Inside Rubber - Issue 3 2021

S T R AT E G I E S F O R F U T U R E S U C C E S S

2021 Issue I 3

Building Strong Businesses with Strong Cultures f In-Person Benchmarking Conference Returns f Assessing CRM Software for Manufacturing f Red Tag Events at Lake Erie Rubber

The Official Publication of the Association of Rubber Products Manufacturers

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CONTENTS 2021 ISSUE 3

FEATURES 6 10

Benchmarking & Best Practices Conference Strategies Protecting Workers in a Post-Pandemic Manufacturing Environment

14

Outlook

18

Building Strong Businesses with Strong Cultures

18

Trends Sustainability Policies are Today’s Sales and Marketing Necessity

22

View From 30 Red Tag Events: How Three Colors Started a Transformation at Lake Erie Rubber

26

Review EHS Summit Enhances Safety Knowledge for Attendees

22

Awards Recognize Best Practices in Safety

32

Benchmarking An Honest Assessment of the CRM Software Utilized in the Manufacturing Industry

36

Talent Online Skills Training: A Vital Post-Pandemic Tool for Manufacturers

Departments 4 25 31 35 38 38

From the President Technical Standards Update Member News Industry Calendar Ad Index

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FROM THE PRESIDENT s I write this note, the fireworks of the Fourth of July celebrations have just ended.

What a great holiday… Happy Birthday, America! It’s hard to believe that we are more than halfway through 2021. Our business challenges continue to evolve, and we must continue to evolve to meet them.

A Steve Nieto Tahoma Rubber and Plastics

Now that the pandemic is waning, we finally will be able to go to industry events in person instead of attending virtual conferences. It will be good to see each other again after about 18 months of isolation. Our ARPM board meeting in late July will be the first in-person meeting for our organization since the pandemic started. The International Elastomer Conference will take place in Pittsburgh from October 4 through 7, and the ARPM 2021 Benchmarking and Best Practices Conference will be November 3 through 5 in person at the Indianapolis Marriott. See everyone soon – face-to-face networking is back.

This issue of Inside Rubber focuses on company culture.

The company culture affects all aspects of employee motivation, comfort, attitudes, business, safety, productivity and retention. Recruiting and retaining a workforce is so critical – and difficult – for all of us these days. Please share what has worked and what hasn’t within your own companies.

How do you instill a great culture to a new organization, and how do you change an existing organization? How can you

7321 Shadeland Station Way, Suite 285 Indianapolis, IN 46256

make safety an everyday part of the culture? The rubber industry is made up, in large part, of small companies that really can benefit from this sharing.

ARPM seeks to discuss and share issues that are of importance to our members. Networking and sharing best practices are the cornerstones of our primary mission. Please share your thoughts – if you have ideas for other topics you would like to share or feel are important to our industry, let us know. We want to bring the greatest value we can to the rubber industry. 

“

THIS ISSUE OF INSIDE RUBBER FOCUSES ON COMPANY CULTURE. THE COMPANY CULTURE AFFECTS ALL ASPECTS OF EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION, COMFORT, ATTITUDES, BUSINESS, SAFETY, PRODUCTIVITY AND

”

RETENTION.

Managing Editor: Dianna Brodine Art Director: Becky Arensdorf Published by:

Phone: 317.863.4072 | Fax: 317.913.2445 info@arpminc.org | www.arpminc.com © Copyright 2021 ARPM Officers and Board of Directors President Steve Nieto, Tahoma Rubber and Plastics Past President Dave Jentzsch, Blair Rubber Vice President Chris Buhlmann, Gates Corporation Treasurer Marel Riley-Ryman, Southern Michigan Rubber Secretary Joe Keglewitsch, Ice Miller LLP

4 Inside Rubber // 2021 Issue 3

2150 SW Westport Dr., Suite 101 Topeka, KS 66614 Phone: 785.271.5801

ARPM Board of Directors

ARPM Team

Kirk Bowman, The Timken Group Charlie Braun, Custom Rubber Corporation Russ Burgert, MAPLAN USA Joe Colletti, MarshBellofram Randy Dobbs, Sperry & Rice LLC Doug Gilg, Continental ContiTech Donovan Lonsway, BRP Mike Recchio, Zeon Chemicals L.P. Mike Smith, Basic Rubber and Plastics John Stourac, Zochem Travis Turek, Bruckman Rubber Corporation Joe Walker, Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies James Wideman, MBL (USA) Corporation

Executive Director Troy Nix – tnix@arpminc.org Managing Director Letha Keslar – lkeslar@arpminc.org Marketing Director Marcella Kates – mkates@arpminc.org Analytics Tony Robinson – trobinson@arpminc.org Director of Publications Susan Denzio – sdenzio@arpminc.org Project Manager Kaitlyn Krol – kkrol@arpminc.org

BRINGING THE INDUSTRY BACK TOGETHER THIS NOVEMBER!

November 3-5, 2021 | Indianapolis, IN arpminc.com/conference

The 2021 Benchmarking and Best Practices Conference is planned for November 3-5, 2021, in-person at the Indianapolis Downtown Marriott. This event will bring together manufacturers from around the United States for a week of programs and activities.

The goal of the Benchmarking and Best Practices Conference is to help rubber and plastics companies improve their operations and tactics in order to impact bottomline profits. This year’s Benchmarking and Best Practices conference will address leadership, operational best practices, the latest financial benchmarks, sales and marketing, and the impact of employees on the bottom-line and much more.

The Conference staff has created a schedule packed with best practices, leadingedge benchmarks, expert presentations and the best networking opportunities in the industry.

Early Bird ends August 19. Space is limited, and this event will sell out! Registration and more info can be found at arpminc.com/conference.

TAKEAWAYS OPERATIONAL BEST PRACTICES LEADERSHIP STRATEGIES SUPERIOR NETWORKING FINANCIAL BENCHMARKS You Don’t Want To Miss This Event!

The conference planning committee is actively monitoring the incidence of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in our region. We are following guidance from local health departments and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding large gatherings, including CDC recommendations on preventing the spread of COVID-19.

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ATTENTION! We are pleased to announce this will be an in-person event!

HOTEL

This year’s event will take place at the Indianapolis Downtown Marriott 350 W. Maryland • Indianapolis, IN 46225 A room block has been secured for the event. Scan this link to book your room.

AGENDA

Please note, this agenda is still a work in progress. The Conference Committee wanted to share the general timeline of the event to assist attendees with travel arrangements. All times are EDT.

Wednesday, November 3 11:00 AM 1:00 PM 5:30 PM

Pre-Con Programming Begins This includes but isn’t limited to the Young Professional Training session and Sponsor user groups.

Sponsors/Exhibitors Move In Industry Welcome Reception (adjourns at 7 PM)

Thursday, November 4 7:00 AM 8:00 AM 8:20 AM 9:30 AM 10:00 AM 11:50 AM 1:00 PM 2:30 PM 3:30 PM 4:30 PM 5:00 PM

Breakfast Conference Welcome and Troy Nix Keynote Keynote Matthew Kelly AM Networking Break amongst the Sponsors BC LABS Lunch and Learn with Keynote Phil Van Hooser Or Networking Lunch BC Labs Networking Break amongst the Sponsors Keynote Major General (retired) Tony Cucolo Member Meeting Members’ Choice Reception (adjourns at 7:30 PM)

Friday, November 5 7:00 AM 8:00 AM 9:00 AM 9:30 AM 10:00 AM 11:00 AM 12:00 PM

Breakfast Peer to Peer Networking Innovation Awards Ceremony Networking Break amongst the Sponsors BC Labs Keynote Clint Pulver Conference Adjourned࣢

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FEATURING

The Conference team is pleased to welcome the following keynote speakers to the event: Troy Nix, executive director

Troy Nix serves as the Master of Ceremonies for the Benchmarking and Best Practices Conference. Known for his spirit, enthusiasm, and belief in American manufacturing, Nix will deliver an opening address that will focus on lessons in leadership and the importance of becoming more in tune with one’s inner self.

Professionals over the last decade who have heard Nix deliver his opening address know that the first 30 minutes of the conference will spark emotion in each attendee’s inner core. This year’s message will focus on tapping into that internal fuel source to inspire, motivate and overcome obstacles encountered every day. Nix’s tag line – “America Is What America Makes” – is an essential ideal that motivates those attending the conference to strive for excellence.

Matthew Kelly, keynote

Matthew Kelly is an internationally acclaimed speaker and bestselling author. He also is the founder and president of Floyd Consulting, a firm based on the belief that your organization can only become the-best-version-of-itself if the people in your organization are striving to become the best-version-of-themselves. With his keen sense of humor and passion for helping companies understand that developing their employees is the first step to achieving corporate goals, Kelly seems to effortlessly elevate and energize people to pursue the highest values of the human spirit and achieve their personal goals and ambitions.

Matthew Kelly’s message is both timely and timeless. His example is authentic and inspiring. His passion for life is refreshing and challenging. It is certain that he will continue to be, with increasing influence, one of the most sought-after and endearing voices of our time.

Clint Pulver, speaker

Clint Pulver is a motivational keynote speaker, author, musician, Emmy Award Winner and workforce expert. A Professional Drummer for over 20 years, he’s played with top headlining fellow musicians in venues like the Vivint Arena, the Stadium of Fire and the Kodak Theater in Hollywood. He founded the UVU Drumline known as the Green Man Group, which he directed for six years, and went on to direct the Drumline for the NBA’s Utah Jazz until 2015. As the president and founder of The Center for Retention, Pulver has transformed how corporations like Keller Williams, AT&T and Hewlett Packard create lasting loyalty through his work and research as “The Undercover Millennial.” For over a decade, he has been a self-motivated Entrepreneur who is well versed in business start-up, leadership, sales management, management training and helping teams grow multi-million-dollar accounts. He uses that experience to create teachable relationship and business strategies based on trust, service, support, connection and consistent follow-through.

