Perspectives: The 2015 Industrial Edition

The Sanford Herald

F;HIF;9J?L;I

THE 2015 INDUSTRIAL EDITION

industry. like you may not have seen it before.

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THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 24 2015

Sometimes even the most striking and familiar sights — images we encounter every day — become so familiar that we barely notice them any more.

Having joined The Herald staff earlier this year, this is photographer Hannah Hunsinger’s first Industrial Edition ever — and one of her initial encounters with manufacturing on such a grand scale.

So, we wanted to see what local industry looks like from her

point of view. With her fresh vision and her artistic flair.

The 2015 Industrial Edition features images captured by the talented photographer.

They include many photos published with the company features, but also unique perspectives of some ordinary scenes we may take for granted.

We hope you enjoy “Perspectives.” It’s industry. Like you may not have seen it before.

1C | Perspectives 2C | Lee Overview 2C | Chatham Overview 3C | GKN Driveline Sanford 4C | Frontier Spinning Mills 5C | Mertek Solutions 6C | Static Control Components 7C | Hydro Tube 10C | WST Industries 11C | Olivia Machine and Tool 13C | STI Polymer 14C | Conveyor Technologies

2C / Thursday, September 24, 2015 / The Sanford Herald

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F;HIF;9J?L;I ON INDUSTRY IN LEE

Manufacturing is alive and well

7

FROM SANFORD AREA GROWTH ALLIANCE

s Lee County industries continue to rebound and the Great Recession fades farther in the rear view mirror, lessons of the past five or six years have not been forgotten by local managers.

Local industries are working overtime to rebuild — expanding their customer bases, solidifying their market positions and diversifying their product lines. Those industries that survived the downturn are growing again by adding jobs, purchasing new equipment and finding new partnerships for future business.

Joy Thrash, CEO of the Sanford Area Growth Alliance, says that although the Program of Work adopted by community leaders calls for creating more diversity in the local economy to expand opportunity and provide a hedge against future downturns, that doesn’t mean moving away from the traditional base of employment.

“Industry has provided much of the past success of the local economy,” says Thrash. “These companies have added talented people and valuable resources to our community in addition to their payrolls. More manufacturing can be very good for us. Diversity within the manufacturing sector can help us accomplish our goals.”

Manufacturing continues to be the essential job generator in Lee County. One out of every three local residents is engaged in a job in this important economic sector, making manufacturing the largest single source of employment. Production occupations in Lee County, at 34 percent of the total, are double the state average (around 16 percent) and triple the national average (around 10 percent).

Industry becomes even more important when total payroll is considered. Manufacturing pays the best wages on average, by far, of any sector of the local economy, averaging just over $54,000 annually. In fact, for most of its 108-year history, Lee County has relied on companies that “make things” to provide the paychecks that keep the rest of the economy going.

Lee County is especially well-positioned in North Carolina as one of the most cost-efficient communities in the country for manufacturers, according to a recent study by the American Institute for Economic Research. The study reviewed U.S. Census data to determine where the most cost-efficient manufacturing occurs and found that North Carolina has the second-lowest production cost per dollar spent on manufacturing of any state

David Martinez is brazing assemblies that will go into heat pumps at Pentair Aquatic Systems in Sanford. in the country, with Lee County in the top tier of counties in this measure.

With a long manufacturing history, well-trained workforce and local community college that excels in providing the necessary training for modern manufacturing, the stage is set in Lee County for another leap forward in the industrial sector. And there is plenty of evidence that this accelerated movement has already started.

Earlier this year, Coty Inc. announced it would move production of its popular Philosophy line of products to the Sanford facility. The New York-based company makes fragrances, skin care products and cosmetics for well-known brands such as Chloe, Calvin Klein, Davidoff, Sally Hansen and Marc Jacobs, as well as for celebrity brands Katy Perry, Jennifer Lopez and David Beckham.

The Sanford plant is Coty’s largest production and distribution facility in the world. The company expects to add significantly to the local workforce with this expansion.

Caterpillar, the world’s leading producer of construction and mining equipment, continues to reach high production goals at its facility in the Lee County Industrial Park. With a rebound in the construction sector, production of skid-steer machines is proceeding non-stop. As the only facility in the world that produces all models of these popular, rugged small machines, the Sanford plant has gained a reputation in the Caterpillar system as a model of efficiency. Their local campus now

employs nearly 1,700 workers, including “plantwithin-a-plant” contractors.

One of Lee County’s biggest success stories and largest private employers, Static Control Components Inc., announced that it would enter into a strategic merger with Apex Microelectronics Co., Ltd. Static has been the world’s largest manufacturer and supplier of aftermarket imaging systems and components for over 25 years, supplying more than 15,000 products to over 20,000 customers globally. The company built the industry’s most extensive distribution network and is widely recognized as an industry leader in intellectual property, technology and quality.

Apex Microelectronics, a Chinese company, is the world’s largest supplier of printing cartridge chips and boasts industry-leading technology and the largest share of chip business in the global printing consumables. According to Static executive Skip London, the combination of the two global industry leaders will “provide customers unparalleled resources and capabilities, and the market with the most technologically advanced and comprehensive product lines, as well as increased speed to market, higher service levels and stronger commitment to further expanding opportunities for the imaging aftermarket.”

Arden, America’s leading manufacturer and

See LEE, Page 4C

F;HIF;9J?L;I ON INDUSTRY IN CHATHAM

Millennials can thrive in industry

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FROM CHATHAM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORP.

or too long, manufacturing has not been considered a viable career path for talented workers. That’s largely based on a misperception — that the decline of manufacturing and increase in overseas outsourcing leave only low-skill and low-wage jobs. This misperception has deterred many, particularly youth, from exploring what could be a productive and rewarding profession.

While manufacturing employment has declined nationally in recent decades, the sector still accounts for one out of every four jobs in Chatham and Lee counties. Wages are increasingly competitive, too. Last year, North Carolina’s average weekly wage was $865 overall. But in manufacturing, it was $1,061 — nearly $200 more per week. There aren’t many other employment sectors with higher wages, except for finance, professional and technical services.

“Modern manufacturing has evolved into a highly skilled and technology-driven occupation,” says Dianne Reid, director of the Chatham Economic Development Corp. “If we can better communicate this to millennials, people whose knowledge of manufacturing is likely limited to the Industrial Revolution taught in history class, we can demonstrate that innovative manufacturing jobs are a good option.”

Manufacturers need a wide variety of skilled workers. While professional employees work on management, legal, and sales and marketing teams, the operation and technical jobs have become increasingly complex. Mechanical and industrial work. Process engineering. Electronics.

Software, information technology and networking.

All are cutting-edge skills in current demand — not just in the United States, but right here in central North Carolina.

Millennials, the most technologically adept generation, are a natural fit for this new manufacturing landscape.

As the median age in manufacturing continues

High school seniors celebrate graduating from the Caterpillar Welding Youth Apprenticeship in May. to rise and workers retire, employers increasingly face a shortfall of skilled employees. So, it’s critical to connect young workers to training programs appropriate for new technologies. Providing a clear, guided path to learn in-demand manufacturing skills is a necessity.

Central Carolina Community College has taken a strong lead by collaborating with area manufacturers and other partners to develop programs that develop needed areas of expertise.

One example is the Caterpillar Welding Youth Apprenticeship Program, one of the largest apprenticeship programs in the state, where high school students work through their junior and senior years to prepare for possible employment at Sanford’s Caterpillar facility.

“Just as important,” Reid says, “we have to change the image of manufacturing. We need to provide youth with an accurate assessment of

industry and demonstrate the types of jobs that exist, the skills required to be successful, what the jobs actually pay and what opportunities there are for advancement.”

To do that, CCCC currently plans to produce a video by and for youth that vividly documents how manufacturing today is not your grandparents’ factory job.

In spite of available career opportunities and a pioneering community college, Reid says linking employment and training resources with the needs of industry remains one of the community’s greatest challenges.

“By working with partners in manufacturing, economic development, workforce development, and education,” she says, “we can build a pipeline of trained and motivated laborers for existing and new businesses.”

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The Sanford Herald / Thursday, September 24, 2015 / 3C

GKN Driveline Sanford celebrates a contribution to Central Carolina Community College. The two organizations have formed a partnership to ensure an effective learning environment at GKN for its employees.

GKN employees remember lives and honor cancer survivors during this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Relay for Life. The company and its employees support the community by participating in local events and contributing to important causes.

Major additions transform GKN Y

ou can already see the transformation taking place at GKN Driveline Sanford.

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plenty of activity around one plant thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been quiet for years, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just a hint of big things to come.

It might even be called explosive growth, driven by GKNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s growing market share in the auto parts industry and a rebound in automobile sales worldwide. The multinational company based in England is enjoying growth around the globe, but especially in the United States. And, most of all, in Sanford. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The new business weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to do here in Sanford is going to have all three of our operations â&#x20AC;&#x201D; forging, machining and assembly â&#x20AC;&#x201D; all in the same place,â&#x20AC;? said Charles Corwin, global director of GKN Driveline Sanford. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unique.â&#x20AC;?

For more than three decades, GKN has been making forgings for halfshafts in Sanford, using cutting-edge technology to stamp out an essential

GKN Driveline

component in the automobile driveline. The technologically advanced and intensive process uses massive presses and robotic-fed machines to transform four-pound steel rods the size of a Coke can into intricately detailed constant velocity joint forgings.

It all happens in seconds.

The company has enjoyed phenomenal success. Working in a facility originally designed to make 4 million parts each year, GKN now produces more than 13 million. And based on their current pace and projections, Corwin expects the company to ship 13.3 million parts this year, breaking

its record yet again.

The new business in Sanford will add millions of dollars in high-tech equipment to the revitalized plant to handle machining and assembly for the automobile components. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We continue to win a lot of business because we have really good technology,â&#x20AC;? Corwin said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;GKN is the global leader in driveline components and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s getting bigger and bigger as we continue to grow.â&#x20AC;?

For GKN, the strategic move improves its production flow, allowing the company to streamline and cen-

See GKN, Page 13C

Location Lee County Industrial Park Web gkn.com Headquarters Birmingham, England Primary Products Driveline components, constant velocity joints, half-shafts, propshafts, link-shafts and side-shafts for automobile drivelines Founded Locally 1984 Employees 180 Facility Sizes 85,000 and 263,000 square feet Local Leadership Charles Corwin, Regional Forging Director Brian Warren, Precision Forming Plant Director

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4C / Thursday, September 24, 2015 / The Sanford Herald

Harold Oldham loads a completed spool of thread onto a pallet at Frontier Spinning Mills, which employs about 500 locally and 1,120 companywide.

Brandon Wagar, spin technician, reloads a machine at Frontier Spinning Mills, which manufactures spun yarns used in a wide variety of products.

