will remain as the organization’s management company, with Michael and Dee Dee Bandy continuing to provide management and support to the organization and SpringWorld. Additionally, the phone number will remain 630-359-4273. Fax service is available upon request.

Baseball Event Scheduled by CASMI Back by popular demand! CASMI will host “An Evening at the Ballpark” at Impact Field, Rosemont, Illinois, on Aug. 8, 2019. Impact Field is the home of the Chicago Dogs, a team of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball (AAIPB), the largest and most successful independent minor league baseball league in the United States. This event was successfully launched in 2018 and delivered a great opportunity for all CASMI members to network while enjoying a baseball game. The event will feature your game ticket, networking, seating, food and beverage. According to CASMI president Tony Pesaresi, “CASMI is always looking to provide strong programs while continuing successful events. We had a great turnout and very positive feedback when we debuted this event last year, so we made the decision to schedule it again in 2019.” Details will be posted on the CASMI website later this summer. To learn more about the Chicago Dogs and Impact Field, visit http://thechicagodogs.com.

CASMI plant tour at VINSTON.

CASMI Hosts Successful Plant Tour and Luncheon at VINSTON

on-site catered luncheon that included salad, gourmet sandwiches, chips and a variety of beverages.

On April 18, 2019, more than 30 CASMI members and guests attended the organization’s annual plant tour, which was hosted by VINSTON US CORP. of Wheeling, Illinois. Commenting on the event, Pesaresi said, “I am very pleased to see so many spring manufacturers here representing the industry and learning about the value that VINSTON brings to the business.” VINSTON US CORP. is the distribution and support center for all VINSTON products for North America. American-owned and operated, the company offer customers technical support, hands-on training and demonstrations. The VINSTON product line is designed and integrated by top engineers educated in the United States. The company’s machines are highly competitive in terms of quality, user-friendliness, reliability, efficiency and cost. The VINSTON brand is also rapidly expanding its customer base throughout Asia, Europe and South America. The event began with arrival and registration, followed by presentations and facility tours. Following the tour’s conclusion, VINSTON hosted an

SpringWorld 2020 Space Sales Brisk, Show Is 70 Percent Sold As of Apr il 25, 2019, nea rly 60 companies had reserved space in SpringWorld 2020, which takes place Oct. 7-9 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois. This represents 21,200 net square feet of space sold, or about 70 percent of the available space. CASMI’s leadership attributes the strong support to past success and the need for spring manufacturers and their suppliers to network in a buying/ selling relationship on the show floor. The 2020 exhibit floor plan includes the larger main aisles that were introduced at SpringWorld 2016. New for 2020, high-quality food stations (e.g., street tacos, carved sandwiches, salads, mac ‘n cheese, etc.) will be set at various locations to encourage lunch on the trade show floor and stronger attendance during key business hours. For details or to reserve space, visit www.casmi-springworld.org or contact CASMI at 630-359-4273 or info@casmi-springworld.org. n

SPRINGS / Summer 2019 / 11

Be Aware Safety Tips

Safely Predicting Workplace Inspections By Laura Helmrich-Rhodes, CSP, Ed.D.

he silver lining associated with getting older is that one can predict events with a bit more accuracy. This is especially true for those of us who have made a career in occupational safety. The safety, fire and health regulations that have emerged due to catastrophic events such as Bhopal (OSHA process safety), and tragic fires such as Imperial Foods in Hamlet, North Carolina (improved life safety and increased state OSHA plan oversight) are numerous. Having lived through both liberal and conservative governments, the emphasis on workplace inspections also have ebbed and flowed with predictive emphasis.

If your organization’s ownership is interested in (anonymously) collecting data (for example, injury versus run time) for the purpose of helping industry owners navigate the OSHA process, please contact the SMI office. This project is in its infancy, but a willingness to provide data is the foundation to its success.

The Numbers

Safety & Health magazine reported record low numbers of federal OSHA inspectors as of Jan. 1, 2019. Although it was reported 26 new hires have been made, the magazine also indicated that it will take one to three years for those inspectors to be ready to work on their own. Despite the current downturn in some of OSHA’s inspection activity, as well as the lack of the assistant secretary position being filled, the agency continues to inspect and move forward on the Unified Regulatory Agenda. (See Helpful Websites below to see several that impact this industry.) It is important to note that there are 22 state plans, and we continue to see inspection activity there. In other words, OSHA is still active. Of course, we would not expect OSHA to come to a screeching halt under the current administration, especially since the National Safety Council (NSC) reports that one worker is injured on the job every seven seconds. The NSC also reports that the leading causes of lost work days in the U.S. are associated with overexertion (lifting/ lowering and repetitive motions), contact with objects and equipment (struck by/against, caught in equipment, struck by collapsing structure) and slips, trips and falls (to lower level and level surface) Manufacturing ranked sixth on the frequency of injury and deaths between 2016–2017. Furthermore, according to NSC, workplace injuries and deaths cost American business an estimated $161.5 billion in 2017. Nearly every day, there are news items on the OSHA website of worker deaths or horrible working conditions — no doubt there is a need for continued enforcement!

Machine Guarding

Springmaking and wireforming companies continue to receive OSHA citations (more often in state OSHA plan states) for guarding of coiling machines. There are National Emphasis Programs (NEP) that drive these inspections, along with amputation and hospitalization reports and employee complaints to OSHA. The NEP that targets this industry includes, but is not limited to, amputation prevention and hazardous machinery and, as of May 2019, auto parts manufacturing. The recommendations vary on guarding, especially wide variations between OSHA consultation and OSHA compliance officers. If your organization’s ownership is interested in (anonymously) collecting data (for example, injury versus run time) for

Laura Helmrich-Rhodes, CSP, Ed.D., is an independent regulations compliance consultant to the Spring Manufacturers Institute (SMI). A former member of PA/OSHA Consultation, she is an associate professor in the Safety Sciences Department at Indiana University of Pennsylvania where she teaches graduate and undergraduate classes on topics such as OSHA standards, safety communications, workers’ compensation and human relations. Rhodes is available for safety advice and information. Contact SMI at 630-495-8588 or laurahrhodes@gmail.com.

SPRINGS / Summer 2019 / 13

the purpose of helping industry owners navigate the OSHA process, please contact the SMI office. This project is in its infancy, but a willingness to provide data is the foundation to its success. Several companies have taken this (federal) OSHA downturn in random inspections as a time to recognize and eliminate safety culture shortcomings on their own. They are learning that physical hazards and unsafe acts diminish when a strong safety culture is implemented. This is a good time to survey employee perceptions of safety in your organization, develop a written environmental, safety, health, quality (SHEQ) written policy/mission statement, and take time to review all your required, written, OSHA programs to assure that they actually work. Diagnose your shortcomings and correct them without the OSHA magnifying glass. Other companies are placing their efforts on driving down workers’ compensation costs versus being compliance driven. There are many cost containment strategies that go hand in hand with safety and human resources practices. Whether it is for the purpose of making the organization more attractive for acquisition, simply to increase profits or a heartfelt determination to change company culture, it is a different twist to making safety and HR systems work. Frankly, as a safety professional, working with owners that are dedicated to a safety culture is much easier than assisting those motivated solely by avoiding OSHA fines. When every on-site manager can see the connection between a safety culture, quality products, high levels of customer

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Several companies have taken this (federal) OSHA downturn in random inspections as a time to recognize and eliminate safety culture shortcomings on their own. They are learning that physical hazards and unsafe acts diminish when a strong safety culture is implemented.

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Wrap Up

Although the anticipated downturn in the number of federal inspections is happening, enforcement activity is still occurring. This is especially true in state plan states. Furthermore, despite record unemployment, this is the time to focus on driving down operational costs, tightening up your hiring procedures and onboarding practices to assure that everyone is moving the same direction in terms of a safety culture. When those things happen, compliance will fall into place. That, for certain, is an accurate prediction! n

Helpful Websites NSC Injury Data https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/work/work-overview/work-safetyintroduction/ Model Written Safety & Health Programs https://alabamasafestate.ua.edu/safety-consultation/model_safety_ and_health_programs.php

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Understanding State OSHA Plans https://www.osha.gov/dcsp/osp/ OSHA Unified (Regulatory) Agenda https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/unifiedagenda/currentagenda National Emphasis Programs https://www.osha.gov/enforcement/directives/nep

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Dean of Springs

Is it Time For a Parade? By Dan Sebastian

©iStockphoto.com/flySnow

arades have been used by leaders since the time of Rome to motivate citizens to be proud of their country. Companies can use the same principle to improve morale and to get the families of their employees involved in the company’s success. We did not have a parade, but we could use an open house for the families to achieve the same thing. As a young man and early in my business career, I attended a few such events. I did not appreciate how powerful a tool it was until years later, when I was sent to Ann Arbor, Michigan to become the general manager, at what had been the company’s most profitable facility for many years. I arrived on a snowy February day to take my first walk around the plant. I was horrified to see a plant that looked like a place that time had forgotten. It was obvious why they asked me to take over this plant. The managers who worked before me had made money by not reinvesting in the business, and the senior management thought I could help. The quality systems were almost nonexistent, the inventory system did not work, morale was terrible, and the union was out of control. That’s how I became a Wolverine. Over the next few months we put in a quality policy, fixed the inventory system and implemented a statistical process control (SPC) system that involved a one-week training program for every employee. We tackled the morale problem by working with all the employees one-on-one. It was a bit of a challenge to get the union to understand that our interests were similar and that everyone expected to be treated fairly and with respect. After we had gotten those pieces in place, we realized we were missing something, so we held an open house for the employee’s families and some key city officials. With the date set, we asked some of the employees to show how their equipment worked. One of the employees was, at best, an interesting choice. He came to work most days in the summer on the biggest Harley I have ever seen. His normal attire was a sleeveless shirt, except on “dress up” days when he wore a T-shirt with his cigarettes rolled up in the sleeve. The big day arrived and much to our surprise, he was well dressed with tattoos hidden, though he was very

nervous. The day began and he was doing an outstanding job explaining to our guests what he did and how the machine worked. It got better toward the end of the day when his family arrived, and the magic began. He proudly showed his small children that their dad used a computer every day to assure the quality of his work. At the end of the day, he came to me and thanked us for the opportunity to show his children that their dad used a computer. He used that event to tell his children why they needed to do well in school. I learned my lesson well. Every employee, no matter how they look, deserves to have the opportunity to be proud of what they do, and the company has the ability to allow them to show off their skills to their family. As you look at your organization, you need to decide if is it time for a parade. n Dan Sebastian is a former SMI president and currently serves as a technical consultant to the association. He holds a degree in metallurgical engineering from Lehigh University and his industry career spans more than four decades in various technical and management roles. He may be reached by contacting SMI at 630-495-8588.

SPRINGS / Summer 2019 / 17

Technically Speaking

Troubleshooting Spring Forming Issues By Dr. Terry Bartel and C. Richard Gordon

(Editor’s note: In this edition of Technically Speaking, our regular columnist, Rick Gordon, combines efforts with Dr. Terry Bartel of Charter Steel to produce this helpful troubleshooting article.)

Man

method

response ust as raw material suppliers to the spring industry can (and do) experience problems that affect spring forming, the numerous processes that go into manumaterial machine facturing a good spring can also lead to difficulties. Many methodologies have been develFigure 1. Ishikawa (Fishbone) Diagram. oped to assist problem solvers get to the root cause of problems. One of these is the cause and effect diagram, also known as the fishbone diagram, • Small index springs are more sensitive to coating types/amount and surface condition. or Ishikawa diagram. The first cause and effect diagram1 was developed by Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa of the University of • Mandrel-wound springs are more sensitive to the cast, helix and mechanical property variations of the raw Tokyo in the summer of 1943. He did this while explaining material than are springs formed on coiling points. to some engineers of Kawasaki Steel Works how various This does not mean that cast and helix are not imporfactors can be sorted out and related in such a way. It is a guide to concrete action; the more use that is made of it, tant – they still are. the more effective it becomes. • Close-wound springs are less sensitive to cast, helix and Problems are inevitable. Any one of the factors listed in mechanical property variations than open-wound springs. figure 1, or all, can contribute to a “bad day.” • Large index springs (spring index is the ratio of the Our attempt in this article is to provide a troubleshootmean spring diameter to wire diameter)2 are generally more sensitive to cast, helix and mechanical properties. ing guide as a place to begin looking when problems occur during the spring manufacturing and testing processes, and a starting point in defining probable causes for the issue References — both by the raw material supplier and the springmaker. 1 Ishakawa, K., “Guide to Quality Control,” (2nd ed.). (1986) Asian Productivity Org., As you read the table on the following pages, you probably Tokyo, Japan: Nordica International Ltd. can think of other problems and, how they are manifested 2 “Encyclopedia of Spring Design – Fundamentals of Spring Design” published by the Spring Manufacturers Institute, page G-10. in the spring itself. Or other possible contributing causes, be it the material or the springmaking operation. This is only an attempt to define some of the more common/basic causes Rick Gordon is the technical director for SMI. He is available to help SMI members and non-members for poor spring forming or performance. Should one take with metallurgical challenges such as fatigue life, a more comprehensive approach, additional topics would corrosion, material and process related problems. have to be included: He is also available to help manage and oversee • Other material forms/shapes can be and are affected processes related to failure analysis. This includes by the factors discussed above — their impact is not sourcing reputable testing labs throughout North America, forwarding member requests to the isolated only to springs. appropriate lab and reporting results and rec• Springs formed on coiling points are more sensitive to ommendations. He can be reached at c.richard. coatings (type/amount) and surface conditions than gordon@gmail.com or 574-514-9367. mandrel-wound springs.

SPRINGS / Summer 2019 / 19

Related Spring Problems

Spring Problem Jam Up On Tooling:

Contributing Wire Issues Die scoring, rough surface, insufficient or excessive coating, low mechanical properties.

Contributing Springmaking Issues Bad tool or feed system.

Wire Breakage: Surface damage, poor microstructure, mechanical properties: low = tensile breaks and high = shear/brittle breakage, poor welds (technique, process weld or weld at finish), cup-cone central burst type breaks due to poor wire drawing die practice and/or centerline chemical segregation, nitriding of stainless during furnace stop, recarburization of some carbon alloys during a furnace stop.

Tool damage, over-stressed, too small of bend radii, wire not allowed feed into bend resulting in tensile failure.

Spool or Reel Tangling: Dished wind, too tight or light (loose) wind, crowned, wire pinched against flange.

Pay-off direction: vertical vs. horizontal. Jerky pay-off (lack of tension control), thrown wire loops.

Discoloration or Color (Shade) Variation: As-received wire

For some situations, this problem may be purely aesthetic with no forming or end use problems. In other instances, discoloration may be noted after other problems are detected.

Coating weight differences (light vs. heavy), oxidation (air leak or contamination in furnace or annealing tube), contamination in soap, rust. Surface contamination.

Variation in or improper or insufficient cleaning prior to heat-treatment or stress relief. Improper or contaminated atmosphere. Incorrect temperature or temperature variation.

Spring diameter (O.D./I.D.) variation

Variation in: Free length, hook or leg position, load.

Cast and helix variation, mechanical properties variation, poor straightness, too much coating (building up on tooling), rough surface, die scoring, out-of-round.

Gouging wire with tooling, let-off or feed system. Improper stress relief.

Free length variation (Open Wound)

Variation in: Spring diameter, hook or leg position, pitch, number of coils, load.

Free Length variation (Close Wound)

Variation in: Spring diameter, hook or leg position, number of coils, load.

Same as above.

Hook or Leg position variation

Variation in: Spring diameter, free length, number of coils, load in torsion springs (may also affect loads of extension springs depending on design).

Same as above.

After customer heat-treatment

DIMENSIONS:

Hook or Leg bend angle variation

20 / SPRINGS / Summer 2019

Same as above.

