MODERN ADAPTATION IN FINISHES & COATINGS
Masic Industries of Clackamas, Oregon, provides coating technologies with an eye on the future.
By Jennifer Ferrero
IF NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION, ADAPTATION IS THE FUTURE OF MANUFACTURING. Masic Industries of Clackamas, Oregon, has been in business for over 77 years. In the last calendar year, they produced over one million pieces in their 16,000-square-foot facility. The fourth-generation business was started in the 1940s by the grandfather of Chris Sicilia, the current CEO. Sicilia has been with the company for 35 years and is keen on proactive adaptation.
Sicilia’ s parents operated the enterprise before him, and now he, his younger brother, and three of his children run it. He said that one thing that makes the company unique, aside from the family-owned component, is its employee diversity. On their website, the predominant language is English, with translations into Vietnamese and Spanish. Sicilia noted that when they brought on a quality manager, they implemented many improvements, including translating internal documentation into Vietnamese and Spanish. Adapting to different languages was an effort to improve internal communication and employee retention.“ All shop instructions, statements, and other materials are available in three languages. A lot of different cultures collide,” he said regarding the importance of embracing diversity.
According to Sicilia, they offer their 42 employees a familyoriented environment with picnics and lunches.“ We have an extremely low turnover; most of our crew has been here five to 20-plus years. There are many different nationalities, and I think that reassures us we’ re doing something right for employees. They aren’ t all engineers or highly trained people, but we have a good retention rate, with extended family and friends. The culture at Masic Industries offers a good place to work,” he said.
AUGUST | SEPTEMBER ISSUE NO. 52 9