Frontier committed to success F

rontier Spinning Mills Inc., a U.S.-based textile company, had its start right here in Lee County. The spun yarn manufacturer has two local manufacturing plants and its corporate headquarters in Sanford. It also operates two manufacturing plants in Mayodan and one in Wetumpka, Ala. Over the past few years, new production equipment has been added in both Sanford

Frontier Spinning Location 1823 Boone Trail Road Headquarters Sanford Primary Products Spun yarns for the knitting and weaving trades Founded Locally 1996 Employees 500 locally, 1,120 companywide Facility Size Two facilities each in Sanford and Mayodan, with one in Wetumpka, Ala. Employment Contact Human Resources Department Quick Fact Locally founded, Frontier Spinning Mills produces cotton and blended yarns.

plants, increasing their capacity and efficiency.

These enhancements demonstrate Frontierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to constant improvement and using the latest technology and production methods to manufacture the highest-quality product. At the same time, Frontier works to achieve the best customer service in the business.

Frontier Spinning Mills has been producing 100-percent cotton yarn and polyester-cotton yarn for 18 years for the weaving and knitting trades. The company provides yarns for just about any woven or knitted fabric application, and Frontier yarns go into a multitude of products â&#x20AC;&#x201D; including T-shirts, socks, underwear, outerwear, sheeting, fleece wear, denim, cotton gauze and duct tape to name a few.

Originally a smaller operation producing for domestic manufacturers only, Frontier now sup-

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All of us here at Olivia Machine & Tool, Inc. would like to say thanks to all of our customers.

Michael McKinney Dustin Thomas

Sincerely Sam, Wayne, Terry Thomas & Employees of Olivia Machine& Tool Inc.

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plies both domestic and international customers.

In fact, the company is the second-largest producer of spun yarns in the United States, using more than 350 million pounds of cotton a year, and exports more than half of its product to other countries.

Management is quick to say that it is the employees who ensure the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s success and standing as a leader in the spun-yarn business.

With an average of seven yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; service, employees often begin with the company as machine operators and advance through the ranks to positions of leadership.

The staying power of Frontier, especially in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy, is proof that this company is committed to its customers â&#x20AC;&#x201D; as well as to Lee County, where it provides good jobs with opportunities for advancement.

LEE Continued from Page 2C

marketer of outdoor cushions, furniture and decor, has expanded its local workforce and dramatically increased production. Through the acquisition of Bombay Outdoors, Arden also has added a line of outdoor furnishings and accessories that will be sold through national retailers and via the Internet.

The new product line required adding a significant amount of warehouse space to their local footprint.

Another automotive component manufacturer, GKN, announced last year that they would reoccupy their manufacturing facility in the Lee County Industrial Park and create about 100 new jobs to store and distribute materials for their driveline business in Sanford, Roxboro and Mebane. Recently, GKN has upped those projections and expects to add even more jobs in manufacturing as business increases.

Local economic development officials say another local industry is expected to announce a new product line and significant increase in employment in the near future. While no announcement has been made, the project would add new jobs will add to our manufacturing base.

While these developments from larger industries are welcomed news to local officials, some of Lee Countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s smaller industries are getting attention for their growth. Expansions at Wind Solutions, Wilsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Machine and Tool, Hydro Tube, STI Polymers, Mertek, Dorman and Camping Solutions have added jobs, new equipment, new space or, in some cases, all three.

New industries are locating here, especially those providing service to manufacturers. Two new recycling companies, EPI and IRS, have both located in Lee County and are growing their markets in central North Carolina.

The bottom line: Manufacturing is alive and well.

Jim Pinto, former CEO of an electronics firm who is now a nationally known speaker on the future of manufacturing, says manufacturing is the foundation of economic growth. In a recent article for the San Francisco Chronicle, Pinto wrote that manufacturing is â&#x20AC;&#x153;the key to higher living standards and the future of the middle class.â&#x20AC;?

In central North Carolina, this recognition is generating manufacturingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rebirth.

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The Sanford Herald / Thursday, September 24, 2015 / 5C

Kevin Grissom (left photo) assembles a system while Chase Williams and Jesse Eckley machine parts on a mill at Mertek Solutions. The company has been busy working on a variety of custom projects, including large assembly systems.

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Education helps Mertek thrive

f anyone doubts the future of manufacturing, all they need to do is stop by Mertek Solutions, where the company’s growing technical staff is busy designing and building machines for industry.

With business booming over the last five years, Mertek now has 44 talented people working on an array of projects that include large assembly systems. Members of the Mertek team consult with company executives, design automated machines and build custom projects to help their clients thrive in an increasingly competitive market.

There are many reasons for Mertek’s success. One is the company’s dedication to promoting industry and strengthening industrial education, a core value that allows Mertek to find new talent for its operation.

Mertek Solutions

While Mertek is integrally involved in statewide industrial initiatives like the Manufacturing Makes It Real Network, a community of leaders promoting best practices and a positive view of manufacturing, the company’s most visible expression of industrial leadership is probably

its annual Manufacturing Day open house.

Held every fall, Manufacturing Day is a national celebration designed to correct misconceptions about manufacturing and give

See MERTEK, Page 15C

Location 3913 Hawkins Avenue Web merteknc.com Headquarters Sanford Primary Products Machine design for manufacturing, automation and manufacturing equipment design.

Founded Locally 2010 Employees 42 Facility Size 25,000 square feet Local Leadership Jerry Pedley, President Jeremy Pedley, Vice President

2645 Mount Pisgah Church Road Sanford, NC 27332 (919)258-3070 hydrotube.com

6C / Thursday, September 24, 2015 / The Sanford Herald

MakeShaper PLA filament, manufactured by Static Control, was used in a 3D printer to create the alligator in the middle of this spool. Static Control now offers ABS and PLA filament in 12 colors, with more being developed.

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Brenda Saucedo tends to some recently manufactured chips. The companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s merger will give Static Control greater access to regional markets in Asia.

Merger strengthens Static Control W

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hen news broke earlier this year that Static Control Components had merged with China-based Apex Microelectronics, many in the community were concerned about the impact this would have on the large Sanford-based manufacturer.

Static Control Co-President Bill Swartz said the partnership will allow both companies to develop products faster and expand the reach of Static Control products. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The truth is, this merger makes us stronger than ever and better positioned for the future,â&#x20AC;? said Swartz. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The corporate synergy between Static Control and Apex will allow for us to collaborate on research and development of new products. The turnaround for bringing products to market will speed up, making for more satisfied customers across the world.â&#x20AC;?

Static Control specializes in reverse engineering the interior components within toner and ink jet cartridges to develop replacement imaging systems for the cartridge recycling industry. Based in Zhuhai, Apex Microelectronics has largely focused on designing and manufacturing chips for laser and ink jet cartridges. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We will also have more access to regional markets throughout Asia, a boost in resources and the ability to expand in the future,â&#x20AC;? said Swartz.

Employees of Static Control have noticed few changes since the merger. As General Counsel Skip London noted earlier this year in an interview with The Herald, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Existing management and everything else is going to stay in place. The names will stay the same. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll keep their name, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll keep our name. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lot of value in the brand Static Control in our industry.â&#x20AC;?

Most recently, Static Control completed construction on their most recent plant, located next to the corporate headquarters on Lee Avenue.

The renovated Plant 18 includes a new raw materials warehouse and brings multiple manufacturing divisions under one roof. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Plant 18 will help us streamline production for a shortened manufacturing time frame,â&#x20AC;? said Vice President of Engineering and Manufacturing Dale Lewis. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Instead of driving to a location somewhere else in Sanford, we are all in the same vicinity on Lee Avenue, creating efficiency for our employees and reducing time for our customers.â&#x20AC;?

Static Controlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sister company, Santronics Inc., was also included in the merger. Since 1986, Santronics has manufactured and sold electrical detection devices to the electrical, automotive and telecommunication industries. However, last year Santronics added two divisions under its umbrella, MakeShaper and The Green Energy Chip.

MakeShaper is a new, 3D printing supplies company focused on producing high-quality products for the growing 3D printing industry.

The company currently manufactures and sells ABS and PLA filament in 12 colors, with more materials and

Static Control Components

Location 3010 Lee Avenue Web www.scc-inc.com Headquarters Sanford Primary Products Products for aftermarket laser toner and ink jet print cartridges Founded Locally 1986 Employment Contact Human Resources Director hr@scc-inc.com Quick Fact Static Control offers a product catalog of more than 14,000 imaging products to the aftermarket imaging industry.

colors in development. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Static Control was involved in the beginnings of the cartridge remanufacturing industry and became more than just a supplier. We became, and continue to be, an advocate for the industry,â&#x20AC;? said Static Control CoPresident Michael Swartz. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It made sense for us to do the same with 3D printing. We believe in listening and fostering the ideas of the 3D community. We want to be more than just a supplier.â&#x20AC;?

This year alone, MakeShaper has sponsored a workshop at the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Idea Boxâ&#x20AC;? makerspace at the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library and helped Central Carolina Community College troubleshoot a broken 3D printer.

The company recently donated a CubePro 3D printer to the Lee County Library. The emphasis for MakeShaper has been educational institutes that focus on programs specializing in combinations of science, technology, engineering, art and math â&#x20AC;&#x201D; often referred to as STEM or STEAM fields.

The Green Energy Chip is a new product that centers around an innovative solution for existing HVAC systems. Installed by a technician into a HVAC system, the chip can reduce energy usage, driving down electrical costs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is another great example of what we bring to the table,â&#x20AC;? said Bill Swartz. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With the capabilities that we have in Sanford, there are other industries that we can be involved in to widen our opportunities.â&#x20AC;?

He is optimistic about the future. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With the merger and the addition of new divisions, the future for Static Control looks stronger than ever.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have such a diverse portfolio; we have so many new and cutting-edge projects to work on so you always have something exciting to focus on,â&#x20AC;? said Vice President of Sales Erwin Pijpers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are amazing opportunities for new experiences and growth. Static Control is a great place to be right now.â&#x20AC;?

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Paul Moses, a CNC bender operator, bends a two-inch square steel tube on a YLM 90 MM triple stack CNC tube bender. The process is highly technical and complex.

The Sanford Herald / Thursday, September 24, 2015 / 7C

David Edwards, fabrication leader, uses an Eaton Leonard VB 300 CNC tube bender to bend an aluminum tube at Hydro Tube.

Hydro Tube makes ‘Fab 40’ list W

hen Hydro Tube Enterprises landed on a list of the nation’s top fabrication companies earlier this year, it’s a good bet that more people started to take note of what’s been happening in Sanford.

The Fabricator, a trade publication covering the metal fabrication industry, listed Hydro Tube 37th in its “Fab 40” list of total revenue, noting that the growing company based in Oberlin, Ohio, has now expanded to 130 employees and serves a broad range of markets.

Many of those employees are working in Sanford, where Hydro Tube has been known for producing intricate bent tubes for companies like Precor, which makes high-end fitness equipment for homes and commercial fitness centers.

Hydro Tube

Its tubes are also used as frames for motorized trikes and turf-care equipment, ladder rails for fire trucks, frame tubes for modular data storage units, grab handles, air compressor tubes and turnstile components.