Pulver strongly believes that a single moment in time can change a person’s life. He has traveled the world speaking to a wide spectrum of diverse audiences, challenging them to dream, excel, connect and believe – both in themselves and in the power of others. For over a decade, Pulver has dedicated his heart to helping organizations understand the younger generation and helping the younger generation better understand themselves by living a life of significance, rather than just a life of success. His mantra? “It’s not about being the best in the world…it’s about being the best FOR the world.”

Phil Van Hooser, speaker

Phillip Van Hooser’s approach to leadership training, employee relations and communication skills development is drawn from his own leadership experience in community banking, FORTUNE 500 manufacturing and consumer products companies. From his roles in employee relations, training and human resources, Van Hooser knows firsthand the very real impact authentic, respected, engaged employee relations have on productivity and profits. He knows the practical, commonsense strategies leaders, managers and supervisors can implement to win credibility, communicate effectively, engage confidently with employees while reducing conflict and reaching organizational goals.

An engaging keynote speaker, leadership training expert, accomplished business writer and mentor to emerging Millennial and Gen Z leaders, Phillip Van Hooser is committed to delivering keynotes and professional development training that help companies and organizations experience stronger, more productive leader / employee relations, greater teamwork, trust, communication and collaboration, and improved bottom-line business results.

8 Inside Rubber // 2021 Issue 3

Laurie Harbour, speaker

Laurie Harbour is president and CEO of Harbour Results Inc. She has over 25 years of experience in benchmarking, performing operational assessments and leading strategic planning sessions for companies across the globe. She works closely with small- to medium-sized automotive suppliers, manufacturing companies, processors and mold builders and their supply chains to ultimately increase the health of their business.

Harbour has been in over 100 tool shops in the last two years around the globe. By using very formal processes, she and her team utilize their in-depth backgrounds and expertise to identify strengths, weaknesses, performance gaps and business risks in order to develop strategies that lead to longterm sustainability. Her strategic transformation process has been used by manufacturers across the United States to achieve sustainable improvements, ultimately mitigating risk and improving long-term profitability.

The programming sub-committee for the Benchmarking and Best Practices Conference, comprised of your industry peers, is interested in providing a wide range of topics that will meet the needs of all conference attendees. To achieve this goal, we are looking to the membership (you or a member of your team) to share with and educate one another. Presenters are encouraged to provide programs that fall under at least one of the conference tracks (BC LABS), ultimately addressing the issues that are keeping our members up at night.

BC LABS • • • • • • •

Executive Stakeholders/Owners Leadership Senior Leaders (Presidents/VPs) Human Resources/Safety Sales & Marketing Operations/Engineering CFOs/Finance/IT

SPONSORS

Media Partners www.arpminc.com 9

STRATEGIES

Protecting Workers in a Post-Pandemic Manufacturing Environment

By Angela Courtwright, attorney, Ice Miller LLP famous Greek philosopher stated, “Change is the only constant in life.” This observation could not be truer today as the world begins to reemerge from the turbulence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Society longs for a return to the pre-pandemic normal, but it is becoming increasingly apparent that this is not possible. A new “normal” must be created that takes into account the lessons learned during the pandemic.

A

Employers can take comfort in the fact that the difficult situations and questions they are facing are being faced by all. Questions such as the extent of ongoing precautions that must be imposed to protect workers and whether employers may require workers to become vaccinated are of upmost importance.

Workplace safety Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, employers are obligated under the General Duty Clause, Section 5(a) (1), to provide their workers with a work environment “free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm.” The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) provided a significant amount of guidance throughout the pandemic containing recommendations on actions employers should take to protect workers from contracting and/or spreading COVID-19. OSHA did not, however, create any formal COVID-19 requirements outside of those that generally fall under the General Duty Clause until June 10, 2021, when the emergency temporary standard (ETS) on COVID-19 was issued. The ETS only applies to employers providing healthcare services or healthcare support services. Employers who fall outside of this limited class are left to determine what precautions, if any, remain necessary to protect their workers from COVID-19.

Non-healthcare employers are not left in the dark. Although OSHA did not implement specific standards that must be followed for all employers, it did update its general guidance. While this guidance does not impose mandatory obligations upon non-healthcare employers, it does serve as evidence of potential efforts that employers could take to 10 Inside Rubber // 2021 Issue 3

protect workers. Within this guidance, OSHA encourages employers “to engage with workers and their representatives to determine how to implement multi-layered interventions to protect unvaccinated or otherwise at-risk workers and mitigate the spread of COVID-19.”

The following steps are recommended to meet this objective: 1. Granting paid time off for workers to get vaccinated.

2. Instructing any workers who are infected, unvaccinated workers who have had close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, and all workers with COVID-19 symptoms to stay home from work.

3. Implementing physical distancing for unvaccinated and at-risk workers in all communal work areas.

4. Providing unvaccinated and otherwise at-risk workers with face coverings or surgical masks, unless their work task requires a respirator or other PPE. 5. Educating and training workers on the employer’s COVID-19 policies and procedures using accessible formats and languages they understand.

6. Suggesting that unvaccinated customers, visitors or guests wear face coverings.

7. Maintaining ventilation systems.

8. Performing routine cleaning and disinfection.

9. Recording and reporting COVID-19 infections and deaths.

10. Implementing protections from retaliation and setting up an anonymous process for workers to voice concerns about COVID-19 related hazards.

11. Following other applicable mandatory standards such as PPE requirements, respiratory protection, sanitation and access to medical and exposure records.

While these steps are not mandatory, they are useful tools that may be implemented to protect a company’s workforce.

Mandatory vaccinations Neither OSHA’s guidance nor the ETS standard address the question of whether an employer may (or should) require its

workers to become vaccinated against COVID-19. It does, however, differentiate between unvaccinated “or otherwise at-risk workers” and those who are fully vaccinated. “[M] ost employers no longer need to take steps to protect their fully vaccinated workers who are not otherwise at-risk from COVID-19 exposure” unless otherwise required by law1. In light of this, many employers now are asking whether they can require their workers to become vaccinated.

At the federal level, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently has updated its guidance advising that Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) laws do not prevent employers from requiring workers who physically enter the workplace to be vaccinated for COVID-19. If an employer elects to put in place a mandatory COVID-19 vaccine policy, it should ensure that its mandatory vaccine program complies with the reasonable accommodation provisions of the ADA (for individuals with disabilities) and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (for religious accommodations) and does not discriminate against any individual or group of individuals based on a protected characteristic. The EEOC noted, however, that its guidance is limited to the EEO laws and that other federal, state and local laws and regulations also govern the COVID-19 vaccination of workers.

The Safer Federal Workforce Task Force governing federal employees and contractors advised that, at this time, “COVID-19 vaccination should generally not be a pre-condition for employees or contractors at executive departments and agencies to work in-person in federal buildings, on federal lands and in other settings as required by their job duties.” Unfortunately, the Task Force does not provide any underlying reason for this recommendation. It is possible that this guidance stems from the potential legal risks that a mandatory vaccination policy would create due to the FDA’s current approval of the COVID-19 vaccines pursuant to the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) process. The subsection of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) that gives the FDA the ability to grant EUAs requires that individuals receiving the product are informed “of the option to accept or refuse administration of the product, [and] of the consequences, if any of refusing administration.” 21 U.S.C. § 360bbb-3(e)(1)(A)(iii)(III).

Outside of federal law considerations, employers also must be mindful of any unique state laws that may be impacted by a mandatory vaccine program. A number of lawsuits recently have been filed challenging mandatory vaccine programs under state law. For those states that recognize a common law cause of action for wrongful termination in violation page 12 X

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STRATEGIES W page 11

of public policy, employees may assert the argument that a mandatory vaccine program violates the public policy embodied in the FDCA’s requirement that an individual be permitted to refuse the vaccination. This argument, however, recently was rejected by a US District Court Judge in Texas who stated that public policy clearly supports widespread inoculation efforts and that the group of employees bringing the lawsuit were not forced to receive the vaccinate2. As to this latter point, the Judge stated that the employees “can choose to accept or refuse a COVID-19 vaccine.” If they refuse, they “will simply need to work somewhere else.”

The Texas decision is only the first of many anticipated decisions regarding this issue, and it is unknown how each jurisdiction will side on the issue. As of this writing, there also is legislation pending in many states that would make it a violation of state law for an employer to require COVID-19 vaccinations as a condition of employment. In light of the above uncertainty, it is recommended that employers consult with legal counsel prior to implementing a mandatory vaccine program. 

References 1. OSHA did reiterate CDC guidance that vaccinated people should nonetheless monitor themselves for symptoms of COVID-19 (particularly if they have an exposure) and get tested and stay home if they do have symptoms.

2. Bridges et al. v. Houston Methodist Hospital et al., Docket No. 4:21CV01774 (S.D. Tex. June 12, 2021).

This publication is intended for general information purposes only and does not and is not intended to constitute legal advice. The reader should consult with legal counsel to determine how laws or decisions discussed herein apply to the reader’s specific circumstances.

The Labor, Employment and Immigration Group at Ice Miller is here for employers during these changing times. For more information, contact Angela Courtwright at Angela.

Courtwright@icemiller.com or visit www.icemiller.com.

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OUTLOOK

Building Strong Businesses with Strong Cultures

By Liz Stevens, writer, Inside Rubber

o matter what manufacturers seek to accomplish with their businesses, the company leaders – including owners and top management – are in the catbird seats to set the tone, model the culture and invite employees to get on board. Culture has a sustained impact – for manufacturers, culture is an overarching component tied into character, business identity and corporate charter.