Variation in: Cast, helix, straightness, mechanical properties.

Same as above plus length of wire fed into the spring machine.

Tooling setup, let-off and feed systems.

LOADS: Load variation at Extension (Close Wound)

Spring diameter, initial tension, free length, number of coils.

Load variation at Compression (Open Wound)

Free length, spring diameter, number of coils.

Load variation at Rotation (Torsion)

Leg or hook position, spring diameter, number of coils.

Initial load variation (Close Wound)

Load at extension, spring diameter.

Takes set under load (at room or elevated temperatures)

Wire diameter, out-of-round, any characteristics affecting spring dimensional problems if they exist.

Spring design: if wire diameter is in spec and spring dimensions are to print, and the load is not to print, then the spring design is the problem. Diameter of the spring, free length, wire diameter and the material determine the load – not mechanical properties.

Cast, helix, mechanical property variations, too much coating, die scoring, surface roughness, out-of-round.

Feed system, tooling, angle of wire feeding on the tool, stress relief temperature variation (too high).

Mechanical properties.

Stress relief (temperature too high) or design (over-stressed).

Fatigue failure: surface damage (e.g., die score, die chatter), low mechanical properties, microstructure, inclusions.

Surface damage during forming or testing. Over-stressed (poor design) in testing. Poor testing equipment. Misalignment during setup. Stress relief temperature too high.

CYCLE FAILURE: Variation in: Spring diameter, hook or leg position, number of coils, free length.

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SPRINGS / Summer 2019 / 21

Thank You By Gary McCoy

22 / SPRINGS / Summer 2019

“Thank you.” Just two words can carry a huge impact. There’s a simple yet profound essay about this subject at HuffPost.com w ritten by cont ributor Kimberly Montgomery called “The Power of Thank You.” Montgomery notes that we all have the power to say those two words, and that by doing so it has the ability to motivate, create good will, make peace, and solidify love and commitment. “The benefits of throwing around Thank You’s are enormous. And we have so many opportunities every day. How many people can you think of you can thank that you may have overlooked in the past? Who can you think of that you can thank again with more passion? Who will you always remember to thank in the future?” I like her idea of starting a “Tha nk Bombing” t rend. You can read her entire article here: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ the-power-of-thank-you_b_8557810 You could say that this issue of Springs is about “Thank Bombing” the spring industry. Whether showing gratitude to employees, suppliers or those who make contributions to local charities, this issue is loaded with gratefulness. We hope you enjoy the articles, photos and numerous contributions we received. I’m sure we’ve only touched the surface of what’s out there.

Gratefulness is Good for Business

In addition to all these contributions, you can read the perspectives of two people who practice thankfulness

on a regular basis. Lisa Ryan was a speaker at the 2018 SMI annual meeting in Napa and helped attendees learn about the benefits of gratitude. Ryan’s article, “Harnessing the Power of Appreciation to Elevate Employee Engagement” on page 24, will help you understand that thanking employees is not only a good thing to do, it is a winning retention strategy. You can also read a review of Ryan’s book, “The Upside of Down Times: Discovering the Power of Gratitude,” on page 63. I have known John Passante for well over a decade and served as editor of his book, “The Human Side: High-Touch Leadership in a HighTech World.” John is one of the most optimistic people you’ll ever meet. I remember having breakfast with John many years ago at a hotel here in the Chicago area. I was blown away that he had learned the name of each server who came to our table and the front desk personnel and went out of his way to offer praise for their service. He is one who practices what he preaches. As John writes in his article “Recognizing Recognition” on page 25, “There appears to be a recognition deficit at many companies.” Johns says a genuine “Thank You” from company leaders is a huge step on the road to employee recognition. “In our ‘hurry up’ world, we tend to be too busy to say ‘Thank You!’”

SMI Says Thanks

leaders. In SMI’s case, it is the many individuals who donate their time to serve on the association’s various committees, board of directors and executive committee. “I want to thank the many individuals who volunteer their time to make our organization better every day,” said SMI executive director Lynne Carr. “It includes those who currently serve, and numerous others who have donated their time and efforts over the years to make SMI the great organization it is. SMI is extremely grateful to each and every one.” I’ve had the privilege of working with Lynne Carr for more than a decade, and in the numerous times I’ve seen her publicly thanked at SMI functions, she is quick to say: “This is not the Lynne Carr show!” I appreciate her humility and recognition that running an association like SMI is a team effort. As I was writing this article, Lynne told me she wanted me to include a big thank you to the SMI staff: Dina Sanchez, Gary McCoy, Laura Rhodes, Sue Zubek, Dan Sebastian, Gary Van Buren and Rick Gordon. I like this quote by William Arthur Ward, “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” This issue is our chance to provide you with a gift. Now it’s your turn to give thanks—it’s a gift that a family member, employee, customer or supplier may need today. Take time to do some thank bombing!

Associations do not thrive without the contributions of its volunteer

SPRINGS / Summer 2019 / 23

Harnessing the Power of Appreciation to Elevate Employee Engagement by Lisa Ryan, Grategy

ould it surprise you to know that the WorkHuman Research Institute revealed that 21 percent of employees have never been recognized at work, and 33 percent haven’t been recognized in six months? Even those employees who don’t thrive on recognition need more attention than that! We must do a better job creating an emotional connection with our employees by acknowledging, appreciating and applauding their efforts. Can you ever “over-thank” an employee? Not if you’re specific and sincere. If you finish reading this article thinking, “That Lisa Ryan woman said I need to thank five people today. OK. ‘Thank you,’ ‘thank you,’ ‘thank you,’ ‘thank you,’ ‘thank you.’ Check!

What gets recognized gets repeated, so the more specific you can be in your acknowledgment, the better it is. That’s done.” You’re right; it doesn’t work. Your employees will see right through your lack of sincere effort. On the other hand, what gets recognized gets repeated, so the more specific you can be in your acknowledgment, the better it is. You can either say a generic, “Good job, Maria.” or you can tell her, “Maria, you did an outstanding job handling that call with Mrs. Smith today. She was tough in her demands, and you calmed her down, handled her professionally and solved her problem, and let us keep her as a satisfied customer. You have great customer instinct. Thank you!” Now Maria knows exactly what she did to warrant recognition, whereas, the “good job” comment was open to her interpretation. You may consider engagement strategies as a soft skill, but using these skills effectively produces hard results. In studying the communication habits of a team, Marcial Losada found that high performing teams have a 6:1 positivity ratio. That means for every one negative comment heard by

24 / SPRINGS / Summer 2019

a team member, they receive at least six positive responses. On an average performing team, the ratio drops to 3:1. This ratio means your engagement is barely surviving. Your employees are doing just enough work so they don’t get fired, and you are probably paying them just enough so they don’t quit. They are rowing just fast enough for the boat not to sink. It’s an even balance. On a low performing team, the ratio is .3:1. This statistic means employees hear three times more negative comments than positive remarks. It’s kind of like being in bumper-tobumper traffic. For every one person who waves, “Go ahead,” three people are honking their horn and making obscene gestures! Stop always trying to “fix what’s broken” and strive to recognize the excellent work that your employees do. In its research, the Gallup Organization finds that only 30 percent of your employees are actively engaged. These are the people that bring more value to your organization than the salary you are paying. About 50 percent of your employees are disengaged. They are doing precisely the amount of work they are paid to do — nothing more, sometimes less. And, of course, you have your bottom 20 percent – the actively disengaged employees. These are the poisonous, toxic, “problem children” who work for you. Not only are they a pain to be around, but they are expensive — costing you as much as $3,500 for every $10,000 in salary. When your toxic employees start causing people to leave, who leaves? Your best employees or your worst? The best, right? It’s a negative spiral that must be taken care of — even if you must offer that employee the opportunity to find another job. Think about the two groups of employees who get all of the attention — the actively engaged “rock stars” and the actively disengaged “problem children.” Let’s take a minute and consider the forgotten group — the middle 50 percent. We’ll call them your “Steady

If your employees have not heard a positive word from you in the past week, look for something specific you can acknowledge. Eddies.” Eddie might not be a rock star, but he’s not a problem child. He comes to work, does his job and goes home. What if one day, you said to him, “You know Eddie, I want to let you know how much I appreciate your being here every day, I can always count on you. Thanks!” Eddie might be thinking, “Hmmm, how do I get more of that?” So, he works a little harder because he likes the positive attention. And you’ve opened the door for him to perform better…and you may have given him what he needed to move closer to “Rock Star” status. One final thought to keep in mind — where do your actively disengaged employees get their recruits? From the middle 50 percent. The 50 percent is the group you can have the most impact on, with the right encouragement. They are the group where you can make the most significant difference. If your employees have not heard a positive word from you in the past week, look for something specific you can acknowledge. Who knows, you may stop that person from clicking “send” with his or her resume to another potential employer. n Lisa Ryan, chief appreciation strategist at Grategy, helps organizations keep their top talent from becoming someone else’s. Learn more at www. LisaRyanSpeaks.com.

Recognizing Recognition By Dr. John A. Passante

I subscribe to the precept that each of us has a very strong need and desire to be recognized for who we are, and perhaps for who we can become and to be appreciated for our contribution. There appears to be a recognition deficit at many companies. When you don’t recognize employees for a job well done it can be a demotivator that permeates throughout an organization. Appreciated and recognized employees are good for your business. Sincere praise and recognition create positive emotions in an organization. A genuine “Thank You” is a huge step on the road to employee recognition. In our “hurry up” world, we tend to be too busy to say “Thank You!” Think of this, data indicates that companies that excel at recognizing employees are more profitable. It is also a fact that many employees will quit, due to a lack of recognition. Recognition drives performance, positive behaviors and can improve a company’s culture. Proactively recognizing employees (associates) who have a positive impact

on your organization improves attitudes, moods and their quality of life. The employee takes the good feelings home with them. In life and in business, we all want to know that what we do matters. We seek to be noticed and to know that our efforts count. True recognition is thoughtful and meaningful. It is a sincere investment in the employee. There are many variables in today’s business environment. It is important to point out that recognizing high performing employees is under the total control of the leader. When employees are recognized and appreciated, they push themselves to do more and contribute to the good of the organization. Recognized employees are your roadmap to future success. By recognizing employees, you help create memories and light the fire of employee passion. We have all experienced the emotion in the room at an annual sales meeting when the awards are presented. It is not uncommon for the recipients to have tears in their eyes as they walk to the stage to receive their award. That experience will indeed stay with them forever. The audience is also involved in a shared experience, making peer-topeer recognition a powerful moment.

SPRINGS / Summer 2019 / 25

Employee recognition creates workplace vitality and positive juice, and a framework of collaboration, encouragement, positive attitudes and professional productivity. The employees (peers) who recognize others because they sincerely mean it. Employee recognition should be tied into your company values and mission statement, which will have a strong impact on your company culture. It lifts us and encourages us to think and to act on a higher positive level. True recognition comes not only from the brain, but it is a heartfelt moment. It can be best defined as timely, formal, or informal acknowledgement of a person’s performance, or of an individual or team effort that support the organization’s overall goals. Recognition puts fuel in the employee’s emotional tank. It sends a powerful message to the recipient as well the formal and informal company

communication channels and affects moods and can make work fun. Appreciation is a fundamental human need, a desire for valiant performance and effort. Permit me to offer a perspective, the opportunity to recognize extraordinary employee performance is a privilege that should be a valued responsibility of enlightened leaders. Employee recognition creates workplace vitality and positive juice, and a framework of collaboration, encouragement, positive attitudes and professional productivity. Recognition is a gift that is best shared, and builds a belief in the future toward employee loyalty and retention. Today is a good day to give your employees your undivided attention

(no checking emails or taking phone calls during a conversation with an employee). Be ready to watch the magic of motivation, focus and clarity of communication that takes place. Recognition makes people feel important and valued, because they are. Recognition drives enduring results and is a force of positive influence, at all levels of an organization. Recognition shines a bright light on achievers. It’s clear that employee recognition can and will move the needle in your organization because research proves that it works. It increases profits and customer satisfaction. The question is: Are we all too busy to recognize our greatest resource: people? n Author, motivational speaker, and executive coach, John Passante is the president and CEO of the Organizational Development Group, LLC. He is the author of “The Human Side: High-Touch Leadership in a High-Tech World.” Passante can be reached via email at theorgdevgroup@gmail.com.

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SMI Members Say Thanks We asked SMI members to send us their stories and/or photographs around the theme of “Thank You.” As you will see in this section, SMI members responded in a variety of ways! A big thank you from the SMI staff to everyone who took time to send us their contributions.

Wired For Service Sergio Gallo Senior Vice President Interwire Products

“Food brings people together on many different levels. It’s nourishment of the soul and body: it’s truly love.” Giada De Laurentiis I’m in full agreement! I love food— cooking it, eating it and sharing it with others. My wonderful Italian mother taught me to cook many, many wonderful dishes that I share with family, friends and through the various ministries I have gotten involved with through the years. I am blessed to have a job that often finds me sharing a good meal with customers and suppliers all over the world Through my love of food, I’ve had the honor of serving the Boy Scouts of America in South Carolina by teaching aspiring Eagle Scouts (including my son Nick!) their cooking merit badges, learning food safety, food preparation and cooking tasty meals. Every parent was thrilled! There were times when we didn’t have a location for holding Scout meetings and Interwire was happy to open their doors to us. My company’s wire delivery truck was also at the disposal of the Scouts to pick up and deliver Scout popcorn for their big annual fundraisers, as well as delivering large loads of groceries

28 / SPRINGS / Summer 2019

from Scout drives to the local food pantry here in my neck of the woods. I always got a kick out of when the other Scout Leaders would request me to be the grub master at campouts. They loved my campfire cookouts, and especially my early morning lattes! One of the things I really enjoy after being on the road so often, is having the chance to cook and serve others from my own kitchen. There is something very satisfying about cooking a homemade meal, and even better, sharing it with others. One way I have been able to make a real difference doing this is by serving in the Hands of Grace Ministry in my church. The people I prepare meals for are recovering from surgeries and illnesses. When I show up with a steaming tray of baked ziti and meatballs, it puts a big smile on their faces and a smile on mine as well. Serving others is not just something I do on my own but something I have turned into a family affair. Our family serves together at our church’s food pantry. At the food pantry, my wife greets and prays with the people who come for groceries while I handle serving refreshments. Our children

serve alongside a great group of volunteers, who assist everyone who comes by carrying groceries to their cars. In addition to providing much needed food to those in our community who need assistance, we make a real heart-to-heart connection. It’s very rewarding to know we are making a real difference in these people’s lives. Interwire Products has been very compassionate in supporting my volunteer efforts. Not only have they provided the company’s delivery truck to assist the church until they could get their own, but they have donated monetarily to the food pantry, allowing us to maximize the number of people we are able to serve. I appreciate that they value not only my service to the company, but also my service to the community.

International Spring Owner Says “Thanks” On April 2, 2019, International Spring Company celebrated 50 years in business under the management of owner Joseph H. Goldberg. A luncheon was held at the company’s plant in Morton Grove, Illinois to celebrate the milestone. “I would like to thank my entire staff for all their loyalty and dedication for making this wonderful longevity happen,” said Goldberg. “I’m one lucky springmaker.” In 2021, the company will celebrate 100 years in business from its inception in the heart of Chicago. You can read more about the history of International Spring and Goldberg’s ownership of the company since 1969 in the Springmaker Spotlight feature, “From Poultry to Precision Springs: A Profile of Joe Goldberg and International Spring Co.” The article can be found in the Summer 2016 issue of Springs.

Pictured (l-to-r): Martin Kolbe, 35 years; Bill Pollzzie, 40 years; Peter Mendel; Kay Spooner, 30 years; Dave Wyckoff, 30 years; Scott Sevits, 20 years; and Lee Anne Neal, 25 years.