It’s a surprisingly complex process

relying on high-tech equipment and plenty of technical knowledge. The bending calculus includes variables like elongation, bend radius and bending properties — tighter turns and special shapes pose unique challenges — and then there’s a whole

See HYDRO TUBE, Page 15C

Location 2645 Mt. Pisgah Church Road Web hydrotube.com Headquarters Oberlin, Ohio Primary Products Industrial-quality tubes, including bending, machining, fabrication and tube laser cutting Founded Locally 2007 Employees 50 Facility Size 68,000 square feet Local Leadership Tim Althaus, Vice President of Operations

We wish to recognize, and show our appreciation for “Our Team” and their families for their support.

Lee County Industrial Park 5313 Womack Road • Sanford, NC 27330 919.776.7227 • Fax 919.774.3097

8C / Thursday, September 24, 2015 / The Sanford Herald

The Sanford Herald / Thursday, September 24, 2015 / 9C

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10C / Thursday, September 24, 2015 / The Sanford Herald

Steven Woody programs the CNC Haas Mill for a production run at WST Industries’ machining and fabrication facility in Sanford.

Mike Godwin welds seams to a containment pan. He is one of about 76 employees at WST Industries helping manufacturers achieve operational sustainability.

WSTi takes strategic approach W WST Industries

Location 3015 Beechtree Drive Web WSTindustries.com Headquarters Sanford Primary Products Engineered designed material handling solutions for the manufacturing and industrial markets Founded Locally 2006 Employees 76 Facility Size 32,000 square feet Local Leadership Bill and Tim Skibitsky Employment Contact Robert Braxton

hen industry needs any anything from replacement component parts to a complete refurbishing of large industrial buildings, companies turn to WST Industries, an operation described by its founders as a “next-generation provider of integrated and strategic solutions for the industrial sector.”

Manufacturing has always been a part of WSTi’s portfolio. Operating from its 30,000square-foot machining and fabrication facility in Sanford, WSTi’s Ma-

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terial Handling Division produces replacement and spare parts, refurbishes equipment and manufactures innovative new products to solve industrial problems.

One example: When a company needed an assembly cart that could be set to different heights, WSTi engineers went to work and designed their Adjustable Scissor Lift Cart. Beginning with an existing, fixed-height cart, WSTi integrated an air-actuated lifting mechanism, allowing the cart’s height to be adjusted easily and safely as it moves down the assembly line.

Their solution has a footprint no larger than the original, but the redesigned version can lift 20,000 pounds in less than three seconds using a pedal-controlled air system. Even better, it was designed using few individual components, which keeps the cart’s maintenance costs lower.

When put into operation, WSTi’s Adjustable Scissor Lift Cart makes the manufacturing process more efficient, creates a safer working environment and improves ergonomics during the assembly process, since the cart can be customized to fit each worker.

Company President Tim Skibitsky says that’s just one example of what WSTi has designed and built. “We have in-house capabilities for the design, engineering, fabrication, metal forming, machining and instal-

lation of a wide range of industrial projects,” he says. “WSTi also specializes in projects that fill in where prefabricated catalog equipment won’t work.

That includes conveyors, racks, mezzanines, stairs, handrails and other complex modifications.”

While material handling has remained an essential part of the business ever since Tim created the company with his father, Bill Skibitsky, nearly a decade ago, it’s just one component of a broader approach that WSTi calls “operational sustainability.”

The concept is represented in a triangle diagram that shows how the company combines material handling with industrial services and sustainable practices to help industry achieve a level of proficiency that invokes engineering creativity with “green” practices for optimal financial results.

Their Industrial Service Division focuses primarily on building construction, maintenance and fabrication.

WSTi holds general construction, electrical and plumbing licenses, allowing the company to help clients relocate equipment; install mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems; and even design and build new manufacturing plants.

Their Sustainability Division focuses on helping companies increase energy savings, reduce waste and lower risk. That can be done

from the “ground up” in new construction or through targeted projects in existing plants.

And it can take many different forms, from lighting upgrades and air system improvements to industrial solar installations.

“What ‘operational sustainability’ means for our clients is that by combining the elements of material handling solutions, industrial services and sustainability, we’re helping them develop and implement a comprehensive strategy that transforms their manufacturing environment and the way it works,” says Tim. “We partner with companies to re-engineer their processes, improve efficiency and adapt their equipment and facilities to become sustainable and costeffective well into the future.

“We replace a fragmented approach to projects with an integrated roadmap for reaching plant optimization and sustainability goals. In a global business environment, maximizing efficiencies and getting the most out of your resources will keep manufacturing operations competitive and lean.

“It is this ability to combine material handling, industrial services and sustainability that helps companies leverage their opportunities for business success in a way that can be measured, proven and sustained.”

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Damion Farrington welds at Olivia Machine and Tool, a full-service machining and fabrication shop that has served local industry for almost 35 years.

The Sanford Herald / Thursday, September 24, 2015 / 11C

Harvey McLean uses a roller to shape a part in a 30,000-square-foot facility that also houses a high-definition plasma cutter and other precision machines.

Service is key for Olivia Machine T

here are several roads to success. Olivia Machine and Tool Inc. has built its own path by combining the latest machines and techniques with the kind of personal, one-on-one service that has all but disappeared. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our customers are really important to us and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why we pay so much attention to knowing exactly what they need and providing it every time,â&#x20AC;? says Terry Thomas, who leads the family-owned business with brother Sam and father Wayne. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Service is probably the most important thing we offer. If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have good service, you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stay in business for long.â&#x20AC;?

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lesson Olivia Machine has learned over nearly 35 years in business. The full-service machining and fabrication shop specializes in small production runs and custom

Olivia Machine

products. But the company truly shines when customers need them most.

An example: When one of their manufacturing customers shuts down for repairs, Olivia Machine jumps quickly into action, even if it

means working overnight or coming in at two or three oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;clock in the morning. They succeed when their customers succeed.

Terry and his 18-member staff

See OLIVIA, Page 15C

Location Highway 87 South, Olivia Web oliviamachine.com Headquarters Olivia Primary Products Full-service machining and fabrication shop specializing in small production runs and custom products Founded Locally 1981 Employees 18 Facility Size 30,000 square feet Local Leadership Terry Thomas, Sam Thomas and David McKinney

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12C / Thursday, September 24, 2015 / The Sanford Herald

Reid Coggins Setting up an Okuma machining center to do 3-D machining

Joshua Denkins Programming and setting up an Okuma lathe to produce customerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s parts

Ray Wilson, owner, and daughter Alexis Wilson Looking over an order to be released for production

Alexis Wilson and Neil Wilson Preforming the final inspection before shipping to customer

Hildred Williams Preparing parts for shipment

Daniel Patterson Setting up an EDM machine to wire cut customer parts

New Expansion New 7500 square foot addition to Wilson Machine

Norman Gunter Sawing blanks of raw material to be machined to customer specification

Wilbur Furguson Changing the tooling in his machining center to ensure peak performance and quality

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The Sanford Herald / Thursday, September 24, 2015 / 13C

Sal Garcia samples a finished polymer blend to guarantee its quality. STI Polymer products have a variety of uses — from securing flooring to constructing roads.

Bill Parker sorts through raw materials used to manufacture acrylic emulsion polymers at STI Polymer, a growing company based in Sanford.

STI Polymer continues expansion I

t’s hard to ignore the optimistic news about domestic manufacturing. With the economy rebounding and production making its way back to the United States, companies like STI Polymer are gearing up to handle increased demand for industrial products of all kinds.

STI Polymer opened 14 years ago as Saiden Technologies, part of a diversified Japanese manufacturer, but became independent about three years ago, when local officials purchased the company outright.

From its very first days, the Sanford operation has used state-of-the-art technology to produce polymers for a staggering variety of industrial uses. They go into products that make automobile rides more enjoyable, secure ornate labels on bottles of fine wine and glue flooring into place.

They even make travel safer. STI’s polymers are used to seal asphalt roads, strengthen concrete and construct desert roads in isolated areas using local sand and soil.

When the economic crisis hit several years ago, STI Polymer President Jeff Lamb seized the opportunity to make changes in the business for future success. At first, the company experienced steady demand — which was quite an accomplishment when many companies were declining — but then business picked up. As the economy began to accelerate, so did production.

Now their challenge is how to manage what Lamb describes as “explosive growth.”

“We used to operate four days a week, but now we’re scaling up to run 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” Lamb says. “Our employment has increased three-fold over the last three years and we’re still recruiting.”

That’s not all. Lamb says more facility space is being added to help streamline operations, and their entire 11-acre site in the Lee County Industrial Park is rapidly filling with activity. A new building nearly complete will provide space to expand the warehouse and add a new product development laboratory, and plans are now being developed to expand further by adding new production equipment at the current site.

Much of STI’s recent expansion has been built on the surging construction industry, which uses polymers to make adhesives that go into carpeting, vinyl flooring and paints, as well as a coating used on large pickup trucks. So, with housing

GKN Continued from Page 3C

tralize its work while reducing inventory and costs. Brian Warren, plant director for GKN Driveline Sanford, says that’s particularly true since parts that soon will be forged, machined, assembled and shipped entirely in Sanford currently must be purchased from one GKN facility in Germany, shipped across the Atlantic and assembled at another GKN location in Roxboro.

For Sanford, it means about 130 new jobs by August and tens of millions of dollars in local investments and developments that could lift the entire local economy.

Those numbers will rise further thanks to a second expansion project at GKN Driveline Sanford — production of service components, the same automotive parts, but packaged as replacement parts for customers rather than sold directly to auto manufacturers for their assembly lines.

The service-component operation, being shifted from Roxboro to make room for additional expansion there, will add another

STI Polymer

starts steadily approaching pre-recession peaks and contractors finally replacing their aging vehicles, construction-related demand has spiked.

Another factor in STI’s recent success: a strategic shift by the new owners.

When it operated as Saiden, the company followed a very conservative strategy focusing on a limited number of market areas. But two years after becoming STI Polymer, the company has maintained that original business while branching out into new directions — forming strategic partnerships with other well-known companies in the industry and tapping into new uses for STI’s greener products. One example: a popular adhesive that’s free of toxic solvents, but can still hold down waterproof rubber sheeting on a flat roof being pounded by hurricane-force winds.

If they’re already moving to an around-theclock production schedule, what happens if some seismic shift occurs in the industrial landscape and business suddenly explodes again?

That could happen. North Carolina officials are now recruiting industry for the state-certified Chatham-Siler City Advanced Manufacturing Site, a location near Siler City that’s received plenty of attention as a prime site for auto assembly. Oddly enough, STI Polymer has virtually no business in the Tar Heel State — many customers are clustered in other industrial locations like Dalton, Ga., and Elkhart, Ind. — even though its products are

20 positions to GKN’s growing local workforce.

Corwin understands there’s a lot to accomplish over the next year — with technologically advanced machines being installed and about 150 new employees still to be hired, trained and put to work. Those new employees are a particular priority for company leaders, since Corwin primarily credits the workforce with GKN’s success.

“I’ve always said it’s all about the people,” he said. “Without them, we couldn’t have accomplished these near miraculous things over the years.”

GKN makes significant investments in its people — beginning with training. It will be working with Central Carolina Community College during the current expansion to train new hires just down the road at The Innovation Center of Lee County, the college’s stateof-the-art industrial training center.

The company also helps employees enhance their knowledge and skills with a tuition reimbursement program designed to make higher education more affordable.

