14
MiMfg Magazine
April 2017
Sandra Anson: Our plant size alone
dictates a Just-In-Time purchasing
philosophy, which requires excellent
communication between department
managers to keep production rolling
and product moving out on trucks.
Our turn-around is incredible! We
also don’t have any waste; everything
we make is fully recyclable, so we
regrind our cut-offs and purge, and it
goes right back into production. We’ve
even found a market for our floor sweep
(plastic ‘sawdust’). Our plant utilizes
motion detectors for lighting and
high-efficiency bulbs to reduce
electrical usage.
“
We need to be more than manufacturers, more than companies
that build something. Focus on your customers, focus on your
employees and focus on helping them succeed. There are no short-
cuts to successful processes. If you build your company right, your
equipment right and your relationships right, success will follow.
”
— John Foote
Morbark
Q: What is your philosophy on employee
skill development or opportunities for
advancement and how do you cope
with the challenge of talent shortages?
Dan Craig: We’re connecting earlier
with younger students to educate them
on the careers available. We participate
in National Manufacturing Day and
utilize signage, flyers, postings, internships,
training, and events to get in front of
the next generation of manufacturers.
Chris Waltz: It’s going to vary from
person to person and career path to
career path. One of our core values is
meritocracy, so those who want more
and do more will go further. In general, we
have strong in-house training programs
to educate employees and managers on
technical and soft skills needed to succeed.
Dart Container
Chris Waltz
Location
Mason
Business Type
Food & beverage
packaging manufacturer
Attribute for Success
People and owners who are
willing to invest in success
Self-Classification
Large
We also have a tuition reimbursement
program to aid in the advancement effort.
Dick Sarns: We encourage our people to
continue their education. We support them
financially to pursue extra course work
and bring in people to provide training.
Steve Cooper: I like to say we grow our
own talent here. I don’t hire people for
a job, I hire them for a career pathway.
We want to train people to do a role
and provide them the opportunities to
grow into whatever role they want.
As the company grows, we want the
employees to grow along the way.
Dart Container’s world headquarters in Mason is as exciting to visit as the
processes used to make the company’s thousands of recognizable products.
John Foote: To combat the skills gap
and the myths and misperceptions
surrounding manufacturing, we actively
engage with the community, working
to educate students, parents, teachers,
school counselors and others about the
value of manufacturing as a career
choice, not just a job. We have held
National Manufacturing Day (MFG
Day) events, participated in cooperative
programs with area educational institutions,
attended career fairs, visited schools and
developed internship programs. Morbark
has also worked to promote, and ultimately
pass, area Career and Technical Education
millages to support vocational programs.
“
Change is inevitable and
technology is changing at
such a rapid pace. You
need to be aware of what is
happening out there, adapt
to changes and have a
willingness to move with
the times.
”
— Dick Sarns
NuStep