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That is not to say that there is a narrow field of cultures in industry – quite the opposite. Some manufacturers cultivate a family-oriented culture via ownership succession within a nuclear family or by creating a family atmosphere among an entire workforce. Other manufacturers build a culture that is data centric. There are customer-centric cultures, cost control- and efficiency-oriented cultures, and performance/ teamwork cultures. And, usually due to a failure to focus on company culture, businesses can have toxic cultures that undermine their best ideas, plans and strategies.

Whatever the cultural bent of an organization, the tone set at the top has great impact. Inside Rubber talked to two ARPM members, Lake Erie Rubber and Fulflex, about the culture at their plants, how it is cultivated and how it affects their business success.

Jon Meighan is president of Lake Erie Rubber (www. lakeerierubber.com), an Erie, Pennsylvania plant offering injection molding, compression molding and transfer molding for rail transportation customers. The company began in 1961 and passed through two generations of family ownership before Meighan purchased it in 2017. Meighan has a mechanical engineering degree and a decade of experience implementing lean manufacturing techniques at GE Transportation. His plant has grown from eight to 16 employees since his acquisition of the company.

Fulflex (www.fulflex.com), located in Brattleboro, Vermont, has 120 employees and manufactures thin-gauge calendered and extruded elastic products for apparel, healthcare products, home and travel products. The plant was founded in 1909 as a family-run business and was sold to Garware Bestretch Limited, a Pune, India-based manufacturer of latex and latex-free elastic rubber products, in 2018. Ajit Chouhan is president and CEO of Fulflex and Garware Bestretch 14 Inside Rubber // 2021 Issue 3

Limited, and he spoke with Inside Rubber about business culture in general and at the Brattleboro plant.

At Fulflex, it’s vision, mission, strategy, culture Chouhan and Meighan both stated that, for them, culture is an aspect of a company’s larger self-concept. At Fulflex, Diya Garware Ibanez, chairperson and managing director of Fulflex, has been singularly responsible for building the organization and its culture to where it is today, said Chouhan, and because of her efforts, the Fulflex culture supports the organization’s vision, mission and strategy.

“Our culture is based on prioritizing our desires to delight our customers, to deliver high quality, to operate safely and sustainably, to be known for high speed and a collaborative nature, and to readily take ownership and demonstrate accountability,” he said.

When asked how the culture at the company’s US plant compares to the cultures at its plants in other countries, Chouhan explained that his company’s overarching vision, mission, strategy and culture apply to all of its plants, but that each plant operates with an embrace of its unique national and local culture. “There may be subtle variances in every country and every culture,” said Chouhan. “Firstly, you respect the country’s culture – all cultures emanate from a country to its society and then to organizations. Respecting that, the way to inculcate cultures always is the same. In an organization, it always flows from the top to the bottom.”

The team at Fulflex, Brattleboro, Vermont.

When Garware Bestretch acquired Fulflex, it had been a supplier for Fulflex for many years. Chouhan stated that merging systems and processes and strategies is not difficult, but that the key factor for success is the integration of cultures.

“When we had the opportunity to merge the supplier and the customer relationships, we were in a good position culturally.

We already had a strong customer-supplier relationship,” Chouhan said. “It was fairly easy to adapt culturally because we had a relationship of mutual respect in which they trusted us as a strong partner, more as a partner than a supplier.”

is broadcast in new-hire literature, at monthly meetings and wherever the company can share it.

Fulflex’s strategy of supporting team members and community through its embrace of local cultural priorities will be on display in September when the company hosts the Moving Wall, a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, for a five-day visit. A former Fulflex employee, Len Derby, asked if the Moving Wall could be installed temporarily on the Fulflex site, and the company approved the plan for the benefit of the Brattleboro community.

Meighan stressed how important it is for employees to see their leaders modeling the culture that they want for their companies. “If you talk about a mission statement but it doesn’t match your actions, your employees will lose trust,” said Meighan. “When you clearly communicate what you want to see and then you commit time – like our daily Gemba walk – people will believe in the mission and want to be a part of it,”

Lake Erie Rubber’s culture: positive relationships and continuous improvement

Ajit Chouhan echoed this sentiment, referring to it as “walking the talk” to show employees that the company culture flows – actively, consistently and demonstrably – from its leadership. “I can assure you,” said Chouhan, “while people are listening to you, they are looking at you more than they are listening to you.” Leaders, he said, must do more than just talk about culture. “Once you start walking the talk, the culture in an organization propagates at a much faster pace than what anybody can imagine.”

At Lake Erie Rubber, Meighan explained that “positive relationships and continuous improvement are the most important aspects of culture for our company. The positive relationships ensure good communication. Good communication leads to transparency and understanding across all departments, which makes for a better experience for our customers.” He explained that having a continuous improvement mindset means that the company always is working to get better with safety, quality, delivery and cost initiatives. “If we get those two characteristics – relationships and continuous improvement – right on a consistent basis, we will have a lot of happy customers.”

“The first step to influence the culture for Lake Erie Rubber,” said Meighan, “is setting a mission statement and sharing it with the entire company.” The company’s mission statement

The team at Lake Erie Rubber.

Meighan stated that the second step for influencing the culture at Lake Erie Rubber is demonstrating what that culture looks like. “I do a Gemba walk in our shop and say good morning to every employee every day,” said Meighan. “I ask employees how their jobs are running, and we talk about ways to make improvements. Consistently participating in the culture that you want to see in your company is key to shaping it.”

The pandemic: culture’s trial by fire A manufacturing plant’s culture can provide the strength to withstand, accommodate or support a changing world. The COVID-19 pandemic threw a barrage of change at both Lake Erie Rubber and Fulflex, testing their cultures and the beliefs behind them. It’s easy to focus on intangibles when times are good – what happens when businesses are challenged?

For Lake Erie Rubber and many other manufacturers, the pandemic wreaked havoc on the supply chain. “The supply chain disruptions caused us to find new solutions to improve speed and consistency for our customers,” said Mieghan.

“We implemented multiple, very successful inventory stocking and blanket order programs with customers to reduce their lead times. This also allows us to balance our purchasing and production activities.”

The pandemic created a downturn in orders for Lake Erie Rubber as many things in the US – including rail transportation – slowed or idled. Meighan wanted to use any downtime productively to bolster the company’s operations.

“Last year we decided to make significant changes to our facility to improve our customer experience during onsite visits,” he said. “We made transformational changes to page 16 X

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the look and feel of the facility, with help from all of our employees, in a matter of three months. We had set goals that seemed very difficult to reach, but we broke them down into small steps that were manageable, and we moved faster than we ever had in the past.” Meighan found that his team could implement improvements much more rapidly than he had expected due, in great part, to a culture that he had cultivated to value good relationships and be committed to continuous improvement.

For Fulflex, which produces elastic used in face masks for healthcare workers and others, the challenges of continuing operations during a pandemic only strengthened the company’s culture. “When the pandemic came,” said Chouhan, “we had to adapt very, very quickly. On one hand were the severe challenges posed to the entire team because of the pandemic – the lockdowns, the restrictions and the safety protocols that we needed to use. At the same time, we believed that we needed to solve problems – the need for face masks was immense.”

The company encountered disruptions at every turn, including health scares for company employees and their families, new demands for worker safety in the plant and

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16 Inside Rubber // 2021 Issue 3

seemingly endless supply chain chaos, yet it succeeded in doubling its production of elastic for face masks. The need to increase production and the drive to help protect people during a crisis spurred the company, reinforcing its culture with life-or-death demands to satisfy customers; deliver high quality; operate quickly, safely and sustainably; work collaboratively; and embrace ownership and accountability.

“After going through the last 18 months,” said Chouhan, “the belief in the team is that we can do absolutely anything.

We are ready to face any circumstances, any situations, any challenges, whatever they may be.”

How culture impacts success Jon Meighan summed up how the culture at Lake Erie Rubber influences the company’s success and his success as a leader. “Customers ultimately determine the success of our business,” he said. “We believe that having engaged employees in all departments of our company will create the best customer experience. Our employees are engaged because they know we have their best interests in mind.”

An engaged team creates an environment where the employees want to see the company do well, and Meighan’s group confidently brings up issues because they know they will get help to resolve problems. “They are more likely to suggest improvements because they have seen other suggestions result in change,” said Meighan. “We also are incredibly transparent with everything going on with our company, and the team is invested in our projects to develop new customers.” Lake Erie Rubber’s commitment to its culture of relationships and continuous improvement allows it to achieve results that benefit customers and the company.

“Achieving good results for customers and employees is the success we want to see as a business,” said Meighan, “and the success I want to see personally as a leader.”

Chouhan described the impact of culture as he sees it, in the larger context. “With a company’s strategy in place, the question of how to propel one’s organization forward evokes a cliché: Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” Chouhan explained that one might have the very best strategy, but that a strategy itself is not a differentiator that will attract customers.

“A key differentiator,” he said, “is execution of the strategy.”

A company needs a storyline with which to set itself apart – a differentiator that will propel the company and the team – and the differentiator is culture. “Culture, in our view, is the glue that binds the people together. It propels everyone in the same direction. It exerts a positive influence on everyone, synergizing their actions into one strong move forward, thereby executing the strategy and the company’s mission, and thereby achieving the long-term vision of the organization.” 

WE’RE ON YOUR TEAM.

