Vol. 63 | No. 1 | Winter 2024
RETAINING
DEV ELOPING
RECRUI TI NG
The International Magazine of Spring Manufacturing
Recruiting, Developing and Retaining Staff 24 Recruiting I 28 Developing I 30 Retaining I 32 A Culture of Compassion 36 Forecast 2024: Navigating a Tricky Economic Terrain
A Plan for the Future
Spring Manufacturers Institute 401(k) Retirement Program An exclusive SMI member-only benefit program Provide a superior retirement plan, spend less time on plan administration and save money Major advantages from three industry names you can count on:
In partnership with Fiduciary support from fiduciaryPATH 3(38) • Selects and monitors plan investments in accordance with the Investment Policy Statement (IPS) • Provides professional asset allocation solutions that are suited to each participant’s needs • Monitors fees to ensure they are reasonable • Advocates for plan sponsors by negotiating below-market investment costs whenever possible
Administrative support from 3(16) plan administrator Pentegra Retirement Services
Participant resources provided by Empower Retirement
• Provides employee notices • Interprets and enforces Plan Document
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• Online tutorials
• Online requests for loans, distributions and hardships • Online investment fact sheets and prospectuses • Annual fee disclosure statements
• Accepts nearly all responsibilities and powers of an ERISA fiduciary
Find out why several SMI members have already enrolled in the program to save money and relieve themselves of administrative burdens when you contact Liz Hickox at Core Financial Partners at 401-236-2350 or email liz@newportcfp.com Spring Manufacturers Institute, Core Financial Partners and Pentegra Retirement Services are not affiliated with GWFS Equities, Inc. or its parent company, Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company. Securities offered and/or distributed by GWFS Equities, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. GWFS is an affiliate of Empower Retirement, LLC; Great-West Funds, Inc.; and registered investment advisers, Advised Assets Group, LLC and Personal Capital. This material is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide investment, legal or tax recommendations or advice. ©2021 Empower Retirement, LLC. All rights reserved. GEN-FLY-WF-1017869-0421 RO1629942-0421 FOR PLAN SPONSOR OR FINANCIAL PROFESSIONAL USE ONLY. Unless otherwise noted: Not a Deposit | Not FDIC Insured | Not Bank Guaranteed | Funds May Lose Value | Not Insured by Any Federal Government Agency
Evolution. It’s in our DNA. Through consistent investments in our equipment, products, processes, and people, Gibbs Interwire is always evolving to meet the needs of our customers, now and in the future.
Gibbs Interwire is a Division of Combined Metals Company, LLC
gibbswire.com
Contents 32
Features
Columns
22 Recruiting, Developing and Retaining Staff
4
Phil Sasso
24 R ecruiting: Onboarding to Attract and Retain Talent Lisa Ryan, CSP
28 D eveloping: Hiring and Training for Productivity Jennifer Goodrich, Ph.D.
34
30 R etaining: Is Your Benefits Package Competitive? Liz Hickox, CIMA, CPWA
32 Difference Makers: A Culture of Compassion
Departments
Phil Sasso
34 C TE: MFG DAY 2023 Introducing Students to Manufacturing Careers Phil Sasso
36 F orecast 2024: Navigating a Tricky Economic Terrain
36
RETAINING
DEVELOPING
Phillip M. Perry
RECRUIT ING
President’s Message Solving the Labor Puzzle 13 Be Aware Are New Employees More Likely to Be Injured? 17 Dean of Springs Help Wanted 19 Technically Speaking Back to Basics — Compression Springs 51 A Message from Gary What Can You Learn from a Millennial? 61 Podcast Picks How to Empower Your Employees to Win 63 Book Corner Atomic Habits
7 Global Highlights 10 Regional Reports 40 Flashback The Computer and the Spring Industry 43 Five Questions Brian Hickey, Lapham-Hickey Steel 44 Springmaker Spotlight Joe Wesner, Sterling Spring Gary McCoy 48 Women in Springs Future-Forward Leadership Sara Scullin 52 Inside SMI 65 New Products 67 Advertisers’ Index 68 Snapshot Al Mangels, Lee Spring Company
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President’s Message
Gene Huber Jr.
Solving the Labor Puzzle
It’s fall as I write this. While looking out my window on a beautiful, crisp day, the picture is so bright and colorful that it’s easy to forget we’re living in a time of challenges in a world rife with conflict, strikes, and deadlines. I don’t mean to be “doom and gloom,” but I am merely stating the obvious — we are navigating through tough issues every day. One of the significant challenges in business today is finding and retaining an adequate workforce to meet the demand for our products and services. This issue of Springs focuses on that challenge in a timely way. At Winamac Coil Spring (WCS), we have felt this challenge acutely in our rural community. We call it the “labor puzzle.” Solving this puzzle has become as crucial as making sure our manufacturing facilities have the proper infrastructure and equipment. “How well are we, as a corporation, resonating with our team members?,” WCS President Tony Pesaresi recently asked while discussing this labor puzzle. I think it’s a question we should all ask ourselves. Other questions we should ask as leaders are: 1. Do the benefits we provide resonate with our team members? 2. Do new teammates feel adequately trained? 3. How do we continually challenge ourselves as tenured team members? 4. What demonstrates the value of continuing to be a team member at this company?
SMI Executive Committee President: Gene Huber Jr., Winamac Coil Spring Vice President: Don Jacobson III, Newcomb Spring Secretary/Treasurer: David DeVoe, Plymouth Spring Past President: Bert Goering, Precision Coil Spring At-Large: Dave Deerwester, The Yost Superior Co. Executive Director: Gary McCoy, SMI SMI Board of Directors Markus Arnold, WAFIOS I Joe Devany, Betts Company I Linda Froehlich, Ace Wire Spring & Form I Adam Jacobson, FENN/Torin I Don Lyons, JonSpring I Alex Melnikow, Midstate Spring I Tony Pesaresi, Winamac Coil Spring I Keith Porter Jr., Newcomb Spring I Tim Zwit, Motion Dynamics Corporation Springs Magazine Staff Gary McCoy, Executive Director/Publisher, gary@smihq.org Phil Sasso, Managing Editor, phil.springs@sassomarketing.com Gabriela Carrasco, Associate Editor, gaby@smihq.org Lisa Plefka Haskin, Art Director, lisahaskin95@gmail.com Communications Committee Chair, Keith Porter Jr., Newcomb Spring I Reb Banas, Stanley Spring & Stamping I Hale Foote, Scandic Springs, Inc. I Patrick Gillum, Gilco Spring of Florida, Inc. I Adam Jacobson, FENN/Torin I Lucas Karabin, Acme Monaco I Gary McCoy, SMI I Phil Sasso, SMI I Michael Shapiro, Gibraltar Corporation I Bill Wynn, Gardner Spring, Inc. Advertising Sales I Japan Ken Myohdai, Sakura International Inc. Head Office: 3F,4F, ENDO Sakaisuji Bldg., 1-7-3, Bingomachi, Chuo-Ku, Osaka 541-0051, Japan Phone: 81-6-6624-3601 I 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 I Fax: 81-3-5646-1161 E-mail: info@sakurain.co.jp Advertising Sales I Taiwan Charlie Yu, Worldwide Services Co. Ltd. 11F-B, No 540, Sec. 1, Wen Hsin Rd. Taichung, 408 Taiwan Phone: +886-4-2325-1784 I Fax: +886-4-2325-2967
5. Do we help our team members in their individual lives?
E-mail: marketing@acw.com.tw
This issue of Springs features input from various experts with answers to many of these questions. We can apply these answers to our businesses and lives. As you enjoy this issue of Springs, remember SMI is here to serve and educate.
Springs (ISSN 0584-9667) is published quarterly by SMI Business Corp., a subsidiary of the Spring Manufacturers Institute: PO Box 5668, Elgin IL 60121 Phone: 847-450-6848; Web site www.smihq.org. Address all correspondence and editorial materials to this address.
God Bless, and have a crazy good day! Gene Huber
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 designed by Lisa Plefka Haskin utilizing Shutterstock imagery.
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Update Your Records Please be sure to update your mail and phone records with SMI’s new address and phone numbers. Spring Manufacturers Institute PO Box 5668 Elgin IL 60121
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Winter 2024 I Springs
Visit our Springs archive bit.ly/springsmag
Main phone z 847-450-6848 Gary McCoy z 847-450-6240 Gaby Carrasco z 847-857-6432
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Global Highlights NORTH AMERICA Iowa Spring has acquired Northeast Spring of Reading, Pennsylvania. The acquisition closed September 2023 and expands Iowa Spring’s growing presence as a premier supplier of precision-made springs for the overhead door, construction, agriculture and recreational equipment industries across the globe. “I am so proud to be able to offer a place for Northeast Spring’s legacy to continue,” said Iowa Spring president and CEO Tim Bianco. Northeast Spring is a family-owned and operated business that has supplied high-quality, custom-made springs for more than 25 years. Primarily serving the overhead door industry, Northeast Spring operations include both its Reading, Pennsylvania headquarters as well as its Villa Rica, Georgia facility. The company name and management team will remain intact with founder John O’Leary remaining onboard for the next three years to ensure a smooth transition. “Our team has worked tirelessly for more than two decades to build a highly respected company that is focused on family values, quality and integrity,” said O’Leary. “With so many spring companies being acquired by large private equity groups, it was essential to me to find a like-minded buyer who could be trusted to keep our team intact and who could uphold our company’s legacy and reputation. Iowa Spring is a perfect match, and I am confident that Northeast Spring will be in
Seth Downing
good, capable hands moving forward.” Following the acquisition, Bianco will oversee operations of Northeast Spring in addition to its three existing facilities: the original Iowa Spring facility in Adel, Iowa, including its recent 55,000 square-foot nearby expansion facility, and its sister company Southern Atlantic Spring of Granite Quarry, North Carolina. “I am so proud to be able to offer a place for Northeast Spring’s legacy to continue,” said Bianco. “John O’Leary and his team have built a thriving business with an outstanding reputation. The Iowa Spring team is excited to welcome Northeast Spring to our family. As a group of like-minded companies, this acquisition represents the opportunity to offer our customers additional capacity and locations to better serve their needs. “With an ethos of family, high quality, and customer satisfaction, we look forward to leveraging our newly expanded group’s capabilities to best serve the overhead door and other target markets.” The companies’ combined capabilities will position the Iowa Spring group to provide a wide depth and breadth of high-quality, custommanufactured springs while maintaining a “customer-centric” focus.
The L.S. Starrett Company, manufacturer of precision measuring instruments, gages and other tools, has appointed Seth Downing strategic accounts manager for North America, industrial products. He succeeds Michael Connor, who was promoted to sales and marketing director for North America at Starrett Industrial Products. Downing has extensive experience in sales and marketing and a strong track record of managing and expanding major national industrial accounts, including MSC, Grainger and Fastenal. With more than 10 years’ experience in tool manufacturing, Downing’s background covers the industrial, retail and automotive sectors. His roles have included industrial national account management, channel marketing management and business development and sales management. Downing holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He will be located at the company’s headquarters in Athol, Massachusetts.
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Global Highlights
Hunter Lang
FENN/Torin sales manager, Craig Watterson, welcomes Hunter Lang as technical sales manager. Lang, an industrial distribution graduate from Texas A&M, brings valuable experience in capital equipment sales within the pneumatic industry. Lang started his career as an intern at FENN, where he developed training materials. He subsequently progressed through roles in spare parts, inside sales, post-sales service and technical sales management. Lang also gained hands-on experience in machinery design, project management and customer support. In his new role, he will identify opportunities and work with customers to develop tailored solutions. Lang says he is committed to building strong customer relationships and becoming a reliable, knowledgeable resource.
Berlin, Connecticut-based North American Spring Tool (NAST) has formally merged with Southington, Connecticut-based Spring Manufacturers Supply Company (SMSC), forming a new entity, Spring Tool Solutions (STS). STS CEO Alan Ortner highlighted the extensive history of both NAST and SMSC, each serving spring manufacturers for more than four decades. He emphasized that while there are similarities in their product lines and services, they also complement each other in various ways. Both companies offer steel and carbide tooling for the spring industry, including arbors, guides, coiling tools and quills. NAST is recognized for providing high-quality specialized tools for spring coiling machines, both foreign and domestic, irrespective of the machines’ age. SMSC is noted for its expertise in reverse engineering complex legacy tools for spring coiling machines. Both companies have been active members of NESMA and SMI. STS will continue its membership and involvement in these associations. Ortner emphasized that this merger will greatly benefit their shared customer base by offering a comprehensive spring tooling resource. STS will leverage its combined capabilities to enhance service delivery. The company’s headquarters will be at the former NAST facility in Berlin, Connecticut.
Groundbreaking at United Wire in North Haven, Connecticut.
David Frederick
Bill Krauss
Vulcan Spring & Manufacturing Co. has announced the appointment of new CEO David Frederick. His role encompasses operations, growth and organizational culture. Frederick has been a member of the Vulcan Spring team since 2012, most recently as vice president of operations. Meanwhile, after 26 years of service, Bill Krauss has chosen to step down from his role as president of Vulcan Spring to take on a new role on the newly formed board of directors. In a news release the company said, “We express our deepest gratitude for Bill’s enduring commitment to the company, which has played a pivotal role in shaping our success. As we stand on the threshold of the future, Vulcan Spring is poised for growth and new opportunities. We are enthusiastic about the journey that lies ahead and eager to see where it takes us.”
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Winter 2024 I Springs
United Wire has begun an expansion project scheduled for completion in early 2024. This project includes a 5,000-square-foot addition to the existing facility, housing a state-of-the-art, three-stand wire shaping mill custom-built by FENN/Torin in East Berlin, Connecticut. This specialized mill, located in a clean room, focuses on crafting unique-shaped medical wire in response to growing demand in this sector. United Wire chose FENN for their equipment needs based on a long-standing partnership. The new space and equipment will significantly enhance product capabilities, serving existing customers more effectively and accommodating new ones. The state-of-the-art equipment can produce small flat and rectangular wires as fine as .002” x .005”, with precise tolerances of +/-.0001. It employs non-contact optical gauge technology and precision servo motor monitoring. Bob Swanson, president of United Wire, emphasizes the company’s commitment to producing custom-shaped wire tailored to individual customer requirements. Founded almost 30 years ago by Bob Swanson’s grandfather, Edward E. “Bud” Laird, United Wire is under third-generation leadership, with family members in key roles.
INTERNATIONAL The lists of all wire and Tube 2024 exhibitors and their products are now online at www.wire-tradefair.com and www.tube-tradefair.com, “Exhibitors & Products” tab. The global No. 1 trade fairs for the wire, cable, tube and pipe industries will be held from April 15–19, 2024, at the fairgrounds in Düsseldorf, Germany. In almost 40 years, wire and Tube Düsseldorf have developed into the leading trade fairs in their sectors worldwide — there are now also international satellite events for #wire, #cable and #tubes. The wire and Tube Southeast Asia, GIFA and METEC Southeast Asia trade shows, Sept. 20–22, 2023, at BITEC in Bangkok showcased the wire, cable, tube, pipe, metallurgy and foundry sectors. With 254 exhibitors from 27 countries, the event displayed technology, machinery and innovations from across various sectors, including automotive, construction, energy, gas, and metal and steel plants. The wire and Tube Southeast Asia attracted 6,350 trade visitors, 24% from international and neighboring markets like China, India, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam. Additionally, 54 groups attended from Thailand representing wire and cable, iron and steel and upstream supplier industries. The event included a two-day international conference, “Towards a Sustainable Future — Transforming Challenges into Opportunities,” by Messe Düsseldorf Asia and the International Wire and Machinery Association (IWMA). The conference addressed sustainable growth and environmental responsibility, reflecting the region’s commitment to economic growth and decarbonization. The Asia-Pacific region had the largest wire and cable industry revenue share in 2022. The event provided a platform for businesses to strengthen their presence in the region and foster valuable connections and supplier partnerships.
wire Mexico 2024, the new satellite event of Messe Düsseldorf’s wire, Tube & Flow Technologies trade fair portfolio, is fully booked. The event will include 50 exhibitors from 12 countries who will showcase their innovations on 579 square meters of exhibit space. From Jan. 30–Feb. 1, 2024, wire Mexico will be held as a special pavilion at the well-established Expo Manufactura, the International Trade Fair for Manufacturing Technology, Automation and Robotics, at the CINTERMEX Centro Internacional de Negocios Monterrey. Expo Manufactura has been held annually in Mexico since 1996 and is managed by the international organizer Tarsus Mexico. For further information about any wire or Tube event, contact Messe Düsseldorf North America at 312-781-5180, email: info@mdna.com, or visit www.mdna.com.
wire China 2023, the 10th annual China-International wire & cable industry trade show, ran Sept. 4– 7 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC). The four-day exhibition attracted global industry leaders, pro fessionals and visitors to discuss the latest technologies and development trends in the wire and cable industry. Daniel Ryfisch, director of Global Portfolio wire/Tube & Flow Technologies of Messe Düsseldorf GmbH, expressed excitement about the return of exhibitors and visitors after a three-year absence. The event also featured national and regional pavilions from China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea and Taiwan. wire China 2023 drew over 900 domestic and foreign exhibitors and welcomed 40,629 professional visitors from 96 countries and regions, a 30.83% increase compared to 2018. The exhibition showcased the industry’s latest developments and technological achievements, emphasizing its energy and strength. z
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join the best: 15–19 April 2024 Düsseldorf, Germany The decision makers are at wire 2024. Meet the world’s market leaders and pioneers from the wire and cable industry. Experience innovations, leading future trends as well as new ways of promoting sustainability: wire.de/ecometals_en
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wir2402_wire_Besucheranzeige_2024_mitText_107,9x171,5_US_ICv2.indd 1
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01.11.23 17:00
Regional Reports CASMI CASMI Awards $25,000 in Scholarships
Terry & Jerry Reese Postgraduate Scholarship
In 2023, CASMI awarded 15 undergraduate scholarships of $1,500 and one postgraduate scholarship of $2,500 to dependents of CASMI member company employees. This brings total cash awards for CASMI Scholarships to $936,250 since the program’s inception in 1989. CASMI specifically recognized Rosemont Exposition Services, which has funded the postgraduate scholarship since 2006. They also gave a special thanks to the Louis and Barbara Kahn and International Spring Company, who provided $1,500 and $3,000 in scholarship funds, respectively. CASMI scholarships are funded through the support of association members and SpringWorld exhibitors. The application period for 2024 CASMI scholarships runs from Jan. 17 to May 2, 2024, at 3 p.m. CT. For more information, go to casmi-springworld.org/page/Scholarship.