And then, there’s the company’s investment in the broader community. GKN Driveline

Sanford contributed more than $15,000 to local nonprofits last year, including Make a Wish, Relay for Life, Central Carolina Community College, Helping Hand Clinic and United Way. There are a lot of “moving parts” in GKN’s expansion. But Corwin has helped drive change in Sanford for decades and believes these latest developments could be just the beginning of a busier and brighter future for GKN in Sanford.

The expansion now underway, Corwin says, will essentially double the local operation within the next 12 months. And more significant growth is expected over the next three to five years.

That’s not bad for a company that some people may not realize has remained vibrant since its creation — even through the tough economic crisis.

“We’re still here. We’ve been growing. We’ve been getting better and stronger. And now, we’re really getting bigger,” he said. “It’s because of all of the hard work and because we’ve got good people here. We’ve got good technology and we have a solid foundation to build the business.

“And this isn’t going to be the end of the story.”

Location 5618 Clyde Rhyne Drive Web stipolymer.com Headquarters Sanford Primary Products Acrylic emulsion polymers Founded Locally 2001 Employees 65 Local Leadership Jeff Lamb, President Employment Contact jobs@stipolymer.com Lisa Wicker Human Resources E-mail info@stipolymer.com Public Relations E-mail info@stipolymer.com Quick Fact First Japanese-owned company to locate in Lee County before management buyout made the company locally-owned in December 2012.

used in the automotive industry.

The bottom line: Everything could change quickly and that would be welcome news for STI Polymer.

“The resurgence of manufacturing in North Carolina has the potential to change our dynamic,” Lamb says. “As major new clusters of industries develop, more local sales opportunities for STI will also arise. Metal working and automotive industries definitely have particular promise for some of our company’s technologies.

“If some major industry does come to the state and increase demand even more, that would be a good ‘problem’ for us to have. One of the impressive things about STI and our employees is that we’re used to change of all kinds. We’ve always been able to adapt to meet all kinds of challenges, so we will be ready.”

14C / Thursday, September 24, 2015 / The Sanford Herald

Kevin Manning ensures the quality of the final assembly on an Automatic Router at Conveyor Technologies in the Lee County Industrial Park.

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Tony Turney operates an EZ-Trak milling machine. Conveyor Technologies manufactures automated equipment used to handle circuit board assembly.

Conveyor Tech ships worldwide L

ocated in the Lee County Industrial Park, Conveyor Technologies is a fourfold operation in the manufacturing, sales, installation and service of automated conveyor systems used to handle circuit boards throughout the assembly process.

The customer base includes Fuji, Siemens, Bose, Textron, Motorola and Solectron, and expands across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Europe and Asia.

Initially, the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s primary focus was automation for the electronics industry. But over time, Conveyor Technologies also began manufacturing pallet-handling systems for the electromechanical side of the electronics business â&#x20AC;&#x201D; eventually leading to the creation of CTI Systems, a division of Con-

veyor Technologies. CTI Systems manufactures conveyor systems for non-electronic manufacturers and custom automation for a variety of uses, ranging from custom work cells to custom assembly lines.

Officials at Conveyor Technologies and CTI Systems attribute their impressive customer base to employees, who produce a top-quality product while meeting aggressive shipping dates. Their â&#x20AC;&#x153;whatever-ittakesâ&#x20AC;? attitude is reflected throughout the organization, beginning with top management and extending to its professional staff of employees.

Each department is an extension of the others, and every employee works as a team member to meet production deadlines.

Conveyor Technologies has a web of outside sales representatives cov-

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ering territories all over North and South America to bring the customer and company together. Inside sales representatives and product information specialists provide quotes, basic line layouts and machine specifications for the customers. Layouts and specifications are then sent to mechanical and electrical engineers and the design process begins.

After the design process is complete, the machine is configured, estimated for cost and released for production by the industrial engineering group. From this point, machinists and laser shop technicians begin to make parts and fabricate the sheet metal.

Mechanical and electrical assemblers build and wire the conveyors, which are controlled by programmable logic controllers programmed by an electrical engineer. Each conveyor is then tested and inspected by quality control before being carefully crated and shipped to its final destination by the materials group.

For international orders, a materials employee makes sure the shipment meets import or export regulations and can be delivered properly to locations speaking different languages.

But the commitment to its customers does not stop when the machine leaves Sanford.

Highly-skilled and trained service engineers install equipment at the customerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s facility, assuring 100 percent customer satisfaction. And back at the Sanford manufacturing facility, the service department con-

Conveyor Technologies Location 5313 Womack Road Web conveyor-technologies.com Headquarters Sanford Primary Products Automated equipment for printed circuit board industry Founded Locally 1989 Employees 70 Facility Size 40,500 square feet Local Leadership Tim Pilson, President & Owner; Ed Metcalf, Vice President & Owner; and Dylan Cramer, Vice President of Operations Employment Contact Dreama Pilson, Human Resources Human Resources E-mail dreamap@conveyor-technologies.com Public Relations E-mail dreamap@conveyor-technologies.com

tinually provides information and support to its customers.

Each conveyor is designed, built and shipped with pride â&#x20AC;&#x201D; with the utmost attention to every detail throughout the manufacturing process.

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The Sanford Herald / Thursday, September 24, 2015 / 15C

MERTEK Continued from Page 5C

everyone a chance to see what’s happening in the industrial sector. When this year’s event rolls around on October 2, Mertek will welcome guests with facility tours, robot demonstrations and even a hot dog lunch provided by Electric Supply and Equipment.

All are welcome to stop by, but students are especially encouraged to attend. The annual event gives young people a chance to see how interesting the high-tech world of manufacturing really is — and perhaps see how they might make it a career of their own.

And that’s just the beginning.

HYDRO TUBE Continued from Page 7C

set of other considerations based on the material being shaped.

The process has become so successful that Hydro Tube has been expanding to keep up with customer demand. That includes adding new hightech equipment and plenty of working space.

Tim Althaus, the company’s vice president for operations, says 8,000 square feet were just added to the building in Sanford to accommodate one new crane and another slated to be installed later this year.

The most strategic addition is what he describes simply as the largest tube laser on the East Coast. The new TTM 300 Tube Laser can cut metal

Last year, Mertek hosted two Kenan Fellows — high school teachers from Fayetteville who spent their summer with the company learning how robotic automation is revolutionizing the manufacturing process and finding creative ways to bring their newfound expertise back to students.

Mertek frequently works with high school and middle school STEM programs — curricula focusing on science, technology, engineering and math — and trains new talent through an apprenticeship program offered by the North Carolina Department of Labor. Apprentices combine their education with job training they receive at Mertek to graduate with the journeyman’s card, a credential allowing them to pursue similar work anywhere in the world.

Many of Mertek’s educational accomplishments have emerged from the company’s ongoing collaboration with Central Carolina Community College, a relationship that has developed into what CCCC President Dr. Bud Marchant describes as a partnership. Mertek helps train students for good-paying jobs. The company finds talented people to join its team. And the community retains some of its top technical assets.

With all of the projects moving in and out of Mertek, their immediate focus is on developing talent, designing new machines and taking care of the company’s growing number of customers.

Mertek believes that as long as they take care of those things that have made the company so successful, there’s no limit to what they can accomplish.

tubes up to 12-inches in diameter or nine inches square with walls a half-inch thick.

“This is a significant addition to our capability,” says Althaus. “We’re using the new machine to cut H-beams, channels, angles and other open profiles. That expands what we can offer clients and should generate enough sales for us to have 15- to 25-percent growth over the next couple of years.”

While those are the larger developments, Hydro Tube also has added two new CNC tube benders, bringing their total to nine, and a 28-foot delivery truck to enhance service for customers within an 80-mile radius.

Hydro Tube’s total investment in new space and machines: $2.4 million.

It’s been a big change for everyone, including the 50 local employees now working two shifts.

But it’s been an exciting one as well.

“From the very beginning, we’ve always said that whenever a customer has a need, we’ll do whatever we can do,” says Althaus. “Our recent expansion means that we’re able to do even more for our customers, and that’s really our first priority.

“A lot of our sales over the years have been ‘word of mouth’ and then we’ve built our success on taking care of those customers, who stay with us. Now with the new laser capabilities, we’ll be hitting the road to look for new customers we couldn’t serve before — and show them what our employees are capable of doing.”

Althaus believes that with the additional space, new equipment and those employees working together to take care of customers, there’s no telling how far up that national top-40 list Hydro Tube can go.

OLIVIA Continued from Page 11C

have been able to hold onto that ethic even when a competitive economy has shifted so much attention to cost that service often falls by the wayside.

Olivia Machine still provides quality by maintaining a staff with experienced, trained technicians and keeping pace with emerging technology. Their facility houses a high-definition plasma cutter, which can

precisely cut material up to three inches thick, and a 320-ton, two-axis Accupress, a computer numerical controlled brake press.

That kind of equipment was added, Sam says, to handle jobs faster and keep overall costs down — despite the ever-rising price of materials. The new investments have paid dividends.

But nobody at Oliva has ever thought about skimp-

ing on the kind of service that has attracted so many good customers for more than three decades.

“Olivia Machine does its very best to give customers good quality at a fair price,” says Sam. “That’s probably what has allowed us to grow. Taking good care of customers is part of our family tradition. Really, it’s more than that. It’s a way of life.”

What is Mertek Solutions?

Mertek Solutions Inc provides Machine Design for Manufacturing Automation and Manufacturing Equipment Design of all sorts. From medical equipment design to packaging equipment design and manufacture, Mertek serves as a manufacturing solution consultant to Fortune 500 corporations and start-ups alike. Mertek manufacturing equipment is a core strength with testing equipment design or material handling equipment design routine. With many decades of manufacturing engineering and industrial equipment design, our staff delivers a broad knowledge to any project.

For any project requiring manufacturing, consulting, or industrial equipment design and manufacturing, Mertek provides a complete solution from concept, through manufacturing engineering, custom manufacturing equipment design, build and installation.

Areas of Expertise

Manufacturing Industries of Note

• Machine Design / Mechanisms Design

• Vacuum thru Ultra High Vacuum Applications

• Industrial Equipment / Industrial Products

• Systems Integration (EE, Controls, Software)

• Pneumatic and Hydraulic Systems

• Commercial Products

• Capital Equipment Design and Build

• Electrical Power Distribution

• Semiconductor Capital Equipment

• Industrial Equipment Design

• Instrumentation and Control / GUI / HMI

• Nanotechnology Capital Equipment

• Test Equipment Custom Design and Fabrication

• Robotic work cells / Custom Robot Design

• Computer / Electronics

• Medical Equipment Design and Validation • Vision Systems

• Telecommunications

• Testing Equipment Design

• Helium Leak Testing

• Medical Equipment

• Material Handling Equipment

• Laser Marking

• Clean Energy / Clean Technology

• Prototype Equipment Design

• Solar Energy

• High Volume Manufacturing Applications

• Food Processing

• Industrial Process Equipment • Chemical Handling / Process Gas Distribution Proud to be a member of Manufacturing Makes It Real in N.C.

