Inside Rubber - 2020 Issue 3

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

2020 Issue 3

Using Dry Ice for Decontamination  Evaluating Employee Engagement  Sales & Marketing Teams Respond  Benchmarking Conference Goes Virtual

The Official Publication of the Association of Rubber Products Manufacturers

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CONTENTS 2020 ISSUE 3

FEATURES 6

12

Solutions

Evaluating Employee Engagement: RE Darling Puts Surveys to the Test

Benchmarking & Best Practices Conference Virtual Event to be Held in October

14

Strategies

16

Talent

22

Healthcare

24

Safety

28

Operations

33

6

Shifting Sands for Sales & Marketing Teams The Time to Recruit is Now Take Charge of Your Healthcare What Manufacturers Should Know About Prescription Drug Use Q&A: Utilizing Dry Ice for Decontamination of Rubber Parts

22

28

Management

Leading Your Team Through Uncertain Times &/ 3 4 2 Ø4 % ' ) % 3

2 &5452% 3

Departments

5##%33

2020 Issue 3

Using Dry Ice tion for Decontamina nt loyee Engageme f Evaluating Emp ond eting Teams Resp f Sales & Mark Conference f Benchmarking Goes Virtual

4 18 20 31 34 34

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

www.InsideRubber.com TS -ANUFACTURERS ON OF 2UBBER 0RODUC ION OF THE ØSSOCIATI 4HE /FÞCIAL 0UBLICAT

Cover photo courtesy of Cold Jet. www.arpminc.com 3

FROM THE PRESIDENT

W

e are well into a global pandemic, but companies and states across the country are longing to get back to normal and business as usual. However, getting back to normal – or a “new normal” – isn’t going to be easy.

Throughout this crisis, members of the US rubber industry have turned to ARPM as a Dave Jentzsch beacon of strength for their organizations.

Blair Rubber While there is much that we can’t control in these uncertain times, there are things we can do to ensure sustainability for our organizations. We can share ideas and tactics on how to continue business in the pandemic; we can nurture and create new connections; and we can work together to solve common challenges.

Recently, ARPM conducted an industry pulse survey. I am very pleased to report that, overwhelmingly, members are optimistic about our industry and our recovery overall.

Slowly but surely, the country is realizing what the industry has known for a long time – rubber manufacturers are essential to ensuring America emerges stronger than ever before. Rubber parts and components are relied upon by nearly every industry sector. Our industry serves as the backbone of the world’s economy.

ARPM will continue to set the stage for industry renewal and long-term growth. The remainder of 2020 is full of valuable

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offerings for our members, and one such highlight is the open conference calls between member professionals, known as Peer Networking webinars. These peer exchanges offer everyone a chance to solve pressing problems, grow industry contacts and learn better ways to do business.

I also am excited to announce that ARPM’s technical training strategy is in full swing with the launch of new modules covering major rubber manufacturing processes. These include the following: • Compression Molding • Transfer Molding • Injection Molding • Extrusion • Material Mixing Finally, members will gain critical insight, tactics and best practices through upcoming benchmarking surveys (such as the Wage and Salary Survey) and best-in-class events, such as the virtual Benchmarking and Best Practices Conference and the 2020 EHS Summit.

As we work as an industry association to innovate, act boldly and uplift peers and leaders, we can unite as a nation in a common pursuit to bring our country to economic prosperity. As in the past, it will be manufacturers who make the difference in our future health, safety and prosperity. I look forward to the impact the rubber industry will have in ensuring the success of future generations. 

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 2020 ARPM Officers and Board of Directors President Dave Jentzsch, Blair Rubber Vice President Steve Nieto, Tahoma Rubber and Plastics Treasurer Marel Riley-Ryman, Southern Michigan Rubber Secretary Joe Keglewitsch, Ice Miller LLP

4 Inside Rubber // 2020 Issue 3

ARPM Board of Directors

Kirk Bowman, The Timken Group Charlie Braun, Custom Rubber Corporation Chris Buhlmann, Gates Corporation Russ Burgert, MAPLAN USA Joe Colletti, MarshBellofram Randy Dobbs, Sperry & Rice LLC Doug Gilg, Continental ContiTech Lisa Huntsman, Lauren Manufacturing Matt Lockard, HBD Industries 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

2150 SW Westport Dr., Suite 101 Topeka, KS 66614 Phone: 785.271.5801 ARPM Team Executive Director Troy Nix – tnix@arpminc.org Managing Director Letha Keslar – lkeslar@arpminc.org Marketing Director Marcella Kates – mkates@arpminc.org

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SOLUTIONS

Evaluating Employee Engagement: RE Darling Puts Surveys to the Test

By Lara Copeland, contributing writer, Inside Rubber

I

n 2017, RE Darling, a rubber manufacturing company based in Tucson, Arizona, underwent a period of rapid growth. While great news for a business, this type of sudden expansion often comes with growing pains. Lynn Cosgrove, the company’s longtime human resource manager, said that the growth impacted communication between employer and employees tremendously. “People weren’t receiving information like they did when we were a smaller company,” Cosgrove noted.

“When we suddenly grew overnight, it began to feel like we were all about just getting the job done, and we lost our focus in other areas.

But, in fact, the head of the company – Gary Darling – cares about the people.”

Going from a little-company mentality to a large-company mentality was painful, according to Cosgrove. “We want to be the best of the best in rubber manufacturing,” RE Darling used surveys to drive employee communication efforts when rapid she said, “but that was hard to do until we growth put a strain on employer/employee relationships. changed the way in which we communicated and engaged with our employees.” As the company adopted a growth mentality, “When our team realized we didn’t have a method to evaluate the leadership team looked for guidance on their journey. employee engagement, we felt the need to utilize a survey,” she “This is when we stumbled onto the Baldrige Framework and continued. Having a systematic process for regularly assessing began identifying our key processes,” she said. Within the employee sentiment and engagement meant RE Darling could Framework, employees are organized into teams to focus on improve the factors that affect employees. specific components, such as operations, customers, leadership and workforce engagement, to name a few. “We’re all working Research begins together, moving toward our strategic objectives for the short and Never having orchestrated a company-wide employee survey long term,” she emphasized. before, the Workforce Engagement team began research right away. “We had to consider matters like how often to conduct One of the areas the Baldrige Framework encourages is the survey, what company we’d use to do our survey and what workforce engagement. “Up until this point, we just kind of our supervisors would find feasible,” she explained. The team assumed people were happy because they seemed happy,” decided to use Glint – a business dedicated to helping peopleCosgrove said. As lead of the Workforce Engagement team, driven organizations increase employee engagement – to assist by she worked with Program Manager Jessica Sansoucie and other providing a platform for the survey. From there, the team spent employees to focus on all aspects that impact RE Darling’s time laying the groundwork and considering how to deploy the employees “because they are our biggest asset,” Cosgrove said. survey in the most successful manner.

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Before the first survey was launched in February 2019, careful consideration was given to finding the correct approach to gain the most engagement possible. “We knew if we simply crossed our fingers and hoped people would take it, participation would be incredibly low for a number of reasons,” said Cosgrove. So, in the days leading up to the survey, the Workforce Engagement team met with supervisors and employees to discuss their concerns. One issue raised was confidentiality. “To overcome this obstacle, we took the time to talk to people and assure them that taking this survey would not result in anybody getting into trouble, and nobody was going to identify who said what,” she explained. Glint’s survey design ensures confidentiality, even when it’s performed within a smaller department with few employees.

However, employees not only needed to be convinced that their feedback would remain private, they also needed to believe that the company would create meaningful changes following the survey.

Members of the Performance Excellence team lead and participate on the teams that identify and define key processes, which includes driving engagement.

“Not doing anything with the data is the greatest fault of surveys,” Cosgrove noted, but earning the employees’ trust would have to wait until results were in and action could take place. In the meantime, Cosgrove also helped others understand that she “had skin in this game” as an employee too. “I needed them to know that I also want to work at a place that listens to their employees, has good policies and really cares.” Additionally, the Workforce Engagement team provided employees with the survey questions in advance to give them ample time to consider their answers. “Most people appreciate more than just a few minutes to provide thoughtful feedback, and we wanted them to think about what is important so we could really make things better here at the company.”

The survey was conducted on-site, and each employee was allotted 15 minutes to complete it while on the clock. “We wanted to make it fun, so we brought in food and snacks in addition to shutting down some offices so we could offer privacy,” Cosgrove commented. And, when the results were in, RE Darling realized it had accomplished something Glint had never seen before.

Survey says…

Sansoucie said what RE Darling achieved was unprecedented.

“With our first survey, we had a 97% response rate – 167 out of 172 people took the survey.” She elaborated, “Glint typically sees a 58 to 60% response rate, especially for the first survey.” Even more amazing, the survey produced more than 1,000 comments – roughly 85% of people who took the survey left additional feedback – another unmatched statistic in Glint’s history. “People don’t usually take surveys when asked, nor is it common for them

to leave comments, but we feel we were so successful because our team put in the work during the launch while also making this a fun event.”

While the number of participants and comments are something to marvel, the quality of the feedback is even more important.