Undergraduate Scholarship Winners
Jaida Bender Robert Bender Worth Steel & Machinery Alsip, IL
Madilyn English Michael English Anchor Abrasives Company Tinley Park, IL
Coy Field Candace Field Winamac Coil Spring Kewanna, IN
SoYeong Jeong Woojin Pang MW Components Schiller Park, IL
Olivia Lane Patricia Lane Patrick Manufacturing Elgin, IL
Adam Lenczowski Zak Lenczowski Dudek and Bock Spring Manufacturing Co. Chicago, IL
Robert Mayorga Karen Mayorga Medicoil Lake Geneva, WI
Destiny Sandoval Kimberly Smith Perfection Spring and Stamping Corp. Mount Prospect, IL
Kendra Santuk Michael Santuk Lesjofors Spring America, Inc. Pittston, PA
Gwen Truesdale Stephen Truesdale R&L Spring Company Lake Geneva, WI
Mina Truesdale Stephen Truesdale Medicoil Lake Geneva, WI
Arika Warren Kristopher Warren Midwest Spring and Stamping Mentone, IN
Natalie White Michael White Lee Spring Company St. Charles, MO
Logan Wilson Margaret Wilson Liberty Steel Solon, ID
Alaina Wolan Matthew Wolan Sterling Spring, LLC Bedford Park, IL
Kailyn Lefeber Christine Lefeber Spiros Industries West Bend, WI
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NESMA REPORT By Lucas Karabin, ACME Monaco, NESMA President NESMA has worked hard to improve our members’ experience while continuing to add to our membership. We’re upgrading our website to better serve our members, including: online event registration, social media outreach and student engagement.
Golf Outing Raises $5,000 in Scholarships Our golf tournament at Farmington Country Club was well attended. Thanks to this successful fundraising event, NESMA will continue to offer up to $5,000 in scholarships for 2024. Tournament winner United Performance Metals of South Windsor, Connecticut, proved they were a force by scoring 15 under par on a challenging course. Thanks to the following sponsors. Gold sponsors: Thomaston Savings Bank, Silver Sponsors WAFIOS, FENN/Torin, Marcum LLP, Sinclair Risk and Financial Management and Ulbrich Stainless Steel & Special Metals. Cart sponsor: North American Spring Tool. Putting Contest sponsor: Riverside Investments, Beverage and Snack sponsor: H.W. Green and Stamptech. Lunch sponsor: Connecticut Spring and Stamping, Amstek, United Wire and United Performance Metals. Air Cannon sponsor: Witels Albert USA. Ball sponsor: Gibbs Interwire. Hole in One sponsor: Resource Development Associates. Raffle sponsor: Acme Monaco. A special thanks to our volunteers and administrative assistants, Cathy Savino, Katie D’Agostino, and Joyce Lukasewski of Central Connecticut Chambers of Commerce; Julia Cutter
Vacuum Heat Treating Education Our combined educational event with ASM International Hartford Chapter received positive reviews. Presenter Tim Steber of Solar Atmospheres guided attendees through successful vacuum heat treatment and the intricacies of their ovens. Congratulations, Solar Atmosphere, on 40 years in business!
NESMA’s 2023 golf tournament was a well-attended success.
and Kate Trider of FENN/Torin; Lori Hosty of Gibbs Interwire; Allen and Lynette Nadeau of Southington Tool and Manufacturing; and Chantel St. Pierre and Cathy Lachance of Plymouth Spring. Ryan Cutter and the NESMA event and marketing committee worked many hours planning the event. This event would not have been a success without the commitment of Plymouth Spring. We are glad to raise money and awareness of our cause while providing an enjoyable experience. Thank you to everyone who participated.
Future Leaders in Manufacturing Our junior board, Future Leaders in Manufacturing (FLM), celebrated a night of networking in Oct. 2023. The event was funded by NESMA and Connecticut Spring & Stamping. Participants included NESMA members and local organizations, including CCAT (Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology). Lastly, I announce with a heavy heart that NESMA has parted ways with the Central Connecticut Chambers of Commerce, which for 17 years acted as our executive director and liaison. Our interests will remain closely linked. z
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Be Aware
Laura Helmrich-Rhodes, CSP, Ed.D.
Are New Employees More Likely to Be Injured? Some Practical Safety Ideas to Implement “Are new employees more likely to be injured at work?” I have heard this question many times over the years. It is perhaps more critical today amid a labor shortage. The question could lead to extensive academic research. But let’s take a shallow dive into several trends and practical recommendations for onboarding new employees and refreshing experienced workers to prevent accidents in your facilities. Do you believe new employees have a higher rate of workplace injuries? Read to the end to find out if the data shows new employees truly have higher injury rates. (Don’t peek!)
Why New Hires Might be More Likely to Be Injured The likelihood of workers being injured in the United States can vary depending on several factors. Workplace safety is a complex issue influenced by multiple variables, including industry, job role, employer safety policies and practices, and employee training and awareness. So, inexperience is not the only reason new employees may be at higher risk of injury. Here are several reasons new employees may be at a greater risk of injury. Lack of Experience New employees often lack experience in their roles, making them more susceptible to accidents and injuries. This is especially likely in jobs that involve operating heavy machinery, working with hazardous materials or performing physically demanding tasks. The day-to-day work process can be overwhelming to those lacking experience. Also, new workers often have a lower risk perception. Due to inexperience, they genuinely don’t know how risky some tasks can be. Or they have a “it won’t happen to me” mindset. Written procedures, signage and photo layouts of equipment and tasks can be helpful reminders of correct procedures, even for seasoned employees. Unfamiliarity with Workplace Hazards New employees may not be as aware of the specific hazards in the workplace as experienced workers. This lack of familiarity can increase the risk of accidents. A great example is the long list
of hazards associated with wire handling, storage and movement. A person with no springmaking experience wouldn’t know most of the significant hazards of working with and around certain types of wire. But, pairing a new employee with a seasoned worker may not be the best training method. Experienced workers training newbies might share unsafe “shortcuts.” Boring safety videos are not an answer either. Consider a combination of on-the-job training (OJT) by supervisors together with competent and trusted workers. Focus on competencies-enhanced training with additional videos and handouts to create interest and as a reference for future questions. Be sure to document all training activities. A checklist or spreadsheet is a perfect tool for this. Training Gaps Another potential reason new workers may have more accidents is a lack of comprehensive safety training. For example, you may hire an experienced forklift operator, but she may not be familiar with your equipment, the weight of the material or perhaps has never operated from an elevated dock. This can leave your employees ill-prepared to identify and respond to potential risks. This training gap could lead to serious injury — or worse. There are many benefits of reviewing a written Job Safety Analysis (JSA) prior to performing a task. It is a great conversation starter, educational tool and training gap assessment instrument. Peer Pressure Let’s face it, deep-down, we all want to belong. Being well-liked by our co-workers is important — especially when we are in new surroundings. We don’t want to make mistakes or hold others back in their work. New employees may feel pressure to impress their supervisors or colleagues. This could lead them to avoid interrupting others to ask questions. This risk could easily be avoided by fostering an environment where production schedules are flexible, committed mentors are available and learning is encouraged.
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Be Aware Onboarding Information Hiring can be a hassle. Bringing on new people can be difficult for the HR professional, plant manager, supervisors and even for department work relationships. New means change. Getting new employees up to speed as a productive part of the system takes time, patience and commitment from everyone. But change doesn’t have to be a negative. It can be a time to identify work activities that need to be modernized or even eliminated. There is a lot of important information a new hire needs to absorb, but in my opinion, nothing is more important than communicating the culture of your business — the safety culture. Work culture is created and perpetuated through the recruitment ad, the interview process and the onboarding procedure. Take the time to communicate concern for employees by formalizing employee orientation with some of the suggested topics in the chart below. Go beyond a simple safety policy statement and get down to specifics. Spending time to prioritize safety shows concern and may even prevent injuries. Emphasizing safety and quality over production schedules creates a firm foundation for your overall safety efforts.
Statistics Don’t Lie, Statisticians Do
Laura Helmrich-Rhodes, CSP, Ed.D., is SMI's regulatory compliance consultant. She is an associate professor in the Safety Sciences Department at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, teaching graduate and undergraduate classes. Contact Rhodes at SMI: 847-450-6848 laurahrhodes@gmail.com
Some Suggested Safety Content for New Employee Orientation
The most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows it’s not just new employees incurring injuries. In fact, employees with years of experience had significantly more injuries than less experienced co-workers. Let’s dig into the numbers. The table below shows that employees with less than three months of experience incurred 150,230 total recordable cases that required days off, restriction or transfer. Three-to-eleven-month employees incurred 259,740 total cases.
z Unique Hazards with Wire Handling, Movement and Storage
Experience
z Housekeeping
Number of Injuries with days away, restricted duty or transfer
Less than 3 months 150,230 3-11 months
259,740
1 year to 5 years
379,390
More than 5 years
314,010
z Forklift Operations (for non-operators too!) z Electrical and Hazardous Energy Control z Hazard Communication/Chemical Right to Know z Fire Prevention — Flammable Liquids, Oil-Soaked Rags z Ladders Use, Care, and Storage z Authority to Correct Hazards and
Stop Work for Safety z Injury, First Aid, and Near Miss Reporting z Bloodborne Pathogens z Fire Extinguisher Usage and Emergency Plans
(including shelter-in-place)
Sources and Helpful Links Bureau of Labor Statistics News Release of Injury Data (11/8/2023) https://bit.ly/bols-injury-23 Importance of Senior Management’s Influence on Safety Grocutt, Alyssa, et al. “Relative influence of senior managers, direct supervisors, and coworkers on employee injuries and safety behaviors.” Safety Science 164 (2023): 106192. https://bit.ly/j-ssci-grocutt
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In comparison, those with one to five years of experience had 379,390 total cases. Workers with more than five years of experience suffered 314,010 total cases. The average person assumes new employees are more likely to be hurt. Still, this table indicates that new employees only represent 37% of the total cases, while those with much more experience represent many injured employees. This situation underscores the importance of not simply choosing more senior employees to conduct OJT! It further supports the assertion that all employees need regular and updated safety instructions. As stated, this is a complex subject, and one aspect that needs to be brought to light is the distinction between new workers (those with less experience) and young workers (age). The statistics are alarming! In 2020, the rate of work-related injuries treated in emergency departments for workers ages 15–24 was 1.5 times greater than for workers 25 and older (Centers for Disease Control). If your organization is hiring young workers, visit the OSHA and CDC materials for young workers listed in the resources below. z
New Employee Onboarding Guide https://bit.ly/shrm-onboard 2023 Liberty Mutual Insights for Manufacturing Injuries https://bit.ly/limu-safety Teaching Talking Safety - Youth at Work | NIOSH | CDC https://bit.ly/cdc-yaw
|
Dean of Springs
Help Wanted The Demand for Skilled Workers Dan Sebastian Springmakers have a problem. We need more skilled workers. When I started in this industry, there was a growing lack of skilled tradespeople (men and women). In the 1960s, our educational system, with the support of our political leaders, began to sell the idea that the only way to get ahead was to go to college. They completely forgot that making things requires people with hands-on skills. The majority of our most skilled workers acquired their knowledge through hands-on apprenticeships or on-the-job training. Colleges and universities are structured to teach critical thinking and the science and mathematics of how things work. But in large measure, they lack the framework to teach the practical aspects of how to do the work. Later in my career, higher education augmented its offerings by adding a part theory and part practical computer science education. Computerization has become a powerful asset for our skilled workers — but it cannot and will not replace the skilled workers who operate and maintain equipment. In 2005, the television series “Dirty Jobs” launched and quickly took up the cause of blue-collar workers. Over time, host Mike Rowe became fascinated with many of these workers’ skills. The show began featuring more skilled jobs, showcasing the value of skilled work and highlighting the ever-increasing shortage of people to do the jobs that make our modern lives possible. Rowe eventually established the Mike Rowe Works Foundation, which, among other things, helps provide apprenticeships and training to people who want to become skilled workers. Our colleges have created an over-educated workforce saddled with extreme student loan debt and without practical job skills. This has inevitably led to the fact that skilled workers can earn much more money than graduates with a liberal arts education.
History has taught us many things about work we’ve ignored or never been taught. For example, after the Civil War, a young Booker T. Washington became one of the architects of the Tuskegee Institute (Tuskegee University). Booker realized that for black people to become an integral part of American society after the ravages of slavery, they needed to be educated. But he knew that education alone would not be enough. He wisely instituted a policy at the school that required every student to learn a skilled trade in order to graduate. Skills were in short supply after the Civil War, so these skilled, educated workers could quickly find jobs. Some of these young men went on to become members of the Tuskegee Airmen, whose skills and bravery were the backbone of many World War II victories. Tuskegee has become one of the most renowned universities in the country and still produces graduates with employable skills. It’s essential that we give our upcoming generations an awareness and respect for skilled jobs. The greatest reward of being a skilled tradesperson is the satisfaction of creating something you can see and feel. Let’s learn a lesson from the early Tuskegee graduates — the value of practicing a skilled trade is invaluable. As the son of an elite tool and die maker, the one regret in my career is I never got to make an actual spring for sale. Our need for skilled tradespeople is almost endless. I encourage you to educate your educators and politicians about the need and value of getting more people trained to work in skilled jobs. This won’t just solve our industries’ employment problem —it will help open more rewarding career options for our young people. z
Dan Sebastian is a former SMI president. 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. Contact Sebastian at SMI: 847-450-6848.
Springs I Winter 2024
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Technically Speaking
Back to Basics — Compression Springs
C. Richard (Rick) Gordon
SMI currently offers six spring design training courses, primarily as online webinars. As you may know, SMI transitioned from in-person to online training during the COVID-19 pandemic. This has allowed us to cost-effectively reach more students. In our 36 course offerings through November 2023, we’ve had 750 student training sessions completed. We’ve received favorable student evaluations for all of our courses. Our first three courses, 201 Compression Spring Design, 202 Extension Spring Design and 203 Torsion Spring Design, include basic information for these spring types. In the next few issues of Springs, we will present a series of articles featuring an overview of each spring type. This information was considered very helpful by our students.
Compression Springs The 201 Compression Spring Design training module was SMI’s first completed training module in 2019. This module was championed by Don Jacobson III at Newcomb Spring.
Compression springs are used to resist compression forces or to store energy when compressed. They are the most common spring configuration and are used in many applications such as automotive, aerospace and consumer goods. The most prevalent form of compression springs is the straight cylindrical helical type made from round wire, however, other forms are produced, such as conical, barrel, and hourglass, with or without variable spacing between coils. Figure 1 shows the basic helical compression spring types. Cylindrical helical compression spring dimensional requirements are shown in Figure 2. Free Length (L f) is the overall spring length in the free or unloaded position. If loads are not critical, free length should be specified. When definite loads are required, the free length should be a reference dimension that can be varied to meet load requirements. Mean Coil Diameter (D) is the average of the outside coil diameter and inside coil diameter. This is an important parameter for many spring calculations. Wire diameter (d) is the size of the material and is an important design parameter.
Conical
Hourglass
Constant Pitch
Barrel
Variable Pitch
Figure 1. Helical Compression Spring Types.
Free Length 2
3
Mean Coil Diameter
1
4
5
6
There are a number of parameters that are not shown, which are also important spring parameters, such as: Spring Rate (k) — The change in load per unit deflection
O.D. or Outside Diameter
7
I.D. or Inside Diameter
Load (P) — The amount of (pushing) force exerted on the spring
7½ Coils
Space Between Coils Pitch or Lead
Figure 2. Dimensional requirements for a cylindrical compression spring (After Figure ST-3 Encyclopedia of Spring Design1).
Ground Surface
Size of Material
Pitch (p) is the distance between the midpoint of adjacent coils. It is not the space between coils. Confusing the two is a common mistake made by many students.
Torsional Stress (S) — Pressure within the material caused by twisting Modulus of Rigidity (G) — Also known as the torsion modulus or shear modulus. Property of material relating its shear stress to shear strain Solid Height (L s) — The length of a spring with all coils closed Spring Index (C) — Ratio of a spring’s mean diameter (D) to wire diameter (d) Density (ρ) — The degree of compactness of a substance
Springs I Winter 2024 19
Technically Speaking Table 1: C ompression Spring Nomenclature U.S.
Symbol
Description
U.S.
Metric
(inch-pound units)
(SI Units)
Symbol
Description
Metric
(inch-pound units)
(SI Units)
SMI (U.S.)
Int’l (SI)
SMI (U.S.)
Int’l (SI)
d
d
Wire diameter/size of material
in.
mm
G
G
Modulus of rigidity
psi
MPa
OD
De
Outside coil diameter
in.
mm
S
τ
Torsional shear stress
psi
MPa
ID
Di
Inside coil diameter
in.
mm
Sk
τk
Torsional shear stress (corrected)
psi
MPa
D
D
Mean coil diameter (OD+ID)/2
in.
mm
TS
Rm
Tensile strength
psi
MPa
Lf
Lo
Free length
in.
mm
Ls, Ps, Ss
Lc, Fc, τc
in., lbf, psi
mm, N, MPa
L1, L2, …
L1, L2, …
P1, P2, …
F1, F2, … Working load 1, 2, …
Working length 1, 2, …
Solid height (length), load at solid, stress at solid
in.
mm
C
w
Spring index (D/d)
lbf
N
Kw
Kw
Wahl Correction factor
Spring rate
lbf/in.