Kern-Liebers North America Says Thanks Peter Mendel, president and CEO of Kern-Liebers North America, recently honored several team members for t hei r work a n n iversa r ies at t he Holland, Ohio location. The company

recognized one team member for 20 years, one for 25 years, two for 30 years, one for 35 years and one for 40 years of service. “Kern-Liebers is very grateful for the contribution that each of the team members has provided to the company over all these years,” said Mendel.

SPRINGS / Summer 2019 / 29

Duer/Carolina Coil Thanks Retiree for His Volunteer Service By Jacklyn Edwards, Human Resources, Duer/Carolina Coil

In 1990, six years before Duer Spring and Carolina Coil merged, Dave Fila’s career with the company began in Pennsylvania. He moved to South Carolina in 1996 after the merger to continue his work for Duer/Carolina Coil (DCC). During his 28 years as a taper mill operator, Dave was a hard, dependable worker who took pride in his work. Tapering the bar is one of the few remaining processes that more closely resembles the work of a blacksmith, rather than an automated process. It takes patience, skill and deep understanding of the machine and process. Dave knew this better than anybody, and always welcomed an opportunity to teach his craft to others. During his time at DCC, he made many lifelong friends, many of whom he continues to keep in contact. For most of his time at DCC, he worked closely with people like Bobby Bryant, George Henderson, Ed Durris, Bill Hendricks and James Coley. Dave retired in 2018 to pursue his other passions in volunteer work. Dave has been a volunteer firefighter for over 40 years, and in retirement continues to volunteer locally. Dave says he

became a firefighter simply because he enjoys helping people, and at first it was an adrenaline rush, but after all this time it has become routine. Dave remembers responding to as many as 12 calls a day, but now he says he takes about one call a week at his local department in Inman, South Carolina. In his early volunteer years, Dave recalls times when he saved people from burning buildings and large car fires. Since then, his calls are mostly emergency medical services and automobile accidents. When asked the stereotypical question about how many cats he had saved from trees, he responded with “How many dead cats have you seen in the top of trees? None. That is because they know how to get down.” Dave says there are both good and bad memories from his time as a firefighter. One fond memory Dave recalled was a time when he was called out to a large structure fire in Pennsylvania. The firetruck was unable to make it up the steep 300 ft. driveway, so the team was forced to leave the truck and go to the structure on foot. Dave advised his partners repeatedly to be careful getting out of the truck because the driveway was slippery and dangerous, but Dave was the one who ended up sliding all the way back down the incline. In the end, the fire turned out to be a false alarm.

JN Machinery Thanks Veteran By Daniel Pierre III

Kevin Gilbert, All Control Enterprises (left), receives recognition from JN Machinery’s Daniel Pierre III.

30 / SPRINGS / Summer 2019

JN Machinery wishes to thank Kevin Gilbert of All Control Enterprises, a technical expert for JN’s temperature controllers. Kevin has dedicated his time and energy helping JN determine the optimal parameters and settings as we profile each oven. He is always available and eager to help, even when we are on-site at a customer’s plant with special needs. Kevin’s discipline and expertise comes from his time in the U.S. Navy

Dave Fila

In addition to being a volunteer firefighter, Dave also spends time at his church, Holy Communion Lutheran Church in Spartanburg, installing and inspecting smoke detectors and fire extinguishers. We are extremely grateful for all the years Dave dedicated to Duer/Carolina Coil and proud of all his volunteer efforts in his community. He will always be part of our DCC family.

as well as the Navy Reserves, including duty during Operation Desert Storm protecting oil platforms in the Persian Gulf. He worked at Omron (JN’s selected brand of temperature controllers) for seven years as an application engineer, which reinforced his “customer-first” attitude. Kevin has been at All Control since 2011, and currently helps JN Machinery as we transition from electro-mechanical components to PLC/HMI-based systems that remain focused on precision temperature control.

Ace Wire Spring & Form – Part of the Community By John Higgins The local community has always been a big part of the culture at Ace Wire Spring & Form. Owner Linda Froehlich started out in the spring industry when she was 14 years old. Her father started a spring manufacturing company in their house in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, and she enjoyed watching her father’s entrepreneurship and wanted to be a part of the experience. As the company grew, it expanded by building a small wooden structure next to the family’s house to accommodate a new machine and work coming in. Ace Wire Spring hired local people into the company, staying close to its roots. In 1976, Linda and her husband, Rich Froehlich, bought the company from her father, becoming co-owners of Ace Wire Spring and continuing the vision of being a family owned and operated enterprise.

BotsIQ robotics team tours Ace Wire Spring.

In 1986, Ace Wire Spring built a 55,000 sq. ft. facility located less than five minutes from the original office in McKees Rocks, keeping the company close to where Linda grew up and had developed close ties with the local community. In addition to employing members of the community, Linda is an avid supporter of educating young people on the career opportunities in the field

of manufacturing. Ace Wire Spring sponsors a local high school, Clairton, and their BotsIQ robotic teams. The BotsIQ program is an education robotics competition providing students with a hands-on experience, allowing them to discover the possibilities of a career in science, technology, engineering or math fields (STEM). Every year Ace Wire Spring hosts students from the teams to tour the shop and

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see springmaking and manufacturing up close and personal. Ace Wire Spring has taken part in Manufacturing Day for the past seven years. The event is held the first Friday in October, when manufacturing is celebrated nationwide. Ace Wire Spring has invited local middle school, high school, and college students to the company for a tour of the shop. The students see springs being manufactured and learn about career opportunities in manufacturing from the company’s craftsmen and design engineers. Linda is now a member of the SMI board, serving on its workforce development committee. This runs in parallel with her being an ambassador for the national Dream It. Do It. program. This program helps raise awareness of careers in manufacturing. It works to change the perception of the industry and inspire the next generation of manufacturers. Teaming up with local colleges and universities is another method

Ace Wire Spring uses to work with the local community. The company has partnered with these institutions to grow awareness of the manufacturing field with students, and to make apprenticeships, internships, and full-time positions available to those who have an interest in entering the manufacturing field. As Ace Wire Spring & Form celebrates its 80th anniversary as a family-owned and operated business, owners, craftsmen, and neighbors agree that the feeling of family resonates within Ace Wire Spring’s culture. This sentiment spills over into the community at large and Ace Wire Spring thanks its employees for being actively involved in making the community where they live and work a better place. Both Ace Wire Spring and the community have helped each other grow over the years and will continue to work together into the future.

Wire, Spring Industry Ensures Care Is Available In Connecticut By John Sponauer Vice President of Marketing Communications and Philanthropic Giving, Wheeler Clinic, Inc.

For more t ha n f ive decades, t he cent ra l Con nect icut com mu nit y has supported Wheeler Clinic in its mission to serve residents in need, including 30,000 last year. Much of that support has come from the region’s manufacturing sector, which includes several notable local wire and spring firms. Through the support of these firms, the organization is now a statewide leader in integrated primary and behavioral health care.

Barnes Group / Associated Spring – Support From the Beginning The c lo s e c on ne c t ion b et we en Wheeler and the wire and spring industry dates back to its formation. Local attorney Bonnie Barnes worked

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pro bono to establish the organization in the 1960s, and Associated Spring / Barnes Group of Bristol, Connecticut has since been a stalwart supporter of Wheeler’s mission. The company literally helped build the organization’s facilities in the area, has worked in partnership on priority community efforts and initiatives, provided volunteer leadership on Wheeler’s board, and philanthropically supported Wheeler in countless ways through capital campaigns, top special event sponsorships, and more. Associated Spring/Barnes Group received Wheeler’s Hands and Hearts Award in 2013 for its philanthropic commitment to the organization’s mission. “Giving back to our community is woven into the work we do every day,” says Thomas O. Barnes, chairman of the board of Barnes Group, as well as its charitable foundation. “We encourage our employees to be active in their neighborhoods and through their own giving,

and generations of the Barnes family have understood that success in our business has to go hand in hand with being a leader and engaged in our community and the issues it faces. Wheeler addresses some of those most difficult issues.”

Gibbs – Making Connections That Benefit the Community That mindset of giving back overlays the entire spring manufacturing community locally. William J. Torres, CEO and president of Gibbs in next-door Southington, Connecticut, has contributed to Wheeler’s service and success in countless ways. Torres got to know Wheeler as a golfer in the organization’s annual golf classic nearly two decades ago. Since then his relationship has evolved into so much more, including as an event sponsor and two terms as a very active and involved Wheeler trustee and board officer. Torres was also a recipient of the Hands and Hearts Award, and served four years as chairman of the

golf event, which has raised more than $1.1 million since launching in the mid-1980s. Wheeler is the primary beneficiary of Gibbs’ philanthropic efforts, and William J. Torres Torres has recruited many local business leaders, employees, and supporters to become involved in Wheeler’s work, today and into the future. “I find it’s very easy to stay connected to an organization like Wheeler,” Torres says. “Once I got on the board and saw the mission, and saw that it was run in a very professional way, it resonated with me. As an employer, we are always trying to balance the interests of many parties including our employees’ needs, and our community, and we can do that by giving our time and support to help people around us who need services.

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The need doesn’t discriminate. Our employees, our customers, our shareholders, and our community all benefit from an organization like Wheeler and what it offers.”

Tollman Spring— Investing in Community Needs In tight-knit, compact New England, with firms sometimes dating back centuries, suppliers, producers, and

competitors are also neighbors who all must focus on their own market growth, but can also feel the immediate benefits of a healthier community to their bottom line and operations. Tollman Spring Company in Bristol is another great example of a firm that consistently supports Wheeler’s mission, through a relationship dating back more than 25 years. Like Barnes Group, Torres and Gibbs, Tollman has also received

Wheeler’s Hands and Hearts Award for its philanthropic work in support of the organization’s mission. Richard Zink, president of Tollman Spring since 2003, says their corporate giving extends in many directions locally, from food pantries to youth organizations and police departments, but making sure accessible health care is available in the community has always been a priority. Like Torres, Zink first learned of Wheeler through its golf tournament and has since seen the benefit provided to local residents and the skilled workforce that helps him grow his company. “You can’t turn a blind eye to what’s happening around you, or to what your employees are going through. That’s not what we’re about,” Zink says. He believes that Tollman’s success—last year was their biggest since beginning in 1945—only highlights the need for a skilled and healthy community. “In our business, we have to keep reinvesting, and training our employees for what it’s going to look like five, 10 years down the road, filling the voids that we know will exist,” explained Zink. “When we give to support a place like Wheeler, it’s related to that thinking in a lot of ways. We appreciate that they are out there, doing what they do. We have good employees here, and we want them to live happy and healthy lives, today and in the future.”

About Wheeler Clinic Wheeler provides comprehensive solut ion s t hat add ress complex health issues, providing individuals, families and communities with accessible, innovative care that encourages health, recovery, and growth at all stages of life. Its integrated approach to primary and behavioral health, educat ion a nd recover y c reates measurable results, positive outcomes, and hopeful tomorrows for more than 30,000 individuals across Connecticut each year. Learn more at WheelerClinic.org.

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Supporting the M.A.R.S. Robotics Team By Ambrose Fickel Automated Industrial Motion

The First Robotics Competition (FRC) is an international sport where organized teams of high school students compete to solve specific engineering challenges. The challenges are technically difficult and require both a great deal of teamwork and the involvement of local businesses and engineers. Each year, Automated Industrial Motion (AIM) volunteers to assist the local high school team, Muskegon Area Robotics Students (M.A.R.S.), in this competition. The theme of the 2019 competition was â&#x20AC;&#x153;Deep Space.â&#x20AC;? Each team was required to design and build a robotically-controlled machine, which could place hatch panels and cargo into specific holding bays on a rocketing shuttle. Scoring was based

upon the amount of cargo and panels properly placed, and the successful deployment and return of the automated robots. Each timed match lasts only two minutes 30 seconds. The engineering team at AIM worked directly with the M.A.R.S. students to develop a drive and steering mechanism, giving the robot increased speed, traction and maneuverability. The drive mechanism was influential in earning M.A.R.S an exciting first place finish among 40 teams competing in the Michigan regionals! By involving ourselves as engineering mentors to the students and through our donation of materials and machining, we help the students bring their design solutions into the competition arena. We are grateful and thoroughly enjoy the opportunity to work with the First Robotics team within our local community.

M.A.R.S. robotics team at the First Robotics Competition.

Kemon Watson

Newcomb Spring Employee Serves His Community By Don Jacobson III Newcomb Spring of Tennessee

Kemon Watson shows he has the KanDo* attitude throughout every aspect of his life. Kemon works at Newcomb Spring of Tennessee in the coiling department. He spends his free time (as a new dad there isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t much) giving back to his community. For the past four years Kemon has donated about 80 bicycles to help single parents and struggling families to put a present underneath the Christmas tree. The past two years, he has also started donating laptops to families that have a student heading off to college. In January, he was named the citizen of the week for Dalton, Georgia. To fill out his year-round philanthropic endeavors, Kemon has started the Blue House Game Room. This is a fun and safe place for kids to go after school. Each day Kemon spends an hour tutoring and mentoring at no charge. The Blue House has the latest video games for the kids to play, as well plenty of opportunities for karaoke and relaxing with friends. This has become a great local hangout, where parents can come pick their kids up after work and not have to worry about where they are or what they may be doing. The vision of a chaperoned environment that lets kids interact with each other is just another reason why we are thankful to work with Kemon. We really want to thank Kemon for his service to the community. What started off as donating four bicycles

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in 2015 has caught the community’s attention. Now others in the area have begun to help Kemon, and those four bicycles at Christmas have become 30, with the hopes of giving away 50 this year. Thank you, Kemon, for not only being a great co-worker and friend, but a positive role model and mentor in our community. *Kan-Do is part of the Newcomb Spring motto. We spell it with a K to go along with our Kangaroo mascot. It’s why we are known as the “KanDo Company;” whatever your needs are, Newcomb Kan-Do It. Bike Giveaway 2015 - 4 bikes 2016- 16 bikes 2017 - 31 bikes 2018 - 27 bikes 2019 – 50 bike goal Laptop Giveaway for Kids Headed to College 2017- 4 2018- 4 Goal is to do at least 4 in 2019

PCS Says Thanks Bert Goering, president of Precision Coil Spring Company (PCS) located in El Monte, California, wishes a big and special “Thank You” to the 100 plus members of the PCS team for all of their hard work and diligent efforts in “making us the premier supplier to the markets we serve.” “The PCS team has worked tirelessly around the clock, putting an extreme amount of time, love and attention into each part that leaves our building. This exceptional dedication and commitment to PCS, as well as our customers, is what allows us to deliver the highest quality products with exceptional customer service for nearly seven decades,” said Goering. “We can’t thank our team enough for their relentless support in our endless pursuit of supporting customers’ unique requirements.”

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Ron Hubbard is pictured with his family (l-to-r): daughter, Amy, wife, Ginger and daughter, Melanie.

Special Thank You to Newcomb Spring Leader By Cricket Rumsey and the Newcomb Spring Family Newcomb Spring is thankful for all the prosperity it has been blessed with over the years, enabling the company to develop into a successful manufacturer of precision springs, wireforms and metal products. We give thanks to our loyal customer base that has grown as we have grown. Without all of our dedicated employees none of this would have been possible. A special thank you is extended to Ron Hubbard, our Dallas, Texas general manager. Ron is a loyal leader who has given his heart and soul to Newcomb Spring for more than 50 years. After enlisting and serving in the United States Marine Corps, it did not take long for Ron to start making a positive and forever lasting impact on Newcomb Spring. He rapidly ascended in the company, from a shipping clerk at Newcomb Spring of Georgia, to opening Newcomb Spring of Texas in 1971. Ron was very influential as Newcomb

further expanded west to establish locations in Colorado and California. Over the years, Ron has been a mentor to many. His impact on others extends well beyond business. You don’t have to be around Ron for long to witness the love he shares with his soulmate, Ginger, and his daughters, Amy and Melanie. If you were to ask Ron what he is thankful for, being the loving father of two beautiful independent women would be at the top of his list. Ron exemplifies what it means to be a good, honest man in and outside of the workplace. Whether you’re an employee, customer or vendor, everyone is always treated with the utmost respect by Ron, which has made him such an effective leader for the past 50 plus years. He leads by example and would not ask you to do anything he was not willing to do himself. We all owe many thanks to Ron for showing us that you can be kind and compassionate, while being successful and building the next generation of leaders at Newcomb Spring. From your family at Newcomb Spring, thank you Ron!

