Springs, Summer 2020, Vol 59 No 3

SUMMER 2020

THE INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE OF SPRING MANUFACTURE

A Publication of the Spring Manufacturers Institute / Vol. 59, No. 3

Succession Planning Succeeding at Succession 24 Succession Planning Without a Plan 30 COVID-19 and the Spring Industry 34 Engaging Employees Through Times of Crisis 41 Calm Before the Storm: SMI’s 2020 Annual Meeting 44

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September 28-30, 2021 South Point Resort & Casino

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We Are Here For You. We’ve missed being able to personally see you, shake your hand, and thank you for your continued support.

It’s always been the personal relationships that have driven the success of your business and ours. But our service infrastructure is still operating at full steam.

There’s no instruction manual for how to feel during a time like this. Our long history of values and relationships move us to encourage you to stay safe, stay healthy and continue to care for each other.

And finally, we’d like to salute the unselfish heroes who keep emerging during this pandemic, including first responders, medical workers, and those courageous souls who put their lives at risk to save others.

We look forward to seeing you soon.

All your friends at The InterWire Group

1-800-699-6633 www.interwiregroup.com

President’s Message From Bert Goering

SMI Executive Committee President: Bert Goering, Precision Coil Spring Vice President: Gene Huber, Jr., Winamac Coil Spring Secretary/Treasurer: Don Jacobson III, Newcomb Spring At Large: David DeVoe, Plymouth Spring Past President: Steve Kempf, Lee Spring Executive Director: Lynne Carr, SMI

SMI Board of Directors

Nothing is Constant but Change As we all navigate these historic times of our first ever global pandemic, it reminds us all that nothing is constant but change. Whether it is a rapid or “pivot” type of change, such as refining our disaster recovery plans in this current crisis, or a methodical, planned succession plan, there is just no escaping change!

When it comes to succession planning, there is a lot of truth in the old adage, “if you fail to plan, then you are essentially planning to fail.” In family businesses, it is even more critical as generations that don’t have a plan to navigate these “torch passings” can suffer significant asset loss and nasty tax ramifications.

Among the most difficult discussions for any entrepreneur are those about succession planning. Yet such a discussion is like a gift one can give to their children, siblings and employees. There are 27 million closely-held businesses in the U.S. With baby boomers rapidly retiring, 70 percent are expected to transition in the next 20 years. Only about a third of family businesses make it to the second generation, and even fewer (about 12 percent) make it to a third.

According to Union Bank, only 44 percent of families who transition a business have a written plan. A lack of clarity in management leads to dysfunction. Most families do not want to have conversations about mortality or illness. Bake in the family pecking order, plus discussions about money, and you have a recipe for procrastination.

One could also argue that a mentality of succession planning should be integrated into every level of your organization on a systematic approach. Having a structured apprenticeship program can help with forward planning for a retirement bubble in a certain team, or the management team; succession planning should always be on the annual plan for every organization.

Drilling this concept into the granular level, every manager looking to advance should have a personal succession plan of their own. If you can successfully train others in your current duties and roles (allowing others to grow and learn), you prove yourself capable of other higher duties.

The first quarter of 2020 has made it abundantly clear that the only constant in life is “change.“ This includes some that you didn’t see coming — can you say “pandemic”??? and some that you can create a plan around. I am an engineer, so I much prefer the structured methodical approach to change, and at PCS, we strive to make it part of our regular planning process, not just a generational task.

As I said earlier, there is a lot of truth in the adage: “If you fail to plan, you are essentially planning to fail.”

Cheers!

Bert Goering

Jennelle Carlier, S3 Wireform • Kelley Christy, Diamond Wire Spring • Dave Deerwester, The Yost Superior Co. • Joe Devany, Betts Company • Chris Fazio, Diamond Wire Spring • Linda Froehlich, Ace Wire Spring & Form • Brett Goldberg, International Spring • Agustin Estalayo Ibanez, RPK Mexico SA de CV • Don Lyons, Jon Spring • Peter Mendel, Kern-Liebers USA • Rob Meyers, RK Trading • Alex Melnikow, Midstate Spring • Tony Pesaresi, Winamac Coil Spring • Daniel Pierre III, JN Machinery • Keith Porter, Newcomb Spring • Chris Witham, Motion Dynamics Corp. • Tim Zwit, Michigan Spring and Stamping

Springs Magazine Staff Lynne Carr, Advertising Sales, lynne@smihq.org Gary McCoy, Managing Editor, gmccoy@fairwaycommunications.com Dina Sanchez, Assistant Editor, dina@smihq.org Sue Zubek, Art Director, zubekdesign@gmail.com

Springs Magazine Committee Chair, David DeVoe, Plymouth Spring • Reb Banas, Stanley Spring & Stamping • Lynne Carr, SMI • Ritchy Froehlich, Ace Wire Spring & Form • Tim Weber, Forming Systems • Europe Liaison: Wolfgang Herrmann, VDFI • Technical Advisor: Dan Sebastian, Honorary Member Advertising sales - Japan Ken Myohdai, Sakura International Inc. Head Office: 3F,4F, ENDO Sakaisuji Bldg., 1-7-3, Bingomachi, Chuo-Ku, Osaka 541-0051, Japan Phone: 81-6-6624-3601 • Fax: 81-6-6624-3602 Tokyo Global Office: 5F Kamei No. 2 Bldg., 2-17-13, Kiba, Koto-Ku, Tokyo, 135-0042, Japan Phone: 81-3-5646-1160 • Fax: 81-3-5646-1161 E-mail: info@sakurain.co.jp Advertising sales - Europe Jennie Franks, Franks & Co. 63 St. Andrew's Road Cambridge United Kingdom CB41DH Phone/Fax: +44-1223-360472 E-mail: franksco@BTopenworld.com Advertising sales - Taiwan Robert Yu, Worldwide Services Co. Ltd. 11F-B, No 540, Sec. 1, Wen Hsin Rd. Taichung, Taiwan Phone: +886-4-2325-1784 • Fax: +886-4-2325-2967 E-mail: stuart@wwstaiwan.com Springs (ISSN 0584-9667) is published quarterly by SMI Business Corp., a subsidiary of the Spring Manufacturers Institute: 2001 Midwest Road, Suite 106, Oak Brook, IL 60523; Phone: (630) 495-8588; Fax: (630) 495-8595; Web site www.smihq.org. Address all correspondence and editorial materials to this address.

The editors and publishers of Springs disclaim all warranties, express or implied, with respect to advertising and editorial content, and with respect to all manufacturing errors, defects or omissions made in connection with advertising or editorial material submitted for publication.

The editors and publishers of Springs disclaim all liability for special or consequential damages resulting from errors, defects or omissions in the manufacturing of this publication, any submission of advertising, editorial or other material for publication in Springs shall constitute an agreement with and acceptance of such limited liability.

The editors and publishers of Springs assume no responsibility for the opinions or facts in signed articles, except to the extent of expressing the view, by the fact of publication, that the subject treated is one which merits attention.

Do not reproduce without written permission.

Cover art created using images from: ©iStockphoto.com/Mikolette

2 / SPRINGS / Summer 2020

Through it all, ISW is ready to serve you • ISW has been deemed an essential business to serve our customers’ needs • That includes providing vital materials used to make masks, respirators, and ventilators • Count on us for competitively-priced carbon, stainless and non-ferrous wire • We can provide just-in-time delivery for your orders • Contact us for custom wire services for your special projects

How can we help you today? Call ISW and visit our new website at industeel.com

©2020 Industrial Steel & Wire Company

Bristol CT 800-767-4792

Chicago IL 800-767-0408

Cleveland OH 800-767-4434

Charlotte NC 800-767-0089

Toronto ONT 800-767-0408

Querétaro MEX 800-767-0408

Contents

22 FEATURES 22 Succession Planning

By Gary McCoy

24 Succeeding at Succession

By Rob Sligh

26 How To Think About and Achieve Succession Planning

By Phyllis Weiss Haserot

30 Succession Planning Without a Plan

By Reb Banas

32 Flashback

Preserve the Experiences of Your Family Business

By Scott Fithian

34 COVID-19 and the Spring Industry

By Gary McCoy

34

57

48 SMI Awards $31,000 Scholarship in 2020 Scholarship Program

By Gary McCoy

51 Superalloys: Some Thoughts

by Terry Bartel

COLUMNS 11 Be Aware Safety Tips

Where We Have Been and Where We Are Headed: Some OSHA Insight

By Laura Helmrich-Rhodes

15 Dean of Springs

When Are the “Dead” End Coils Active?

By Dan Sebastian

17 Technically Speaking

41 MW Industries Contributes to COVID Response

Types of Tests Used to Characterize Spring Materials— Part 3: The Torsional Ductility Test

By C. Richard Gordon

41 Engaging Employees Through Times of Crisis

21 Spring Design Tips and Tricks

By Lisa Ryan

44 Calm Before the Storm: SMI's 2020 Annual Meeting

By Gary McCoy

4 / SPRINGS / Summer 2020

ASD Software Exports 3D Coordinates

By Todd Piefer

DEPARTMENTS 2 President’s Message

Nothing is Constant But Change

7 Global Highlights 8 Regional Spring Association Report 55 Five Questions

InterWire Products, Inc.

57 Springmaker Spotlight

Special Edition on Succession Planning: Sustaining Scandic Springs for the Next Generation

By Gary McCoy

61 Book Corner 63 CTE News 65 Inside SMI 68 Committee Connection 70 New Products 71 Advertisers’ Index 72 Snapshot

Alex Melnikow, Midstate Spring

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Global Highlights North America Vulcan Spring and Manufacturing Co., a leading designer and manufacturer of flat steel springs and related assemblies for diverse global markets in Telford, Pennsylvania, has appointed Paul Jarossy to the position of vice president, sales and marketing. Jarossy rejoins Vulcan, having previously held the role of director of sales and marketing from 2010–2012. In his new role, Jarossy Paul Jarossy will be responsible for increasing revenue by developing and executing aggressive sales and marketing plans for both industrial and point-of-purchase markets.

In making the announcement, Vulcan’s president Scott Rankin stated, “We are excited to have Paul back at Vulcan Spring. It has been a number of years since he worked with us, and he is bringing us a new set of experiences and ideas to help our sales and marketing reach new heights. His vast knowledge of our products and customers will help guide Vulcan into significant future growth. Welcome back to our team!”

Born in New Jersey, Jarossy attended Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania, attaining a B.A. in business, and later earning his MBA with a concentration in marketing from Wilkes University, Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania. Jarossy has spent his entire career in industrial sales, marketing, and business development roles, having worked for Kaman Industrial Technologies, FlexLink Systems, and Morgan Truck Body. He enjoys woodworking, golf, and spending time with his wife Nadine and his adult children Samantha, Alex, and Kevin.

Obituary Robert “Bob” Hoffenberg, 92, died peacefully May 20, 2020. Hoffenberg was the loving husband of Jane for 69 years; beloved son of the late Mary and Nathan; cherished father of Steven (Joyce), Lynnie (Joel), Scott (Wendy), and Neal (Ruth); adored grandfather of Lindsay (Chris), Dayna (Ryan), Michael (Jojo), Drew, Allison (Jason), Lindsey (Randy), Shawn, Brandon (Colleen), Jaime (Shaun), Ron (Kaleena), Rob (Rachel), Adam (Jaci), Ryann (Chase), Kyle, Justin (Maggie) and Aaron; proud great-grandfather “Bob” of 22; devoted brother of Seretta, and the late Lester, Arnold, Stanley, Irving (the late Sye), Jerry (the late Frima); fun loving uncle to Alan, Earl (Helen) Bruce (Denise), Tina (Dean), Sir Guy, Gail (Freddy) Stuart, Amy (John), Neil (Maggie), the late Barbara and Debbie.

Hoffenberg continued to work daily at Victory Machinery Exchange, Inc. up until the recent COVID-19 shutdown.

According to his son, Neal Hoffenberg, “Bob started working for his brother in 1955 after closing his retail toy store.

His brother passed in 1963 and Bob ultimately purchased Victory Machinery from his sister-in-law, after successfully putting his nephews through college in 1968.”

Hoffenberg was a former weightlifting champion of Indiana, past president of Skokie Indians Boys Baseball and past president of Carlyle Homeowners Association for 26 years.

His hobbies were his family, gardening, sunbathing and his work at Victory Machinery.

International Entrance passes for the new date of wire 2020, International Wire and Cable Trade Fair and Tube 2020, International Tube and Pipe Trade Fair, can now be purchased online at reduced rates at https://tinyurl.com/wlch9dm. wire and Tube will be held concurrently from Dec. 7–11, 2020 at the fairgrounds in Düsseldorf, Germany.

Single day passes cost euro 42 online (euro 60 on show site) and five-day tickets cost euro 82 online (euro 100 on show site). Special offer: Three visitor tickets for the price of two tickets. Purchase at least one one-day ticket and a voucher for a colleague and receive a voucher for a third colleague free of charge.

All tickets (visitor, exhibitor and press) already purchased for the original March 2020 date will remain valid. After logging in at the online ticket shop, the existing tickets can be downloaded again with a new eTicket layout under “My orders.”

All tickets include free use of all public transportation within the Rhine-Ruhr regional network (VRR) of Düsseldorf on all days of wire and Tube 2020.

For further information on visiting or exhibiting at wire or Tube 2020, contact Messe Düsseldorf North America at 312-781-5180 or email: info@mdna.com. Visit www.wiretradefair.com, www.tube-tradefair.com and www.mdna. com or follow the organization on Twitter at http://twitter. com/mdnachicago.