N/mm
Lf/D
Lo/D
Slenderness Ratio (Lf/D)
Working deflection 1, 2, …
in.
mm
k
R
f1, f2, …
s1, s1, …
Na
n
Active coils
Nt
nt
Total coils
Closed (Squared) Ends
The above table of spring nomenclature is a great tool that students have found useful. Many spring companies produce springs for international clients, and the table shows the different U.S. and international spring symbols used for common parameters. U.S. and international units of measure for the parameters are also shown.
Direction of Winding
Open (Plain) Ends
A compression spring can be wound in one of two ways: 1) left-hand wound or 2) right-hand wound. In many cases, spring designers specify the winding direction as optional because it does not impact the performance of compression springs.
Compression Spring End Types
Closed (Squared) Ends — Ground
Open (Plain) Ends — Ground Figure 3. Cylindrical helical compression spring end configurations.
There are four end types that are produced for cylindrical helical compression springs, as shown in Figure 3. The end type is selected to meet specific design requirements. End grinding is often specified to improve squareness and reduce buckling during operation. For springs with closed (squared) and ground ends, a bearing surface of at least 270° minimum is typically specified. Depending on the end type, solid height, pitch, active coils, total coils and free length will change according to Table 2 below.
Formulas Formulas for stored energy, spring rate and stress in compression springs are shown below. Stored Energy Energy storage capacity (ESC) for compression springs can be calculated using the following formula: ESC =
S2 4G
Where: S = the applied stress G = modulus of rigidity, shear modulus, or torsion modulus
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Spring Rate For compression springs, the equation to calculate the spring rate (k) is: k=
Gd4 8NaD3
Where: G = modulus of rigidity, shear modulus, or torsion modulus d = wire diameter Na = number of active coils D = mean spring diameter When measuring spring rate, the following equation can be used: k=
P2 –P1 f2 –f1
Where: P1 & P2 — Spring Loads f1 & f2 — Corresponding Deflections According to the “Encyclopedia of Spring Design,” loads are measured at or between 15% and 85% deflection which represents the linear portion of the load versus deflection curve as shown in Figure 4. Some springmakers prefer a more conservative approach measuring loads between 20% and 80% deflection. Stress The stress in a compression spring is due to the twisting of the wire in the spring which is a torsional stress as shown in Figure 5. For helical springs, due to the curvature of the helix, the stress will distribute unevenly across the material section. This is why stress correction factors, and corrected stress values, are used in calculations.
Table 2: Guidelines for Dimensional Characteristics of Compression Springs (Table S-1 Encyclopedia of Spring Design2 — Corrected) Type of Ends Open or Plain (Not Ground)
Open or Plain (Ground)
Squared Only
Squared and Ground
Solid Height (Ls)
(Nt + 1)d
Ntd
(Nt + 1)d
Ntd*
Pitch (p)
Lf – d Na
Lf Nt
Lf – 3d Na
Lf – 2d Na
Active Coils (Na)
Lf – d p
(Lf/p) – 1
Lf – 3d p
Lf – 2d p
Total Coils (Nt)
Na
Na + 1
Na + 2
Na + 2
Free Length (Lf)
p Nt + d
p Na + d
p Na + 3d
p Na + 2d
Dimensional Characteristics
*For small index springs lower solid heights are possible.
S=
8PD πd3
Kw
Spring Rate Design Range
For details on the stress correction factor, please see the SMI “Encyclopedia of Spring Design.”
Load
Where: S = Torsional Stress P = Load D = Mean Spring Diameter d = Wire Diameter Kw = Stress Correction factor
Summary Basic information on helical compression springs is presented in this article to help new associates in the spring industry, as well as industry veterans. Some helpful hints when designing compression springs for users of SMI’s Advanced Spring Design (ASD) software will be discussed in a separate Springs article. Extension springs and torsion springs will also be addressed in future Springs articles.
0
15
C. Richard (Rick) Gordon is the technical director for SMI. He is available to help SMI members and non-members with metallurgical challenges such as fatigue life, corrosion, material and processrelated problems.
For a more detailed treatment of compression springs, be sure to enroll in the next SMI 201 Compression Spring Design webinar, scheduled for Thursday, April 18, 2024, 1–5 p.m. Eastern time. z
References
Contact Gordon at 574-514-9367 or c.richard.gordon@gmail.com.
1. Encyclopedia of Spring Design, Tolerancing and Testing, SMI 2000, p. ST-4.
3. Encyclopedia of Spring Design, Compression, Extension, Garter and Torsion Springs, SMI 2000, p.S-5.
100
Figure 4. Typical Load Deflection Curve for Helical Compression Springs (After Figure S-4 Encyclopedia of Spring Design3)
Want to Learn More?
2. Encyclopedia of Spring Design, Compression, Extension, Garter and Torsion Springs, SMI 2000, p. S-3.
85 Deflection %
Figure 5. Schematic representation of a force applied to a helical compression spring which results in a twisting of the wire in the body of the spring generating a torsional stress. (Figures courtesy of George Fournier.)
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OVERVIEW
Recruiting, Developing and Retaining Staff By Phil Sasso
“The U.S. economy has been running, improbably, with an unemployment rate under 4% for nearly two years,” says the Wall Street Journal. “Work experts have warned for years that the combination of baby boomer retirements, low birthrates, shifting immigration policies and changing worker preferences is leaving U.S. employers with too few workers to fill job openings.” Perhaps springmakers feel the impact even more than most since it is compounded by fewer young workers seeking jobs in manufacturing. According to the National Association of Manufacturers Q3 2023 Manufacturers’ Outlook Survey, two of the top three issues facing manufacturers are employee-related: “attracting and retaining a quality workforce (72.1%), weaker domestic economy (60.7%), rising health care/ insurance costs (60.1%), unfavorable business climate (56.7%), increased raw material costs (45.5%) and supply chain challenges (37.8%).” As you work to meet production demands and stay competitive, the process of hiring the right talent, fostering growth and ensuring commitment is paramount. Join us as our group of experts delve into the strategies that empower springmakers to build and nurture resilient teams in an ever-evolving employment landscape In this special feature section, you will find useful information on recruiting, developing and retaining your staff.
Back to the Future
Staffing has been an issue in springmaking for decades. Our departments and articles in this issue of Springs cover various angles of the issue. Dean of Springs columnist and former SMI president Dan Sebastian looks back at the historic shortage of tradespeople and proposes a solution to grow the future blue-collar workforce in “Help Wanted: The Demand for Skilled Workers” (p. 17). Sebastian says we need to educate educators and
22 Winter 2024 I Springs
politicians about “the need and value of getting more people trained to work in skilled jobs.” Our Flashback may make you smile if you remember amber monitors and floppy disks — which likely didn’t exist when “The Computer and The Spring Industry” (p. 40) was published in 1973. Author D.O. Dulude wrote how computerization turned weeks of computations into hours (today, likely minutes). But fifty years later, labor-saving computers have not become labor-eliminating. We still need dedicated, skilled staff. In her column, SMI’s regulatory compliance consultant, Laura Helmrich Rhodes, asks an ageold question: “Are New Employees More Likely to Be Injured?” (p. 13). No spoilers, but Rhodes offers some great onboarding and training tips that may keep your facilities safe. Our usual CTE News (Career and Technical Education) section has been moved to the feature section in “Introducing Students to Manufacturing Careers” (p. 34) to emphasize the need for springmakers to invest in the next generation of employees. SMI members, including Ace Wire Spring & Form Co., Inc., participated in MFG DAY in October 2023 to introduce students to careers in manufacturing and pave the way for the future workforce. Our new Difference Makers department features rural Indiana SMI-member Winamac Coil Spring’s “A Culture of Compassion” (p. 32). The compassion-centered approach can trace its roots back to founder Walter Pesaresi, who experienced an amazing act of kindness and generosity.
The Experts Chime In
In our feature section, three experts focus on aspects of our topic from their unique perspectives. In “Onboarding to Attract and Retain Talent,” (p. 24) speaker and author Lisa Ryan explores how a well-designed onboarding program can attract and retain talent. “A well-executed program not only helps new hires acclimate but also fosters a sense of loyalty and belonging, making it more likely that they will stay for the long haul,” she says.
Ryan, a prior SMI Annual Meeting speaker, is also a guest on the premier edition of the SMI podcast “Springs Are Everywhere.” The CASH model of motivation and leadership, by Jennifer Goodrich, Ph.D., focuses on capacity, attitude, skills, and habits. “Old-style leaders would advise you to show strength and power to get your staff to ‘knuckle under’ and do what they’re told,” she says. However, Goodrich focuses on the root core of the problem in “Hiring and Training for Productivity.” (p. 28) Liz Hickox, partner and fiduciary investment advisor to the SMI 401(k) retirement plan program, asks “Is Your Benefits Package Competitive?” (p. 30) In her article, she discusses how your 401(k) can not only attract staff but help retain them. She cites a Fidelity survey in which 57% of respondents agreed that, “A 401(k) is the top benefit for attracting and retaining talent.” In “Forecast 2024: Navigating a Tricky Economic Terrain,” (p. 36) Springs’ frequent contributor Philip M. Perry looks at the potential impact of uncertain economic projections on manufacturing. In the article, the executive director of the Manufacturing Association, Tom Palisin says, “Demographic structural changes in the U.S. mean we just don’t have, in many cases, the number of workers needed in manufacturing to meet demand.” The challenges of recruiting, developing and retaining staff in the dynamic landscape of the springmaking industry require a strategic, multifaceted approach. Staffing shortages remind us of the enduring importance of cultivating a skilled workforce. The call to invest in the next generation, adapt to changing demographics and foster a supportive work environment echoes loudly. Through collective efforts and strategic planning, springmakers can potentially overcome existing challenges and thrive in the face of uncertainties, ensuring a resilient and vibrant future for the industry. z
Winter 2024 I Springs 23
RECRUITING
Onboarding to Attract and Retain Talent by Lisa Ryan, CSP
ic market, In today’s post-pandemic, employee-centr how and employees have more options on where, when they work than ever before. er to This can make it difficult for a manufactur find the people they need. for customers; Companies are no longer just competing they’re vying for top talent. battle. But finding skilled workers is only half the t’s where The real challenge is keeping them, and tha play. a robust onboarding process comes into gies Following are the insights, ideas and strate m you need to create an onboarding progra hard to find. that retains the people you’ve worked so
24 Winter 2024 I Springs
The New Employee-Centric Reality
The pandemic has changed everything, and we are not going back to the good old days of 2019. Employees have spent the last several years reassessing what they want out of a career, and they are making different choices. Work-life balance, remote options and company culture aren’t just perks; they’re now expectations. It’s critical to set the stage for success by looking at your current policies and seeing how you can make them more attractive to today’s workers.
Onboarding: The Continuation of Recruitment
Onboarding is not an isolated event that follows the recruitment process; it’s an integral continuation. This is a golden opportunity to reinforce the positive impressions formed during interviews and job offers. You’re not just filling out paperwork and ticking off administrative boxes — you are laying the foundation for a relationship that, if nurtured correctly, can yield long-term benefits for both the employee and your company. Think about it. Your new hires probably filled out several applications before they interviewed with you. What will happen if one of those companies calls them for an interview? Will they say, “I’m no longer looking, as I’ve just accepted a new job,” or will they say, “What have you got?” If you’ve started with an effective onboarding process, the chances are good that you will keep those new hires from changing their minds and accepting another offer.
The Strategic Importance of Onboarding in Specialized Industries
In the intricate realm of spring manufacturing — a field where skilled labor is hard to find — onboarding takes on a greater significance. Your onboarding process is a strategic investment that pays dividends with tangible benefits like increased employee retention and productivity, as well as intangible ones like enhanced team
morale. So, as we navigate the onboarding process, keep your eyes on the prize: setting your organization on a trajectory toward sustainable success.
Onboarding is a Strategic Investment
With any smart investment, you’re expecting a good return, right? But here’s the thing: the costs of getting it wrong are way more than just dollars and cents. Let’s say one of your employees decides to leave. Sure, you’ve got the immediate headache of finding someone new, and that’s not cheap. But the ripple effect of that exit? That’s where things get tricky. Your remaining team members must pick up the slack. Burnout and low morale can spread like wildfire, and before you know it, you’ve got a team that’s not firing on all cylinders. And then, there’s the brain drain. If the person who leaves has specialized skills—and let’s face it, in spring manufacturing, that’s pretty much everyone — you’ve got a knowledge gap that’s not easy to fill. That could throw a wrench into ongoing projects and even mess up your longterm plans. Remember, finding a replacement isn’t just about posting a job ad and sitting back waiting for throngs of skilled workers to show up at your door. These days, you’re lucky if you get a few qualified people to apply. Then, you’ve got interviews to conduct, background checks to run, and skills to assess. And even after you’ve found the ‘perfect fit,’ they won’t hit peak productivity on day one. So, as we dig into what makes onboarding work, keep this in mind: cutting corners on this process is like playing with fire. In an industry where specialized know-how is your biggest asset, a botched onboarding process is more than a minor hiccup; it’s a setback that could cost you big time. Get a free copy of Ryan’s book Manufacturing Engagement: 98 Proven Strategies to Keep Your Top Talent from Becoming Someone Else’s at https://bit.ly/mfgengage
Winter 2024 I Springs 25
RECRUITING
ogram
boarding Pr The Anatomy of a Successful On Safety-Centric Guidelines
Aligning Individual Roles with Company Objectives
Equipment 1. Prioritize Safety Training and with the s hire From day one, equip new proding oar onb ul r. Make it essf gea succ and any in ning The first step necessary safety trai erstand their und s ead of hire inst new ess r you proc g ive urin ract ens is inte gram a hands-on, This e. ctur stru al tion them with the role within the larger organiza just book learning. Familiarize ; tion crip des job a m the uring they are is more than just handing company’s safety protocols, ens g. ngin belo and e pos res and the pur edu of proc se it gives them a sen well-versed in emergency ibilons resp y ryda eve . the ent of s ipm term equ Don’t think in proper use of safety position contriband Inclusivity ities. Consider instead how this 2. Foster Open Communication employees want ay’s Tod . sion mis ter grea a to s new hires feel ute Create an environment where er than themselves, s or ask quescern to feel part of something bigg con ir empowered to voice the that to them. ment. judg of so think of how you can convey fear out tions about safety with their individure of cult a to s When employees understand how ute trib con e ogu This open dial objectives, y pan com er larg to ute trib s. Just con sure mea ual tasks inclusivity and proactive safety d and committed. age eng be to y t likel men e iron mor env ’re they like in the airport, create a safe stries like spring say t mus they This is crucial in specialized indu ing, where if they “see someth can be highly manufacturing, where each role something.” ng manufacturi specific. For example, if you are ety Oversight in hire new s, a 3. Combine Mentorship with Saf springs for aerospace application loyees who should understand Pair new hires with seasoned emp the quality control department roles but job ir the in uction line and can guide them not only how their role impacts the prod Recognize ls. oco prot ty highly competitive also in adhering to safe the company’s standing in the sures, mea ty safe to ce eren and celebrate adh aerospace market. ty safe e and reinforcing that both performanc ce. are valued equally in the workpla Onboarding Safety Guidelines isn’t s focu In the manufacturing sector, the about creating Preparing Your Existing Team solely on productivity; it’s equally t for employees. for New Arrivals a safe and nurturing environmen task for HR; it’s a r, doo the ugh thro step they Onboarding is more than just a From the moment active participathe tion ires r organiza collective effort that requ it’s essential to convey that you ent employees curr r This e. You m. anc tea form tion of your existing prioritizes safety as much as per hires assimilate ely a policy; it’s are instrumental in helping new commitment to safety is not mer operational ry team member into the company’s culture and a culture that aims to ensure eve l to keep them Establishing this dynamics. Therefore, it’s essentia returns home safely each day. g their roles es ailin ivat det , cult es and informed about new arrivals culture safeguards your employe projects. oing ong erinto corn te a gra as ing and how they will inte a sense of trust and loyalty, serv to a few coworkto Go beyond mere introductions stone for long-term commitment more people ers on the first day. Instead, get your organization. build relationships involved so they can meet and r organizing side with their new coworkers. Con e into the delv to s ting pre-arrival team mee Speaking skills. This not and s role s’ hire Lisa Ryan, MBA, CSP, is a Certified specifics of the new d for wne reno or auth ing -sell best but also sets the Professional and only aids in logistical planning ent top talent her dynamic strategies that prev ironment. By tone for a collaborative work env ming someone and valued customers from beco onboarding the in You Very Much: engaging your current team else’s. Her pivotal book, “Thank inclusivity of ure cult a a Workplace process, you’re fostering Gratitude Strategies to Create mless sea the for for l ark vita chm is ch ben and teamwork, whi Culture that ROCKS,” sets the work the in tion recia nt. app of tale re new cultivating a cultu integration of grategy.com.
place. You can reach Ryan at lisa@
26 Winter 2024 I Springs
Implementing a Buddy System and Mentoring Program
Assigning a buddy to a new hire serves a specific purpose: to help them navigate the initial days in a new environment. The buddy’s role is to assist with the basics—showing them around the facility, introducing them to team members, and helping them get settled. It’s about immediate comfort and logistical ease, ensuring the new hire doesn’t feel lost or overwhelmed during their first few days. Pay for lunch for the new hire and their buddy so they can get to know each other right from the start. Mentorship goes beyond the initial onboarding phase and dives deeper into career development and skill enhancement. A mentor isn’t just there to answer questions; they’re a long-term guide who helps fast-track the new hire’s professional growth and integration into the team culture. This relationship should be structured to offer mutual benefits. For the new hire, a mentor is an invaluable resource for career advice and skill development. For the mentor, it’s an opportunity to refine their leadership and communication abilities, thereby increasing their value to the company. The new hire feels valued because they are learning from a seasoned professional, and the mentor continues to feel relevant by having the opportunity to share their knowledge and wisdom with the newcomer. By clearly differentiating between the roles of buddies and mentors, you can create a more comprehensive and effective onboarding process that not only helps new hires acclimate quickly but also sets the stage for their long-term success within the company.