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TRENDS

Sustainability Policies are Today’s Sales and Marketing Necessity

By Dianna Brodine, managing editor, and Liz Stevens, writer, Inside Rubber

s calls for environmental sustainability increase from consumers, brand owners and supply chain partners are looking to all levels of the production cycle to contribute to the narrative. Supplier sustainability requirements are becoming more common, with companies like Rubbermaid, 3M, Lear Corporation and Volvo making public statements about the expectations for those companies involved in their supply chain.

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Volvo’s website contains one such example of these supplier expectations: “We also need our supply chain partners’ full commitment to support us on the Volvo Group Sustainability journey with focus on people, planet and profit throughout the entire value chain.”

Lear Corporation’s Supplier Sustainability Policy states, “We expect our suppliers to support Lear’s environmental sustainability goals by complying with all applicable environmental laws, rules and regulations while also using resources wisely… Suppliers are expected to align with Lear’s commitments by developing and implementing their own environmental sustainability program focused on conservation of natural resources, including but not limited to: Carbon Reduction, Energy Efficiency, Reduced Water Usage, Air Quality Improvement, Recyclability and Waste Reduction, Hazardous Material and Chemical Management and Control, Protecting Biodiversity, Employee and Supplier Training.”

For the smaller rubber processor, the ability to manufacture products or components for a larger supply chain partner or brand owner may not be limited by production capacity, but rather by the ability to articulate and commit to a sustainability policy.

training is necessary. But these safety, regulatory and legal requirements also provide an outline for a corporate response to climate, recyclability and energy issues.

The documentation that proves compliance with these requirements can be the base of a corporate statement about a rubber processor’s efforts to operate in an environmentally responsible manner. Statements about recordkeeping, onsite equipment that reduces air or water contaminants and response plans in the event of a hazardous spill are the beginning of an assurance to brand owners that the processor takes seriously the brand’s commitment to its end users. It does not matter that those compliance measures are federally required – it only matters that steps are taken and can be documented.

Where to start?

Internet resources abound to provide examples of Supplier Sustainability Policies and the requirements from brand owners that suppliers can use as guidance. Once drafted, a summary of a processor’s sustainability statement should be posted to the company website. A more formal explanation can be included with quotes or contracts, as requested.

An organization or plant’s EHS leader needs to understand and manage all required federal/state/local permits and regulatory requirements; what to do for recordkeeping; what to report; what sampling must be done on a prescribed basis; what inspections must be done; and what employee

The relevant federal acts enforced by the EPA that could provide content for a processor’s policy – as summarized

by Salvatore Caccavale, CPEA-EHS, president at IHN Environmental, Health and Safety Services – include:

18 Inside Rubber // 2021 Issue 3

The Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) – for chemical safety and use The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) The Clean Air Act  Enacted to control air emissions from pollution sources  For pollutants such as: nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, lead, particulate matter  Permits require recordkeeping, mandatory contact info, scheduled reporting The Clean Water Act  System of water quality standards with minimal national effluent standards based on industry  Discharge permit program (NPDES) provides enforceable limitations on discharges  Provisions for toxic chemical and oil discharges  Some regulated effluents: water/oil separators, sewage treatment plants, storm water collection systems, industrial treatment plants (chemical/biological) The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) – for solid and hazardous waste materials  To protect human health and the environment  To reduce solid waste and conserve energy/natural resources

 To reduce or eliminate the generation of hazardous waste as expeditiously as possible  RCRA rules cover hazardous waste activities of generators, transporters and treatment, storage and disposal facilities (TSDF)  Waste generators are classified based on the volume of hazardous waste produced in a calendar month The Comprehensive Environmental Response and Liability Act (CERCLA), aka Superfund  Provides mechanisms for response to cleanup activities for abandoned sites and accidental spills Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know (EPCRA)  A nationwide program for emergency planning and reporting  Includes emergency planning, emergency notification/ release reporting, community right to know and toxic release reporting Today’s brand owners and consumers are looking for responsibility within their supply chain. Rubber processors small or large must be aware of and prepare a response to sustainability demands or risk future sales opportunities. 

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VIEW FROM 30

Red Tag Events: How Three Colors Started a Transformation at Lake Erie Rubber

By Jewlissa Frickey, writer, Inside Rubber

n any industry, including rubber, your competition is going to be working to get better. If you are not living in a culture of continuous improvement, you will fall behind,” said Lake Erie Rubber President Jon Meighan.

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Meighan started his manufacturing career at GE Transportation, where he spent 10 years utilizing his mechanical engineering background in supply chain and fabrication. Then, he began looking at other opportunities.

“I wanted to have more of an impact on the Erie [Pennsylvania] community, so I started talking to a mentor,” said Meighan. “We discussed companies without a succession plan, how to help one of those business grow and ultimately add more jobs to the community.”

He began searching for a manufacturing company, and that is when Meighan found Lake Erie Rubber. The company opened in 1961 as a manufacturers’ representative, until the second-generation owner began in-house production in the late 1990’s with one compression press. In 2001, the company moved to its current 24,000-sq-ft facility and, in 2016, unexpectedly lost its previous owner. This unfortunate circumstance offered Meighan the opportunity he had been looking for – although perhaps not exactly what he had been looking for…

“Never had I seen rubber manufacturing or done sales before,” said Meighan, “and, despite the fact that I had no business buying a rubber company that needed more sales, I bought a rubber company that needed more sales. I was sure I could overcome these two ‘little’ problems.” Meighan signed the paperwork to assume ownership of Lake Erie Rubber in August of 2017, four days after his daughter was born, and then resigned from his position at GE.

22 Inside Rubber // 2021 Issue 3

Lean framework sets the stage When Meighan joined Lake Erie Rubber, the company had a small team of eight employees. Four years later, it has expanded to 16 employees and has seen growth in several areas, including improved quote cycle times, organization and profitability. Meighan credits many of these improvements to his experiences with lean manufacturing.

“When I got here, I needed a better handle on the quote cycle time and how we understood the costing of our jobs,” said Meighan. “We sat down and talked about the process and who needed to be involved in order to get an acceptable quote back to our customers.” By mapping the quoting process and involving all of the company stakeholders, Lake Erie Rubber has turned a 15-day-average quoting process into a improved system that averages four days.

Quote cycle time has been reduced 250%, and profitability has improved significantly.

With this success under his belt, Lake Erie Rubber was ready for the next, relatively small, step. During his decade at GE Transportation, Meighan saw all levels of investment in ways to attempt lean manufacturing. And, all levels of

success and failure. He explained that it wasn’t always the lean event with the largest budget and biggest plans that achieved its goals.

“I’ve been a part of more than 10 Shingijutsu events,” he said. “I saw failed attempts after major investments had been made, and I also saw successful transformations that required less investment, more attainable goals and incremental improvements.”

The red tag event At Lake Erie Rubber, a low-investment, incremental improvement has resulted in a transformation that led to improved plant safety, reduced inventory and lower purchasing requirements. Meighan initiated Red Tag events, working alongside the plant’s team to maximize floor space and make sure all items on the floor had a home. Red Tag events are a feature of the “Sort” step in 5S (Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize and Sustain).

Red, yellow and green cards or piles are the main component of a Red Tag event. Plant employees and team leaders start by choosing an area that is a manageable size and then begin organizing the items in that area with a color system. Red-tagged items are to be removed immediately, whether thrown away, given away or sold. Yellow tags mark those items that need more thought or input from others in the facility. Green tags are for items that are absolute needs. Once an initial sort is completed, each color category should be further evaluated.

“Sometimes, you’ll find you have too many of one thing, even in the green pile,” said Meighan. An example would be a hammer that was quickly tagged ‘green’ during the initial sort – but eventually turns red when a look at the green pile reveals eight other hammers. “When you are in a facility that has been operating for quite some time, there is a good chance that things have been left behind that are not needed anymore,” he continued. “As an engineer and a manufacturing person, sometimes we have a tendance to hold on to things that may be useful, but my biggest tip is to be aggressive. It costs money to store things in the facility, and those items are taking up valuable storage space while keeping us from being as organized as we need.”

Red Tag events can vary in length. Small project areas can be managed in a few hours; however, larger areas could take up to a week. “It is best to keep it to a week or less to avoid a situation where the project lasts for months or never gets completed,” suggested Meighan.

applied this practice at Lake Erie Rubber. “We started with a small receiving desk in a 10 x 10 square,” he said.

“When you start these projects, you want things to seem manageable to replicate in the rest of the shop.”

Lake Erie Rubber prioritized Red Tag events, using them to help identify and inventory items in the plant, get rid of what wasn’t needed and free up floor and shelf space in the shop. The plant’s reorganization was completed within three months, and the benefits were immediate. On the verge of purchasing additional racking for storage, the Red Tag events helped the plant free a significant amount of shelf space and prepared the company for further growth without the expense of the racking system addition.

Employees, perhaps initially hesitant to do things differently or unhappy with throwing items away that had been on hand (although unused) – were more willing to be involved once the initial model area was created. Meighan also emphasized the importance of the Red Tag events for safety. “Cleaner shops are safer shops, every time,” he said.

“Shops that score high in 5S are safer and more efficient, which makes for a nicer and safer place to work.” 

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To help manage the smaller projects, it is best to split the shop up into sections. For instance, sorting inventory and sorting molds would be two separate projects. Meighan www.arpminc.com 23

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TECHNICAL STANDARDS UPDATE

Rubber Failure in Cold Temperatures aby, it’s cold outside. As I write this, Vostok Station, Antarctica, is -89° F with a high of -72° F expected later this week. The American research base also located in Antarctica – McMurdo Station – is a more tropical 10° F thanks to its location on the water.

But in fact, it is not particularly cold Greg Vassmer anywhere on inhabited earth at the ARPM moment (other than Vostok) thanks Technical to summer up north and the much Coordinator smaller land mass of the southern hemisphere. That is good for rubber because most types of rubber have a difficult time remaining… well… rubbery as temperatures fall below 0° F.