For hotel and travel information, contact TTI Travel, Inc. at 866-674-3476; fax: 212-674-3477; email: info@ttitravel.net or visit www.ttitravel.net. n

SPRINGS / Summer 2020 / 7

©iStockphoto.com/Scott Hirko

Regional Spring Association Report NESMA News

By Jim Mintun, Gibbs Due to the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the New England Spring and Metalstamping Association (NESMA) was forced to shelter-in-place to keep our members safe and healthy. With the uncertainty created by the crisis, the board of directors has been holding our monthly meetings via Go-To-Meeting conference calls to discuss business matters. We increased the frequency to three times per week in an effort to keep member companies informed about the latest in mandates from the various governors’ offices, as well as opportunities for small business loans to help our members navigate through these unprecedented times.

by the uncertainty. Our popular Casino Night, originally scheduled for March 26, 2020, has been rescheduled to Oct. 28 at the DoubleTree Hilton Hotel in Bristol, Connecticut.

Our Vanguard Committee scheduled a May 27 evening at Dunkin’ Donuts Park to watch the Hartford Yard Goats, baseball’s Double A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. With the current baseball season startup now questionable, we were forced to cancel this event until next season. The Wire Association International trade show at the Mohegan Sun Casino in June was cancelled, so our planned bus trip to the event was called off.

Training Fundraising Fundraising events we have sponsored for many years have been impacted

We continue to sponsor more educational and training sessions despite the crisis. Fall classes at Bristol Tech,

aided by Naugatuck Valley Community College, will begin in October and last for 10 weeks. On Tuesday evenings our Fourslide Machine Technologies will be held, while Thursday nights will be devoted to our Spring Winding class.

Please see our website www.nesmausa.com for more details.

Important Dates The following events (all in Bristol) are scheduled for 2020 (subject to change due to the crisis): • Sept. 14, 2020, NESMA Annual Golf Outing at Chippanee Golf Club • Oct. 28, 2020, NESMA Casino Night at DoubleTree Hilton Hotel • Dec. 3, 2020, NESMA Holiday Party at Nuchie’s Restaurant • Dec. 4, 2020, NESMA Annual Meeting at DoubleTree Hilton Hotel

CASMI Report

By Michael Bandy, CASMI Co-Executive Director

SpringWorld 2020 Update SpringWorld 2020 will take place Oct. 7-9, 2020, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois. With more than 90 percent of available space sold on the trade show floor, companies that are interested in exhibiting at SpringWorld 2020 should contact the Chicago Association of Spring Manufacturers, Inc. (CASMI) to secure their participation. Call 630-359-4273, or email info@

8 / SPRINGS / Summer 2020

casmi-springworld.org. Exhibiting information is also available on the organization’s website at www.casmispringworld.org/page/SWExhibiting.

Registration is now open for the event. To learn more about SpringWorld and to register free of charge, visit www.casmi-springworld.org/page/ SWHome. Those who attend SpringWorld will: • Network with other spring manufacturers and wireformers • Gain new insights for your business

• See the newest technology available to improve your productivity, quality and service • Attend free educational seminars offered on the show floor New for 2020: High-quality food stations (e.g., street tacos, carved sandwiches, salads, cash bar, etc.) will be available at various locations to encourage lunch on the trade show floor and stronger attendance during key business hours.

SpringWorld, which is presented

by CASMI every other year, provides a unique opportunity for spring

Regional Spring Association Report

manufacturers, wireformers, OEMs and their suppliers to network, including one-on-one discussions with colleagues to share challenges, discuss solutions, and provide new insights for business.

Attendance includes a game ticket, networking, seating, food and beverage.

Details and registration are available at https://www.casmi-springworld.org/ event/ballpark20.

CASMI to Host an Evening at the Ballpark

“Cannabis in the Workplace” Re-Scheduled for CASMI’s November Meeting

CASMI will host its third installment of “An Evening at the Ballpark” at Impact Field, Rosemont, Illinois, the home of the Chicago Dogs, a team of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball (AAIPB). The AAIPB is the largest and most successful independent minor league baseball league in the United States. The event will take place Aug. 20, 2020.

The March CASMI membership meeting, which was canceled due to the COVID-19 outbreak, has been re-scheduled for Nov. 12, 2020, at Maggiano’s in Schaumburg, Illinois. Mike Wong, a partner at SmithAmundsen’s Labor & Employment Practice Group, will tackle the topic of “Cannabis in the Workplace.”

On Jan. 1, 2020, the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act went into effect,

allowing adults over the age of 21 to legally purchase and use cannabis products. During t h i s pr e s ent ation, Mike Wong, who specia lMike Wong izes in labor and employment law, will discuss how the legalization of marijuana impacts your policies and procedures, including the hiring process, drug testing, disability accommodations and discipline/ termination. Understanding the law itself and different provisions that the law has which specifically address employers is important, so that you can understand and limit your exposure to legal challenges and take steps to have a healthy and productive workforce.

For details, please visit www.casmispringworld.org. n

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Be Aware Safety Tips

Where We Have Been and Where We Are Headed: Some OSHA Insight

By Laura Helmrich-Rhodes, CSP, Ed.D.

I

t is difficult to say what might be an important workplace safety subject by the time this issue of Springs goes to print.

As I write this, the global number of COVID-19 cases just marked 2 million. It appears the reopening of businesses under best precautions possible may be of greatest interest.

Protecting workers, of course, is in the scope of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Some are aware that some states administer worker safety themselves through state-run OSHA. Other states rely on federal OSHA and enforcement (for a list of state plans, visit www. osha.gov/stateplans/statestandards).

Federal OSHA has created COVID-19 guidance (and provides materials in Spanish too). In their April 13, 2020, interim guidance memo (www.osha.gov/memos/2020-04-13/ interim-enforcement-response-plan-coronavirus-disease2019-covid-19), area federal OSHA offices are encouraged to protect their own employees and use electronic resources to follow up on non-health care informal complaints. This memo also gives guidance on identifying risk levels. In other words, OSHA is also concerned about their own employees being exposed to COVID-19 and doing what they can to prevent compliance personnel from becoming ill.

Referring to the OSHA (and referenced Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) materials on the OSHA website is the best place to find resources for safe return to or continuing to work under the threat of COVID-19. For example, as I write this, OSHA just published a “Safe Return to Work for Manufacturing” news release, which underscores the importance of seeking guidance from OSHA directly in this fluid situation. The best advice is to check the OSHA website regularly for updates on how to protect employees (www.dol. gov/newsroom/releases/osha/osha20200416).

In the meantime, let’s look at OSHA’s activity during the past year, specifically their interaction with this industry. Data were obtained from federal OSHA based on our North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS), which is a four to six-digit code that arranges businesses based on operations. This number is used for a variety of things including workers’ compensation risk determination.

A company may have more than one appropriate NAICS number depending on various operations. The NAICS number for this inquiry was 332613, Spring and Wire Product Manufacturing.

Referring to the OSHA (and referenced Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) materials on the OSHA website is the best place to find resources for safe return to or continuing to work under the threat of COVID-19.

The Data Over the year dating April 16, 2019 to April 16, 2020, there were 10 OSHA visits (this includes both state and federal OSHA data). A total of 17 citations were levied against those 10 companies. Seven of the visits were “partial.” This means they were not “wall-to-wall” inspections. Three of the seven were “referrals.” This means that another agency of some sort alerted OSHA to the need for a Compliance Safety and Health Officer (CSHO) to visit the employer.

Potential referrals come from other government offices, such as, wage and hour, environmental protection, and emergency management such as ambulance/fire agencies.

Referrals can also come from the media. The data presented does not specify where the referrals originated. Two of the visits were due to employee complaints. Three of the 10 were “planned.” These are often part of local or national emphasis programs (NEP).

Examples of a local or national emphasis program would be amputation prevention, combustible dust explosion prevention or forklift safety. These are developed by a national agenda as well as local needs and driven by injury/fatality data. A

Laura Helmrich-Rhodes, CSP, Ed.D., is an independent regulations compliance consultant to the Spring Manufacturers Institute (SMI). A former member of PA/OSHA Consultation, she is an associate professor in the Safety Sciences Department at Indiana University of Pennsylvania where she teaches graduate and undergraduate classes on topics such as OSHA standards, safety communications, workers’ compensation and human relations. Rhodes is available for safety advice and information. Contact SMI at 630-495-8588 or laurahrhodes@gmail.com.

SPRINGS / Summer 2020 / 11

Incident Rate Comparison Worksheet (2018 BLS Data) All of Private Industry

Wire and Spring Manufacturing

Total Cases

2.8

3.9

Cases with DART

1.6

2.4

Cases with Days Away

0.9

1.1

Cases with Transfer or Restriction

0.7

1.3

Other Recordable Cases

1.3

1.5

review of fatality and catastrophic events for NAICS 332 revealed that 20 events occurred in the U.S. over the year (April 16, 2019 through April 16, 2020), 17 of which were fatal. Keep in mind that data is not just for wire and spring manufacturing, but a larger category of fabricated metal products. Still, the number is informative and alerts company owners that tragic injuries and deaths are possible, and every effort should be made to prevent such occurrences.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2018 incident rates of

nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses by industry and case types, 2018 Table 1, Spring and Wire Products Manufacturing incurred the following losses: 3.9 total recordable cases, 2.4 total cases with days away from work with job restriction or transfer, 1.1 cases with days away from work, 1.3 cases with days of job transfer or restriction, and 1.5 other recordable cases. This compares to all of private industry’s 2.8 total recordable cases, 1.6 total cases with days away from work with job restriction or transfer, 0.9 cases with

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days away from work, 0.7 cases with days of job transfer or restriction, 1.3 other recordable cases.

The key is to compare company data to the data provided (see work sheet).

The information is located on your OSHA Summary Sheet that is posted every April 1. (If you have fewer than 10 employees, you do not accumulate this data but could use multiple years to create your own incident rate).

Although these are lagging indicators, it can be informative to an organization with either a newly created formal safety

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program or for a company who is struggling with losses. Some questions have been raised as to the validity of incident rates of very small companies. Again, the answer is in using more data over several years to get a clearer comparison. (For more information on Incident Rates, see “Useful Websites” below.)

The Citations OSHA’s posted list of most frequently cited standards for Spring and Wire Product Manufacturing (NAICS 332613) covers the period October 2018 through September 2019, with 31 companies incurring 127 citations.

These 31 companies paid $542,110 in fines during that period. The most frequently cited OSHA standard was control of hazardous energy (lock out/tagout), at $149,992 in fines paid by nine companies. The costliest fine was machine guarding, with citations at $194,453 (15 citations at 12 companies). Those top citations were followed by hazard communication,

respiratory protection and electrical.

Others that made the list were walking working surfaces, forklifts, and guarding power transmission portion of equipment (belts, pulleys, gears, etc.).

Based on the above and the advent of COVID-19, employers should be ready to answer questions about what steps are being taken regarding OSHA standards related to respiratory protection, personal hygiene and prevention of infectious disease. If there is a lesson learned as to the source of OSHA inspections, it is to work diligently to communicate with employees so that complaints to the agency do not occur. Active listening and appropriate reaction to employee suggestions and concerns can reduce the need for agency interaction. n

Useful Websites This website explains incident rates and the calculations for very small businesses: https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/ standardinterpretations/2016-08-23

Handling COVID-19 Complaints https://www.ehstoday.com/covid19/ article/21128804/how-to-prepare-for-covid19related-safety-complaints OSHA Recordkeeping Advisor https://webapps.dol.gov/elaws/OSHARecordkeeping.htm

To-Do List • Look at OSHA.gov Return to Work COVID-19 requirements

• Compare company OSHA data to national average

• Review and Update »» Crisis/Emergency Action Plan »» Visitor Policies »» Lockout/Tagout Written Program and Written Shut Down Procedures »» Machine Guarding »» Hazard Communication (inventory, SDS, labels and update training) »» Respiratory protection program

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SPRINGS / Summer 2020 / 13

Plan now to participate in SpringWorld® 2020!

Join your colleagues at the industry’s premier event.

SpringWorld provides a unique opportunity to network with other spring manufacturers, wire formers, and OEMs. • The premiere spring show since 1960.

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SpringWorld® 2020 October 7-9 Donald E. Stephens Convention Center Rosemont, IL

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Dean of Springs

When Are the “Dead” End Coils Active?

By Dan Sebastian

I

n spring design 101 we are taught that the end coils, which have almost no pitch or touch the adjacent coil, should be treated as inactive for calculations. In general this is true, but in certain applications they can become active. This is most common in highly dynamic applications.

High Speeds*

©iStockphoto.com/maxbmx

In certain applications, springs are expected to operate at very high rates of speed. If the speed approaches the natural frequency or one of its nodes, serious problems can occur.

A node is a fraction of the frequency (i.e. 1/2, 1/8, 1/11, 1/13).

This is normally not a factor if you are higher than the 13th node (1/13). If you are in a danger zone, the end coils can become active as a surge wave is generated; the wave will reflect off the stationary end, which can cause it to leave its seat and results in no load on the contact surface.

The spring designer can lessen the effect of these surge waves by building in very “slow closings” or even adding inactive coils.

In the case above, as the surge Inactive coils wave traverses down the spring, the inactive coils will become active. This changes the spring rate, which in turn changes the natural frequency and can dampen out the effect of the surge wave. This is something most spring designers can work with as long as they know the speeds (frequencies) that a spring will see. The challenge is how much room the device manufacturer has provided for the spring.

Impact Loading* Another highly dynamic application that spring designers are asked to design uses a spring to absorb impact loads. The very nature of an impact load (the almost instantaneous stopping of mass) causes surge waves to be generated and then absorbed by the spring. In most cases, the spring will release the energy at a calculable force and return to its pre-loaded position. Over time, and due to the frequency of the impact load, the spring will have a finite life and produce a “normal” spring failure rate.

The very nature of an impact load (the almost instantaneous stopping of mass) causes surge waves to be generated and then absorbed by the spring.