3913 Hawkins Ave l Sanford, NC 27330 Phone: 919-774-7827 l Fax: 919-774-7966 l E-mail: sales@merteknc.com

16C / Thursday, September 24, 2015 / The Sanford Herald

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GKN is a global engineering group our technology and products are at the heart of vehicles and aircraft worldwide.

www.gkndriveline.com

The Sanford Herald

F;HIF;9J?L;I

THE 2015 INDUSTRIAL EDITION

industry. like you may not have seen it before.

F;HIF;9J?L;I

D

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 24 2015

“Perspectives,” The Sanford Herald’s 2015 Industrial Edition, was produced by Chip Pate and R.V. Hight.

Many of the photos are by Herald Photographer Hannah Hunsinger.

Others were contributed by Central Carolina Community College, area economic development offices and companies profiled in the edition.

As with any project of this magnitude, many others helped make this edition possible.

Special thanks go to Joy Thrash and Bob Joyce of Sanford Area Growth Alliance, Dianne Reid and Alyssa Byrd of Chatham Economic Development Corp., Nick Dula and Brian Haney of Harnett County Economic Development and Pat Corso and Melanie Thompson of Moore County Partners in Progress.

The Industrial Edition is an annual publication highlighting manufacturing in Lee, Chatham, Harnett and Moore counties.

1D | Perspectives 2D | Harnett Overview 2D | Moore Overview 3D | CCCC 4D | Caterpillar 5D | Imaging Supplies 6D | Trion 7D | Moen 10D | Pfizer 12D | Pentair Aquatic Systems 13D | Certified Machining/DNZ 14D | Wilson Machine and Tool

2D / Thursday, September 24, 2015 / The Sanford Herald

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F;HIF;9J?L;I ON INDUSTRY IN HARNETT

New projects keeping Harnett busy

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FROM HARNETT COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

he past year has seen several major developments in Harnett County related to economic development, starting with the county’s economic development office.

Nick Dula was hired last year to lead Harnett County Economic Development and was joined

by Brian Haney, who assists with marketing and outreach to local businesses and serves as the county’s public information officer.

Since arriving, Dula and Haney have been out in the community, introducing themselves to local industries, businesses and civic organizations, and working to build partnerships with organizations that provide services to existing and potential businesses in Harnett County.

New local industry includes the $40 million Rooms To Go regional distribution center and retail store, nearing completion along Interstate 95 in Dunn. Ground broke on the 1.4 millionsquare-foot facility in April of last year, and since that time, the site has been hard for county residents and motorists to miss seeing. Rooms To Go will hold a ribbon cutting and grand opening for its new facility in October.

On the western side of the county, construction is set to begin on a new Walmart shopping center on N.C. 87, which economic development officials believe will greatly benefit residents in one of the county’s fastest growing regions.

Campbell University continues to be a major economic development engine for Harnett County. Construction began in March on a new $22 million, 72,000-square-foot addition to university’s 40-acre Health Science Campus in Buies Creek, which houses the Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine. The addition will house the school’s health sciences programs and the Catherine W. Wood School of Nursing. Campbell also announced plans to open an engineering school next year.

Harnett County Economic Development has also partnered with the Harnett County Planning Department on a new Comprehensive Land Use and Economic Development Strategic Plan

The $40 million Rooms To Go distribution center and retail store in Dunn is one economic development project underway in Harnett County. Others include a shopping center and expansion by Campbell University. that will help chart the course for the county’s future growth and development efforts. The plan has brought together some of the county’s most influential business and community leaders to form an advisory committee, which is steering the plan.

While the plan won’t be completed until October, feedback from the advisory committee, focus groups and public have already led economic development officials to focus on two of the county’s best assets: outdoor recreation, with a focus on the 4,694-acre Raven Rock State Park and the Cape Fear River, and the existing partnership with Campbell.

Harnett County Economic Development and Campbell’s Lundy-Fetterman School of Business will team up to host a series of symposiums aimed at engaging Campbell business students to come up with innovative ideas to improve

Harnett County. The county and business school will join forces again later in the year to host the county’s first-ever Economic Development Forecast, which will highlight and celebrate success stories and look to the future of economic development in the county.

Dula believes Harnett County has a bright economic future. “The county continues to experience positive growth in its population and industrial base,” he said. “The economic development office is working hard to plan and position the county for success, and we are building local and regional partnerships to help achieve our goals.

“I’m very excited about the work we’re doing and I know our efforts are strengthening the local economy and making Harnett County an even better place to live and work.”

F;HIF;9J?L;I

ON INDUSTRY IN MOORE

Moore offers manufacturing space

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FROM MOORE COUNTY PARTNERS IN PROGRESS

o be successful in recruiting new businesses and industries, which means generating new jobs and taxable investment, any community needs to have “product,” and in the economic development world, product means available industrial buildings and site.

Christopher Chung, CEO of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, estimates that three-fourths of the companies that work with his group to find a location in North Carolina start by looking for sites with existing buildings.

Others agree. Kathy Mussio, managing partner at Atlas Insight, says that’s because companies know there will be substantial cost savings if they can locate in an existing building rather than constructing a new one.

“Most projects still prefer an existing building instead of taking the time and expense to build from the ground up,” she says.

The largest and most versatile product currently available in Moore County is the Gulistan building, an industrial facility offering more than 650,000 square feet of space on NC Highway 5 in Aberdeen. The building formerly housed textile manufacturer Gulistan Carpets, which closed the facility a little more than two years ago.

Situated on 62.5 acres zoned Industrial, the building is served by all utilities: three-phase power through Duke Energy, municipal water and sewer services through the Town of Aberdeen, and natural gas through Piedmont Natural Gas. With a rail spur on-site, the building can be served daily by the short line Aberdeen Carolina and Western Railroad, which connects to both CSX and Norfolk Southern main lines.

The Gulistan building has concrete floors from four to six inches thick and ceiling heights ranging from 18 to 24 feet. There are more than 20 dock doors with cross-docking capability and a wet sprinkler system throughout the building supplied by three water storage tanks on-site with a collective capacity of 550,000 gallons.

Space can easily be subdivided to accom-

Exposure from Pinehurst and the U.S. Open helps draw attention to economic opportunities in Moore County. modate the needs of multiple tenants, which presently include one manufacturer using about 55,000 square feet for distribution and another using 30,000 square feet for warehousing.

Despite the building’s extensive list of amenities, the economic development organization Moore County Partners in Progress, working in collaboration with local commercial brokers and the building’s owner, has found it challenging to entice a major industrial client to locate in the facility.

“We have submitted information on the Gulistan building to several clients and site selection consultants for a variety of projects, but we just haven’t been able to make the short list yet,” said Pat Corso, executive director of Partners in Progress.

As a result, the economic development organization recently solicited the assistance of Duke Energy and site consulting firm InSite to conduct a building assessment on the property to determine its best use and the most effective ways to market the location to clients and consultants.

Praising the building for its excellent condition and adaptability for multiple structural configurations to suit one or more tenants, InSite confirmed that the building’s “highest and best use” is manufacturing. “And recruiting manufacturing industries is the ultimate goal,” said Corso, “because they are primary job creators that contribute substantially to the local economy.”

InSite pointed out that the building, itself, is essentially a multipurpose industrial park because it can accommodate users of any size and type, whether it’s a distribution company needing a modest 5,000 square feet or a manufacturer requiring 550,000 square feet or more.

“With the marketing recommendations from the building assessment, we now have a better idea of how to highlight the building’s features and versatility to clients,” Corso said. “We are confident that the building’s impressive amenities, coupled with the exceptional quality of life in Moore County, will attract the right industry to our community.”

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The Sanford Herald / Thursday, September 24, 2015 / 3D

F;HIF;9J?L;I CENTRAL CAROLINA COMMUNITY COLLEGE

CCCC unites, strengthens industry FROM CENTRAL CAROLINA COMMUNITY COLLEGE

For more information

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ucked away in the Lee County Industrial Park between Pittsboro and Sanford is an educational resource that fuels Central Carolina industry.

Central Carolina Community College’s Innovation Center is a state-of-the-art training facility that helps to maximize industry success through exceptional workforce training.

Cathy Swindell, CCCC’s director of industry services, describes the relationship that exists between her office and industry in Chatham, Harnett, and Lee counties.

“As industry needs quickly emerge, we identify training opportunities in an effort to fill skill gaps or create new skill sets in the workforce. We promptly respond to the needs of industry and they keep us informed about changes and innovations that we need to prepare for,” she said. “We work with industry to assess needs and develop appropriate training programs. From computer skills to process-related needs, we can train current or new employees to respond to it.”

As of June 30, the center has served 28 unique organizations, 2,435 trainees, and provided 6,335 hours of specialized training to the Central Carolina area. Among the companies that have benefited from its services are 3M, Alotech, Atlantic Hydraulics, Belflex, Boon Edam, Caterpillar, Coty and Olympic Steel.

“The goals of any project undertaken by CCCC’s Industry Services Office are to foster and support job growth, technology investment, and

F

or more information on CCCC’s Innovation Center and its training programs, contact Cathy Swindell at (919) 718-7212 or Pamela Fincher at (919) 718-7490. Information is also available on the website at www.cccc. edu/industryservices, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ innovationlee.

Pamela Fincher and Cathy Swindell assist industries at the Innovation Center.

productivity enhancement,” said Swindell.

These categories for defining types of projects was established by the North Carolina Community College System NCWorks Customized Training Program a number of years ago. The role of directors for customized training is to identify the need, develop a program of training to address it and assemble resources.

“In most cases, the program is at little or no cost to the participating industry and covers instructional and materials costs,” said Swindell.

“It’s an economic development tool that assists organizations that qualify to locate here, grow and increase their market presence. Innovation Center activities play into that effort by offering a place that critical hands-on training can occur.”

CCCC’s Innovation Center contains over 30,000 square feet of training space, including a simulated work environment, a fully-outfitted welding lab, an industry skills lab, a forklift operator training area and additional classroom space. The center provides customized training in a variety of skill areas, including manufacturing fundamentals, problem solving, hydraulics and pneumatics, mechanical skills, basic electrical skills and situational leadership.

“People often ask me if we have a catalogue of the training we offer and I just say, ‘No, because we’re going to figure out what you need and go from there,’” said Swindell. “We develop a train-

See CCCC, Page 4D

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4D / Thursday, September 24, 2015 / The Sanford Herald

The newest group of Caterpillar Welding Youth Apprentices poses for a picture after being inducted into the program. Over the next two years, students will attend classes, go through hands-on training and learn many other skills before applying to work full-time with Caterpillar.

A group of dedicated Caterpillar employees poses for a picture on the Boys and Girls Club playground during a construction project to renovate the site. The team worked long hours to make the playground a safer place for children to have fun.

Values drive Caterpillar ahead Caterpillar

E

very day, Caterpillar is making sustainable progress possible by designing high-quality machines; continually developing people, both inside and outside of Caterpillar; and focusing on the quality of life, prosperity and sustainability of communities where Caterpillar employees work, live and serve.

Sustainability is so important that last year Caterpillar elevated it to one of the company’s five core values, though the idea is not new to the company. “Making Sustainable Progress Possible” has long been a cornerstone commitment to Caterpillar customers, stockholders and employees.

