Springs spring 2015 vol 54 no2 by Spring Manufacturers Institute

Spring 2015

The International Magazine of Spring Manufacture

A Publication of the Spring Manufacturers Institute / Vol. 54, No. 2

A Salute to the Troops

Pay it Forward, Pay it Back 26 Hire a Vet: It Helps the Bottom Line 41 Flashback: The Veteran and the Spring Industry 43 2001 Midwest Rd., Suite 106 Oak Brook, IL 60523-1335 Change Service Requested

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President's Message From Hap Porter

Halftime

Time is a funny thing. When we were kids, it stood still as we waited for class to end and vacation to begin. This past February in New England, time seemed to stop as winter set in, producing over 7.5 feet of snow in three weeks! Spring was but a distant mirage on the grey and stormy horizon. But time flies by when we are having fun, vacationing with family or enjoying the company of friends on a warm summer day. With these contradictions in mind, I find myself just over halfway through my term as SMI president. On one hand, I can’t imagine how this happened so quickly. But when I reflect on all that has been accomplished since February, 2014, I realize that it has, indeed, been a very busy and eventful time. Leading this list, of course, is all the effort that has gone into the design and planning for this fall’s inaugural Metal Engineering eXpo, to be held in Charlotte, N.C. from October 20-22. When we left our annual meeting in Tucson in the spring of 2013, our membership had given the board a clear mandate for SMI to act as a resource to serve the members’ technical needs. They wanted SMI to produce a trade show that would have a heavy component of symposia and class time. Our trade show committee, under the leadership of Dan Sceli, has worked closely with the technical (led by Gene Huber and Simon Fleury), and education (led by Mike Betts) committees to plan over 24 hours of technical and education sessions in Charlotte. Every eXpo attendee and exhibitor will find topics and resources that will help them run their businesses more effectively and, very possibly, more profitably. A second major development over the last year was filling the very large shoes of our retiring safety resource, Jim Wood. Fortunately, we did so last fall with the hiring of Dr. Laura Rhodes as the SMI regulatory compliance consultant. An associate professor in the Safety Sciences department at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) in Indiana, Pa., Laura brings a wealth of compliance knowledge and training experience to a role that can and should benefit every SMI member. Throughout the last year, the SMI staff stayed continually busy. Executive director Lynne Carr, administrative coordinator Dina Sanchez and Springs editor Gary McCoy, each juggled an impressive array of tasks and responsibilities. Whether it’s the production of this outstanding magazine; the planning of upcoming conventions (and also the eXpo!); managing the finances of our Institute (very strong, by the way); or assisting members by responding to various inquiries on numerous topics, the SMI crew does an outstanding job each and every day. Finally, the Institute would not function if not for the time and effort put in by members who graciously volunteer to serve on our several operating committees. I thank them all for their selfless service throughout the year, and all SMI members benefit from their work. Much has been accomplished over the last 15 months, and I pledge to make the most of the time remaining in my term as SMI president!

SMI Executive Committee President: Hap Porter, SEI MetalTek Vice President: Mike Betts, Betts Company Secretary/Treasurer: Steve Kempf, Lee Spring Immediate Past President: Steve Moreland, Automatic Spring Products At Large: Bert Goering, Precision Coil Spring Co. Executive Director: Lynne Carr

SMI Board of Directors Tim Bianco, Iowa Spring • Mark DiVenere, Gemco Manufacturing • Simon Fleury, Liberty Spring • Ed Hall, Spring Team • Gene Huber Jr., Winamac Coil Spring • Charly Klein, Fox Valley Spring • Bill Krauss, Vulcan Spring • Don Lowe, Peterson Spring • Bill Marcum, MW Industries • Melanie Orse, Sound Spring • Jennifer Porter, SEI MetalTek • Dan Sceli, Peterson Spring • Bill Torres, Gibbs Wire and Steel • Jeff Wharin, Bohne Spring • Ted White, Hardware Products • Steve Wunder, Duer/Carolina Coil

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

Springs Magazine Committee Chair, Ted White, Hardware Products • Reb Banas, Stanley Spring & Stamping • Lynne Carr, SMI • Raquel Chole, Dudek & Bock • Ritchy Froehlich, Ace Wire Spring & Form • Bud Funk, Fourslide Products • Bill Marcum, MW Industries • Brett Goldberg, International Spring • Tim Weber, Forming Systems • Europe Liaison: Richard Schuitema, Dutch Spring Association • Technical Advisors: Loren Godfrey, Honorary Member • Dan Sebastian, Honorary Member Advertising sales - Japan Ken Myohdai, Sakura International Inc. 22-11 Harimacho 1-Chome, Abeno-ku Osaka 545-0022 Japan Phone: +81-6-6624-3601 • Fax: +81-6-6624-3602 E-mail: info@sakurain.co.jp Advertising sales - Europe Jennie Franks, Franks & Co. 63 St. Andrew's Road Cambridge United Kingdom CB41DH Phone/Fax: +44-1223-360472 E-mail: franksco@BTopenworld.com Advertising sales - Taiwan Robert Yu, Worldwide Services Co. Ltd. 11F-B, No 540, Sec. 1, Wen Hsin Rd. Taichung, Taiwan Phone: +886-4-2325-1784 • Fax: +886-4-2325-2967 E-mail: stuart@wwstaiwan.com Springs (ISSN 0584-9667) is published quarterly by SMI Business Corp., a subsidiary of the Spring Manufacturers Institute: 2001 Midwest Road, Suite 106, Oak Brook, IL 60523; Phone: (630) 495-8588; Fax: (630) 495-8595; Web site www.smihq.org. Address all correspondence and editorial materials to this address. The editors and publishers of Springs disclaim all warranties, express or implied, with respect to advertising and editorial content, and with respect to all manufacturing errors, defects or omissions made in connection with advertising or editorial material submitted for publication. The editors and publishers of Springs disclaim all liability for special or consequential damages resulting from errors, defects or omissions in the manufacturing of this publication, any submission of advertising, editorial or other material for publication in Springs shall constitute an agreement with and acceptance of such limited liability. The editors and publishers of Springs assume no responsibility for the opinions or facts in signed articles, except to the extent of expressing the view, by the fact of publication, that the subject treated is one which merits attention. Do not reproduce without written permission. Cover art: ©iStockphoto.com/liangpv

2 / SPRINGS / Spring 2015

SAVE THE DATE 5/21/15 MOKENA, IL

Opening Ceremony & Technical Symposium

You’re invited. WAFIOS is pleased to announce the opening ceremony of the WAFIOS Midwest Technical Center on May 21, 2015. Join us for technical symposiums and hands-on demonstrations. WAFIOS machinery on demonstration include: FMU 25 Coiling and Forming Machine B3 and BM 30 Single Head Bending Machines F2 and FUL 56 Spring Coiling Machines

iQ Functions & Product Enhancing Technologies to be demonstrated: iQ autopitch Automatic Pitch and Diameter Correction

iQ control

In-Process-Control of Spring Length and End Position

Q bend

Automated Optimization of Bending Sequences

For additional information, please contact: Brian Davi at BrianD@wafios.us / 203-871-2072.

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Wire Bending & Forming Machines

Wire Straightening, Cutting & End Working Machines

Tube Bending & Forming Machines

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WAFIOS Machinery Corporation 27 NE Industrial Road, Branford, CT 06405 USA Phone: 203-481-5555 / Fax: 203-481-9854 A Subsidiary of WAFIOS AG Precision Machinery for Wire, Tube and Formed SPRINGS / SpringParts 2015 / 3

Contents 33 31

FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

25 Salute to the Troops

2 President’s Message

By Gary McCoy

26 Pay it Forward, Pay it Back 27 Lewis Spring: 70 Years as a Veteran-Owned Company 28 The Mapes Piano String Company Played a Role in WWII U.S. Glider Warfare 31 My Military Service

By Tim Morris

33 Saluting and Supporting the Troops

By John Higgins

34 SMI and the U.S. Army

By Don Fazio

35 The Story of One Vietnam Veteran in the Spring Industry

By Jessica Morse

Halftime

41 Hire a Vet: It Helps the Bottom Line

7 Global Highlights

43 Flashback

14 Regional Spring Association Report

By Dr. Mike Haynie

The Veteran and the Spring Industry By D. V. Smyth

53 Springmaker Spotlight

Doing Fundamental Things Right: A Profile of Brian Duemling and John M. Dean By Gary McCoy

46 Register Now for SMI's Metal Engineering eXpo 50 Advanced Manufacturing Techniques for Springmakers COLUMNS 17 Be Aware Safety Tips

Safety Metrics: A Cause for Motivation By Laura Helmrich-Rhodes

61 Book Corner 63 Inside SMI 65 Committee Connection 66 New Products 67 Advertisers’ Index 68 Snapshot

Steve Wunder, Duer/Carolina Coil

21 Dean of Springs

Fatigue Life for Springs By Dan Sebastian

4 / SPRINGS / Spring 2015

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Global Highlights North America Winamac Coil Spring has announced a number of executive changes effective January 1, 2015. Anthony (Tony) Pesaresi is now president of the company replacing Joe Pesaresi, who has retired but plans to stay active in the family business. Gene Huber Jr. has been named executive vice president to aid in strategic direction. In addition, Chad Huber has been promoted to the position of vice president–plant operations/plant manager. The company said in a statement to customers, “As a family business, the names often stay the same, only the positions are changing. We will continue to run the company as has been done in the past, as a team, with all of us working together for the success of Winamac Coil Spring.” Winamac Coil Spring has been in the Gene Huber Jr., Tony Pesaresi, and Chad Huber of Winamac Coil Spring. spring industry since 1948 (a history and The move of the WEDM/EDM department also opens profile of the company appeared in the Winter 2010 issue of Springs). The company has been an active member up room in the original building for a consolidated, and of SMI and CASMI. Tony Pesaresi has been a CASMI more efficient, assembly/inventory/shipping department; director for two years and sits on the SpringWorld trade a significantly expanded quality department; expanded show committee. Huber Jr. has been a member of the SMI office space; and room to reorganize the shop floor for board of directors and is currently the chairman of the greater efficiency and growth. Sirois Tool manufactures precision tooling and custom SMI technical committee, playing a vital role in planning the technical education sessions for the inaugural SMI gauges, made to its customers’ designs. They have over 50 years of experience in providing close tolerance, precision Metal Engineering eXpo. tooling and gauges to many industries, including the Sirois Tool completed a 5,000 sq. ft. addition to its bearing, medical, aerospace, and firearms industries. current 20,000 sq. ft. facility in Berlin, Conn. in November 2014. It provides additional space for targeted future acquisitions and ongoing internal growth designed to meet customers’ needs. As part of the expansion, its WEDM/EDM department has moved into 1,800 sq. ft. of the addition, nearly double the amount of space this department occupied in the original building. The additional space allows room for the purchase of new EDM and WEDM equipment, with increased capacity and new capabilities. The expansion includes a separate HVAC system for more efficient temperature control, which is critical to close tolerance WEDM/EDM work, along with superior reliability and quality. A dedicated programming office and improved Sirois Tool's newly expanded WEDM/EDM department. lighting system is also part of the addition’s enhancements.

SPRINGS / Spring 2015 / 7

Global Highlights

Sirois Tool specializes in custom I.D. grinding quills, in many materials, including high density materials and tungsten carbide, as well as other spindle parts and accessories. They also manufacture prototypes and small volume orders of machine parts and sub-assemblies for OEM manufacturers. Other Sirois Tool companies include Dow Gage, manufacturer of a line of Dow-Gages for in-process and post-process inspection of precisionmachined parts and North American Spring Tool, a world leader in tooling for the spring and wire industry.

8 / SPRINGS / Spring 2015

MW Industries, a leading provider of highly engineered springs, specialty fasteners, machined parts, and other precision components, announced the acquisition of Maudlin & Son Manufacturing in January and of Helical Products Company, Inc. in February. Maudlin & Son Manufacturing is a manufacturer of slotted shims, coil and flat shim stock, key stock, feeler gages, drill and threaded rod, and tool room supplies. Located near Houston in Kemah, Texas, Maudlin & Son has served domestic and international markets since 1938. In addition to its vast product line, Maudlin & Son also offers a modern custom job shop with water jet, laser cutting, wire EDM, and metal stamping capabilities. Bi l l M a r c u m , C E O of M W I ndu s t r ie s, s a id, “ M aud l i n & Son has an excellent reputation i n c ra f t sma n sh ip, qua l it y a nd meeting the most demanding of industrial requirements. Their focus is centered on their customers, and they take great pride in their ability to provide very rapid turnaround with high precision products. We believe that Maudlin & Son is better positioned to penetrate and expand in our existing markets, including energy and oil patch, machining and various industrial markets.” Helical Products Company, Inc. is a manufacturer of standard and custom couplings, u-joints, and machined springs. Located in Santa Ma ria, Calif., Helical Products Compa ny ha s ser ved domest ic and international markets since 1961. Helical’s origins began with t he HELI-CAL ® Flexible (Beam) Coupling, including the concept and method of producing the HELI-CAL Flexure as a single piece flexible c oupl i n g /c ouple r a nd s pr i n g. Over the years, the versatility and capabilities of the Helical product line have enabled it to become well known, and well accepted, in the global marketplace. Marcum noted, “Helical Products Company is known in the domestic and international marketplace for innovation, quality, and a true focus on the customer’s needs. Helical Products will expand our markets in

Global Highlights

aerospace and aviation, agriculture, medical, recreational and others.” MW has completed a number of acquisitions to strengthen its product offerings and customer base and is currently evaluating a strong pipeline of possible transactions. Fenn will continue its long standing relationship with TS Precision Co., Ltd as the distributor of its Proforma line of stamping and forming machinery in North America. TS Precision Co., Ltd is a manufacturer of high quality, high precision strip and wire stamping and forming machinery. Located in Iwakuni, Japan, TS Precision has been supplying equipment to hundreds of customers in diverse industries worldwide for several decades. As an exclusive North American distributor for TS Precision, Fenn is proud to provide technical sales, support and assistance to all its customers in the region. TS Precision Co., Ltd has earned a solid reputation in the metal forming industry for dependability and performance. With a heavy emphasis on engineering, TS Precision has the experience and capability to handle any application, from simple parts up to turnkey projects including multi-part forming, handling, and assembly on the machine. Examples of Proforma machinery applications include electrical and electronic parts, automobile parts, building hardware, and stationary and general merchandise. Fenn’s director of sales, Darcy Sordo, commented on the continued relationship, “We are very pleased to maintain our successful partnership with TS Precision Co., Ltd and we look forward to ongoing sales, service and support for customers of the Proforma line of equipment.” Fenn welcomes the opportunity to discuss customer applications and how the versatile line of TS Precision equipment can help cut costs, improve quality, increase production, and raise profits. For more information, visit www.fenn-torin.com or www.tsprecision.co.jp. Associated Spring (AS), a business of Barnes Group Inc., and an industry leader and pioneer in engineered precision spring and stamping solutions, has opened a new Innovation and Technology Center (AS ITC) in Plymouth, Mich. With this new facility, Associated Spring solidifies its commitment to innovation and market leadership in engineered precision spring solutions for its customers worldwide. In addition to the AS ITC, Associated Spring operates seven other global manufacturing and engineering divisions: four in the U.S. (Bristol, Conn.; Corry, Pa.; Milwaukee, Wisc. and Syracuse, N.Y.), one in Mexico, one in Brazil, and one in Singapore - with an eye for future additional footprint growth. The new AS ITC will house Associated Spring’s global headquarters, as well as its world-class metallurgical lab, and product/process and research and development (R&D) areas. Additionally, it will serve as a production center

for high performance/racing, drag racing, and circle track racing springs, and other aftermarket applications. The AS ITC will also be a hub of new product and process development (NPD), spring training events, technology benchmarking, and other customer/market focused initiatives. The AS ITC places Associated Spring’s engineering and sales teams closer to many of its local customers that are launching strategic platforms such as 8-, 9-, and 10-speed automotive automatic transmissions that benefit from the precision and value added engineering that AS provides to its customers. Furthermore, in partnership with its domestic and global divisions, the AS ITC will support its industrial customers with key 2 technological advances, serving multiple markets such as transportation, aerospace/defense, construction/mining, diesel powertrain, race/performance, energy, medical, HVAC/compressor, consumer products, telecommunications/electronics and general industrial. For further information, visit www.asbg.com or contact sales/customer service at 800-528-3795. Everett Industries, Inc. welcomes Trex Lusk as its new sales representative for southern Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. Lusk represents Everett Industries by providing cutoff saws and technical support to customers in those states.