Cosgrove and Sansoucie explained that Glint puts the employee comments into a word cloud. The more a particular word is mentioned, the bigger it appears in the cloud. Additionally, the sentiment behind each word is color coded, with blue words being positive and red words more negative. Furthermore, the brighter and more pronounced the color, the stronger the sentiment. “This helps us figure out where the areas of concern are as we assess the data,” Cosgrove explained.

Survey results have a reputation of only focusing on negative aspects, but “it’s because those are the things people want resolved,” Cosgrove said. “We learned that sometimes the feedback can be a little hurtful, but we just toughened our skin and now we view this information as golden nuggets.” RE Darling decided to refer to these nuggets as Opportunities for Improvement, or OFIs. “You have to get it in your head that these are opportunities for growth and that employees are doing exactly what we asked them to do – to help us address what needs fixed.”

Taking data-driven action Following the completion of the first survey, RE Darling developed what it calls “Listening for Results.” This term describes a process – now a part of each subsequent survey page 8 

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SOLUTIONS  page 7

– the company uses when collecting feedback and making decisions based on that feedback. “We look for the word with the most negative sentiment and the largest concern so our team can focus on something systematic, like a policy, to improve upon,” said Cosgrove. From there, a town hall meeting is held to provide a deeper dive into any perceived issues. “We bring our charts and markers to these meetings, and we ask questions for clarification so we can get to the root of any issue,” she said.

One recent issue that came up after reviewing survey results concerned pay. “It was a big, red word,” Cosgrove said. Since comments can be rather vague sometimes, the town hall provided the team with the opportunity to hear the employees’ voices and understand where they were coming from. “Upon seeing the negativity surrounding pay, we naturally RE Darling employees support the community through assumed people were unhappy with their pay for volunteer efforts. one reason or another, but the town hall proved that people,” she clarified. “And, they wanted to know those things, our assumptions were not correct.” Turns out, employees were so we became more transparent and published the process and unaware of how salaries were determined, and that led to some communicated to them how the process happened.” confusion. “They didn’t know we did an annual salary survey and a wage survey, or that we look at what the market pays Sansoucie said once a survey is complete and feedback has been assessed, the team then develops improvement plans with supervisors. “Since we decided to conduct these surveys every six months, we have a timeline we work by,” she said. The first 30 days are set aside for gathering data and going over it, while also meeting with supervisors and their employees. “Those meetings produce a lot of conversation because there’s that engagement going on when supervisors and their teams are coming up with their action items to work on for the next few months.”

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The second month is spent implementing those action items and then building on them for the next four months before another survey takes place. “We are looking to see if what they’re working on has increased employee engagement,” Sansoucie continued. “Are employees upset with anything? Do they like what’s happening? We want to know if that line of communication is open.”

After each survey, the company receives a score from Glint reflecting employee engagement. For the first survey, RE Darling scored a 77 out of 100. While this score is certainly above the benchmark of 75 for a manufacturer, the team was hoping to improve the score in the future. “We like to see if the things we are doing have an effect,” Cosgrove said. By the time the results from the second survey (taken in August 2019) were in, it was clear the entire process was a success. The company’s engagement score went up six points, for a total of 81 out of a possible 100. “You’re never going to be perfect,” she said, “but it is nice to see that we are driving results.” Additionally, each team receives a similar score to assess its results.

“It’s really exciting to see these results,” Cosgrove said. “There was this thinking out there that after the survey, nothing was going to be done – no change would happen. But, because we actually did so much with the results from the first survey, our scores improved on the second survey and laid down that foundation of trust once everyone believed we were serious about employee engagement.”

Key ingredient when implementing change When it comes time to address the issues identified in each survey, changes need to be a win-win for both employees and the entire company. “A best practice on the human resource side asks us to involve people in the solution if we want them to embrace it,” Cosgrove explained. “We want everyone to be satisfied without anyone feeling like they’re completely bending over backwards and having their needs ignored.” One such topic that presented as a theme recently involved the dress code.

After conducting a town hall meeting on the topic, the team realized it wasn’t that employees didn’t like the policy, but that they were unclear about some of the details. For instance, some questioned the difference between a tank top and sleeveless shirt. Following the town hall, a committee of eight employee volunteers was formed to develop a new dress code. “We didn’t

want this to be something HR or the production manager came up with – we wanted to get the employees involved in this policy,” Cosgrove urged.

The members of the committee started by looking at the company’s goals for the dress code, such as looking professional while also being safe – and then they got to work. “We found multiple trainings on dress codes and sent the committee members to those trainings before asking them to edit the current policy,” Cosgrove said. The volunteers came up with their version of the dress code policy and presented it to the company.

After receiving some questions, she reported that the team went back to the drawing board and ultimately ended up with a dress code that is almost exactly the same as it was before. “They were able to work through the process themselves and understand why certain parts of the policy exist,” she concluded. This process helped with transparency, communication and therefore, trust and emotional bonding between employees and company.

Survey role during a pandemic More recently, during the pandemic, RE Darling chose to focus its efforts on its employees. “We knew they felt uncertain and had questions about work, risks, health and safety, so we wanted to show them we care,” Sansoucie said. To capture their concerns page 10 

RRUBBER RUBB RU UBB BERR IIN N MO M MOTION TION TI N

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and let their voices be heard, the organization conducted a special survey – what Glint refers to as an anytime survey – received feedback and designated employees to specific response teams.

“We didn’t want to bombard employees or supervisors with too many surveys, but when COVID surfaced we wanted to check the pulse to see how employees were feeling,” Cosgrove said.

Employees were sent a five-question survey via phone so it could be completed anywhere – especially important since everyone was in lockdown. “We had a 62% response rate with 105 responses,” Sansoucie said. Regardless of the circumstances, Cosgrove and Sansoucie both pointed out that this response rate solidified the choices they make when it comes to setting up and launching a typical survey. “We get more participation when we offer it on-site, but we still are pleased with this response rate given the situation the country was facing,” Cosgrove added.

Even considering the expectation that the response rate would be lower than normal, the two were quite pleased with the overall score of 93. “This tells us that employees are happy and satisfied – people felt safe and like the company cares for them,” Cosgrove said. “In big, bright blue letters in the cloud we saw the word ‘safe,’ which is great, because we always want to make sure our employees feel safe when they’re here and feel as though they have the resources they need to do their job.” She also said

that though there is always room for improvement, this survey “helped us understand that employees see what we’re trying to do and appreciate it.”

Implementing success Upon deciding to dive deep into assessing employee engagement, there are a few principles an organization should consider.

Cosgrove suggested evaluating company goals and keeping them in mind as the process unfolds. “The first thing our Workforce Engagement team did was make a matrix of descriptors and deciding factors on which survey vendor we were going to use and why,” she explained. “When we figured out what we wanted out of this experience, we interviewed five or six survey vendors and dwindled our list down to just two vendors.” At this point, Cosgrove said other users were introduced to the two platforms and then asked to come to demos to make sure they would find the platform user-friendly and appropriate for their needs.

Most importantly, she suggested, “I wouldn’t even bother using a survey if you don’t plan on doing anything with the information you get back; it would actually have a negative effect by creating distrust and leaving employees feeling unheard.” She warned this could negatively impact company culture and put the organization at risk for losing employees.

Though it can feel overwhelming to implement something new, the benefits often are worth it. Sansoucie said that the process has created emotional commitment among employees at RE Darling.

“That’s really what employee engagement is – that emotional tie that an employee has to their employer,” she said. Listening to employees and implementing changes they’re suggesting improves morale.

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10 Inside Rubber // 2020 Issue 3

Cosgrove agreed that RE Darling has been successful in building trust with employees. A host of positive changes have been implemented, and by all accounts it seems that employees are feeling empowered. “It’s clear to us,” Cosgrove said, “that if we don’t take action on items and if we don’t communicate and keep people in the loop, we lose their trust.”

Sansoucie added that improving employee engagement at RE Darling was a group effort. “Everyone on the Workforce Engagement team worked really hard during this process, and it couldn’t have been done without dedication from everyone.”

Just a few of the notable changes made at RE Darling include increasing communication regarding compensation, increasing vacation days, improving the rewards and recognition process, updating the attendance policy and creating an ethics line – a completely anonymous way for employees to leave feedback for the CEO with regards to any ethics issues or concerns.

“We’re on this journey to make this company the greatest company ever,” Cosgrove said, “and employees have to be a part of that.” 

Don’t let your vision be any less than 20/20 this year.

Focus on achieving your goals at IEC! October 20 - 22, 2020 Knoxville Convention Center • Knoxville, TN USA 198th Technical Meeting Over 100 presenters will be sharing their knowledge on these topics:

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 provides a forum for the exchange of ideas, observations, regulatory reforms and emerging scientific technologies, as well as learning, networking seeing current customers and developing new ones.