Judy Crandell, the environmental health and safety manager for Caterpillar’s Building Construction Products Division, describes sustainability as three things. “It is people,” Crandell said. “Not just our people, but people all over the world that we impact. It is also our products — making sure the machines can be used over and over again. And it is also about our planet.

“It is really a three-legged stool.”

All have been a focus for Caterpillar over the years, but now they have been brought to the forefront.

It is now a goal that every employee strives toward, allowing company employees to leave the world a better place than they found it.

“People” and “planet” are two ideas of sustainability that have a direct impact on people every day.

Caterpillar facilities across the world are implementing new measures for making their businesses more sustainable, and the Sanford facility is no exception.

Since opening its doors in 1998, the Caterpillar facility in Sanford has grown exponentially. Starting with just a handful of employees, there was an initial need to focus on grow-

ing sustainable talent. Now, with more than 1,300 people reporting to the facility on a daily basis, there are a lot more reasons to sustain and develop employees.

Employees have access to a number of developmental and training opportunities, regular careerprogression discussions and other resources to develop themselves and their careers. Sanford employees also have worked with local organizations to implement two successful programs for youth development in the workplace — the Caterpillar Youth Apprenticeship Welding Program and the Manufacturing Engineering Youth Pre-Apprentice Program.

Launched in 2012, the Caterpillar Youth Apprenticeship Welding Program has proven to be a true model of success. Many students from the recent graduating class have already started working as full-time welders in the company’s fabrications department.

“It’s a win-win for Caterpillar and the community. It helps to prepare young people for successful careers in trades while developing great talent,” said Annette Atkins, a Caterpillar employee who worked diligently to bring the program to fruition.

In addition to the apprenticeship, the Manufacturing Engineering Youth Pre-Apprentice Program was started this year. Participants selected from local high schools will work on-site, part-time and be exposed to a variety of areas related to operations and manufacturing. The goal is to help students get a true picture of what life is like as a Caterpillar manufacturing engineer.

As individuals and a company, Caterpillar has strived to actively sustain and improve the surrounding communities where employees work and live. As a United Way partner, hundreds of local Caterpil-

lar employees donate each year as their way of giving back to the local community. More than $70,000 was contributed last year by Sanford facility employees in combination with the Caterpillar Foundation match to support the community.

Caterpillar also works regularly with United Way-supported organizations, including the Boys and Girls Clubs of Sanford/Lee County. Caterpillar employees contributed time, machinery and money to rebuild the playground for the Boys and Girls Clubs and also partnered with Habitat for Humanity to provide machines, money, time and energy to build houses for deserving local residents.

Employee resource groups formed within the company to promote diversity and inclusion also have formed partnerships with local nonprofits.

The Caterpillar Women’s Initiative Network has a strong relationship with the Dress for Success organization to promote economic independence among disadvantaged women. The Caterpillar African American Network partners with many groups in the area — including the Lee and Wake county school systems, Ronald McDonald House and The Salvation Army. And the newest employee resource group, Caterpillar Armed Forces Support Network, is working with military officials to help local personnel make a successful transition back into the civilian job market.

At Caterpillar, sustainability also means working to strengthen and improve communities while reducing the company’s environmental impact.

Scott Fister, a Caterpillar environmental health and safety employee in Sanford, has been working steadily to improve recycling and other environmental improvement

CCCC Continued from Page 3D

ing plan from the point of sitting down with industry representatives or individuals and deciding what their needs are. It is a very one-onone kind of planning. We do offer examples of other projects; but, in the end, the project will be unique to their organization.

“Early on, we put an Industry Advisory Board comprised of members from all three counties in place to meet quarterly and discuss industry needs and concerns. We ask them what they need from us and what they want us to offer. That feedback leads us to develop our programs.

We are also a liaison to other departments within the college, such as curriculum and continuing education.”

Feedback from industry also revealed that there are jobs available, but few qualified people to fill them, Swindell added.

“Baby boomers qualified in skilled trades such as manufactur-

ing, welding and maintenance are rapidly exiting the workforce due to retirement, and there are few to replace them. We must reeducate teachers, school counselors and the public in general about the benefits of entering these fields — benefits like higher level pay and the variety of positions that are available, not just on the assembly line,” said Swindell.

As part of that education process, the Innovation Center will celebrate National Manufacturing Day on Oct. 2. The purpose of the event is to expand high school students’ and the public’s knowledge and perception about careers in manufacturing and the value of manufacturing to the economy.

Representatives from local industry will be on hand to showcase their company products and help increase manufacturing awareness.

AMP-Cherokee, Arauco, Caterpillar, Coty, Edelbrock, Floorazzo Tile,

Frontier Spinning, GKN Driveline, Gould and Goodrich, Heatmaster, International Precast, Magneti Marelli Powertrain USA, Mertek Solutions, Olympic Steel, Pentair, Red Wolf, Russell Manufacturing and This End Up Furniture will be represented at the event.

Pamela Fincher, assistant to the Industry Services director, is coordinating the Manufacturing Day event. “We want to inspire the next generation of manufacturers by informing people about industries located in their communities and the types of products they make,” said Fincher. “We also want to brief them on the kinds of jobs available in manufacturing and the education and skills needed to fill those jobs.”

Fincher believes a trained workforce will also attract industry to the area. “It’s a benefit to our mutual goals,” she said. “Industry needs qualified people and our qualified people need jobs.”

Location 5000 Womack Road Web cat.com Headquarters Peoria, Ill., with division headquarters in Cary Primary Products Skid Steer Loaders, Compact Track Loaders and Multi Terrain Loaders Founded Locally 1996 Facility Size About 500,000 square feet in three buildings Local Leadership Reid Waitt, General Manager Brad Crace, Operations Manager Employment Contact join teamcaterpillar.com Ticket Symbol NYSE: CAT

initiatives within the facility.

“Caterpillar is poised to be a leader in sustainability with the construction equipment industry with the implementation of our new vision,” Fister said. “Making our products, with the highest safety and quality standards, shouldn’t mean sacrificing the environment that we live, work and play in.”

During the first seven months of this year, 309 tons of cardboard, 670 tons of metal and 857 tons of wood have been recycled. And there are many other recycling projects underway to reduce the facility’s carbon footprint.

Fisher said sustainability is an important part of Caterpillar and a goal to strive toward. “Here locally in Sanford, we are focusing on creating a world class waste reduction program that recycles the majority of our wastes back into the economy to help create value and jobs,” he said. “We’re making changes in our facility to make positive change in our world.”

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The Sanford Herald / Thursday, September 24, 2015 / 5D

Harry Taylor works on an HP Laserjet printer, which is one service provided in a portfolio that also includes equipment sales and e-document storage.

Melinda Spence restocks ink cartridges. Imaging Supplies also remanufactures toner cartridges, saving customers money and keeping parts out of local landfills.

Imaging Supplies looks to future I

Imaging Supplies

Location 804 Woodland Avenue Web imagingsuppliesco.com Headquarters Sanford Primary Products Toner, ink cartridges and ribbons for fax, copiers and laser printers Founded Locally 1999 Employees 12 Facility Size 9,000 square feet Local Leadership Vicki and Walter Huffman Employment Contact Vicki Huffman, President

n a highly competitive environment, many companies can’t even survive for more than 16 years — much less adapt to the changing world and thrive.

Imaging Supplies Company Inc. is one of those exceptions, bucking the trend by combining quality work with a social conscience.

Imaging Supplies remanufactures laser toner cartridges at its location on Woodland Avenue. It’s a painstaking process that involves inspecting and disassembling each incoming cartridge before cleaning every part, replacing sensitive components and refilling the cartridge to precise specifications with the correct,

machine-matched toner.

Each remanufactured cartridge is inspected, tested, serialized and packaged before it’s ready for customers.

When the operation first began in 1999, it took some work to convince customers that remanufactured cartridges would provide the same result as more-expensive versions sold by laser printer manufacturers. Walter Huffman, the company vice president and general manager, remembers those early days. He says some customers were hesitant because many of the very first rebuilt versions didn’t measure up to

See IMAGING, Page 15D

WE LEAD THE WAY! Frontier Spinning is the local pioneer in cutting edge state-of-the-art spinning technology. But it’s our people that keep us leaders in the industry.

Steaven Walton

Yolanda Sanchez

LIsa Gaylean

Marcus McLean

Robert Ellis

Anthony Foxx

Mary Rackley

Glenda Ramirez

1823 Boone Trail Road • Hwy. 421 North • Sanford, NC 27330

6D / Thursday, September 24, 2015 / The Sanford Herald

Carla Ortiz, working on wiring for MAC 10 fan filter units, is one of about 125 employees producing air filtration and humidification systems at Trion in Sanford.

I

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Trion’s William Bremer packs Air Bear air cleaners. Even during a transition to new ownership, the company introduced several new products this year.

Change makes Trion stronger

t’s been a particularly busy year at Trion, with the local operation adapting to new ownership, introducing new products and enjoying significant growth in both sales and profits. And with a revitalized sense of teamwork and vision, as well, there’s no telling where the company can go from here.

Changes began last year, when Trion’s parent company, Air Distribution Technologies, was acquired by Johnson Controls Inc., a global company listed on the New York Stock Exchange that specializes in a wide range of technology-based products and services for customers in more than 150 countries. Along with being a leading manufacturer and service provider in the global heating, ventilation and air conditioning industry, the company produces lead-acid

Trion

automotive batteries, advanced batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles and automobile seating components and systems.

Trion became part of Johnson Controls’ Building Efficiency business unit, an organization designed to help buildings conserve energy and operate more efficiently. Still, in many ways, Trion remains a local operation. All departments — manufacturing, engineering, accounting, purchasing, customer service, and

sales and marketing — are all based at Trion’s facility in Sanford.

Colin O’Connell, vice president of sales and marketing for Trion and part of the local leadership team, says Johnson Controls acquired Trion because the local company offered high-quality products that complemented what the parent company already offered for HVAC systems. The ownership change means a stronger

See TRION, Page 15D

Location 101 McNeill Road Web trioniaq.com Headquarters Sanford Primary Products Air filtration and humidification systems for residential, commercial and industrial markets Founded Locally Founded in 1947, local since 1965 Employees 125 Facility Size 263,000 square feet Local Leadership Colin O’Connell, vice president Helm Hansen, plant manager

WE Look. Listen. Care. Cure.

We pride ourselves on providing a place where you can ask questions, get answers and receive the top-quality healthcare services you need to feel your best.

• Adult and Pediatric Care • Colds and Sore Throats • Bronchitis • Flu • Eye and Ear Infections • Sprains and Abrasions • Insect Bites • Adults Immunizations, TDAP and Hepatitis Immunizations Available • Yearly Physicals • Initial Fracture Care • Sports Physicals • Lacerations • X-Ray and Lab on Site • Treatment of Common Illness & Other Health Care Needs

CAROLINA DOCTORS MED CARE Monday - Saturday • 8am - 6pm 1024 S. Horner Blvd., Sanford, NC • (Near the Post Office) I 919-774-3680

Scheduled Appointments Required for Primary Care

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John Andolina, who is looking over machinery, is one of 350 associates at Moen.