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SPRINGS / Spring 2015 / 9

Global Highlights

Lusk attended the University of Southern Colorado and currently resides in Hutchinson, Kan. with his wife, Teresa, and their two sons. Everett Industries said it is proud to have Lusk and his sales expertise as part of their North American team. Everett Industries produces world class, high-quality abrasive cutoff machines that are sold worldwide to any industry requiring metal cutting. The company’s 37,000-square-foot facility in Warren, Ohio houses a modern machine shop with a complete product line of saws, wire rope cutoffs and double mitering cutoff machines. For information on Everett Industries, call 800-6377297, email info@everettindustries.com or visit www. everettindustries.com to download a company catalog. Amy Whittle, president and CEO of Paragon Spring Company in Chicago, Ill., is proud to announce the 70th anniversary of the company in March. Whittle’s grandfather, Harry Foust, was the founder of Paragon Spring and a past SMI president from 1955 to 1960. The Wire Association International (WAI), Inc. announced the appointment of William F. Reichert as president of the association for a one-year term that commenced on January 1, 2015. Reichert will serve as chairman of the board of directors and as the 61st president of the 85-year-old association, which is headquartered in Madison, Conn.

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A WAI member since 1996, Reicher t has been actively involved in t he organization’s leadership as a member of its board of directors, finance committee, and on several conference committees. “When I think of WA I it i s a b out t he people who are committed to adva ncements in ou r industry. That engagement is evident at the association’s events where industry news William Reichert is shared in the valuable networking process. Participation and involvement in the association provides growth for the individual member and positive results for our industry,” said Reichert. Reichert is the COO for Champlain Cable Corporation in Colchester, Vt. His experience in manufacturing industries spans 32 years, 30 of which have been in the wire and cable industry in various operations, engineering, sales and marketing roles. He has spent the past 11 years with Champlain Cable, where he is responsible for facilities in Colchester; El Paso, Texas; and Leeds, Mass. Reichert holds a B.S. degree in chemistry and an MBA degree from the University of Vermont, where he has recently taught “Production and Operation Management” for the university’s MBA program. He has presented technical and management papers at WAI’s conferences, as well as at the Wire & Cable FOCUS (of which he is a founding advisor) and International Wire & Cable Symposium (IWCS) conferences. He is also a member of the Wire and Cable Manufacturer’s Alliance (WCMA). C h a m pl a i n C a b l e C o r p o r a t io n d e s i g n s a n d manufactures high performance wire and cable. The company is ISO 14001 certified, TS-16949 certified, and RoHS compliant providing support for automotive, industrial and telecommunication applications. WAI is governed by a network of volunteers from around the world. Joining Reichert for the 2015 term will be members of the association’s 2015 executive committee: first vice president, Andy G. Talbot, Mid-South Wire Co. Inc.; second vice president, David R. Hawker, Nexans Energy USA Inc.; executive committee members Richard S. Baker, General Cable Corp., and Jan Sorige, Enkotec Co. Inc.; and immediate past president William A. Avise, Leggett & Platt. WAI, founded in 1930, is a not-for-profit association with more than 2,200 individual members in 51 countries around the globe. The association serves the educational needs of the wire and cable manufacturing industry through a variety of products and services. WAI manages the Interwire Trade Exhibition and the WAI Operations

Global Highlights

Summit & Wire Expo and publishes the Wire Journal International, Wire Journal International Reference Guide, and WIRE BULLETIN through subsidiary operations. Ace Wire Spring and Form Company has announced the passing of long-time employee Stanley “Stush” Kosol, 82, on January 4, 2015. Kosol was most proud of the fact that he worked at the company in McKees Rock, Pa. for almost 70 years. He enjoyed local concerts, his bus pass (which was well used), playing his harmonica and polka music. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Grace, four daughters, one son, and a brother, along with several grandchildren, and nieces and nephews. “Stush worked at Ace longer than any other employee in our 76-year history,” said Linda Froehlich, co-owner of Ace. “He started at Ace when he was 15 years old and didn’t stop for 68 years. Even though his last few years were difficult, he always wanted to be at work. It’s a great loss. He was a great man, husband and father. He was a character you couldn’t help but love.” Newcomb Spring Corp. recently purchased a new CNC spring coiler capable of manufacturing a wide range of compression, extension and torsion springs. The machine’s automated features enable Newcomb to coil precision springs using wire diameters up to .625” with increased speed and productivity. “Newcomb Spr i ng ta kes pr ide i n ou r moder n operations, utilizing highly efficient machinery and stateof-the-art manufacturing technologies. We purchased this high-end spring coiler for its advanced capabilities, which allows us to provide strict compliance to specifications, reduces lead times and substantially increases the production of large springs,” explained Ron Hubbard, general manager at Newcomb Spring of Texas, where the equipment is installed. The coiler forms springs using wire up to .625” (15.875mm) in diameter, rapidly producing parts that traditionally required manual handling. The system’s automated features eliminate the need for labor-intensive hand tooling and many secondary processes, providing faster turnaround times and less waste material. Newcomb Spring Corp., a leading supplier of custom springs and metal forms, has purchased Pelham Precision Spring Co., which was located in Greer, S.C. Existing orders and customers will now be served by Newcomb Spring’s North Carolina facility. Newcomb Spring of North Carolina will also absorb Pelham Precision Spring’s equipment, tooling and technologies. “This acquisition increases Newcomb Spring’s customer base and gives us a lot of opportunity,” said Keith Porter, Jr., general manager at Newcomb Spring of North Carolina. “Pelham Precision Spring has served an extensive list of customers during its time in operation,

including some of the country’s top hardware supply companies. It also has exceptional CNC and automated coilers, as well as machinery capable of accurately grinding wire up to .187” in diameter. We are excited to add these technologies to our existing array of modern manufacturing equipment.” Newcomb Spring is comprised of nine facilities located in the United States and Canada. Newcomb Spring of North Carolina serves customers throughout North and South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia as well as the Eastern and Mid-Atlantic states. As one of the country’s largest spring and metal forming companies, Newcomb Spring’s diverse manufacturing, quality control and secondary capabilities expand the services available to Pelham Precision Spring customers. “Newcomb Spring has supplied Pelham Precision Spring with many parts over the years. Our companies share the same values and commitment to our customers,” said Doug Harju, general manager at Pelham Precision Spring. “With this acquisition, our customers will continue to receive the same outstanding products and services they have been accustomed to.” “We are committed to providing Pelham Precision Spring customers with the very best products and services and we look forward to meeting all of their metal forming needs,” Porter added.

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SPRINGS / Spring 2015 / 11

Global Highlights

JSSE Awards Presentation: Left: Technical poster first place winner Makiko Nakagawa; Center: JSSE prize winners pose with the JSSE president; Right: JSSE presented Spring Technological Heritage certificates to one university and three springs/parts manufactureres to express appreciation for preservation of machines of historical value.

International Exhibitor applications for wire Düsseldorf 2016, International Wire and Cable Trade Fair, are now available online at www.wire.de/2330 and are due by April 30, 2015. The event will be held from April 4–8, 2016 at the fairgrounds in Düsseldorf, Germany. A special feature at wire 2016 will again be the North American Pavilion, organized by Messe Düsseldorf North

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America (MDNA) together with the Wire and Cable Industry Suppliers Association (WCISA) of Akron, Ohio as the sponsor (www.wcisaonline.org). The pavilion provides a cost-effective means for companies to enter into or to expand their business in the lucrative overseas marketplace. U.S. Commercial Service staff will be on hand in the North American Pavilion to assist with export and licensing questions. Contact Messe Düsseldorf North America at 312-781-5180 to reserve exhibit space within the North American Pavilion. To sign up as a wire 2016 exhibitor for individual space visit www.wire.de/2330. To exhibit within the North American Pavilion, contact Messe Düsseldorf North America at 312-781-5180; Fax: (312) 781-5188; email: info@mdna.com; visit http://www.mdna. com; or the MDNA blog at http://blog.mdna.com; or follow them on Twitter at http://twitter.com/WireTube_MDNA For hotel and travel information, contact TTI Travel, Inc. at 866-674-3476; fax 212-674-3477; email: info@ ttitravel.net or www.traveltradeint.com. Japan Society of Spring Engineers (JSSE) held its semiannual Lecture Meeting, including a poster session, and a ceremony of JSSE Awards at Kyoto Tower Hotel in Kyoto on November 7, 2014. Eight general lectures and one special topic lecture were presented to 131 attendees in a banquet hall of the hotel. The opening speech was presented by Satoshi Suzuki, a vice-chairperson of JSSE in charge of events and a director of Chuo Spring Co., Ltd. Titles of general lectures included “Fatigue Characteristics of Cylindrical Compression Coil Springs with Bending Deformation,” by Ryouichi Kariya of Suncall Corporation; “Evaluation of Fatigue Damage in Type 316 Stainless Steel,” by Fumiya Nakao of Gifu University; and “Evaluation of Residual Stress of Stainless Steel Springs by X-ray 2D Method,” by Shunji Nakashima of NHK Spring Co., Ltd.

Global Highlights

Isao Otani

Kazunori Kishigami

A special topic lecture, “Global Automobile Industry in New Stage of Competition,” was given by Tetsuo Kubo, vice-president and director of Fourin, Inc. Seven technical posters were displayed in a meeting room of the hotel. A brief explanation was given by a representative for each of the posters on the spea ker’s plat for m for t he lecture meeting, followed by question and answer sessions. The f i rst place poster wa s “ M a k i n g Su r f a c e D e f e c t s Ha r m less a nd I mprov i ng Torsional Fatigue Strength of Spring Steel by Shotpeening,” b y M a k i k o Na k a g a w a o f Yokohama University, et al. An awards ceremony was held prior to t he af ternoon session of the lecture meeting. The Ronbun prize was given to “Practical Formulation for Constant-force Spiral Spring,” by

Takuro Aiki and Kazumasa Iida of Hayamizu Hatsujo Co., Ltd. and Masayoshi Shimoseki of Nihon University. The Gijutu prize went to two papers, “Surface Characteristics and Bending Fatigue Limit of Carburized Steel treated by Double Shot Peening using Centrifugal Force Type Equipments,” by Katsuyuki Matsui and Yoshitomi Yamada of Isuzu Motors Ltd., Tadao Irei of Dowa Thermoengineering Co., Ltd. and Yasuyuki Jin of Nissin Kinzoku Co., Ltd.; and “Experimental Study on the Effect of Coil Spring Reaction Force Vector on Suspension System Characteristics,” by Shinichi Nishizawa and Takahiro Nakamura of NHK International Corporation, and Kazuo Furukawa, Senri Moriyama and Ryuichi Sato of NHK Spring Co., Ltd. The Koseki prize went to Dr. Motoaki Osawa of Tokyo Denki University, Dr. Toshio Hamano of NHK Spring Co., Ltd., Yoshihiro Hayasaka of Mitsubishi Steel Manufacturing Co., Ltd., and Dr. Ichie Nomura of Aichi Steel Corporation. A presentation ceremony was also held to honor one university and three spring and/or parts manufacturers to express JSSE’s appreciation for their preservation of machines of historical value. Isao Otani, a vice-chairperson of JSSE in charge of general affairs and a managing officer of NHK Spring Co., Ltd. made the opening speech, followed by the guest speech by Kazunori Kishigami, a vice-chairperson of Japan Spring Manufacturers Association (JSMA) and the president of Koyo Co., Ltd. n

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©iStockphoto.com/Scott Hirko

Regional Spring Association Report NESMA Holds Joint Meeting with Small Manufacturers Association By Ted White, Hardware Products The New England Spring & Metalstamping Association (NESMA) held its first joint association meeting with the Smaller Manufacturers Association (SMA) on January 15, 2015 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Bristol, Conn. NESMA has operated under the assumption that partnering with other associations can increase its influence at the educational and legislative levels. NESMA has done this on several different levels by attending functions together with other groups, but this was the first time they held a joint meeting. The SMA is set up differently than NESMA. NESMA, like SMI, restricts its membership to springmakers, metal stampers, and the vendors that serve those industries with raw materials and tools. SMA’s membership is open to any vendor or would-be vendor. As a result, there were many bankers and insurance companies represented at the meeting. Overall, SMA attendance was higher than usual because of the opportunity to network with NESMA members. The function consisted of a social hour, a welcome from NESMA president Michael Brault and SMA President John Zoldy, a buffet dinner and two presentations. The speakers were James McGuinnes of Connecticut Innovations and Mark Morgana and Ryan Hines of TurnKey Compliance Solutions. TurnKey already had an affiliation with NESMA and Connecticut Innovations had a relationship with SMA. So both companies were trying to cross

14 / SPRINGS / Spring 2015

SMA president John Zoldy

sell to the members of the two associations. In Michael Brault’s opening comments, he told the springmakers and stampers that the first AEDAC (Adult Education Diploma and Certificate) class (a machinist training program at Rowley Spring and Stamping) had graduated its first class of students with several graduates available for hire. He also indicated that NESMA is looking to markedly increase its committee membership and invited volunteers to contact any board members present. John Zoldy’s opening remarks consisted of the same plea for committee members. He reminded SMA members that the state legislature is currently in session

and said an email to a congressman or senator always has an effect. He reminded everyone that the scholarship application was currently in process and urged the membership to make it known in their facilities. And he finally reminded everyone that the state does have a training voucher program from $5,000 to $50,000 and that they should avail themselves to that. Connecticut Innovations is a quasi-governmental body with a goal of increasing employment for Connecticut residents. Innovations works with pre-existing businesses who would like to expand, have an idea for a new business, or are building a new division in Connecticut. If it is an idea

Regional Spring Association Report

they believe has merit, they can help prepare a business plan, revenue projections and the like. Innovations will then approach a bank they work with a proposal in which the bank may hold 60 percent of a note and Solutions holds the rest. Sometimes they will make guarantees in lieu of holding a note, or they may take an equity position in the firm in return for their investment. Because of these approaches, they tend to assist in the funding of higher risk initiatives than a bank alone would fund. TurnKey Compliance Solutions is a full-service regulatory compliance consultant. They are experts on DEP, EPA and OSHA regulations, on both a state and federal level. They provide consultation on environmental, health and safety regulations. They work with large and small companies, but feel they provide a real service to small companies that do not have the staff to deal with today’s endless mountain of regulations. They also stated that they like to maintain ongoing relationships with their clients because when a regulation changes they will know about it, whereas the smaller company may not.