The Expo Over 150 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

• Women’s Preconference Workshop • Welcome Reception • Student Colloquium - Presentations & Posters • Science & Technology Awards Ceremony & Presentations • Career Fair • Rubber Division, ACS Committee Meetings • Special Events, including a 5K Walk/Run, 25-Year Club Luncheon and Awards Breakfast Brought to you by:

• • • • • • • • • • •

Advances in Reinforcements for Elastomers Progress in Elastomer Synthesis Elastomers in Alternate Energy & New Mobility New Commercial Developments Elastomer Aging, Degradation & Flammability Sustainability Rubber Testing & Characterization 3D Printing with Elastomers Rubber Testing & Characterization Rubber Compounding for Performance Advances in Materials & Processes for Car & Truck Tires • Machine Learning for Material Development • Elastomers in Alternate Energy & New Mobility • Thermoplastic & Specialty Elastomers The 17th Annual Student Colloquium papers and presentations will be featured on October 21st.

Educational Symposium We have developed a great educational symposium featuring these courses: • Primers & Adhesives for Rubber-to-Substrate Bonding: Selection, Preparation, Application and Molding • Soft Skills for Scientific Success • Rubber Explained • Essentials of Rubber Technology • Fillers: Non-black and Carbon Black • Vulcanization and Curing Chemistry • Hazardous Communication • Essentials of Silicone Rubber • Basic Rubber Compounding • Compounding Fluoroelastomers • Mixing and Testing for Compound Consistency • Setting Up a Rubber Molding Process • Basics of Specialty Elastomers

Interested in attending or exhibiting? Visit rubberiec.org.

OCTOBER 19-23, 2020 • ARPMINC.COM/CONFERENCE The goal of the Virtual Benchmarking and Best Practices Conference is to help rubber and plastics companies improve their operations and tactics in order to impact bottom line profits. The conference is anchored with best practices and leading benchmark presentations derived from the industry’s best-known sources of statistical information. Known as the absolute best benchmarks in the industry, these presentations identify and correlate profitability to operational behaviors, market choices and more.

This year’s theme – Opportunity is Knocking – is designed to inspire, motivate and educate processors on how to continuously improve every day. Becoming better is not something that just happens; good leaders continually work to make themselves better, and the 2020 Virtual Benchmarking & Best Practices Conference will do just that!

KEYNOTE

Phillip Van Hooser

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, Phil knows firsthand the very real impact authentic, respected, engaged employee relations have on productivity and profits.

And 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 helps companies and organizations experience: • Stronger, more productive leader/employee relations, • Greater teamwork, trust, communication and collaboration, and • Improved bottom-line business results.

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SPEED NETWORKING – CONNECTIONS This conference session, also known as “speed dating with an industry peer,” will take place throughout the week of the virtual conference. During these sessions, attendees will have the opportunity to visit a “lounge” room of their choice to make connections and meet like-minded individuals who are all interested in expanding their knowledge base on a particular subject.

For example, if you are interested in learning how other professionals use metrics to drive profits, then you might want to attend the “Factory Metrics and Score Cards” to share your ideas and discuss the ideas of others. The goal is to make connections and expand your resources.

Some Topics Could Include: • Removing Cost from Business Operations • Factory Metrics and Score Cards • Strategic Planning – Creating and Implementing • Staying Motivated as a Leader • Lean Manufacturing • Incentive Programs • Marketing Practices that Work

• • • •

Sources for Finding Workers Visual Manufacturing and Work Instructions Tariffs – Today’s Impact Breaking the Health Insurance Mold – Lessons Learned from Self Funding • Redefining Your Marketing In Uncertain Times

BC LABS

REGISTRATION

The BC Labs will be back for the 2020 Conference! The BC Labs are a series of presentation sessions for each functional area below. Each BC Lab is designed to equip attendees with indispensable insights, advice and tools to achieve the mission-critical priorities of today and build the successful organizations of tomorrow.

ARPM MEMBERS: Member Pricing: grants access for the individual to the entire week of live programming and unlimited access to the event library

Below are the learning tracks for the Benchmarking and Best Practices Conference BC Labs: • Executive Stakeholders/Owners • Leadership • Senior Leaders (Presidents/VPs) • Human Resources/Safety • Sales & Marketing • Operations/Engineering • CFOs/Finance/IT

Company-Wide Pricing: grants access for every individual in the company to the entire week of live programming and unlimited access to the event library $1,796 — Company-wide pricing

Takeaways

$379 — Member pricing through August 19, 2020 $449 — Member pricing after August 19, 2020

NONMEMBERS: Processors Only Nonmember Pricing: grants access for the individual to the entire week of live programming and unlimited access to the event library $559 Industry Service Providers (or Sponsors) can reach Letha at 317-913-2440 or lkeslar@arpminc.com for more information about participating.

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STRATEGIES

Shifting Sands for Sales & Marketing Teams

By Dianna Brodine, managing editor, Inside Rubber

W

ith the pandemic forcing closures and restrictions across the United States, the typical sales and marketing activities of rubber manufacturing companies have ground to a halt. In-person sales visits were stopped cold, and people across the country were forced to quickly learn to use Zoom and other video conferencing technologies. Marketing activities, which sometimes fall to the wayside in favor of an emphasis on sales activities, suddenly took center stage.

As the country begins its return to normal – or semi-normal – activity levels, how are rubber manufacturers reaching their customers?

Business unusual for rubber manufacturers Drew Ney is the president of Salem-Republic Rubber Company in Sebring, Ohio. The company manufactures custom engineered industrial hose and calendered products for industries such as petroleum, power, shipping, steel, aviation, chemical and others.

Targeting the OEM, replacement and specialty markets, SalemRepublic sells to both distributors and OEMs, which typically requires a lot of travel time for customer calls.

“At this time, we have a director of sales and marketing and two sales engineers. A lot of their time usually is spent on the road visiting customers,” Ney said. “We try to get to the end user site as much as possible so they know us and see us and we can deal with their issues and questions.”

In addition to the difficulties in reaching customer sites, state shutdowns and an unstable economy impacted orders. “Everyone is very motivated to stay in business, but there has been a 20 to 25% downturn in end-end user need for material as our customers’ customers have been closed – appliances, fabrications and construction sites, for examples,” said Ney. “But, we’re starting to see cracks of daylight.”

Tony Hatton is director of program management for Amsted Seals and Forming in Chicago, Illinois. The company specializes in the fabrication of high-performance precision sealing solutions for trucking, electric vehicle, automotive, rail and industrial applications. Currently, the company’s marketing and sales activities are spread across a number of people in the organization.

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Amsted Seals customizes its messaging to differentiate between current customers and sales prospects. The company has used Constant Contact to send emails to its customers and prospects and is looking at other options to tie into its CRM system.

“Communication to our customers and prospects includes emails from the sales team and customer service,” said Hatton. “We also focus on the website, LinkedIn, phone calls from the sales team and customer service and – pre-COVID 19 – visits. Amsted is growing quickly, so our messaging is about product additions, employee additions, acquisitions and training.”

Constant communication with the distributor network is critical, and Ney said Salem-Rubber has increased communication significantly to its customers and prospects. “We’re focusing on email and phone, primarily,” Ney explained. “We like the phone – it’s personal and allows us to make a personal contact. I won’t have an automated phone system. We answer the phone in person and try to help or answer questions right away. Right now, voice to voice is the best we can hope for until person to person is allowed consistently.”

One major impact of the pandemic has been the inability for Salem-Rubber to exhibit and attend tradeshows and other events related to the industries the company sells to. “In a typical year, the hose distributor show is an absolute must, and we attend almost every one of the dredge shows in the US. The jet air part we make is used commercially and in the military – we

go to all of those shows, and sometimes go to the municipal water treatment shows,” Ney explained. “We pick and choose, depending on the year and the amount of activity in each of those markets.”

This year, those events have all been cancelled or moved to a virtual experience. “We’ve had great success in other years by reaching out and creating relationships,” he continued. “A lot of times, we find new customers we didn’t even know existed. This year, shows are out. All the convention activity is just too risky to allow the shows to go forward, at least through the beginning of next year.”

Amsted also has been affected by the inability to attend tradeshows. “Our growth in the aftermarket truck components space was significantly impacted by not being able to visit with potential and current customers at various aftermarket, distribution and vehicle maintenance tradeshows,” said Hatton.

The company is looking at a number of alternate venues for this type of coordinated interactivity.

Some customers and prospects are beginning to allow visitors to their facilities, and Salem-Rubber is ready to get on the road. “Most of our customers are allowing people on site with additional protections,” he said. “In fact, we have four sales trips in the next three weeks – one on one, one on two, that sort of thing. Getting our distributors in to see the end user is what we really want to do, and that’s starting to be allowed.”

“best practices” emerged. Among them are a few that could help rubber manufacturers succeed – or avoid a mistake or two.

1.

2.

3.

4.

As video calls replace in-person visits, make sure the company-branded apparel worn by the sales team properly represents the brand. One industry supplier realized the company logo was on the sleeve of their shirts – and therefore not visible when the sales team participated in video calls. The supplier ordered new shirts with the logo displayed in the upper left chest area instead.

Some of the video call platforms allow virtual backgrounds to be used. Use branded backgrounds to create a more professional appearance.

