5 minute read
How to Do Things
By Gary McCoy
As I was writing this story, I conducted a Google search for the phrase, “How to Do Things.” The top search result came from Popular Mechanics. In 2008 the magazine compiled a list of “100 Skills Everyone Should Know.” The publication has continued to update and revise the article over the years. The “how to” advice ranges from #1 “Escape a Sinking Car,” #56 “Use a Sledgehammer,” #59 “Change a Diaper,” and #100 “Fold the Flag.”
One item that I did not see on the list that has always puzzled me is: “How to fold a fitted sheet.”
It’s no secret that we are all drawn to articles with titles like “Five easy steps…” or the “Top 10 reasons…” or “Three secrets to…”
This issue provides helpful tips and tricks including how to run better meetings, ideas to prevent conveyor oven failures and four ideas for hiring workers during a pandemic. There is certainly a lot more “tribal knowledge” out there and contained inside the walls of your companies.
As you will read in my Springmaker Spotlight article on Damon Kaufman and Stalder Spring (see page 55), Kaufman mentions the value of “institutional knowledge” when manufacturing springs and wireforms. Kaufman says much of that information was passed down to him by both his grandfather and father, who were both lifelong springmakers. As Kaufman explained, “It’s information you can’t replace.”
We have several contributions from SMI members. David DeVoe, president of Plymouth Spring in Bristol, Connecticut talks about how a good neighbor helped Plymouth Spring solve a recent customer dilemma. See page 31. John Higgins of Ace Wire Spring provides helpful insights on “How to Prioritize Communication and Customer Service” on page 32.
On the technical side, we present “Important Considerations When Testing Springs with Force Systems” from The L.S. Starrett Company on page 33, and “Loose Electrical Connections Can Wreak Havoc in Conveyor Ovens” on page 36 by Daniel Pierre III of JN Machinery. We also look at “The Five Top Causes of Spring Failures and How You Might Prevent Them” in our Flashback feature on page 39 from former SMI technical director Luke Zubek.
We also delve into management articles related to our current pandemic on page 48, “Beyond the Conference Call: 4 Meeting Technologies Every Team Needs,” on page 43, and “Four Things That Do Not Change for Recruiting and Hiring During A Crisis” on page 46.
Helpful Advice
To go along with the theme of this issue, SMI reached out to its members to answer the following statement: Please share the best advice you received from someone that helped you personally or in your career/ business. Here is a sampling of the answers we received.
Employees
Advice from Alfred L. Kerns, the founder of Sound Spring Inc. and the father of Tammy Kerns, operations manager, sales, Sound Spring Inc., Kent, Washington.
Reducing Waste
“’You know, you can reuse aluminum foil.’ It was a comment made to me by my first girlfriend when I moved to Japan back in 1987, as she picked up a tin foil ball from the garbage where I had just ‘scored a basket.’ She made no other comments about this other than to show genuine concern for the future life of that piece of tin foil. It showed me how wasteful I was for everyday small things.
Since then, I am always seeing if I can reuse anything once their intended function is over. All non-sensitive paper printouts at JN get cut into quarter sheets and used as scratch paper for everyone’s desks. Sensitive paper info gets shredded, then formed into bricks to be used in BBQs and fire pits. Warm exhaust air from the office air conditioning system gets redirected to the heat chambers of ovens that will undergo testing, and it reduces our electrical costs. Some electronic components come in individual boxes with small foam pads to prevent scratching. JN uses these pads under our control panels to reduce heat transfer and vibrations to the panels.”
Daniel Pierre III, president, JN Machinery, East Dundee, Illinois.
Mentors
“In my 48 years in the spring industry, I have crossed paths with many nice people. I have learned much from them in my development of a person, as well as how to run a spring company. In particular, I would first and foremost mention the late George Underwood, who at one time owned Hardware Products in Boston.
I was in my twenties and George was in his forties when we first met. The Torin corporation back in the 70s had a training school to learn the basics of setting up a coiler. George had just bought Hardware Products and I had just finished my time in the Army and was beginning my career in the family spring business, Diamond Wire Spring Co. We both attended the school the same week.
George and I hit it off right from the beginning. I had many challenges ahead of me and George and I would talk and visit each other in Pittsburgh and Boston. He influenced me to see a situation for what it was, and that everyone has their own challenges, both in business and day to day. He taught me to meet the problem head on. Don’t just talk about it. Just the way he carried himself and how he went about solving a problem was influencing. Even late in life when he suffered from depression, he was so open and told me how things were affecting him. He taught me life can change in a heartbeat, so approach with true grit.
Two other men I would like to mention are Bert Barnes, the past president of Yost Superior, and Dave Morrow, prior owner of Sanborn Wire. What fine men! Both demonstrated integrity and honesty. Bert taught me to help your competitor, because some day you might need help, and Dave showed me how to maintain poise and integrity in the face of adversity. This occurred when his spring company, through no fault of management, fell on hard times.
All three of the above men I felt privileged to know and call my good friends and they helped me a lot.”
Don Fazio, president, Diamond Wire Spring Co, Glenshaw, Pennsylvania. Pass it Along Volumes could be written on how to do things. It is our hope that this small slice of instruction is helpful and that whatever you have learned during your career, you will be eager to share it with others.
As one of our founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin shared a lot of wisdom with his colleagues. He is widely quoted, and this gem aptly applies to today’s business landscape, “An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.”
Perhaps it is time to start an industry list of the “100 Skills Every Springmaker Should Know.” n