Cindy Scoville (left), executive director of NESMA with Cindy Zoldy, executive director of SMA

They operate in several different manners depending on need. Sometimes they will make an evaluation and come back in a year. Other times they will make an evaluation and implement the solutions immediately. They will then monitor the situation

once a week, and with very large companies they sometimes have an employee onsite virtually full-time. Everyone thought the joint meeting was a success, and both groups committed to making it happen again. For more information on NESMA, visit www.nesma-usa.com.

CASMI Welcomes New Leaders The Chicago Association of Spring Manufacturers (CASMI) introduced its new board members for 2015-2016 on January 15 at its monthly dinner meeting at Manzo’s Restaurant in Des Plaines, Ill. CASMI’s new president is Tony Iuliano, president of Rapid Wire Forms, Inc. in Chicago, Ill. Iuliano has been on the CASMI board for the last eight years and has served in a variety of capacities as a director, golf chair, a past secretarytreasurer, and vice president last

year. Other officers include vice president, Joshua P. Kahn, who is vice president of Perfection Spring & Stamping Corp. in Mount Prospect, Ill. The organization’s secretary/ treasurer is Joe Wesner of Sterling Spring Corp., LLC in Chicago. Continuing on the CASMI board is director Tony Pesaresi with Winamac Coil Spring, Inc. in Kewanna, Indiana. New on the CASMI Board of Directors is Sandy Lidman, from Automatic Spring in Chicago, a

division of MW Industries. Lidman is the first woman elected to the CASMI Board of Directors. Also new to the board is Sean Wolfert from Mastercoil Spring Company in McHenry, Ill. Jim Strok, Jr., immediate past president of CASMI is continuing as chairman of SpringWorld 2016. Past president Rick Ross of Rockford Spring is supporting this new board. Last year he served as show chairman of SpringWorld 2014. For more information, visit www.casmi-springworld.org. n

SPRINGS / Spring 2015 / 15

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Be Aware Safety Tips

Safety Metrics: A Cause for Motivation By Laura Helmrich-Rhodes, CSP, Ed.D.

he savvy businessperson knows there are many metrics used to evaluate performance. Some are “leading indicators” others are “lagging indicators.” Experts agree that leading indicators are far superior in measuring performance, culture and climate, yet some lagging indicators can be informative. Certain lagging indicators can, at least, create interest in a project or subject matter. These can serve as a cause for motivation. Let’s look at one important set of safety metrics, the Injury and Illness Incident Rates, how they are calculated, how they can be used in-house and how they are used outside your organizations to evaluate your company’s overall safety culture.

Description The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) gathers Injury, Illness and Fatality (IIF) information by sending its Annual Survey to random companies in select sectors using the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). The objective is to have a sample of employer statistics from all industries. Among other things, BLS publishes the industry average for Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) and the Days Away Restricted Transfer Incident Rate (DART). It should be noted there is much controversy regarding the validity of the BLS survey results, yet this is the standard used to evaluate your company. Calculation A frequent question is, how can a small organization be compared fairly against larger ones? That is solved in the calculations by using the annual hours worked and the constant 200,000. The constant represents 100 employees working 40 hours per week for 50 weeks per year. The mathematical assumption is that using this equation, allows comparison of rates regardless of the number of employees. Uses In-House Companies with multiple locations or those willing to benchmark with similar organizations can use incident rates as a starting point for sharing safety successes. Engaging in benchmarking relationships for safety, health and environmental improvement are often overlooked. If your rates fall below the national averages, and you are not using any other metrics, then use these rates

to create your company safety culture goals. Gathering stakeholders together to decide reasonable goals for the next six months or year, using incident rates, may display the importance for continuous improvement.

Laura Helmrich-Rhodes, CSP, Ed.D., is an independent regulations compliance consultant to the Spring Manufacturers Institute (SMI). A former member of PA/OSHA Consultation, she is an associate professor in the Safety Sciences Department at Indiana University of Pennsylvania where she teaches graduate and undergraduate classes on topics such as OSHA standards, safety communications, workers’ compensation and human relations. Rhodes is available for safety advice and information. Contact SMI at 630-4958588 or laurahrhodes@gmail.com.

SPRINGS / Spring 2015 / 17

Do not implement an incentive program focused only on reducing t he nu m b e r of i nj u r ie s. The s e programs are now illegal. OSHA has developed st r ict g uidelines for incentive programs. Rewards must promote safety, not discourage reporting. Most safety professionals agree incentive programs should only be used to create interest in safety by shop-level employees and their families. Assigning accountability for safe operations at all levels is the key to controlling incidents.

Uses by Outside Organizations Bot h OSH A a nd workers’ compensation insurers use these rates to assess your safety performance. It is not the best measure, as it is a lagging indicator, but it is easily obtained and industry specific. Since it is often used this way, accumulating leading safety indicators becomes very important if you have to argue on behalf of your company. OSHA also uses the data to establish “targeted enforcement” efforts. Using

Resources for More Information TOOL

WEBSITE

DESCRIPTION

OSHA Recordkeeping Guidebook

https://www.osha.gov/ Publications/recordkeeping/ OSHA_3245_REVISED.pdf

This booklet is a complete guide to Federal OSHA Recordkeeping.

Recordkeeping Tutorial

https://www.osha.gov/ recordkeeping/tutorial.html

New information! Assign this activity to whomever is preparing your OSHA documents.

BLS Incident Rates

http://www.bls.gov/news. release/pdf/osh.pdf

Use this to compare your organization to the national average.

OSHA Rules on Incentive Programs

https://www.osha.gov/as/opa/ whistleblowermemo.html

It is illegal to create a scheme in which employees lose if they report injuries or illness.

State Plan Recordkeeping

https://www.osha.gov/dcsp/ osp/statestandards.html

If you operate in a state where it is a state-run OSHA, consult their guidelines for recordkeeping.

the proper definitions of “recordable” incidents cannot be stressed enough, not just for you but for the entire industry. Unfortunately, some companies are overzealous in recording all injuries, even first aid. Some include hearing losses for employees who are not in the Hearing Conservation Program. The old idea that “it’s better to have them all on the log so we don’t miss one” needs to be abandoned. Some customers or contractors may also use incident rates and OSHA citation experience in their selection process. Many modern management practices mesh safety and quality, so quite frequently OSHA information is used in conjunction wit h t he evaluation of production.

©iStockphoto.com/ DNY59

Using the proper definitions of “recordable” incidents cannot be stressed enough, not just for you but for the entire industry. Unfortunately, some companies are overzealous in recording all injuries, even first aid. Some include hearing losses for employees who are not in the Hearing Conservation Program. The old idea that “it’s better to have them all on the log so we don’t miss one” needs to be abandoned.

The Motivation It is hard to accept that just ONE incident in a small company means exceeding t he national average. There simply are not enough hours to “spread” the experience. Fewer hours worked in a small company magnifies incidents. The data highlighted here shows the need for employee protection to be a sincere top priority by management. An effective safety program includes, but is not limited to, proper hiring and placement, engineering out physical hazards, employee engagement, and holding managers and supervisors accountable for all operations under their control including safety performance. n

18 / SPRINGS / Spring 2015

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Dean of Springs

Fatigue Life for Springs By Dan Sebastian

S/n Diagram : spring Life Approximation 340 Alternating Stress (MPa)

ver the next few issues of Springs I hope to relate to you a few of the technical and business related issues I have encountered on my journey through the world of springs. It started way back in 1968 when I was lucky enough to get an internship at the research and development center of Associated Spring. At the time I was studying metallurgical engineering at Lehigh University and was convinced that after completing my studies I would go off to NASA and work on the moon landing project. Lyndon Johnson was president and we were still trying to find a way to land on the moon. At that time the fax machine, cell phone, and 300 channels of TV were all science fiction. Somehow that summer, springs bit me and I got on the ride of a lifetime.

330 320 310 300 290 280 270 260

1.E+05

How Long Will my Spring Last One of the most common questions that a springmaker gets is: â&#x20AC;&#x153;How long will my spring last?â&#x20AC;? It seems like a simple answer to a reasonable question but in fact it is a complex answer and is dependent on a lot of different issues. Most software including the SMI software will give you an answer that at best is an approximation. All the answers begin with the basic S/n diagram which has three basic components. The finite zone can be steep. For example, a small change in stress can have a very large change in expected life. The finite area is notoriously less accurate than the other two zones. Next is the transition zone, where expected life is generally much longer and it takes larger changes in stress to effect life. The last is the long cycle life, where there appears to be a threshold below which life can be very long. It is common to create these S/n curves based on material tensile strength, which can give you a general idea, but lacks the many factors like material surface condition or the inherent fracture toughness of the material. If the S/n curve used is from actual test data it is effected by the quality of the stress relieving and the spring configuration. The greater the difference from the test specimens index and pitch angle the less accurate

1.0E+06

1.0E+07

Number of Cycles

the data. A common problem in accuracy is the fact that most data is developed with sinusoidal (controlled application and release of load) loading. All of this leads you to conclude that the standard curves will give you an indication between 5,000 cycles and 50,000 (in the finite zone). Once again it is an indicator not a precise measure of expected life. There is no substitute for testing in actual operating conditions. There are five critical factors that I believe you need to consider when trying to assess the life of a spring:

1. Stress Range This is perhaps the most critical as springs cycled over a large range of stress are subject to greater probability to

Dan Sebastian is a former SMI president and currently serves as a technical consultant to the association. He may be reached by contacting SMI at 630-495-8588.

SPRINGS / Spring 2015 / 21

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Reel Time. failure than a spring at higher stresses with a smaller range. In the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Encyclopedia of Spring Designâ&#x20AC;? you can find out how to use a modified Goodman Diagram to adjust for stress range.

2. Environmental Operating Condition You must always carefully evaluate the environment in which the spring operates as it can have a serious effect on life. Even what would appear to be a modest environment when a spring is cycled can greatly increase the likelihood of stress corrosion cracking. 3. Speed of Cycling The actual test speed as well as the rate of applying and releasing the spring can change the expected life significantly. 4. Size Does Matter The size of the material is critical in looking at fatigue data. In general, the larger the material from the test data, the less accurate the data will be. You can make a reasonable extrapolation if you have the data from multiple wire sizes. 5. Basic Metallurgy You must carefully evaluate the basic metallurgical structure in determining the fatigue properties. In

22 / SPRINGS / Spring 2015

the case of music wire the original material structure pearlite vs. banite may yield the same tensile strength but will produce different fatigue properties. The same is true for pre-tempered material in achieving consistent results (keep in mind that tempering is both time- and temperature-dependent). It is common for a customer to require a fatigue test on lots of material. You must make sure that the test paramaters and equipment are the same or you can get different results. Simply passing a test is no assurance of reliability. This can only be achieved by multiple tests and plotting the results to determine the Weibull probability of life. A number of years ago, a customer worked with us and tested many samples because they were using our springs in a critical component where they provided a money back guarantee. After launching into production, problems began. What they failed to consider was all their test springs were made from the material of a single heat of material. The minor tolerance variations of material created serious long term reliability problems. The moral of the story is if you are making precious life expectations from most published data without reviewing at least the five critical factors in determining the expected life, you may have a problem. n

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++++++ + + + + + +

By Gary McCoy

eterans Day is celebrated each year in the U.S., and May is designated as Military Appreciation Month. Those are wonderful occasions for all of us to say thanks to our military personnel. I was delighted last year when the Springs magazine committee embraced the opportunity to take one issue of this publication to recognize the men and women who serve in the U.S. military and all those veterans who came before them. The spring industry has long been ďŹ lled with vets and active duty personnel who have made sacriďŹ ces to give all of us a better life. This â&#x20AC;&#x153;Salute to The Troopsâ&#x20AC;? issue you hold in your hands is the opportunity for our members to tell us their stories. To preview what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll ďŹ nd, hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a quick glimpse. UĂ&#x160; Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x160;Âş-ÂŤĂ&#x20AC;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;}Â&#x201C;>Â&#x17D;iĂ&#x20AC;Ă&#x160;-ÂŤÂ&#x153;Ă&#x152;Â?Â&#x2C6;}Â&#x2026;Ă&#x152;ÂťĂ&#x160;Â&#x153;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x160;ÂŤ>}iĂ&#x160;xĂ&#x17D;]Ă&#x160;Ă&#x17E;Â&#x153;Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x153;Â&#x2C6;Â?Â?Ă&#x160; meet Brian Duemling, the president of John M. Dean Co. in Putnam, Conn. Duemling graduated from the U.S. Military Academy and served with distinction as an ofďŹ cer in both the Army and Army Reserves. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll learn some of the lessons he acquired from his military experience and how it applies to his work in the spring industry. UĂ&#x160; -Ă&#x152;iĂ&#x203A;iĂ&#x160;7Ă&#x2022;Â&#x2DC;`iĂ&#x20AC;]Ă&#x160;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2026;iĂ&#x160;ÂŤĂ&#x20AC;iĂ&#x192;Â&#x2C6;`iÂ&#x2DC;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x160;Â&#x153;vĂ&#x160; Ă&#x2022;iĂ&#x20AC;Ă&#x2030; >Ă&#x20AC;Â&#x153;Â?Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;>Ă&#x160; Â&#x153;Â&#x2C6;Â?Ă&#x160; is the subject of our â&#x20AC;&#x153;Snapshotâ&#x20AC;? on page 68. Like Duemling, he also graduated from West Point and was a captain in the U.S. Army as an artillery ofďŹ cer. UĂ&#x160; iĂ&#x192;Ă&#x192;Â&#x2C6;V>Ă&#x160; Â&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x192;iĂ&#x160;vĂ&#x20AC;Â&#x153;Â&#x201C;Ă&#x160; Â&#x2C6;VÂ&#x2026;Â&#x2C6;}>Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x160;-ÂŤĂ&#x20AC;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;}Ă&#x160;EĂ&#x160;-Ă&#x152;>Â&#x201C;ÂŤÂ&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;}Ă&#x160; will introduce you to Clark â&#x20AC;&#x153;Gregâ&#x20AC;? Dietz, one of six military veterans who works at the company based

UĂ&#x160;

in Muskegon, Michigan. On page 35 youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll connect with Dietz, who speaks openly about his experiences during the Vietnam War and how they have affected his life over the past 30 plus years. /Â&#x2026;Â&#x153;Ă&#x2022;}Â&#x2026;Ă&#x160;Â&#x2DC;Â&#x153;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x160;>Ă&#x160;Ă&#x203A;iĂ&#x152;iĂ&#x20AC;>Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x160;Â&#x2026;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x201C;Ă&#x192;iÂ?v]Ă&#x160;,Â&#x2C6;VÂ&#x17D;Ă&#x160;*Â&#x2C6;>ViÂ&#x2DC;Ă˘>Ă&#x160;Â&#x153;vĂ&#x160; Wickeder Steel Company put together a special weekend in Madison, Wisconsin to pay tribute to current military personnel. Read about â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pay It Forwardâ&#x20AC;Ś.Pay It Backâ&#x20AC;? on page 26.