Quantifying Gratitude — There’s an App for That By Randy George Betts Company

“Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts.” —Henri Frederic Amiel It’s the middle of the afternoon when one of our customer service reps in California sends a digital “high-five” to a co-worker in Ohio. She types a note of gratitude, “Thank you for your fast response and help!,” that appears in an online Facebook-like activity feed within the app for all company employees to see. Below the comment is one of our seven core values — in this case “Share Your Passion” — that was tied to the recognition. In addition to the accolades, the customer service rep sent her co-worker reward points that can be collected and redeemed for gift cards, rewards and other items. Points can be combined with co-workers’ points and redeemed for group rewards like team or department lunches. The platform that made this possible is called Kazoo (https://www.kazoohr. com), which touts itself as an “online platform to create a rewarding, purposefilled workplace.” Although we only recently began using it, Kazoo has already made a positive impact by empowering our employees to express their thanks and reward co-workers. Within the first two weeks of its launch, over 50 percent of our employees had started using the platform to express gratitude for the actions of fellow employees. Moreover, the staff at our remote work locations started up friendly competitions that have been exciting and fun to watch. And while Kazoo resembles a social media platform with its live recognition feed, the access to view the feed doesn’t extend outside of employees. This not only makes it a private platform; it makes it one enjoyed even by those on our staff who dislike social

media or don’t have public social media profiles. Even with some employees eschewing social media, there is still a certain magic and excitement of being recognized by our peers, which seems to make the app attractive even to social media introverts. Kazoo is also changing our understanding of the role gratitude has in the workplace, when it becomes embedded in the fabric of company culture. For example, a typical interaction used to go something like this:

organization can participate and reap the rewards. Joe Devany, director of operations for Betts Company, noted, “We’re especially happy with the awareness this is creating throughout our organization, from new employees all the way to executives. Gratitude is part of our business culture, and without a strong culture we won’t succeed.” In addition, having an outlet to openly give and receive praise counteracts frustration in the workplace. Even the most loyal employees who

Although we only recently began using it, Kazoo has already made a positive impact by empowering our employees to express their thanks and reward co-workers. Within the first two weeks of its launch, over 50 percent of our employees had started using the platform to express gratitude for the actions of fellow employees. • Employee A does something to make Employee B’s life a little easier. • Employee B sends Employee A a “thank you” email. • On to the next task. • End of story. After implementing a way to express gratitude, here’s what it looks like now: • Employee A does something to make Employee B’s life a little easier. • Employee B sends Employee A a “thank you” email. • Employee B leaves a personal note of thanks in the Kazoo feed. • Employee B rewards Employee A by sending points. • Other employees and managers chime in below that with comments and send additional “high-five” points recognizing Employee A’s contribution. • Employee A feels appreciated. • Everyone knows their efforts are appreciated and rewarded. • The chain of gratitude continues! Our main takeaway thus far has been that gratitude and recognition have the most impact when our entire

continue to go unrecognized for their contributions are prone to lose heart. Raquel Guerrero, HR generalist at Betts, added, “Our employees want to know they’re making a difference and that we’re all grateful for them and their effort every single day. Taking the time to say, ‘thanks for a job well done’ and recognize people among their peers is often appreciated more than a monetary reward.” So, is there really a way to quantify gratitude? I think we would all agree that it can’t be 100 percent quantified by an app, and nothing can take the place of a heartfelt, sincere “thank you” from a co-worker. But, in a day and age where we’re increasingly dependent on our computers and phones, it can at least act as a means to ensure that gratitude remains at the forefront of our company culture. n Randy George is the marketing manager for Betts Company and its three divisions in Fresno, California. He is responsible for the company’s marketing strategy, brand development and execution. George holds a B.S. in International Business from California State University, Fresno. He can be reached at randy.george@ betts1868.com.

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In a Texas State of Mind SMI Celebrates 2019 Annual Meeting in Austin By Gary McCoy

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he beautiful hill country outside of Austin, the state capital of Texas, put SMI members in a relaxed, Texas state of mind during the 2019 SMI Annual Meeting held April 5-10 at the Hyatt Regency Lost Pines. The event was filled with multiple networking opportunities, optional activities and top-notch educational presentations.

“Unbelievable” Presentation by Boaz Rauchwerger

Speaker, trainer, consultant and author Boaz Rauchwerger delivered a mesmerizing and inspirational opening presentation Monday, April 8. Rauchwerger provided ideas on how to solve people problems and close more sales. He said one of the keys to closing more sales is to capture attention. Rauchwerger advised, “Use ‘unbelievable’ when people ask anyone in your company, ‘How’s business?’” That phrase, “unbelievable,” was the only slide Rauchwerger had in his PowerPoint deck, and it was repeated throughout the session as attendees shouted out the phrase on command. Rauchwerger said one of the ways to set the “unbelievable” tone weekly at your company is with a Monday

morning meeting. “Look for the good in this employee brainstorm,” he said. He also promoted the idea of recognizing the “stars” in your company with an ongoing program that acknowledges people for going the extra mile. “Make them feel important.” One handy tool that Rauchwerger introduced to the group was using five questions to create great relationships with employees and customers. “It gets people to talk about themselves.” He suggested opening with the phrase, “I’m just curious…” and then proceed to ask these questions. 1. Where are you from originally? 2. (If not from here) What brought you here? (If from here) Have you lived here all your life? 3. Do you have a family? 4. What do you do? 5. What did you want to be when you were growing up? Rauchwerger provided two warnings about asking the five questions. “Don’t use them if you are not genuinely interested in the person,” said Rauchwerger. “And two, watch your tone of voice; this is not a police interrogation.”

Another reinforcing message of Rauchwerger’s talk was that every company should create a memorable, unique selling proposition. He said: 1. It should be short. 2. Not logical. 3. Start with the word “we.” 4. Include the word “you.” “Fill in the following template: We do ___ for you.” Rauchwerger advised to test it with strangers and find the one that gets people to say, “What are you talking about?” Rauchwerger presented many other valuable, easy to implement ideas during his fun and interactive program.

Economy Beginning to Stall?

Dr. Alan Beaulieu, president of ITR Economics, addressed “Managing in an Uncertain Economy” during his SMI presentation, Tuesday, April 9. Beaulieu said there are warning signs that the U.S. economy will stall in 2019 and into 2020. “When business slows down, this is the time to invest in your company, so you are ready when the economy picks up again down the road.”

SPRINGS / Summer 2019 / 39

He also talked about the “basset hounds” that exist in every company. It is a term Beaulieu came up with in his book, “Make Your Move.” Beaulieu defines a basset hound as a “product, process, place or person in your organization that doesn’t belong there anymore because it doesn’t produce anything good. It just consumes resources and it gives back nothing that you want to have.” Beaulieu said it’s called a basset hound because it is something beloved and something you or your company have always been identified with. Beaulieu says while it is something for which people may recognize your company, “if it is not making you money, then it’s time to put a leash on that basset hound and take it to the farm.” He says by doing this you’ll free up resources to get ready for the future. He said if you are having trouble identifying basset hounds in your organization, ask a millennial to help you. “They will easily find them for you,” Beaulieu said. Beaulieu cautioned that exports from the U.S. to the world have declined. He cited three reasons: 1) A strong dollar makes it difficult to export to the rest of the world; 2) The global economy is cooling off; and 3) Retaliatory tariffs are real, painful and having an effect on everyday business.

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He also said the overall leading economic indicators show the U.S. economy is slowing down, which includes sales of passenger cars and light duty trucks, and a decline in housing starts. With this cautionary note, he advised SMI members to put together a game plan, so they are ready when the next downturn in the economy takes place.

How EOS Can Help Your Business

Tom Bouwer from ProfitWorks is a top-ranked Vistage speaker that helps companies implement the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS). Bouwer’s SMI presentation provided a framework regarding the basics of EOS and how it can benefit a company, regardless of its size. Bouwer explained that EOS “is a proven set of simple, practical tools that synchronizes how people in an organization meet, solve problems, plan, prioritize, follow processes, communicate, measure, structure, clarify roles, lead and manage.” Bouwer said one of his goals during the presentation was to provide SMI members with real, simple tools that work. A second goal was to help leaders look at their business in a different way using the EOS model. “Every business is comprised of six key components as depicted by the EOS model,” explained Bouwer. “Those

six components are: vision, people, data, issues, process, and traction. These must be managed and strengthened to create a healthy, well-run business.” Bouwer went into detail on each of the six components. • Vision Component: Getting everyone in the organization 100 percent on the same page with where your company is going, and how you’re going to get there. • People Component: Getting the right people in the right seats. • Data Component: Using a handful of numbers that give everyone an exact pulse on where things are, and when they are off track. • Issues Component: Strengthening your organization’s ability to identify issues, address them, and make them go away forever. • Process Component: “Systemizing” your business by identifying and documenting the core processes that define the way to run your business. • Traction Component: Bringing discipline and accountability into the organization. “Your organization’s success is dependent on everyone pulling in the same direction,” said Bouwer.

Bouwer went on to explain how leaders can help their team members understand EOS, become more engaged in the process, and take an active role in achieving their company’s vision.

Thanks to our Sponsors

SMI is grateful to its generous sponsors who helped support the 2019 annual meeting. Platinum • FENN/Torin • Gibbs • Industrial Steel and Wire Gold • Radcliff Wire Inc. Silver • North American Spring Tool Bronze • Central Wire Industries

• Interwire • JN Machinery • Suzuki Garphyttan • WAFIOS

Looking ahead to 2020, the SMI annual meeting will be held at the Atlantis, Bahamas, March 6–10. n

SPRINGS / Summer 2019 / 41

©iStockphoto.com/f11photo

Countdown to Pittsburgh

ith less than four months to go, the timer is counting down toward the start of the 2019 SMI Metal Engineering eXpo™ (MEE), Oct. 1–3 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center (DLCC) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The convention center is located in the heart of the city, nestled between Pittsburgh’s Cultural District, the historic Strip District and the Allegheny River. The DLCC provides optimal access for exploring what Pittsburgh has to offer. The MEE is celebrating its third event, after its successful debut in Charlotte, North Carolina in 2015 and a collaborative effort with NESMA in Hartford, Connecticut in 2017. “The MEE is the premier, global event for springmakers, metalstampers, wireformers and suppliers to the precision spring manufacturing industry,” said Daniel Pierre III of JN Machinery, who serve as one of the co-chairs for the event. “Even though I’m an equipment supplier and MEE exhibitor, it’s important that attendees know that it is not just a show about equipment. It truly provides a unique opportunity to explore the expert education and resourceful community that exists within the SMI organization.” Serving alongside Pierre are his co-chairs from Diamond Wire Spring, Kelley L. Christy, director of sales/marketing and I.T., and Chris M. Fazio, general manager, Pittsburgh plant. Sales of trade show booths are brisk, and attendees are beginning to register and make plans to travel to Pittsburgh.

Education and More One of the outstanding benefits of attending the eXpo is the opportunity to take in a host of educational sessions. A total of 24 sessions will be held Wednesday, Oct. 2, and Thursday, Oct. 3, encompassing three tracks: 1. Business Trends and Best Practices 2. Manufacturing, Technology and Innovation 3. Materials and Testing One featured session in the business trends and best practices track is “The 30-Minute Marketing Plan,” by Eric Keiles, the founder and chief marketing officer for Square 2 Marketing Inc.

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“With the advent of the internet, buyer behavior has changed dramatically. And, understanding the new tools at hand is critical,” says Keiles. “In just the last 10 years, marketers have received a whole new tool kit filled with tools like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Yelp, iPhones, iPads, Craig’s List and more. More than ever, it’s critical for entrepreneurs to understand how digital marketing is essential to gaining your share of referrals and word-of-mouth.” Keiles says most entrepreneurs have not changed their sales and marketing processes to keep up with this change in buyer behavior. In his session, attendees will learn how to develop the “remarkable” about your company and then use new digital marketing tools to reach prospective clients and get clients and prospects talking about your business. “Attendees will learn how to let prospects learn about your company, hear your content and step forward, raise their hand and say, ‘I want to do business with you,’” said Keiles. The objectives for the session include:

• • • •

Understanding the radical shift in buyer behavior Developing remarkable stories for “sneezers” Understanding the 80/20 rule for referrals Switching from traditional mass media to inbound marketing • Utilizing a “guided sales process” During the session, Keiles says he will take attendees step-by-step through the process of revamping their marketing strategy. His goal is to provide attendees with “A ‘suitcase full of nuggets’ that you can carry back to your office and begin to enhance your marketing the very next morning.” Keiles is a leading sales and marketing strategist focused on pioneering a new marketing methodology. Keiles, along with his business partner Mike Lieberman, coined the concept “Reality Marketing” to describe how business can utilize cost effective inbound marketing tactics to achieve dramatic revenue growth. They are leading the revolution in how entrepreneurs change the way they think about marketing their companies. Marketing Sherpa, a research institute specializing in tracking what works in all aspects of marketing, has called the duo “original and contrarian marketers.”

Their popular first book, “Reality Marketing Revolution,” is a thesis on the changing world of inbound marketing and the dramatic shift in buyer behavior. Keiles is also the editor of a weekly e-newsletter, reaching almost 20,000 business owners and entrepreneurs focusing on this topic. For a complete listing of sessions, see the schedule below or visit the MEE website at www.metalengineeringexpo.org.

Register for the eXpo Attendee registration is now available at the eXpo website www.metalengineeringexpo.org. Just click on the “Attendee Registration” button on the homepage. An eXpo-only registration pass to the exhibit hall is free for SMI members and $25 per person for non-members. An all-access pass to the eXpo includes access to the exhibit hall and all technical symposia sessions at a price of $50 per person for SMI members and $210 per person for nonmembers. The opening night reception, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., will be held on the floor of the convention center and is included in both registrations. Tickets to the Senator John Heinz Center Networking Event, Wednesday, Oct. 2, are $85 per person. SMI has negotiated discounted hotel rooms for Metal Engineering eXpo 2019 attendees and exhibitors through Orchid Events. Orchid Events is the only SMI-designated housing provider for this event. Beware of companies misrepresenting themselves as affiliated with SMI or Metal Engineering eXpo 2019. Two separate properties are available:

• The Westin Convention Center Pittsburgh (eXpo headquarters hotel): $195 per night.

• The Drury Plaza Pittsburgh Downtown: $184 per night. Visit www.metalengineering.expo and click on hotel reservations to reserve a room. To contact Orchid Events, call 801-505-4615 (International) or 877-505-0677 (North America) or email: help@orchideventsolutions.com. For the latest information and to register or exhibit at the eXpo, visit www.metalengineeringexpo.org.