Currently, the cold temperature working group of ISO TC131 SC7 is developing a new standard to test cold temperature failure for 0-rings. Many current test methods pre-pressurize the seal before cold temperatures are applied. That was not the case for the Shuttle and does not represent the common case where pressure is applied after a seal gets cold. ISO 5119 aims to create an international standard to correct this.

I trust that almost everyone is aware of the most tragic rubber cold failure. If not, it is the Space Shuttle Challenger O-ring failure in January 1986. On the Challenger, O-rings designed for temperatures of 50° F were used at 32° F. The cold, stiffened rubber lost compression during a high-vibration phase of the launch with the result that hot gases escaped, destroying the Shuttle.

Three ASTM methods are of interest: ASTM D2137, which tests rubber fracture due to cold brittleness; ASTM 1053, which tests torsional stiffness; and ASTM 1329, which correlates with cold temperature compression set. In OS-10, these tests are correlated with two principal performance characteristics: fracture and dynamic response.

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O-rings typically are used in static applications. That is, they are installed, compressed to form a seal and then remain that way. The expectation is that they maintain their ability to seal even though there may be vibrations or other small movements. Radial lip seals, a much more dynamic seal product, are expected to maintain a seal even when one of the sealed surfaces is sliding and moving relative to the seal. This fundamental property of a seal to seal has resulted in binders full of test procedures, test equipment and testing in exotic locales worldwide. For example, Ford Motor Company cold tests vehicles using a refrigerated hanger (the McKinley Climatic Laboratory) at Eglin AFB, Florida, which also is used by the Air Force to cold test military aircraft.

But, not everyone can afford to refrigerate a hanger, so much smaller refrigerated chambers have been built by rubber manufacturers to simulate the conditions a seal will experience. This equipment normally consists of a refrigerated box containing a test head into which the seal is mounted, with external connections to a motor to drive the device and sensor connections to detect leaks.

These product tests still take time and resources to accomplish. With that in mind, ASTM developed several tests that are done directly on rubber samples, rather than on completed products, to evaluate the cold temperature capabilities of various rubber formulations. ARPM’s OS-10 – Oil Seal Performance at Low Temperature and ASTM Test Methods – evaluates which of these ASTM test methods best correlate with radial lip seal performance.

First, there’s fracture. Rubber has a well-defined “glasstransition” temperature below which rubber is rubber no more. Rather, the rubber becomes brittle and, if bent, will crack like glass. The second characteristic is the loss of rubberyness as the temperature gets close to the glass transition temperature. In normal operation, a stationary seal should be able to maintain a compression force. If dynamic, a seal should maintain contact with the moving surface.

ASTM D2137 corelates well with rubber fracture. However, there only is weak correlation between the traditional ASTM test methods and the rubber’s dynamic response at cold temperature. But never fear, there have been significant advances in measuring rubber dynamic properties, and new test equipment is available on the market. To that end, ARPM has launched a research project to develop and correlate a new dynamic test method to screen rubber compounds for dynamic cold temperature performance. This work will be incorporated into a future revision of OS-10.

Rubber cold temperature compounds have improved significantly since 1986. That, together with these new test methods, helps ensure the performance and safety that users of rubber products expect.  www.arpminc.com 25

REVIEW

EHS Summit Enhances Safety Knowledge for Attendees

By Liz Stevens, contributing writer, Inside Rubber

he 2021 Environmental Health & Safety Summit, a virtual event cosponsored by MAPP (Manufacturers Association for Plastics Processors), ARPM (Association for Rubber Products Manufacturers) and AMBA (American Mold Builders Association), took place on May 26 and May 27, 2021. More than 80 MAPP, ARPM and AMBA members participated in the two-day event that included presentations from experts in the safety and environmental hazards fields, networking for association members and an awards presentation emceed by Letha Keslar, managing director, ARPM and MAPP.

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The EHS Summit set out to address the issues that keep its members up at night – the pressing problems that demand attention. It is no surprise that manufacturers worry about keeping the workplace safe and humming along as the COVID-19 pandemic wanes. They also fret over what kind of changes OSHA might introduce during the Biden Administration. And, just when COVID-19 has everyone thinking about physical health, manufacturers also know that mental health poses its own workplace risks. Here are some of the highlights from the Summit.

enforcement activity then may increase and so might inspections, but the Department of Labor has said that the emphasis will be not on programmatic inspections but rather on violation inspections. When complaints are filed, OSHA wants to jump on the problems with prompt investigations.

As to a possible increase in programmatic inspections, during the Obama Administration certain industries were prioritized based on the number of violations or based on the severity of the violations, and that may be replicated in the Biden Administration. The bottom line for that, as Kirsanow puts it, is simple: “I think it is safe to say or safe to prepare for more such inspections.”

OSHA and the Biden administration

OSHA and COVID-19

Peter Kirsanow, partner at Benesch Law, presented “Federal OSHA Standards and the Biden Administration,” during which he offered a prediction for which direction the Biden Administration will take regarding OSHA and employee safety.

In their presentation, “From the Legal Perspective: PPE and Vaccinations in the Workplace,” Nelva Smith and Bill Wahoff, attorneys for Steptoe-Johnson, shared the latest on COVID-19, vaccinations and PPE from the OSHA perspective. They noted that at the start of the pandemic, OSHA required employers to create written plans for infectious disease preparedness and response, and to train workers on the plans. The attorneys stressed that, for any manufacturer that has not yet created a plan, now is the time to do it because a plan will help them avoid future OSHA citations. Even though governors are making changes to state health mandates and requirements, employers still must meet OSHA standards in their workplaces.

Since President Biden was Vice President in the Obama Administration, predicting the tack of Biden’s own Administration is somewhat easier. Kirsanow believes that manufacturers can expect some replication of the emphases OSHA placed on workplace enforcement measures during 2008-2016. It cannot be forecast whether, under Biden, OSHA will be more aggressive in terms of inspections, citations and fines. But the Department of Labor Secretary Marty Walsh, per his Senate confirmation testimony, aims to focus on employee safety and enforcement. OSHA 26 Inside Rubber // 2021 Issue 3

Bill Wahoff zeroed in on a series of OSHA-related actions taken by President Biden and his Administration soon

after the Inauguration. Biden first issued executive orders for OSHA to examine whether an emergency temporary OSHA standard would be needed. At the end of January, the Department of Labor issued guidance emphasizing the Americans with Disabilities Act for manufacturers dealing with vaccinated and non-vaccinated employees. In February, an Inspector General report criticized OSHA for not doing more in-person inspections. In early March, President Biden signed The American Rescue Plan Act, which included $100M in funding for OSHA. “And the next day, March 12, was a big day,” said Wahoff.

“OSHA adopted a ‘direction’ that contained a national emphasis program on COVID-19, and they also updated interim guidance…. [and] regardless of whether we have an emergency temporary standard, we are going to live with this national emphasis program for some time, probably about a year.”

Understanding the details of OSHA’s new national emphasis program will allow manufacturers to inform their teams, take the necessary steps to be OSHA-compliant and avoid citations. For details on OSHA’s national emphasis programs, visit www.osha.gov/enforcement/directives/nep.

For CDC guidance for the COVID-19 national emphasis program referenced in the OSHA direction, visit www. cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinatedguidance.html.

COVID-19 and work stoppages Emmanuel Boulukos, a partner at Ice Miller in its labor, employment and immigration group, and Kayla Ernst, an associate in the company’s labor and employment group, presented “Handling Safety-Related Work Stoppages in the Time of COVID-19: A Review of Law and Best Practices.”

Their presentation, while focused on COVID-19 related work stoppages, had broad applicability for flare-ups of COVID-19 or other similar disease issues that might occur in the future.

The COVID-19 pandemic was the first situation for most manufacturers where their employees were afraid to come to work, and this was something that employers faced almost immediately at the start of the pandemic. “For essential employers who had employees in the workplace,” said Boulukos, “in addition to dealing with the challenge of maintaining a safe workplace, there also was the challenge throughout – and still existing today – of ensuring that your employees feel safe.” In some ways, that is a more important issue than a manufacturer’s legal options if employees refuse to work. Perception is reality: If employees don’t feel safe, if they feel like by coming to work they are at risk of catching COVID-19 or if they have other safety concerns, that problem must be addressed.

Boulukos’ and Ernst’s talk delved into the legal standards and legal options, but also how to deal with the issues from a practical standpoint. The feeling of safety also relates to some of the legal standards which can be based on what, objectively, constitutes a potentially dangerous condition.

Some standards also look at what an employee or group of employees believe to be the case in good faith. Sometimes the issue revolves around whether a condition truly poses a risk, and sometimes the issue also revolves around whether the employees reasonably believe that or have a good faith belief that a risk exists. Sometimes, even from a legal perspective, perception is reality.

Work stoppages and mental health In “The Looming Safety Crisis: Mental Health in the Workplace,” Laurence Pearlman focused squarely on the mind of the employee. Pearlman, a senior vice president at Marsh Risk Consulting, raised the issues of how mental health can impact the workplace, how businesses can build the case for putting more focus, attention and resources on mental health, and the often-strong connection between mental health and workplace accidents.

Pearlman noted that for each employee with mental health issues, there is an average of $5,000 per year in work-based loss and an additional $3,000 per year in healthcare services costs. Pearlman cited three common cases of mental health affecting the workplace: distractions leading to accidents, employees who have suicidal ideation or who attempt suicide, and workplace violence such as mass shootings.

Pearlman suggests imagining these scenarios from the employees’ perspective. “What might you see?,” he asked.