Â&#x153;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x160; >Ă˘Â&#x2C6;Â&#x153;Ă&#x160;Â&#x153;vĂ&#x160; Â&#x2C6;>Â&#x201C;Â&#x153;Â&#x2DC;`Ă&#x160;7Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x20AC;iĂ&#x160;-ÂŤĂ&#x20AC;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;}Ă&#x160;ÂŤĂ&#x20AC;Â&#x153;Ă&#x203A;Â&#x2C6;`iĂ&#x192;Ă&#x160;>Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x160; entertaining short story on page 34 about how he and his wife, Bernie, met up with SMI members in Germany during his tour of duty with the U.S. Army. 9Â&#x153;Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x153;Â&#x2C6;Â?Â?Ă&#x160;>Â?Ă&#x192;Â&#x153;Ă&#x160;Â&#x2026;i>Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x160;>LÂ&#x153;Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x203A;iĂ&#x152;iĂ&#x20AC;>Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x192;Ă&#x160;>Â&#x2DC;`Ă&#x160;Ă&#x192;Â&#x153;Â&#x201C;iĂ&#x160;Â&#x153;vĂ&#x160;Ă&#x152;Â&#x2026;iĂ&#x160; products made by their companies for the military at James Spring & Wire Company (page 31), Lewis Spring (page 27), and Ace Wire & Spring Co. (page 33). *Â?Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x192;]Ă&#x160;Â&#x153;Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x160;Ă&#x20AC;iÂ?>Ă&#x152;Â&#x2C6;Ă&#x203A;iÂ?Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x160;Â&#x2DC;iĂ&#x153;Ă&#x160;vi>Ă&#x152;Ă&#x2022;Ă&#x20AC;iĂ&#x160;Âş Â&#x153;Â&#x153;Â&#x17D;Ă&#x160; Â&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;Â&#x2DC;iĂ&#x20AC;ÂťĂ&#x160;Â&#x153;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x160;ÂŤ>}iĂ&#x160; 61 reviews â&#x20AC;&#x153;Courage to Execute.â&#x20AC;? Author James D. Murphy looks at what elite U.S. military units can teach business about leadership and team performance.

I know weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve only scratched the surface of the ways Springs readers have served their country or manufactured products to help protect our freedom. So Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m encouraging you to continue sharing stories and goodwill initiatives with us aimed at helping active and former military veterans. It is ďŹ tting to end with this quote by the great British statesman Winston Churchill, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Never in the ďŹ eld of human conďŹ&#x201A;ict was so much owed by so many to so few.â&#x20AC;? Q

SPRINGS / Spring 2015 / 25

★★★

Pay it Forward Pay it BACK

bus transportation, special gifts of appreciation, and tickets to the UW basketball game on December 28 at the Kohl Center in Madison. our country.” These words of gratitude were expressed A special moment was experienced by all, when the 15 warriors and their guests were by Bo Ryan, head men’s basketball coach for the 2015 introduced at halftime of the game to the 18,000 NCAA Division 1 national runner-up University of Kohl Center spectators, who collectively gave the warriors an emotional and exceptionally Wisconsin Badger basketball team, as he addressed 30 moving two minute standing ovation. “A n u nbel ievable, once -i n-a-l i fet i me military veterans and their guests. All of those attending experience; one that I will never forget,” was the feedback from Kristopher Erikson, who was were from the state of Wisconsin and were assigned deployed to and served in Iraq as a member of the U.S. Army. “It made a difference and I really for deployment to Iraq, Afghanistan, or the Middle East. appreciate everyone’s willingness to make this event happen to recognize veterans.” “’Pay it Forward and Pay it Back’ was the theme of The opportunity to meet, engage with and obtain autographs from Coach Ryan and the entire team of players this event,” according to Piacenza, who is regional sales and coaches as guests of the UW Athletic Department was manager for Wickeder Steel Company, a new associate SMI just one component of ”Pay it Forward…Pay it Back,” a member company. “I wanted to do something to express special event which took place December 27-28, 2014 in the gratitude which the people of Wisconsin hold for Madison, Wis. The event was delivered jointly by Badger military service men and women who have chosen to place basketball alumnus and SMI member, Rick Piacenza, of their country ahead of themselves and their families.” “One hundred percent of the cost of this weekend Wickeder Steel Company and Hope For The Warriors®, a was underwritten through contributions from Madison charitable non-profit organization. The mission of Hope For The Warriors® is to enhance area corporate sponsors and private donors,” explained the quality of life for post-9/11 service members, their Piacenza. “The warriors and their guests were informed families, and families of the fallen who have sustained at the start of the weekend event that their money wasn’t good at any time during the weekend while in Madison.” physical and psychological wounds in the line of duty. Piacenza said he had a strong reasons for partnering In addition to special guest invitations to watch the Badger basketball practice, the weekend for the 15 warriors with Hope For The Warriors® as the veteran assistance and their 15 guests included hotel accommodations, meals, organization for this event. “This organization has a

“Thank you for your service and all you do to defend

©iStockphoto.com/ MariaArefyeva

26 / SPRINGS / Spring 2015

Thirty military veterans and their guests enjoyed a weekend of basketball and hospitality in Madison, Wisc.

stellar reputation for service and assistance to active duty service members, veterans and their families through integrity, financial transparency, and a four-star rating as a charitable non-profit organization.” Piacenza has been holding a special event like this in conjunction with Badgers men’s basketball since 2009, when he provided a similar experience for children with pediatric cancer through a non-profit group where he was serving as a board member. He started the event for veterans in 2013 and plans to hold a third annual experience later this year. Although

not a veteran himself, Piacenza has a great respect for veterans because of his own father’s service with the U.S. Navy in the Paciﬁc theater during World War II. Piacenza says in a country divided by issues such as gender, race, religion, color, and political afﬁliation, veterans are the one group which brings everyone together. For more information on Hope For The Warriors®, go to: www.hopeforthewarriors.org/, visit their Facebook at www.facebook.com/HopeForTheWarriors/, or through Twitter @Hope4Warriors. Q

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LEWIS SPRING: 70 YEARS AS A VETERAN-OWNED COMPANY

ocated in the Chicago suburb of Niles, Ill., Lewis Spring & Mfg. Co. is a veteran-owned spring manufacturer, celebrating its 70th year in the spring industry. The company was born out of World War II. It is rumored that it supplied parts to Oppenheimer prior to its incorporation in September of 1945. Current president and co-owner Jim Robertson is an Army veteran, having served in Europe and Asia. Company co-owner Tom Kaminski served with the Wisconsin Army National Guard. Both are Vietnam era veterans. Jim’s son, Patrick, served with the Marines in Iraq in 2003, while Jim’s brother, Mike, served with the Illinois Army National Guard in Afghanistan

from 2009-2010. Design engineer Gary Blaha has a son, Patrick, on active duty in the Army, who has served three tours in Iraq, (2006, 2009 & 2011). None of these veterans currently work for Lewis Spring. Another Lewis Spring president from 1985-1989, Will Spitler, was an Army helicopter pilot in Vietnam.

Our Products Over the past 70 years, Lewis Springs has produced a multitude of different parts relating to military applications. One of the parts functions with the armament of ordnance for Navy jets. The item was in the tens of thousands at one point in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s and still continues on today, but

Jim Robertson

SPRINGS / Spring 2015 / 27

on a much smaller scale. Most of the military products produced at Lewis Spring are for single use applications associated with ordnance.

Our Future Lewis Spring & Mfg. Co. is pro-veteran in both its hiring and advertising activities. The company has hired several veterans over the past few years, but it has found it difficult to match up a veteran’s job training with spring industry needs. The company is in its third year of hiring students from the University of Illinois, Chicago for summer internships and giving preference to students who are veterans. In 2012-2013 the Lewis Spring & Mfg. Co. student engineer was a Marine veteran who had served in Iraq. n Left: Mike Robertson with an armored vehicle in Afghanistan. Inset: Pat Blaha (far right) in Iraq.

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

The Mapes Piano String Company Played a role in WWII U.S. Glider Warfare ★★★★★★

he Mapes Piano String Company, a century-old company based in Elizabethton, Tennessee, may be best known for producing strings for grand pianos, but also boasts a rich history of serving the U.S. military. Mapes is an associate member of SMI supplying wire to the spring industry. Mapes CEO Bob Schaff spoke recently on behalf of his family, saying that the business not only provided guitar strings and other instrument strings at cost for United Service Organizations (USO) shows during World War II, but also played a role in aiding our Allied Forces.

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Schaff’s entire family business got drafted into military service when his father, William George Schaff, Jr., went to a recruiting office one day in 1942. “He went to sign up, and they said, ‘No, we have another project for you, something you’re going to do for the war effort.’ ” At that time, the U.S. Air Force was attempting to develop a glider plane program comparable to Hitler’s already existing German Glider Corps. Schaff says the Department of Defense (DOD) told his father that Mapes would do the splicing on steel cable assemblies needed for the glider planes.

★★★ A CG-4A glider is about to leave the ground in tow of a Douglas C-47 during a snatch pickup in Wesel, Germany, April 17, 1945. A second glider is being pulled into position. Credit National Archives, World War II Air Force collection.

“The pickup system was part of the larger U.S. glider plane program and an interesting part of World War II history that most people know little about,” he says. The glider planes were towed into flight by C-47 cargo planes and then dropped in the dead of night into enemy territory. Unlike regular military aircraft, the gliders were made of wood and sturdy steel tubing—powered solely by air currents rather than engines. Once the glider landed, soldiers on board, along with their weaponry and cargo, abandoned the aircraft and infiltrated the location. After the glider program proved successful, the U.S. Army Air Forces decided to start retrieving the gliders, rather than simply abandoning them after missions were completed. Mapes’ expertise with cable splicing was used to produce a more reliable hook assembly used for handling the glider retrieval. “My father was proud of the work that was done,” Schaff said. “He told me that none of the cables Mapes handled failed.”

At that time, The Mapes Piano String Company was still located in the Bronx, New York. “They (the military) converted the entire third floor of our building to assembling the cables,” Schaff noted. “My father told me the cables were so heavy that the building almost caved in.” During wartime, Mapes had to stop making piano strings altogether because materials needed for wire production were being rationed for the war effort. “Piano string production was halted,” Schaff explained. “But we were allowed to produce the fretted instrument strings that were used by the USO Clubs, including performers such as Vaughn Monroe and the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra.” When t he wa r ended, Mapes resu med nor ma l operations as a company but has continued to assist with projects for the DOD. During the 1970s, the company began supplying the wire for making mechanical springs used in manufacturing auto-injection systems. Still being produced with Mapes’

SPRINGS / Spring 2015 / 29

★★★

Above: Mapes cable splicing ensured secure cable and hook assemblies. Photo of cable, hook, and guide arm, r courtesy of Jack Streete Day rles Cha Group, collection USAAF photo

Left: The Mapes Piano String Company provided guitar, banjo, mandolin, and violin strings for USO clubs and performers during World War II. Courtesy USO Photo Archives

wire today, these are pre-filled, spring-loaded syringes that deliver precise doses of medications. Historically, the auto-injectors have been used to administer antidotes to soldiers as a protection against chemical warfare agents. The devices are typically self-administered or applied by non-medical personnel. Currently, Mapes also supplies wire to make clip springs for firearms used by military personnel, as well as other firearms manufacturers around the world. In addition, the company recently assisted with another type of towing project for the Department of Defense — this time, supplying wire for military tow target cables.

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Besides the music industry and American defense efforts, The Mapes Piano String Company also makes wire used in various other applications for the automotive, home building, toy and aerospace industries. In operation since 1912, Mapes is a fourth-generation company that holds six individual registered patent trademarks for production of specific wire. n Special thanks to the National World War II Glider Pilots Association, Inc., www.ww2gp.org for their assistance with information for this article.

★★★

My Military service ★★★★★★

By Tim Morris, President, James Spring & Wire Company

In December of 1965, I enlisted in the U.S. Air Force to avoid being drafted into the Army. Recognizing I would serve four years as compared to two, I desired to make the choice rather than having it made for me. Following basic training, I selected to be trained as an Aircraft Weapons Mechanic and was sent to Colorado for training. Following 16 weeks of attending Weapons School, I was selected to receive further training as an instructor. After approximately one year in Colorado I was sent to Eglin AFB in Florida and assigned to the 16th Tactical Air Command Squadron of F4D aircraft. In July of 1967 the entire unit of 20 aircraft was relocated to Ubon, Thailand as the 435th Tactical Squadron joining three other squadrons of F4’s in the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing. Our air base had the first AC-130 gun ship carrying six 20mm Gatling guns. This plane flew only night missions using infrared imaging.