Not-to-Miss Special Event Heinz Museum Party Wednesday, Oct. 2, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Senator John Heinz History Center Please join us at a very special networking event at the Senator John Heinz History Center, an iconic Pittsburgh venue that houses Pennsylvania’s largest history museum and is a proud affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution. Explore Pittsburgh’s rich tradition of innovation including stories of global contributions from local Pittsburghers like Carnegie Steel and Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Several of the biggest features of the museum are dedicated to the businesses and sports teams of Pittsburgh. Tickets are $85 per person and must be purchased as part of your event registration. The event is sponsored by Industrial Steel and Wire. (Please note: Only registered attendees and registered exhibitors of the Metal Engineering eXpo are eligible to purchase a ticket(s) for the Heinz Museum outing. Spouses are required to be registered attendees of the Metal Engineering eXpo in order to attend this special event.)

SPRINGS / Summer 2019 / 43

Metal Engineering eXpo Schedule

Tuesday, Oct. 1 Exhibit Hall Hours: 3 to 6:30 p.m. Opening Reception 5 to 6:30 p.m. Exhibit Hall (included in paid registration)

Wednesday, Oct. 2 Session 1: 8 – 8:50 a.m. Tax Reform and Its Impact on Manufacturing Michael Devereux II, Partner and Director of Manufacturing, Distribution & Plastics Industry Services, Mueller Prost Track: Business Trends & Best Practices

Servo Technology Goes Show Floor Max Linder, Technical Sales Director Bihler of America Inc.Company: Track: Manufacturing, Technology & Innovation

Economic and Manufacturing Outlook Bill Strauss, Senior Economist & Economic Advisor Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Track: Business Trends & Best Practices

Study on Fatigue Diagrams of Helical Compression Springs Japan Society of Spring Engineers Track: Manufacturing, Technology & Innovation

The 30-Minute Marketing Plan Eric Keiles, Founder and Chief Marketing Officer, Square 2 Marketing Inc. Track: Business Trends & Best Practices

Evaluation of Stress Concentrators and Their Effect on Fatigue Life Jason Sicotte, NPD Engineering Manager Associated Spring Track: Materials & Testing

Creating Operational Excellence in Manufacturing Vince Bovino, Management Consultant and Founder Bovino Consulting Group Track: Business Trends & Best Practices

Crawl-Walk-Run Your Way Into Additive Manufacturing Dr. Timothy Simpson, Ph.D., Paul Morrow Professor of Engineering Design & Manufacturing Director, Additive Manufacturing & Design Graduate Program, Co-Director, Penn State CIMP-3D, The Pennsylvania State University Track: Manufacturing, Technology & Innovation

Accelerate Success With Business Alignment Vanessa Dodds, President & Founder Connections 4 Success Track: Business Trends & Best Practices

Revolution in Spring End Grinding – Industry 4.0: New Technology Database and Automation Allows Cost-Cutting in Grinding Process Dr. Peter Weigmann, Chairman of the Board WAFIOS Machinery Corp. Track: Manufacturing, Technology & Innovation

The Role of Human Resources in Business Planning: Metrics, Measurements and Linking HR to Financial Objectives Bob Floreak, President Acuity Human Resources LLC Track: Business Trends & Best Practices

Bodycote Kolsterising Derek Dandy, Marketing Development Engineer Kolsterising Track: Materials & Testing

Coffee Break: 8:50 a.m. Session 2: 9 – 9:50 a.m.

Exhibit Hall Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Off-site Networking Event: 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Heinz Museum Party, Senator John Heinz History Center (separate ticket required)

44 / SPRINGS / Summer 2019

Thursday, Oct. 3 Session 1: 8 – 8:50 a.m. Session TBA Laura Helmrich-Rhodes, SMI Technical Committee Spring Manufacturers Institute Track: Business Trends & Best Practices

The New Dawn of Manufacturing in America Rosemary Coates, Executive Director Reshoring Institute Track: Manufacturing, Technology & Innovation

Research Into the Limitations of Nitrided Spring Design and Future Research at IST Dr. Conor McCaughey Track: Business Trends & Best Practices

Report of Research Committee on Height Reduction of Compressive Coil Spring Japan Society of Spring Engineers Track: Manufacturing, Technology & Innovation

Exit/Succession Planning for Baby Boomer Business Owners John “Jack” Ellsworth, Shareholder Cottrill Arbutina Track: Business Trends & Best Practices

Theory of Stress Relaxation Behavior in Compression Springs Dan Sebastian, Technical Advisor Spring Manufacturers Institute Track: Materials & Testing

Accelerate Success With Business Alignment Vanessa Dodds, President & Founder Connections 4 Success Track: Business Trends & Best Practices

Servo Technology Goes Show Floor Max Linder, Technical Sales Director Bihler of America Inc. Track: Manufacturing, Technology & Innovation

The New Age of Local Digital Marketing: User Experience and Digital Knowledge Management Dan Harmon, Vice President Higher Images Inc. Track: Business Trends & Best Practices

New Revolution in Compression and Torsion Spring Machines – Industry 4.0: Easy-to-Use Setup Jorg Eisele, WAFIOS Machinery Corp. Track: Manufacturing, Technology & Innovation

Global Cost Drivers in the Wire Industry SMI Technical Committee Chairs Track: Business Trends & Best Practices

Nitinol Shape Memory Alloy Dave Plumley, Nitinol Technology Development Manager Fort Wayne Metals Track: Materials & Testing

Coffee Break: 8:50 a.m. Session 2: 9 – 9:50 a.m.

Technical Symposia Education Tracks

n Business Trends & Best Practices n Manufacturing, Technology & Innovation n Materials & Testing

SPRINGS / Summer 2019 / 45

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2019 SMI Scholarship Program Awards $34,000 in Financial Aid

tudents pursuing studies in higher education continue to benefit from the SMI Scholarship program. For the year 2019, 16 students received $34,000 in financial aid. The recipients were selected among a pool of 116 applicants from SMI’s members in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Since SMI‘s scholarship program began nine years ago, scholarship assistance has been provided to 132 students representing $256,000 in financial aid. “SMI continues to value the importance of higher education with the growth of our scholarship program that directly benefits the employees of our member companies,” said SMI president Steve Kempf. “I want to congratulate each of our 16 recipients

and extend best “SMI continues to value the importance of wishes to each higher education with the growth of our of them in their career pursuits.” scholarship program that directly benefits To be eligible the employees of our member companies,” for an SMI scholsaid SMI president Steve Kempf. a rship, awa rd winners must be a full-time employee or a dependent Scholarship, awarded to two students child of a full-time employee who in the amount of $2,000 each; works for an SMI member company. Callaghan-Hart Scholarship, $2,000; For 2019, SMI awarded nine Bud Peterson Memorial Scholarship, regional scholarships in the amount $2,000, Albert H. Goering Memorial Scholarship, $2,000 and the Ronald of $2,000 each. In addition, seven at-large scholar- and Adrienne Banas Scholarship, ships were also selected, which included $5,000. the addition of the new Mike Betts SMI member companies will be sent Scholarship in the amount of $1,000. information for the 2020 scholarship Continuing at-large scholar- program in the fall, via mail, email and ships include: International Spring SMI’s website, www.smihq.org.

SPRINGS / Summer 2019 / 47

2019 Regional Scholarships Canada Grace Shea Hometown: Caledonia, Ontario SMI Member Parent: Rita Shea, DeSantis Industrial Spring Stampings Attending: Fanshawe College, London, Ontario Major: Respiratory Therapy

Chicago Andrew Birschbach Hometown: Waukesha, Wisconsin SMI Member Parent: Cheryl Birschbach, WCS Industries Attending: University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota Major: Journalism

Michigan Kelsie McManus Hometown: Grand Haven, Michigan SMI Member Parent: John McManus, Motion Dynamics Attending: Kettering University, Flint, Michigan Major: Mechanical Engineering

Mid-Atlantic Hannah Markle Hometown: Hanover, Pennslyvania SMI Member Parent: Jim Markle, Lesjofors Springs America Inc. Attending: University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware Major: Med Diagnostics

Northeast Samantha Gorski Hometown: Newington, Connecticut SMI Member Parent: Jozef Gorski, Sirois Tools Attending: University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut Major: Pharmacy

Pittsburgh-Ohio William Sowers Hometown: Sylvania, Ohio SMI Member Parent: Matthew Sowers, Peterson Spring Attending: University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio Major: Finance

Southeast Catherine Sadler Hometown: Sparta, Kentucky SMI Member Parent: Jeff Sadler, Mubea Attending: University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky Major: Human Nutrition

48 / SPRINGS / Summer 2019

Gratitude Expressed by Scholarship Recipients Here are excerpts from correspondence sent to SMI by this year’s scholarship recipients to express their gratitude.

“

Thank you for honoring me with the SMI Scholarship for the upcoming school year. The work I do at school and at WCS has driven me so far and the scholarship only helps that drive. Please accept my humble thanks.” — Drew Birschbach

“

I am excited to receive the Callaghan-Hart Scholarship. This award means so much to me because it is a recognition of my hard work. As I continue my studies at the University of Illinois, this award motivates me to keep pushing myself in both academics and extracurricular opportunities within my field and community. Both your acknowledgment and financial support are much appreciated.” — Casey Cushing

“

I am extremely grateful for the $2,000 scholarship you have awarded me. I am a high school senior who is planning on majoring in pharmacy next year. By awarding me this scholarship I am one step closer to continuing my education. Your generosity is greatly appreciated, and I am so thankful for the opportunity that you have given me.” — Samantha Gorski

“

I would like to take this opportunity to thank SMI for continuing to offer a scholarship program to its members. I will be attending Fanshawe College and have been accepted in the pre-health advanced diploma and degree program with the goal of entering the respiratory therapist program in my second year. Your financial generosity will allow me to be one step closer to my goal of becoming a respiratory therapist.” — Grace Shea

Regional Scholarships, continued

Southwest Dylan Smith Hometown: Carthage, Missouri SMI Member Parent: Deana Smith, Leggett & Platt, Inc. Attending: Missouri Southern State University, Joplin, Missouri Major: Criminal Justice Administration

West Elden Griggs Hometown: College Place, Washington SMI Member Parent: Travis Griggs, Nelson Irrigation Corp. Attending: Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah Major: International Relations

2019 At-Large Scholarships Albert H. Goering Memorial Scholarship Anya Griggs Hometown: College Place, Washington SMI Member Parent: Travis Griggs, Nelson Irrigation Corp. Attending: Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah Major: Accounting

Bud Peterson Memorial Scholarship Rachel Gilpatrick Hometown: East Troy, Wisconsin SMI Member Parent: Marty Gilpatrick, WCS Industries Attending: University of Wisconsin Stout, Menomonie, Wisconsin Major: Graphic Design/Communications

Callaghan-Hart Scholarship Casey Cushing Hometown: Buffalo Grove, Illinois SMI Member Parent: Ronald Cushing, Jackson Spring Attending: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois Major: Kinesiology

International Spring Scholarship Henry Monkhouse Hometown: Perth, Ontario SMI Member Parent: Debra Monkhouse, Central Wire Industries Attending: Carelton University, Ottawa, Ontario Major: Political Science

“

Thank you so much for selecting me for the SMI Scholarship and for providing me with the opportunity to help pay for my education. With your help, I will continue attending the University of Delaware as a medical diagnostics major with biology and psychology minors to prepare myself for a future career as a physician assistant. I greatly appreciate your support.” — Hannah Markle

“

I am sincerely honored and humbled to have been one of the recipients of the SMI scholarship. I plan on using the money you have awarded me to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering. Ever since I was a child, I have always had a love for science, problem-solving and innovation and with your support I will now have the opportunity to spend more time studying for my classes in school so that I may continue to grow my passion for engineering.” — Kelsie McManus

“

I am very honored to be a recipient of the Bud Peterson Memorial Scholarship. As a second semester freshman at the University of Wisconsin Stout, I can proudly attest that my academics are off to a great start. Having just begun my undergraduate career, my goal is to complete a major in graphic design. I plan to minor in digital marketing, as well. My education and career goals would not be possible without generous support from scholarship sponsors like your organization.” — Rachel Gilpatrick

“

Thank you very much for the scholarship toward my university fees. This will make a big difference for me, as I embark upon my first year of university. I am very excited to start my undergraduate political science degree. I appreciate SMI supporting education and helping to build a strong future for society.” — Henry Monkhouse

SPRINGS / Summer 2019 / 49

At-Large Scholarships, continued

International Spring Scholarship Emili Tchorz Hometown: Prospect Heights, Illinois SMI Member Parent: Jack Tchorz, Dudek & Bock Attending: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California Major: Engineering

Mike Betts Scholarship Emily Mulville Hometown: Perth, Ontario SMI Member Parent: Edward Mulville, Central Wire Industries Attending: Algonquin College, Ottawa, Ontario Major: Medical Radiation Tech

Ronald and Adrienne Banas Scholarship Kailyn Lefeber Hometown: Van Dyne, Wisconsin SMI Member Parent: Christine Lefeber, Spiros Industries Attending: Northern Michigan University, Marquette, Michigan Major: Clinical Lab Science

50 / SPRINGS / Summer 2019

“

Thank you so much for selecting me as your scholarship recipient. I greatly appreciate your confidence in me and your generosity in sponsoring this award. Please express my gratitude to all those who have played a role in making this scholarship possible. Your scholarship will greatly ease the financial strain of my education and further me on the road to success!” — Dylan G. Smith

“

Thank you for selecting me as a recipient for this award. I am extraordinarily grateful for your kindness and beyond excited to begin the next chapter of my life with a little less stress.” — Emili Tchorz n

Flashback

Springmaking is Our Art By A.A. Bonde (Editor’s note: In this issue of Flashback we reprint the President’s Message originally published in the November 1964 issue of Springs and written by the late A.A. Bonde, president of Accurate Spring Manufacturing Company in Chicago, Illinois. Bonde served as SMI president from 1962-1964.)

©iStockphoto.com/Valerie Loiseleux

o the people of the world the word “art” has many and varied meanings. Painting, sculpture, architecture and music are generally accepted as heading the list of the fields of endeavor known as “The Arts.” One fellow (Webster by name) said of the word art that, “It is the human ability to make things.” We in the spring industry concur in this analysis. It seems reasonable to use the term “metal sculpture” in trying to describe the limitless possibilities of end configuration in hooks and legs, and a term aptly to describe some of the wireforms and delicate stampings would probably have to be coined. Daily, we are requested to create a product that will enhance the functional characteristics of some complex instrument or device. The success with which we carry out this task is not a result of accident or chance. It is accomplished by competent engineering and design, by the intelligent use of the raw materials that are available to us, by the skillful use of the toolmaker’s talent, by the craftsmanship demonstrated in intricate setups and by the ingenuity of the stress relief and heat treating facilities in processing parts of critical nature. The sum total of the contributions of the above is a “quality product” that every member of SMI can look upon with pride. n

SPRINGS / Summer 2019 / 51

An Interview with Agustin Estalayo about SMI Membership for Mexican Springmakers Entrevista a Agustin Estalayo en relación a la oportunidad para fabricantes de resortes mexicanos de entrar a formar parte de la Asociación SMI (Spring Manufacturers Institute)

MI board member Agustín Estalayo of RPK Mexico recently talked with Springs about the value of association membership to Mexican spring companies and the challenges in communicating this information.

Q|part of SMI?

Can a Mexican springmaker be

Yes, indeed, The motto of the organization is: “The Spring Manufacturers Institute serves, supports and educates Nor t h America n precision spring manufacturers in their pursuit of competitiveness in world markets.” Since Mexico is part of North America, any Mexican springmaker is eligible to be an SMI member. There are two categories of membership: You are eligible to become a regular member of SMI if you are a North American company or North American branch of an international company that manufactures precision mechanical springs for general sale. You are eligible to become an associate member of SMI if you are a company that supplies directly to firms or corporations eligible for regular membership materials, equipment or services, provided such materials,

52 / SPRINGS / Summer 2019

n fechas pasadas, la revista Springs pudo entrevistar al miembro del Consejo de SMI Agustin Estalayo (CEO de RPK México), sobre el sentido para las empresas mexicanas de resortes de pertenecer a una asociación como SMI, y los retos que suponen realizar una comunicación efectiva de esta actividad.