Another video call tip – hold “practice” calls with all sales team members. Evaluate the background environment that is visible when on a call and ensure speaker volume is at the right level. This is a good time to get everyone comfortable with the process and make sure the video calls are smooth and professional.

Use this time to increase email communications. Sending consistent reminders about open capacity, readiness and process capabilities serves as a marketing tool for both prospects and current customers. 

Ney is optimistic about the rest of 2020, despite the obstacles of the first six months. “I think we have a fair chance of having a breakeven year,” he said. “It’s still early, and there’s a lot of moving parts. The source of our survival is something I’ve reinforced and tried to grow from the beginning – new applications and new markets. We diversified and reentered some markets we had originally gotten out of, and we’re starting to see some breakthroughs.”

Hatton echoed the importance of bringing new products to market, saying, “While our messaging has not changed significantly in frequency due to COVID-19, it is beginning to increase due to new product offerings, and these will be key to growing during the down times in the overall market.”

Ney said the phone, internet and email have all been very active, with a “fairly high” inquiry rate and quoting, although he suspects that the actual orders might be “wait and hold.” Although some commitments are coming through, he is concerned about some of his customers. “For some of our industries, their customer base is still closed and might not get back to a level needed to ensure survival,” he said.

Sales tips for the new normal As companies adjusted their sales and marketing practices, a few

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 www.arpminc.com 15

TALENT

The Time to Recruit is Now

By Dan Regovich, owner and operator, AJ Augur

I

t seems as though the world has changed overnight. We went from one of the most robust economies in US history, where virtually every company was struggling to hire employees at all levels, to massive lay-offs in many sectors – all within a few weeks.

I think there is a silver lining to be found in all of this: Many companies still have critical positions that need to be filled or will have critical positions to be filled later on in the year, and now is the best time to prepare to hire when the economy turns around.

If you start your preparations when the economy already has turned, you’ll be late.

I have one client that is an essential business producing food packaging. The company is located in a remote part of the country and always has a hard time finding employees at all levels. The business has increased production significantly over the last few weeks but is only hiring for the most critical shop floor positions by conducting interviews in a large conference room, wearing masks and taking all the proper precautions. The business currently has many more options for candidates than it typically does because many companies in the region are laying off employees.

But, the food packaging company is not stopping there. Before the pandemic, a few higher-level positions were open. The company now is working to build a pipeline of candidates to fill those positions when things get back to – or closer to – normal.

The company is finding it easier to have more conversations with potential candidates since many are at home (either working or laid off) and in a private place to talk.

Rather than waiting for the economy to turn and the shelter-inplace orders to be lifted, this company is starting to recruit now for future positions. Below are things you can do to be ready to hire when the economy has been kickstarted:

1.

If you’ve had layoffs and will need to re-hire those employees, do your best to stay in touch with them by email. Let those employees know that they are valuable, and you’ll need them once production picks up. Give them updates on the business. Make them still feel a small part of your company.

2.

Identify hard-to-fill positions by asking your department leaders what critical needs were open before the pandemic.

Clearly identify what skill sets are needed in those roles.

16 Inside Rubber // 2020 Issue 3

“

...NOW IS THE BEST TIME TO PREPARE TO HIRE WHEN THE ECONOMY TURNS AROUND. IF YOU START YOUR PREPARATIONS WHEN THE ECONOMY ALREADY HAS TURNED, YOU’LL BE LATE.

”

3.

Take time to come up with excellent job descriptions/job postings for those openings. This shouldn’t be a list of duties. Instead, use a job description to let people know why your company is a great place to work. Include all the perks of the job and a little bit about your environment. Give them a reason to respond to you. Your job description is a sales tool!

4.

In addition to advertising those jobs on your favorite website(s), consider getting a paid subscription to LinkedIn so you can email potential candidates directly. Since many people are home, job candidates are more likely to respond via LinkedIn since they are not surrounded by co-workers and might have more time on their hands. LinkedIn also could help you identify candidates who are not looking at the job boards.

5.

If you don’t have an onboarding process, take the time to establish a process now. I once had a candidate start a new job as plant manager … and when he showed, nobody knew he was coming. He had to clean out his own office, which was being used as a storage room. That’s a horrible way to keep someone with your company, especially when there’s a war for talent.

It’s my opinion that the war for talent will be back sooner than we think. The flu pandemic of 1918-1919 was followed by the Roaring ‘20s!

6.

Set expectations for your interview process. Make sure you have a timeline for how things will happen and that you are clear in your communications. For example, you might explain that your company is unable to do face-to-face interviews right at

the moment but will resume once certain safety criteria are met.

Then outline the hiring steps, give candidates a timeline and stick to it.

7.

Time kills deals. Once you begin interviewing candidates in person, make sure the process moves quickly. A slow hiring process sends bad messages to a candidate. The worst message is the one they make up in their head as to why you are moving so slow … which leads them to talk themselves out of the job and withdraw their candidacy.

8.

If you have a person you want to hire currently but can’t bring them on as a permanent, full-time employee, ask that person if he/she would consider working on a contract basis.

There are several Employer of Record (EOR) services that will handle the billing, benefits and back office duties for a contract employee. In return, the EOR service charges a percentage markup on the hourly rate.

9.

You also can consider making candidates a contingent offer or pre-offer. The letter could state the details of the offer, while also explaining the contingencies – for instance, production

must pick up to reach a certain point, additional funding must be secured, a certain date should be reached, etc.

You can put your company in a very good position for getting those hard-to-fill jobs filled if you are proactive and take advantage of this downturn. Top-notch people are easier to reach right now. This is a great time to start the process to strengthen your team.

History tells us that the economy always recovers. Make sure you are hiring on the front end of rebound.  Dan Regovich is the owner and operator of AJ Augur Group LLC, a search firm that specializes in the manufacturing industry within the US. He has been recruiting since 1997 and has filled critical positions all over the country, including sales and marketing, operations, engineering, R&D, quality and human resources positions. He uses a proven search process and has built a solid reputation within the industry. For more information call 440.357.7600 or email dregovich@ajaugur.com.

Reprinted with permission from Plastics Business (www. plasticsbusinessmag.com).

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Toll Free (866) 780-ARDL • Worldwide (330) 794-6600 Visit www.ardl.com =ou o u b7; u-m]; o= ruo0Ѵ;lŊvoѴ bm] 1-r-0bѴb|b ;vĺ www.arpminc.com 17

MEMBER NEWS ARPM Welcomes New Members Please join ARPM in welcoming the following new members: Fulflex, Inc. – Brattleboro, Vermont Goodyear Belts – Miami Lakes, Florida Precision Associates, Inc. – Minneapolis, Minnesota Uni-Grip, Inc. – Upper Sandusky, Ohio

ARPM Releases Revised Sealing Publications OS-18 The Association for Rubber Products Manufacturers (ARPM) released its newly updated OS-18 Environmental Exclusion Test Procedures for Radial Shaft Seals.

ARPM OS-18 The purpose of OS-18 is to present standard engineering laboratory test procedures ENVIRONMENTAL for evaluating the EXCLUSION TEST contamination exclusion PROCEDURES FOR capability of radial RADIAL SHAFT SEALS shaft seals in various types of environments.

This manual is a guide for dry and wet testing in applications with environments where moderate to severe contaminants are present. Specific problems should be discussed with the radial lip seal manufacturer. This document was updated through the collective consensus of the members of the ARPM Dynamic Seal Committee and is intended for reference use only.

All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reprinted or otherwise reproduced in any form without the express written permission of ARPM.

Revised: 2020 · Approved: 1990

7321 Shadeland Station Way, Suite 285, Indianapolis, IN 46256 Phone: 317-863-4072 Web: www.arpminc.com

OS-18 (2020)

This publication was reviewed and approved by the member representatives of the ARPM’s Sealing Products Dynamic Technical Committee. The ARPM would like to acknowledge the following member companies for their contributions in the development of this publication: 3M Advanced Materials Division; AGC Chemicals Americas; Amsted Seals and Forming; Consolidated Metco, Inc.; Fiat Chrysler; Fluid Sealing Science, LLC; Ford Motor Company; Ford Transmission Driveline Eng.; Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies; Grace Technology and Development; SKF Sealing Solutions; The Chemours Company, LLC; Trelleborg Sealing Solutions Americas; Zeon Chemicals L.P.; and Wacker Chemical.

Keeping with ISO standards, all ARPM technical standards are reviewed every five years to establish if a revision is required to keep it current and relevant for the marketplace. The revised OS18 Environmental Exclusion Test Procedures for Radial Shaft Seals and over 100 other technical standards are free for ARPM members or available for purchase on the ARPM website.

18 Inside Rubber // 2020 Issue 3

2020 EHS Summit Goes Virtual The Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) Summit is designed to share the best leadership and safety practices with industry professionals hoping to achieve world-class safety within their companies. For 2020, this annual event will be held November 11 and 12, 100% virtually. This one-of-a-kind learning and networking conference will focus on uniting manufacturing executives from across the United States. Attendees will focus on best practices in environment, health and safety, along with strategies for becoming a better leader.

