ISSUE 4, 2020 Important Organization Changes Pg. 3
Share the Lane: Bike Safety
Pg. 5
New CNG Build in California Pg. 9
A MESSAGE FROM JF DIAZ September is finally here. Although it seems like forever, it actually wasn’t too long ago that we were able to gather socially without fear, and we didn’t have to worry about forgetting to bring our face coverings everywhere we went. Being in Florida certainly has its benefits, of course, but lately Florida has been in the public eye for different reasons. Florida remains on the top of the list for states with the highest numbers of positive COVID-19 cases. Despite this, we continue to do our best to live out our purpose and make a positive impact anyway we can. If there is one thing we have learned during these trying times, it’s that looking out for our fellow coworkers and customers is key. We have had to make many changes to the way we meet and the way we keep things clean, and we must ensure everyone is doing their part in taking care of themselves and others. By having the right protocols in place, we have continued to be successful in our operations: Miami Cement continues to grow, and we even started a concrete crushing business to help recycle concrete. As we continue to make the best with what we’re facing, it helps to remember that the sun always shines after the storm.
2
Important Organization Changes At Ozinga, our purpose to make a positive impact on individuals, their families and the community guides everything we do – and we do it together. The importance of working together as One Ozinga is important now more than ever, and I’m excited to share some organizational changes we’re making to live into our purpose as one team and also tap into our value of entrepreneurship. Effective immediately, we will have three operating business lines in the building materials space under the Ozinga name: ready mix concrete, aggregates and cement: •
•
•
Ready Mix Concrete: The ready mix concrete business unit will continue to be led by Paul Ozinga (Wisconsin, IL North and Chicago) and Jeff Ozinga (IL South, Indiana and Florida). Aggregates: Jeff Radack will continue to lead our aggregates business unit, and the truck transportation for dump hauling will continue to be a part of this business unit also. Cement: Herb Moeckel will continue leading our cement unit. Cement bulk hauling and cement terminal operations will now be part of the cement unit.
Here’s the bottom line: in the spirit of One Ozinga, all three business units will operate under the name Ozinga. We will no longer be using the naming conventions that divided us into seemingly separate companies: Ozinga Ready Mix Concrete, Inc; Ozinga Materials & Logistics, Ozinga Cement, Ozinga Bros; Inc…just simply Ozinga. And as we clarify our core and unite as One Ozinga, we also have the opportunity to make entrepreneurial progress: •
•
Middle River Marine & Terminals: Our marine and terminals activity will now operate under the name Middle River Marine & Terminals, wholly-owned but now separate from Ozinga, with a focus on strategically growing the business externally beyond Ozinga work in that space. This effort will be led by Ed Van Poucke. Joining him in this leadership team are Peter Colangelo, Aaron Halcomb and Steve King. Tremendous thanks to this group and congratulations on this next chapter ahead. Ozinga Energy: Jeff Bonnema will continue to lead Ozinga Energy. This business unit is also actively growing the business beyond Ozinga and the building materials space, though it will remain in-house at this time.
Thank you all for doing your part to have a positive impact on the lives of your fellow coworkers, customers and community every day.
3
From left to right: Pat Tellano, Sid Jabaay, David Bruinius, Hank Huizinga, Bruce DeVries, Marty Ozinga III
Surprise Breakfast Club Visitor Marty III made a stop at the Olympic Star Restaurant in Tinley Park, IL last month, and it wasn’t for the eggs and bacon. He crashed the retiree breakfast club— which gathers there the second Saturday of the month—to say hello to some familiar faces. There was a lot of reminiscing and catching up with retired coworkers from Alsip, Mokena and Chicago Heights. Are YOU a retiree and interested in volunteering? Or have you been retired from Ozinga for more than 10 years? If so, we’d like to hear from you! Send an email to sharonsimons@ozinga.com
Ozinga Masks for Sale We have Ozinga masks, in a pack of three, available for purchase at the Ozinga store. Visit store.ozinga.com to place your order.