A number of years ago, one of our plants made springs designed for impact loading but encountered a very unusual failure mode. In spite of the typical failure mode for this kind of application, we saw springs that did not fail in the body but instead only the very end of the springs broke off.

It took awhile for us to find the root cause. It turns out the inpact load was applied by a bar that was not larger than the spring’s OD. When the surge wave returned and the bar was still in place, the forces were so great that the top would bend backward around the bar after a number of repetitions. Then it would break off just like a paper clip breaks after a few cycles of bending.

Conclusions It turns out that dead or inactive coils can become active in highly dynamic enviroments. This is why a spring designer must understand how and how often (cycle frequency) the spring must respond to the forces. Beyond the calculated loads and contact forces, you will also have to carefully look at the material selection. As in any fatigue application, it is important to understand the effect of strength and fracture toughness in the material selected. n * The calculations to support the design selection can be found in the SMI “Encyclopedia of Spring Design” in the compression, extension, garter and torsion spring section.

Dan Sebastian is a former SMI president and currently serves as a technical consultant to the association. He holds a degree in metallurgical engineering from Lehigh University and his industry career spans more than four decades in various technical and management roles. He may be reached by contacting SMI at 630-495-8588.

SPRINGS / Summer 2020 / 15

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Technically Speaking

Types of Tests Used to Characterize Springmaking Materials — Part 3: The Torsional Ductility Test

By C. Richard Gordon

I

n the Winter 2020 issue of Springs1, I discussed the tensile test as an important mechanical test for springmaking materials. In the Spring 2020 issue of Springs2, I discussed the coiling and wrapping tests as important technological tests for springmaking materials. This is the third article in the series on the subject, which will discuss another important test used to characterize springmaking materials, the torsional ductility test, or torsion test. This article includes materials from the presentation that I made at the 2019 SMI Metal Engineering eXpo in Pittsburgh3.

The type of torsion testing varies from product to product but can be characterized as failure, proof or product operation testing.

• Failure testing – Twisting the product, component or specimen until failure as an indication of ductility.

• Proof testing – Applying a torsional load and holding this torque load for a fixed period of time.

• Operational testing – Testing complete assemblies or products to verify that the product performs as expected under torsional load.

Overview

Specimens suitable for torsion testing can take many forms. Torsion properties can be determined from a machined metal sample, wire/rod/bar/cable/tube, or from complete products and components.

This article will focus on failure testing of round wire and rod. The torsion test will be described along with the different assessment parameters, including number of twists to failure, fracture appearance, and torque as a function of the number of twists.

The torsion test has been standardized and details can be found in 1) “ASTM A938 – 18 Standard Test Method for Torsion Testing of Wire4” and 2) “ISO 7800:2012 – Metallic Materials – Wire – Simple Torsion Test5.”

Torsional ductility in high carbon steel products is fascinating in that it can be a function of a number of factors, including steel wire rod characteristics, wire drawing practice, heat treatment and test condition.

The torsion test has evolved over time. The test was originally developed as a ductility test where wire samples were

In general, the testing of materials represents an important part of all quality work. It can include the control of incoming raw materials, materials in production, and produced materials or components before delivery.

Many different techniques are used, including chemical analysis; microscopy; nondestructive testing; mechanical tests such as tensile strength, hardness and fatigue; and technological tests such as bending, torsion, coiling, wrap and weldability In this series of articles, we have focused on mechanical and technological tests used to characterize springmaking materials. In this article, the torsional ductility (torsion) test will be discussed.

The uniformity of tensile strength and ductility of the wires used to produce springs are critical to successful spring production and end use. The torsion test can be good indicator of these properties, but primarily as a measure of ductility.

Torsion Testing Torsional ductility is an important quality parameter for assessing the suitability of wire for many wire products, including springs, because many products and components are subject to torsional forces during operation. It is included as a specification parameter for many sophisticated product standards worldwide because the test can identify suspect material which may result in a spring failure.

Torsion tests can be performed by applying only a rotational motion, or by applying both axial (tension or compression) and rotational forces to the sample of interest.

Rick Gordon is the technical director for SMI. He is available to help SMI members and non-members with metallurgical challenges such as fatigue life, corrosion, material and process-related problems. He is also available to help manage and oversee processes related to failure analysis. This includes sourcing reputable testing labs throughout North America, forwarding member requests to the appropriate lab and reporting results and recommendations.

He can be reached at c.richard.gordon@gmail. com or 574-514-9367.

SPRINGS / Summer 2020 / 17

Gauge length Torsion loading

Axial tensile loading Figure 1. Manually operated torsion test unit showing important test parameters.

twisted to failure. Product specifications were developed with a minimum specification limit for the number of twists. The test revealed material imperfections due to chemical segregation, surface laps and seams in the incoming rod, and imperfections introduced during the wire drawing process which could affect final product performance.

Figure 1 shows the key elements of a historical torsion testing unit.

These include the gauge length, fixturing to apply an axial tensile load, and handle to apply the torsional twisting load.

Universal drill type chuck grips were introduced as method to effectively secure the sample. A provision was added in ASTM A938 to allow bending the ends of the torsion test sample to reduce slippage for higher strength and larger diameter samples. Both are shown in Figure 2.

Commercially available torsion test units are shown in Figure 3.

Wire fracture appearance was added as an assessment criterion when it was realized in some cases that product performance did not correlate with the twist count alone. Figure 4 shows photographs of two types of torsion fractures.

A

Figure 2. Photograph of universal drill type chucks and a sketch from ASTM A938 showing permissible 90° bends at the ends of a tests pecimen.

B

Figure 4. 1.00 mm dry drawn wire showing: A) a completely flat ductile torsion test fracture surface (desirable) and B) a delaminated helix (undesirable)6.

With the development of sensor technology, torque measurements could be made during the test which lead to an improved understanding of the fracture process during testing. In addition, torsional properties of materials could be characterized such as: • Modulus of elasticity in shear • Shear yield strength • Ultimate shear strength Figure 5 shows a torsion test unit instrumented with a torque sensor. The insert shows typical torque-twist output from the test for two specimens.

The Wire Association International (WAI) produced a series of videos as part of their HardWIRED educational video program. A “Wrap Testing and Torsion Twist Testing” video7 was produced, which shows both tests for wire.

Figure 6 shows an image from the video at the end of a torsion test. For illustration purposes, a black line was marked along one side of the sample before testing. It is interesting to note the uniformity of spacing between the helical lines as well as the perpendicular (desirable) flat fracture.

Figure 3. Commercially available torsion test units: a) Instron (www. instron.us/) bench top torsion test unit and b) a free standing Sjogren (www.sjogren.com/) torsion test unit.

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Specification Review The torsion test is described in “ASTM A938-18 Standard Test Method for Torsion Testing of Wire 4”and “ISO 7800:2012 Metallic Materials – Wire – Simple Torsion Test5” which address the requirements for simple torsion (twist) testing of metallic wire. Both testing standards require that the wire specimen be twisted about the longitudinal axis until it fails. Upon failure, the number of turns or twists to failure are recorded.

Figure 5. Torsion test unit instrumented with a torque sensor with typical torquetwist output shown in the insert.

Figure 6. Image from the WAI wrap testing and torsion twist testing video7 showing the flat fracture surface and uniform twist.

Figure 7. Schematic representation showing the influence of a) sulfur and b) nitrogen on torsional ductility for high carbon steel wire.

ISO 7800 includes sketches of various fractures in order to characterize fracture categories.

In a review of 15 ASTM standards published for cold formed springs produced from carbon and alloy steels and stainless steels, only two included the simple torsion test/modified torsion test (twist test): 1. “ASTM A228/A228M-18, Standard Specification for Steel Wire, Music Spring8” includes a torsional ductility requirement (number of twists to fracture and fracture appearance) and 2. “ASTM A230/A230M-19 Standard Specification for Steel Wire, Carbon Valve Spring Quality9” has a twist requirement, which is a modified torsion test where only the fracture appearance is assessed.

Information developed over several decades in pursuit of improved torsional ductility yielded the following factors which can affect torsional ductility:

• The raw material—hot rolled wire

• • • • •

rod used to produce wire (composition including element targeting and residual elements, segregation, microstructure, surface imperfections such as laps and seams) Wire drawing die practice (reduction per pass and wire drawing die geometry) Intermediate patent heat treatment (microstructure) Wire drawing lubrication (surface and temperature) Cooling during and after wire drawing (temperature) Torsion test condition (twist rate)

In general, it was observed that torsional ductility decreases with increasing strength and increasing wire diameter.

Examples Two significant examples discussed in the 2019 SMI Metal Engineering eXpo presentation3 which were found to impact torsional ductility were:

1. Hot rolled wire rod composition — residual elements sulfur and nitrogen and 2. Wire drawing die geometry – wire drawing die approach angle.

Steel Residual Element Effects In the “Springmaking Materials/ Materials Design Philosophy” article published in the Fall 201910 issue of Springs, the effect of element compositions in carbon, alloy and stainless steels were discussed. Among those elements, sulfur and nitrogen were found to have a significant impact on torsional ductility.

Figure 7 shows schematic representations for three wire diameters between torsional ductility of high carbon steel wire and sulfur composition or nitrogen composition. Lower levels of each element show higher torsional ductility values. In general, this is because sulfur is related to the size and distribution of inclusions (dirt) in the steel and nitrogen affects the strain aging sensitivity of the steel.

SPRINGS / Summer 2020 / 19

Carbide die or nib

Bell radius Entrance angle

Steel casing

Back relief Bearing or land

Approach angle

Torsional Ductility (Twists to Failure - 8 in. Gage Length)

30 28 26 24 22 20 18 16

Figure 8. Cross section of a tungsten carbide wire drawing die.

Wire Drawing Die Geometry­— Effect of Approach Angle For the discussion of wire drawing die geometry, some definitions are necessary. Figure 8 shows a cross section of a tungsten carbide wire drawing die with important features identified.

The following section provides a brief description of the features.

“Wire drawing takes place in a tungsten carbide nib which is contained typically in a carbon steel case. The die entry geometry, which includes the bell and entrance angles, is designed to promote wire drawing lubricant flow and alignment and reduce abrasion. The approach angle (one of the most important features of the die and discussed below) establishes the deformation zone where the actual size reduction takes place. The bearing section is designed to preserve the drawn wire size. The back relief is designed to minimize scraping at the die exit.”

Figure 9 shows the influence of the wire drawing die approach angle on torsional ductility of 0.093 in. diameter high carbon steel wire. Historically, an approach angle of 12 degrees has been used for high carbon steel wire drawing. By reducing the approach angle to 8–9 degrees, a significant improvement can be realized for torsional ductility. Improvements in torsional ductility translate to a reduction of

20 / SPRINGS / Summer 2020

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

Wire Drawing Die Approach Angle (degrees)

13

14

15

Figure 9. The effect of wire drawing die approach angle on torsional ductility of 0.093 in. diameter high carbon steel wire.

non-conforming product and can allow for the use of lower cost steels to achieve satisfactory product performance.

Summary

References 1. Gordon, C.R., Types of Tests Used to Characterize Springmaking Materials – Part 1: The Tensile Test, Springs, Winter 2020, p.27

In this article, the torsion test was described along with key ductility measures. Torsional ductility can be a function of many factors involving the raw material, the wire drawing and heat-treating processes, and testing conditions. Torsional ductility improvement ideas involving steel composition and wire drawing die geometry were described.

2. Gordon, C.R., Types of Tests Used to Characterize Springmaking Materials – Part 2: The Coiling and Wrapping Tests, Springs, Spring 2020, p. 27

Moving Forward

4. ASTM A938 – 18 Standard Test Method for Torsion Testing of Wire (replaced E558) (https://www.astm.org/)

The bend, reverse bend and hardness tests are planned for review in future articles.

Future Work I believe the torsion test should be included in other ASTM spring wire standards as it is a recognized test for characterizing the ductility of wire products. Through the inclusion of the torsion test as a product testing requirement for other ASTM spring wire standards, I believe this represents a possible opportunity for springmakers to assure a more uniform product is received. I plan to discuss this at a future ASTM subcommittee meeting. n

3. Gordon, C.R., Torsional Ductility as an Important Quality Parameter for Spring Making Materials, SMI Metal Engineering Expo 2019, https:// www.metalengineeringexpo.org/ wp-content/uploads/2019/10/ Torsional-Ductility-as-an-Important-Quality-Parameter-SMI-Gordon-092319.pdf

5. ISO 7800:2012 – Metallic Materials – Wire – Simple Torsion Test (replaced ISO R136) 6. W. Van Raemdonck et al., “Torsion Tests as a Tool for High Strength Wire Evaluations,” Steel Cord Technical Report, Wire Association International (1993), p.87.

7. Wrap Testing and Torsion Twist Testing Video, https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=XuG9zL4SBGk. 8. ASTM A228/A228M-18 Standard Specification for Steel Wire, Music Spring Quality 9. ASTM A230/A230M-19 Standard Specification for Steel Wire, Carbon Valve Spring Quality 10. Gordon, C.R., Springmaking Materials / Materials Design Philosophy, Springs, Fall 2019, p. 23.

ASD Software Exports 3D Coordinates

Spring Design Tips and Tricks

By Todd Piefer

S

Figure 1: ASD Extension Spring Design Example.

Figure 2: Z-X Centerline Coordinate Plot from ASD for the Extension Spring Example in Figure 1.

Table 1: Coordinates for the spring shown in Figure 2.

prings are often vital machine design components. As such, engineers need to integrate springs into their 3D models. The SMI/UTS Advanced Spring Design (ASD) software now includes 3D coordinate export via its Tools menu. The 3D coordinates are exported to a .CSV file that can be viewed in Microsoft Excel or text editors and imported into solid modeling programs. Springmakers with ASD can email the coordinates to their customers as part of their service to them.