“What words might you hear? What might the coworkers be saying? And how might you have to respond to that?” And a key question: “Would your front-line supervisor know how to handle the situation?”

Everything lands at the feet of the front-line supervisor – productivity, quality, on-time shipment, customer care issues – but also how to keep employees safe and how to perform like an amateur psychologist when mental health issues arise.

If a manufacturer’s front-line supervisors become aware of mental health issues in the workplace, will they know the signs, will they know how to act, and will they then take the necessary steps? Pearlman does not believe that most frontline supervisors would know how to handle these situations, and this is a grave concern.

The next Environmental Health & Safety Summit is slated for summer of 2022.

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REVIEW W page 27

Awards Recognize Best Practices in Safety and Safety Achievements The 2021 Environmental Health & Safety Summit, an online event that took place on May 26 to May 27, 2021, included presentation of the MAPP and ARPM 2021 Best Practices in Safety Awards and the ARPM Safety Achievement Awards.

Letha Keslar, managing director of ARPM, served as emcee for the awards presentations.

Best practices For the Best Practices in Safety Awards, MAPP and ARPM members submitted entries detailing their best practices for safety in any of six categories – employee safety training, safety committees, safety audits/walk-throughs, emergency training, tracking/communicating safety metrics, and equipment and mold change safety. The compiled entries were forwarded to the MAPP and ARPM member network for voting based on scores given for sustainability, creativity/ resourcefulness, ability to replicate in other facilities and overall impact on the organization.

The 2021 Best Practices in Safety Award winners were: 1st place - Automation Plastics, Aurora, Ohio 2nd place - Ironwood Plastics, Ironwood, Michigan 3rd place - Baker Hughes, Humble, Texas 3rd place - Plastic Molding Technology, Inc., El Paso, Texas Automation Plastics Corporation earned 1st place for its entry detailing how the company, which had a warehouse with no loading dock and had been unloading trucks manually or with a hand cart, remedied a situation that created multiple safety issues by sourcing and installing a mobile yard ramp.

Ken Wedel, director of operations at Automation Plastics, accepted the award. “We were trying to make do with what we had, and it just was not presenting the safest procedures, so we came up with a great solution from a safety standpoint and from a productivity standpoint. We are very honored and thankful for the award, and thankful to Anne Klonowski and the team at Automation Plastics for working with us through our recent growth and expansion.”

In accepting the 2nd place award for Ironwood Plastics’ entry for creating magnetic cards to list chemicals in use at the plant, Maureen Raynier, human resources coordinator at Ironwood Plastics, thanked MAPP and ARPM and commented on her company’s award-winning best practice.

“This is the first time we have submitted something,” said Raynier, “and it doesn’t cost a lot of money to do this.” During an audit, a mock scenario revealed that employees did not know the chemicals in use for a machine. “Our committee brainstormed and came up with a simple solution,” she said, and now Ironwood lists the liquid chemicals for each press or machine on 3x5" magnetic cards that are easily affixed to the equipment.

Luis Garcia, HR generalist at Plastic Molding Technology (PMT), accepted a 3rd place award for PMT’s best practice in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The company’s safety committee created an emergency action plan; conducted COVID-19 safety training; initiated temperature checks; mandated the use of PPE, face shields and Plexiglas barriers; installed hand sanitizer stations; hired a cleaning company to do daily disinfections; and instituted socially distanced rewards for the plant’s team.

Baker Hughes’ Crystal Christopher, HSE site lead, accepted a 3rd place award for her company’s environment-related best practice. Baker Hughes, which was hauling over 20,000 gallons of Class2 boiler blowdown water each month at a site, applied for and was granted a TCEQ Industrial Reclaimed Water Use Authorization, allowing the company to treat and use its blowdown water for on-site irrigation. “We are honored to get an award for something that has been so good for our business and so good for our sustainability,” said Christopher, “and we have saved a ton of money ($60,000 per year) by doing that.”

As in past years, all of the submissions for the Best Practices in Safety Awards will be compiled into a booklet, making these approaches and solutions available to all MAPP and ARPM members. page 30 X

28 Inside Rubber // 2021 Issue 3

WE’RE RE B BRINGING RINGING THE THE INDUSTRY INDUS STR TR T RY BACK BA B ACK T TOGET TOGETHER! OGE GET ET

October 4 - 7, 2021 David L. Lawrence Convention Center • Pittsburgh, PA USA The International Elastomer Conference is the premier place where educators, customers, manufacturers and suppliers of materials, equipment, tools and services come together. This event is the one place, one time of year, where you find the best of our industry all under one roof. It is an event where connections are made, knowledge is shared, new products, new technology and new ideas are introduced, business is conducted, developed and gained, fun is had, encouragement and empowerment happen, and the future is embraced.

The Expo Over 200 companies/organizations will be exhibiting! A wide variety of companies will be represented, such as equipment manufacturers, injection molders, extruders, custom mixers, processing equipment, hydraulic presses, vacuum molding, testing labs, testing equipment, distributors, suppliers and many more in the industry.

Visit rubberiec.org to view the floor plan/exhibitor list and learn about exhibiting!

Other Events

• Student Symposium • Women’s Workshop • Career Fair • Experience Elastomers High School Student Program • Special Events, including a 5K Walk/Run, Young Professionals Forum, 25-Year Club Luncheon and Awards Ceremony • Networking Opportunities and Events • Welcome Reception

Brought to you by:

200th Technical Meeting To celebrate our 200th Technical Meeting we are featuring a special ‘Frontiers’ symposia to address the past, present and future of key areas in rubber science – Rubber Synthesis, Reinforcement of Rubber and Additives & Applications. Over 100 presenters will also be sharing their knowledge on these topics: • • • • • • • • •

Characterization of Elastomers & Raw Materials Sustainability & Renewable Materials Non-pneumatic Tires Elastomers for Healthcare Advances in Materials & Processes for Tires Modelling & Simulation Connectivity, Robotics & AI in the Rubber Industry New Commercial Developments Science & Technology Award Winner Presentations

Educational Symposium We have developed a great educational symposium featuring these courses: • • • • • • • • • • •

Introduction to Compounding Compounding Fluorelastomers Dynamic Viscoelastic Properties Essentials of Rubber Technology Essentials of Silicone Rubber Technology Mixing & Testing for Compound Consistency Scientific Rubber Molding Using Augmented Reality in the Rubber Industry Compound Development Rubber Explained Soft Skills & Communication

Interested in attending or exhibiting? Visit rubberiec.org.

REVIEW W page 28

Safety achievement The ARPM Safety Achievement Awards recognize safety in the industry and facilities that have achieved a level of safety performance above the industry average. Awards are based on data reported on a company’s annual OSHA 300 Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses. Six awards were given in the Gold Achievement category, recognizing workplaces with no injuries or illnesses as defined by OSHA during the calendar year 2020.

Khalid Abdullah, IMS manager, accepted a Gold Achievement award for Zochem ULC – Brampton, Ontario. “It is a great honor to accept this award on behalf of Zochem,” said Abdullah. “It is validation of all of the good things we have been doing for years now. Our focus is mainly on leading safety indicators as opposed to lagging ones, and part of that is being on the floor, meeting with people, caring for people and knowing that anyone from a plant supervisor to the president is accessible with an open door policy. Leading indicators including safety contacts, safety audits, making sure we identify the hazards and performing housekeeping are key elements of our program that continues to improve our numbers year after year, with input from plant employees and help from executive management.”

advantage Practice Advice for the Rubber Industry Ice Miller focuses on meeting the needs of our clients quickly, efficiently and cost-effectively. Ice Miller attorneys with rubber industry experience can assist with your greatest legal challenges. Contact Josef Keglewitsch at 614-462-2279 or josef.keglewitsch@icemiller.com for more information.

300+ lawyers in Columbus and other offices icemiller.com 30 Inside Rubber // 2021 Issue 3

In accepting the award for Zochem LLC, Dickson, Tennessee, Cheril Norville, quality assurance and laboratory manager, echoed her colleague Abdullah’s sentiments. “It is a team effort,” said Norville. “It is not just executives or management setting out rules and expecting people to follow. We sincerely listen to our people. We empower our people to call even upper management on safety issues. We want people to get involved. Safety is number one for us.

Quality is number two. And, yes, production numbers are in there too; they are number three. But those are our priorities, in that order, and we continually back it up, not just with words but with actions.”

Two Zeon Chemical sites earned Gold Achievement awards – Zeon Chemicals L.P. – Riverport Warehouse and Zeon Chemicals L.P. – Pasadena, Texas. Laurie Carson, director of safety, health and environmental, accepted the awards. “I am accepting these awards on behalf of two amazing teams of individuals who all work with safety awareness and concern for each other,” said Carson. “They are guided by two world-class safety leaders – Scott Davenport, the Riverpoint warehouse leader, and Jeff Souris, our Texas plant leader. It was a really tough year to have zero recordable records, but these teams always come through. I want to thank you all and to say that it really, truly is an honor to be recognized among our peer companies.”

Stockwell Elastomerics Inc., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, also was a Gold Achievement award winner, but was not able to participate. A final Gold Achievement award went to Blair Rubber Company, Seville, Ohio. Duane Kenyon, the company’s environmental, health and safety specialist, accepted the award. “I am pleased to accept this award on behalf of all of the employees of Blair Rubber,” said Kenyon, “because, obviously, it takes everybody working together to achieve what we have done.” A Silver Achievement Award was presented to Hamilton Kent LLC, Winchester, Tennessee, for having a workplace with no OSHA recordable incidents that involved lost workdays or restrictive work activity during the calendar year 2020. LMI Custom Mixing, LLC, Cambridge, Ohio, earned an Honorable Mention as a facility that had the lowest rate of incidents based on size. 