I was one of four members of a weapons loading crew whose job was to load and arm 500 to 2,000 pound bombs, missiles, rockets and gun pods on the aircraft. All 96 aircraft on the base flew at least two missions per day to escort or bomb positions in North Vietnam or support ground operations in South Vietnam. During my time at Ubon we lost twelve aircraft due to enemy fire. The 8th Tactical Fighter Wing was credited with having shot down 40 North Vietnam Mig fighters. On one occasion the weapons crew I was a member of loaded a 20mm gun pod on one of our squadron’s F4’s. During the November 6, 1967 mission, two enemy Mig fighters were shot down using the 20mm Gatling gun. The picture shows me (second from right, next page) and members of my crew along with the two pilots who flew the aircraft. The aircraft commander was Capt. Darrell Simmons and the weapons officer was 1st Lt. George McKinney. Capt. Simmons’s dog fight was featured in an animated Military Channel episode a few years back as one of the great air battles during the Vietnam War. Those of us who served in the military during the Vietnam period were never thought of as heroes, as

SPRINGS / Spring 2015 / 31

Top: An F-4D from the 435th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, armed with two GBU-10s. (U.S. Air Force photo) Center: Tim Morris (second from right) and members of his crew along with the two pilots who flew the aircraft. Bottom: Air Force personnel get another aircraft ready for battle in the Vietnam war.

compared to the men and women who serve today. Still, I make it a point whenever I can to thank a military person for their service. I will always be proud of my service and have fond memories of the soldiers I served with and the experiences I had. I ended my military service in 1969 having ac h ieved t he r a n k of Sergeant. I spent a few years in manufacturing before spending 25 years in the printing business in various management positions. I joined James Spring and Wire Company in 1996 as general manager and became president in 1997, at which time I acquired partial ownership of the company. About five years ago we started a prog ra m w it h t he loca l VA hospital hiring veterans for parttime employment. At one time we had four veterans working for us, one of which we hired as a fulltime employee. n

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Saluting and supporting the troops By John Higgins

ce Wire Spring & Form designs a nd ma nufactu res custom springs and wire forms for customers in many different industries, such as power generation and hardware/ machinery. Of all these industries, military is the one that Ace Wire Spring is the proudest to be a part of.

troops the best way that we can. The troops are the ones who do all the work. If Ace Wire Spring can help make that work a little easier, then we are serving those who serve us.

Military Assistance Ace Wi re Spr i ng ha s t he privilege of serving the military with multiple solution needs. This includes everything from custom springs for the military’s firearms, to equipment needed for soldiers to better communicate with one another in different scenarios, to attachments on military vehicles assisting with the transportation of soldiers. Ace Wire Spring has worked with the military for many years in many different capacities, and will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. By providing high quality custom spring solutions for the military, Ace Wire Spring hopes to assist U.S.

Procurement Process Support Ace Wire Spring works with local college programs to actively support trade shows and events concerning military needs. While exhibiting and attending these events, Ace Wire Spring has grown its abilities to work w it h t he gover n ment’s procu rement systems. Th is ha s helped us communicate more easily and efficiently with the right people and the right departments in the military. Ace Wire Spring is making it easier for communications to flow through the company and military procurement channels. This makes getting the information needed to help with solutions more efficient, and more accurate. This allows Ace Wire Spring to provide the correct solutions, so the military receives what it needs to continue supporting the troops. Employment and Company Culture Ace Wire Spring is proud to employ many veterans as part of our company’s team. This includes craftsmen who work in the shop designing and manufacturing parts to office workers who communicate

Pictured here are some of the veterans that work for Ace Wire Spring, and help supply the military and active troops with the parts they need.

w it h m ilita r y contacts to ma ke sure Ace Wire Spring is filling the military’s needs. It is safe to say that thinking of the troops runs through many parts of the Ace Wire Spring family. When it comes to hiring new people to join the company, a military background is a strong consideration in the company’s hiring process.

Supporting the Troops Ace Wire Spring & Form salutes the troops for what they do for all of us on a daily basis. In return, Ace Wire Spring is proud to have the opportunity to help the military with solutions to custom spring and wire form needs, to provide design assistance for problems military engineers are trying to solve, to help with certain piece applications that are needed for projects and military endeavors, and to hire veterans when adding to the Ace Wire Spring family. n John Higgins is the marketing manager for Ace Wire Spring & Form Co., Inc. in McKees Rocks, Pa. You may reach Higgins at JHiggins@ acewirespring.com.

SPRINGS / Spring 2015 / 33

©iStockphoto.com/ FrankRamspott

The ★★★★ SMI ★and

U.S. Army By Don Fazio

here were five boys in our family, each of whom at one time or another worked in the family business, Diamond Wire Spring. Three of us served in the U.S. Army. Our late brother, Art, served from 1967–1969. He was a Vietnam Vet. My other brother, Frank, served from 1969–1971. He was assigned state side in Valley Forge, Pa. I served from 1970–1972 and was sent to a small city called Ludwigsburg, right outside of Stuttgart, Germany. My wife Bernie and I got married while I was in the service, and she joined me in Germany once I got settled in.

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In the fall of 1971, an SMI group was touring Europe and spent the night in Stuttgart. My mother, Jane Fazio, who was president of our company, notified me and suggested Bernie and I drive down to the hotel where the SMI group was staying. We did do that and timing was perfect. The nice folks of the SMI invited

us to join them for dinner and best of all we accompanied them to an Oktoberfest that evening. I knew springmakers were hard workers, but I learned they like to have fun as well. We had a great time while the fräuleins brought the beer as we sat at the long tables and joined the Germans with song and dance. n

the story of One Vietnam Veteran in the Spring industry By Jessica Morse

Like all SMI members, Michigan Spring & Stamping was encouraged to submit an article in honor of our veterans. The first name that came to mind was Clark “Greg” Dietz. Greg has worked at our company since 1968 and has spoken openly about his experiences during the Vietnam War and how they have affected his life over the past 30-plus years. I am submitting this article in honor of not only Greg, but all of those that have served and are still serving our country. Clark “Greg” Dietz knew for years he wanted to enter the military, but he was unsure of which branch. He interviewed the different branches and found he was most interested in the U.S. Air Force because of the career possibilities. He stated “air conditioning and refrigeration” as his major areas of interest. He then told me with a slight chuckle, “It was between the Navy and Air Force, but I was told I would see action in the Air Force. I liked the idea of having my feet on the ground with a chance to live, rather than going down with the ship where I couldn’t swim to shore.” He explained that he preferred having a chance to come out alive, even if everyone around him did not. After qualifying for the Air Force in 1969, Greg was given the choice to enter right away or go into the delayed enlistment program. After some thought, he chose the delayed program which meant he had several months before reporting for active duty. He would enjoy those months with his then girlfriend and now wife, Kay. Greg entered basic training where further testing placed him as a jet aircraft mechanic. He spent the next couple months finishing basic training, getting certified through tech schools and finally on-the-job training at K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base in Michigan. Greg’s job was

to help complete plane inspections and get them ready for takeoff. This included everything from checking for hydraulic leaks and looking for stress fractures in the wings, to loading weapons.

Two Hours to Pack He was permanently assigned duty with the 334 Tactical Fighter Squadron, based out of Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina. One day in April 1972, his squadron was told they had two hours to pack their bags and get back to the flight line because two squadrons would need to leave immediately. They were told “the wheels would be in the well in two hours.” He didn’t realize at that time how true that statement really was. Greg stated, “I went home to my wife and we hardly had time to talk. We weren’t told where we were going, but I just knew I was going to Vietnam.” At this point in the Vietnam War, the North had invaded the South. At 20:55 on April 6, 1972, the wheels were off the ground and the plane was in the air. After short stops in Elmendorf, Alaska and Yokota, Japan, they re-boarded and received the following announcement from the master sergeant: “You will need to get to know each other, because you won’t all be going home.” Greg said he looked around to see helmets and machine guns stacked up in the back of the aircraft. “The master sergeant then talked about his experiences and helped prepare us mentally for what we would soon go through.” Greg clearly remembered the details. “We landed on a base somewhere in Korat City, Thailand on April 8, we got off, laid our heads down on pillows and just that quickly, we all had to get back on the aircraft. We then headed to Ubon, Thailand where we arrived the next day. There were mesh screen huts, barbed wire fences surrounding us, and

SPRINGS / Spring 2015 / 35

real. I wasn’t in tune to it until a guy came up behind me and said, ‘They’re coming’ and I saw flairs and helicopters and started to realize the sounds were gunfire and explosions.” The voice also told Greg, “The color of the flare will change based on how close the enemy is to the perimeter.” Greg went on, “I watched the flares change colors and I went back into the hut. They didn’t let us have guns because of friendly fire. They figured I didn’t need a gun at that point.”

by the entry were brick barracks with tiny windows up high to let air in. We bunked there the first night, but the next evening when I returned they relocated us to a mesh hut.” Greg recalled what he first saw and thought, “There were sacks of sand all around our huts and I knew why: so bullets wouldn’t penetrate and get to us. I remember sitting on the steps, lights going off and noise in the background. I had flashbacks of playing army with my cousins when I was young and thought to myself, this does not seem

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A Short Reprieve from the War Greg returned to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina on July 29, 1972. He did not know for sure if he would need to go back to Vietnam or not. He enjoyed the next two months with his family that now included his wife and one son. That September he got the call to return. Within a couple of hours, he again boarded the plane that would eventually land in Ubon, Thailand. His duties were the same as the first time he was there, but with a promotion he was now in charge of the outfit and responsible for returning inspected and repaired aircraft to the flight line in a timely manner. Greg told me stories of how he was able to motivate his crew to work harder, faster and better. Greg cared about his team and the impact of what they were doing. He spoke about the importance of getting the planes checked, fixed quickly and in better shape than when they arrived so they could get the planes in the air and the ammunition to the troops. “To see them roll in and out of my hanger so fast, and see them roll out without a single write up by the inspection crew. To be allowed to do this, to keep the pilots as safe as possible, and provide good ground crew support made me feel extremely good inside.” It was by doing this that he and his crew were able to save the most lives. Greg made sure his crew knew they needed to help each other and work until everyone’s areas were completed. He then made sure his crew got the credit and the benefits of getting off early as long as things were done right. When the work was done, they would have the pleasure of striding by the other crews who were still working, in order to go have a beer. This didn’t go without finger pointing by the other crews who made accusations of shoddy work by Greg’s crew. Greg was also recognized by his commander for his organizational and leadership skills.

©iStockphoto.com/ FrankRamspott

An airman working on an F-4 Phantom II inside a phase hangar at Ubon Royal Thai AFB, Thailand. (US Air Force photo)

©iStockphoto.com/ FrankRamspott

When Greg started talking about the other aspects of his position which included personnel issues, attendance tracking, vacation tracking and discipline, his excitement Laos waned. Greg stated, “I don’t Ubon Ratchathani, like to hurt people’s feelings Thailand and as I am trying to do my job right; I’m upsetting my team by following the office’s recommended discipline. At Vietnam that time, they would tell me Cambodia to discipline someone and then go back to the employee and tell them I was being too hard on them. I didn’t want to do it in the first place.” Eventually, an opportunity arose that allowed Greg to relinquish his supervisory role and focus on doing what he enjoyed most which was bei ng h a nd s on w it h t he mach ines a nd tools. Greg After almost six more months in Ubon, Greg returned stated, “I learned to appreciate those in the position of home for good on March 12, 1973. supervisor, but I wanted to make a change and step down, and I did.” Post Military Work in the Spring Industry When his military career ended, Greg was able to Processing Disappointment use his experiences and training to advance at Michigan After several hours of discussing with me his stay in Spring & Stamping (then American Coil Spring Company). Ubon and what he has accomplished, Greg’s true passion His training included the following courses; OJT Trainer/ came to light. For Greg, the thing that affects him the most Supervisor, Disaster Preparedness Specialized Team is his disappointment that not all veterans who fought Training, Aircraft Maintenance Technician, Maintenance have been acknowledged equally. Management Course and Aircraft Maintenance Specialist, The names of those who died in Thailand are not Jet Aircraft one and Two Engines. These courses helped part of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (The Wall) in him to apply his mechanical knowledge in a formal Washington, D.C. It includes only those veterans who lost work setting. It also taught him to work well with others their lives in Vietnam and the adjacent areas of Laos and as a team, and to help others become a positive and Cambodia. An exception to this is if an aircraft based in contributing part of that team. Thailand was shot down over Laos, Cambodia or Vietnam Greg spoke of his duties and training and how it then those who are listed as confirmed dead or missing aligned so well with the spring industry. “When I came are acknowledged at The Wall. back, I had to build the tools, put them into a machine and Greg stated it well when he explained it to me. “The prepare it to run. I was calculating how many parts we things that we did and the lives that were lost in Thailand could produce per hour, how long the setup would take and surrounding areas are the reason that many of the and how much it would cost to do all this. I could think troops stationed in Vietnam, returned home. Those that on my feet, design tools in my head, and price it out. It died in Thailand are not being recognized for it.” helped me mature to a point where I could focus that way For those who want to read more about this, Greg and apply it better.” It is obvious how much Greg enjoys encourages readers to download this report: http:// this part of the job and I know personally that is true. veteransinfo.tripod.com/thailandreport.pdf n

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Honoring our United States Armed Forces Veterans Thank you to all who have served in the United States Armed Forces and especially to the six veterans who are employed by Michigan Spring & Stamping. Your selfless dedication to our great country is too often overlooked or taken for granted. To us at Michigan Spring & Stamping your services are a humble reminder of just how fortunate we are to have men and women like you, past and present, amongst us.