ASD spring designs involve complex helical shapes that can be tricky to generate in solid modeling programs. Extension springs can have various end shapes proceeding from cylindrical or tapered body coils. The process is simplified if the 3D coordinates are made available as they are in ASD. An example of an ASD extension spring design is shown in the figure below with inputs shown in bold.

One of three ASD coordinate plots is shown in Figure 2, presenting the Z and X axis coordinates with tapered end coils.

The table below contains a portion of the Excel file showing the exported coordinates for this spring. There are 1883 values in each column.

These coordinates can be imported into solid modeling software with the wire diameter of 0.100 in. applied. An example image is shown in Figure 3.

“Spring Design Tips and Tricks” is a new feature designed to help those who use the ASD software on a regular basis. If you have a question you would like addressed by Todd Piefer of UTS or Gary Van Buren, SMI’s technical advisor, please contact Van Buren at gvanburen2@gmail.com. n Todd Piefer is project manager at Universal Technical Systems, Inc. (UTS).

UTS partners with SMI in developing and supporting the ASD software. With experience in mathematical modeling and numerical methods, Piefer supports the full-line of UTS engineering software programs. He provides spring designers with technical support and web-based orientations for ASD. Piefer can be reached at todd@uts.com or 815-963-2220.

Figure 3: Extension spring 3D image.

SPRINGS / Summer 2020 / 21

22 / SPRINGS / Summer 2020

Succession Planning

By Gary McCoy

A

ll businesses, especially those owned by families, face the inevitable task of transitioning leadership and/or ownership between generations.

According to an article by Will Kenton at Investopedia. com, “Succession planning is a strategy for passing on leadership roles—often the ownership of a company—to an employee or group of employees. Also known as ‘replacement planning,’ it ensures that businesses continue to run smoothly after a company’s most important people move on to new opportunities, retire or pass away.”

This issue looks at how the spring industry is facing the succession planning challenge. We have assembled a series of articles to assist springmakers from among the many resources available and include practical stories from two springmakers.

“It’s hardly an exaggeration to consider the successful transition of ownership and leadership from one generation to the next as two family business miracles,” begins Rob Sligh, a consultant with The Family Business Consulting Group, Inc. You’ll find more practical advice on how to overcome the odds to pass a business between generations in his article “Succeeding at Succession” on page 24.

Phyllis Weiss Haserot is the president of Practice Development Counsel and specializes in helping companies solve their intergenerational challenges. Her article, “How To Think About and Achieve Succession Planning,” looks at the urgency of putting together a succession plan and some cross-generational considerations that companies may face.

You can find her article on page 26.

As we examine the subject of succession planning, we present a “Flashback” article published in the January 2005 issue of Springs. “Preserve the Experiences of Your Family Business” by Scott Fithian, found on page 32, provides a

process to consider in succession plans to preserve the perspective and history of the company so future generations will know the origin of the family business and all the experiences that made it succeed. Fithian believes, “This will help them carry the business’s success into the future.”

Former SMI president Reb Banas of Stanley Spring and Stamping Corporation shares what he has learned about the process in “Succession Planning Without a Plan,” on page 30.

One family is in the midst of passing their business from the second to the third generation, as you can read about in our regular “Springmaker Spotlight” feature. In a “Special Edition on Succession Planning: Sustaining Scandic Springs for the Next Generation,” you will find the story of Scandic Springs in San Leandro, California, where current company president Hale Foote is in the midst of passing the torch to his oldest daughter, Andrea. There was a time when Foote was uncertain whether the business would endure to the third generation. Read more on page 57.

If you are looking for a short, practical guide to succession planning, be sure to check out our “Book Corner” review of “Family Business Succession: The Final Test of Greatness” on page 61. Originally written in 1992, you’ll find a good, nuts and bolts guidebook that has been updated many times to help those who are starting down the path of succession planning, or who have already put together a plan and are looking for a benchmark comparison.

Relay races in track or swimming require several individuals to be involved. Regardless of the race, each person counts on the other person to do their part. As in a relay race, passing a business from one generation to the next involves a host of people to get the job done. We hope this issue inspires and educates you along the way as you tackle this challenge.

Good luck passing the baton!

SPRINGS / Summer 2020 / 23

So, it’s important to consider why and how some family businesses succeed for generations. With each succeeding generation, in an essential process of renewal, families agree on answers to important foundational questions: • What is the purpose of our proactively engaging as an extended family?

• What is the purpose of staying together as family enterprise owners?

• To what extent, if any, will family members be engaged in business leadership? ©iStockphoto.com/AJ_Watt

Succeeding at Succession

By Rob Sligh

I

t’s hardly an exaggeration to consider the successful transition of ownership and leadership from one generation to the next as two family business miracles.

Consider, perhaps in an ideal world, a founder and an only daughter in business together. They get along well and own the business 50/50. When the founder retires, the daughter becomes chairman and CEO and spends the next decade buying out the founder’s share.

But of course, it’s rarely that simple.

The second generation typically includes multiple siblings. Often they all become owners, with at least part of that transfer placed into one or more trusts through gifting. All or some may be leaders in the business. While they are different people with a variety of

24 / SPRINGS / Summer 2020

interests, they generally have the bond that comes from growing up in the same household.

We call G3 “the cousin generation” and things become more complicated.

There may be 10 or 20 family owners in the family enterprise that may own more than one business. Some owners are involved in family business leadership, but many or even most are not. Cousins grow up in different households. They have different backgrounds, interests and goals.

Overcoming the Odds Only about three percent of family businesses make it through the fourth generation, where complexity can increase exponentially.

It may be that extended family owners share beliefs about human nature, family enterprise culture and legacy, and directions for the fruitful investment of time and money.

They may see themselves as stronger together — culturally, competitively and financially — than if they went their separate ways. Those are the kinds of things that can represent a strong purpose for proactively engaging extended family or staying together as family enterprise owners.

Active Owners Ownership is an active endeavor, whether it’s combined with business leadership or not. Owners elect the board of directors as well as influence the selection of top leaders and the direction of the company.

Ultimately, owners decide who has an opportunity to buy or receive shares.

Owners support business leadership with loyalty, engagement, motivation and compensation. They are actively involved and knowledgeable about business culture, values, people and plans, how plans are carried out and the effects on customers, employees and owners. Owners properly expect information, emotional value, leadership accountability, a competitive return for the risk undertaken and

viable options for liquidity. But ownership is not the same as management.

Owners can’t just walk into a business and tell people what to do. And ownership does not confer a right to be part of business leadership. NextGen members often work simple jobs in the family business beginning at young ages. They get to know people who work in the business and develop a front line view. Many family businesses encourage or even require NextGen members out of school to work full time at another business to gain experience and earn promotion independently. If they later join the family business, the outside success boosts their self-confidence and credibility with family business employees.

New ideas are better accepted when NextGen members have firsthand experience working elsewhere.

Leading for the Long Run Successful family enterprises include involved families, but that doesn’t necessarily mean there needs to be a family CEO. Many family businesses evolve in later generations to a nonfamily CEO for a business that the family owns. Whether family enterprises are led by family or non-family, a frequent competitive advantage over private-equity owned companies and public companies is longer leadership tenure and a longer range strategic view.

The creation of an independent board of advisors or board of directors is often described years after implementation as one of the best decisions ever made by a family business. Comprised of three or more risk-taking peers who meet formally three to five times a year and informally in-between, the outside board can be helpful with: • Strategy • Ownership and leadership succession • New investment proposals

• Top leadership accountability and compensation Beyond that, many families find that boards with independent directors help professionalize discussion of difficult topics.

Management gains value from preparing well-founded and ultimately concise materials for board books. It takes time and effort to distill information down to what’s vitally important and relevant. The chairman (not necessarily the CEO) plays an important role in participatively developing board agendas that assume good preparation by everyone on the board and focusses discussion on the key few, most important board-level issues.

The right timing for top business leadership transition will vary. But just as it’s understandable that the shorter term focus of private equity and public market owners can result in lower, longer term returns compared to family-owned enterprises, it’s also understandable that leadership can stay too long. For example, it’s natural for successful top leaders to feel after a decade or two that gains should be consolidated and paid out to shareholders. The younger generation often feels the business should be investing and growing to remain successful in the face of changing markets and emerging competitors. The NowGen may have trouble letting go. The NextGen may have trouble grabbing on to the hard work and relentless responsibility of top leadership. That can be an inflexion point where non-family top leadership or selling operating assets are among the options considered.

There are many ways to be involved in family enterprises. Family collaboration can continue after a family business or a family business operating unit is sold. Families can invest together through a family office and a family foundation. They can share

The creation of an independent board of advisors or board of directors is often described years after implementation as one of the best decisions ever made by a family business.

values and celebrate their common history through a family council and a family assembly, or people or family units can decide to go their own way.

What’s essential in each generation is to ask and answer: What is the purpose of our proactively engaging as an extended family? Of staying together as family enterprise owners? To what extent, if any, will family members be engaged in business leadership? Business can be a means of achieving family purpose, but it is not the purpose itself.

How wonderful for communities, employees and families when a family business enterprise finds a way to succeed for generations and enjoys doing so in the process. n Rob Sligh is a consultant with The Family Business Consulting Group, Inc., a leading management consulting firm serving the unique needs of multi-generational family businesses worldwide. Learn more at www.thefbcg.com.

SPRINGS / Summer 2020 / 25

©iStockphoto.com/skynesher

Ideally the succession planning and gradual transitioning for any critical position should be a five-year process whenever retirement of the incumbent can be anticipated well in advance. Two years at least is required to have the transition securely and confidently in hand.

When succession is necessary abruptly owing to illness, death, defections to another company or personal preference, much less time is available for planning and preparing successors, but the same steps apply at a speedier pace.

Triangular Approach

How to Think About and Achieve Succession Planning

by Phyllis Weiss Haserot

O

ften overlooked among the pressures of the day, until it becomes urgent, is succession planning and client/customer transitioning. For several years succession planning has ranked at or near the top of priorities in surveys of senior management and HR professionals. Yet the response that only about 30 percent are actually doing something about it, has seen very little uptick all those years in both good and bad economic times.

Well, if there were ever bad times, we are in them now, in both public health and economic terms, and the urgency for succession planning has never been higher in our lifetimes! Change affecting just about everything turned on a dime in a few weeks because necessary

26 / SPRINGS / Summer 2020

planning was ignored for years. We have seen that denial is not an effective strategy.

The “Why” of Urgency Change happens, like it or not, and you want to be in control. Time is necessary to instill trust and confidence in the designated successor and to be sure the chemistry is right.

Companies need to put an institutional process in place in order not to lose customers and highly valued talent when a transition and succession must occur. Succession planning is crucial to avoid business disruption and to retain the value of the brand.

So, it needs to be a continual part of your business strategy.

Transitions are an emotional experience. It is important to acknowledge that and build in sensitivity and flexibility. It’s often hard for the incumbent to let go, or there is a sudden illness, death or voluntary departure. All are emotional experiences, even if the baton passes to a family member, in fact, often especially if a family member is the chosen successor.

The first step toward sustained success is to integrate succession planning into the business model. It’s not its own separate silo. When the need for transition can be anticipated, which often happens in family and other closely held businesses, the process involves the incumbent, the protégé/ successor and the customer or other key stakeholder. It needs to be carried out very intentionally, planning with the customer or team for the eventual transfer as seamlessly as possible.

Cross-Generational Considerations Conduct dialogues with younger generations, whether family or unrelated executives to develop flexible, transparent, and collaborative approaches to transitioning customers and assuring the same or higher level of service delivery and solid relationships. Their voices are important and need to be heard—even if uncomfortable at first —for sustainable businesses.

Given the small X Generation, there is the possibility of a Gen X leadership gap. There are big boomer shoes to fill, and some Gen Xers may not want to make the personal sacrifices the boomers have made.

Companies and Gen Xers within them need strategies to encourage the older generations, usually boomer leaders and managers today, to mentor, coach and otherwise prepare the next generations to meet client and customer expectations. Often this does not come naturally between those two generations, with boomers often not wanting to leave their position and relationships and the Gen Xers frustrated with the long wait to take charge. It’s important to get quite familiar with generational differences in work/life priorities and work structure. Meaningful intergenerational conversations are crucial when divergences arise to sort the issues out and resolve conflicts as soon as possible. That’s why a company policy and advance planning is so necessary.

Essential Steps for Success Maintaining a thriving business and valued reputation requires ongoing succession planning.

• Practice transparency in planning and implementation.

• Make customer retention and satisfaction a top priority.

• Provide for training, coaching, mentors and sponsors.

Common Fears through Generational Lenses Knowing common fears of each generation regarding retaining their status and progress in the company and industry provides insights on the emotional obstacles and how to make transitions less threatening. Some of those fears may be:

• Look at all critical roles, not just

Ideally the succession planning and gradual transitioning for any critical position should be a five-year process whenever retirement of the incumbent can be anticipated well in advance.

the top ones.

• Don’t stop with the succession “plan.” Success is in the execution.

• Couple the plan with continual, prompt knowledge transfer.

• Pay attention to fair compensation for transitioning.

To preserve a positive brand reputation, generational differences need to be embraced and bridged to convey a consistent brand of business development, service delivery and customer transitioning from generation to generation.

Breaking Through Resistance to Succession Planning Resistance to change is inherent in most people’s nature. It’s uncomfortable, especially when outcomes are unpredictable or require giving up something valued or ingrained.

Even in small companies, succession planning is not merely an internal function or for top management positions only. Client-specific needs and personalities are key considerations.

Below are questions leaders and key relationship holders must ask and answer.

• What is the cost to the company if succession planning and

For Boomers • Fear of loss of professional identity and value if they relinquish customer and other stakeholder relationships.

• Accustomed to hard work and status that fuels their self-esteem, those without strong outside interests may lose confidence in their personal value and ability to keep working.