Timing: The Often-Overlooked Element
The timing of the onboarding process is more critical than you think. This isn’t just about choosing a start date; it’s about ensuring that resources— both human and material—are allocated effectively to facilitate a smooth entry for the new hire.
The First Day: Setting the Tone
The first day is often a whirlwind of introductions, paperwork, and perhaps a facility tour. But it’s also an opportunity to set the tone for the new hire’s experience. A well-organized and thoughtful first day can go a long way in making the new employee feel valued and welcomed. Small
gestures can have a big impact — a welcome sign in the lobby for the new hire, a personalized welcome note, a team lunch or a welcome package with company swag set the tone for a magical first day. These small gestures may seem trivial, but their impact can be profound. They contribute to a sense of belonging and can significantly influence an employee’s long-term engagement with the company. When these new hires hang out with friends on the weekend, they’ll inevitably be asked, “How’s the new job?” Employees can answer with, “I’m not sure. No one really talked to me, and I spent the first few days filling out paperwork in an office,” or they can say, “It’s great. I got to meet a lot of people, they took me to lunch, AND I got this really cool golf shirt and a bunch of other company branded stuff.” You can probably see that the latter answer is the one you’re going for.
The Long-Term Impact: The Ripple Effect of Effective Onboarding
In the competitive landscape of spring manufacturing, your onboarding program can set you apart. It can make you the employer of choice for top talent, giving you a significant advantage in attracting the best and brightest in the field. After all, people talk. They also fill out reviews on websites like GlassDoor.com that can make or break people wanting to come to work for you. But attracting talent is just one part of the equation. Retaining that talent is where the real ROI of your onboarding program comes into play. A well-executed program not only helps new hires acclimate but also fosters a sense of loyalty and belonging, making it more likely that they will stay for the long haul. As you can see, a comprehensive onboarding program is not a luxury or a “nice-to-have” — it’s a strategic imperative. It’s a multifaceted investment that pays off in numerous ways, from boosting employee engagement and productivity to enhancing team cohesion and overall company culture. So, if you’re still questioning the value of investing in a robust onboarding program, it’s time to reevaluate. Effective onboarding is not just beneficial for your employees; it’s essential for the long-term success of your manufacturing operation. z
Winter 2024 I Springs 27
DEVELOPING
Development: Hiring and Training for Productivity
Hiring and Training for Productivity By Jennifer Goodrich, Ph.D.
you How do you motivate your team to do what this d aske have s ager man ask? Leaders and and question for decades. Many good-hearted ove impr smart people have proposed ideas to any, performance — often resulting in little, if improvement. Old-style leaders would show strength and r” and do power to get their staff to “knuckle unde s have ager what they’re told. However, lately, man a using ce rman been focused on improving perfo the on ed focus , uring concept from lean manufact root cause of the problem. As leaders, you may consider a different . model to develop the most productive team four des inclu ) The CASH model (Goodrich, 2004 ts. elements: Capacity, Attitude, Skills and Habi and staff your ct Each element can impa organizational productivity.
Assessing and Utilizing Personal Capacity
ited Capacity refers to your staff members’ inher for drive a traits, not learned skills. Traits include tion atten tion, bora excellence, dominance, colla hire for to detail, creativity, and others. We must use beca skills for staff train capacity and then Since tic. gene 50% ately oxim appr is capacity twe cannot change our staff members’ gene bers’ mem staff ics, we will not likely change our ® nality innate capacity. Using the D.I.S.C. perso cities capa key e rmin dete can profile model, we ents segm t smen asses C. D.I.S. The . of new hires ipeople into four different quadrants: dom e/ lianc comp nance, influencer, steadiness, and conscientiousness. capacDominant people tend to have a strong le peop inant Dom win. and ve, ity to lead, achie of ad inste s idea their date man or push tend to ncers influe selling their ideas’ merits. In contrast, their are often charismatic people who can sell and new for e desir ’ ncers ideas. However, influe ils deta iss dism to them s lead novel ideas often Both ct.” obje y “shin the of favor in sses and proce y styles the dominant and influencing personalit
28 Winter 2024 I Springs
traits are aggressive by nature. People with these m. usias enth and approach projects with energy more are ents segm The other two personality reserved and will be more methodical and traits restrained. People who report high steadiness stubbit a and ble, amia nt, dilige , stent are consi ntaborn. They are non-offensive and nonconfro tive in nega and ive tional, which can be both posit who those p, grou final The nt. a business environme much often are y, stenc consi of report high levels are more analytical than their coworkers. They not do but detail-oriented and process-oriented . make ully caref like disruptions in the plans they can It y. nalit perso past Capacity also extends helps describe a mechanical or other ability that of es “Fram book 1983 his In l. exce an employee s type Mind,” Howard Gardner identified eight tic of natural intelligence. Your most problema overthat job a in be employees could simply looks their natural intelligence and sets them they up for failure by requiring an “intelligence” usly famo ker Druc r Pete , 1999 In ss. posse do not gths. stren noted, successful people know their but Not only should people know their strengths, those s imize max that work they should focus on ministrengths. In contrast, weaknesses can be ps. ershi partn gh throu mized gths As leaders, we must understand our stren rent Diffe . staff our and weaknesses and those of e Thos gths. stren rent diffe staff members possess t ghou throu t isten cons stay capacities will likely projtheir careers. We need to keep our staff in possible. as much as gths stren their use that ects they People can improve their weaknesses, but gths. stren their rarely improve to match
Building Relationships Can Change Attitudes
In some cases, capacity is not the issue. Some , they people are fully capable of doing the work de attitu ’s loyee emp An it. do to want don’t just a thing about work may not always be some rted that leader can impact. In 2017, LinkedIn repo quit tarily volun who le peop of approximately 75%
their jobs did so because they disliked working for the direct manager. Hence, leaders can be significant influencers of employees’ attitudes. Influencing employee attitude is a combination of initiatives. First, leaders need to set a clear mission. If a mission is strategic, the leader should explain the importance of the organization within the industry or community. If a mission is tactical, the leader should explain the significance of each task, who it impacts, the importance of excellence and the negative effect of poor performance. A clear mission, when combined with a solid leader-staff relationship is powerful. Leaders do not need to know every intimate detail of a staff member’s life to have a relationship. However, it is important to ask key questions such as, What do you enjoy most about your job? What do you like least about your job? What are you most interested in learning? These questions allow leaders to connect with staff members on a professional level. Building rapport and camaraderie within a team is also a critical element of leadership. Getting a team together away from other staff can help with team building. Department lunches, group outings, or other team-building activities help build camaraderie. Don’t think expensive; think consistent and enjoyable.
Training to Develop Job Skills
Training employees to work productively and with excellence is a straightforward leadership role. Learning what staff members do well, don’t do well and are most interested in can guide individual development plans. However, not all people learn the same way. Leaders need to think about auditory, visual and kinesthetic learning styles. Auditory learners learn by listening. Though telling people is often the most common way to train, it is often the least effective way to learn. Visual learning is a matter of seeing a task performed. Visual learning creates a visual imprint for tasks when a coach is not nearby. Finally, usually the most time-consuming, expensive, yet effective way to train is kinesthetic or hands-on learning, It is where an employee works under direct supervision to flag inconsistencies and manage quality. To be effective, training should be consistent, ongoing and multi-model, that is, using all three learning styles: “tell them, show them, watch them.” Once you explain a process, show your employee and watch them master it. Since people learn in all three ways, using all three modes (auditory, visual, kinesthetic) helps retention.
Reinforcing Positive Work Habits
Finally, habits can help or hurt employees’ productivity. Habits are those annoying behaviors we do without thinking. In the workplace, these are either personal habits or organizational habits. Personal habits can be not checking work, being consistently late or other behaviors that impact productivity. Most employees know negative habits hurt productivity but are unable to break them. For example, nagging a smoker to stop smoking rarely works — they know smoking is bad for their health. The problem is smokers don’t realize they’re lighting up after lunch — they just do it. Habits bypass the conscious decision-making part of your brain. They are simply an automatic reaction to a situation. One solution is to acknowledge habits are not conscious and concentrate on breaking the habit instead of shaming employees. Habits can be hard to break. Leaders should help employees establish new habits in their place. For example, if you want an employee to remember to put on safety equipment, ask them to make it part of their clock-in routine (i.e. “punch-in after your safety equipment is on”). Connecting a new habit to an existing habit normally allows an employee to learn a different pattern of behavior. (Editor’s note: See book review of “Atomic Habits” on page 63.) Organizational habits can also have a positive or negative impact. Tribal knowledge, or knowing how things normally work, is a key factor in productivity — but can also be a nemesis. Some organizational habits, like attention to detail or knowing how other departments work, are positive. However, when tribal knowledge is undocumented, these unspoken rules and processes can negatively impact productivity. Having a clear set of documented processes can help manage and update productive organizational habits. Team, department and organizational productivity is a leader’s responsibility. Luckily, improving productivity is within our control if we just follow the CASH productivity model. z
Jennifer Goodrich is pre sident of Benchmark Leadership Training and a faculty member of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She trains on topics includi ng multigenerational workplace, emotional inte lligence, customer service, team building, em ployee development and communication effe ctiveness. Goodrich has worked for Moen Faucets, Avery-Dennison and New ell-Rubbermaid. She holds a B.A. in econom ics, an M.B.A. and a Ph.D. in industrial and organizational psycholog y.
Contact her at Jennifer-G ood
rich01@UTC.edu or 423-28
0-6604.
Winter 2024 I Springs 29
RETAINING
Development: Hiring and Training for Productivity
Is Your Benefits Package Competitive? by Liz Hickox, CIMA, CPWA
Do you remember your first job? Mine was a part-time job in New York City during college. I was excited to be selected the to wait tables at the coolest restaurant on i khak s, sider top ry Sper was wharf. My uniform r colla the with shirt polo navy a shorts and flipped up (it was the 90s). on Fast forward a few years. Today, I still work work to d prou and or the wharf. I’m a 401(k) advis our local with four national associations, including erce. comm chamber of de Our wharf town offers a boatload of seasi ested inter restaurants, and college kids are still prioriin working in a cool place. However, their draws r longe no rm unifo ties have changed. The g Youn ts. uran resta 127 the of any applicants to ties. rtuni oppo of pick their have y toda s employee h. matc What they desire is a 401(k) with a
What Sets Your Job Offer Apart?
urers I have met over a dozen spring manufact I’ve . 2013 in SMI with ing work since I began t the walked through factories and learned abou most products, processes, philosophies and, importantly, the people. rs One reoccurring theme was that SMI owne to them want They s. loyee emp care about their the enjoy and ally ssion profe and nally thrive perso success they help create. But is that enough? ration Through my travels, I have heard the frust tytwen a to loyee emp an of owners who lost
30 Winter 2024 I Springs
er five-cent-an-hour raise or a 5-minute short e, is uniqu be may uct prod commute. While your ? your job offer • What brings that skilled worker to one employer over another in today’s market?
• What keeps them from leaving? utive • How do you draw top managers and exec ings open job talent in a market that has more ? them fill to than qualified people er is As a successful business owner, the answ ss. ivene petit Com le: simp
The Key Employee Benefit
said In a survey by Fidelity, 57% of plan sponsors and cting attra for fit bene top “A 401(k) is the retaining talent.” What makes your employee d plan better than another? The most aske next The h? question is: Do you offer a matc question is: How much? Your plan may be competitive, but is your match? Assuming your match stacks up, do you offer comprofit sharing? That is, do you share your Profit it? d behin ers pany’s success with the work loyee emp rent diffe rd rewa sharing allows you to ions. ribut cont their on d base y groups differentl to Profit sharing also offers a vesting schedule ng Vesti . keep employees coming back to work t what may make an employee think twice abou ship. ing jump re befo table they’re leaving on the
Questions To Ask Yourself
A strong 401(k) with a generous match and profit sharing is key, but is your offer competitive? Here are some questions to ask yourself: • How does your plan stack up against your peers? • What are the plans’ investment costs and options? • Who is the investment oversight team? • Are you offering investment education? Are you offering enough of it? • Do your employees have access to qualified advice to help them with financial planning without being sold a third-party product? • Are you offering your employees the best benefits for a successful retirement? The answer to the last question may help you resolve everything.
A Few Thoughts About Executive Benefits
Maxing out a 401(k) will likely not generate enough assets over a career to replace the salary of a C-Suite executive or management-level employee. They need more. You might consider adding a SERP (Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan) or sponsoring a non-qualified deferred compensation plan. Or, for larger companies, an ESOP (Employee Stock Option Plan) might be worth considering. But executive benefits is a topic for a whole other article. Bottom line: You need to offer a valuable benefits package to attract and retain loyal employees. To attract dedicated staff and top talent, your dress code is not likely to be a deciding factor! z
“A 401(k) is the top benefit for attracting and retaining talent.” Fidelity
Liz Hickox has over 40 years experience in the financial services industry and serves as partner and fiduciary investment advisor to the SMI 401(k) retirement plan program. She specializes in qualified plan oversight and executive compensation and serves the complex financial planning needs of individual small business owners and their valued employees. Hickox holds the Certified Investment Manager Designation (CIMA®) from the Investments and Wealth Institute (IWI) and the Wharton School of Business, as well as the Certified Private Wealth ® Advisor (CPWA ) through IWI and the Yale School of Manage ment. You can reach Hickox at Liz@newportcfp.com or 401-236-2350.
Winter 2024 I Springs
31
Difference Makers
A Culture of Compassion By Phil Sasso
In this issue of Springs we launch Difference Makers, a section focused on SMI members who are impacting a charity, community or cause.
Winamac Coil Spring has cultivated a culture that goes beyond business success. Gene and Chad Huber, among the five third-generation Winamac owners, can trace the company’s culture and community back several generations to Walter Pesaresi, their grandfather. In 1948, Pesaresi took the bold step of leaving a secure job to start his own spring company. What began as a small enterprise with several investors evolved into a family-run business with almost 200 employees and a rich history of resilience, innovation and compassion. This “Culture of Compassion” is not seen as a program but is ingrained in the company’s DNA.
investors faced the inevitable challenges of maintaining faith in a fledgling business, one steadfast supporter emerged. “He ended up with one investor who was kind of his mentor,” Gene recalls. “He said, ‘I’ll just buy the rest of them out, and you just keep working.’” Pesaresi found support in his mentor, who eventually handed back his shares with no expectation of reimbursement. This emphasized the value of Pesaresi’s hard work and dedication. This foundational principle has transcended generations, fostering an environment where individuals are given not just employment but genuine opportunities.
Passion and Compassion
Higher Power
“My grandfather started the business,” says Gene. “He realized that because he was a springmaker, he probably wasn’t going to go any further in the company he was working for. So he came home and told his very Italian wife that he had quit his job and he was starting his own company.” Winamac Coil Spring began with Pesaresi, an Italian immigrant, rallying a group of investors to kickstart the venture. However, as external
Gene and Chad can tell life-changing stories, from giving a job to a person with a blemished record to reuniting a father with his daughter to giving a young employee one last chance. Most, but not all, of the stories have happy endings. However, the details of the stories remain confidential out of respect for privacy. The Huber’s personal faith leads them to believe that everyone deserves a chance. “For the most part, people are people, and they sometimes need encouragement to perform,” said Chad. “Some of them maybe haven’t had a dad in their lives that said, ‘The reality is you’ve got to work.’ They might not have a work ethic. Maybe the company represents something they can’t trust. So we tell them: ‘We are on your side. We want you to be successful. And so do the 180 other people that work here.’” “Everybody really does want to come into our community and learn from these older guys and gals that have been through life a little bit,” Gene explains. “They’re going to help you in ways that are not just about work; just a fatherly or motherly figure that says, let’s think about it this way.”
Winamac Coil Spring emphasizes communication and compassion in its corporate culture.
32 Winter 2024 I Springs
Passing the Torch As the torch passed through generations, so did the ethos of compassion, spreading from leadership to staff. In one heartwarming display of community, Winamac Coil Spring staff came together to support a colleague. “One employee had a major fall while working on his house,” said Chad. “The fall laid him up. So, a retiree from [Winamac] gathered about four or five guys that work here and headed out to help on a Memorial Day weekend. They got his construction project further along.” Without hesitation, people from various departments stepped up to lend a hand. Co-workers pooled their skills, resources, and time to work on their colleague’s home repair project. “They didn’t get it fully finished,” said Chad. “But this gentleman that works for us was very happy.” The act of kindness showcased not only the tight-knit community within the company but also the values of compassion and teamwork that define Winamac Coil Spring.
Staff Retention Today, Winamac has become deeply intertwined with its rural communities, namely Kewanna and Winamac in Northwest Indiana. The company’s name reflects its roots, originally starting in Winamac and later moving to Kewanna in the 1950s before opening an additional 50,000 sq. ft. wire form facility in Winamac in 2015. The connection with these communities goes beyond business, echoing the sentiment that success is not only measured in financial terms but also the positive impact on people’s lives. One of the side effects of the informal “Culture of Compassion” is that Winamac has a low level of employee turnover. And a few of the employees that left the company have found their way back to Winamac, realizing what they left behind. “One guy came back and said, ‘Now I know what a bad job looks like,’” said Chad.
Defining Success “We need to canonize our culture as new people come in and people retire,” said Gene. “We all have been friends, and we’ve become friends. But as those people retire, we want the new groups to be friends and for this culture to continue. So, that is something that we’re endeavoring to do.” Recently, Winamac leadership attended Lippert Academy for Leadership seminars to learn how to extend their culture beyond the current team. Bill Coughlin, director of Lippert Academy, will present on “Leadership and Culture Development Partnership” at the SMI Annual Meeting in Coronado, California, on April 6-9, 2024 (p. 52). “We just visited Lippert to see their leadership development culture. So, we witnessed it firsthand,” said Chad. “And to tell you the truth, those are exciting things for us. We like making springs, but it’s really the people in our business that matter.” “A very wealthy man once told me that our greatest assets have faces,” Gene said. “I tell my boys if you can afford to house and feed your family and you have a little bit in the bank account, you’re successful,” said Gene. “Don’t look for millions and millions of dollars. If you all love each other in your family, you’re successful.” z
Third-generation leaders at Winamac Coil Spring include Chad Huber (above) shown here addressing a student group, and Tony Pesaresi talking with employees on the shop floor.