The most important element of the safety leadership conference is the educational component contributed by the industry experts. To share your professional experiences and program successes with the event audience, simply respond to the Call for Presenters. All presentations must be non-proprietary and cannot mention specific goods or services. For more information, contact Letha Keslar at 317.863.4072 or lkeslar@arpminc.org.

ARPM Safety Award Application The Association for Rubber Products Manufacturers (ARPM) invites industry members to participate in the 2020 Safety Awards Program. The Safety Awards Program is a way to recognize safety in the rubber 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.

Interested companies can submit a completed submission form and a copy of the facility’s OSHA 300 and 300A forms at www. arpminc.com/ehs. Awards will be presented during the 2020 ARPM EHS Summit.

ARPM Membership Hits Historic 100-Member-Company Mark The Association for Rubber Products Manufacturers (ARPM) revealed its membership has exceeded the 100-member-company mark, a record during the association’s 10-year history. ARPM prides itself on the association’s hands-on work with rubber professionals, creating a strong network of executives and providing its membership with benchmarks and events to excel in the rubber manufacturing industry. Even as the association grows, it continues to focus on giving value to processors, providing its member companies with access to international standards, training, cost reduction programs, networking, benchmarking data and more.

“Congratulations to the ARPM team!� said Dave Jentszsh of Blair Rubber, a long time ARPM member and board president of ARPM. “I would like to recognize the past leadership, past and present sponsors, and board of directors for embracing/promoting the best-in-class for our industry.,�

• Quality in Rubber Manufacturing • Safety in a Manufacturing Environment • Material Mixing Technology • Material Mixing Operator Tasks • Injection Molding Technology • Injection Molding Operator Tasks • Extrusion Technology • Extrusion Operator Tasks

Troy Nix, executive director for ARPM, said, “This is an exciting milestone. We are grateful for the support of our founding members and the continued work of our membership and sponsors for the good of the association and the industry.

The ARPM team is proud to serve its members and the rubber industry and looks forward to the future.�

ARPM Generates COVID-19 Resource Library

These training modules are exclusive for ARPM members.

In addition, ARPM members who sign up for ARPM training through 180 Skills also will gain access to the 180 Skills’ library of more than 700 online, competency-based courses. This library covers everything from baseline to advanced manufacturing content, all in a very engaging format, promoting mastery in each skill set. Learn more at 180skills.com/ARPM or call 317.735.3370. ď ľ

ARPM’s team has worked to generate resources that allow ARPM members to stay informed with changing COVID-19 resources. The Resources Hub landing page contains links to documents, reports and webinars relevant to the pandemic landscape. Employers have to make unprecedented and quick (if not immediate) decisions about what they should do or what they have to do, and the association will continue to provide resources to assist them.

The resources and webinar link can be found at www.arpminc. com. ARPM encourages members to check back to the Resources Hub page, as new information is updated daily.

180 Skills and ARPM Release New Training Modules New for 2020, 180 Skills has released the following training modules on its platform:

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www.arpminc.com 19

TECHNICAL STANDARDS UPDATE

Hoses Group Continues Its Work Virtually

A Greg Vassmer ARPM Technical Coordinator

s you might guess, ARPM’s working committees have not seen much of each other this year – at least not face-to-face. The ISO organization required all physical meetings be converted to virtual meetings from mid-March to the end of September or delayed until afterwards. ARPM similarly converted to virtual review meetings, and even the important Benchmarking and Best Practices Conference will be virtual this fall. But, technological progress marches on, despite these barriers.

As mentioned in earlier columns, ARPM is active in the ISO TC45 SC1 working group 1 (Rubber and Plastics “Hoses” and Hose Assemblies – Industrial, Chemical and Oil Hoses) and TC41 SC4 (Conveyor Belt and Power Transmission). Both have been hard at work.

Although the October 2020 meeting for the hoses group has been canceled, most activities still are progressing. All work that was scheduled to be reviewed in the fall meeting now is being handled with Zoom virtual meetings for US Technical Action Group (TAG) meetings or by written comments when consulting the worldwide experts of the full ISO working group. Connecting this way is new, so expect some bumps in the road as details get worked out. But, as of this writing, no projects have been canceled or put on hold. The next formal meeting for TC45 now is scheduled for October 2021.

discussion, questions, potential revisions and, ultimately, a vote by the members of the working group. The proposal must receive a two-thirds majority (but alas, in our example, it does not) and agreement by at least five of the approving members to actively work on the project. Sadly, this also was not to be.

But, ISO is accommodating, and the working group determined there was enough merit in the proposal to find a path for the proposer. In fact, the proposal already was a standard in the proposer’s home country. The working group decided to allow the proposer to resubmit after a second country agreed to help if the second country’s comments were included in the revision.

Creating standards is a diplomatic, as well as technical, effort.

Why do we care? Because this product already is sold into many other countries with no standard. If the proposing country can set the standard, the proposer’s company would have a chance to market its adherence to an ISO standard – and enjoy the name recognition it brings. Another company that manufactures nonpercolating lay-flat firehoses with a different design may not meet the new standard, putting that company at a disadvantage.

The projects underway in the hoses group cover a wide set of applications. Updates this year are being made to standards covering hydrostatic testing of hoses and specifications for LPG hose, sand blasting hose, for several types of hydraulic hose, refrigerant 1234yf hose in automobiles, and high-pressure hose, among others. If you are interested in the details of the updates and status of the changes, please contact Letha Keslar or me and we can connect you with Brett Stone or Dick Batzer, the ARPM representatives in this area.

The hoses group currently has 14 projects and eight systematic standards reviews touching 22 of the 81 standards that the group manages. The eight systematic reviews represent standards that have reached an automatic five-year milestone when the standard is confirmed as-is, updated or dropped.

As a happy note, Brett has taken over the chairmanship of the Industrial, Chemical and Oil Hoses working group within ISO TC45 SC1. With this change, ARPM continues to maintain a direct connection to ISO for its members.

More interesting are the 14 other projects currently underway.

These projects ultimately either create a new standard, modify an existing one or sometimes just investigate an issue and then get dropped. The dynamic is an interesting illustration about why we should care about standards.

I don’t want to miss the Belt and Conveyor group activities. The number of standards (77) nearly is the same, with seven actively in review or updating. I will tackle those in the next issue, along with an update on MO-1: The ARPM’s Rubber Handbook. Until then, stay healthy! 

Let’s say, for example, that one country’s representative had an interest in establishing a standard for “Non-Percolating Lay-Flat Firefighting Delivery Hoses.” Yes, this is a real thing. Typically, the representative will write up a proposal and present it for 20 Inside Rubber // 2020 Issue 3

www.arpminc.com 21

HEALTHCARE Ask your broker 1.

What is our per employee per year cost? More specifically, what is our per employee per month (PEPM) cost?

Understanding the per employee cost per year – and, more importantly, the cost per employee per month – is necessary for benchmarking and managing your healthcare costs from year to year.

2.

Can that cost be broken down in the following categories?

• Claims PEPM ° Medical ° Rx • Administrative costs PEPM • For self-funded organizations: Premium PEPM

Understanding the cost breakdown between claims (medical and drugs) and the administrative costs provides a better overall view of the plan. By identifying and reviewing these buckets of expenses, a business has a better view of the plan utilization. Higher utilization results in lower healthcare costs, because to a healthcare provider, this signifies better preventive maintenance. By asking for the data, employers have a vehicle through which to locate possible improvements or changes to the spend, which can impact the performance of their plan in a positive manner.

3.

Take Charge of Your Healthcare

By Rachael Pfenninger and Susan Denzio, First Resource, Inc.

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s healthcare costs continue to rise, and no relief appears to be on the horizon, research shows that there is a growing movement to minimize premium costs by designing a healthcare program that is carefully cultivated to meet the particular needs of an organization1.

In many cases, there are opportunities for manufacturers to follow suit. However, it is important that business owners and HR professionals understand what questions are most important to ask in order to assess the condition of their current healthcare plans and better manage those plans moving forward.

22 Inside Rubber // 2020 Issue 3

How did age demographics affect our health insurance risk rating and costs?

Both population growth and an aging population are drivers of health insurance prices. As people get older, insurance becomes more expensive, and an aging demographic typically requires more care than a younger one. Diving deeper into employee demographics will allow a business to identify how and/or if these factors are impacting the renewal rate.

4.

What are the three primary drivers of our health benefit costs?

Knowledge is power. Identifying what items are driving the costs provides insight to better manage those areas and make decisions based on that data.

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BY ASKING FOR THE DATA, EMPLOYERS HAVE A VEHICLE THROUGH WHICH TO LOCATE POSSIBLE IMPROVEMENTS OR CHANGES TO THE SPEND...

Dig deeper with your broker: more questions to ask

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The following questions will bring additional clarity to better manage your healthcare plan: 1. Do we have any data on the price of our most common services utilized? â&#x20AC;˘ How can we affect this?