4
Share the Lane: Bike Safety Whether driving for Ozinga or at home, use extra caution when passing a bicycle. Did you know that Illinois vehicle code requires a motor vehicle to “… leave a safe distance, but not less than 3 feet, when passing [a] bicycle or individual and shall maintain that distance until safely passed…”? Even if your state does not have that specific requirement, it’s still a good rule of thumb. Driving cautiously is a great way to help Ozinga make a positive impact on the community. – Jeff Emrick
CHECK OUT THE OZINGA BLOG! Visit blog.ozinga.com to learn more about Ozinga and our solutions. 5
Your Strengths:
The Power of Knowing & Tapping Into Your Natural Talents What if… when a coworker’s name came up, the first thing you thought of was their strengths? What does this person do best? In what circumstances do they thrive and seem excited about work? Where do they jump in and do things that you or others might not enjoy or do as well? What comes most naturally and gives that person energy? Finding weakness in people is easy. Pointing out what someone doesn’t do well, where they drop the ball, and what they show disinterest in are all things that are easy to spot and sometimes even dwell on. As a society, we are more prone to look for what is wrong, than what is At Ozinga, we want right. In a world of filters, social media and platforms for literal images of perfection, finding what is right to encourage a with people, naturally, isn’t always our first reaction. strengths-based At Ozinga, we want to encourage a strengths-based mindset. mindset. Focusing more on what people do well and encouraging them to do more of it. According to Gallup, when employees strongly agree they get to do what they do best every day, they are four times more likely to be engaged at work. Being engaged at work means a person genuinely wants to be there, they enjoy what they do, and would encourage others to work there too. Using strengths not only allows people to do what they do best, but also encourages better outcomes in crucial business metrics, with up to: • • • •
15% higher overall employee engagement 7% higher customer satisfaction 29% higher profit 72% lower turnover in high-turnover organizations
Three reasons an emphasis on employees’ strengths makes work a better place: 1. Improved teamwork and collaboration. Team members who know one another’s strengths can better collaborate and work 6
together better overall. For example, if you’re a driver on a team in a certain yard/region, you probably know some of the strengths your coworkers have already. Some may have the gift of communication (they can talk to anyone and handle difficult customers better than others), others possess adaptability (they aren’t phased when the day doesn’t go the way it was supposed to), and some may carry the strength of learner (always asking questions and wanting to learn more every day about the job, products and customers). Knowing these things about the people you work with not only give you the advantage of leaning into them when you need one of their strengths, but also helps you understand how and why they do what they do. Getting the job done is easier when you can collaborate this way. 2. Awareness of vulnerabilities and biases. All of us are vulnerable to biases about others. We might see a person doing something and have in our mind that they did it for X reason, but not realize that it is part of who they are – in their DNA. For example, a coworker may be extremely self-confident, which makes them prone to decisions that aren’t well thought out. Or they may be highly competitive, leading the team to choose short-term wins over stronger long-term outcomes. Working with this person and knowing their strengths helps you overcome any biases you may have developed as you work with them on things. You can help empower your coworkers with an honest understanding of their strengths and blind spots -- and how both influence their performance at work. Applying this to yourself as well, is key! 3. Intentional, strengths-based development. Studies show that it is more effective to improve strengths you already naturally have, rather than trying to get better at something you don’t do well. Knowing what gives you energy, what you do with ease, what gives you enjoyment and you do with excellence – these are Be intentional as the things you will improve on most as you develop. It isn’t enough to just develop those talents, but also you work and grow to learn how to best apply those strengths daily in in your role. your work and at home. There is no time limit for development. Be intentional as you work and grow in your role. As we continue to support our purpose of making a positive impact on individuals, their families and the community for generations, let’s do it while finding the best in one another and developing those gifts! To learn more about identifying your own individual strengths and how to tap into them at work and home, contact Jennifer Caceres at jennifercaceres@ozinga.com 7
Tips & Tricks: Shared Mailboxes in Outlook iOS App If you have access to a shared email mailbox, you can view it on your mobile device with the Outlook App. Here’s how to do it:
1
Open the Outlook App and select “Inbox”
2
Click on the “gear” button in the bottom left-hand corner
3
Click on “Add Mail Account”
4
Enter the mailbox you would like to open