Know a difference maker? Email your suggestion to Springs magazine editor Phil Sasso at phil.springs@sassomarketing.com.
Winter 2024 I Springs 33
CTE: MFG DAY
2023 By Phil Sasso
Introducing Students to
Manufacturing
34 Winter 2024 I Springs
Manufacturing Day (MFG DAY) is held annually on the first Friday in October. It is intended to shift perceptions and inspire the next generation of workers to consider U.S. manufacturing careers. As springmakers scramble to fill jobs, initiatives like MFG DAY can help create a pool of potential young workers to become the workforce of tomorrow. “MFG Day is an initiative of the Manufacturing Institute (MI),” according to the mfgday.com website. “The MI builds, diversifies and strengthens the modern manufacturing workforce, with the goal of furthering individual opportunity, community prosperity and a more competitive manufacturing industry.” Ace Wire Spring & Form Co., Inc. of McKees Rock, Pennsylvania, held its MFG Day events Oct. 17–18, 2023. Approximately 30 students from Rosedale Technical Institute and 15 students from City Charter High School participated in tours and presentations about modern manufacturing. Each school attended one day of the two-day event. Ace first became involved in Manufacturing Day in 2016. As a family-owned small business, Ace wanted students to see firsthand the advantages of working in a small, family-oriented manufacturing company. During the events, Ace gave students a tour of its factory during a typical workday while employees made springs and wireforms. Students got to watch the process and see what each different machine does. At the end of their visit, the company gave each attendee a goody bag of miscellaneous parts, some of which they watched being made. “After they took the tour, the kids were in amazement. They were just mesmerized by it,” said Ace CEO Linda Froehlich. “We had a group of young city kids come. They enjoyed the tour, but when they came into the conference room, their first question was, ‘How much will I make?’ I was surprised by their questions.”
Careers
“It’s been a success in introducing young people to manufacturing,” Froehlich said of Ace’s history of MFG DAY events. “But they have so many job options that I think they put us on the back burner. It’s not until they’re married with a mortgage and car payment, along with a wife and kids, that they may be willing to change careers.” Planning an MFG DAY event is not as time-consuming as it might seem. “There’s a lot of help setting it up from the PMA and the Manufacturing Institute,” Froehlich said. “We reach out to a lot of schools, and if we get 5% of them responding, we’re lucky. But it’s good any time you can introduce our industry — because it’s so unique. There are a lot of programs and things for CNC operators, but a CNC spring machine is so different from others. “I don’t think we’ll ever not need springs in this world. And if (a student) learns the trade from any spring company, they can go anywhere in the world and find a job,” Froehlich emphasized.
Ace Wire Spring & Form employees and area students “celebrate” MFG Day with factory tours and talks.
Are you interested in hosting a MFG DAY event at your facilities next October? The Manufacturing Institute offers free MFG DAY hosting and marketing tool kits and many other resources, including government and educator packets, under its “Resource” menu at mfgday.com. z
Winter 2024 I Springs 35
Forecast 2024
Navigating a Tricky Economic Terrain
By Phillip M. Perry
High interest rates and slower economic growth will put increasing pressure on business profits in 2024. The good news is that economists expect the Federal Reserve to lower inflation to desired levels by the end of the year. Robust housing activity, high employment and optimistic consumers will help the nation sidestep a recession. Fasten your seat belts and enjoy the ride. Like airline travelers bracing for expected turbulence, business owners are preparing for a tricky operating environment in 2024. On the upside, the economy will continue to grow, although at a slower pace. Consumers and businesses are both feeling fairly optimistic, unemployment remains low, capital investments are plugging along at a healthy pace, and the all-important housing market is burgeoning. Throwing cold water on the good times, though, is a significant downer that no one can control: Higher interest rates established by the Federal Reserve to control inflation are putting a damper on business activity. Economists are taking note by lowering expectations for the next 12 months. “We expect real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to grow 1.4% in 2024,” said Bernard Yaros, Jr., assistant director and economist at Moody’s Analytics. That’s slower than the 2.1% increase expected when 2023 numbers are finally tallied, and below the 2.0%-3.0% considered emblematic of normal business growth. (GDP is the total value of the nation’s goods and services and the most commonly accepted measurement of economic growth. “Real” GDP adjusts for inflation.)
Slowing commercial activity will affect the bottom line. Moody’s Analytics expects a decline of 4.5% in corporate profits for 2023 and forecasts only a modest recovery of 0.3% in 2024.
Battling Inflation Reports from the field confirm the economists’ readings. “Our members are experiencing a business slowdown, due largely to the effect of increasing interest rates,” said Tom Palisin, executive director of The Manufacturers’ Association, a York, Pa.,-based regional employers’ group with more than 370 member companies. While businesses understand the need for higher interest rates, they nevertheless hope for early relief. “If inflation does not continue to drop, interest rates will have to be increased further, which will be a big problem,” said Palisin. Are the Fed’s efforts paying off? There’s some good news here, as well as a sunny forecast. Moody’s Analytics expects year-over-year consumer price inflation to average 3.2% when 2023 numbers are finally tallied, down from over 6% a year earlier. Moreover, the number should continue to drop until it reaches the Fed’s target rate of 2% late in 2024. (These figures represent the “core personal consumption expenditure deflator (PCED),” which strips
Our members are experiencing a business slowdown, due largely to the effect of increasing interest rates. Tom Palisin, executive director, The Manufacturers’ Association
36 Winter 2024 I Springs
out food and energy prices and is the Fed’s preferred measure of inflation). Indeed, Moody’s Analytics believes the Fed will start to lower interest rates around June of 2024, although more slowly than previously anticipated, because of persistent inflation and ongoing labor market tightness. Cuts of about 25 basis points per quarter are expected over the next few years until the Federal Funds Rate reaches 2.75% by the fourth quarter of 2026 and 2.5% in 2027.
Feeling Good The public mood is a strong driver of the economy. And here the news is good. “Consumer confidence has been trending higher, and I think prospects are good for it to improve next year,” said Scott Hoyt, senior director of consumer economics for Moody’s Analytics. “Things should normalize as the economy continues to grow and gas prices stabilize.” One major driver of consumer confidence is a healthy job market. “The unemployment rate has been very low, bouncing around between 3.5% and 3.8% for some time,” said Hoyt. A slowdown in job growth orchestrated by the Fed’s interest rate hikes should moderate things. “We think unemployment will trend upward a bit, ending 2023 around 3.9% and 2024 around 4.2%.” (Many economists peg an unemployment rate of 3.5% to 4.5% as the “sweet spot” that balances the risks of wage escalation and economic recession.) Low unemployment may fuel happy sentiments among citizens, but it presents employers with two practical challenges. The first is the need to raise wages to attract sufficient workers. “Wage and salary income growth has been strong, fueled by a tight labor market,” said Hoyt. “We’re expecting it to increase just a shade over 5% both for 2023 and 2024.” In 2022 the growth was a little over 8%.
Reinforcing the estimates of the economists, Palisin said his members have had to hike their compensation to remain competitive among themselves and other economic sectors. The group’s entry-level hourly wages increased an eye-popping 8% to 10% in both 2022 and 2023, far higher than the historic average of 2.5% to 3.0%. Problem No. 2 is a scarcity of workers. The inability to hire enough people—particularly of the skilled variety—can affect the bottom line. Two problems contributing to a labor shortage are the retirement of baby boomers and a post-pandemic reordering many people are making of their life goals. “Demographic structural changes in the U.S. mean we just don’t have, in many cases, the number of workers needed in manufacturing to meet demand,” “said Palisin. “That’s not going to change.” The situation has become a bit nuanced as the recent economic deceleration resulted in a hiring slowdown. “The labor market is still tight, but it’s not as bad as it was a couple of years ago,” said Bill Conerly, principal of his own consulting firm in Lake Oswego, Oregon. “While we still have more job openings than unemployed people, the margin is not as large, and we don’t have all the quiet quitting that we had before.” While employers never like having to raise wages, putting a cap on paychecks has taken a back seat to a more urgent concern: keeping valuable talent from jumping ship. “The big
Demographic structural changes in the U.S. mean we just don’t have, in many cases, the number of workers needed in manufacturing to meet demand. Tom Palisin, executive director, The Manufacturers’ Association
Winter 2024 I Springs 37
question now is not so much who can pay the most for entry-level and skilled jobs, but what can they do to retain these folks within their companies,” said Palisin. “Manufacturing in the U.S. over the last year has continued to hire pretty significantly, and we’re not seeing a lot of layoffs, so that tells you that companies are hoarding talent.” Employers are fine-tooling their operations in the areas of workplace flexibility, benefits and culture changes.
Housing Markets Given the generally upbeat consumer sentiment, prospects are good for the housing sector, an important driver of the overall economy. “New home sales are running at the top end of the range set in the decade preceding the pandemic,” said Yaros. “One reason is that a lack of existing inventory is pushing buyers to consider new homes. The construction industry is stepping in to close the gap, and housing starts have exceeded expectations.” The construction of new homes is being fueled by a cold hard fact: There aren’t enough existing homes to meet demand. “The 3.1 months’ supply of existing homes remains well below the four to six months of inventory that is considered a balanced housing market,” noted Yaros. Strong demand caused a 10.3% increase in the median price for existing homes in 2022, and a 0.6% increase in 2023. A correction of 1.1% is expected in 2024. For an explanation of the scarcity, look no further than the run-up in mortgage rates. The ultra-low interest rates of existing mortgages amount to a strong financial incentive for existing homeowners to stay put. “Current homeowners had refinanced their investments at 3% or 4%,” noted Conerly. “Replacing what they had with better homes would require walking away from those mortgages to take on new ones at 7%. I think we’ll see this trend
The ultra-low interest rates of existing mortgages amount to a strong financial incentive for existing homeowners to stay put.
38 Winter 2024 I Springs
continue for another year, but I think we’ll also see a lot of strength in remodeling, and that will be financed probably with home equity lending or second mortgages.”
Business Confidence High interest rates, an inflationary environment and rising worker wages: a trilogy of challenges that in normal times would dampen business confidence. And there are other threats to corporate well-being, such as high energy costs resulting from the Russia-Ukraine war and an appreciation in the U.S. dollar that hampers export activity. Despite all this, companies don’t seem to be planning any dramatic adjustments to their operations, in marked contrast to their cautious attitude of a year earlier. “While our members have moderated their expectations for the future, they are still feeling slightly positive,” said Palisin. “One reason is that we seem to have avoided the recession that many were predicting.” Moody’s Analytics believes that the nation will avoid a recession in 2024, attributing its forecast of a soft landing to resilience in labor markets and consumer confidence. Another driver of optimism is a recent brightening of the supply chain picture. “There has definitely been a shift in the awareness of the risks of doing business in China,” said Palisin. “This has resulted in a reorganizing of supply chains into nations such as Vietnam, Philippines, India, Mexico and the U.S. The jury is still out as to what nations will benefit most.” Indeed, many businesses are taking action on their good feelings. “The commercial sector looks very strong to me,” said Conerly. “Given the current level of interest rates, I’ve been surprised to see the healthy level of capital spending.” Conerly said that manufacturing facilities seem to be the biggest gainers in non-residential construction, with new semiconductor facilities especially benefiting from the CHIPS Act. Despite vacancy rates in urban centers, suburban office construction has been doing surprisingly well. So have suburban neighborhood strip centers, which had been neglected for too long because of fears that Amazon would capture all of the retail business.
Moody’s Analytics believes that the nation will avoid a recession in 2024, attributing its forecast of a soft landing to resilience in labor markets and consumer confidence. Conerly identifies three forces propping up equipment purchases. The first is the CHIPS Act and the construction of semiconductor facilities. The second is the automation being installed by companies nervous about being able to hire people. And the third is the trend toward reshoring by companies trying to shorten their supply chains. However, businesses looking to borrow funds to fuel capital investments had best prepare for a tougher negotiating environment. “The banking sector is in retrenchment, and lenders are becoming more risk averse,” said Anirban Basu, chairman and CEO of Sage Policy Group. “As a result, developers are having more difficulty lining up financing.” Fueling the concern among financial institutions is a recent spate of loan delinquencies and bankruptcies. Banks are looking at their portfolios and seeing where they can tighten up. Companies holding inexpensive prepandemic loans will see an earnings hit when they need to refinance at six or seven percent.
Keeping Watch In the opening months of 2024, economists are advising businesses to keep an eye on
some key statistics to get an idea of how the year will turn out. Among them: • Inflation. If progress in core disinflation stalls out, that would likely mean the Fed will keep interest rates at their current level for longer than we are currently assuming,” said Yaros. • Employment. “Total employment in the country is a good measure of current conditions,” said Conerly. “And any increase in initial claims for unemployment insurance could foreshadow a slowdown.” • The yield curve. “A reversion in which shortterm interest rates exceed long-term ones could foreshadow a coming economic slowdown,” said Conerly. Whatever the condition of the tea leaves, businesses in general will encounter a tougher operating environment in 2024, characterized by a need to finesse a tight labor market and reluctant lenders. “In the coming year, we will face uncertainty about inflation and interest rates, shortages of labor, higher energy costs, a slowdown in China’s economy, and recurring threats of a federal government shutdown,” said Palisin. “There are a lot of spinning plates in the air, and some of them may fall and crack.” z
6 5 4 3 2 1 0
2014 2.3%
2015 2.7%
2016 1.7%
2017 2.2%
-1 -2 -3
2018 2.9%
2019 2.3%
2021 5.9% 2020 -2.8%
2022 2.1%
2023* 2.1%
2024* 1.4%
Sources: World Bank; *projections by Moody’s Analytics.
Prepare for a Soft Landing: U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Annual % Change
Economists predict slowing growth for 2024.
Winter 2024 I Springs 39
Flashback The Computer and the Spring Industry by D. O. Dulude, Executive Vice President, Kuhlman Corporation, Birmingham, Michigan
Editor’s Note: In this issue of Springs, we dust off our tape backups and reboot “The Computer and the Spring Industry.” This article was originally published in Fall 1973, two years before Bill Gates started Microsoft and three years before Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak launched Apple Computer. There were no flash drives or cloud computing, and AI was science fiction. Then, computers were bigger than refrigerators and required special training. Today, we carry more computing power on the mobile phones in our pocket.
The following article is a summary of a group discussion held at an SMI convention involving representatives of several spring companies. The author also has added several items that were not discussed by the group. The term computer has been described as anything from a desk-style calculator with a memory to an information and decision-making center. For the purpose of this article, I will refer to computers in the latter sense.
Payroll One of the first uses of a computer was for calculating and printing checks for a company payroll. As companies become more sophisticated in the use of their computers, many transfer this routine program to a local bank computer. One of the main reasons for doing this is the tendency for confidential payroll information to be leaked due to the number of people who have access to the computer information. One item that should be thoroughly reviewed with any outside computer service and especially with bank computer services, is their loading at times of the month when a payroll would normally be printed. In our group discussion, the largest and the smallest company represented, both stated that they used an outside computer service for their payroll. The majority of the companies represented had their own equipment and do their own payrolls.
Historical Data One of the major uses of computers is as an efficient means of handling considerable historical data and disseminating it in various forms. Marketing and sales statistics are often handled by a computer. Monthly and year-to-date sales information by customer and part number allow the sales department to make comparisons of volumes of a part sold to a customer as compared to previous periods or to marketing estimates.
Job Cost Job cost information is another historical listing that can be extremely helpful to a company. A computer listing showing profit or loss by part number will point out to management parts that need immediate attention. In several of our company's divisions, including our spring division; standard material, labor and burden are listed along with variances, average administrative and selling
40 Winter 2024 I Springs
expenses. The total is then compared to the selling price listed next to it so that an anticipated profit level in dollars and percent can be shown. With the rapid changing of costs, it is most essential that a company have a quick means of recalculating job cost estimates. Our spring division has more than 2,000 standard job costs recorded for processing and computer programs. If a material cost should increase or a labor rate change occurs, this information can be fed into the computer and within three hours, all new job cost standards will have been calculated and printed. Until this program was developed, changes such as those described above would involve several weeks of tedious calculations and hand copying to accomplish the same results.
Raw Materials and Finished Goods Another popular use for the computer is in control of raw material and finished goods inventories. When orders are entered into the system, the computer can be used to automatically calculate the amount of wire that is required for a spring order, after which the material is checked against the raw material inventory, and the computer then makes a decision as to whether inventories are sufficient to fill this order and still keep a minimum balance on hand or whether additional material must be ordered. In some systems, a requisition is automatically printed by the computer. At first, when we started to use this system, we encountered a considerable amount of erroneous information, which resulted in a terrific amount of manual checking. As our people became more familiar with the system, the frequency of errors was greatly reduced. The system, after a period of time, should reach a point of efficiency where a fixed number of items are checked each month with a physical inventory so that in a period of one year, all of the major items have been checked at least once. This process eliminates the need for costly annual inventories in which several days of production are lost. The finished goods inventory control system should include a means of identifying the production date so that a slow-moving parts list may be prepared in order to inform the sales department of slow-moving and obsolete stocks. A similar type of monthly spot checking can also eliminate the need for annual checking of finished goods inventories.
Production Scheduling and Machine Utilization Production scheduling and machine utilization reports are two more popular tools that are available with a computer. One of the most shocking things we discovered several years ago when we first put our machine utilization program into effect was the fact that many of our machines were being used only a small percentage of the available time. A study into the reasons why this utilization was so low led to increased sales concentration on parts that could be run on these underutilized machines. At one of our plants, we are now running daily efficiency reports on production employees. Each evening, the daily output of each employee is entered into the computer which then compares it against the job standard, resulting in a complete efficiency report that is given to the foreman when he arrives for work the next day. He then scans the report and determines which employees have exceeded standard and which employees have fallen considerably below standard. Any great variances that occur from the standard are then reviewed with the employee to determine the cause of this variance. It is important under such a system that not only the poor variances be reviewed but also the favorable variances be reviewed so that proper credit may be given to those employees that exceed their standards.