Fredric Stressman

Robert Pavlin

Robert Crunk

Clark "Greg" Dietz

Bill Robertson

Ronald Johnson

Robert Crunk Army Clark “Greg” Dietz Air Force Ronald Johnson Air Force Robert Pavlin Navy William “Bill” Robertson Marines Fredric Stressman Marines

Jessica Morse, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, is the human resources manager at Michigan Spring & Stamping in Muskegon, Mich. She may be reached at 231-755-1691, ext. 273 or by email at jmorse@msands.com

38 / SPRINGS / Spring 2015

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©iStockphoto.com/simon2579

Thank you for attending

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Hire a Vet: It helps the bottom lIne By Dr. Mike Haynie

(Editor’s note: The following op-ed piece was originally published on March 29, 2012 in the Daily News. It is reprinted with the permission of the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University.)

tarbucks CEO Howard Schultz said that “hiring people is an art, not a science, and resumes can’t tell you whether someone will fit into a company’s culture.” That’s a widely held notion — and it happens to be one of the most significant impediments to addressing the unemployment situation of post-9/11 veterans, a situation that should embarrass every American. For the better part of the past year, veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have been jobless at a rate that is four percent to seven percent higher than nonveterans. The situation for our youngest veterans — those ages 18 to 24 — is most disturbing. Data from the Department of Labor suggest that this vulnerable segment of the veterans’ community is experiencing unemployment at a rate that exceeds 30 percent. To meet this emergency, politicians and veterans advocates have attempted to advance a business case for hiring veterans — relying on gauzy anecdotes and generalizations about their leadership ability. That hasn’t gotten much traction, and I understand why. While leadership ability and a strong sense of mission are important, they alone aren’t enough to broadly motivate employers to move beyond “art” — and a lingering perception that military veterans might not cut it as employees — to science. But there is more than enough evidence to make a strong business case for why employers should hire veterans. For example, studies validate that the characteristics descriptive of successful entrepreneurs and innovators are also traits common to veterans. According to the research, veterans are more likely than nonveterans to have global experience, and on average have more advanced technical training. In an increasingly global and technical workplace, these competencies are invaluable. Multiple studies suggest veterans are generally more resilient and learn from failure. When almost 80 percent

©iStockphoto.com/DanielBendjy

of new product and service development projects are terminated before they reach the marketplace, this ability to “bounce back” is vital. Research also demonstrates that veterans — particularly those with combat experience — are adept at decisionmaking. A study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology in 2011 found that military experience imparts the ability “to effectively manage chaos.” According to the research, individuals with military experience exhibit a higher propensity to trust both superiors and coworkers. That results in higher performing teams, high levels of organizational cohesion and morale and effective governance systems. I could go on. Recently, I met with the CEO of a Fortune 500 company who asked me how he would explain to his shareholders the logic behind a firm-wide investment focused on hiring veterans. That’s a question I’ve been asked many times before, and it’s a question that I hate to be asked — because it causes me great anxiety. As a proud veteran myself, I don’t think I’ll ever be comfortable with the suggestion that the business case for hiring a veteran has to be justified as a dollars and cents return on investment. However, wearing the hat of a business school professor, I have to acknowledge that CEOs are responsible to shareholders. In that meeting, it brought me great joy to say to that CEO, this is not art — it’s science and economics. Hiring veterans is good for business. n Mike Haynie, a former U.S. Air Force officer, is executive director and founder of the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University. The IVMF recently issued a report, “The Business Case for Hiring a Veteran: Beyond the Clichés.” You can download the report at: http://vets.syr.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/TheBusinessCase7.14.pdf

SPRINGS / Spring 2015 / 41

You too can increase your efficiencies with

Torin Spring Coilers. “

In 2009 Springfield Spring was producing compression and torsion springs through 40 Torin mechanical coilers, when we decided to purchase our first ‘Z’ CNC Coiler. The efficiencies gained by reduced setup time, increased throughput, and significantly reduced scrap rate while holding extremely tight tolerances was immediately realized through a complete statistical analysis. The machine paid for itself within months. Success with our first Torin ‘Z’ CNC led Springfield Spring to purchase another ‘Z’ CNC coiler, followed by three more of the latest model, the Torin FZ Series. Our five newest Torin spring coilers replaced all of our mechanicals, freeing up substantial space for new business endeavors. Fenn not only produces a top-notch machine but their sales, service, applications, and technical professionals are second to none. Fenn acts and responds like a business partner, not your traditional machine ‘dealer’. Springfield Spring continues to look forward to building our business with the help of Torin Spring Coilers for years to come.

”

Ryan Nadeau Operations Manager, Springfield Spring Corporation

World Class Metal Forming Solutions: Fenn has been a leader in providing quality metal forming machinery for over 100 years. Our experts take the time to design and build the right machine to fit your specifications and fulfill your production requirements. Whether you’ve been in business as long as us, or you’re just getting started, Fenn has the expertise to create precise metal forming equipment for a wide variety of industries and applications. With specialization in both standard and specialty metals, see how Fenn’s product and service offerings can help increase productivity for your business. 42 / SPRINGS / Spring 2015

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Flashback

The veteran and the Spring INdustry

By D. V. Smyth, Vice President, The Peck Spring Company

he main difficulty in heeding the advice to hire the returning veteran has been the veteran’s reluctance to start in one of the skilled trades because of the lower wage rates that prevail during the training program. These veterans have spent at least a few years in the service of our country, have been delayed in beginning their careers and have families and responsibilities that the younger man does not have. His needs therefore are greater, and he cannot afford to begin an apprenticeship or lengthy training at the wages usually available for this type of job, even though it means obtaining skills that will benefit him the remainder of his life. The veteran in most instances becomes a superior employee because he is more mature, realizes that he has lost time and is in a hurry to catch up. The spring industry cannot afford to lose the chance to hire men of this caliber. Financial assistance is now available to the veteran who wishes to learn a trade or engage in an on-job training program. These monthly benefits are outlined in the “Payment Table” on the following page.

(Editor’s note: This article originally was published by Springs in May 1973.)

©iStockphoto.com/adamkaz

SPRINGS / Spring 2015 / 43

These added to the wages paid Payment Table by his employer, which must be at least one-half of the journeymanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Type of Program No One Two Each Dependent wages for the job for which the Dependents Dependent Dependents Over Two veteran is in training, gives him Apprenticeship/OJT: a take-home pay that more nearly approaches his requirements. He 1st 6 months $160 $179 $196 $8 can therefore take the job without 2nd 6 months 120 139 156 8 the sacrifices his family might 3rd 6 months 80 99 116 8 otherwise have had to contend with. 40 59 76 8 4th and any succeeding 6 mos. The Veterans Administration oversees this program, determines eligibility, and works with an agency in each state to and approving programs. Many of these have programs for develop a program. After the veteran is enrolled in the apprenticeships that will be suitable for your needs. One program they follow through by submitting cards monthly state in which the approving agency is the state department to the veteran and the employer, thus keeping records of the of labor, for instance, has approved programs for fourslide hours worked and the progress of the veteran. They also are toolmakers, springmaker (fourslide), springmaker (torsion) and springmaker (coiler). responsible for sending payments directly to the veteran. In addition there are on-job training programs of A pamphlet VA 20-69-4, revised November 1972, outlines the benefits and the program in detail. It can be various types that cover the training of veterans in obtained from any of the VA regional offices, at least one programs that may be more specialized and of shorter of which is located in every state or, if you have difficulty, duration than that required for full apprenticeships. You will find the VA and the state approving agency very the SMI office has a limited amount of these available. In each state the VA has designated a state approving cooperative in helping you work out a program for your agency which works with the manufacturers in setting up needs if they do not have a suitable one. n

Years

060-6000-0113-06.indd 1

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2/4/15 3:05 PM

SPRINGS / Spring 2015 / 45

Register Now for SMIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Metal Engineering eXpo Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to make your travel plans for the inaugural SMI Metal Engineering eXpo to be held October 19-22, 2015 at the Charlotte Convention Center. Not only is attendee registration now available, you can also begin making your hotel reservations. All the details are available at www.metalengineeringexpo.org.

46 / SPRINGS / Spring 2015

egistration officially opened on April 20 for the premier trade show and educational event for the engineered spring and precision metal components industries. The Westin Charlotte Hotel is conveniently located right next door to the Charlotte Convention Center, and will serve as the headquarters hotel for the SMI Metal Engineering eXpo. Other discounted hotel options are available in close proximity to the convention center.

NASCAR Country Through the sponsorship of Industrial Steel & Wire, SMI is pleased to announce that a reception will be held on Wednesday, October 21 at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Located in Uptown Charlotte, the 150,000-square-foot NASCAR Hall of Fame is an interactive, entertainment attraction honoring the history and heritage of NASCAR. It opened on May 11, 2010 and is adjacent to the Charlotte Convention Center. The three hour reception will feature an appearance by NASCAR legend Michael Waltrip. Waltrip has been a NASCAR driver for over 30 years, a co-owner of Michael Waltrip Racing, a racing commentator, and published author. He is the younger brother of three-time NASCAR champion and racing commentator Darrell Waltrip. Waltrip is a two-time winner of the Daytona 500, having won the race in 2001 and 2003. He is also a pre-race analyst for NASCAR on FOX. He is currently the interim driver in the #55 Toyota Camry part-time in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and the GT2 Ferrari for AF Corse in the FIA World Endurance Championship. He also competed in the 2011 edition of 24 Hours of Le Mans.

If you love NASCAR, the opening reception will be a great opportunity for you to meet one of the legends of the sport and to visit the place where the sport’s past, present and future come together.

Exhibitor Base Grows Nearly 70 percent of the booth space for the SMI Metal Engineering eXpo has now been sold (see sidebar on page 48 for a current list of exhibitors). The event is expected to attract more than 2,500 conference attendees and 150 exhibiting companies to the Charlotte Convention Center. “We are quite pleased with the number of exhibitors and sponsors who have already committed to be present at the eXpo,” said SMI president Hap Porter. “Now that attendees can start registering, we will see momentum build in the months leading up to the trade show and technical symposium.” For more information about exhibiting, contact John Enright with Trade Show Logic at 770-432-8410, x107 or email at jenright@tradeshowlogic.com. Strong Educational Program SMI leaders have been working hard to put together educational sessions to help increase the knowledge of springmakers on technical and management issues. A committee headed by Gene Huber Jr. of Winamac Coil Spring and Simon Fleury of Liberty Spring is helping plan the technical symposia. The committee has worked hard to plan the following six tracks for Wednesday, October 21 and Thursday, October 22. The scheduled presentations under that general track topic are listed below. Visit the Metal Engineering eXpo website for more details on each session, including scheduled speakers. Business Environment Track • Steel Industry Overview – Wednesday and Thursday • Economic Update – Wednesday and Thursday

SPRINGS / Spring 2015 / 47

eXpo Schedule at a Glance Monday, October 19 1 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Registration

Tuesday, October 20 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. 11:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Registration Opening Ceremonies Exhibit Hall Opening Ceremony Exhibit Hall Open Welcome Reception (Exhibit Hall Floor)

Wednesday, October 21 Registration 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Technical Symposia – Six Tracks 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. * Manufacturing * Business Practices * Materials and Testing * Technology * Business Environment * Culture/Leadership Motivation Exhibit Hall Open 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Open Supplier Night 5 p.m. NASCAR Hall of Fame Reception 6 p.m. with Michael Waltrip Thursday, October 22 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Exhibitor List Grows

Registration Technical Symposia – Six Tracks * Manufacturing * Business Practices * Materials and Testing * Technology * Business Environment * Culture/Leadership Motivation Exhibit Hall Open

The list of exhibitors for the SMI Metal Engineering eXpo is growing. Those who have registered (as of March 2015) are listed below. To view the most current list of exhibitors and an interactive map of the trade show floor, visit www.metalengineeringexpo.com

A.I. Technology Inc. Alex Industries, Inc. All Wire Forming Machinery, Inc. Alloy Wire International Amstek Metal Anchor Abrasives Co. Bekaert Corporation Bennett Mahler / NIMSCO Central Wire Industries, Ltd Dell Marking Systems, Inc. Fenix, LLC Fenn LLC Forming Systems Inc.

48 / SPRINGS / Spring 2015

Business Practices Track • The State of HS&E (Health, Safety, and Environment) – Wednesday • Career Technical Education: What are the Options? – Wednesday • How to Improve Employee Wellness – Thursday

Gibbs Wire Industrial Steel & Wire Interwire Products IST / NIMSCO JN Machinery Corp Jowitt & Rodgers Co. Keyence Corporation of America Moyer Companies Mount Joy Wire Corporation Precision Steel Warehouse Pyromaitre, Inc. Raajratna Stainless Wire (USA) Inc. Radcliff Wire, Inc.

RK Trading Company Rolled Metal Products, Inc. Shinko Machine Tool Co., Ltd Simplex Rapid / NIMSCO SIVACO Wire Group Spectral Systems Sumiden Wire Products Suzuki Garphyttan Tong Lu SanLi Furnace Co., Ltd United Wire Co., Inc. Vinston US Corp WAFIOS Machinery Corp. Zapp Precision Strip, Inc.

Culture/Leadership/Motivation Track • How to Hire the Best – Wednesday • Become a Better Leader – Thursday Manufacturing Track • Advanced Manufacturing and How to Have It All: Quality, Cost, and Performance (see article on this session on page 50) – Wednesday and Thursday • Machine Set-Up: Coil & Grind – Thursday • Stamping and Fourslide Technology: Repeatability and Reliability…It’s All in the Setup – Thursday Materials & Testing Track • An Update on the Stainless Steel Market – Wednesday • A Coatings Update – Wednesday • Metrology: Load Vector Analysis – Thursday Technology Track • Additive Manufacturing (Rapid Prototyping) – Today and in The Future – Wednesday and Thursday • Software Integration to Manufacturing – Wednesday and Thursday • The Benefits of the SMI Residual Stress Project – Wednesday • The Effects of Shot Peening – Thursday

As the SMI Metal Engineering eXpo draws closer, be sure to visit www.metalengineeringexpo.org for the latest information on attendee registration, hotel registration, exhibitors, and the technical symposia. n

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ÂŠiStockphoto.com/archerix

Advanced Manufacturing Techniques for Springmakers

Editor's note: The SMI Metal Engineering eXpo is quickly approaching. Paul Menig will lead a session on advanced manufacturing. You'll want to read more about Paul and the subject matter in this article.

50 / SPRINGS / Spring 2015

MI helps keep members informed, educated and competitive in an everchanging business environment. Each year members are asked to participate in the Annual Market Summary conducted by MacKay Research Group. The Market Summary survey tracks vital statistics in all key areas of springmaking: number of plants, expenditures, sales by type of product, sales by customer classification and more. An individualized report is provided to all who participate. In October, we take another step forward with the SMI Metal Engineering eXpo in Charlotte. As part of the educational symposia, Paul Menig, CEO of Tech-I-M, will help take attendees deeper into the business of metal forming and outline ways in which springmakers can wring out more profits, better

quality, and higher throughput. Mening has already been in contact with some SMI members, arranging visits to understand the challenges of each company and assess what can be done for the future. Menig has spent his career leading teams to develop, introduce and support new products for diverse industries including automotive, trucking, factories, hospitals and the military. While working at General Electric, Eaton and Daimler, he was part of new business startups and financial turnarounds. He worked with global research groups to concept new products, has been in front of customers to help make the sale, and in the field solving problems. Menig approaches business from a holistic perspective, recognizing that all parts of the business must work together effectively to achieve

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outstanding results. His VIP (Value Improvement Proposition) is designed to save time, increase sales, increase profits and increase the value of your business by leveraging technology in products and processes. “Savvy technology creates powerful results,” explains Menig. Savvy technology is technology that is right for the time, the application, the people and available at the right price. It is not technology for the sake of technology.” With technology constantly changing everything, Menig’s session at the SMI Metal Engineering eXpo will focus on advanced manufacturing for the spring industry. Menig says management wants lower inventory, greater flexibility, and reduced waste. Customers put continual pressure on manufacturing for: • Better performance • Longer life • Less weight

• Lower cost • Faster turnaround “Yes, it is possible to achieve all of this,” says Menig. “Quality, cost and performance don’t have to be traded.” The session will highlight advanced manufacturing techniques in different and related industries that can shine a light on where spring manufacturing needs to go. “Order-entry-to-cash-from-a-satisfiedcustomer” is a complex process in any company that demands an integrated and automated solution that people can support. Even before order entry, there is the process of marketing, prospecting and closing the sale. Insights from Richard Dignall of the Institute of Spring Technology in the United Kingdom will be part of the presentation, outlining concepts for improving the custom design of springs and other formed metal products.

www.elgiloy.com

If you want to learn more about TechI-M and what Paul is all about, you can look him up on LinkedIn, check out his daily tweet Paul Menig on Twitter (https://twitter.com/Tech_I_M), read his weekly blog for FleetOwner (http://fleetowner.com/author/paulmenig), check out his twice monthly blog at his website (http://www. tech-i-m.com/blog) or view insights and past presentations at (http:// www.tech-i-m.com/insights). n

SPRINGS / Spring 2015 / 51

52 / SPRINGS / Spring 2015

Springmaker Spotlight

Doing Fundamental Things Right: A Profile of Brian Duemling and John M. Dean By Gary McCoy, Managing Editor

“

idwesterners are pretty friendly.” The stereotype, it turns out, is pretty accurate and is a good description for Brian Duemling, the president of John M. Dean, a company located in Putnam, Conn. A transplant to the Northeast region, having lived there for over 20 years now, Duemling is at heart a Midwesterner. He was born in Wisconsin and grew up in a little town called Hartland, just outside of Milwaukee. Though he now works in the land of the New England Patriots fans and lives in New Jersey with Jets and Giants fans (more on that later), Duemling is still an ardent fan of the Green Bay Packers. He ascribes to the leadership philosophy of one of its most beloved coaches, Vince Lombardi, who once famously said, “Some people try to find things in this game that don’t exist, but football is only two things — blocking and tackling.”