2. Can you break down the pricing for our three highest cost claimants? â&#x20AC;˘ What can we do to affect this?

3. What is our Rx PEPM? 4. What is our average cost per script?

5. Can you identify our top three prescription spend categories?

6. Can you identify our top three high-cost prescriptions?

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Healthcare ranks among the top three concerns of every business owner and yet, few apply a businesslike strategy (five-year plan) to their healthcare plan. There is no easy, one-size-fits-all solution for health benefits. The challenges, pitfalls and options are broad and diverse. Therefore, the ARPM, under the First Resource umbrella, has been working diligently on a healthcare solution that affords the ability to leverage the size of an aggregate group while maintaining individual choice.

First Resource has created a solution that is based on the same principles used to successfully run membersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; businesses â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it understands how and where bottom-line dollars are being spent and makes those expenditure decisions based on data.

This healthcare solution is simple: Control the money, engage employees and attack high-cost medical and prescription services, while allowing members the flexibility to implement a risk-management strategy that best meets their needs. For more information on this healthcare strategy, email info@arpm.org. ď ľ 1. Collins, Michael. (2019, Jan 28). Manufacturers Face Rising Healthcare Costs. Manufacturing.Net. Retrieved from https://www. manufacturing.net/labor/blog/13249190/manufacturers-face-risinghealthcare-costs Reprinted with permission from The American Mold Builder (www. americanmoldbuilder.com).

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SAFETY major depression, PTSD or traumatic brain injuries that cause mental health problems. Also among the most-used medications are nonnarcotic analgesics, such as ibuprofen, aspirin and Tylenol.

Williams noted that it is in employers’ best interest to know the common medications in use by workers – and by the population in general – in order to understand how these drugs, their side effects and their interactions may affect employees on the job.

What Manufacturers Should Know About Prescription Drug Use

By Liz Stevens, contributing writer, Inside Rubber

W

hile illegal drug use can cause havoc in the workplace, it often is prescription medication interactions that lead to accidents and injuries. Miranda Williams is a licensed pharmacist and the pharmacy program director for the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. Her expertise as a pharmacist and her position with the Ohio BWC give her a vantage point to see medication use (and misuse) trends for a large population and allows her to help workers and employers by offering insight and advice.

In a recent presentation, Williams discussed prescription and illicit drug use, based on her knowledge of medications and based on statistics on medication use by injured employees in the Ohio Workers’ Compensation system. This article recaps details that are applicable nationwide.

How common is prescription drug use?

For Ohio’s injured workers, Williams described the most prevalent medications being used. “First is opioids,” said Williams. “That’s not surprising because most of what we see are injuries and musculoskeletal injuries that are painful.” Second on the list are seizure medications, which often are prescribed for nerve pain. Next come antidepressants and antipsychotics. “I was surprised when I saw those,” Williams said, “but there are 9,000-some injured [Ohio] workers on antidepressants and over a thousand on antipsychotics.” Williams noted that there is a high prevalence of injured workers with 24 Inside Rubber // 2020 Issue 3

Among the general population, according to Williams, almost half of Americans take at least one prescription. A quarter of us take more than three medications, and one in five or six people between the ages of 45 and 65 take five or more medications. “As a pharmacist, I’ll tell you that once you get to over five drugs, it’s pretty difficult to avoid interactions and side effects,” she said. “They have an obvious benefit and are making people’s lives better, but we need to be aware that it can impact the ability to work safely.”

Side effects can impact worker safety Williams related that, in America, the most frequently prescribed medications are narcotics (opioids), cholesterollowering agents and antidepressants. She described the risks from these drugs and other commonly used ones. For opioids, the side effects include “dizziness, drowsiness and sedation,” said Williams.

“Down the road, they can lead to addiction, and that’s going to impair somebody’s ability to work safely.”

For antidepressants – which are common and are not used only for depression – Williams described the risks as “dry eyes, blurred vision, impaired focus and concentration.” Also included is sleep disruption, “making it difficult for people to stay awake during the day, as well as making it difficult for them to sleep at night.” Williams noted that the side effects of antidepressants typically wear off within a few weeks, but that employers should beware that during

the first weeks of use and while adjusting dosages, the side effects may impact workers’ ability to work safely.

Williams moved on to over-the-counter allergy medications, including antihistamines like Zyrtec, Benadryl and Allegra, which are in common use when seasonal allergies crop up. These drugs can cause dry eyes, blurred vision and drowsiness.

Antibiotics and steroids have side effects too. These drugs typically are not used long-term but could cause problems for patients taking them for acute, short-term ailments. Antibiotics can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, while steroids can affect blood sugar. Williams related some real-world scenarios to describe the effect of these medications on worker safety.

Examples of drug interactions at work “An employee came down with bronchitis,” Williams began. “She went to urgent care and was prescribed a course of the steroid prednisone.

She’s also a Type 2 diabetic.” Williams explained the steroid’s effect on diabetics. “Steroids increase blood sugar in diabetics, and increased blood sugar can lead to dehydration, dizziness, fatigue and other symptoms that may impair work ability,” she said. “On top of that, steroids can make you feel pretty crappy and make you very irritable, which might affect work productivity as well.”

Another example centered on a common situation: An employee strained his back, then got a prescription for Norco – a hydrocodone opioid – for the pain. “He can’t afford to call in sick,” said Williams, “and he’s afraid to tell his employer that he’s taking a pain medication because of the stigma that surrounds that. So, he takes the medication and goes to work.” Williams pointed out that this drug, like all opioids, affects the central nervous system. It can cause depression, impaired focus and concentration, and impaired judgment – side effects that can seriously affect someone’s ability to work safely.

In a third example, Williams described the springtime scenario of an employee suffering from seasonal allergies. “Before coming to work,” said Williams, “he took his regular medications, including hydroxyzine, like Atarax and Vistaril. To combat his allergy symptoms, he also took a Zyrtec.” While this may seem like a benign situation, Williams explained the actual effect. “Zyrtec interacts with hydroxyzine, causing increased sedation, blurry vision and dizziness.”

Williams said that had the workers in these examples asked their doctors or pharmacists about drug interactions, they would have learned the possible impacts on themselves and their ability to function safely.

But, as Williams said, “As a pharmacist, I’ll tell you I never get the question ‘How is this medication going to impact my ability to work?’”

Williams suggested that employers create an awareness of this topic among their employees and encourage workers to ask their doctors and pharmacists about drug interactions and side effects.

Next Steps, Information and Resources To learn more about drugs in the workplace, visit the National Safety Council’s website: https://www.nsc.org/work-safety/safety-topics/drugsat-work For information about painkillers and opioids in the workplace, the National Safety Council offers two targeted web pages:  Opioid Use in the Workforce - https://www.nsc. org/work-safety/safety-topics/drugs-at-work/ substances  Painkillers Driving Addiction, Overdose https://www.nsc.org/home-safety/safety-topics/ opioids To learn more about cannabis in the workplace, visit the National Safety Council’s web page, Cannabis at Work: https://www.nsc.org/work-safety/safety-topics/ drugs-at-work/marijuana For help in creating workplace drug policies and drugfree workplace policies, for setting up workplace drug testing programs and for creating employee assistance programs, visit these National Safety Council and US Department of Health & Human Services websites:  For a free tool kit for implementing workplace opioid programs that includes sample workplace policies, fact sheets, presentations, five-minute safety talks, posters, white papers, reports, videos and more, visit the National Safety Council’s web page, Opioids At Work Employer Toolkit: https://safety.nsc.org/rxemployerkit  For more information on workplace drug testing, visit the US Department of Health and Human Services – Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s website: https://www. samhsa.gov/workplace/resources/drug-testing  For information on creating and implementing employee assistance programs, visit the US Department of Health and Human Services – Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s website: https://www.samhsa. gov/workplace/toolkit/provide-support.

Following her discussion of the legitimate use of prescription drugs, Williams turned to substance misuse and its impact in the workplace. page 27 

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SAFETY  page 25

“

...ALMOST HALF OF AMERICANS TAKE AT LEAST ONE PRESCRIPTION. A QUARTER OF US TAKE MORE THAN THREE MEDICATIONS, AND ONE IN FIVE OR SIX PEOPLE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 45 AND 65 TAKE FIVE OR MORE MEDICATIONS.

”

The opioid crisis Williams described the typical victim of an opioid overdose.

“When I thought about somebody that overdoses on opioids,” said Williams, “I pictured somebody strung-out, laying in an alleyway, dirty, homeless – that’s all the stigma that surrounds this. I never thought of it as a man who wakes up in the morning, kisses his wife and kids goodbye, goes to work and then overdoses at work.”

“But, that’s the reality of it,” said Williams, “Twenty-one million Americans are living with substance use disorder. And, three quarters of those people are employed.” Williams noted Bureau of Labor Statistics on the rapid rise in overdose deaths in the workplace: Overdose deaths from alcohol or nonmedical use of drugs increased by more than 1/3 every year between 2013 and 2016.

Citing another eye-opener, Williams said that a National Safety Council survey of employers showed that 75% of them reported that their workplace had been impacted by opioids. Only 17%, however, feel extremely well-prepared to deal with the situation, and just half of the employers felt very confident that they have the needed resources to deal with opioid use and misuse in their worker populations.