• Fear of losing social connections and companionship of people they work with.

• Financial loss.

knowledge transfer is not an integral part of the business model and business development plan?

• How do we manage the expectations of key stakeholders who are getting concerned for the future that responsible (key relationship) managers are aging?

• Is knowledge being transferred regularly from one generation to another so that key assets of your business are not lost? Are there (financial and non-financial) incentives or disincentives for knowledge transfer?

• What are typical obstacles to knowledge transfer (including

For Gen X

For Millennials

• Fear that their company

• Not moving up as fast as

will lose customers if they don’t see a clear and satisfactory plan of succession and transition.

• Inability to progress as leaders and maintain a strong base of influence.

• Hindrance to their empowerment to enact innovation in practice and company policies.

• Competition from younger generations with untried ideas the Xers are uncomfortable with.

they would like.

• No clear expectations about career path.

• Not being given a voice in decisions affecting them and culture changes they desire.

For Gen Z

• Loss of mentoring opportunities with someone they respect and have a working relationship with.

• Uncertainty about their career path and the direction of the company.

SPRINGS / Summer 2020 / 27

relationships) that we need to address?

• How can we get our senior professionals/executives to start planning for transitioning if they are reluctant to let go?

• What do we do if current leaders don’t have confidence in the next generation as leaders?

• What differences can we easily bridge if addressed early?

• What options does the business have without succession planning?

Action Steps Simply involving the various immediate stakeholders in the process is not enough. Break down the silos by having the discussions across both generations and functions. You can get valuable input from a variety of

sources. Consider outside the box ideas for unpredictable times and a multi-generational workforce.

• Use client/customer service teams when possible to build relationships at many levels.

• Include administrative and information technology personnel to support change, transition and successors’ needs. Those are important positions for implementing any transition and getting their buy-in early on is valuable.

Include marketing/business development personnel in the selection and preparation process.

• Include younger generations in establishing criteria for future needs. This is essential! No longer can management assume that the ways of the past will work for a younger, multi-generational and multi-cultural workforce and the changing demands of the marketplace.

• Increase the number of qualified women, minorities, and younger leaders as successors at various levels, and make the roles appealing to them with strategic and meaningful responsibilities.

Give recognition and rewards in accordance with their value to the company.

• Provide professional development as needed to achieve their potential.

• Compile best practices from your firm’s experience and other models from successful companies in and outside the spring manufacturing industry. Keep evaluating what works and what does not and tweak it.

How to Make Succession Planning Less Threatening and More Doable The Strong Business Case Without thoughtful succession and transitioning planning, entities can stand to lose: Customers; personnel; professional talent; crucial knowledge; and profitable allied relationships.

The Upside: Opportunities to be gained from smooth transitions are:

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shifts part of the culture.

• Have a clear systematic process for succession and transitioning planning so it is anticipated and accepted as part of being a company citizen.

• Do periodic evaluations of the results and modify as needed.

Steps to Make Succession/Transition Planning Less Threatening • Discuss changes demanded

Some people who have reached senior positions see succession and transitioning success as part of their legacy. In any case, it’s very much influenced by organizational culture.

A boomer team leader at a professional firm with loyal employees told me he feels successful when, and because, colleagues in all roles and levels are moving up. Transitioning and perpetuating the firm are a big part of the culture and are generational factors.

Set expectations from the top as to succession criteria, whether there should be term limits, and how the succession planning process will

•

• • •

by clients and how to secure relationships.

Involve clients in a structured gradual transitioning process to enable greater certainty and avoid surprises.

Revise compensation systems to provide for fair transition compensation.

Create bridge roles.

Give tangible respect to people who go through transitions and role shifts so it’s not perceived as a demotion.

operate over time. Start well in advance of expected succession needs when possible by having an ongoing process.

This will increase retention success and calm client concerns on changes.

Clear expectations and an open process will help to reduce the emotional element and debilitating anxiety and better enable people to plan their careers and lives. n © Phyllis Weiss Haserot, 2020.

Phyllis Weiss Haserot, president of Practice Development Counsel, helps companies solve their intergenerational challenges at work as a consultant, facilitator, speaker and author. Her most recently released book is “You Can’t Google It!— The Compelling Case for Cross-Generational Conversation at Work.” Contact her at https://www.youcantgoogleit.com or pwhaserot@pdcounsel.com.

SPRINGS / Summer 2020 / 29

The Banas family (l-to-r): Ryan, Madison, Reb, Megan, Reb and Blake.

Succession Planning Without a Plan

by Reb Banas

S

tanley Spring and Stamping Corporation was started in 1944 in Chicago by my grandfather Stanley Banas, a Polish immigrant.

Grandpa began the business with a hand coiler in his garage while working for another spring company. He later rented a three-flat with a manual elevator near where the old Chicago Stadium stood on West Madison Street, before moving to our current location on West Foster Avenue on the northside of Chicago.

My uncle Stan Banas graduated from high school in 1945 and served in the Coast Guard during World War II. He later graduated from Purdue University in 1950 and immediately joined the family business. My dad, Ron Banas, nearly nine years younger, joined the business after graduating from Lake Forest College and also serving in the Coast Guard.

30 / SPRINGS / Summer 2020

There was no succession plan in place when my grandfather died of a sudden heart attack in 1954, while shopping for a birthday present for my dad at Marshall Field’s in downtown Chicago. With no succession plan in place, the business was divided equally between my uncle and my dad.

My dad and uncle enjoyed a long working partnership that saw the expansion of the business into areas such as fourslide and punch press. During their time together, they successfully added Stanron Steel Specialties in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida to the company’s portfolio in 1972.

I never got to meet my grandpa. As a third-generation member of the Banas family who joined the company in 1989, I am sure Grandpa would have been proud that Stanley Spring and Stamping continues to thrive as a family-owned producer of custom springs, stampings,

wireforms and fasteners, serving many different industries.

I am guessing that Grandpa would have been disappointed to learn that the passing of the business to the next generation did not go as smoothly.

When my uncle Stan was in declining health (he died May 10, 2008), he passed his half of the business to one of his six children, unbeknownst to my dad. It was quite a shock when my dad found out he had a new partner.

That is when the bottom fell out. After I worked for almost a year to obtain a valuation for the business, my dad bought out my cousins to obtain 100 percent ownership of Stanley Spring and Stamping and Stanron Steel Specialties, and we moved on with running the businesses.

It was just ugly and it’s a shame that two close families fell apart. Even if we were still together or had reached an amicable dissolution, I’m not sure that we would have gotten along in the long

term. It was certainly one of those things that I never hope to go through again.

My dad died Nov. 19, 2015, and my mother, Adrienne, passed away just 15 months later. After their deaths, I went through the process of valuing the business all over again, though this time, the passing of the business was very amicable with my two sisters.

My sisters did not want anything to do with running the business, but they did want their share of the value of our family business. My parents were fair and split everything three ways. Until you go through the process of dissolving the assets, you essentially have to go through the process again of paying for the business and valuing it all over again.

Believe me, I am not complaining, I just felt at the time that there had to be an easier way.

Fourth Generation My wife, Megan, and I want to treat our four children equally, just like my parents did. Blake, our daughter with special needs, won’t be going into the business. Right now, I do not know if any of our other three children, Madison, Reb, or Ryan, will want to join the family business. I’m certainly not pushing any of them into doing it.

All three of them have worked here in the summer, and they get along with people. They know they have to be here on time and work hard. As the owner’s kids, they do get to go to lunch with me at Colletti’s, a nearby restaurant where my

What would I do differently in passing the baton to the next generation? From my experience with the change in ownership between my cousins and my parents, I would be more upfront about exactly what is going to happen, so there is just no debate upon my demise and Megan’s. dad and I always dined. Other than that special privilege, I have preached to each of them that they have to earn their stripes, so to speak, and not to take anything for granted.

What would I do differently in passing the baton to the next generation? From my experience with the change in ownership between my cousins and my parents, I would be more upfront about exactly what is going to happen, so there is just no debate upon my demise and Megan’s.

If any of my children would like to get out of the business, they would have the right of first refusal on any purchase or acquisition. I would try to have them all work together, whether it’s in an advisory role or directly in the business. We would do everything we could to keep the infighting and jealousy from happening, or anything else we couldn’t predict.

I’ll say that during this whole pandemic thing, my children have gotten along well with each other. Other than spirited golf competitions at our house, they have been great. Plus, they all look after their sister, Blake. We are very blessed when it comes to that.

I believe having a definitive timeline on when you do things is important.

I am currently 56, and hope to have a rough succession plan put together by time I turn 60. Basically, I want to have a discussion with the family and the outline of a plan. By 70, I want to have the wheels in motion of how things will be dispersed. I want to have everything done, so when the time comes to transfer the business to the next generation, there is no surprise “magic envelope” that anyone will be opening.

I have already gone through two changes of ownership with no document or plan in place, and you do get better at each time. In hindsight, I now see the value in having a document in place with everything written out. And once you do that, you can update it every couple of years as circumstances change.

I would caution that a plan is not mandatory, but it certainly helps. It is better for everyone involved in a transfer of ownership, whether you paid for it or gifted it, that it is done while you are still alive. And if you should somehow bite the bullet, you have got something in place that lets everyone know your intentions.

Family businesses are a funny thing and a staple of our industry. Having a succession plan is a recipe for success to keep the “family” in business from one generation to the next. n

SPRINGS / Summer 2020 / 31

1. Reflection

Flashback

©iStockphoto.com/leszekglasner

Most people live life, rather than observe it. Even those who have had rich, rewarding lives sometimes fail to recognize the wisdom in their experiences. They believe that they are no different from anyone else and that their past accomplishments don’t matter. The first step of passing perspective through a family business transfer is to overcome this modesty and reflect on all your experiences.

Where have you been? What mistakes did you make? What unique experiences have you had? Stop, sit down, look back on all your accomplishments, and understand how truly important they are to the future of your business.

Preserve the Experiences of Your Family Business

By Scott Fithian, Legacy Companies, The Ultimate Gift Experience LLC (Editor’s note: As we examine the subject of succession planning, we take a look back at an article published in the January 2005 issue of Springs. This article looks at how to transfer the intangible assets of any family business to succeeding generations.)

W

hen the time comes to transfer a family business to the next generation, most companies focus on the material aspects of the event. They worry about transfer taxes and whether or not they have the financial resources to survive. In addition to the tangible resources of the business, what about all the experience that the founding generation takes with them?

How do you preserve that?

Experiences accumulated through life create perspective. When someone starts the process of building a business, they experience the challenges first-hand. The ups and downs, the successes and failures, and the fear of scarcity build character in the first generation that help them manage the reality of having significant wealth.

Yet the wisdom, experience, values, attitudes and preferences on which a family business is built usually leave with the founding generations.

32 / SPRINGS / Summer 2020

For example, if the members of one generation learn how to fish because they’re starving, they develop very fine fishing skills. But if they catch so many fish that the next generation doesn’t have to catch any, then by the time the fish supply runs out and the third generation comes along, no one will know how to fish. The same trend occurs in family businesses: The first generation works hard and struggles to build the business, the next generation enjoys the wealth, and the third loses everything.

If you can preserve those rich experiences, however, succeeding generations will have a better understanding of the value system that emerged from them and, therefore, a better potential to succeed with the resources that are passed on to them. How can you preserve the experiences that built your family business? Use the following fivestep process to pass the perspective and wisdom down through the generations.

2. Discernment Once you’ve reflected on your experiences, you need to look at what your experiences mean. What did you learn from your successes? What did you learn from your mistakes? What wisdom, insight, and perspective have you gained? What have you learned about financial management, decision making, and forging business relationships? These learning experiences have formed the way you conduct your business, and they can help prevent the future generations from making the same mistakes you made in the past.

3. Documentation Once you see what you have learned through your experiences, you have to document everything. You can make this as elaborate as you want. For some families, the documentation can be as simple as a letter from Mom and Dad to the kids or succeeding generation.

Others use an audio tape or video that talks about their experiences and what’s important to them, and some actually produce a documentary on the history of the business.

Regardless of what documentation method you choose, make sure it speaks to the succeeding generation and includes everything you value.

4. Communication The next step is to communicate all this information and history to the people

who need to know it. Again, this step can be as elaborate as you want. You can gather everyone around the dinner table, plan a special family meeting, or organize a retreat with the purpose of talking through these issues.

You should also consider a vision trip, where you create an activity for everyone to do together that will help manifest the family business values.

Whether you plan an outdoor adventure that facilitates teamwork or a series of challenges that stimulate learning, a vision trip can be an exciting way to bring everyone together and communicate your values and wisdom.

5. Evolution Once you’ve successfully worked through this process, you must repeat it throughout the lifetime of your business. If the founding generation takes the time to understand and talk about where it has been, then the current generation lives in those past

experiences. Encourage and inspire future generations to participate in the process as well.

This process should become a living document that builds on each generation, because every family member has his or her own unique experiences that create the business. Therefore, members of each generation should be encouraged to follow this process and contribute their wisdom to the story.

This continuation creates a framework in which the family considers the stewardship of its story just as crucial a component in its wealth transfer plans as the financial resources it has accumulated along the way.

Preserving the Past Long into the Future The stereotypical three-generation life span of a family business is rooted in the loss of perspective that occurs in the transfer from one generation to the next. Your family business can

overcome this challenge by preserving its history and creating a context that respects the past while providing liberty to the current generation.

This f ramework for decision making shouldn’t bind the current generation to a set of rules. Instead, it should empower them with the lessons learned by previous generations and show how those past experiences can benefit them. It should inspire future generations to participate and grow the family business, rather than just work there because that’s where the money is or that’s where Mom and Dad worked.