Q|puede formar parte del SMI?

Cualquier fabricante de resortes

La respuesta es rotundamente que sí. El lema de esta asociación es: “El SMI sirve, soporta y genera conocimiento, a los fabricantes de resortes de precisión de todo América del Norte, en su búsqueda de competitividad en los mercados globales”. Teniendo en cuenta que México forma parte de la región de América del Norte, cualquier compañía mexicana de resortes puede optar a formar parte de la asociación. Hay que señalar que hay dos tipos diferenciados de miembros de la misma: Miembro Regular de SMI: En esta categoría pueden optar todo fabricante de resortes con alguna operación dentro de un país del Norte de América (México incluido), o filiales de corporativos de resortes con operaciones dentro de un país del Norte de América.

equipment or services are either incorporated in the finished spring product or are used directly in the manufacture and/or design of such product.

Q|become members of SMI?

Do Mexican springmakers often

No, very few of them are members of the SMI organization. The majority of the Mexican companies that are active SMI members are subsidiaries of global companies that have premises or corporate groups within the U.S.

Q|properly attracted the Mexican Why do you think SMI has not

market?

In my opinion, there are three main reasons why few Mexican companies are involved in SMI: • The Mexican subsidiaries of the U.S. groups do not play an active role in defining the specific needs of the Mexican companies. For instance, the website is not translated into Spanish. The technical documentation or catalogs are only available in the original (English version).

Small- or medium-size companies could benefit even more from the synergies that the big companies generate in order to defend the position of the industry (lobby in the U.S. tariffs, or USMCA negotiations). • The Mexican springmakers are small in size, with the majority occupying a single location and without any other premises outside Mexico. They are usually companies founded by owners that previously worked for other springmakers, where they learned about the industry. Due to all these reasons, the market is formed by a combination of a large number of small- or mediumsize companies that compete in the same market for the same customers. For these companies, there is no objective reasons to speak to a competitor. • They are not aware of the value and strategic orientation generated by being a member of such an organization.

Miembro Asociado de SMI: En esta otra, pueden optar cualquier tipo de compañía que suministre de forma directa a compañías o corporativos que son fabricantes de resortes. Como ejemplo, proveedores de equipos, de materia prima, servicios o cualquier otro tipo de bien que pueda ser incorporados en la manufactura o diseño de resortes.

Q|nos de resortes dentro del SMI?

Hay muchos fabricantes mexica-

La realidad es que no. Desgraciadamente hay muy pocos fabricantes con operaciones en México, que formen parte del SMI. Siendo casi de manera exclusiva estas compañías mexicanas, filiales de otros corporativos con centro de operaciones o sede central en USA.

Q|ñías mexicanas no se han visto Por qué crees que las compa-

atraídas en formar parte del SMI?

En mi opinión, podría enumerar tres razones principales por las cuales los fabricantes mexicanos no han formado parte del SMI: 1. Las compañías filiales mexicanas de grupos corporativos de USA, no defienden de una forma muy activa las necesidades específicas de las compañías mexicanas. Como ejemplo, la web del SMI no ha tenido traducción al inglés hasta ahora. O la documentación técnica sólo está disponible en inglés, ya que es la forma habitual con la que se comunican con sus corporativos. 2. Por otro lado los fabricantes mexicanos de resortes son empresas de pequeño tamaño con una única ubicación, y sin actividades fuera de México. En la mayoría de los casos son empresas constituidas por fundadores, que anteriormente trabajaron para otras empresas de manufactura de resortes, donde aprendieron la esencia del negocio. Ese es el motivo por el que el mercado mexicano de manufactura de resortes, está esencialmente formado por una gran combinación de empresas pequeñas o medianas. Sumado a que compiten en la búsqueda de los mismos clientes dentro del mismo mercado. Como

SPRINGS / Summer 2019 / 53

Q|membership.

Talk about the value of SMI

SMI is not an organization to speak about the inside market of spring companies, because all of them compete against each other. The organization is dedicated to serve, support and educate North American precision spring manufacturers in their pursuit of competitiveness in world markets. We discuss the major problems facing the North American spring industry as a whole. For example: • How to attract talent and retain valuable employees and keep them motivated. • How to make American or North American industry great again. • CNC machinery versus mechanical: costs, benefits, training, differences in productivity, and experience required. • The U.S. tariffs affecting metal materials. • The new requirements of the USMCA and the implications to the industry.

Customers in North America are willing to work with competitive companies in the region. SMI could be a good partner for those small companies needing to transform themselves in order to attend more demanding markets and sectors. • Networking with fellow professionals • Industry data that’s not available anywhere else • Power to shape the industry

We frequently purchase large pieces of equipment right off the show floor because we can compare manufacturers’ offerings in real time and engage our production staff in the decision-making process.

In the case of the Mexican

membership also oriented to them?

For companies located in Mexico, the value of the information received from SMI has an even higher level of value. • Small- or medium-size companies could benefit even more from the synergies that the big companies generate in order to defend the position of the industry (lobby in the U.S. tariffs, or USMCA negotiations). • The dues of the SMI membership are highly reduced because the majority of the activities are conducted by the pro bono type of work offered by the people with the most knowledge in the matter. If the companies had to pay for the dedication and passion of these professionals, the dues would be much higher.

54 / SPRINGS / Summer 2019

Exchange

• Access to a staff of professionals

OCTOBER 1–3, 2019 • PITTSBURGH

Q|springmaker, is the value of

The majority of companies in Mexico would pay less than $1,200 USD of dues per year if they joined the SMI, with access to:

• Discounts on products or services • Scholarships • Access to the Springmakers

Steve Kempf, President, SMI CEO, Lee Spring

EDUCATION AND EXPERTISE FOR THE ENGINEERED SPRING AND PRECISION METAL COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES.

Presented by

Become an exhibitor or register to attend at

metalengineeringexpo.org

consecuencia no han tenido razones objetivas para entablar relaciones con otros competidores. 3. Finalmente sin duda alguna, los fabricantes mexicanos de resortes desconocen el valor y orientación estratégica que conlleva formar parte de este tipo de asociación.

Q|manera más clara que valor

• Cómo atraer talento, retener a los • •

Nos puedes contar de una

aporta ser parte del SMI

El SMI no es un tipo de organización que se preocupe de los clientes individuales y mercados de los fabricantes, ya que esencialmente todos compiten unos contra otros. Como hemos señalado, el eje de la actividad es “servir, soportar y generar conocimiento, a los fabricantes de resortes de precisión de todo América del Norte, en su búsqueda de competitividad en los mercados globales” Habitualmente se discuten los problemas comunes que estamos padeciendo todos los fabricantes de resortes en América del Norte. Por ejemplo:

• •

empleados válidos y poder seguir motivándoles y desarrollándoles. Cómo conseguir que América del Norte, vuelva ser una región exitosa en la manufactura nuevamente. Los retos de la maquinaria de CNC vs la maquinaria mecánica convencional: costes, beneficios, capacitación, diferencias en productividad y experiencia requerida. El efecto de las Tarifas aduanales de USA en los precios de materiales. El nuevo tratado del USMCA (T-MEC), y sus implicaciones para toda la industria de resortes en Norte América.

Q|de resortes, que valor orientado Para un fabricante mexicano

hacia su compañía puede obtener al formar parte del SMI?

Para compañías de resortes mexicanos, el valor de la información que reciben del SMI, sin duda alguna tiene un sentido de nivel Premium.

• Las compañías pequeñas o medianas (como las mexicanas), pueden aprovechar las sinergias que se consiguen al tener grandes corporativos dentro del SMI, que forman parte de grupos de toma de decisiones importantes en las diferentes industrias. Varias de ellas tienen acceso a grupos de poder que presionan para evitar la imposición de más tarifas a aceros importados en USA, o incluso pueden discutir y comunicarse con el equipo de negociadores del tratado de USMCA. • Por otro lado la tarifa anual de socio del SMI está en cierta manera muy reducida, ya que la mayor parte de las actividades que se realizan en la asociación, se llevan a cabo sin cobrar honorarios. Y realmente colaboran los mejores profesionales y expertos de las compañías del SMI, en las diferentes facetas del conocimiento. Desde luego si se tuviera que compensar la pasión y esfuerzo que dedican incansablemente estos

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Q|Board member representing

Talk about your role as an SMI

the west region in the name of RPK Mexico.

RPK Mexico had held membership in SMI since 2013. The first two years, we were just rating the value of the membership. Later we participated in the annual meeting and the Metal Engineering eXpo and were surprised by the level of synergies that SMI generated. Finally, in the majority of the meetings, I was the only company defending the specific needs of the Mexican spring industry. That is why in 2017 the former president of SMI, Mike Betts, invited me to join the SMI board to represent the West region (where Mexico is involved).

Q|more Mexican springmakers? What can be done to attract

We should def initely have more information translated into Spanish. I n 2018 we t r a n slated t he SM I “Handbook of Spring Design” into Spanish in collaboration with the engineers of RPK Group. In the future, we plan to help SMI translate all books and manuals into Spanish. As a second step, we are looking into translating the SMI webpage into Spanish, to make it easier to communicate with native Spanish speakers about the opportunities available through SMI. Finally, we will better publicize the fact that SMI also offers the service to promote, serve and inspire the Mexican industry as a whole. Customers in North America are willing to work with competitive companies in the region. SMI could be a good partner for those small companies needing to transform themselves in order to attend more demanding markets and sectors. As an example, the recent negotiations of the USMCA urged automotive OEMs in North America to increase their level of participation in the North American supply base. This would mean an opportunity for all the industry in the region. This is a great move for all the countries in the region and of course, for the entire North American supply base. n

56 / SPRINGS / Summer 2019

profesionales, la tarifa anual debería ser mucho mayor. El hecho es que por la dimensión reducida de las compañías mexicanas, la mayor parte de ellas deberían de pagar una cuota anual de menos de $1,200 USD, con acceso a: • Networking con profesionales dentro de la misma industria y actividad • Estadísticas y datos de la industria de resortes que sólo se consiguen formado parte del SMI • Conocimiento para generar estrategias de negocio para los fabricantes • Descuentos en productos o servicios • Becas para estudiantes o hijos de empleados • Posibilidad de intercambios de bienes o servicios: maquinarias, materiales, etc… • Acceso para contactar a los profesionales experimentados del staff de SMI

Q|más del papel que juegas

Nos podrías contar un poco

dentro del Consejo del SMI representado a la región Oeste. RPK México, se inscribió como miembro del SMI en el año 2013. Inicialmente con la única expectativa de saber qué valor se podría obtener de la membresía. Posteriormente empecé a asistir a las Conferencias Anuales y a las Engineering eXpo, y realmente me quedé sorprendido del nivel de sinergias que se conseguían por ser parte del SMI. En ese momento, me quedó claro que era el único que tenía criterio para defender las necesidades de los fabricantes mexicanos. Es por eso que en el año 2017, el anterior presidente del SMI, Mike Betts, me invitó a formar parte del Consejo como representante de la región Oeste (de la que México forma parte).

Q|atraer más fabricantes mexiQué puede hacerse para

canos al SMI?

Indudablemente deberíamos tener más información traducida al español. Durante el año 2018, ingenieros colegas del grupo RPK estuvieron traduciendo el “Handbook of Spring Design” al español. Y se tienen planes para en el futuro, ir traduciendo más libros de consulta y manuales al español. Como segundo paso, se está trabajando en traducir la web del SMI al español, para que los que su lengua nativa sea el español puedan ser conscientes de manera directa, todas las oportunidades que brinda ser parte de la asociación SMI. Y finalmente creo que hay que publicitar de una manera más clara que el SMI también ofrece el servicio de promover, servir e inspirar al fabricante de resortes mexicano como industria. Los clientes de todo de industrias en Norte América están deseando encontrar fabricantes competitivos en la región. El SMI puede ser un gran socio de conocimiento, para todas aquellas empresas pequeñas que quieren transformarse y acceder a clientes de mercados y sectores más demandantes. No hay que olvidar que en las negociaciones recientes del USMCA se ha exigido un mayor nivel de contenido regional dentro del área de Norte América. En consecuencia los OEMs están buscando elevar dicho contenido en toda la cadena de suministro. Por lo tanto es una oportunidad para todos los fabricantes de resortes en la región. En consecuencia todos los países del área se verán beneficiados y toda la cadena de suministro se verá positivamente afectada. n

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Springmaker Spotlight

Jackson Spring management team members (l-to-r:) Pat Kupczak, Jeff Kolozsy and Rob Meyers.

Entrepreneurial Spirit Fuels Growth at Jackson Spring By Gary McCoy

2013 Forbes article described the entrepreneurial spirit as a mindset. “It’s an attitude and approach to thinking that actively seeks out change, rather than waiting to adapt to change. It’s a mindset that embraces critical questioning, innovation, service and continuous improvement.”1 The entrepreneurial spirit described by Jacquelyn Smith in the Forbes article is alive and well at Jackson Spring Mfg. Co., Inc. in Elk Grove Village, Illinois. The privately-held company, a supplier of precision manufactured spring and wire products, was started by an entrepreneur, the late Jack Kupczak, in the fall of 1961. He named the company Jackson Spring because it was Jack’s childhood nickname and he hoped that maybe someday his son, Bob, might join the company.

SPRINGS / Summer 2019 / 59

Jack’s second wish regarding his son Bob came true when Bob Kupczak joined the company after college and later became the second-generation company owner and president. Though not as involved in the day-to-day leadership of the company as he once was, Kupczak is still active with Jackson Spring. Kupczak relies on Rob Meyers, the company’s vice president and general manager, to manage the company’s operations, along with his son, Patrick, who oversees engineering and estimating. “My dad had been in the spring industry his whole life, starting at age 14, earning 13 cents an hour as a delivery boy. He worked his way up from there to a managerial position before going out on his own in 1961,” explained Kupczak of the early days at Jackson Spring. “I joined him in the business in 1963, doing whatever was needed. The rest is history.” Kupczak said when he first came to work for his dad, Jackson Spring was very small, and he was asked to make sales calls. “On one of the calls I made, I walked in the door without an appointment and I got to see the buyer right away. We talked for two or three minutes and I’m nervous, sweating, perspiring and stammering,” recalled Kupczak. “The buyer threw me a blueprint across the desk and said, ‘Here kid, give me a price on this, I need a quarter million pieces.’ I went back to the office and worked up a quote. I called him and he gave me the order. I thought, ‘Man, this is easy. There’s nothing to this.’” Kupczak said he learned quickly that it was a lot more complicated than that. He appreciates the hard work his

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Kupczak fondly recalls a story about his dad’s occasional firecracker temper. “I remember one time he got really mad at someone and fired them. He came storming into the office, and I was standing there watching and he turned to me and said, ‘Bob, go back out and hire him again.’” dad undertook to build the business and has good memories of working alongside him. “My dad was a fun guy to be around, he had a great sense of humor and always enjoyed people,” said Kupczak. “Everybody he met liked him. He and I had our discussions from time to time and tempers flared occasionally. I have sons that have worked for me, and it’s a tough thing working for a relative.” He added, “Because everything is personal, any criticism that you make is personal and I think anybody who’s in a family business can appreciate that. It’s not always easy, however the rewards I think are pretty great.” He fondly recalls a story about his dad’s occasional firecracker temper. “I remember one time he got really mad at someone and fired them. He came storming into the office, and I was standing there watching and he turned to me and said, ‘Bob, go back out and hire him again.’” Kupczak said he appreciated his dad more as he got older. “I don’t know if that’s a factor of just me getting older and a little more mature, or him mellowing a little bit.” Kupczak says he owes much to his father, who, with only a sixth grade education, accomplished the American dream of owning his own company.