SPRINGS / Spring 2015 / 53

The front office team at John M. Dean (l-to-r): Brian Duemling, president, Deb Smutnick, general manager, and Mary Gallerani, office manager.

Whether talking about his 25-plus years spent serving in the military or his current assignment in running John M. Dean, he believes, like Lombardi, that it’s all about “blocking and tackling” or doing fundamental things right. As we “Salute the Troops” in this issue, we devote this regular feature to a profile of Brian Duemling, a military veteran who runs John M. Dean, a division of SEI MetalTek.

West Point Calls The son of a decorated police officer, Duemling grew up with the idea that he wanted to serve in the military. He received an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy, more commonly known as West Point, and went off to study there in 1979. “West Point was a great experience with great comradery, especially among my fellow classmates,” explained Duemling. “There are many in my graduating class with whom I am still in touch today.” He graduated from West Point in 1983 with a degree in aerospace engineering and was soon off to active duty to fulfill his five-year commitment to the Army. He spent his

54 / SPRINGS / Spring 2015

first three years in Germany during the Cold War period as an infantry officer. “I was part of the U.S. force there to guard and protect what was then West Germany against the Soviet Army.” Not long after finishing up his tour of duty in Germany, Duemling got married to Joanne and moved to Fort Ord, just outside of Monterey, Calif. He became part of the 7th Infantry Division (Light), which at that time was one of two rapid deployment forces designed to respond to military contingencies worldwide on very short notice. As a unit designed for quick response, Duemling served as alert holding area commander at Fort Ord during Operation Golden Pheasant, an emergency military deployment to Central America. As a newly married couple, Duemling said the assignment gave him and his wife the chance to explore many parts of the Golden State. After six years in the Army, he left active duty in 1989. “I really enjoyed what I was doing in the Army, but I wanted to go down a different path,” Duemling explained. He said moving away from the Army was the impetus that took him into a career in manufacturing.

Duemling’s business philosophy has been heavily influenced by the military training he received. The phrase, “People are your greatest asset,” is something he learned as a young lieutenant from his battalion commander, a colonel. Duemling remembers talking to the colonel about leadership philosophies, when he turned and said, “Brian, do you know the key to my success? I surround myself with great people.”

“My engineering degree and technical aptitude have been very beneficial in the many roles I’ve taken on in manufacturing,” said Duemling. He went on to earn his MBA at Boston University to further develop his business skills. After working for several different companies in engineering roles, he moved into management in 1996 while working at General Signal Corporation in Stamford, Conn. “While I was there, I was offered an opportunity to be a general manager of a small company that made time delay relays and sensors down in New Jersey,” explained Duemling. It was that move in 1996 that put his family in “The Garden State” where they continue to live in Chatham, N.J. After working for that company, in 2003 Duemling said he experienced some “turbulence” in his career and began life as a consultant.

day before Thanksgiving in 2004 with a unit of some 200 senior officers. He and three officers, all reservists, began working in February 2005 to “stand up” the Sixth Iraqi Army Division staff. Duemling’s job was to mentor and train the Iraqi division operations officer who would be responsible for the Baghdad sector. “The Iraqi Army was very strong tactically, but was weaker in logistics, which is something the U.S. Army is very good at.”

Military Life Continues Though he had left full-time active duty with the Army in 1989, Duemling continued to serve as a part-time soldier, first with the Massachusetts National Guard, then the Connecticut National Guard, to ultimately become part of the Army Reserves. In his role with the Reserves, Duemling served as an instructor at the Army’s Command and General Staff College. “It’s a graduate school for Army majors,” he explained. His instruction fell into four areas: Operational tactics, leadership, the Army acquisition system and military history. With the Iraq war heating up, Duemling and his unit of instructors, who were all senior officers, were called up for active duty and sent to train and mentor Iraqi officers. “I knew what I needed to do and I knew the Army needed me, so I headed out for Iraq. Going through West Point and being a commissioned officer, I knew this was a commitment that I made to our nation many years ago and what I was expected to do.” So at the age of 43 with over 20 years of military service, Duemling was off to experience his first taste of service in a combat theater. He arrived in Baghdad the

SPRINGS / Spring 2015 / 55

“This comes right out of the Army, it’s called ‘commanders intent.’ Commanders are instructed, ‘If you don't give specific information or specific guidance to you subordinates, give them your intent.’” For John M. Dean, Duemling says, “Our intent is, have great customer service all the time. Be responsive. To maximize our productivity.”

Duemling trained the Iraqi army unit he was assigned in battlefield management techniques. Facing the daily threat of improved explosive devices (IED’s) and rocket attacks while deployed in Iraq for a year, Duemling said he was grateful to return home unscathed. It wasn’t long after coming back to the States that Duemling hit his mandatory military retirement age and began the process of adjusting to life outside the military. Gone were the days of going away for one, two or three weekends a month for Reserve duty. “My wife had been living the Army life for over 25 years, so it was an adjustment for the whole family when I retired.”

Joining SEI MetalTek After his service in Iraq, Duemling came back to New Jersey to try to rebuild his fledgling consulting business. As fate would have it, while attending a large, family function, a friend heard about his background and mentioned Duemling to her nephew. The nephew at that time was a division president at SEI MetalTek, and also a West Point graduate. The nephew passed along his resume to Hap Porter, current SMI president and the president and COO of SEI MetalTek. Duemling was hired by Porter in August 2006 to run Hopwood Globe, the metal finishing company in Boston owned by SEI MetalTek.

Tackling the Talent Gap

56 / SPRINGS / Spring 2015

One of the blessings and challenges of a long tenured workforce is facing the coming skills gap as workers begin to age and retire. In 2013 a man retired from John M. Dean who had worked for the company for 48 years and another man retired on December 31, 2014 who had 46 years (he’s actually still working part-time at the company in a transitional capacity). With a relatively small workforce of roughly 25 employees, replacing someone with years of experience who retires can be a challenge. Duemling says like John M. Dean, everyone in the state of Connecticut is facing the challenge of trying to find new workers with the skills to step into a metal fabrication business. In the midst of this challenge, the company has been able to find some technical workers through Quinebaug Valley Community College (QVCC) which is nearby in Danielson, Conn. and some non-technical workers through a local temp agency. The bright spot that has emerged for John M. Dean to find talent is through the Eastern Connecticut Workforce

Investment Board (EWIB). It is an organization that works with local, state, and federal legislators, chief elected officials and businesses to ensure that the constantly changing needs of the Eastern Connecticut’s employers and job-seekers are met in a manner that keeps Eastern Connecticut at the forefront of industry and technology. “We’ve found some great technical talent through EWIB, and some of them are also veterans.” Duemling says after completing a lot of upfront paperwork, the program has been a win-win for the company.

“You can bring an employee in for six months to see how it works,” explains Duemling. “You evaluate them on a monthly basis to measure their progress with the hope that you can hire them long term after the program ends.” The good news Duemling says is that during the six month period, the state of Connecticut reimburses the company at roughly 75 percent of the costs. Duemling says after getting over his initial hesitancy and skepticism, the program has worked well for John M. Dean. He says the paperwork is minimal after the initial part is done and payments are made to the company on a timely basis. At the time this article was written, Duemling had three employees come from EWIB. Two veterans arrived through the agency’s StepUp program for veterans, and another through its StepUp program for manufacturing. Duemling is enthusiastic about this job resource and especially for the opportunity to employ fellow veterans. “Any time I can bring in a talented veteran, I’m on board. That, for me, is personally very satisfying.”

Brian Duemling with one of the Iraqi Army Officers he helped train in Baghdad during his deployment to the country in 2005.

With a background in chemistry, the job was a great fit. He spent six years running Hopwood Globe, before he was tapped by Porter and Kevin Grace, CEO of SEI MetalTek, to run John M. Dean, a company they had acquired in Putnam, Conn. Since February of 2012, Duemling has been at the helm of John M. Dean.He lives in Putnam during the week and commutes back home to Chatham on the weekends to be with his family. He said it’s similar to his former military life. Being at John M. Dean now for just over three years, Duemling said he’s been fortunate to tap into the expertise of many long time employees especially in the front office. Deb Smutnick, the general manager, has been at the company for over 35 years. Mary Gallerani is the office manager, and recently celebrated 33 years with the company. “They are highly committed and dedicated to getting things done,” Duemling said of Smutnick and Gallerani. “I see their commitment, creativity and steadfast determination to drive on. They are a great help to me as core members of the team.” In the plant itself, Duemling cites Jim Campion, the company’s shop foreman, as a steady presence at the company. Campion has also logged over 30 years with the company. Many other employees have similar longevity with the company.

Needles and More Since 1898 Starting operations in 1898, John M. Dean has been in business for over 100 years manufacturing pins and pointed wire products for various industries. The company uses a variety of materials including carbon steel, music

wire, stainless steel, Monel, nickel-silver, titanium and many more. In house, the company can heat treat, polish, bend, knurl, flatten, plate, assemble, package, and perform many other secondary operations. The company continues to be one of the few companies in the U.S. that manufactures very small, high-carbon steel phonographic record needles. The antique phonograph needle business continues to be a strong niche market for the company. Of the company’s production of needles for stereos, Duemling says, “It’s even more pronounced now because vinyl records have been making a comeback recently.” From textile pins, phonograph needles and pointed wire goods that founder John Munday Dean started out with, the company has branched out into many different industries including hand tools, industrial valves and fittings, medical and dental, veterinary, sporting goods, agriculture, textile, marine hardware, defense and electronics. One of their most interesting pointed product lines is blowgun darts and spears for the defense and sporting goods industries. Though not what you would call a typical SMI member company, John M. Dean fits in with its fourslide machines and wire forming operations. When SEI MetalTek bought John M. Dean, it also purchased its subsidiary company James Wright Precision Products, Inc. SEI MetalTek merged the two companies into one entity, though the company continues to use the James Wright Precision Products brand. “It was a good brand worth keeping,” explained Duemling, “so it’s John M. Dean doing business as James

SPRINGS / Spring 2015 / 57

“It’s been a great opportunity to be here at Dean,” said Duemling looking back over the last three years. “Like any business, we’ve got a lot of challenges. But overall it’s a solid business with a great history. I see a good future for us.”

Wright.” James M. Wright specializes in component parts manufacturing and screw machine products.

Military Career Shapes Leadership Duemling’s business philosophy has been heavily influenced by the military training he received. The phrase, “People are your greatest asset,” is something he learned as a young lieutenant from his battalion commander, LTC Geoff Prosch. Duemling remembers talking to the colonel about leadership philosophies, when he turned and said, “Brian, do you know the key to my success? I surround myself with great people.” Duemling said he was about 23 or 24 at the time and his eyes lit up. He said, “He’s absolutely right.” “When you looked at the colonel’s Army staff, they were all talented, competent, smart people and that’s the key to any organization or company.” Duemling is also a big believer in “doing fundamental things right.” He says that includes listening to customers, which involves two things. “Listen to your customer, understand their concerns, understand their needs and then the flip-side of that, of course, is respond to them.” He also says you can never communicate enough, especially your goals or intentions. “This comes right out of t he Ar my, it’s called ‘commander’s intent.’ Commanders are instructed, ‘If you don’t give specific information or specific guidance to individuals, your subordinates, which isn’t always necessary, give them your intent.’” For John M. Dean, Duemling says, “Our intent is to have great customer service all the time, be responsive, and maximize our productivity.” He says listening also extends to employees, “listening to their concerns, listening to their suggestions.” After all, Duemling explains “they operate the machines all day and know best how they work.” Outside the Lines Duemling has enjoyed volunteering his time to outside organizations. Since June 2014 he’s been a member of the national board of directors for the American Military

58 / SPRINGS / Spring 2015

Retirees Association. Locally he’s a member of the Manufacturer’s Advisory Council for the Connecticut Business & Industry Association. At home in New Jersey, Duemling is also very involved in his community. Duemling has been married to Joanne for 27 years and calls her a “rock” and his “best friend.” Being a military wife, Duemling says she’s been great with all the challenges they’ve faced. The couple has two daughters, Courtney, a freshman at Loyola University in Maryland, and Caroline, a 16-year old high school sophomore. When he’s in Putnam working, he can be seen out running in the community. Duemling said he fulfilled a personal goal by running and finishing the Marine Corps Marathon in October 2011 in Washington, D.C. “Escaping New Jersey during the October winter storm of 2011, I ran and finished,” he said. “It was a great race with great supporters along the way.” Duemling has also completed three sprint triathlons. He also enjoys playing golf for fun.

John M. Dean’s Future “It’s been a great opportunity to be here at Dean,” said Duemling looking back over the last three years. “Like any business, we’ve got a lot of challenges. But overall it’s a solid business with a great history. I see a good future for us.” He believes there’s an opportunity to take what the company does now and extend it to other applications with its current customers and into some new products. “Just in terms of applications, I think we’re in a lot of places and if people knew other things we were doing, there might be other opportunities. That certainly exists,” said Duemling. “I think we’re on solid ground here. We’re managing through a critical transition in talent right now, once again proving that people are your greatest asset.” With an Army veteran leading the charge, Duemling looks forward to taking on this business expansion challenge with the goal of doing fundamental things right. n

It’s more than just wire manufacturing

“I believe it’s also about your wire specification” Janet Smith Fine Annealing Technician 24 years with Alloy Wire

We manufacture to your exact specification, producing wire in all shapes and dimensions. Whether it’s shaped, flat or round wire, it’s made just for you.

