|
||||
|
|
You
are immediately struck by how important proper machine operating
practices are to anyone in the area of constantly rotating
machines and row upon row of red-hot molten glass coming out of the
molds,
all making their way to the “cool end” of the production
line.
“Since we started our training program with Central Tech, and began holding our supervisors accountable for seeing that everyone we hire to operate equipment on the production lines gets proper training, our people are a lot better trained and our Workman’s Compensation costs have dropped 75%,” says Veirs. “How much of the reduction in insurance costs is directly attributable to the training program, I can’t honestly say, but I am positive it has been a factor in the change over the past year. Training for our people is an important issue and it has got to have a significant impact when we properly train our workers.” Central Tech’s pre-production training currently is for machine maintenance specialists, repairmen, supervisors and quality control personnel. Others being trained include press operators and warehouse handlers. The Sapulpa facility is a division of Indiana Glass, owned by Lancaster Colony. The Bartlett-Collins plant markets its products under the Indiana Glass name and the lines include domestic glassware, floral vases and candle votives. Heaver and more decorative pressed-glass items are being added to the Sapulpa mix as new equipment and workers are added. In the past year, Lancaster Colony ceased production at a plant in Dunkirk, Indiana, and consolidated production and jobs in the Sapulpa facility. Bartlett-Collins currently employs 500 people and needs to add 150 new jobs to staff this consolidation, according to Veirs. Central Technology Center’s pre-production training services at Bartlett-Collins is being done through the state’s Training for Industry Program (TIPS), whereby the state of Oklahoma reimburses Bartlett-Collins for training expenses covered by the program. “I think every industry in the state needs to know about what CareerTech can do for them,” says Veirs. He says: “The CareerTech staff has the resources to help you improve efficiencies from the orientation of new employees, all the way through production and packaging, to marketing the end products. And just as important, the CareerTech people are very innovative and do it at a substantial financial savings to any plant.” “The Technology Center
staff can help any industry change the culture in a plant where updating
and modernization efficiencies are needed and wanted,” said
Veirs. Story: Larry Lehr posted 6/19/03 |
|||