Williams pointed out that overdose deaths now account for more than 5% of occupational injury deaths. Putting deaths aside, substance abuse also causes workers to miss more days; those with substance use disorders miss an average of 15 days per year, compared to 10.5 days missed by the typical employee. And, those who abuse pain medication miss an average of 29 days per year.

Addressing the crisis To help stop substance misuse, Williams cited several actions that employers can take, as recommended by the National Safety Council. Implementing company drug policies and drug-free workplace policies are one avenue. Drug testing is another option, and so is offering workplace training to identify the signs of substance misuse. Regardless of the method used, the preferred end result is that anyone found to be misusing drugs would be referred for professional help with addressing the problem.

Williams said that it can be a lifesaver to have some employees trained in the use of the overdose reversal drug Naloxone – also known as Evzio and Narcan – in case of overdose or an accidental exposure to an opioid like fentanyl. She also urged employers to get the free tool kit offered by the National Safety Council, which includes posters, pamphlets, fact sheets and more.

Finally, Williams stressed that employee assistance programs are a valuable resource, not only for employees who are misusing or addicted to substances but also for employees whose family members are suffering from these problems. As Williams bluntly put it, “Don’t wait until somebody dies at work to address this.”

Over-the-counter and prescription drug use is widespread in America, and the nation is in the midst of an opioid crisis. This makes it important for employers to understand the commonly used drugs, their side effects and interactions, and their effects on workplace safety. Business owners also can create a climate of trust on the job, encouraging workers to be more open about their use of legitimate drugs and to ask for help with substance abuse problems.  In July of 2019, the Association for Rubber Products Manufacturers (ARPM) hosted the 2019 Environmental, Health and Safety Summit in Columbus, Ohio. “Medication Interactions and Impact on the Workplace” was presented

by Miranda Williams, PharmD, RPh, of the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. The team at the Pharmacy Program researches, approves, manages and restricts the medications that are available for Ohio employees with workers’ compensation claims, with the goal of seeing workers return to the job.

The 2020 Environmental Health & Safety Summit will be held virtually on November 11 and 12.

For more information, visit www.arpminc.com/ehs.

www.arpminc.com 27

OPERATIONS

Q&A: Utilizing Dry Ice for Decontamination of Rubber Parts

By Steve Wilson, global business unit director-plastics, rubber, composites, nonwovens and additive manufacturing, Cold Jet, LLC

W

hen it comes to the important process of removing contaminants from rubber molds and molded rubber parts, there are a variety of methods available.

However, as more focus is placed on employee safety, environmental protections and sustainable practices, it’s worth exploring those processes that do not make use of chemicals or abrasive materials. One such process utilizes dry ice, which can be used to remove contaminants from a variety of surfaces and substrates.

How does the dry ice cleaning process remove contaminants from molds and molded rubber parts?

There are three principals involved in the process of cleaning with dry ice. The acronym I.C.E. helps to explain the process.

1. Impact. Dry ice particles have little hardness – around 1.5 to 2.0 on the Mohs scale of hardness. Dry ice also is frangible, so it cannot be measured on a Rockwell scale of hardness. Instead, when accelerated, dry ice particles create what is called the Kinetic Energy Effect (Impact). The level of this mechanical impact, which micro cracks the contaminant, is controlled by the user. Kinetic energy is calculated as one-half mass times velocity squared. Both of these variables (mass/dry ice particle size and blast velocity) are process-settable machine parameters, depending on the nature and amount of contaminant, as well as the hardness of substrate being cleaned. Independent studies have shown dry ice cleaning to be nonabrasive on numerous substrates. Generally, the process does not profile surfaces harder than the dry ice itself.

Dry ice particle sizes are selected via the machine controller and can vary from nearly snow (micro particles at 0.3mm) up to 3.0 mm in diameter, but generally do not exceed 1.0 mm in most surface preparation solutions. The velocity of the dry ice particles is created via the dry ice cleaning system’s nozzle and is controlled by an adjustable blast pressure chosen by the user.

Stand-off distance and angle of impingement also can have an influence on kinetic energy and, when critical, can be controlled via a programmed robot path.

28 Inside Rubber // 2020 Issue 3

2. Cold. Dry ice is very cold: -109°F. Unique to dry ice cleaning, the cold particles create a Thermal Effect, causing the various contaminants to embrittle (shrink) and to lose their bond strength with the various substrates. Essentially, it’s the coefficient of expansion and contraction principle between the two different materials (substrate and contaminant). When cleaning a hot substrate, the contribution of this principle is increased to nearly 50% of the cleaning effect. Anecdotally, users will see contaminants removing faster from hot substrates. Independent studies have shown no thermal shock or stress to various substrates.

3. Expansion. The last contribution to the cleaning process is another unique principle of dry ice cleaning. Upon impact, the dry ice particles will phase from a solid back to their natural state as a gas (sublimate), expanding volumetrically upwards of 700 to 800 times in size. These multiple micro explosions on the surface lift the contaminants from the substrate.

In summary, I.C.E.: Micro crack the contaminant with controlled impact, embrittle the contaminant with cold and blow it off with the expansion of the dry ice particles.

Is the dry ice method limited to certain applications?

By adjusting the Impact (Kinetic Energy Effect), the dry ice cleaning process is very adaptable to a variety of different applications. Generally, it is used by those who want the cleaning process to be dry and non-abrasive, while having no secondary waste. Contaminant types and levels come in many varieties, such as fingerprints, dust, mold release agents, etc. The dry ice cleaning process is adapted to each level of cleaning requirement needed and the nature of the contaminant and substrate itself.

For example, contaminants, i.e. fingerprints, have a very weak bond strength, while some substrates have a lower Rockwell or Shore (durometer) hardness than others. In such an application, reducing the Kinetic Energy requires using smaller dry ice particle sizes (i.e. 0.3mm particles) at lower blast pressures (i.e. 20 psi). When contaminants are stubborn, the dry ice

cleaning process can be adapted to meet those requirements, up to 3.0mm particles sizes and 240 psi. Cleaning parameters can be stored in the machine controller for various applications.

Generally speaking (rule-of-thumb), dry ice cleaning will remove contaminants that are “on” a surface, but not “in” a surface (i.e. pitting from rust which requires the ability to profile).

What are the advantages of using dry ice over other processes to remove contaminants?

The biggest advantage of using dry ice is the fact that it is dry. It eliminates aqueous and solvent-based methods and the associated costs that go along with those other methods – reclamation, scrap from incomplete parts drying, etc. The user no longer needs that large dryer, which consumes a significant amount of plant footprint space and energy to operate. The operating cost of a dry ice cleaning system generally is around 50% that of traditional aqueous systems. The fact that dry ice sublimates also means that it leaves no secondary waste.

Another advantage of the process is the ability for the user to integrate dry ice systems into existing fully automated, 24/7 systems. Dry ice particles can be manufactured on-site, just in time, from a closed-loop C02 system. Dry ice production (pelletizers) and dry ice delivery systems (blasters) are available as integrated system solutions. There is no longer the need for storing dry ice in portable totes and traditional manual loading of the dry ice particles into the blaster. Instead of purchasing dry ice from a local gas company, manufacturers simply have a local gas company install a bulk liquid CO2 tank at their facility and automatically produce their own dry ice particles as needed.

These dry ice cleaning systems also can be Industry 4.0 ready with the capability to connect into existing plant monitoring systems and for remote predictive maintenance.

Improving quality is another advantage of dry ice cleaning over traditional methods. CO2 has a lower surface tension than many aqueous fluids, so it can clean very small and complex geometries, resulting in a better clean. When dry ice sublimates, it leaves no solvent residue behind, which often requires a secondary cleaning. The process also can reduce scrap that can occur in surface preparation applications when parts do not get fully dried prior to coating. When working with a new part design, parts no longer require the weep holes that are needed with aqueous cleaning methods.

Dry ice cleaning often helps companies improve productivity because it is significantly faster than traditional cleaning methods.

Rubber molds can be cleaned at operating temperature and insitu, minimizing downtime and improving OEE Availability Scores.

Lastly, the dry ice itself often is a less expensive alternative to other chemical cleaning methods, helping manufacturers to lower costs. Many traditional cleaning chemicals contain VOCs which

are harmful to employees, so using dry ice also can improve worker safety and factory environments.  Steve Wilson is the global business unit director-plastics, rubber, composites, nonwovens and additive manufacturing for Cold Jet, LLC. As a former business owner, he has over 35 years of experience in injection and compression molding, extrusion, blow molding, thermoforming and rotational molding. He began his career at Milacron’s plastics machinery division, serving in manufacturing, product line management and a variety of sales/ marketing roles. Wilson has written numerous white papers on dry ice solutions for various applications, many of which have been published in industry magazines. He is a member of SAE, the Rubber Division of ACS and currently serves as president for the Ohio Valley Section of the Society of Plastics Engineers.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Cedarville University and an MBA from Xavier University. For more information, visit www.coldjet.com.

www.arpminc.com 29

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30 Inside Rubber // 2020 Issue 3

INDUSTRY Smithers Upgrades Low-Temp Retraction Instrumentation Smithers, Akron, Ohio, a provider of testing, consulting, information and compliance services, announced an upgrade to the low-temperature retraction instrumentation and capabilities at its rubber physical testing laboratory in Akron.