When you use this process to preserve the perspective and history in your transfer plans, the future generations will know the origin of the family business and all the experiences that made it succeed. This will help them carry the business’s success into the future. n

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COVID-19 and the

Spring Industry

By Gary McCoy

©iStockphoto.com/4X-image

34 / SPRINGS / Summer 2020

The novel coronavirus

(COVID-19) has touched virtually everyone’s way of life both personally and professionally. The spring industry is no different.

At the beginning of May, SMI reached out to members with a short survey to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This story is not meant to be an exhaustive report. It is a snapshot at a moment in time. The final chapter of the story is yet to be written. With the uncertainty of this pandemic, no one can safely say when that date will arrive.

I agree with the sentiment in an editorial piece about COVID-19 written by Jonah Goldberg and published in the Chicago Tribune April 24. The headline got to the essence of his thesis that our shared experience with the pandemic will change us in countless ways. As Goldberg writes at the end of his article, “There are far more unknowns waiting for us in the years ahead, because we’re about to enter a new era when every single American can start a conversation by asking ‘What did you do?’, or ‘What happened to you when?’” Here is a look at how the pandemic has changed the spring industry so far.

SPRINGS / Summer 2020 / 35

Impact The first question in our survey asked, “How has the coronavirus impacted your business?”

For most springmakers, the impact has been dramatic. Typical of the answers was one from Michael Johnson at Spiros Industries, who said, “Sales revenue impact is severe; we are shipping roughly 30 percent of our normal volumes.”

Kurt Witham at AIM said, “The state of Michigan suspended work for nonessential businesses in mid-March.

Because we serve essential businesses such as defense and medical device with equipment, we were justified in continuing operations. Thirty percent of our staff were uncomfortable with COVID-19 in the work environment and chose to stay home with unemployment compensation.” Witham was hopeful that AIM would be back in full force

by May 15.

Jim Rudolph at ASW Pengg, LLC commented, “We have been deemed essential and continue to produce wire,

36 / SPRINGS / Summer 2020

has the How coronavirus impacted

your business?

but we are seeing a significant drop off in orders and many move outs of orders as well.”

At Industrial Spring of St. Louis, Inc., Sean Doyle reported that business is down 20 percent.

Without citing a percentage, Andrew Kattula of J&J Spring Enterprises, LLC said, “We have seen a slow up in demand of quantity across almost all industries, but part numbers are moving consistently.”

Rick Richter at R-R Spring Corporation said, “With some of our largest customers being closed, our incoming

work is down 14.4 percent and sales for April are down 31.4 percent.”

At Dayco in Roseville, Michigan, Felix Buccellato said the company has experienced a drop in customer demand.

“Due to this reduction, we reduced many of the employees to 32 hours per week.”

In a note of optimism, Dave Deerwester at The Yost Superior Co. exclaimed, “We are open! That is very good news, and most important, we are designated as essential manufacturing.”

Deerwester said keeping up with the “orders” is time-consuming and a drain on productivity. “After six weeks of

Keeping Employees Safe One SMI member came up with a product to help protect employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.

R. Hale Foote at Scandic Springs in San Leandro, California worked with one of his employees to produce the “No-Touch Door Opener.” He said they manufactured the opener on the company’s waterjet machine to give away to employees and family members.

“The idea behind this was to keep our employees safe, so they can open

disinfecting three to four times per day, we now have to wear masks. Our incoming orders dropped about 20 percent in April; this could be a tough summer.”

“FENN has been fortunate during this time, being able to remain open,” said Ryan Cutter at FENN-Torin. “Many of our office personnel are able to work from home. FENN’s shop operations, spare parts and service departments are doing everything they can to remain safe while continuing to work and meet customers’ production demands.”

Keeping Workers Healthy Former SMI president Reb Banas of Stanley Spring & Stamping said the company’s Florida division, Stanron Steel Specialties, had to completely shut down for two weeks after an employee tested positive for COVID-19.

That facility is back up and running, and Banas says overall sales have dropped by 25 percent due to customer reschedules and canceled orders.

Banas said Stanley Spring & Stamping has repositioned key employees “who are willing to do anything to help,” to assist with multiple operations. He said the company has also initiated capital improvements and upgrades by utilizing employees with available extra time.

Bill Lathrop said Hardware Products in Chelsea, Massachusetts is an essential business due to the customer base it serves. Lathrop says the company’s

a door without having to touch it,” explained Foote. “It was also meant as a reminder to our employees that things have changed.”

Does he have any plans to sell this product? “51 years as a job shop, and finally we have a product,” he said with a laugh. “As great of an idea that this product is, and I’ve seen people selling them on the internet for as much as $25, we have no plans to market this.”

He added, “My smart daughter-in-law found that it also opens beer bottles!”

For most springmakers, the impact has been dramatic. Typical of the answers was one from Michael Johnson at Spiros Industries, who said, “Sales revenue impact is severe; we are shipping roughly 30 percent of our normal volumes.” operations have continued through the state of Massachusetts shutdown period.

“However, the challenge has been keeping the employees healthy and feeling safe at work,” explained Lathrop.

“Some stayed away due to underlying conditions, others because of highrisk family members in the home and some with symptoms that later tested negative, and even a couple of positive COVID tests.”

Companies tied to the automotive industry have been hard hit by the pandemic. Joe Owoc at Interwire said the coronavirus overall has had a significant impact. “Our non-automotive business is down, but relatively unharmed as compared to our automotive business.

That sector was down between 50 and 80 percent for the month of April.”

In addition, Owoc said oil and gasrelated business was also impacted.

“The biggest impact is regarding receivables. Cash flow and aging issues were damaging.”

Jessica Marco at Spring Dynamics, Inc. just outside of Detroit said 75

percent of the company’s staff have been laid off since March 23. Marco said the remaining 25 percent have been laid off periodically since then. She said sales are at about 5 percent of normal.

What is it like in Canada? Jeff Wharin of Bohne Spring in Toronto says the company determined early on that they fit the qualifications of an essential business in their jurisdiction, due to their diverse customer base in industries such as defense, aircraft, nuclear and power generation equipment. “We have remained open throughout; the largest industry which negatively impacted us was the closure of automotive assembly plants and their subcontractors. This will definitely impact our revenue for 2020.”

Attracting new customers seems to be taking a hit as well. Rick Guard at Newcomb Spring of California said, “New business is down drastically.”

Chris Witham at Motion Dynamics Corporation is more of an outlier. He said only a small number of customers have pushed out delivery dates, and

SPRINGS / Summer 2020 / 37

total revenue for Motion Dynamics has not been impacted.

“In fact, we set a record for revenue in the month of April,” said Witham.

“We do have approximately 10 percent of our workforce out on extended leave.” He said they have had a couple of R&D requests for springs used on a ventilator system.

Jacklyn Edwards at Duer/Carolina Coil said the company has only noticed a “slight decline in sales from customers, but nothing major.”

What changes

have you made

to your business due to COVID-19?

Safety Changes The second question in the survey asked, “What changes have you made to your business due to COVID-19?”

Spring companies who continue to operate have adapted to social distancing guidelines and other precautions as they operate as essential businesses during the pandemic.

Guard of Newcomb Spring of California said they are following social distancing guidelines, along with “training, conducting continuous

sanitizing and ensuring we have masks and cleaners for all.”

Similarly, Susie Lindsey at M & S Spring Co. Inc. in Fraser, Michigan said they are following guidelines for hand-washing, social distancing and wearing masks. “We are a small business with only 17 employees right now, so social distancing is not a problem.”

Rhonda Miller at Action Spring in Tulsa outlined seven measures they have taken due to COVID-19:

1. Not allowing any outside visitors at this time (Miller said she will decide on this at a later date).

2. Installing hand sanitizer stations for employees to use.

3. Meetings with the employees about hygiene, i.e., washing hands often.

4. Employees are to wear masks if they are going to be closer than six feet with other employees; otherwise, they do not have to wear a mask.

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5. Employees who go out of state cannot come back to work for 14 days after returning to Tulsa.

6. Employees who call in sick are told that they will not be allowed to work until an approved facility has administered a COVID-19 test stating that the employee does not have COVID-19.

7. Taking employees’ temperatures before the workday starts (using a no-touch thermometer).

Lathrop at Hardware Products said they have instituted similar changes.

“We split the lunch break into two sessions to permit social distancing in our lunchroom. We have increased sanitation efforts, and everyone is wearing a mask. If anyone misses time for any illness (COVID or not), we strictly enforce obtaining a release from a medical professional before returning to work.”

Regarding what has changed at The Yost Superior Co. in Springfield, Ohio, Deerwester said, “Besides wearing masks, checking temps and disinfecting? We are still serving customers and that’s still why we are here.”

At Spiros Industries in Wisconsin, Johnson says they have created daily cleaning processes, added masks to personal protective equipment (PPE), adjusted shift hours, and loosened up its sickness policy so employees are not penalized for staying home “just in case” they have it.

Richter at R-R Spring Corporation said they have also rethought their sick policy. “We have told our employees if they are feeling sick to stay home and they would be paid.” He said they have trained all their employees on social distancing, along with providing masks and gloves.

Edwards at Duer/Carolina Coil outlined some of the changes at their facility in Reidville, South Carolina: “We canceled all shift meetings, allowed office staff to work from home, provided masks and gloves and supplied disinfectant to each team and common areas.”

Witham at AIM said they have implemented safe working environment precautions, including social distancing, hand washing, disinfectants, masks,

gloves and taking employees’ temperatures. “We’ve also developed new ways of working with customers, including more video conferencing, remote equipment runoffs and video documentation.”

Staffing Level Changes At Bohne Spring, Wharin says they were quick to implement safety protocols to protect their employees. “We made it possible for most of our office staff to work from home, as needed. Typically, they come in two to three days a week and work from home the balance of the week. We have not had a need to lay off employees, but we did apply and receive approval for a work sharing program, which allows employees to work four days per week and receive unemployment for the fifth day.”

Concluding, Wharin says Bohne Spring will continue to operate four days a week until business picks up, especially in the automotive sector.

Debra Kolodge at FTR Associates and Foremost Spring said, “At FTR Associates, Inc., we have furloughed 14 people (of 36). We have had three of them return to work since, because work in their department picked up, but our long-term outlook isn’t good right now. At Foremost Spring Co., Inc., we had already downsized to what we consider our core crew of 10 people before the worst of the coronavirus impact. We export to China and had been feeling an impact to our sales beginning late last year.”

Kolodge added, “Upper management has reduced our salary by 25 percent, and we are working hard to keep overhead low. We are also lucky that the landlord for both businesses voluntarily gave us three months of rent free to help during this time.” They had applied for SBA loans but were waiting for a decision as of press time.

Banas at Stanley Spring and Stamping said they have instituted several

changes, including mandatory use of vacation time and reduced hours based on customer shutdowns and re-openings. He said work hours are formulated on a week-to-week basis depending on demand, and all employees are informed each Thursday regarding work commitments for the following week.

“We have identified necessary operations versus operations that can be suspended,” explained Banas.

In addition, Banas said they are only producing products with firm orders and customers who are open for business.

In addition to daily taking employees’ temperatures, Witham at Motion Dyna­ mics Corporation said they gave all employees a 10 percent increase in pay during the month of April and the first half of May. “We may extend this based on what happens in the state of Michigan.”

Witham said they have closed the company’s exercise area, shifted start times, spread out lunch breaks and provided everyone with masks, cleaning wipes, gloves, hand sanitizer, etc.

“We have selectively allowed some to work from home.”

Owoc said they are also allowing employees to work from home, which has produced a downside. “Office dynamics, as it turns out, plays more of a role than I realized,” explained Owoc. “The ability to effectively communicate is lost when team members work from home.”

Cutter at FENN-Torin said that with current travel restrictions, the company has been unable to have customers visit their Connecticut facility, and customer service techs have been unable to visit customers.

“To adapt, FENN has completed virtual factory acceptance tests, via videos and photos, for customers to see their machines running and feel comfortable with their performance and functionality prior to shipment,” explained Cutter. “To continue servicing customers, FENN has relied on remote

“We split the lunch break into two sessions to permit social distancing in our lunchroom. We have increased sanitation efforts, and everyone is wearing a mask. ” SPRINGS / Summer 2020 / 39

Communicate Proactively In my role as president of Fairway Communications, I helped a company earlier this year that was attacked by ransomware. As the CEO of the company told me, “No one wants to wake up and learn that their company was the target of a malware incident, but it’s an ongoing reality in today’s world.”

Similarly, no one wanted to wake up to a world that was turned upside down by the coronavirus pandemic.

I admire this company for its resilience in the face of this cyberware attack. They went on the offense to communicate with their stakeholders. They demonstrated to everyone an openness and transparency. In simple terms, they shared how the attack happened, what they learned from it and how they planned to move forward. By all measures this message was well received.

I would suggest the same game plan for spring companies who have been impacted by COVID-19. Be open with your employees and customers about how the pandemic has changed your business. Also, tell them what you have learned so far (and more lessons are likely to come). Finally, communicate to your audiences (employees, customers, vendors, etc.) how you plan to move forward once the crisis has passed.

In the midst of this pandemic, there is a lot of good news out there. You can help create goodwill and hope through strategic communications to your employees and customers.

Keep demonstrating your social responsibility in what you say and what you do.

40 / SPRINGS / Summer 2020

Have you manufactured any

new or updated products to help

critical industries

responding to the pandemic?

software access and telephone support to assist customers with production questions.”

New Products The final question in our survey asked, “Have you manufactured any new products or updated products to help critical industries responding to the pandemic?”

Miller said some customers who were sourcing products from Mexico contacted Action Spring looking to have products manufactured for them.

Banas said they recently supplied five manufactured stainless steel components to Cepheid, a leading molecular diagnostics company. In March, the company announced it had received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for Xpert® Xpress SARS-CoV-2, a rapid molecular diagnostic test for qualitative detection of SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19. The test has been designed to operate on any of Cepheid’s more than 23,000 automated GeneXpert® Systems worldwide, with a detection time of approximately 45 minutes.