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@AlloyWire SPRINGS / Spring 2015 / 59

thanks the following sponsors for their support of our Annual Meeting

60 / SPRINGS / Spring 2015

Courage to Execute: What Elite U.S. Military Units Can Teach Business about Leadership and Team Performance Analogies have of ten been made between business and war, because in both arenas you need a battle plan to succeed. While the stakes are certainly higher in war versus business, the principles are often similar in order to achieve success. In his new book, “Courage to Execute: What Elite U.S. Military Units Can Teach Business about Leadership and Team Performance,” author James D. Murphy looks at the principles that make elite U.S military units succeed. He argues that success is all about following a process. Mu r phy i s fou nder a nd C EO of Afterburner, Inc., a training and consulting firm that consists of many former fighter pilots and special operations officers. Murphy himself is a former Air Force F-15 pilot. “Elite military warriors are trained to perform at exceptionally high levels. They’re put through the paces until they have the individual skills necessary to accomplish their missions, and then these warriors come together as a team. It doesn’t take pedigree and it isn’t a birthright. You have to earn it.” One of the things he points out is that special skills are not needed to succeed in the military. “Our entire military establishment was designed to take a diverse group of young people and put them into a process that molds them into fighter pilots, Rangers and SEALs, and ultimately enables them to perform in the business world outside the military.” Murphy cites his own case of being a farm boy from Kentucky when he entered the Air Force. “Next thing I knew, I was an F-15 fighter pilot. A decade later, I was teaching companies how to execute like a well-train squadron. True story; and all because of a process.” As he points out, “The military focuses less on recruiting the right people and more on delivering the right training.”

Th rough stories of missions a nd exercises conducted by U.S. military units, Murphy demonstrates why simplicity c om b a t s c omple x it y, ho w mut u a l accountability yields trust, and how adaptability and continuous improvement are cornerstones of successful battle plans. “We always say individual execution is one thing, but organizational execution is everything, and you can’t execute at 100 percent if your team isn’t aligned or doesn’t exhibit those key traits that all effective teams possess,” Murphy adds. “Having studied teams in business and the military, we’ve identified six qualities that enable a team’s success. Without these traits you’re going to have a tough road.” Murphy explains the six qualities that operate at the foundation of high performance are leadership, organization, communication, knowledge, experience, and discipline or L.O.C.K.E.D. He believes that when all are practiced effectively, team work emerges. “But, there is something else, the most elusive quality that exists at the heart of all elite military teams, the element that organizations and businesses deeply desire to perform more efficiently and effectively – trust. Trust is easily spent, but hard won.” As we salute the troops in this issue of Springs, this is one book on leadership that you might want to add to your library. While many of the principles Murphy explains have been covered in other books on leadership, this book attempts to keep it simple by showing leaders how the process works for some of the nation’s finest, in the most challenging conditions. Ultimately, Murphy attempts to prove that by following the example of the military you can achieve spectacular results. n Book reviewed by Gary McCoy, managing editor

Have a favorite business book you would like to tell us about? Send your suggestions to Springs managing editor Gary McCoy at gmccoy@fairwaycommunications.com. SPRINGS / Spring 2015 / 61

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Inside SMI

Spr ings m aga z i ne w i l l soon b e ava i l able w it h it s ow n app (application). SMI has partnered with Nxtbook Media, a company that works with publishers to provide customized digital solutions. The new Springs app will be ava ilable for bot h A nd roid a nd Apple devices. An app is a program that runs inside another service. Many cellphones, tablets and Web browsers allow applications to be downloaded to give the user access to additional functions. SMI’s new app is being developed to automatically

recognize the device and render content for the appropriate screen size. The free app will allow Springs readers with direct access to the latest digital copy of the magazine. A push notification feature will inform users when a new issue is available for viewing. “We are excited to put the finishing touches on this new app for the magazine,” said Lynne Carr, executive director of SMI. “The magazine committee helped spur this idea,

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recognizing that readers of Springs vary in age and in the way they would like to view published content. The app will also provide additional benefits to our current advertisers.” Carr says the new app will be available later this year. SMI will announce to members when it is available. n

PROUDLY SUPPORTING OUR TROOPS

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SPRINGS / Spring 2015 / 63

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Helping Grow SMI's Membership

“

If you are someone like Klein, who believes in the SMI “product,” then why not join t he membership committee and help spread the word? For more infor mat ion or to provide feedback about SM I’s com m it tees, contact SMI’s executive director Lynne Carr at lynne@smihq.org or 630-495-8588. n ©iStockphoto.com/scanrail

ur job is to grow and retain the membership of SMI, which includes both regular and associate member suppliers,” explained Charly Klein, the chairman of SMI’s membership committee. Klein, who is vice president of sales and marketing for Fox Valley Spring in Greenville, Wis., is a person who has greatly benefitted from his own company’s membership in SMI. He’s made many new friends and helped seal relationships with other springmakers and suppliers. Klein is passionate about the ways in which spring companies and suppliers can benefit by joining SMI. “S M I pr ov ide s g r e at e duc at ion a l b enef it s to its members t h roug h its meetings and webina rs,” he said. “You get specific infor mation t hat applies directly to our niche market. Th i s w i l l b e espe c ia l ly Charly Klein true in the many hours of education that will be offered at the upcoming SMI Metal Engineering eXpo in Charlotte.” Klein says that, in terms of SMI membership, you can’t put a price on the opportunities to network with fellow springmakers and suppliers. “I know personally our company has made connections with other springmakers who specialize in making products that we are not strong in or don’t have the equipment for. As a result we’ve been able to expand our product offerings to customers,” explained Klein. “Where else but SMI can you make those types of strong, personal connections?” Klein invites other SMI regular and associate members to join the committee. “We are looking for folks who are willing to join us at our meetings, which primarily occur during the SMI annual meeting,” said Klein. “There is especially a need for those who would be willing to help make personal calls, whether over the phone or face-to-face, to explain the benefits of being an SMI member.”

SPRINGS / Spring 2015 / 65

Temperature Testing Rack from HSI Ovens HSI Ovens have introduced a new temperature testing rack for their high performance box oven series, HBE180 through HB2200 models. The new test rack fixes thermocouples at eight corners and the center of the rack. This method provides nine-point testing for TUS performance testing and monitoring. For additional information, contact Forming Systems, Inc. at info@ formingsystemsinc.com or visit www. formingsystemsinc.com.

WorkplaceAware Eliminates Barriers for Near Miss Reporting According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were slightly more than three million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses reported in 2013. While this number is lower than previous years, the question that remains is how many near misses occurred in the workplace that were not reported and could result in a future injury or fatality. Heinrich’s widely accepted accident triangle theory states that for every major injury, there were 29 minor injuries and 300 near misses. There are many reasons for near misses not to be reported, but a new solution called WorkplaceAware can help companies improve safety by eliminating those barriers to reporting. In addition to the free WorkplaceAware mobile app, the solution includes the MessageQube, a mini cellular desktop printer that receives text and photo messages from any cellular phone. Using the mobile app, employees can photograph near misses, type a description of the incident and quickly send it to their company or supervisor’s MessageQube. Simple text messages

66 / SPRINGS / Spring 2015

can be sent using the text message feature on any mobile phone. Once a report prints on the MessageQube, it is also posted to the employer’s online Enterprise Dashboard where management can view and manage reports, including documenting corrective action taken and escalating reports to higher authorities. Photographs and more detailed reports up to 600 characters in length are sent

using the WorkplaceAware app compatible with Apple and Android operating systems. Using WorkplaceAware, safety managers are instantly alerted to near miss and safety hazard reports as they print in real-time from the MessageQube. A green light flashes each time a new report prints making managers instantly aware that a report has been submitted. And,

New Products

the system can be configured to also notify managers via email when reports are filed. “WorkplaceAware eliminates many of the reporting barriers companies must overcome to make workplaces safer,” said WorkplaceAware CEO Rob Sweeney. “Our customers see an increase in near miss reporting days after engaging WorkplaceAware, and their businesses are safer and more productive as a result.” For more information about WorkplaceAware, visit www. workplaceaware.com. For more information about the MessageQube, visit www. messageqube.com.

25’ Explosion Proof Extension Cord with Four Receptacles Larson Electronics, a longtime leading supplier of explosion proof lighting equipment, has announced the release of a heavy duty extension cord designed to provide secure connection of explosion proof equipment in hazardous locations. The EPEXC-4X-25 explosion proof extension cord is designed to extend the reach of equipment in hazardous locations where power receptacles are not in close proximity to the work space. The explosion proof extension cord is 25 feet, providing ample length for moving about the work space. This cord is fitted with four explosion proof twist lock receptacles constructed of non-sparking aluminum on one end for connection of equipment and a 20 amp explosion proof plug on the other end for safe and secure connection to power receptacles. This cord, and its plug and receptacles are a 3 pole 2 wire design which works with most common explosion proof

equipment. This explosion proof extension cord is Class 1 Division 1 Groups C, D and Class 2 Division 1 Groups E, F, and G rated, making it ideal for use in hazardous locations where flammable gases and vapors are present. The cord is oil, chemical and abrasion resistant for durability and the receptacles feature deep recessed contacts for protection against arcing and a powder coat finish for resistance to corrosion. This cord is perfect for connecting explosion proof lighting, fans and blowers, and extending the range of portable power supplies and substations within the hazardous work area. Larson Electronics produces a full range of industrial and commercial lighting equipment, explosion proof extension cords, explosion proof plugs and receptacles, light towers, and LED work lights. For more information visit Larsonelectronics.com or call 800-369-6671. n

Advertiser's Index A & D Trading (440) 563-5227. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Admiral Steel (800) 323-7055. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Alloy Wire International (866) 482-5569. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 CASMI (630) 369-3466. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Century Spring, Division of MW Industries (800) 237-5225. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Diamond Wire Spring Co. (800) 424-0500. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Elgiloy Specialty Metals (847) 695-1900. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Fenn/Torin (860) 594-4300. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Forming Systems Inc. (877) 594-4300. . inside front cover, back cover Gibbs Wire & Steel Co. Inc. (800) 800-4422. . . inside back cover Gibraltar Corporation (847) 769-2099. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Industrial Steel & Wire (800) 767-0408. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

InterWire Products Inc. (914) 273-6633. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 JN Machinery (224) 699-9161. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 John Evans’ Sons (215) 368-7700. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Kiswire (201) 461-8895. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Larson Systems (763)780-2131. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Link Engineering (734) 453-0800. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Mapes Piano String Co. (423) 543-3195. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 NIMSCO (563) 391-0400 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 North American Spring Tool (860) 583-1693 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Proto Manufacturing (800) 965-8378. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Radcliff Wire (860) 583-1305. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 RK Trading (847) 640-9371. . . . . . . . . . . . 5, 23 Rolled Metal Products 800) 638-3544 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Simplex Rapid (563) 391-0400. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Spring Manufacturers Institute (630) 495-8588 . . . . . . . . . . . 19, 60 Starrett www.starrett.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Suzuki Garphyttan (574) 232-8800. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Tool King (800) 338-1318. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Ulbrich Stainless Steels (203) 239-4481. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 United Wire Co. (800) 840-9481. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Vinston (847) 972-1098. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Vulcan Spring & Manufacturing Co. (215) 721-1721. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 WAFIOS (203) 481-5555. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Zapp Precision Strip (203) 386-0038. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

SPRINGS / Spring 2015 / 67

Steve Wunder

Duer/Carolina Coil Name: Stephen J. Wunder. Nickname (if any): Steve. Company name, city and country: Duer/Carolina Coil Inc., Greer, S.C.

Best times of my life: Current time.

Brief history of your company: Duer Spring originated in 1896 in McKees Rocks, Pa. The company added Carolina Coil, and combined the businesses to one site in 1997. Product focus is on large, hot wound (industrial) springs.

The one thing I can’t stand is: People who are not engaged in their profession (just occupying space).

Job title: President.

My most outstanding quality is: Consideration of others. People who knew me in school thought I was: A nerd, but fun.

Current home: Duncan (Spartanburg), S.C.

I knew I was an “adult” when: I became a father.

Family: Wife Susan (35 years), son, Seph, daughter-in-law, Kim, grandson Phen, 5, grandaughter, Katherine, 2 and daughter, Jenzy.

If I weren’t working at Duer/Carolina Coil I would like to: Travel to learn more about all facets of human history.

Military career: Captain U.S. Army Artillery Officer (1977-1982).

The most difficult business decision I ever had to make was: Having to reorganize and release employees from an organization.

Favorite food: Italian. Favorite books/author: “Unbroken” by Laura Hillenbrand. Favorite song/musician: Grover Washington. Hobbies: Travel.

68 / SPRINGS / Spring 2015

A really great evening to me is: Having dinner together with my family and friends.

Birthplace: Brooklyn, N.Y.

What I like most about being in the industry: Diversity of industries and markets served by springs. Meeting great people.

68 / SPRINGS / Spring 2015

Favorite places: Seabrook Island S.C., Savannah Ga., New York City, and Ireland.

Role models: Mike Krzyzewski (Coach K). I would like to be remembered in the spring industry as: An ethical, fair, pragmatic business person. But people will probably remember me for: Being a good friend.

Why Partner With Gibbs? Here’s Why! Just a small sampling of the actual emails and calls we receive from our customers every single day “You are awesome! There is not another supplier that even comes close to beating your response time!”

“Thank you so much for such quick response on all 3 orders. This is world class service.”

“You guys are total rock stars!!! Couldn’t be better! MUCHO MUCHO thanks!”

“You guys are AWESOME! Tell everyone THANK YOU!”

“You take such good care of me. Thank you so much!

“You have so made my weekend! TGIF!”

We recognize recognize that that aa key key component component of of your your buying buying decision decision We based on on customer customer service. service. Our isis based Our goal goal is is to to be be the the best best at at customer service service and and support support in in our our industry. industry. Based customer Based on on our our customer comments comments,itit isis clear clear we we are providing the customer the service service levels you need. We will not rest until every customer levels you need. We will not rest until every customerfeels feels the above above statements statements could could be be written written by by them! them! the

employees you can employees count on. From ourcount newest in the and knowledgeable you can on.hire From our warehouse seniortoemployee management. newest hireto in our the most warehouse our mostinsenior employee in Men and women who carewho about thecare workabout they do management. Men andtruly women truly the work and the customers they serve. so many leading they do and the customers theyThat’s serve.why That’s why so many companies have chosen to partner with us. leading comanies have chosen to partner with us.

Since 1956 1956,Gibbs GibbsWire has and represented combinationaof Since Steel hasarepresented responsiveness, innovation and leading edge the combination of responsiveness, innovation andtechnology, leading edge lowest totalthe costlowest and a total teamcost of dedicated and of knowledgeable technology, and a team dedicated

The People You Can Rely On For Wire And Strip 1.800.800.4422 www.gibbswire.com

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