Accounting Control of many accounting functions, such as accounts receivable, accounts payable, and indirect labor analysis, may be a part of the computer program. One of the most popular uses of a computer is the printing of checks to be used in accounts payable. Many of the systems include programs that print complete shipping and billing documents as a byproduct of a control card that is punched in the shipping room as a shipment is prepared. One of the most frequent complaints people make about computers is that data is inaccurate due to punching and other human errors. Any of the leading computer sales companies will be happy to instruct the personnel of a prospective buyer in automatic checking systems, such as the Modulus 10 system. Let us assume that we have a No. 23299. Under this system, the odd digits (2, 2, 9) would automatically be added by the computer, resulting in a total of thirteen. The even digits (3, 9) would then be added with the resulting total of twelve. The even total would then be subtracted from the odd total, leaving a difference of one. This number, in computer language, would then become 23299-1. Any time that the number 23299-1 would be used, the computer would automatically verify it to make certain that none of the digits had been reversed.
Pitfalls to Avoid At our recent SMI discussion, some of the common pitfalls that companies using computers have fallen into were discussed. The following is a brief synopsis of this discussion. Even though computer salespeople do a tremendous job of assisting the springmaker in setting up a computer system, caution should be exercised. Several members related experiences in which they felt they were oversold. The decision to lease versus buy depends on how fast your company is growing. A company that is experiencing accelerated growth may be better off leasing smaller equipment to get started and then to move up in size and capability as their growth dictates. Don't go into computerization too fast and too big. Several companies stated that they tried to go too fast rather than checking out and perfecting each run as they went along. Continual vigilance against over-computerization, too much paperwork, must be maintained. The consensus of the discussion group was that each run should be reviewed periodically to see who is using it and make certain it is really needed. The question was asked how large a company should be before it uses a computer. Companies with as few employees as twenty indicated that they were using a computer and felt that it was adding substantially to their control. This group concluded that the main advantage the computer has is that it gives better information faster, which will allow management to make better decisions. z
Springs I Winter 2024 41
Five Questions Five Questions allows SMI associate members to tell the spring industry about their products and services. In this edition, we talk with Brian Hickey from
Lapham-Hickey Steel
1
Can you tell us about the history of Lapham-Hickey Steel and the products it offers to spring manufacturers?
Lapham-Hickey Steel was founded by our great grandfather, Frank Hickey, on Feb. 1, 1926, in Chicago as a distributor of specialty steel products throughout the Midwest. All the way back to our origin, we have supplied cold rolled strip steel, cold rolled high carbon and various grades of heat-treated steels to spring manufacturers. Today, Lapham-Hickey Steel is a fourth generation family-run full-line steel service center with 13 locations throughout the U.S. and Mexico, and over 800 dedicated teammates. We supply steel to SMI members all across North America, mainly for their flat spring applications.
2
What are the latest trends impacting steel distributors, and what effect is it having on spring manufacturers?
Two things come to mind. First, tariffs continue to have an effect on the imported steel market. Since these specialty-grade spring steels have had a high import concentration over the years, tariffs from certain countries have had an impact. The U.S. and EU did not come to an agreement on the October 20 steel and aluminum trade summit. As a result, tariffs could return in January 2024 on steel imports from the EU. Second, domestic flat-rolled mill consolidation has reduced the number of steel producers over the past several years, which has made the pricing swings for steel more extreme. With the potential sale of US Steel, this trend of greater pricing volatility is poised to continue into 2024 and beyond.
3
What types of services do you offer to springmakers?
On both high-carbon annealed and high-carbon tempered spring steels (typically in 1050, 1074 and 1095 grades), we offer slit coil in both ribbon wound or oscillate form. We offer edging services for the slit coils, which would be deburred, round or square edges. And we offer cut-to-length services if you are looking for steel in sheet or flat strip form.
4
What role does logistics play in serving spring manufacturers?
Logistics plays a big part. A lot of high-carbon steel comes from overseas with long lead times. So, having multiple locations that carry spring steels and customer stocking programs, allows us to efficiently service SMI members with quick turnaround and short lead times. We also ship approximately 15 spring steel orders via UPS a day. No order quantity is too small when it comes to spring steel!
5
Can you tell us about a recent challenge that you were able to solve for a customer? In May 2018, Lapham-Hickey Steel acquired Thompson-Dayton Steel and its four locations. One of the locations, in Paulding, Ohio is a heat-treating operation with four furnaces that produce hardened and tempered spring steels for the marketplace and for our distribution. Being vertically integrated and producing spring steel domestically allows us to offer many solutions to our customers. A customer recently wanted to change his hardness specification to a slightly softer steel, and since we control the hardening and tempering of the material, we can easily dial in the hardness. z
Brian Hickey, President Lapham-Hickey Steel 5500 West 73rd Street Chicago, IL 60638 Phone: 708-496-6108 BrianHickey@ lapham-hickey.com www.lapham-hickey.com
Follow SMI on social media for bonus content on Brian Hickey and Lapham-Hickey Steel.
Springs I Winter 2024 43
By Gary McCoy, Executive Director
Springmaker Spotlight
Growing Up Next Door to Springs: A Profile of Joe Wesner and Sterling Spring There is no missing Joe Wesner when he enters a room. At six foot nine inches, he might be one of the tallest individuals in the spring industry. But when Wesner was much younger and not as commanding in stature, he grew up two blocks from Sterling Spring, located in Chicago’s Garfield Ridge neighborhood, not far from Midway Airport. Joe Wesner
“My brother and I would like to play baseball up against the wall (Sterling Springs’ building at 5432 W. 54th Street),” explained Wesner. He said they would ask Sterling’s production manager to move his little Chevette car. “One time he wasn’t around, and my brother and I actually moved the car out of the way,” said Wesner with a chuckle. Wesner went to grammar school just four blocks away and later graduated from St. Laurence High School in nearby Burbank, Illinois. He went to DeVry University to study computer science. For his senior project, Wesner worked for Horizon, a silk screen company located in the same building as Sterling Spring (which at that time occupied only 35% of the building). After Wesner finished the project for Horizon, he graduated from DeVry and went to work for an insurance company in downtown Chicago. He later took a job with a corrugated box company in northwest Indiana. Because of the computer software Wesner had created for Horizon, he frequently returned to help with the existing project. Once he finished the work at Horizon, he was introduced to the
44 Winter 2024 I Springs
president of Sterling Spring. Wesner said at that time the company had one computer, and he was asked to help create an invoicing program. After the work was finished, the president of Sterling mentioned that the company had a full-time opening if he was interested. Wesner’s parents still lived in the area, and with a newborn son, he was in the neighborhood nearly every weekend to visit. Wesner took the job in 1992 and moved his family back to Garfield Ridge. “I was wet behind the ears when it came to springs,” admitted Wesner. “I knew nothing about them.”
Always Something New “From corrugated boxes to springs,” marveled Wesner at his career change. “I enjoy coming here, and it’s never a boring day.” Like many springmakers, Wesner enjoys the challenge of coming up with solutions to difficult projects from customers. Before he became vice president, Wesner said he worked in nearly every department at Sterling Spring, including the grinding department. He recalls getting grinding dust in his eyes and wondered what he had gotten himself into.
When Wesner came to Sterling Spring the industry was past the stage of designing springs with a slide rule. Working to embrace new technology, Wesner purchased SMI’s first computerized spring design program using a small Texas Instruments computer. He still has a copy in his office. Wesner later switched to SMI’s Advanced Spring Design (ASD) program, which was first released on floppy disks.
Third Generation Springmakers Started in 1953 by Sam Carozza and Al Lidert, Sterling Spring just celebrated 70 years in business and continues to be a family-run company. Bob Dickinson, the son-in-law of Carrozza, continues to work full-time as the company’s president. Third-generation family members Eric Dickinson and Abby Brooks, run the company’s plant in nearby Bedford Park. The company has three locations, spanning more than 200,000 sq. ft. In addition to its Chicago and Beford Park locations, the company also has a plant in Jackson, Michigan, which came from a 2002 acquisition of Tuttle Spring. Sterling Spring has diversified over the past 30 years. Today the company can handle wire sizes from .003” up to .625.” In addition to custom extension, compression and torsion springs, the company manufactures wireforms, stampings and assemblies. “When I first started, we used to work with other spring companies because we couldn’t handle some of the larger wire sizes,” said Wesner. He says through the acquisition of Wesco Spring in 2010 and later O & G Spring in 2014, the company was able to expand its capabilities to bring jobs in house. Wesner says the tide has turned; Sterling has now become a “farmer” helping other spring companies manufacture springs for customers. Sterling Spring serves a wide variety of industries including automotive, filtration, aerospace, machinery, health care, consumer products, electronics, trucking, and power. These products are shipped across North America, Europe and Asia.
Wesner still has a copy of SMI’s first computerized spring design program produced by Texas Instruments.
One of the smallest springs made by Sterling Spring is shown in relationship to a penny.
The company is ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100 certified, working with a variety of materials, including many exotic alloys. The company’s employee population hovers around 120, and Wesner says Sterling Spring’s experienced workforce boasts a low turnover rate. Sterling Spring values their employees and treats them like family. Still, Wesner says, like all spring companies they are challenged to find good people to join the business.
You can no longer do things the old-fashioned way by solely relying on mechanical spring coiling or wireforming machines. If you do not keep up with technology, technology will just pass you by.
Springs I Winter 2024 45
Springmaker Spotlight
Finished products at Sterling Spring soon to be boxed and ready for shipment to customers.
Building Toward the Future Sterling Spring continues to invest in new equipment, especially automated machinery. Over the past few years, additional machinery has been added to expand their ability to run .003 wire all the way up to .625 in diameter. Additional investments have been made in sorting machines, vision systems and other high-speed automation. Their goal is to increase the speed at which they manufacture parts and optimize the quality for their customers. He says there are times when they have invested in new equipment to help produce a new part for a customer.
“You can no longer do things the old-fashioned way by solely relying on mechanical spring coiling or wireforming machines,” acknowledged Wesner. If you do not keep up with technology, technology will just pass you by. Wesner says the company focuses on continuous improvement in order to maintain excellent quality while reducing customer costs. The company focuses on excellent customer service. “In order to achieve a high level of customer service we break things down by account managers,” said Wesner. “I have customers that I serve, and our president does, as well. That way, we can communicate throughout the plant(s) to make sure the customer’s needs are being met.” With more than 30 years in the spring industry, Wesner says he’s learned to take everything with a grain of salt. “Sometimes people have a bad day, and they might jump at you,” explained Wesner. “In that case, I’m going to give them the benefit of the doubt.” He remembers back when he first started at Sterling and got yelled at by someone in the production department. “I didn’t realize what I had done wrong and that I might have approached the job wrong,” Wesner says. He accepted the scolding with humility, realizing he had things to learn. Wesner said he didn’t come to Sterling as a “knowit-all type of guy.” He said he would rather learn from his mistakes and from other people’s mistakes. Wesner said he’s always tried to treat people the way he would like to be treated, and he believes that, as a result, “good things will happen.”
CASMI President Wesner is the current president of the Chicago Association of Spring Manufacturers, Inc. (CASMI), a role he will serve in until 2024. According to their website, “CASMI was founded in 1944 as an independent, not-for-profit trade association dedicated to the development of good business practices and sharing of technical information through ongoing communications among
A banner inside the walls of Sterling Spring’s Chicago headquarters to remind employees of the company’s values.
46 Winter 2024 I Springs
the job-shop spring manufacturers in the Greater Chicago area. While membership is predominantly located in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin, the organization supports spring manufacturers and supplier members throughout the United States.” CASMI works closely with SMI, recognizing that both organizations are independent of one another, with unique missions, programs, services and members. Wesner has been involved with CASMI for more than a decade. He reluctantly became a part of the board, eventually becoming the organization’s president. He acknowledges that he hates public speaking and likes to leave it to others. Friendships have formed for Wesner among his CASMI colleagues. In fact, he said with a laugh that he always called one member in the organization by the wrong name. “He never corrected me,” said Wesner. “And then all of a sudden one day he says, ‘Why do you call me that?’ I said, ‘Well, because that’s your name.’ He said: ‘No, it’s not that’.” Wesner said, “In my mind, he’s always going to be that name!” Wesner said the two are now close friends. Wesner found out that this gentleman is ordained to marry couples and had performed his son’s wedding ceremony. So, when Wesner was ready to get married to Sara, he thought it would be awesome if this gentleman would marry them, and he did. Among his goals as CASMI president, Wesner stated he would like to see more springmakers attend their monthly meetings to see the value of the association’s education and networking opportunities. He acknowledges that the spring industry has been challenged by consolidation, making it difficult to grow their ranks. Wesner is hopeful that the new partnership CASMI has formed with SMI for SpringWorld 2024 will help bring more springmakers to the show and improve the value of what is offered. CASMI will continue to be in charge of the trade show expo, while SMI is bringing a two-day symposium to the event to help educate springmakers and their suppliers with business and technical education.
Relaxing Times When he’s not making springs, Wesner enjoys spending time with Sara, and their four children, ages 33, 29, 28 and 26. The blended family for the couple includes two children, each from previous marriages. Wesner enjoys spending time as a regular Sunday and Tuesday league bowler at a bowling alley near his home in Orland Park, Illinois. The Sunday league was a regular event he shared with his dad for many years before he died, and it continues to be a family affair with his uncle and cousin.
Joe and Sara enjoy cruising the Kankakee River on their pontoon boat. They also enjoy the ocean, especially in North Carolina, where Wesner’s parents would spend their vacations. “We love anything water-related,” said Wesner. “When you’re younger, you don’t appreciate it. Now you can’t wait to get there.” Regarding retirement, Wesner says he’ll probably work for another 10 to 12 years. “I look at both of my parents, who both died young. They worked hard all their lives, made sacrifices for their children and lost out on enjoying their golden years.” Unlike his parents, Wesner hopes to have time to enjoy retirement and to remember the good times with family and friends. z
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Springs I Winter 2024 47
Women in Springs By Sara Scullin
Future-Forward Leadership Northwest Fourslide's Jan Mellinger is going where the workforce is to ensure the company's continued success.
Jan Mellinger
Family members Matt, Jan, Kevin, and Brad Mellinger currently hold management roles at Northwest Fourslide.
48 Winter 2024 I Springs
With a leap of faith and a series of strategic steps, Jan Mellinger made her dream of owning a family-run business a reality. At Northwest Fourslide business is good, life is good…and it’s time to change things up. The West Coast shop has been in operation since 1979, and this spring, it will relocate 400 miles east from Tualatin, Oregon to Lewiston, Idaho. The company manufactures and delivers high-quality precision metal stampings and wireforms. “Metal origami” if you will — custom parts serving several critical industries. President Jan Mellinger began her career at Northwest Fourslide in the office where she did bookkeeping and accounting while her husband, Kevin Mellinger, worked on the floor at another local manufacturing company. With three small children at home, it was a job to pay the bills. The notion to buy the place didn't occur to them until its owners were ramping up to sell. “I thought ... 'What if.’” Mellinger recalls. “If he sells I'm probably the first to go, or the company could be merged with another company. The only way we can keep it going is if I have an option to buy.” When the banks wouldn't provide financing, the Mellingers put their 401(k)s on the line. “It was very scary; we were 59 years old and starting something new to us. [At the time] I wasn’t involved as much with the shop employees; I didn’t have their knowledge…and so they would have to trust me to handle the business as we made the transition together.” That was six years ago. Now, Mellinger’s sights are on strategic capital investments, like replacing aging machinery with servo-driven machines, and a move that will position the company for further success. Technology upgrades help the company meet industry metrics that grow increasingly stringent. Even so, state-of-the-art equipment is nothing
without a qualified workforce, so Mellinger provides in-house internships and apprenticeship programs for fourslide operators and toolmakers. She anticipates the upcoming move will further help them recruit and retain knowledgeable staff. “We chose the area because of the workforce there,” she says. The local high school has a brandnew vocational school with a machining center, HVAC, auto repair, etc. Louis-Clark State College Schweitzer Career and Technical Center across the street also boasts a strong reputation. All of this was a huge selling point. A (much) lower cost of living and tax rate were icing on the cake. “We see so many opportunities and benefits in the move. It’s a small, friendly community, and we look forward to being a part of it,” she says. About half of Northwest Fourslide’s 43 employees will make the move to Idaho. The transition is not without its growing pains. Ever-rising interest rates and exorbitant construction costs keep Mellinger’s team on their toes. “Since we started the project, the cost to build has doubled in price. Another challenge is that many of our local suppliers are very good, and we’ll have to ship our product back and forth for outside processing,” explained Mellinger. “This will be new to us, and we’ll need to increase our lead time to get it done.” Despite these hurdles, the “big picture” remains clear. From the start, Mellinger and her husband dreamt of owning their own business, of having some measure of control over their futures. They made that dream a reality. “When we bought the company, we knew we had to make it profitable and grow. We’ve been able to do that,” she says. “We also wanted to make it a family business. Our kids and grandkids have an opportunity to be a part of this industry if it interests them.”
The company breaks ground for their new facility in Lewiston, Idaho. Pictured (l-to-r): daughter, Mandy, five of the Mellinger’s 13 grandchildren, son Matt and his wife, Heather, Jan and Kevin.
Mellinger loves to see conceptual drawings come to life for parts that go inside of products designed to save lives. And while that process is exciting and satisfying, Mellinger states the very best part of her job — this industry — is the people. She loves working with her team of employees, suppliers, and customers. “I’ve been here over 35 years, along with many long-term employees. Our employees are the largest asset we have. We want to make this a place where they enjoy coming to work.” Mellinger tells other women stepping into manufacturing leadership roles to “go for it.” “At this stage, we all have the opportunity to grow. We have a lot more women engineers, customers and buyers. Opportunities are wide open for everyone.” z
Our employees are the largest asset we have. We want to make this a place where they enjoy coming to work.