Witham at Motion Dynamics said they have provided three different compression springs so far.

Deerwester at The Yost Superior Company said, “We’ve had a few customers with hot orders for the medical field.”

Doyle at Industrial Spring of St. Louis explained that while they have not manufactured any new products, the company’s existing customers have increased their orders due to the virus.

“We have not made any new products,” explained Richter at R-R Spring Corporation, “but we have had delivery moved up by customers making parts for ventilators.”

While Wharin said Bohne Spring has not manufactured any new products, he noted that some of their customers who were dormant have become busier. “We have looked for customers who have pivoted their production to make PPE for hospitals and front line workers, and we are still hopeful that we can participate in some new programs.”

On the raw material supplier side, Owoc said “we have been able to source materials for ventilators, masks, etc.”

Survive and Advance “Survive and Advance” was the subject of an ESPN 30 for 30 documentary on the 1983 NC State Wolfpack men’s basketball team. Led by legendary coach Jim Valvano, who sadly died of cancer in 1993, the Wolfpack men’s basketball team became the national champs that year by winning a series of nine overtime and 1-point games, culminating in a thrilling final game where they triumphed in dramatic fashion against No. 1-ranked Houston.

Why do I mention this? I think the term “survive and advance” aptly applies during these turbulent times we are all facing. And it goes beyond the triviality of sports. Survival of people’s lives and livelihoods is paramount as we do our best to beat this unseen virus. One thing is certain: the pandemic has changed all of us in many different ways. n

MW Industries Contributes

to COVID Response

A

s the COVID-19 crisis continues to challenge business operations across the country, MW Industries, Inc., a leading American manufacturer of precision metal components, said in a news release that all its locations remain open to support the needs of its clients, including playing a key part in the supply chain for ventilators and other medical devices critical in combating the virus.

MWI’s Tri-Star Industries location in Berlin, Connecticut, manufacturer of precision threaded inserts for plastic applications, has stepped up production to meet overwhelming demand in support of a number of ventilator applications. Tri-Star is fulfilling orders from the largest ventilator manufacturers in the world, producing both off the shelf inserts, as well as manufactured to spec parts which total more than 10 million to date.

RAF Electronic Hardware in Seymour, Connecticut, has been a key supplier in providing an array of medical equipment manufacturers worldwide, with electronic components for critical applications in ventilators, air filtration systems and X-ray machines. To meet increased demand, RAF has been able to set up, manufacture and ship parts in a matter of days to keep production lines up and running for some of the largest medical manufacturers in the world.

With a large inventory of stock springs, Century Spring Corporation in Commerce, California has been an ideal spring source for both ventilator R&D and production volumes. With inventories to ship same-day, Century has been supporting dozens of medical original equipment manufacturers and contract manufacturers in their initiative to rush mass production of ventilators. Century’s stock of stainless-steel compression springs in particular has seen high demand in support of this effort.

Those that were looking to make “the impossible… possible” turned to Servometer in Cedar Grove, New Jersey to manufacture several bellows used in critical ventilator applications. Servometer’s electroforming technology developments have helped customers to create extremely accurate and reliable devices since 1957.

At Economy Spring & Stamping in Southington, Connecticut, a team of engineers were able to utilize their cutting-edge 3D printers to answer a local call for help early in the pandemic, addressing a shortage of PPE masks at a Connecticut hospital, delivering the first batch of 3D printed masks in under a week. n

Engaging Employees

Through Times of Crisis

By Lisa Ryan

T

he COVID-19 pandemic has certainly changed business—for now and in many cases, for good.

Employees who have never worked from home are now finding themselves on their own, trying to focus on their work, dealing with lots of distractions — kids, pets, and homelife temptations ranging from Netflix to laundry.

Just because “social distancing” is in place, it doesn’t mean that managers should be out of touch with their people. Here are a few ways that business leaders can continue to engage with team members when they don’t have the option of in-person interaction.

Check-in and offer support. Whether you’ve had to lay off your employees or

you’ve offered them the opportunity to do their work from home, the chances are good that they are stressed out. Pick up the phone and see how they’re doing.

Let them know you’re there for them if they need you. Showing that you trust your employees is incredibly important right now for employee engagement.

Share with them that you believe that they care about the company, their work, and that they want to do a good job. If you have a concern about an individual’s productivity, schedule a conversation to talk through what’s going on and how you can help.

Be transparent. No one knows when this crisis will be over and what the overall impact on business will be.

Managers should share both positive and negative implications with their team members to give them a realistic picture of what’s going on. Create a safe space for your employees to share their concerns as well as their ideas for improvement.

Set objectives. Give your employees specific goals to achieve during their work-from-home period. Don’t overload them, but instead, allow them to have small successes and victories along the way. As it looks right now, people are going to be working remotely for the foreseeable future. Make sure your team can connect to the technology they need to do their job. Ensure that they have the tools to get their job done. Ask them what else they need to be productive. Do everything you can to make adjustments and minimize their frustrations.

SPRINGS / Summer 2020 / 41

Encourage out-of-the-box thinking.

With all the disruption happening in business and industry right now, this may be the ideal time to let your employees experiment with new processes, products and technology. Don’t think that you must figure everything out by yourself; ask your employees for their ideas and suggestion to handle different situations. Even though some jobs have decreased or stopped altogether, you probably have

new priorities now in place. Ask your team for input on activities and responsibilities they should be focusing on to get you through both the short-term and the long run.

Acknowledge contributions. As employees reach their objectives, make sure to let them know how much you appreciate their efforts and how they are helping the organization get through this difficult time. Be specific in your praise and let your staff know

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that you are paying attention to the excellent work they are doing. How you treat your employees now may determine whether they decide to stay with you once the crisis is over. A simple “thank you” goes a long way.

The Gallup organization has found that there are four universal needs that employees have of leaders. They are trust, compassion, stability and hope.

In these times, the need for these traits is stronger than ever.

One tool Gallup offers is a short pulse survey for your employees to share their feedback with you. Use these statements to poll your people, and then prioritize your actions on the areas that you score lowest. Here are the poll statements: 1. My leadership has a clear plan of action.

2. I feel well-prepared to do my job.

3. My supervisor keeps me informed about what is going on.

4. My organization cares about my well-being.

5. Over the past 24 hours, how often have you been practicing social distancing?

COVID-19 is having an unprecedented impact on every business right now. Here’s the good news: This pandemic is forcing organizations to consider every area of their business differently. Remote working, using online platforms like Zoom and Facebook Live, and new ways of safely delivering products are just a few examples of the positive changes that have already happened. You can bet that there are many more changes on the way that will make a positive impact on our economy and in the world.

Take advantage of this opportunity to change, grow, and prepare your organization for long term success. n

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Calm Before the Storm:

SMI’s 2020 Annual Meeting

By Gary McCoy

44 / SPRINGS / Summer 2020

T

hose who attended SMI’s 2020 Annual Meeting at the Atlantis in the Bahamas in early March will long remember the unusually strong trade winds. Things were blowing everywhere! Everyone also left with a lot of happy memories of great networking and outstanding educational presentations.

Little did anyone know just how strong the winds of change were blowing back home, where the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic was just beginning to reap a devasting toll on people’s health and livelihoods (a story the continues to be written as we go to press).

Part of the celebration in the Bahamas was the installation of SMI’s new president, Bert Goering of Precision Coil Spring. Goering began his two-year term and takes over for Steve Kempf of Lee Spring, who will serve an additional two years on the executive committee as past president. The meeting also served as an opportunity to recognize Mike Betts of Betts Company for serving for 10 years on the executive committee.

The entire 2020–2022 executive committee includes Gene Huber, Jr., Winamac Coil Spring, vice president; Don Jacobson III, Newcomb Spring, secretary/treasurer; and David DeVoe, Plymouth Spring, at large.

Learning from Demographics Kenneth Gronbach, president of KCG Direct, LLC addressed SMI attendees Monday, March 9. His presentation, “Charting the Course Through Demographic Change,” demonstrated how demographic trends can affect everyone’s business.

Gronbach said the most important question to ask in any business is: “How many people are in my market, and is that market growing or shrinking?”

He said regarding the future, the next 10 years will be known as the “decade of disruption” because of huge changes in population.

He said the millennial generation of ages 16 to 35 years old is made up of 88 million people, representing the largest generation ever born.

“It will provide you guys with all the labor you’ll ever need,” he explained.

Gronbach believes the spring manufacturing industry is poised to have a decade of unprecedented opportunity and success. He told springmakers, “You will have all the business you can handle, all the potential labor and technology that you’ve ever needed and readily available sources of capital.”

He encouraged springmakers to not be afraid. “Don’t be afraid to capitalize, don’t be afraid to expand, don’t be afraid to add to your business, don’t be afraid to hire. Simply put, don’t be afraid!”

Gronbach believes business in the U.S. is going to expand. “Plan on business getting very, very good.”

He encouraged spring manufacturers to know who is in their end user markets. “The millennial generation is larger than the baby boomer population by 10 million people, and they will be needing a lot of spring components in the coming future,” explained Gronbach.

To recruit the next generation of workers, Gronbach said, “Lose your bias against millennials. “They are brilliant. Hire them.”

Gronbach said when you look at the “big picture” based on demographics, the future is positive.

Using Weakness as a Strength David Rendall, author of “Freak Factor: Discovering Uniqueness by Flaunting Weakness,” first started his presentation Tuesday, March 10, by thanking SMI for holding its meeting. Rendall noted that he had already begun to feel the effects of the coronavirus outbreak in his business with the cancellation of future speaking engagements.

SPRINGS / Summer 2020 / 45

The thrust of Rendall’s message was that most of us hide from our weaknesses. He argues that instead we should be using our weaknesses to our advantage.

He declared, “What makes us weird, also makes us wonderful. What makes us weak, also makes us strong.”

His view is that every characteristic we have is both a strength and weakness at the same time. “When we realize that and we accept that, it changes the way we think about getting better. The point isn’t to fix the weakness, the point is to build on the strength. You have to recognize there will always be a weakness there. There’s nothing we can do about it.

And we don’t need to do anything about it.”

He drew the analogy of medicine, in that there is no effective medicine without side effects. “In the same way, there’s no such thing as a person without side effects.”

The goal is not to fix the side effects. The goal is to find the benefit and capitalize on it.

Rendall cited Peter Drucker, who said, “Strong people always have strong weaknesses too. Where there are peaks, there also valleys.”

“When we accept that instead of trying to fix that (weakness), it’s the first step to getting better and helping others get better,” said Rendall.

Rendall says the question everyone should ask when they walk into work each day is, “Am I making my strengths effective and my weaknesses irrelevant?” He advises to hire people to do what you can’t do, because they have a strength you don’t have.

Thanks to Our Sponsors SMI is grateful for the generosity of its sponsors who helped support the 2020 annual meeting.

Platinum • AIM (Automated Industrial Motion) • ISW (Industrial Steel & Wire) • Interwire • Sumiden Wire Products Corporation Gold • FENN/Torin • Gibbs • Radcliff Wire Inc. Silver • Amada Bronze • WAFIOS The 2021 SMI annual meeting will take place at the Hyatt Regency in Scottsdale, Arizona April 24–27, 2021. n

46 / SPRINGS / Summer 2020

SMI Awards $31,000 in 2020 Scholarship Program

By Gary McCoy ©iStockphoto.com/vm

T

he results are in for the 2020 SMI Scholarship program. Awards of $31,000 were granted to 14 students among a pool of applicants from SMI’s members in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

This marks the 10th year of SMI‘s scholarship program. In total the program has awarded scholarship assistance to 146 students representing $287,000 in financial aid.

“SMI recognizes the importance of higher education with the growth of our scholarship program that directly benefits the employees of our member companies,” said SMI president Bert Goering. “As we celebrate our 10th year since the program’s inception, I want to congratulate each of our 14 recipients and extend best wishes to each of them in their career pursuits.”

To be eligible for an SMI scholarship, award winners must be a full-time employee or a dependent child of a fulltime employee who works for an SMI member company. For 2020, SMI awarded nine regional scholarships in the amount of $2,000 each. In addition, five at-large scholarships were also selected: • Ronald and Adrienne Banas Scholarship, $5,000 • International Spring Scholarship, $4,000 awarded to two students in the amount of $2,000 each • Callaghan-Hart Scholarship, $2,000 • Albert H. Goering Memorial Scholarship, $2,000 SMI member companies will be sent information for the 2021 scholarship program in the fall, via mail, email and SMI’s website, www.smihq.org.

48 / SPRINGS / Summer 2020

2020 Regional Scholarships

Canada Amira Gill

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, Canada SMI Member Parent: Gurmail Gill, Commercial Spring & Tool Attending: Queen’s University, School of Graduate Studies, Kingston, Ontario, Canada Major: Structural Engineering

Michigan Connor Burrows

Hometown: Zeeland, Michigan SMI Member Parent: Brad Burrows, Automatic Spring Products Attending: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan Major: Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology

Chicago Mina Truesdale

Hometown: Whitewater, Wisconsin SMI Member Parent: Stephen Truesdale, R&L Spring Attending: Cedarville University, Cedarville, Ohio Major: Chemistry

Mid-Atlantic Brendan VanDeven

Hometown: Harleysville, Pennsylvania SMI Member Parent: Jason VanDeven, Rolled Metal Products Attending: Penn State Abington Major: Information Sciences and Technology

Scholarship Recipients Say Thanks Here are excerpts from correspondence sent to SMI by this year’s scholarship recipients to express their gratitude.

