EMPHASIZING EMPLOYEE DIVERSITY and Career Development at Sandvik Palm Coast
by David Castagnacci
Employee diversity and career development are attributes the management team of Sandvik Palm Coast takes pride in as part of their corporate culture .
Here since 1993 , Sandvik Palm Coast ( SPC ) is owned by Swedenbased Sandvik , an international engineering corporation founded in 1862 . Sandvik has sales in more than 160 countries and a workforce of 40,000 employees , including 120 in Palm Coast .
Diversity and inclusion are core values of the parent corporation ’ s vision – seeing diverse employee teams as more creative , innovative and effective . This attitude extends locally , especially in regard to multi-cultures , age and gender , with 50 percent of SPC ’ s management team being female . “ When you have diversity , you are able to solve problems better . You have more thoughts and ideas presented ,” comments Gary Davies , general manager of SPC .
Sandvik ’ s worldwide research and manufacturing facilities specialize in materials technology , machining solutions , and mining and rock technology . In Palm Coast , the company ’ s services play an important role in the international medical industry , manufacturing high-grade fine wires and wire-based components used within various fields of medical technology . Their products have advanced vascular therapies , sensing solutions such as glucose monitoring , progressive middle ear implants , and brain / spinal stimulation therapy that is especially helpful for persons with Parkinson ’ s disease .
Davies notes that SPC ’ s state-of-the-art sensing devices have been valuable during the COVID-19 pandemic in monitoring the glucose levels of affected diabetic patients who must be in hospital isolation .
Innovation and research are foundations of Sandvik ’ s products – and diversity plays a major role in recruitment and career development . “ If you can realize the value of diversity in gender , ethnicity , maturity level , education level and work experience at the early stages , this will eventually become the standard culture for your organization ,” comments Katina Whitten , SPC ’ s HR manager . “ Having this standard allows for critical , outside the box thinking that in turn provides so many different perspectives and viewpoints .”
Gary Davies and Katina Whitten
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