Springs I Winter 2024 49
A Message from Gary
Gary McCoy
What Can You Learn from a Millennial? As it turns out, a lot! I had the good fortune of meeting Jake Hall at the Assembly Show in Oct. 2022 at the same venue in Rosemont, Illinois, where SpringWorld is held. It’s hard not to miss Jake with his recognizable Cubs hat and his moniker “The Manufacturing Millennial.” After that first meeting, Jake was kind enough to help me with a Springs story on “Plant Industrialization” for the Winter 2023 issue. I recently spoke with Jake for our new podcast, “Springs are Everywhere.” Jake is enthusiastic and passionate about manufacturing and always thinking of ways to help young people consider careers in the field. As a high school junior, Jake met with his career guidance counselor who said, “Hey Jake, what do you want to do when you graduate?” As he explained, “Vocational schools, trade schools and local community colleges were never brought up once with me.” Jake admits he wasn’t a straight-A student, but the counselor said, “Jake, you need to go to a four-year college and get your degree right away.” Jake doesn’t regret going straight to college and graduating with a bachelor’s degree in product design and manufacturing engineering and a minor in biomedical engineering. “But what I recognized through this was: that if it happened to me, it’s happening to hundreds of thousands of other students across the U.S. who simply aren't being given the opportunity to even know these programs and manufacturers exist because they're not being told about it.” Right out of college, he went to work in the automation distribution side of manufacturing and remembers going to a trade show. The speaker was challenging the audience to make changes at their manufacturing companies in order to recruit new workers who are millennials and Gen Zs. He found it a little funny when he looked across the crowd and realized he was one of the few millennials at this event. At that point, Jake determined that with his love and passion for manufacturing, he would be “the outspoken, unapologetic millennial to advocate for manufacturing.” There is much wisdom in what Jake does in his role as a manufacturing advocate. He says bringing younger workers into manufacturing is a multistep approach. For Jake, it all begins with understanding and recognizing that what a millennial or Gen Z looks for in a job is different from what older generations look for. He says parents continue to be a barrier to their children joining manufacturing because they view it as, “this dark, dirty and dangerous industry.” He said exposing kids to the high-tech nature of manufacturing and starting early is key. If you have successfully recruited younger workers to your spring company, Hall says, “One of the worst things you can do is bring a person in but not enable them to help grow and change the company.” Establishing a culture where younger workers feel they have a purpose within the company is vital. We all need to learn and grow, no matter what age. And there’s much more to learn from this millennial! You can start at themanufacturingmillennial. com or follow Jake on LinkedIn. Cheers! Gary McCoy Executive Director
Springs I Winter 2024
51
Inside SMI
2024 SMI Annual Meeting Provides a Roadmap for the Future Under the theme “A Roadmap for the Future,” SMI will hold its 2024 Annual Meeting, April 6–9, 2024, at Loews Coronado Bay Resort, Coronado, California. The resort is perched on a 15-acre peninsula, surrounded by shimmering bay waters and the San Diego skyline. The meeting will include educational sessions on Monday, April 8 and Tuesday, April 9. Featured speaker Eric LeMarque will detail his larger-thanlife survival tale that became the inspiration for the captivating book, “Crystal Clear,” and was even adapted into the hit film, “6 Below-Miracle on the Mountain.” On a snowy February day in 2004, LeMarque, a skillful snowboarder, embarked on a wild adventure from the summit of Mammoth Mountain in the majestic Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. Armed with nothing but a flimsy long-sleeve shirt, a meager wool hat and the shells of his snowboarding gear, Eric quickly found himself waistdeep in a cold white abyss. Little did he know, this would be no ordinary snowboarding escapade. As the sun dipped below the horizon, LeMarque realized he was in a sticky situation — a fight for survival had begun. For a grueling eight days, he battled fierce blizzards, hunger pangs, menacing
52 Winter 2024 I Springs
wildlife, punishing high-altitude sickness, frostbite and the chilling grasp of hypothermia. Miraculously, The National Guard swooped in, expecting a grim discovery, but instead were flabbergasted to find LeMarque alive. They dubbed him “The Miracle Man,” and for good reason. With a staggering 44-pound weight loss and a core body temperature of a chilly 86 degrees, LeMarque’s story of defying death was nothing short of extraordinary. But the journey wasn’t over yet. Tragically, LeMarque lost both his legs due to frostbite, but that didn’t stop his unwavering spirit. A mere year after his harrowing rescue, he was back on his snowboard, conquering the slopes of Mammoth Mountain once again, this time sporting some sleek prosthetic limbs. His resilience and neversay-never attitude became legendary. This former ice hockey champ — a force to be reckoned with on the rink — has since devoted himself to sharing his incredible journey. Universities, sports teams, organizations, schools, churches, and businesses have all witnessed his awe-inspiring talks for the past 14 years. With his genuine authenticity and magnetic character, Eric not only puts his audience at ease but leaves them dumbfounded and inspired, armed with a trove of life lessons to embrace.
Bianca Lager, a keynote speaker and virtual trainer, will share about leading teams. Through her company, Fundamentals at Work, Lager has a global presence which has helped both organizations and teams enhance their professional visibility and boost their impact. Lager offers training, consulting and keynote presentations to help companies empower their staff, enabling them to achieve greater recognition, influence and success. Lager gained incomparable experience as the leader of Social Intelligence for almost a decade, leading the company through an exit in 2023. She is Mom to two young boys and wife to a fantasy book-loving 6’4” IT nerd. Lager’s online courses are available on the FAW website, and she is also a LinkedIn Learning instructor. SMI’s regulatory compliance consultant, Laura Helmrich-Rhodes, will update SMI members on the latest OSHA issues. Dr. Rhodes is marking her 10-year anniversary with SMI as the safety compliance consultant and more than 30 years as a safety professional. She is a full-time professor at Indiana University of Pennsylvania in the Safety Sciences Department, where she teaches safety communications, OSHA compliance at the undergraduate level and legal aspects of safety, human relations in safety, and accident investigations techniques courses at the graduate and Ph.D, levels. She is the owner of Safety Geeks, LLC, a safety and HR consulting service. She maintains her OSHA Authorized Instructor rating in both general industry and construction. The educational portion of the meeting will conclude with a 90-minute presentation by Bill Coughlin, director, Lippert Academy for Leadership in Elkhart, Indiana. In his presentation, “Leadership and Culture Development Partnership,” Coughlin will argue that business is well positioned to be a force for good in our world. “Leadership and culture are the anchoring roots for a positive, powerful, healthy, and sustainable high-performing organization,” says Coughlin. His presentation will focus on enhancing the vision and application of partnering with a flexible and generational workforce. Coughlin is a member of the Corporate Leadership Development Team for Lippert
Components Inc. (LCI). Coughlin is responsible for engaging and developing individuals and teams in impact leadership roles at the executive, divisional and plant levels. He provides both assessment/ evaluation and accountability of key leaders and teams for developmental growth. Coughlin joined Lippert with more than 30 years of strategic, operational, management and leadership experience. He worked as the vice president of operations and director of fulfillment and marketing services at Mossberg & Company Inc. In addition, Coughlin worked with United Airlines in its corporate and regional offices for more than 22 years. He’s been married to his wife Lisa for 38 years and has five grown children and two grandchildren.
Eric LeMarque
A Special Avant-Garde Event This year’s meeting will also include a new, two-day Avant-Garde Leadership Conference. Avant-Garde is a group of SMI members bringing innovative and experimental ideas to shape the future of SMI and the springmaking industry. SMI’s Avant-Garde exists to serve the needs of the emerging and future generation members and ensure that content and conferences evolve to meet the needs of emerging leaders and nonowner participants. The Avant-Garde conference offers a shorter track for younger members to participate in the SMI annual meeting at a reduced cost. “SMI’s annual meeting is an exclusive benefit for SMI members and a place to gather for education, board and committee meetings and unparalleled network opportunities,” said Gary McCoy, SMI executive director. The meeting marks the end of the two-year presidency of Gene Huber Jr., Winamac Coil Spring, as he hands the gavel to incoming president Don Jacobson III, Newcomb Spring. Complete registration details will be sent to SMI members.
Bianca Lager
Bill Coughlin
Laura Rhodes
Springs I Winter 2024 53
Inside SMI
SMI Hosts ISO/TC227 Meetings in Las Vegas by Tom Armstrong and C. Richard (Rick) Gordon
54 Winter 2024 I Springs
The international springs community gathered in Las Vegas for the ISO/TC227 Springs Working Group 4 and Plenary hybrid meetings Sept. 14–15, 2023. The 19th annual meeting of ISO/TC227 was hosted by SMI. Sessions were attended in person and via WebEx. Tom Armstrong, head of the U.S. delegation, welcomed the delegates on behalf of SMI and ANSI and thanked them for their participation. There were nine representatives from the United States: Tom Armstrong, Bert Goering, Rick Gordon, Gene Huber, Don Jacobson III, Al Mangels, Nick Przygoda, Dan Rosenkrantz and Bernie Taylor. SMI executive director, Gary McCoy, did a fantastic job organizing and overseeing the meetings. SMI serves as the technical advisory group to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for ISO/TC227. The role of the U.S. delegation is essential to ensure that the interests of North American spring manufacturers, designers and consumers are represented in the development of international standards. SMI technical experts bring many years of manufacturing experience to the ISO/TC227 working groups. The Working Group 4 (WG4) meeting had 23 participants from eight contributing primary (P)-member countries. The WG4 is responsible for the development of the new ISO standard “Springs — Measurement and Test Parameters — Part 3: Torsion Springs.” Ms. Shao Chenxi from China chaired the session, which included a review and resolution of 78 comments and suggestions. Gene Huber, Al Mangels, and Rick Gordon provided 24 comments for review. “The contributions to this standardization effort by these individuals are very much appreciated,” said Armstrong. The Plenary meeting included 30 participants from nine contributing P-member countries: China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Poland, Thailand, United Kingdom and the United States (with Finland by proxy). Gordon served on the drafting committee (English) for the plenary session. The following is a list of current standards activity: ISO 11891:2012 – SR 2023-09-02 Hot-formed helical compression springs Technical specifications Clean reviews were received from Jay Weaver of MW Components and Joe Devaney of Betts Company. SMI recommended approval of the standard. The majority of P-member countries recommended confirmation of the standard. The delegation from China submitted comments to revise the standard, which includes a
Plenary group (hybrid)
Working Group 4 (in person)
change in the scope. As a result, ISO/TC227 will follow the administrative balloting process to decide the next step for this standard. ISO/FDIS 26910-1 2023-09-13 Springs - Shot peening Part 1: General procedures SMI voted to recommend approval of this standard following the acceptance of 3 out of 4 SMI editorial comments. SMI comments were provided by Jack Champaigne, owner of Electronic, Inc., chairman of the SAE Surface Enhancement Committee, and SAE Aerospace Surface Enhancement Committee. SMI was honored to engage with a world-renowned expert for this standard review. ISO Standards 16249:2013 – SR 2023-12-02 Springs – Symbols and 19690-2:2018 – SR 2023-12-02 Disc springs - Part 2: Technical specifications These standards are currently being reviewed. Project status will be reviewed at the next ISO/ TC227 meeting,Sept. 13, 2024, in Milan, Italy. Anyone interested in participating in the ISO standards process should contact Rick Gordon at c.richard.gordon@gmail.com or Tom Armstrong at tgarmstrong@outlook.com.
Safety & Health
Cold Stress 1
The Problem
Fast Facts
4
Cold temperatures are often associated with occupations that take employees outdoors during the winter months. In addition to the obvious outdoor cold condition jobs, many employees work indoors in refrigerated environments year round. Production facilities involving food and the distribution network required to get refrigerated food products to consumers require exposure to cold conditions. Prolonged exposure can lead to cold stress. Some employers fail to recognize and address cold stress hazards due to lack of monitoring and knowing the related signs and symptoms, which include:
MAIN FACTORS
that contribute1 to cold stress:
• Hypothermia • Frostbite • Cold water immersion • Dehydration
2
• High or cold wind • Dampness • Cold temperatures • Cold water
Solutions that Work Even the most attentive, proactive worker can’t tackle the dangers of cold stress alone. A cooperative approach is important. OSHA’s guidance for cold stress prevention lists engineering controls, training, safe work practices and personal protective equipment (PPE), such as appropriate cold weather attire, as foundational components for employers to build into their work plans. Employers should: • Provide engineering controls such as thermostats and door flaps to help control exposure • Train workers on how to help prevent and recognize cold stress illnesses and injuries, and how to apply first aid treatment • Give workers frequent breaks in warm areas • Ensure employees are dressed properly in cold temperatures • Reduce exposure time • Allow workers to interrupt work if they feel a cold condition affecting them
3
70°F Hypothermia can occur in any water temperature below this level.2
How Grainger Can Help
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• Ice Melt
• Grainger KnowHowSM site
• Anti-Slip Footwear Attachments • Work Shelters
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Your Grainger Rep is Standing By Contact your Grainger representative or login to Grainger.com/smi and view a list of the most common cold stress related products 1 2
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https://ehs.princeton.edu/workplace-construction/occupational-health/heat-cold-stress/cold-stress-facts NIOSH, Cold Water Immersion, June 2018 CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics Compressed Mortality Database
Inside SMI Letters to the Editor Editor’s note: We celebrated SMI’s 90th anniversary in our Fall 2023 issue. Here are additional letters of congratulations we received from two past presidents. Happy 90th birthday to SMI, and many congratulations. My company became a member in 1982, and I was fortunate to spend many happy and rewarding times with colleagues and suppliers. Your organization was, and obviously continues to be, such an important source of knowledge and help to your members. We Canadians, from comparatively few companies, were able to meet with U.S. and Mexican members as well as many
Need a Hand? “Without the internal resources of a full-time metallurgist or failure analysis expert, I sometimes need advice. SMI’s professional staff has helped our company problem-solve issues to confirm that we are on the right track for solutions.”
Tom Little, Sales Manager, Apex Spring and Stamping
SMI has a team of experts, who speak the language of springs, ready to assist you. It could be a metallurgy question about fatigue life or corrosion. Or perhaps you need help with a spring design and the use of materials when manufacturing springs. In addition, our team can call upon the resources of the SMI Technical Committee who collectively represent hundreds of years of springmaking experience.
To find out how SMI Technical Services can help you, phone 847-450-6848 or visit smihq.org/page/SpringsAdvice
Your Complete Springs Technical Resource
56 Winter 2024 I Springs
European and Asian companies to exchange ideas and learn from each other. I was proud to have served on committees with many of your members and honored to have been elected president from 2001 to 2003. SMI has survived some major upheavals during its 90-year existence: a world war, major economic woes, 9/11 and COVID-19, to mention a few. It is a tribute to your members, staff and the executive director who steered the organization through these difficulties. Although I have been away from the spring industry since 2004, I know how relevant you continue to be to the membership. I wish you continued success in the years ahead! Roy Vinderine Past President (2001-2003) I would like to congratulate SMI on its 90th anniversary. A special thanks to all those volunteers and staff who have contributed to its success. My grandfather met with a few other springmakers to form the association during the Depression. I am sure they would be surprised and proud of how well it has done. My first experience with what was then called SMA was going to the office in Bristol, Connecticut — it was in the back of a barbershop! Since then, I have watched it grow, both in membership and service to our industry. I am particularly glad it has added more technical support without losing personal interactions. When I was thinking about following my father into the spring business, he said springmakers were nicer than any other business association. He was right. I enjoyed working with so many great people on the committees and talking with them at meetings. Keep up the good work. G. Donald Jacobson Jr. Past President (1995-1997)
We’d love to hear from you! Springs welcomes your notes and comments on the contents of our publication. Please email Phil Sasso, Managing Editor, at phil.springs@ sassomarketing.com.
2024 SMI Safety Webinar Topics Announced SMI continues to promote the value of safety through ongoing educational webinars. Here are the 2024 SMI safety webinar topics: • Basic Machine Guarding
• OSHA Electrical and Lockout/Control of Hazardous Energy Standards
• Basic Accident Investigation
Send Us Your News SMI members receive priority placement for their product, company, personnel and events announcements in the magazine. Your news releases should be roughly 50 to 100 words and may be accompanied by color photos (high-resolution .JPEG photos at 300 dpi preferred). Send to gaby@smihq.org.
• Advanced Accident Investigation Techniques Dr. Laura Helmrich-Rhodes is marking her 10-year anniversary with SMI as the safety compliance consultant and with more than 30 years as a safety professional. Each webinar presented by Dr. Rhodes will be packed with relevant information and include an interactive portion where participants are encouraged to ask questions. The dates and times will be announced shortly via email and SMI social media platforms (Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram).
SpringWorld 2024 is Coming Soon Clear your calendar on Oct. 2-4 for the 2024 edition of the SpringWorld Expo, presented by CASMI, and the newly added educational Symposium, presented by SMI. The event will be held in Rosemont, Illinois, minutes from Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, and will take place at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center. SMI has issued a “Call for Papers” for the educational symposium, which will be held over two mornings on Thursday, Oct. 3 and Friday, Oct. 4. If you are interested in submitting a paper, please contact Gabriela Carrasco at gaby@smihq. org and she will send you an application. Business and technical topics are encouraged. On both Oct. 3 and 4, session 1 of the educational symposium will be held from 8 to 8:50 a.m. After a 10-minute coffee break, session 2 of the educational symposium will take place from 9 to 9:50 a.m. Each session will include six different educational programs for a total of 24 sessions over two days. The show has established a new website at www.springworld.org where exhibitors can contract exhibit space or choose among many sponsorship opportunities. In addition, complete hotel and registration information is available.
Springs I Winter 2024 57
Inside SMI SMI Survey Schedule: Benchmark with Your Peers SMI regularly surveys its members to help them understand how they are doing relative to others in the industry. Confidentiality is important when surveys are conducted, which means no company data is ever shared with SMI members or SMI itself.