MEMBER NEWS ARPM To Host Human Resources Forum August 4-5 This unique event was designed by industry human resources professionals to benchmark and share best practices covering human resources topics, including the following:  Recruiting, hiring and retaining employees  Vacation days and other time off  Wellness programs  Onboarding and training employees  Employee engagement

         

Consolidated Metco Inc. Dana Corporation, Fluid Sealing Science LLC Ford Motor Company, Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies Grace Technology and Development SKF Sealing Solutions Stellantis The Chemours Company LLC Trelleborg Sealing Solutions Americas

Attendees also will have several opportunities to network with their peers. More details can be found at arpminc.org.

Find this publication and other industry standards at arpminc. com/publications.

Virtual Plant Tour at Lake Erie Rubber a Success

Quality Forum Series Wrapped in July

ARPM member Lake Erie Rubber recently hosted a virtual plant tour for the membership. Lake Erie Rubber is a custom rubber molding and manufacturing company with a history that spans six decades. Lake Erie uses LEAN guiding principles to drive continuous improvement in safety, quality, delivery and cost for its customers. The Lake Erie team is a small group of employees who all play a vital role in the day-to-day operations and is dedicated to speed, quality and technical solutions to support the company’s customers.

Lake Erie embarked on its LEAN journey in 2018, beginning with a focus on transactional lean to streamline processes that included the quality management system, customer service, quoting and manufacturing cost data analysis. In 2020, the efforts shifted to more traditional lean manufacturing improvements, with a focus on 5S, the foundation of a lean facility.

President and Owner Jon Meighan walked attendees through his LEAN journey and took attendees on a virtual tour of the facility. In addition, attendees were able to network with each other during the crosstalk roundtable portion of the tour.

Interested in hosting a virtual facility tour? Contact ARPM at info@arpminc.org.

Newly Updated OS-3 Released ARPM is pleased to announce the newly updated sealing standard, OS-3. This publication presents the fundamental requirements of rubber microhardness measurement procedures necessary to obtain uniform results.

Special thanks to the ARPM Sealing Committee for their expertise in updating this standard, including:  3M Advanced Materials Division  AGC Chemicals Americas  Amsted Seals and Forming  BRC Rubber and Plastics

Today’s manufacturers face an array of disruptions from emerging technologies, agile manufacturing and supply chain localization. ARPM recently hosted The 2021 Quality Forum Series, which took place as a two-part series.

This series focused on all facets of organizational excellence and provided actionable strategies and deep insights into organizational excellence, disruptive technologies, leadership and change management, and quality fundamentals.

Attendees came away with vital tools and tactics to affect change, increase value and drive their organizations toward quality goals.

The series featured peer networking and sessions on vision systems, process parameters, certification compliance, lab requirements and more.

Welcome New Member FlexSeals, Newnan, Georgia

Chemspec – ARPM Sponsor ARPM Sponsor ChemSpec North America is committed to quality people first, quality manufacturers and quality products. ChemSpec constantly strives to develop an indepth knowledge of the markets served and, more importantly, the needs of these markets. A major goal of the company is to maintain a business posture adaptable to the changes and opportunities of these markets and, when possible, cause such changes to occur.

ChemSpec provides solutions to compounding and formulating industries through the responsible distribution of specialty ingredients and polymers. ARPM members receive a 5% discount on their initial order. 

www.arpminc.com 31

BENCHMARKING

An Honest Assessment of the CRM Software Utilized in the Manufacturing Industry

By Ian Gjertson, analyst, ARPM

iscovering and establishing new relationships can be complicated but are a prerequisite for attaining sales growth and sustainability. In addition to all the complexities involved in managing a business, developing healthy relationships is one of the most significant challenges.

The more information executives and sales professionals have about their customers, the stronger the manufacturing operation’s connection will be with them.

D

The implementation of CRM software can help centralize, optimize and streamline communication with existing and new customers. In today’s competitive business market, it is essential to recognize and utilize competitive advantages whenever possible. Every organization is dependent on successful networking and relationship management, which is why many executives have chosen to incorporate one within their operations. Customer relationship management (CRM) is the combination of organizational communication standards, processes and policies that are considered when communicating with clients. CRM empowers organizations to obtain additional information about the people they’re trying to sell to and discover exactly how to satisfy their specific needs, which endorses sales growth, brand awareness and customer retention.

in the market for managing both existing and prospective customer relationships, but how can one determine which software programs would be the most effective? The Association of Rubber Manufacturers (ARPM) produced a benchmarking report that evaluated the most common CRM software in manufacturing. The statistics in this report represent almost 200 executives serving over 13 different market segments who were encouraged to answer more than 20 questions.

CRM software overview Executives who utilize a formal CRM system most often incorporate Salesforce, HubSpot or Pipedrive. Salesforce, HubSpot and Pipedrive are cloud-based software companies that concentrate on customer service and relationship management, sales, marketing, analytics and application development. When executives were requested to evaluate the level of overall satisfaction in their CRM software, HubSpot was the highest-rated CRM software, as 92% of its surveyed users rated it as good or excellent; Salesforce was second, as a little more than three-fourths of represented consumers provided a good to excellent rating. Mackenzie Roche, associate editor, and Brandi Johnson, contributor, with U.S. News 360 Reviews ranked HubSpot as the secondbest free CRM software of 2021.

Dimitri Akhrin, president at CRMDialer and IRIS CRM, recently wrote an article for Forbes.com in which he ARPM found that 52% of the surveyed executives did not emphasized the importance of flexibility and feature diversity use formal CRM software. Alternatively, they implemented business software with a different primary purpose (e.g., in CRM software. Flexibility is significant because the needs DELMIAworks and Microsoft Excel) to fulfill their of a business can change as the organization grows, and the inevitable challenges executives confront in the market can be Overall CRM Software Satisfaction Rating volatile and often unpredictable (as Poor Need Improvement Good Excellent we have seen over the past year).

Akhrin wrote, “A CRM that can HubSpot 8% 42% 50% scale and change as you demand Salesforce 4% 19% 74% 4% it to is an important asset that can play a key role in the growth of DELMIAworks (IQMS) 30% 50% 20% your business.”

Pipedrive

There is an abundance of CRM applications used by executives 32 Inside Rubber // 2021 Issue 3

Microsoft Excel

33%

33%

50%

33%

33%

3%

organizational CRM requirements. Some executives used a combination of document management and storage applications, email, accounting software and manufacturing systems. The most common enterprise resource planning (ERP) and manufacturing execution system (MES) used as a CRM tool among those surveyed is DELMIAworks (IQMS), which primarily is devoted to providing real-time production monitoring, quality control, supply chain management and customer relationship management.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software features The ARPM 2021 Customer Relationship Management Systems Report evaluated the effectiveness and efficiency of each software based on 13 distinctive features. The most consistent qualities that executives demand from their CRM software include customer database, customer targeting, online case management, email utilities and lead generation.

HubSpot led in all 13 categories minus automation and online case management. Salesforce was positioned as the highest in online case management and placed second or third in nine of 13 features. Pipedrive was regarded as the highest in automation and email utilities and was rated second or third in seven of 13 categories.

Akron Rubber Development Laboratory, Inc.

Participating executives were requested to identify the three most integral features of their CRM system. This section of the report allows readers to identify which applications will satisfy the CRM needs within their organization. As one might expect, DELMIAworks (IQMS) and Microsoft Excel had the most significant diversity of features utilized by executives, as they are not intended to be used as CRM software programs but are used to satisfy that need in many manufacturing companies. HubSpot and Salesforce had the same number of primary features, and Pipedrive had the lowest level of diversity based on what executives considered as primary features among the most used CRM systems.  The ARPM 2021 Customer Relationship Management Systems Report evaluates the manufacturing standards for CRM software on numerous features, including notable details on prospecting, lead generation, customer relationship management, database utilization, analytics, automation, investment and ease of implementation. ARPM’s comprehensive report can be accessed online at www. arpminc.com.

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Visit www.ardl.com for our wide range of problem-solving capabilities.

Toll Free (866) 780-ARDL • Worldwide (330) 794-6600 Contact Us Today at answers@ardl.com www.arpminc.com 33

INDUSTRY Rahco Rubber Announces Newest Addition to Team Rahco Rubber, Inc., Des Plaines, Illinois, introduced the newest addition to its team, Giovanna Gomez. Gomez brings 20+ years of human resources experience, along with a commitment to serve the Rahco workforce. The company understands that its employees drive the business operations and are vital to its success. Gomez will continue to improve employee relations and foster employee engagement, which will in turn benefit Rahco’s key business partnerships. For more information, visit www.rahco-rubber.com.

Zochem Invests to Minimize Carbon Footprint Zochem Inc., with its northern headquarters located in Brampton, Ontario, Canada, and its southern headquarters located in Dickson, Tennessee, maximizes its knowledge through activities with a focus on how to minimize its overall carbon footprint as a strong supporter of environmental sustainability. Its North American operations consist of large-scale muffle furnaces, which are used to maximize the recovery of ZnO from high-purity zinc metal. The large-scale refractory vessels use strategically aligned natural gas burners to create a consistent temperature profile across a 30- to 40-ft arch.

The heat transfer across the large cross-sectional area results in the largest daily production capability known in the industry. Zochem’s goal is to support the long-term vision of a green, carbon-neutral society. For more information, visit www.zochem.com.

Freudenberg Launches New EPDM Material for Aerospace Industry Freudenberg Sealing Technologies, with headquarters in Weinheim, Germany, has begun manufacturing seals made from a new Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) material that successfully addresses a significant challenge in the aerospace industry – hydraulic leakage at high altitudes and low temperatures.