The instrument offers improved temperature control and is significantly more efficient, which will allow for better turnaround times for customers that want to test seals, O-rings, gaskets and many aerospace products.

The company also has announced the formation of its Medical Device Testing division. The division will consist of Smithers testing and consulting services in North America and Europe, with focus on pharmaceutical drug products, combination delivery devices and other medical products for extractables and leachables assessments, compliance testing, and physical and functional testing. As part of the Smithers connected enterprise, the division will be complemented by the deep expertise and rich history in packaging, rubber and polymer materials. For more information, visit www.smithers.com.

Maplan Partners with MEWO for North American Market Maplan USA, North Elgin, Illinois, a manufacturer of elastomer injection molding machines, has partnered with Germany-based MEWO GmbH, a provider of cryogenic deflashing, to represent MEWO deflashing solutions for sales and service support for the North American market. MEWO specializes in the cryogenic deburring of rubber seals and molded parts. Customers will benefit from the company’s 70 years of experience and knowhow in the manufacturing and application of cryogenic deburring systems. For 50 years, Maplan has offered machine technology to mold parts with minimum flash, and MEWO deflashing solutions completes the path towards flash-free, cost-effective parts.

Maplan USA’s service team will support MEWO machines and offer spare parts. For more information, visit www.maplan.at or www.mewo-machines.com.

Knowde Offers CYREZ® CRA-200S, Hexa Methoxy Methyl Melamine (HMMM) Knowde, San Jose, California, a provider of chemicals, polymers and ingredients, offers allnex CYREZ® CRA-200S, a 72% active white free flowing powder on precipitated silica used as a crosslinker for adhesion promoting and reinforcing systems in rubber applications. It offers several advantages

over the older hexa methylene tetramine (HEXA or HMT) system. CYREZ resins are relatively nontoxic and present little hazard of dermatitis, and they are not corrosive to steel cord, polyester cord or metal molds. CYREZ® CRA-200S is a crosslinker for adhesion promoting and reinforcing systems in resorcinol, hexamethylenetetramine and silica (HRH) dry rubber applications. It effectively bonds rubber to organic cord and wire reinforcement materials without being corrosive to steel cord and offers optimum bonding strength in rubber adhesion. For more information, visit www.knowde.com.

Orion Engineered Carbons Breaks Ground on New Logistics Center in Germany Orion Engineered Carbons S.A., Kingwood, Texas, a supplier of specialty and high-performance carbon black, has announced that it is building a new logistics center at its largest manufacturing plant in Cologne, Germany. Upon completion, the central warehouse will be 8,850 square meters, equaling a capacity of approximately 12,400 pallets. The new building will have eight truck docks to equalize plant traffic. In addition, the new warehouse will eliminate internal logistics, with consolidation into one location. Construction of the new distribution center will begin soon, with the handover and commissioning scheduled for December. For more information, visit www.orioncarbons.com.

New ASTM International Activity to Focus on Alternative Natural Rubber Sources ASTM International’s rubber committee (D11) has formed a new subcommittee to focus on alternative sources of natural rubber and natural rubber latex. Polymer experts and representatives from regulatory bodies are encouraged to join in developing new standards within this subcommittee.

According to ASTM International member and former board chair Tom Marsh, who will lead the subcommittee, products made from sources covered by the subcommittee include medical devices and personal protective equipment. “This subcommittee will address the development of alternative polymers from natural sources other than traditional hevea-based origins,” said page 32 

www.arpminc.com 31

INDUSTRY  page 31

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32 Inside Rubber // 2020 Issue 3

Marsh, global head for technical services, product development and laboratory services, Corrie MacColl International.

“Developing these standards will open up sourcing and supply in North America and Europe to complement global supply from Southeast Asia and Central America.” The subcommittee (D11.21) will develop standards covering agricultural growth operations, processing, colloidal and physical testing of raw material, and in-process and finished goods made from raw material. For membership information, visit www.astm.org/JOIN.

Harbour Results Expands Team with Manufacturing, Research Experts Harbour Results, Inc., (HRI), Southfield, Michigan, a consulting firm for manufacturers, has expanded its team of experts. With more than 30 years of experience, Jason Brewer joined HRI as a director on the consulting team. He began his career as a product engineer at Ford Motor Company and also worked as a consulting manager at Plante & Moran and in global business development for Magna Powertrain. Most recently, Brewer was vice president of strategy and marketing for MPI Corporation.

Brian Gillespie is joining HRI’s consulting team as a director, Brewer Gillespie Trentacosta with expertise in manufacturing and knowledge of Industry 4.0 technology. Prior to joining HRI, Gillespie was vice president of AI applications at Data Prophet. He started his career at FANUC Robotics in training and aftermarket sales. Matt Trentacosta comes to HRI to further build the company’s Harbour IQ solution. Trentacosta started his career at The Martec Group as a senior market analyst, and most recently was a senior consultant at IHS Markit. For more information, visit www.harbourresults.com.

Mactac® Launches MacBond® FBR899 Series Tapes Mactac® Industrial Tapes, Stow, Ohio, a manufacturer and distributor of pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) materials, has announced the launch of MacBond® FBR899 Series Tapes, a line of industrial tapes designed to adhere to nearly any surface. The product line features Mactac’s workhorse MacBond FBR899 adhesive. Unlike any other adhesive on the market, MacBond FBR899 offers the highest-tack rubber available, as well as a proven blend of adhesion and peel. It has exceptional lowsurface energy (LSE) performance and superior adhesion to most open- and closed-cell foams. Additionally, it forms aggressive bonds to textiles and textured surfaces, making it suitable for fabrication, gaskets and seals; building and construction; and personal protective equipment. MacBond FBR899 Series Tapes are offered in transfer adhesive and double-coated film form with a 0.5-mil PET carrier. For more information, visit www.mactac.com. 

MANAGEMENT

Leading Your Team Through Uncertain Times

By Kate Zabriskie, president, Business Training Works, Inc.

I

f there is one thing about business that doesn’t change, it’s that business always will change: Be it through the advent of new technology, loss of a key employee, new laws that govern the way your industry does business or the current pandemic. No matter what the change may be, the last thing your team wants to hear from you is … “Ok, now what do we do?”

Employees and contractors may feel unsure and fearful about any new direction a business may be taking; so as their leader, their cues as to how to act and how to feel will come directly from you. As such, it is important that you have a solid action plan in place. Below are nine tips to help you when leading your team through uncertain times: 1. Know that the path to the goal is not always linear.

As a team is dealing with change in the workplace, it is not as simple as announcing it, adapting to it and moving on.

Employees and even leaders may have changing feelings about the process, and that is normal.

2. Identify key leaders early in the process.

Identify those on your team who represent true leadership qualities. These individuals will be crucial in helping to instill confidence and keeping the team moving together toward the stated goals.

3. Construct a solid plan.

Even small changes need a plan. That plan should address changes in processes, products and expectations of the people involved. If a change is drastic, you might have to construct an entirely new business plan. Creating a plan and sharing it with your team will go a long way toward giving them a feeling of stability.

4. Identify goals clearly.

Failing to communicate goals is one of the worst errors people can make when leading change. If employees don’t have a firm sense of what they are moving toward, they may end up just … moving. Clearly define objectives and how you will support your team in meeting them.

5. Continually define and redefine the change.

During a time of uncertainly, rumors abound. The best plan of action is to be upfront and communicate any information with your team as you get it. Knowing what is going on will

instill confidence and quell fears, even if the information is not all that good.

6. Don’t discount the past.

Change can mean discarding the old ways of doing things, and projects once seen as vital are kicked to the curb. This can leave the team members who worked on those projects feeling slighted. An effective team leader will highlight those projects and give credence to past accomplishments, while at the same time leading the team into the new direction.

7. Don’t hide the challenges.

There will be times when even an effectively created plan will hit a stumbling block – or come to a screeching halt.

Don’t hide challenges when they occur; instead, share them with your team. They may have valuable input and will feel more invested in helping to overcome any obstacles.

8. Carefully listen to all concerns.

Many leaders fail at truly listening to their team by taking a “this is the way it is now, so deal with it” approach. This can lower morale and make team members feel defeated in an already scary situation. Instead, make yourself available and listen. Sometimes, simply venting about the changing environment will do wonders to help someone deal with what is going on.

9. Clearly state performance objectives.

Of all the things that will affect the changing workplace environment, uncertainty among team members can be the greatest obstacle – how will the change affect them? One way to combat that early on is to clearly state any changes in performance objectives and reviews. This will allow them to focus on their own as they move through the changing environment.

Change can be scary, full of surprises and extremely challenging at times. But, if you have a plan of action and communicate effectively with your team, you can survive and even thrive.  Kate Zabriskie is the president of Business Training Works, Inc., a Maryland-based talent development firm. She and her team help businesses establish customer service strategies and train their people to live up to what’s promised. For more information, visit www.businesstrainingworks.com. www.arpminc.com 33

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34 Inside Rubber // 2020 Issue 3

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