The company has hired more than 75 people over the last year alone.

H

The Sanford Herald / Thursday, September 24, 2015 / 7D

Sheila Holmes is part of Moen’s team in Sanford, a location producing components for the company’s innovative kitchen and lavatory faucet designs.

Moen built on innovation

ave you ever used a faucet with just one handle that controlled both cold and hot water? If so, you can thank Moen’s founder Al Moen for that.

It was 1937, a quiet evening in Seattle, when Al was cleaning up after work. As he washed his hands under the typical, two-handle faucet, a sudden burst of hot water startled Al and left him with a minor burn.

It wasn’t too serious, but the experience convinced him there must be some better way to control water flow and temperature. He got to work and two years later his innovative new design was done. The single-handle faucet was born.

Moen was built on innovation, and that founding spirit continues through the Sanford plant today.

Continuous improvement is present

Moen

at all levels, the expectation being that everyone continues to evolve and shape the plant.

But innovation isn’t just intended to improve machines or processes; innovation impacts the people, too.

Four unique career development paths have been identified and created for Moen associates — technical, material movement, leadership and quality. Within each path, associates have an opportunity to develop themselves and their skills in order to progress in their positions.

And many associates have done just

Lee County

Lee P. Frog wants you to

that, opening the door for new hires to enter the ranks of Moen.

The Sanford plant has hired more than 75 people in the last 12 months and has been hiring at the entry level for the first time in almost 10 years.

Encouraging associates to progress in their careers — while meeting the growing needs of the business — is an essential part of Moen’s future plans.

“We simply believe there is a place with the potential for amazing

See MOEN, Page 13D

Location 2609 Cox Mill Road Web moen.com Headquarters North Olmstead, Ohio Primary Products Components for kitchen and lavatory faucets Founded Locally 1973 Employees 350 Facility Size 350,000 square feet Local Leadership Grant Mast, Plant Manager

YOU make great things happen!

Lee County children have food. Cancer patients have a ride to treatment.

YOU make great things happen.

2303 Tramway Road (919) 775-2107 www.leecountync.gov

Please contribute today.

United Way of Lee County 919.776.5823

leecountyunitedway.org

8D / Thursday, September 24, 2015 / The Sanford Herald

The Sanford Herald / Thursday, September 24, 2015 / 9D

Beautiful ... Livable ... Innovative Margaret Boyd

Roy Hurley

Dwike Johnson

Stephanie Smith

Marsha Bell

Samantha Reynolds Rashad Jones

Carla Dalrymple

That’s why Moen is number one and climbing. The Moen brand has never been about the latest fads or crazes. That’s why we’ve dedicated ourselves to creating faucets that blend harmoniously with home decor and endure over time. So in the end, style and livability are as linked together as soap and water. This is why more people choose Moen than any other brand. As the leading faucet brand manufacturer in North America, we pride ourselves on the quality of our products, customers and associates. Every one of us stands behind this name every day. Whether our associates design or build our products, they are the reason Moen can confidently say to our customers: “Buy it for Looks, Buy it for Life.”

Andrea McLean

Brenda Patterson

Danny Campbell

Felix Santiago

Nick Wild, Jacob Briand and Kevin Griffin

Joan Raeford

Jose Castillo Allen Moore

Lisa Cab rera

Terrell Clay

Delories

Armstro

ng

?dZkijho (&'+

10D / Thursday, September 24, 2015 / The Sanford Herald

Last summer, members of the Operations Departmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Central Support Team (left photo) reconstructed a playground at Shallow Well Church that had been destroyed during the tornado several years ago. At right, colleagues at the Pfizer Global Supply site took their haircuts to an extreme, shaving their heads last summer in support of St. Baldrickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Foundation, a nonprofit that raises money for childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cancer research. The event was designed to honor kids who lose their hair during cancer treatment. During that third St. Baldrickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s event held on-site, Pfizer raised more than $80,000 in total.

Pfizer helps build healthier world P

fizer focuses on meeting the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s diverse health needs, whether it is through innovative medicines, access programs that provide medicines to patients in need or work to improve communities around the globe.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a commitment that stretches back to the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s founding in 1849 in Brooklyn, N.Y., and a legacy that extends to Pfizerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ongoing presence in Sanford.

In late 2009 and early 2010, Pfizer successfully launched the next generation of its blockbuster vaccine. Prevnar 13 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a 13-valent (meaning 13 vaccines in one) conjugated vaccine â&#x20AC;&#x201D; is designed to prevent the most common types of Streptococcus pneumoniae that cause pneumococcal disease in young children.

The vaccine also is now approved in the United States for use in adults 50 years of age and older for active immunization for the prevention of pneumonia and invasive disease caused by the 13 Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes con-

Pfizer

tained in the vaccine.

Prevnar 13 is an important weapon in battling this disease, which causes infections including bacteremia (infection in the blood), bacterial meningitis (infection of the brain stem and spinal cord) and otitis media (a common childhood ear infection). Components for this vaccine are produced in Pfizerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sanford facility.

With Pfizer looking to the future and remaining committed to developing life-saving vaccines, Pfizer Sanford has an additional role in the

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by Your Insurance Options?

Let us help you put all of the pieces in place.

Location 4300 Oak Park Web pfizer.com Headquarters New York Primary Products Vaccine components Founded Locally 1987 Employees About 450 Facility Size About 650,000 square feet Local Leadership Lynn Bottone, Site Leader Ticker Symbol NYSE:PFE

companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s global supply network as a vaccine launch site.

This means new vaccine products have components manufactured in Sanford, be-

See PFIZER, Page 15D

Celebrating 16 years of service to Lee County!

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Imaging Systems & Supplies Co. 804 Woodland Ave., - P.O. Box 3756 â&#x20AC;˘ Sanford, NC, 27331-3756 Phone: (919) 776-1152 â&#x20AC;˘ email: walter@imagingsuppliesco.com /-2# *-" * 02..-/1$/ -% 3$, (, $$ -2,15

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The Sanford Herald / Thursday, September 24, 2015 / 11D

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12D / Thursday, September 24, 2015 / The Sanford Herald

Jonathan Kellam (left photo) operates a highly automated Preform machine producing fiberglass for filtered pool and spa tanks. Pentair employees (right photo) help shape policies of all kinds, including safety guidelines. Company officials say that kind of collaboration is rooted in Pentairâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s corporate culture.

Pentair continues innovation Pentair

I

f you swim in the backyard or visit a water park or hotel pool, you probably swim in pools powered by Pentair. With headquarters in Sanford, Pentair Aquatic Systems is one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading manufacturers of pool, spa and aquatic equipment. The company makes premium pool components including pumps, heaters, filters,

water features, lights and cleaners. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pentair is behind the scenes of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greatest pools,â&#x20AC;? says Marcus G. Phillips, Pentair Aquatic Systems director of marketing. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Just like a production crew gives movie stars the foundation for a blockbuster hit, we give pools the foundation to impress swimmers and pool owners.â&#x20AC;?

To earn the business of so many pool owners and managers, Pentair must do more than make dependable equipment; it must constantly innovate.

Ten years ago, Pentair made a splash as the first manufacturer to introduce variable speed technology to pools. Its IntelliFlo Variable Speed

See PENTAIR, Page 13D

Location 1620 Hawkins Avenue Web pentairpool.com Headquarters Sanford Primary Products Pumps, filters, heaters, controls, lighting, automatic cleaners, maintenance products and accessories for swimming pools and spas Founded Locally 1973 Employees 550 locally Facility Size 225,000 square feet Local Leadership Steve Risner, Director of Operations Employment Contact Jennifer Byerly

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Engineered Humidification Systems

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The Sanford Herald / Thursday, September 24, 2015 / 13D

Melissa Franco packages scope mounts for shipment. DNZ Products, a brand created by Certified Machining, is sold widely in retail stores and online.

Billy Baker prepares to anodize parts for a scope mount at DNZ Products. The electrolytic process gives parts better resistance to corrosion and wear.

Certified, DNZ achieve success N

ow celebrating more than 19 years in business, Certified Machining has become well-known for providing precision machining, tooling and fabrication for local industries. And a few years ago, it even began manufacturing its own line of rifle scope mounts under the DNZ Products brand.

Located just off of U.S. Highway 421 in north Sanford, Certified Machining serves a wide variety of local manufacturers, producing parts in quantities up to about 500,000 pieces and developing prototypes when new parts need to be created.

That sense of innovation and creativity is what led the company to launch DNZ Products by producing and patenting a one-piece scope mount for rifles. Unlike existing options at the time, DNZ Products designed a mount milled from a single block of billet aluminum.

DNZ Products’ scope mount is designed to install easily and stay in place with no movement that would damage the scope, an approach that can improve accuracy and be far less trouble to maintain.

That idea, now incorporated into versions for hunting and tactical rifles, currently generates about 90 percent of the company’s overall busi-

PENTAIR Continued from Page 12D

Pump allows pool owners to program the pump speed for specific tasks such as filtering, heating, cleaning and running spa jets and waterfalls. For most applications, the optimum speed is lower than the unchangeable speeds of older pumps.

This can yield up to 90 percent energy savings compared to traditional pumps.

Pentair was the first manufacturer to earn Energy Star certification for its pumps and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency named Pentair an Energy Star Partner of the Year for the past two years. To qualify for this honor, a company must make an outstanding contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by manufacturing energy-efficient products and educating consumers about energy efficiency.

While Pentair powers pools all over the world, people power Pentair.

The corporate culture gives employees “ownership” in policies affecting their work. For example, safety is one company-wide initiative. Volunteers from several departments form the committee advising company administration on safety guidelines. Also, employees don’t have to wait for an inspection to make recommendations to the committee. Once an employee submits a recommendation, a supervisor is required to contact that employee within one business day to begin resolving the concern.

ness. The DNZ Products line is available everywhere from Bass Pro Shops to about a dozen online retailers, including big names like Amazon.com.

Manufacturing has given Certified Machining a new perspective and range of experience that benefits local clients as well. Anodizing is just one example, since many manufacturers outsource the electrolytic process used to give products better resistance to corrosion and wear. Being a small company allows them to be precise in their work and to produce high-quality products.

“Our employees are the best people to spot opportunities to improve safety in their own work areas,” says Steve Risner, Pentair Aquatic Systems director of plant operations. “Giving our people ownership of the safety process has reduced our number of safety incidents, year-over-year.”

Pentair approaches job roles differently, too.

“We give our people a lot of growth opportunities,” says Jennifer Byerly, Pentair Aquatic Systems human resources manager. “Team members often cross-train in other departments. This expands their options if they decide to apply for a different job within the company. Pentair is a wonderful place to build a career!”

Certified Machining DNZ Products Location 2710 Wilkins Drive Web dnzproducts.com Headquarters Sanford Primary Products Rifle scope mounts, golf cart gas pedal lock, gun holsters and contract manufacturing and machining for industry Founded Locally 1996 Employees 18 Facility Size 17,400 square feet Local Leadership Tim Coggins, President Lisa Coggins, Vice President

277 BISH ROAD, SILER CITY, NC

We Buy Scrap Metal Monday-Friday 8am - 4pm

(919) 663-3336 663

MOEN Continued from Page 7D

performance,” says plant manager Grant Mast. “If we can help our associates find that place where they can both live out a personal passion and meet a business need, we can deliver incredible results.