Here’s the schedule of surveys for 2024 and into 2025. Key Business Trends (regular and associate members)
Survey Sent
Responses Due
Results Sent
Fourth Quarter 2023
Jan. 5, 2024
Jan. 15, 2024
Jan. 16, 2024
First Quarter 2024
April 5, 2024
April 15, 2024
April 16, 2024
Second Quarter 2024
July 5, 2024
July 15, 2024
July 16, 2024
Third Quarter 2024
Oct. 4, 2024
Oct. 14, 2024
Oct. 15, 2024
Wages & Benefits (every other year — regular member contacts)
Survey Sent
Responses Due
Results Sent
2024
Aug. 6, 2024
Sept. 9, 2024
Sept. 20, 2024
Salary (every other year — regular member contacts)
Survey Sent
Responses Due
Results Sent
2025
Oct. 1, 2025
Oct. 30, 2025
Nov. 29, 2025
Annual Market Survey (regular member contacts and prospective members)
Survey Sent
Responses Due
Results Sent
First mailing by SMI
April 1, 2024
Email from SMI
May 3, 2024
Email follow-up from previous recipient by Mackay Research Group
May 24, 2024
Published cutoff date for return
May 29, 2024
Industry Report to SMI
July 15, 2024
Individualized Reports to SMI Members
July 30, 2024
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58 Winter 2024 I Springs
Chicago Association of Spring Manufacturers, Inc.
2024
EXPO AND SYMPOSIUM
EXPO AND SYMPOSIU
ROSEMONT, ILLINOIS • OCT 2-4
Presented by CASMI and
Presented by CASMI and SMI
CASMI and SMI PARTNER TO HOST A JOINT EVENT SMI brings symposium to SpringWorld!
Three Days of EXPO
Two Mornings of Educational Sessions
Technical Theater Sessions
Same Great Networking Events
Chicago Association of Spring Manufacturers, Inc. (CASMI) and The Spring Manufacturers Institute (SMI) have partnered to combine the two organizations’ semi-annual events into one industry foremost event. The joint SpringWorld Expo and Symposium will be held October 2-4, 2024, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois. In addition to the CASMI hosted exhibit hall, SMI will also host two mornings of business and technical content, including 24 educational sessions. Exhibit hall hours will be similar to prior years and the technical theater and receptions return! Don’t miss this comprehensive educational and networking event to learn the latest from suppliers and educators.
Registration will open later this year! For Exhibitor and Sponsorship information, email: info@casmi-springworld.org.
October 2-4, 2024 • Donald E. Stephens Convention Center • Rosemont, IL • casmi-springworld.org
Showcase Your Experience Call for Papers
SMI Educational Symposium at SpringWorld The Spring Manufacturers Institute (SMI) invites authors to submit abstracts for the 2024 SMI Educational Symposium at SpringWorld. As the largest North American event for key decision makers in the spring and metal forming industry, the SMI Educational Symposium will include two days of morning sessions (Oct. 3 and 4) on business and technical topics. It is preferred that papers are submitted in English with sufficient detail included for the fair evaluation of your proposal. Those submitting abstracts should limit their submission to 75 words and indicate which of the following topics the presenter would prefer to participate in or feel free to suggest other technical or business topics you would like to address:
ABSTRACT DEADLINE February 1, 2024 ACCEPTANCE NOTIFICATION March 1, 2024 MANUSCRIPT DEADLINE April 15, 2024 Abstract Submissions Welcomed For a copy of the abstract submission form, please email: gaby@smihq.org or visit bit.ly/sw24-ed
• New and upcoming materials or alloys • Automation/robotics • CNC repair and diagnostics
Spring Manufacturers Institute P.O. Box 5668 Elgin, IL 60121
• Spring manufacturing setup practices
847-450-6848
• Tooling materials selection
www.smihq.org
• Stress relieving best practices for various materials • Coatings science • Future manufacturing processes and rapid prototyping
Podcast Picks
Gabriela Carrasco
How to Empower Your Employees to Win Business Accelerator Podcast | Michael Hyatt & Megan Hyatt Miller S2 E40 | July 18, 2023 | 54 min. My father owns a freight transportation company. During my time off from SMI, I work part-time filing mileage paperwork for his business. I’ve been working with him for about two years now, and through this, I have faced the unique challenges that come with working for family. This is one of the reasons I was so interested in this podcast. The “Business Accelerator” podcast is hosted by New York Times bestselling author Michael Hyatt and CEO Megan Hyatt Miller, a father/daughter duo. Together they discuss how current research combines with timeless wisdom for lasting success. This episode, “How to Empower your Employees to Win,” discusses six ways employers can empower their employees to succeed. 1. Make work meaningful. Crafting a mission statement that resonates with employees is crucial for organizations. Equally vital is the alignment of daily tasks with the overarching purpose or “bigger picture.” It is important to build a culture of recognition and let your excitement trickle down to your employees. 2. Clarify your expectations. Take the time to verbalize your expectations, especially with those who report directly to you. This clarity enables them to gauge their success by aligning their performance with these defined expectations. 3. Focus on outcomes, not processes. No one likes to be micromanaged, as it stifles employee creativity, leading to disengagement. Offering insight into previous workflows while encouraging employees to devise their own processes fosters a more engaged workforce. 4. Treat employees like owners. Ensure that incentives are in sync with your organization’s objectives. The goal is to enable individuals to succeed when the company succeeds and share accountability when challenges arise.
5. Provide ongoing training. Employees can find motivation in becoming masters at their craft. Creating training opportunities to perfect their skills or creating a budget to allow individuals to take courses that will further their education can enhance employee engagement. 6. Give candid feedback. Individuals often shy away from conflict and may fear that honest feedback will provoke disagreements. However, if employees are eager to excel in their skills, constructive feedback is an essential element in their growth and development. It’s interesting to listen to Michael and Megan share their perspectives on business combining new and old business models. Business owners in all fields can relate to the topics of each podcast. z
Want to share a business development podcast for me to review? Please send your suggestions to gaby@smihq.org.
Springs I Winter 2024 61
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Book Corner
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way
to Build Good Habits and Break Bad Ones Reviewed by Phil Sasso I rarely make New Year’s resolutions. That’s because I rarely keep New Year’s resolutions. Perhaps you can relate. But this year may be different. And if it is, I’ll thank James Clear. Clear is the bestselling author of “Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones.” His book shares practical techniques for what the cover touts as “Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results.” Clear opens the book by telling the tale of a gruesome sports injury in high school that nearly ended his college baseball chances — and his life. Before you stop reading, expecting some tear-jerking story about him learning to talk and walk all over again, read on. Clear jumps from personal to practical within less than a dozen pages. He says he was inspired to pen “Atomic Habits” by his personal experiences and a deep interest in human behavior and self-improvement. The catalyst for the book may have been an injury, which led him to reevaluate his habits. But over the years, he conducted extensive research, delving into academic studies, scientific research and personal stories, which are at the core of this self-improvement book. He combines his research with practical insights and strategies to help readers harness the power of incremental habits to achieve their goals and lead more fulfilling lives. One item I found most interesting was a technique called habit stacking. “When it comes to building new habits, you can use the connectedness of behavior to your advantage,” writes Clear. “One of the best ways to build a new habit is to identify a current habit you already do each day and then stack your new behavior on top. This is called habit stacking. “Rather than pairing your new habit with a particular time and location, you pair it with a current habit. This method, which was created by BJ Fogg as part of his Tiny Habits program, can be used to design an obvious cue for nearly any habit.” For example, I put my medication next to my toothbrush in my medicine chest. That way, when I brush my teeth, it reminds me to take my meds. I did this unconsciously before I read about Fogg’s technique. So, I know it works. Similarly, Clear suggests you tie new habits to your morning routine, lunchtime break, or bedtime ritual. (For example, I put “Atomic Habits”
on my pillow to remind me to read a few pages every night before bed.) These new habits can extend beyond the personal into business. In her article “Assessing and Training for Productivity” (page 28), Springs contributor Jennifer Goodrich suggests using a form of habit stacking to get your staff into positive on-the-job habits, like putting on their safety gear before they clock in for the day. By focusing on small, manageable steps, you create a gateway into a larger habit. This strategy helps overcome the initial resistance to starting a new habit and makes it more likely for you to stick with it over the long haul. I am infamously good at starting new habits and letting them lapse. But I hope that by implementing some of the tactics that Clear espouses, I can resolve to walk a few more steps every day, reconnect with old friends and lose a few pounds. I’ll keep you posted! z
Have a favorite business book you would like me to review? Email your suggestion to phil.springs@sassomarketing.com.
Springs I Winter 2024 63
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• Stampings • Wire Forms • Small Parts
Easy to usE: Just drop your tangled
material into the input tube and out they come UNTANGLED!
Dispense Works Inc (815) 363-3524 | d-tangler.com info@d-tangler.com
64 Winter 2024 I Springs
New Products Protective Eyewear for Workers with Corrective Lenses Standard prescription eyeglasses typically lack the required impact and side protection found in industrial-grade safety goggles and spectacles. The Brass Knuckle® Read BKREAD-6010 eyewear is a practical, cost-effective solution that offers a secure fit and lightweight bifocal eye protection. It is available in five diopter strengths: 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0. Constructed with a durable polycarbonate frame, it not only provides additional side protection but also ensures comfort during extended use. The clear lenses are ANSI-rated hard-coated polycarbonate with the added benefit of BK-Anti-FOG technology. The BK-Anti-FOG technology provides prolonged effectiveness, lasting two minutes, a significant improvement over the European EN 166/168 standard. It is permanently bonded to the lens, guaranteeing long-lasting anti-scratch, anti-static and UV protection.
With a demographic shift in the workforce, including a projected 44% increase in Americans aged 55 and over the next decade, the BKREAD-6010 addresses the needs of older workers. It also aligns with the revised ANSI/SEA Z87.1-2015 standard, acknowledging the importance of protective readers that offer magnification. For additional information, contact Brass Knuckle at info@brassknuckleprotection. com or call 770-674-8930.
New Wire Payoff System Reduces Downtime HSI and Forming Systems, Inc. have launched a new model VRA500 wire payoff system. With the rising demand for large wire packages to reduce downtime, larger payoff reels are growing in popularity. The HSI VRA500 high-speed wire payoff system uses an automated process to load the wire spool, providing quicker reloading. The VRA high-speed wire payoff system specifications include a maximum material load of 1100 lbs. (500 kgs.), maximum speed and 120 rpm and maximum spool dimension of Ø23.6” OD (Ø600 mm). The VRA500 features automated spool loading to eliminate the need for a hoist, inverter driving motor for optimum high-speed control and synchronized control to ensure smooth wire feed while improving spring quality. The built-in control box provides an easy-to-use operator interface.
For additional information, including option details and pricing, please contact Forming Systems, Inc. at info@formingsystemsinc.com or call 269-679-3557. z
Send us Your News SMI members get priority placement of their product news. News releases should be roughly 50 to 100 words and may be accompanied by color photos (HiRes .JPEG at 300 dpi preferred). Send to gaby@smihq.org.
Springs I Winter 2024 65
Do you want to increase your production efficiency?
MILLIONS of Springs
.135"–.006"
Missile Wire™ (High Tensile)
.100"–.012"
2.5mm–.305mm
Tin Zinc Coated Music Spring Wire
.160"–.020"
4.06mm–.51mm
Compression Springs
Tin Coated Music Spring Wire
.100"–.008"
2.5mm–.20mm
Hard Drawn Spring Wire
.160"–.045"
4.06mm–1.14mm
Extension Springs
Square Wire
.190"–.025"
4.82mm–.635mm
Torsion Springs Die Springs Wire Forms
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With 112 years of service, Mapes’ consistent quality and careful attention to your production needs will keep the cash flowing for your company. Contact our sales team for your needs. Call or email today.
1-800-424-0500 www.DiamondWire.com
66 Winter 2024 I Springs
Flat Wire (natural edge)
.049" x .312" to .016" x .187"
3.42mm–.152mm
1.24mm x 7.92mm to .406mm x 4.75mm
Spring Wires ASTM A228-18; ASTM A227-M; JISG 3521 SWA, SWB; JISG 3522 SWPA, SWPB; EN10270-1; AMS 112M; military specifications, and others. Call for special wire needs and solutions, including restricted tensiles and size tolerances.
The Mapes Piano String Company (423) 543-3195 • Fax (423) 543-7738 mapeswire.com • info@mapeswire.com ISO 9001: 2015 certified QMS
WIRED FOR PRECISION Unsurpassed Quality Since 1959
Swift Turnaround Times Award Winning Service Prototypes to Full-Run Production Certified ISO 9001:2015
97 Ronzo Road, Bristol, CT 06010 | (860) 583-1305 | RadcliffWire.com
Advertisers’ Index A & D Trading I 440-563-5227........................................................18
Radcliff Wire I 860-583-1305..........................................................67
Admiral Steel I 800-323-7055........................................................ 64
Simplex Rapid I 563-391-0400....................................................... 12
Alloy Wire International I 866-482-5569 ����������������������������������� 50
SMI I 847-450-6846.......................Inside Front Cover, 55, 56, 60
Anchor Abrasives I 708-444-4300................................................47
Spring Tool Solutions I 860-583-1693......................................... 62
Asahi-Seiki I 847-736-5566.............................................................. 15
Tool King I 847-537-2881................................................................ 64
BB Spring Technology I +39-031-536584 ��������������������������������� 62
United Wire I 800-840-9481.......................................................... 62
CASMI I www.casmi-springworld.com....................................... 59
WAFIOS I 203-481-5555.....................................................................6
Diamond Wire I 800-424-0500.................................................... 66
Zapp Precision Strip I 203-386-0038.......................................... 42
Dispense Works I 815-363-3524................................................... 64 FENN/Torin I 860-259-6600.............................................................5 Forming Systems Inc. I 877-594-4300........................Back Cover Gibbs Interwire I 800-800-4422.................. 1, Inside Back Cover Gibraltar I 847-383-5442..................................................................16 Global Specialty Steel I 630-689-8642....................................... 58 Industrial Steel & Wire I 800-767-0408 �����������������������������������������3 Larson Systems I 763-780-2131..................................................... 66 Mapes Piano String Co I 423-543-3195...................................... 66 Messe Düsseldorf I 312-781-5180....................................................9 NIMSCO I 563-391-0400.................................................................57 Proto Manufacturing I 800-965-8378......................................... 58
Advertise in Springs magazine! Promote your products and services. Build your brand. Increase awareness. Generate leads. Grow your sales. Engage with leading spring manufacturing industry influencers and decision-makers from across North America. Contact Gary McCoy at gary@smihq.org or 847-450-6240 for details.
Springs I Winter 2024 67
Al Mangels y Lee Spring Company
Snapshot Name: Al Mangels
Best times of my life: It’s all been a blessing.
Company name and city:
A really great evening for me is: Music, drinks
Lee Spring Company, Brooklyn, New York.
and dinner.
Job title: Chief Technical Advisor.
The one thing I can’t stand is: Wasteful rigmarole.
What I like most about being a springmaker:
My most outstanding qualities are: Empathy
The seemingly endless variety of products, and the production problems each presents.
and clairvoyance.
Spring industry affiliations: Board of Directors
Shy.
People who knew me in school thought I was:
Industrial Technology Assistance Corporation (ITAC), New York City; Chairman of Talent Committee for the Manufacturing and Industrial Innovation Council (MAIIC), New York City; NY District Export Council; NESMA Board of Directors, and Chairman, Technical Committee; BristolWORKS! Technical Advisory Council Member; Advanced Manufacturing Employer Partnership Member and SMI Technical Committee.
Computer technology never caught on.
Birthplace: St. Alban’s, New York.
Role models: My father.
Current home: Rockaway Beach, New York.
I would like to be remembered in the spring industry for: Showing up and contributing at least
Family: Domestic partner, Cindy, two sons, Rob and Joe and one grandson, Winston.
Favorite food: Cheeseburgers.
I knew I was an “adult” when: I’ll let you know when the time comes.
If I wasn’t working at Lee Spring Company, I would like to: Build musical instruments. The most difficult business decision I ever had to make was: How to deal with the 9/11 attacks. I wonder what would have happened if:
something (besides two patents).
But people will probably remember me for: Being the one guy they forgot.
Favorite authors: P.D. James and Eli Goldratt. Favorite song/musician: Mr. Tambourine Man (Bob Dylan) and the Beatles. Hobbies: Playing guitar, bass and keyboards, and writing songs.
Favorite places: Beach towns (pretty much any). What podcast and/or music are you currently listening to: New wave that I didn’t listen to back then.
What is on your bucket list: No bucket list. Aside from necessities, what is one thing you could not go without: We all need love.
Al Mangels
68 Winter 2024 I Springs
Together, the possibilities are infinite. Gibbs Interwire and Elgiloy Specialty Metals offer a complete range of wire and strip solutions to meet virtually any requirement.
GIBBS INTERWIRE gibbswire.com
ELGILOY SPECIALTY METALS elgiloy.com
Elgiloy Specialty Metals and Gibbs Interwire are Divisions of Combined Metals Company, LLC
PO Box 5668 Elgin IL 60121 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
HTC RELEASES UPGRADED MODELS A 35% + INCREASE IN PRODUCTION SPEEDS! INCREASE
INCREASE
80CLII
Wire Range: 3.0mm - 8.0mm (.118” - .315”)
INCREASE
60CLII
Wire Range: 2.2mm - 6.0mm (.086” - .236”)
INCREASE
16CL
Wire Range: 0.4mm - 1.6mm (.016” - .063”)
10CL
Wire Range: 0.2mm - 1.0mm (.008” - .039”)
▪ Larger feed motor for increased power and feed speeds ▪ All new feed transmission gear design to handle higher speeds ▪ Higher accuracy ▪ Easy right/left coiling conversion (for HTC 60CLII & HTC80CLII) ▪ Optimized auto lubrication ▪ Feed speed increased HTC10C production is 35% higher than HTC10CF ▪ HTC10CL ▪ HTC16CL production is 20% higher than HTC16CFII ▪ HTC60CLII production is 35% higher than HTC60CL ▪ HTC80CLII production is 40% higher than HTC80CL
Ready for Industrial 4.0 (Optional WF2)