A Peek at the Geeks: Meet Kyle Zirkle | Low Voltage Tech sice April 2017 What is your favorite part about working at Ozinga? That my hard work is appreciated and praised What is one thing you can’t live without? Hats, lots of hats What is one random fact that no one else knows about you? I’ve earned a US Navy Humanitarian award
What others are saying about Kyle: What are three words to describe this team member? Integrity, Smart, Industrious What is your favorite part about working with this team member? Kyle will always go the extra mile. Tell us a short story about Kyle. Kyle has a ranking of best chicken tenders and best sauces for the Chicagoland area. 8
New CNG Build in California Ozinga Energy recently finished station construction on the first compressed natural gas station for National Ready Mix Concrete Company in Vernon, California. NRMCC, owned by the world’s largest cement producer, National Cement, is an 8th-generation family owned company since 1946, with 11 locations in the southern California region. This station in Vernon, with 50 time-fill hook-ups, is the largest station Ozinga Energy has ever designed and constructed. In addition to the time-fill posts, this station features a retail hi-flow fast fill dispenser for quick fueling. With this dispenser, compressed natural gas pumps at 25 gallons/minute. This station, like other Ozinga Energy stations, runs on renewable natural gas derived from organic matter from dairy farms. Because of its unique properties, renewable natural gas is considered to be carbon negative with a carbon intensity score of around -300 (compared to diesel’s carbon intensity score of around 100). Due to RNG’s negative carbon intensity score, National Ready Mix running RNG on ready mix concrete trucks, as well as material trucks, actually off-sets the damage done by diesel-fueled vehicles. The next station is set to begin construction in the next few months in Irwindale, CA. In addition to the station design and construction services that Ozinga Energy has been able to provide, National Ready Mix has also awarded two 10-year maintenance contracts to Ozinga for both Vernon and Irwindale. This station construction and maintenance agreement is the first step in a much larger partnership for National Ready Mix and Ozinga, as well as Ozinga Energy’s presence in the state of California.
9
OML Cookout The OML group hosted a cookout for coworkers, customers and truckers picking up material from our Lincolnshire recycling operation last month. It was a busy day on site, and the team served everyone until the food was all gone. It’s a small way of giving back and making a positive impact.
ROCK SOLID SOLUTION When Rock Solid Stabilization & Reclamation Inc. contacted Ozinga to help with their most recent job, Project Tracey, located at 23810 W. Bluff Road in Channahon, IL, they needed a partner who could provide them a large supply of Class C fly ash and who could adhere to their tough delivery schedule: 12 deliveries a day with 45-minute intervals. Rock Solid already has a full fleet of bulk haulers and can usually manage their own deliveries and logistics, but this job required procurement and logistics, so they entrusted Ben Franklin and the Ozinga teams to get the job done. “Ozinga really knocked it out of the park,” said VP Mike Cohn. “By the second day we knew we’d made the right decision partnering with Ozinga. We actually finished the job a week ahead of schedule, which is very rare when we give up control of the logistics.” Over eight days, Ozinga supplied and delivered Class C fly ash utilizing 79 truck loads and our logistics network of cement terminals to keep the supply chain moving on time. 10
“Like a Good Neighbor…” Naperville Yard Picnic Ozinga’s presence in Naperville, IL, hasn’t always been well received. George Hopman, operations manager, can attest to that. Ozinga acquired Meyer Materials of Naperville in 2014, and the existing plant was already nestled in a densely populated residential neighborhood. When Meyer ceased operations, many of the neighbors thought the earlymorning wakeup calls of loud noise coming from heavy equipment and dust had finally settled, until Ozinga took over and started producing concrete. George knew many of the neighbors didn’t like Ozinga being in the neighborhood, so he did something about it. For the last few years, George has befriended many of the Naperville neighbors and has gone above and beyond to mitigate their concerns: Sand and stone deliveries are not allowed at the yard until 7 a.m.; the plant and the streets are swept two days a week; a sprinkler is set up outside the main entrance to cut down on dust; trucks are only washed after being loaded behind the garage to cut down on the sound the truck makes while it mixes the loads; and a muffler was installed to the back-up alarm to soften the sound of the loud beeping. If that wasn’t enough, George had the idea to host a picnic at the Naperville yard and invite all the neighbors for lunch, ride-alongs, and an inside look at the operations and to meet fellow drivers. Nina Betts is a resident who lives kitty-corner to the Naperville yard, and she attended the picnic. She has a close relationship to George. She calls him whenever a concern arises or she has a question. Nina says they are more than just acquaintances at this point, they are also friends. “George makes a wonderful neighbor, as a person. He’s supportive and kind, and he takes the time to listen.” When asked about the kind of impact this picnic had on the community, Nina said, “It’s a small but resounding act that shows Ozinga is cognizant and embedded in their communities.” 11
19001 Old Lagrange Rd Mokena, IL 60448