The new material, 80 EPDM 426288, successfully seals hydraulic systems

operating at temperatures as low as -85°F (-65°C) a breakthrough in EPDM formulations. Scientists at Freudenberg Sealing Technologies have used a unique polymer, rather than adding large amounts of plasticizers, to produce 80 EPDM 426288. The material meets the rigorous requirements of the new AMS7361 specification for improved low-temperature behavior in commercial aircraft hydraulic systems. EDPM can be crafted to resist sunlight, ozone and chemical degradation and effectively seal phosphate-ester hydraulic fluids and other fluids. For more information, visit www.fst.com.

Minnesota Rubber and Plastics Acquires Pawling Engineered Products Quadion LLC, d.b.a. Minnesota Rubber and Plastics (MRP), announced its acquisition of Pawling Engineered Products, a Pawling, New York-based custom elastomeric inflatable seal and extruded solutions provider. Pawling’s product portfolio includes a wide range of highly engineered elastomer products, including inflatable seals and clamps, custom compression seals, gaskets, tubing, extrusion and other elastomeric fabrications designed for critical and demanding applications. The addition of Pawling’s capabilities will complement MRP’s existing offerings, which include highly engineered elastomer and thermoplastic solutions for medical devices, water, food and beverage, transportation and other essential industries globally. For more information, visit www.mnrubber.com.

Testing Software Receives Update Lloyd Instruments, a brand under AMETEK Sensors, Test & Calibration (STC), Horsham, Pennsylvania, announced the launch of its NexygenPlus 4.1 materials testing software, which offers the strong and more accurate testing of O-rings, pipes, bottles, plastic films, medical plastics and tubing. The Windows-based software holds a vast library of pre-defined test setups for a wide range of applications and includes tension, compression, 3and 4-point bend, and shear tests, as well as tests for checking the “slip” of plastic wrapping film and the peel of adhesive seals. NexygenPlus 4.1 can be purchased as an upgrade to older NexygenPlus versions or as part of a complete solution including IQ/OQ and result calculation verification. For more information, visit www.ametektest.com. 

www.arpminc.com 35

TALENT

Online Skills Training: A Vital Post-Pandemic Tool for Manufacturers

By Jim May, director of marketing, 180 Skills

ver the past 18 months, the pandemic changed life in countless ways both obvious and subtle. Now, as vaccines have cleared a path forward and the US economy shows strong signs of recovery, we have started to see indications of changes that may persist or even become permanent. We are not necessarily returning to how things were, but instead forging a new normal for the future.

O

For American manufacturers, there is both promise and risk.

On the positive side, there is a strong trend toward reshoring that should persist for the near future. The pandemic exposed the potential pitfalls of a global supply chain, and both corporate and government actions are driving an expansion of US domestic manufacturing capacity. Additionally, consumer demand is strong, currently outpacing supply for many goods and services.

On the flip side, the challenges presented by the skilled labor shortage have become even more acute.

Understanding the employment landscape The most recent study by Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute estimates that the skills gap could result in 2.1 million unfilled jobs by 2030. But that only tells part of the story.

The Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis reports that 1.9 million workers ages 55 and older left the workforce due to the pandemic – that is, 1.9 million more than the normal rate. Some of them will rejoin the workforce, but many – perhaps the majority – have opted for early retirement, even when that means a post-career reduced standard of living. Current data shows that they are rejoining the active workforce at a far lower rate than other age groups.

Additionally, the pandemic has triggered a great reevaluation of work for many Americans. In May, Prudential’s Pulse of the American Worker Survey found that 48% are rethinking the type of job they want to have, 53% would retrain for a different field or industry if they could and 24% already are looking or planning to look for a new job. This is being 36 Inside Rubber // 2021 Issue 3

borne out in the market, with nearly four million people leaving their jobs in April, by far the highest number in the two decades that the Bureau of Labor Statistics has been tracking this metric.

As people review and consider their options, some of their priorities are difficult to meet in a manufacturing environment. For example, flexibility in scheduled work hours consistently ranks as extremely important to today’s worker but poses a significant challenge to accommodate in a production facility. At the same time, manufacturers can greatly increase their appeal with minimal investments of time or money. In particular, partnering with an online skills training provider can help a company create, optimize and retain a highly effective workforce.

Online skills training factors into employee satisfaction Online skills training greatly increases the efficiency of an onboarding process. For some positions, it can completely prepare a new employee for their job. For roles that also require in-person training, it can act as a supplement, providing prerequisite skills and knowledge that will streamline the overall process. In either case, online skills training makes it easier for a company to fill an entry-level position with nearly any person, a vital capability in today’s labor market. It also effectively sets up an employee for success, decreasing the churn that results from new hires feeling in over their heads.

Online skills training also provides a valuable tool to maintain and grow the knowledge base of a company’s existing workers, ensuring they have the skills needed to be empowered in their jobs. By contrast, a more traditional approach would be to schedule an in-person, refresher training course or courses for a department or group of employees in similar roles. Inevitably, this type of classroomsetting training results in two unintended outcomes. First, it wastes the time of those who already have mastered the relevant skills. Second, it results in undertraining employees who need the knowledge – employees in a classroom setting

are extremely hesitant to ask questions and risk revealing ignorance in front of their peers. By its asynchronous, selfpaced nature, online skills training eliminates both issues to reduce waste and increase knowledge.

Among those seeking new jobs in 2021, 50% reported compensation as a major driver of their decision, while 34% named a lack of growth opportunities. On the other side of the equation, when asked about their top considerations in evaluating a potential new job, 58% stated the level of pay and 45% said available advancement opportunities. A robust online skills training program makes it easy to provide employees with career paths that lead to promotions and pay increases. Doing so increases retention and loyalty, which allows a company to build the type of team required for long-term growth.

For companies that decide to improve their workforce through an online skills training program, there are several key questions that require answers when evaluating which product to select.

What courses are available?

Different platforms vary significantly in their library of content, and it is important to ensure a good match. The primary skills required by a company’s team should be the priority, but it also is worth evaluating the availability of secondary or tangential skills that could improve performance.

used both for management to assign courses and for employees to take them. Unless a company has an existing, internal LMS, it is important to evaluate the intuitiveness of this tool. In cases where a company does have its own LMS, the evaluation should shift to how well the courses will integrate with it.

The post-pandemic world has changed from what came before, including people’s attitudes, perceptions and beliefs regarding their careers. While this shift provides new challenges to manufacturers already facing a skilled labor shortage, it also offers a tremendous opportunity to those who adapt and evolve through tools like online skills training.  Jim May is the director of marketing for 180 Skills, which provides a turnkey skills training system that empowers manufacturers to build, optimize and retain their workforce.

The organization’s library offers nearly 800 skills courses, including a variety of courses on rubber manufacturing processes that are exclusively available to ARPM members.

Additionally, ARPM members receive a 50% discount on setup fees and 10% user discount on the 180 Skills training system. For more information, visit 180skills.com or email jimm@180skills.com.

What is the format of courses?

As a general rule, the more interactive the format, the more a learner will retain the skill being taught. Long, unbroken videos tend to generate the lowest retention. A company should ask for demo access to the options being considered so that it can evaluate how well the courses engage a learner.

Are learning paths defined or flexible?

Some training providers group their courses into very specific modules, while others provide companies with partial or complete freedom to define which skills should be a part of employees’ training plans. It is important to understand which approach is taken and, with inflexible platforms, how relevant their paths are to the company’s team.

How is mastery measured?

Nearly all online skills training platforms incorporate some form of testing or evaluation at the end of courses, but there is variance in terms of format and difficultly. When evaluating a demo, a company should ensure these tests meet their standards for evaluating how much employees have learned.

How user-friendly is the LMS? The LMS, or Learning Management System, is the software www.arpminc.com 37

AD INDEX

EVENTS CALENDAR AUGUST

ACE Products & Consulting LLC ..............................37 www.aceprodcon.com Akron Rubber Development Laboratory, Inc. (ARDL) ............................................33 www.ardl.com

4-5 Human Resources Summit

ARPM .......................................................................39 www.arpminc.com

18-19 Peer Networking: Senior Leaders and Human Resources

ARPM 180 Skills .......................................................34 www.180skills.com/ARPM

30 Webinar: Skills Training in a New Era – Manufacturing Catches Up with the Rest of the World

ARPM Rubber Industry Publications ........................24 www.arpminc.com Benchmarking & Best Practices Conference ..............5 www.arpminc.com/conference Blair Rubber Company .............................................13 www.blairrubber.com

SEPTEMBER 2 Webinar: ARPM Member Benefits

Chardon Custom Polymers.......................................11 www.chardoncp.com ChemTrend ...............................................................16 www.chemtrend.com Eagle Elastomer, Inc.................................................12 www.eagleelastomer.com

NOVEMBER 3-5 Benchmarking & Best Practices Conference

Grainger......................................................................2 www.grainger.com IceMiller ....................................................................30 www.icemiller.com Maplan .................................................................20-21 www.maplan.eu

For the most up-to-date information and to register for events, visit www.arpminc.com/ events.

PartnerShip...............................................................23 www.partnership.com/ARPM REP Corp..................................................................19 www.repinjection.com Rubber Division, ACS ...............................................29 www.rubberiec.org Sigmasoft................................................... Back Cover www.sigmasoftvm.com Smithers ...................................................................17 www.smithers.com

38 Inside Rubber // 2021 Issue 3

THE INDUSTRY NEEDS YOU

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SIGMA Plastics Services, Inc. 10 N. Martingale Road, Suite 620 Schaumburg, IL 60173 Phone: 847-558-5600 | info@3dsigma.com | www.sigmasoftvm.com