Our four-career path structure is intended to help deliver just that.”

That dedication to innovation means Moen and its Sanford operation will never grow stagnant.

And it also suggests a promising future ahead.

Established in 1885 as Cole Printing

Recycling in Chatham County Since 1955

?dZkijho (&'+

14D / Thursday, September 24, 2015 / The Sanford Herald

w

t W p d t n s c f

c y c b I c t c More than a dozen employees have helped Wilson Machine handle projects for some of the area’s largest manufacturers — including Caterpillar, GKN Driveline and Mertek Solutions.

Wilson Machine continues growth P

eople traveling through the Lee County Industrial Park will notice something they haven’t seen before: a brand-new sign announcing Wilson Machine and Tool.

Casual observers might think some new company has just set up business in the park, but anyone involved in local industry knows that Wilson Machine has been an important part of the local manufacturing scene for a long time.

“It’s true; we’ve finally got ourselves a sign,” says Ray Wilson, who owns the company that handles projects for some of the area’s largest manufacturers, including Caterpillar, GKN Driveline, Magneti Marelli USA and Mertek Solutions. “That sign has been 27 years in the making, and it looks good, too.”

The fact that Wilson Machine went without a sign for so long is proof that this is one of the more down-to-earth

businesses you’ll find. Wilson and his team make it their goal to build personal relationships, produce quality work and deliver everything on schedule.

Wilson Machine is ISO 9001 certified

by American Global Standards, which requires recertification each year. These goals and ISO quality management certification have helped broadened their customer base.

For a long time, Wilson Machine specialized in CNC machining and making production parts for companies nearby. Then, the company installed new equipment to offer electrical discharge machining, a process that shapes material using electrical discharges, or sparks. That addition expanded Wilson Machine’s capabilities to include work with hardened parts and drew more orders from companies farther away in neighboring states.

Then, Wilson Machine installed three new centers with three- and four-axis machining equipment, which rotates material as it’s shaped and allows programmers to turn out parts with greater precision, producing tolerances within one ten-thousandth of an inch. Two more four-axis centers were installed just recently; further increasing the volume of work local technicians can handle for clients.

During the course of expanding, Wilson Machine added about 75 percent more space to a building that now comes in at 17,500 square feet. “We weren’t really looking to add space, but we were running out of room,” Wilson says. “As we needed to put new machines in, it became difficult even to turn a fork lift around. The changes have

See WILSON, Page 15D

Wilson Machine and Tool

Location 4956 Womack Road Headquarters Sanford Primary Products CNC machining of products for other manufacturers Employees 15 Facility Size 17,500 square feet Local Leadership Ray Wilson, President

Our Customers Drive; We Navigate!

Improving on our already strong technical foundation, STI is investing in a new 12,000 square foot space, adding more warehouse space for finished product, a training room, and our new Research & Development lab.

This addition aligns with our belief that continuous investing in our facilities and resources allows us to maintain our nimble operations with technical strength to match.

We are always looking for those who could contribute to our team.

Have we met you? We’d like to!

www.wstindustries.com 3015 Beechtree Drive - Sanford, NC 27330 Office: 919-775-2320 - Fax: 919-775-2360

www.stipolymer.com 5618 Clyde Rhyne Drive Sanford, NC 27330

g t t p r

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?dZkijho (&'+ IMAGING Continued from Page 5D

what was being produced at Imaging Supplies.

While Imaging Supplies has always kept a tight control on quality, not all companies did.

Walter says the shortcuts others took made some people hesitant to make the switch. But those days are long gone. He says customers now realize there’s no step down in print quality at all and the number of pages that can be printed equals and sometimes surpasses what customers get from cartridges sold by the original-equipment manufacturers.

“What we build here are fully-compatible toner cartridges,” Walter says. “They have the same yield as the original equipment manufacturers’ cartridges and they actually come with a much better warranty. If a customer has any issue with Imaging Supplies Co. products, a technician will come on site — free of charge — and check out the printer or copier. That’s something the others cannot do.”

Another advantage is price, and that quickly grabs the attention of businesses that use a lot of toner. “When I can go into a business and show them how I can save them $100 per cartridge and provide backup services free of charge, they nearly roll out the red carpet.

“Really, there’s no feasible reason you wouldn’t buy one.”

But it’s not just quality and price that keep customers returning. Imaging Supplies also has a strong sense of corporate responsibility.

One example is the company’s emphasis on the environment. Unlike most products sold by printer and copier manufacturers, Imaging Supplies reuses and recycles plastic cartridge parts, aluminum and rubber rollers, which keeps the large, heavy parts from being tossed into local

The Sanford Herald / Thursday, September 24, 2015 / 15D landfills.

With more than 7,100 customers worldwide, company president Vicki Huffman estimates that Imaging Supplies has saved almost 1 million cartridges from being buried in landfills. That’s roughly equal to 3 million pounds of waste, she says, and saves about 600,000 gallons of oil that would have been needed to produce new cartridges if recycled ones hadn’t been purchased. Vicki also says the carbon footprint of each printer is reduced by almost 95 percent by using recycled toners, inks and drum units.

“A lot of people don’t realize that each empty cartridge weighs between three and four pounds,” Vicki explains. “When treated properly, it’s perfectly good to use again, so it makes sense to recycle. And you don’t want to send it back to the manufacturer, because many of them don’t actually reuse the components. If you send it back, you just as well send it directly to the landfill.”

Imaging Supplies is a certified (8a) womanowned business, a formal designation that not only has social implications but also allows the company to compete for more federal contracts.

There’s a long list of criteria that must be met before receiving that certification. Among them, a woman must own the majority of the company, hold the highest position, be active in daily management and be involved in defining the company’s strategic direction.

Vicki says going through the rigorous certification process helped Imaging Supplies take the time to focus on the business and improve the operation and supply chain for all customers.

Along with that unique designation, Imaging Supplies is located in a Historically Underutilized Business Zone, another federally recognized designation that strengthens the company’s position as a government supplier. Vicki says this makes her company one of the few dealerships in the country that is both woman-owned and HUB-certified.

WILSON

TRION

Continued from Page 14D

Continued from Page 6D

made everything more accessible and improved flow.”

While the company is growing, Wilson Machine still places an emphasis on what is more important: building relationships with customers.

Back when he started the business, Wilson began doing work for Electro-Mechanical Solutions, an enterprise founded by Jerry Pedley that now operates as Mertek Solutions. Wilson Machine still works with Pedley’s company; in fact, Mertek even built Wilson’s new sign.

Relationships are important inside the company as well.

Wilson says a lot of sharp people have been working with him for many years, and he values every one of them. Now, that even includes Wilson’s own daughter, Alexis Rae, who recently joined the company after graduating from North Carolina State University as an industrial engineer.

Who knows what the future may hold, Wilson says, she may even take over the business one day.

Their capability and capacity continue to grow, but how they’ve achieved such success remains the same. “It all has to do with the experienced employees and our work,” Wilson says. “Basically we provide a quality product and an on-time delivery. That’s what we strive for.”

company.

Despite such a significant shift, Trion has not skipped a beat. If anything, the company is gaining momentum.

Trion has enjoyed an increase in business from military contracts and recently launched several new products under its Trion, Envirco and Herrmidifier brands — a portfolio that offers customers a range of products to purify the air in residential, commercial, industrial and cleanroom environments.

New products include the ComfortBreeze UV360-1, a high-efficiency, highoutput UV-C lamp that improves the operation

PFIZER Continued from Page 10D

ginning with the manufacturing of clinical trial materials through the commercial launch

of the product. The local site is already working on several products in Pfizer’s product pipeline.

Pfizer Sanford colleagues are proud to play a significant role

in providing life-saving medicines for a healthier world as well as resources to the local Sanford community through monetary donations and volunteer time.

Family Owned & Operated • Proven Experience & Quality

of air conditioning systems; Accu-Fit air cleaners that fit unique system requirements; and MDR16, a remote mount fan controller that controls up to 16 fan filter units.

The company also introduced its new LEAC2, the company’s first fan filter unit with low watts, low profile and high airflow, as well as the Herrtronic 6500 and ComfortSteam 20/22 small-capacity humidifiers designed for residential and light commercial use.

Even during a year of transition, Trion has been able to accomplish so much because of the employees and the company’s dedication to building a successful team. O’Connell says the ownership change brought better employee benefits and that has helped reduce turnover and allowed the company to promote more from within, building an even greater sense of teamwork.

One example was Vision Week, a global campaign celebrating Johnson Controls employees. Helm Hansen, Trion’s plant

In addition to remanufacturing toner cartridges, Imaging Supplies provides e-document storage, allowing companies to scan all of their paper documents and maintain them securely — either online or in-house. It offers both the scanning and storage software used by medical offices, legal firms and industrial companies that allows any customer to cut costs and make records accessible at the click of a mouse.

“Rather than have someone search through boxes or filing cabinets to find where some document is located, you can have all of your documents securely on line and available from a computer,” says Walter. “It is also the only disaster recovery method that can have a business back on line in hours without a single lost record, invoice or security document.

“We go in and do an assessment, looking at how companies produce documents and how they’re using them. In just about every case, we can show the customer ways to save money by cutting the cost of managing current documents as well as old documents. Heck, we use it ourselves. I can access our own database from anywhere and quickly pull up a customer’s file to answer questions or place orders.”

Imaging Supplies also provides sales, leasing and service for new and refurbished imaging equipment — including laser printers, scanners, fax machines and copiers. The company is an authorized service provider for Brother, Canon, EPSON, HP, Kyocera Mita, Lexmark, Minolta, Samsung, Sharp and Xerox.

Whether it’s because of the company’s quality work, lower prices or sense of social responsibility, Imaging Supplies has enjoyed plenty of success as it begins moving toward the two-decade milestone. But its focus is not on the past. It’s on the future and serving local customers for many decades to come.

manager, said this year’s initiative, called “Think Ahead,” focused on how the team and their work could take advantage of company strengths to enhance sustainable and profitable growth.

Every day during the week included some kind of special activity — including games, meals and gifts. Hansen says activities like Vision Week help further engage employees who have already set a high standard.

Trion recently received the N.C. Department of Labor’s Gold Award, an accolade given to companies that achieve and maintain outstanding safety records. It’s the fourth consecutive year Trion received the award, and the company has not experienced an accident requiring time away from work for the last 16 years.

Employees also continued their record of public service with their annual Thanksgiving food drive to help struggling families and “angel tree” project with The Salvation Army to provide disadvantaged children with

Christmas presents.

Whether it’s participating in local charitable projects, manufacturing most of its products in the United States or purchasing supplies and services from area companies, Trion has retained its community focus.

That — combined with a new ownership, strong workforce and vibrant business — is a good recipe for success.

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16D / Thursday, September 24, 2015 / The Sanford Herald

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GKN Leadership would like to thank all employees and their families for their contribution throughout the year.

We would also like to thank the community for their partnership and continued support of GKN Driveline.