Growth and Development

Jackson Spring went from an initial 900 sq. ft. building on the west side of Chicago to increasingly larger buildings within the city, before Jack Kupczak bought a 5,000 sq. ft. building in the Chicago suburb of Elk Grove Village in 1972. After one addition and later adding rented space, the company moved to its current location in 1998, and in 2016 purchased the building next door in order to expand. Jackson Spring now occupies more than 65,000 sq. ft. of office and manufacturing space. In addition to an expanded facility, Jackson Spring has been actively growing through acquisitions. The company acquired Sentry Spring in 2017 and Allied Spring in 2013. Meyers said the company is still seeking additional companies to purchase.

Jackson Spring leadership team, front row (l-to-r): Beth Yucus, Bob Kupczak, Lupita Kolozsy and Harry Papas. Back row (l-to-r): Al Matusiak, Rob Meyers, Jeff Kolozsy, Fred Martinez and Jose Campos.

“There are a lot of small spring companies around Chicago that are privately held that really don’t have any exit plans for the owners, or their children are not involved in the business,” explained Meyers of the acquisition landscape. “Some of the owners are just tired of dealing with the problems.” Meyers said they won’t overpay for anything. “We just want a fair price. We’re looking for comparable businesses in spring or wireforms, with employees and a book of business they have.” Kupczak adds, “We’ve talked to several people over the last two years about the possibility of acquiring them and we’re always looking. It has to be the right situation for us.” Making acquisitions is not easy, said Kupczak. “What a company is worth to the owner is not always what it’s worth to an outsider. The less sophisticated companies don’t realize that they’re not going to get the multiples of earnings for their business that really profitable companies can get. Sometimes when you put pencil to paper, a lot of times the owner is better off keeping the company for as long as they can.”

New Equipment and Certifications

For many years, Jackson Spring exclusively manufactured compression springs. In the early ‘90s, the company started producing torsion and extension springs, along with wireforms, which now represents 50 percent of Jackson Spring’s output.

The company has more than 70 CNC machines to process a variety of materials. They are also known for having a large grinding department. Jackson Spring has long been ISO 90002 certified, but the company decided to up its game, and in April 2017 the company received its TS 16949 certificate. Though it was not something required by its current customers, both Meyers and Kupczak thought it was a good idea and would allow them to grow in the automotive market. “Bob and I agreed that obtaining TS certification would make us a better manufacturer,” recalled Meyers. More recently, the company became certified to the new IATF 16949 that replace TS 16949. It is a standard that establishes the requirements for a Quality Management System (QMS), specifically for the automotive sector. Meyers said when the auditor came through their plant to certify Jackson Spring to the new standard, he sat down with Meyers after four days and said: “Well, I hate to tell you, but you’ve finally broken my streak. I can qualify you as an IATF with no majors and no minors. You’re the first company I’ve ever done that with the IATF.” In recalling the event, Meyers said the auditor’s comment was a real testament to the company’s staff and their dedication to the process. The company currently has 51 full-time employees and Meyers said they have between 25 and 30 temporary employees at any time, depending on the current workload.

SPRINGS / Summer 2019 / 61

RK Trading: A Separate and Distinct Machinery Company In 1995, Bob Kupczak started a second business, RK Trading Co., which imports, sells and services high-tech CNC equipment including spring formers, coilers, grinders, strip formers and power payoff reels. The company started out of necessity, as Kupczak wanted to expand Jackson Spring into torsion springs and wireforms. To accomplish this goal, he traveled to Taiwan to look at some equipment, found Herdon machines that could do the job and bought several. Herdon wanted to sell machines in the United States and asked Kupczak to represent them. For a short time, there were two companies selling Herdon machines. That didn’t last long, and RK Trading is now the sole distributor for Herdon not only representing the company in the U.S., but also in Canada and Mexico. Rob Meyers was hired to work at RK Trading in 1998, after Kupczak realized he couldn’t run the company by himself. In 2006, when the general manager of Jackson Spring had medical issues and wanted to step down from day-to-day management, Kupczak asked Meyers to move over to Jackson Spring to help run it. Kupczak said to Meyers, “I still want you to keep track of RK.” The company hired a technician to assist Meyers. Since RK’s inception, the company has rigorously adhered to the following principles: • Providing its customers with technically advanced, well-constructed machines at reasonable prices. • Dealing with customers in a highly ethical manner, honestly and with integrity. • Providing exemplary aftersales service both in parts, service and technical support. One thing both Kupczak and Meyers agree on is that RK Trading operates as a separate company from Jackson Spring. “There’s a line there that doesn’t get crossed,” explained Kupczak. Meyers adds, “My technicians and myself, we can walk into spring companies. They know that I run another spring company. We could walk in the back door and there’s not any problems, because they know I’m not going to be looking in drums, finding what the customer’s label is, or how they did that.” Kupczak says it comes down to integrity. “I want to sleep at night.”

62 / SPRINGS / Summer 2019

About 10 years ago the company reconfigured its shifts to four 10-hour days, instead of five eight-hour days. This was done out of necessity when gas prices were high, because many of their employees commute from the city of Chicago and it was a way to help cut down on expenses. “We can still use Fridays for overtime, and Saturdays if we need, too,” explained Meyers. The company maintains a fully-staffed first shift, and its second shift is about one-third staffed. Meyers says they have room to grow with the second shift, it’s just a function of finding qualified people.

Spring Industry Veterans

Kupczak and Meyers have nearly 100 years of experience in the spring industry between them, Kupczak with more than 55 and Meyers with nearly 40. Before coming to work for Kupczak at RK Trading (see sidebar), Meyers began working in the spring industry straight out of college after earning his accounting degree from Valparaiso University in Indiana. His girlfriend at the time, Gayle (who is now his wife), lived in Naperville, Illinois, and Meyers had come to visit for her birthday, July 4, not long after finishing at Valparaiso University. Meyers said the family was participating in a block party. “Gayle’s mom, who is now my mother-in-law, said, ‘You

Jackson Spring employees gathered on the company's production floor in Elk Grove Village, Illinois.

should talk to my neighbor. He owns three spring companies.’” His name was Tim O’Brien. O’Brien and Meyers met, and O’Brien said, “We’re always looking for new people, Robbie, come in and interview with us.” Meyers went for the interview and got a job in the accounting department at North American Spring and Stamping. Meyers worked there for 18 years. He not only worked in accounting, he also ran several company divisions and served as controller. He survived three different ownership changes before coming to RK Trading in 1998. North American Spring and Stamping officially closed its door in 2000. Meyers and Kupczak have a great working relationship. “Rob’s really been a godsend, he is just a really good guy. He won’t say this, but he’s a great family man with three daughters and he’s always involved in what’s going on there,” said Kupczak with pride. “He really is a hands-on, take charge kind of guy. The last 10 years especially have been very good to us.” Meyers says when Kupczak is in the office, especially during the summer his door is always open. “I’ll ask him things, because he’s got 50 years of spring business and that knowledge is hard to find anywhere,” related Meyers. “It’s not on Google or on the internet. He’s just got a wealth of knowledge.” On occasion, when Kupczak is in the office, Meyers will pull him into meetings with customers. Bob says, ‘Why did you bring me in here?’ and I will say, ‘Because Bob, I want the customer to know when they’re dealing with Jackson Spring, the person that owns Jackson Spring understands their product.’”

Meyers said when the auditor came through their plant to certify Jackson Spring to the new standard, he sat down with Meyers after four days and said: “Well, I hate to tell you, but you’ve finally broken my streak. I can qualify you as an IATF with no majors and no minors. You’re the first company I’ve ever done that with the IATF.” In recalling the event, Meyers said the auditor’s comment was a real testament to the company’s staff and their dedication to the process.

Changes

Both Kupczak and Meyers never envisioned themselves being in the spring industry for their entire career. They both enjoy it and have observed a lot of changes.

SPRINGS / Summer 2019 / 63

Meyers says he enjoys the entrepreneurial aspect of the industry, since most spring companies are smaller, privately-held entities. He says because of that aspect, his decision to not stay in the accounting field was confirmed. “Because that’s (accounting’s) pretty much something I can do with my eyes closed,” Meyers says. He relates that, in the spring industry, there’s usually something different every day between solving and taking care of problems. “I tell our employees, ‘We’re really not selling springs. We’re selling solutions to our customers’ problems,’” explained Meyers. Reflecting back on his career, he says, “If you’d have told me I would’ve spent 40 years in the spring industry, I’d have said, ‘I don’t even know what the spring industry is.’ It just happened to be that way. Whether it would be the

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spring industry, or something else, I’m a small-businessand-entrepreneur kind of guy.” Kupczak says he’s seen the industry change much over the years, and said it would be difficult for anyone to do what his dad was able to accomplish 50 years ago. That’s because of the significant challenges that today’s springmaker faces. “Business has gotten so much more technical, the customer demands have gotten much tougher, the products that we produce today are to quality levels that were unheard of 15 years ago,” explained Kupczak. “A lot of this has become possible with of the use or modern, up-to-date equipment.” Kupczak says when it comes to spring companies, he’s recently observed a separation between the haves and have nots. “You’ve got guys that are still going strong and other companies that are just dead in the water. They’re going along, but their prospects for the future are limited, it’s just a different industry now than it was 20 years ago.” Kupczak says he always appreciated attending SMI meetings, especially as a small company interacting with larger competitors. “Sitting around in those meetings, talking to your competitors and listening to and hearing their ideas about how things should be or things that they’re doing in their facilities.” He said he always walked away learning something new. While most people his age are slowing down, Kupczak wants to make sure that Jackson Spring continues to move forward. From 2013-2018 he’s invested several million dollars in new equipment and expanding the company’s facility. Kupczak reflects, “For me the easiest thing would have been to sit back, collect money and put it in my own pocket. But I want this thing to keep going for Rob and the other people that work here. I want it to continue to be a viable enterprise, I don’t want to see it die.” It’s a testament to the entrepreneurial spirit that is alive and well in Jack Kupczak’s son and the employees at Jackson Spring. n

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64 / SPRINGS / Summer 2019

1 – “How To Keep Your Entrepreneurial Spirit Alive As The Company You Work For Grows,” Jacquelyn Smith, Forbes, Oct. 22, 2013.

The Upside of Down Times: Discovering the Power of Gratitude

MI members who attended the 2018 annual meeting in Napa, California will remember the inspirational and engaging presentation by author and speaker Lisa Ryan. The founder of Grategy, Ryan bills herself as the “chief appreciation strategist.” She has contributed a helpful article on gratitude to this issue of Springs, “Harnessing the Power of Appreciation to Elevate Employee Engagement” on page 24. Her book, “The Upside of Down Times: Discovering the Power of Gratitude,” is a quick and breezy read with lots of practical advice for applying a gratitude attitude in your personal life and in your business. I really enjoyed this book, especially the research Ryan presented to help back up her message that gratitude is not just a “fluffy” sentiment. She encourages readers to begin a gratitude journal, noting three to five things each day. The notations could include people or situations throughout the day in which you are appreciative. Throughout the book she includes tips, gratitude journal information/instructions, denotes research and studies and when it’s your turn to take action. Ryan talks about gratitude as a “conscious incompetence.” What does she mean? She likens it to a child who first learns to tie their shoes – describing it as something that takes “conscious competence.” As Ryan explains, “In this stage of development, the child can tie his shoes, but it takes a lot of thought to do so. “Before long, you’ll learn to harness the power of gratitude in every area of your life — and you’ll do

it subconsciously. You have reached the pinnacle — ‘unconscious competence.’ This is when the child doesn’t even think about shoe tying, he just does it. Practice gratitude long enough and it will become as natural as tying your shoes.” Ryan uses the acronym S.H.O.W. to demonstrate how gratitude can transform four areas of your life. “S” is for self – gratitude improves your attitude and outlook. “H” is for health —improved physical health results from appreciation. “O” is for others—acknowledgement influences and improves our relationships. “W” is for wealth—gratefulness has a positive impact on your bottom line. Readers will enjoy her special section on gratitude and business. Ryan explains the impact gratitude had on her own business. “My company, Grategy, was founded based on a study conducted by noted speaker, author and copywriter Dan Kennedy. The study shows that when a customer stops doing business with a business, 68 percent of the time it’s because that consumer feels ‘ignored, underappreciated or taken for granted.’ When we take the time to show gratitude to our patrons, we develop a base of loyal customers as well as raving fans.” This is a great book to help remind us to be grateful at all times, even for the smallest things in life. n

Have a favorite business book you would like to tell us about or review? Send your suggestions to Springs managing editor Gary McCoy at gmccoy@fairwaycommunications.com.

SPRINGS / Summer 2019 / 65

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wongwean/Shutterstock.com

Global CTE News Highlights Career Exploration Event in West Michigan Continues to Grow

areer exploration events are an important part of attracting emerging talent to the spring industry. MiCareerQuest™ was created in 2015 and is one of the largest and most successful events. This year it was

held April 24, 2019, in Grand Rapids, Michigan at DeVos Place, with nearly 10,000 students in attendance. During MiCareerQuest, students rotate through quadrants highlighting four high-demand industries:

advanced manufacturing, construction, health sciences and information technology. Students engage with professionals and participate in activities that showcase various high-growth occupations, opening their eyes to opportunities for great careers in West Michigan. Among the participating companies in the advanced manufacturing section was Wolverine Coil Spring in Grand Rapids. Company president Jay Dunwell has been an ardent advocate for promoting career technical education opportunities. Dunwell says A.I. Technologies generously provided an Itaya CNC spring machine for the event. “Students stared in amazement as the spring former quickly produced a ‘flower,’ once the student pushed the appropriate button,” explained Dunwell. Dunwell was quick to thank Carl Atwater, Sebastian Atwater and Ron Washburn of A.I. Technologies for their time and efforts. He also thanked Charlie Radcliff of Radcliff Wire Inc. for providing the wire for the slinkylike springs students were able to produce for themselves by hand cranking the feed rollers on two old mechanical coilers. Dunwell says the MiCareerQuest model has been highlighted by the National Association of Workforce Boards at their annual conference in Washington, D.C. and is now being replicated in various states across the country. To learn more, visit www. micareerquest.org n

SPRINGS / Summer 2019 / 67

A Chat with SMI’s Technical Advisor

MI technical advisor Gary Van Buren is available to assist SMI members with design and problemsolving issues, including spring design and technical consultation; response to technical emails and phone calls; and assistance in upgrading the Advanced Spring Design (ASD) software. Van Buren is no stranger to the world of springs, having worked in the industry since 1994. He’s been a member of SMI’s technical committee for more than 20 years and has been an active participant in providing input and feedback on SMI’s ASD software. When he first started out in the industry, Van Buren took an SMI-sponsored class held in Bristol, Connecticut to improve his spring design knowledge. He put that practical knowledge to good use during his days working at Spring Team in Austinburg, Ohio as the company’s engineering manager. Van Buren says the most common questions he’s received since starting with SMI in 2018 are related to the design of springs and to the use of materials when manufacturing springs. He says one of the most common materials questions involves producing springs using chrome silicon wire because of its high tensile strength and resilience. “It’s a material which is often misunderstood and I’m fortunate enough to have a great group of people helping me to get these questions answered,” explained Van Buren. Van Buren says one of the biggest challenges in designing springs is having enough room to alleviate the stress. “The SMI software provides a lot of help in designing springs, and I try to help people understand the correction factors that need to be taken into account so they can produce

Gary Van Buren, Laura Helmrich-Rhodes and Rick Gordon

a spring that will work for its intended application.” When asked what he enjoys about his work in the spring industry, Van Buren says it is the people. “This is a great industry, and everyone has treated me so wonderfully,” said Van

Help with Prop 65 Proposition 65 requires businesses to provide warnings to Californians about significant exposures to chemicals that cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm. The official name of Proposition 65 is the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986. Joe Devany is the operations manager for Betts Company in Fresno, California and the committee chair for SMI’s regulatory compliance committee chair. He advises SMI members

Buren. “Being a consultant for SMI is a great privilege and I am happy to share the practical knowledge I’ve accumulated over more than two decades in the industry.” You can reach Van Buren at gvanburen2@gmail.com, or 440-206-6129.

to visit https:// www.p65warnings. ca.gov/, a government website that provides resources for springmakers looking to comply with Prop 65. It also provides more details on what Prop 65 is all about. “At the end of the day,” says Devany, “I would encourage each company to reach out to their legal counsel to make sure they are compliant based on their business and customer needs. It’s different for every business.”

SPRINGS / Summer 2019 / 69

Inside SMI

Calendar of Key Events for the Global Spring Industry

Oct. 1–3 SMI Metal Engineering eXpo Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania www.metalengineeringexpo.org

Sept. 14–16 International Committee on Spring Technologies – ICST – 2 Germany

2019

Nov. 14–15 ISO/TC 227 – Springs Nagoya, Japan www.iso.org/committee/369318.html

Oct. 7–9 SpringWorld Rosemont, Illinois www.casmi-springworld.org

2020

Nov. (TBD) ISO/TC 227 – Springs Milan, Italy www.iso.org/committee/369318.html

July 9 SMI Road Show (NESMA) Bristol, Connecticut

March 6–10 SMI Annual Meeting Atlantis, Bahamas

Sept. 16 NESMA Golf Outing Chippanee Golf Club, Bristol, Connecticut March 30–April 3 wire Düsseldorf Sept. 26–27 International Wire and Cable Trade Fair 10th International Congress of Springs Düsseldorf, Germany Hamburg, Germany www.mdna.com/trade-shows/details/ www.esf-springs.com wire

70 / SPRINGS / Summer 2019

2021 Nov. (TBD) ISO/TC 227 – Springs U.S. www.iso.org/committee/369318.html

SMI Board and Committees Meet During Annual Meeting in Austin

uring the annual meeting in Austin, Texas, SMI’s board and committees met on April 6. Here are some of the highlights. Board of Directors – SMI president Steve Kempf welcomed new board members in attendance that included Tony Pesaresi of Winamac Coil Spring, Peter Mendel of KernLiebers and Kelley Christy of Diamond Wire Spring. Kempf noted that Linda Froehlich of Ace Wire Spring & Form Co. had also joined the board but was unable to attend. He explained that committee meetings at the 2020 event in the Bahamas will be held on Sunday, a day later than usual, to make it easier for people to attend. Kempf outlined some of his goals for the next year. They include: Keeping the trade show moving forward and expanding its reach by moving it around the country; sharing the expertise of SMI’s technical experts Rick Gordon, Gary Van Buren and Dan Sebastian and implementing the new spring design courses; keeping SMI’s regional presence strong with two road shows in 2019, planned for the Pittsburgh-Ohio and NESMA groups, and planning to do more events for other regions; providing regulatory compliance webinars on the SMI website; expanding the workforce development initiatives started by Mike Betts and moving forward with the help of the new committee chair, Linda Froehlich; and strengthening SMI’s international presence by developing stronger ties with the Japanese and European spring industries. It was noted that SMI’s financial position remains strong.

Kempf outlined some of his goals for the next year. They include: Keeping the trade show moving forward and expanding its reach by moving it around the country; sharing the expertise of SMI’s technical experts and implementing the new spring design courses. Benchmarking Committee – Looking for more participation in surveys. The committee suggested asking companies about what information they would like to see arising from the surveys. Convention Planning Committee – Looking forward to the 2021 meeting in either the Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona area or Palm Desert, California. Education Committee – Looking at potential future speakers on topics such as: the war on talent, cybersecurity, technology/robotics, CRM and people development. Magazine Committee – The overall consensus is that SMI members continue to enjoy Springs. The magazine continues to move forward with strong themes for future issues and consistent advertiser support. Membership Committee – Looking to develop case studies to maintain and advance the value proposition of SMI membership to current members and prospective members.

Regulatory Compliance Committee – The plan is to add a “Controlling Workers’ Compensation Costs” as a webinar. Other webinars planned include: “Effective Safety Committee,” “How to Handle an OSHA Inspection,” and “Accident Investigation.” The committee also suggested adding an FAQ section to the safety section of the SMI website. Technical Committee – Has been busy helping arrange speakers for the 2019 SMI Metal Engineering eXpo. In addition, the committee noted that the new spring design training program continues to move forward. The 101 class, Basics of Spring Design, is ready to go. The 103 class, Fundamentals of Spring Materials, is almost done. The 100 level courses are designed for new employees and will be available for free download at the SMI website. The 200 level courses will be taught in person. The technical committee is currently looking for a new chairman to replace Gene Huber, who is now part of the SMI executive committee. Editor’s note: Since the conclusion of the board of directors meeting in Austin, Tim Zwit of Michigan Spring and Stamping agreed to join the SMI board of directors and will become the new technical committee chairman. Trade Show Committee – Everything is on track for the show in October in Pittsburgh. Sponsorship goals are near their target level, and booth sales are strong. All speaker slots for the technical symposia have been filled. n

SPRINGS / Summer 2019 / 71

Plan now to participate in SpringWorld® 2020! Join your colleagues at the industry’s premier event.

SpringWorld provides a unique opportunity to network with other spring manufacturers, wire formers, and OEMs. • The premiere spring show since 1960. • A global showcase for suppliers to the spring and wire form industry featuring attendees from 18 countries.

• One-on-one discussions with others who share your concerns offering new insights for your business.

• See the newest technology available to improve your productivity, quality and service.

• Attend free educational seminars offered by exhibitors and industry experts.

We’ll see you at

SpringWorld® 2020 October 7-9 Donald E. Stephens Convention Center Rosemont, IL

presented by www.casmi-springworld.org

850ºF Belt Conveyor Over from Grieve No. 867 is an 850ºF (454ºC), gas-heated belt conveyor oven from Grieve, currently used for production heat treating of metal springs. Workspace dimensions of this oven measure 36" W x 18' D x 15" H. 800,000 BTU/HR are installed in a natural gas burner to heat the oven chamber, while a 12,500 CFM, 10-HP stainless steel recirculating blower provides vertical downward airflow to the workload. The oven travel comprises a 3’ long open belt loading zone, 18’ long

insulated heat zone with recirculated airflow, 3’ long open belt unloading zone and a 30" wide, type 304 stainless steel woven wire conveyor belt with 3" high flex plate edges, driven by a ½-HP motor v-belt drive, variable from 1-19 IPM. This Grieve belt conveyor oven features 7” thick insulated walls, aluminized steel exterior and interior, exhaust hoods over each end equipped with a 12" diameter tubeaxial fan, driven by a ½-HP motor, plus all safety equipment required

by IRI, FM and NFPA Standard 86 for gasheated equipment, including a 650 CFM, ½-HP powered forced exhauster. Controls on No. 867 include a digital indicating temperature controller and 10" diameter circular chart recorder. For more information, contact Grieve at 847-546-8225 or visit www. grievecorp.com.

ALT-5000 Automated Tester Sorter SAS Testers and FSI announces the addition for the new ALT-5000 automated spring tester and sorter to the full line of SAS testers. The ALT-5000 is an automated modular spring tester, setter and sorter with the following characteristics: • Load capacity up to 5000N • Load resolutiom 0.1N and accuracy ±0.125N • Stroke accuracy better than 0.01mm • Programmable for automated testing of loads, freelength, spring rate and solid height

• • • • • • • • •

Tester crosshead speeds of 125mm/sec Modular turntable including 12 stations Pneumatic setter up to 10000N capacity Pneumatic setter mechanically divided up to 3 stations ID Go/NO measurement 3 way sorter – Standard Optional automated loading mechanism Optional bowlfeeders Includes online SPC control charts

For additional information, contact Forming Systems, Inc. at info@formingsystemsinc.com or call 269-679-3557.

SPRINGS / Summer 2019 / 73

New Products

Markforged Launches Flame-Retardant Material Markforged, a manufacturer of metal and carbon fiber 3D printers, announced the availability of Onyx FR, a new, V-0 rated flameretardant material designed for industries such as aerospace, automotive and defense. Traditional 3D-printed plastics will burn if they catch fire, but this new material is self-extinguishing, so it will stop itself from burning. The company says, “Onyx FR features unmatched strength, superior print quality, high-quality surface finish, all while resisting fire.” Onyx FR joins Markforged’s wide portfolio of industrial metal and composite materials. Eiger, Markforged’s cloud-based software platform, makes it easy for clients to design a part, choose their materials, and just click print from across the room or around the world. Onyx FR is now available to all new and existing Markforged customers with its Industrial Series Printers. To learn more, visit https://markforged.com.

Zontec Releases Synergy 1000 AND Synergy 1000+ Versions 10.0 to Enhance Real-Time Quality Improvement

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PCL-100 Parts Collector with Load Cell HSI Machinery and FSI announces the addition for the new PCL-100 parts collector with load cell, now with the ability to change bins by count, by time and now by weight. • Schedule bin change by count, by time or now by weight • Compact size and caster design allows mobile operation • Applications include springs, stampings, screws, plastic parts, etc.

Zontec, Inc., a statistical process control (SPC) software company for manufacturing, has announced the availability of Synergy 1000™ and Synergy 1000+ version 10.0. The Synergy 1000 and Synergy 1000+ products are part of an entire suite of Zontec SPC software solutions that give visibility to real-time quality data to improve manufacturing process efficiency, quality and profits. Instantly see quality data in straightforward colorcoded charts full of actionable metrics. Quickly recognize sources of process variation allowing users to decide if an undesirable shift in the numbers needs attention to avoid producing defective

• HMI panel allows connection with machine for automatic operation • Pneumatic clamps of lifting unit insure less noise and more stable operation • Swinging chute prevents part damage during bin change • Load cell overload protection • Optional stainless steel bins available For additional information, contact Forming Systems, Inc. at info@formingsystemsinc.com or call 269-679-3557.

parts that result in scrap and rework. Shop floor operators, supervisors, quality engineers and management can focus their attention on monitoring and analyzing production parts for improved quality using the SynergySPC suite of real-time software products. Current Synergy 1000 and 1000+ users, covered under the Zontec Annual Service Agreement Plan, automatically receive the update and documentation for version 10.0. For more information, visit www.zontec-spc.com or request a product brochure at https://www.zontecspc.com/synergy-1000/.

New Products

HTC 60CLII Series of Spring Coilers HTC Spring Machinery and FSI announces the addition for the new HTC 60CLII, 5 axes CNC spring coiler with a wire range of 2.2mm – 6.0mm (.086"–.236"). This new design replaces the previous HTC-60CL machine. The main design features that have changed from the previous HTC-60CL include: • Larger feed motor, for increased power and higher feed speeds • All new feed transmission gear design, to handle the higher speeds • Feed speed increased by approximately 30 percent faster than the previous HTC-60CL • Higher accuracy Other machine features include 5 programmable axes including feed, O.D., vertical pitch, horizontal pitch and cutter. The touch screen interface simplifies programming, while the advanced coiling point system simplifies conversion from RH to LH coiling. HTC is known for its straightforward and easy to use software. The camless operation provides fast and efficient setup and operation. Both rotating and straight cutoff are standard on the HTC

coilers. Additionally, the mandrel in/out movement is also programmable. This machine is also available in 8.0mm size. HTC currently produces CNC spring coilers for wire sizes ranging from 0.15mm to 18mm (.006"–.708") For additional information, contact Forming Systems, Inc. at info@formingsystemsinc.com or call 269-679-3557. n

Advertiser's Index A & D Trading (440)563-5227. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Admiral Steel (800) 323-7055. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Advanced Spring Design (815) 963-2220. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Alloy Wire International (866) 482-5569. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 CASMI www.casmi-springworld.org. . . . . 72 Central Wire (800) 435-8317. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Diamond Wire Spring Co. (800) 424-0500. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Dispense Works (815) 363-3524. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Fenn/Torin (860) 594-4300. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Five Group www.fivesgroup.com . . . . . . . . . . 14 Forming Systems Inc. (877) 594-4300. . . inside front cover, back cover

Gibbs Wire & Steel Co. Inc. (800) 800-4422. . . inside back cover Industrial Steel & Wire (800) 767-0408. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Interwire Products Inc. (914) 273-6633. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 JN Machinery (224) 699-9161. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Jowitt & Rodgers/Syntech (704) 525-8030. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Kiswire (201) 461-8895. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Larson Systems (763) 780-2131. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Maguire Machinery (609) 266-0200. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Mapes Piano String Co. (423) 543-3195. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 NIMSCO (563) 391-0400. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 North American Spring Tool (860) 583-1693. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Proto Manufacturing (800) 965-8378. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Radcliff Wire (860) 583-1305. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 RK Trading (847) 640-9371. . . . . . . . . . . . 6, 15 Shanghai SFK Precision Co. sfkppd@163.com . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Simplex Rapid (563) 391-0400. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Spring Manufacturers Institute (630) 495-8588. . . . . . . . . 9, 54, 64 Suzuki Garphyttan (574) 232-8800. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Tool King (847) 537-2881. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 United Wire (800) 840-9481. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Vinston (847) 972-1098. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Vulcan Spring & Manufacturing Co. (215) 721-1721. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 WAFIOS (203) 481-5555. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Zapp Precision Strip (203) 386-0038. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

SPRINGS / Summer 2019 / 75

Peter Mendel

Kern-Liebers USA Name: Peter Mendel. Company name and city: Kern-Liebers USA Inc., Holland, Ohio. Brief history of your company: Kern-Liebers is a global supplier for systems vendors to the automotive, textile and consumer goods industries. The group develops and manufactures precision products of the highest quality made from steel strip, wire, plastic composites and special materials at over 50 operative subsidiaries worldwide. Kern-Liebers started its U.S. operations in 1975 in Holland, Ohio and expanded to eight facilities with 1,000 employees in the U.S. and Mexico. Recently KernLiebers acquired all shares of Michigan Spring and Stamping. Job title: President and CEO North America. Birthplace: Schramberg, Germany. Current home: Sylvania, Ohio. Family: My wife Lori and I have two children, Noah, 5 and Leoni, 3. We have one dog named Zella who we adopted from India. What I like most about being a springmaker: It amazes me where you find springs and the creativity which sometimes goes along with it in regard to their usage and the functions they fulfill. Favorite food: Sausage and cheese salad (Wurstsalat) from Germany. Favorite books/authors: Steven R. Covey and Jon Gordon. I think both authors have written several good books.

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Mendel family, from left: Wife Lori, son

Noah, Peter, and daughter Leoni.

Favorite song/musician: Country music. Hobbies: Spending time with my wife and kids, fishing, hunting and working on my classic car. Favorite places: The Black Forest, Munich, Barcelona and Chicago. Best times of my life: My wedding day and the birth of my children. A really great evening to me is: Having a bonfire along with a good barbecue with family and friends. The one thing I can’t stand is: Inefficiencies. My most outstanding qualities are: Being honest; always looking for improvements. People who knew me in school thought I was: Always willing and available to support them or help them out if needed.

I knew I was an “adult” when: I had my first car accident. If I weren’t working at Kern-Liebers, I would like to: Be in the wilderness of Canada residing in a log cabin overlooking the lake. The most difficult business decision I ever had to make was: To terminate employees based on economic factors and not based on performance issues. I wonder what would have happened if: I would not have come to the U.S. in 2005. Role models: People who are honest and work hard to achieve their goals. I would like to be remembered in the spring industry for: Being supportive of the industry and helpful to achieve the set goals. But people will probably remember me for: Hopefully for the above.