Northeast

Southwest

Tania Jimenez

Anna Roye

Hometown: Waterbury, Connecticut SMI Member Parent: Joe Santiago, Gibbs Attending: Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, Connecticut Major: Elementary Education

Hometown: Pontotoc, Mississippi SMI Member Parent: Allen Roye, MW Industries/Pontotoc Spring Attending: Mississippi State University, Starkville, Mississippi Major: Nursing

Pittsburgh-Ohio

West

Elise Deerwester

Gabriella Rosal Calit

Hometown: Springfield, Ohio SMI Member Parent: Dave Deerwester, The Yost Superior Co. Attending: University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio Major: Mechanical Engineering Technology

Hometown: Stockton, California SMI Member Parent: Derrick Calit, Sumiden Wire Corp Attending: University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, California Major: Chemical Engineering

Southeast Emily Jolley

Hometown: Campobello, South Carolina SMI Member Parent: Nathan Jolley, Duer/Carolina Coil Attending: College of Charleston Honors College Majors: Chemistry and Political Science

“As we celebrate our 10th year since the program’s inception, I want to congratulate each of our 14 recipients and extend best wishes to each of them in their career pursuits.”

“

I am writing to express my heartfelt gratitude at receiving the Ronald and Adrienne Banas Scholarship Award for the 2020–2021school year.

This scholarship is an incredibly generous gift. I am currently a first year student in the Master of Public Health in Epidemiology program at the University of Minnesota.

My program offers very few scholarships, so I am immensely grateful for the kind generosity of scholarship programs such as yours.

Although pursuing this degree has been a huge financial commitment, I know that the skills I am learning will be well worth it. I am an active member of the Medical Reserve Corp and will be assisting in the COVID-I9 response at the University of Minnesota in the coming weeks and months. This pandemic has reinforced my dedication to public health and well-being, and my gratitude at receiving a scholarship that provides substantial financial support as I pursue my academic and professional goals.”

Lydia Fess

“

I want to thank the Spring Manufacturers Institute for the generous scholarship of $2,000. This scholarship will greatly help as I continue my education as a woman in engineering. I am very thankful and blessed that I was selected to receive this scholarship.

I am looking forward to learning all I can at the University of Dayton and applying it to my future career.

Thank you again for this wonderful opportunity.”

Elise Deerwester

SPRINGS / Summer 2020 / 49

“

It is with a profound sense of humility that I express to you my appreciation in being chosen as a recipient for the SMI scholarship. My education is of the utmost importance to not only me, but my parents and family alike. My pursuit of a career in medicine has been inspiring and gratifying. This intrinsic drive for a life serving others is something I take great pride in. Furthermore, I am grateful to have individuals around me committed to furthering my ability to do so.

The expenses associated with higher education cannot be underestimated. The financial assistance that this scholarship provides is something I cannot say thank you enough for. I look forward to seeing how support from people and organizations like yourself will continue to facilitate my transition into the health care field.”

2020 At-Large Scholarships

Albert H. Goering Memorial Scholarship

International Spring Scholarship

Emme Jensen

Kellie Kuehl

Hometown: Muskegon, Michigan SMI Member Parent: Eric Jensen, Michigan Spring & Stamping Attending: Muskegon Community College, Muskegon, Michigan Major: Health Science

Hometown: Sussex, Wisconsin SMI Member Parent: Steve Kuehl, Exacto Spring Attending: Evangel University, Springfield, Missouri Major: Worship Leadership

Callaghan-Hart Scholarship

Ronald and Adrienne Banas Scholarship

Nadya Gill

Lydia Fess

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, Canada SMI Member Parent: Gurmail Gill, Commercial Spring & Tool Attending: Queen’s University, School of Graduate Studies, Kingston, Ontario, Canada Major: Law

Hometown: Fox Lake, Illinois SMI Member Parent: Shelly Fess, R&L Spring Attending: University of Minnesota Twin Cities Campus, Minneapolis, Minnesota Major: Epidemiology

Connor Burrows

“

Thank you for choosing me to be the Albert H. Goering Memorial Scholarship recipient.

The money that I have been given will go toward my education at Muskegon Community College while I am studying human science. After I graduate with my degree, I will transfer to Michigan State University to pursue my dream of becoming a pediatrician.

Thank you so much for assisting me in getting a head start on my education.”

Emme Jensen

International Spring Scholarship Victoria Jones

50 / SPRINGS / Summer 2020

Hometown: Inman, South Carolina SMI Member Parent: Travis Jackson, Duer/Carolina Coil Attending: Washington State University, Pullman, Washington Major: Clinical Psychology

Superalloys: Some Thoughts

By Terry Bartel, Ph.D., Charter Steel

T

here is an old saying that I often heard from my wise English grandmother: “Everything has its time and place,” a statement that holds as true today as it did in her day, many decades ago. As man has evolved to a more sophisticated being living in a more complex and fast-paced society, so have the needs for better, stronger longerlived materials. As a result, there has been a steady evolution of metals technology to support such advancements which have gone from stone, to copper, to iron and beyond, to the point that now we have very sophisticated materials systems that support our lifestyles and scientific advancements. Superalloys are only some of many materials that have enabled such advancements.

The purpose of this brief discourse is to provide only a high level 30,000-foot look at superalloys and not to present tons of data. To do so would require numerous books and very disciplined attention spans, especially if one begins examining the various strengthening mechanisms such as γ’ or γ.”

The ASM Materials Engineering Dictionary defines superalloys as: “Heat-resisting alloys based on nickel (Ni), iron-nickel (Fe-Ni), or cobalt (Co) that exhibit a combination of mechanical strength and resistance to surface derogation that is unmatched by other metallic alloys. Superalloys are primarily used in gas turbines, coal conversion plants and chemical process industries, and for other specialized applications requiring high heat and corrosion resistance1.”

Suffice it to say that the first superalloys came about in the 1940s shortly after World War II, to meet the needs in the development of the newest weapon – the jet airplane. Existing materials

Figure 1: Relative cost factors for common spring alloys.

at that time could not stand up to the rigorous requirements of the turbosuperchargers and aircraft turbine engines. Since that time, mankind had found the need for this family of alloys in the following applications2: • Reciprocating engines • Gas turbines: aircraft and industrial • Metal processing and heat-treating equipment • Chemical and petrochemical processing • Medical applications • Space vehicles and hardware Although many of the above listings utilize superalloys in plate, strip, foil and bar forms, a little thought on our part quickly suggests that there are numerous spring applications for these same materials in the above applications.

The use of superalloys is dictated by performance need, not cost. Our standard spring materials do a marvelous job of meeting the needs of everyday

applications, but actually fail miserably when subjected to the environments experienced by the superalloys. They are selected for specific uses based upon performance in a harsh environment, and their cost is simply a result of their expensive metals and higher manufacturing costs associated with their production — vacuum melting, vacuum remelt and special surface preparation techniques that are often required add up quite rapidly. Figure 1 provides a relative comparison of several common spring alloys, including a couple of superalloys. Needless to say, with cost being a major driving force in receiving an order for a given spring application, no one is going to suggest using an exotic alloy when a more ordinary carbon or stainless alloy will suffice.

Another perplexing issue that has developed with the superalloys is the definite lack of standards or specifications for the materials when used for spring applications. The SMI “ASD7 Spring Design Program” includes the

SPRINGS / Summer 2020 / 51

Material

UNS Number

Standard

Inconel 600

N06600

ASTM B166

Inconel 718

N07718

----------

Inconel X-750 (spring temper)

N07750

AMS 5698

Inconel X-750 (No. 1 temper)

N07750

AMS 5699

Hastelloy C-276

N10276

ASTM B574

Elgiloy

R30003

AMS 5833

MP35N

R30035

AMS 5844

Figure 2: SMI ASD7 superalloy spring materials.

following materials classified as superalloys3 as shown in Figure 2.

Although ASTM has done very well in creating standards for the more common spring materials (basic carbon and alloy steels, stainless alloys and the various conditions), their standards have not provided guidance for the more exotic materials. The ASTM standards listed above actually do not cover the spring condition of the materials but rather in the “coldworked” condition – not generally the same thing. The AMS standards listed do apply to spring applications, but these standards have evolved as a result of the need of these materials in aerospace applications, which has obviously had a much greater need for such materials. Another standard that does cover spring applications for some of the superalloys is “ISO-15156/NACE MR0175” (there are multiple parts to these standards) but they, too, have evolved due to the need for the use of the superalloys in the petrochemical industry where very severe environments are often the norm.

The above situation, wherein there is a lack of standards/specifications for superalloys, is unfortunately not likely to change soon. Simply put, due to the relatively low usage rate for these materials and the limited scope of their usage, the effort to prepare and push such documents through the governing bodies is generally considered to be more effort than the value of the final

52 / SPRINGS / Summer 2020

outcome. Without consideration for the amount of time, documentation and effort to prepare a proposed standard, one has to realize that at least another two years beyond the basic aforementioned work is required to get such a standard approved. Little enthusiasm, let alone sufficient manpower, can be generated for such effort.

When looking for data to apply or work with one of a plethora of superalloys, the alloy manufacturers are excellent data sources. Most publish at least basic data for the material in various conditions, along with heat-treating recommendations. This includes any special environmental (protective atmospheres or vacuum) requirements during heat-treatment.

What they generally do not publicize is that they usually have a very large portfolio of data that they accumulated during the development of the alloy.

Developing a good working relationship with the material supplier can get you the use of the metallurgist that you wish was on your staff. But beware, unless you are a technical junkie, you may get substantially more information than you want.

For many applications, your spring customer may even have their own specification for the materials of choice, which has been developed to meet the needs of their specific application.

You can also contact SMI’s technical director, who is a staff resource that your organization recognizes as a needed tool

for your day-to-day and sometimes not so common technical needs.

Finally, another source for technical information is the open literature. In many cases, such data is easily found in today’s world of Google, which has put a tremendous amount of information (possibly too much information and some of which is potentially dangerous) at our fingertips. SMI has published numerous articles on materials in the past and will most likely do so in the future. Articles that the author has previously published in Springs magazine that contain information on superalloys are: • Material Selection — The First Step in Quality Control4 • High Performance Alloys5 • Heat Treating6 n

References 1. ASM Materials Engineering Dictionary, Edited by J. R. Davis & Associates, ASM International, 1992, p. 466.

2. A more complete listing of uses may be found in: SUPERALLOYS – A Technical Reference, Edited by Elihu F. Bradley, ASM International, 1988, p. 6.

3. Information provided by C. Richard Gordon, SMI Technical Director.

4. “Material Selection – The First Step in Quality Control,” Terry Bartel, Springs, Vol. 26, No. 2 (Oct., 1987), p. 19.

5. “High Performance Alloys,” Terry Bartel, Springs, Vol. 42, No. 2 (April, 2003), p. 27.

6. “Heat Treating,” Terry Bartel,” Springs, Oct., 2007, p. 13.

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Five Questions

InterWire Products, Inc.

F

ive Questions provides an opportunity for SMI associate members to tell the spring industry about their company and the products and services they offer. In this edition, we talk with Bruce Massey, senior vice president of InterWire Products, Inc.

1|

Can you tell us about InterWire and the products it offers to spring manufacturers?

InterWire was established in 1981 with the goal of providing wire consumers, like the spring industry, the highest quality wire available on a timely basis. As our customer base grew, we continued to add new locations to better service the ever-changing demands of the industry. Today we have six service centers in the U.S., one in Mexico and our corporate office is in Armonk, New York. All our locations are ISO 9001:2015 certified. We have always offered round, flat and shaped wires. Some of our standard materials include high carbon wires like music, hard drawn and oil tempered, but also low carbon wires, and various stainless and non-ferrous wires. Many of our materials are also offered with specialty coatings and finishes.

2|

What are the latest trends impacting wire distributors and what effect is it having on spring manufacturers?

Unfortunately, the world finds itself dealing with the coronavirus pandemic and the negative impact it’s having on economies and businesses around the world. This crisis has also exposed just how fragile the global supply chain is for many industries, including the spring industry. InterWire has felt the impact directly and tapped into our large base of producers to help mediate the problem. One of our greatest strengths is the strong relationships we build with our mills. These relationships are what allow us to respond to our customer’s needs when unforeseen events occur.

resources to find it, develop it, and bring it to the market.

To emphasize the point, I remember when I first started at InterWire, they said if someone gives you an inquiry for moon-rocks, you take it! We really mean it.

4|

What role does your company play in serving spring manufacturers?

We pride ourselves in working with customers to develop custom, specialty wire programs that are unique for their applications. We’re capable of doing this because we constantly seek out and bring in new qualified producers from around the world. It’s not unusual for us to have developed a custom program for one industry that we’re then able to introduce for a completely different application in another industry.

5|

Can you tell us about a recent challenge that you were able to solve for a customer?

Honestly, it seems like we face new challenges every day.

One recent challenge had to do with a customer that unexpectedly lost a producer for one of their critical programs.

Our customer was suddenly under incredible pressure to find a replacement provider capable of meeting their exacting specifications. Once the customer contacted us, we gathered every bit of information we could, and in a relatively short time, our team was able to quickly narrow down the best source to meet all the requirements. We had very good results with our trial process which gave us high confidence that we were on the way to a successful new program. n InterWire Products, Inc. 355 Main Street Armonk, NY 10504 Phone: 914-273-6633 or 800-699-6699 brucem@interwiregroup.com www.interwiregroup.com

3|

What type of services do you offer?

We see ourselves as a full-service supplier of wire and there’s not much that we won’t look for. We don’t like to limit ourselves to a pre-defined “basket of materials.”

We like to use the hundreds of years combined experience of our group to bring as much value to the industry as possible. If there’s a wire being made, we will use our

Bruce Massey

SPRINGS / Summer 2020 / 55

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Springmaker Spotlight

The Foote family gathered in Boulder, Colorado for a family summit that included a hike in the Flatirons.

Pictured (l-to-r): Hale, Hannah, Beth, Maggie, Andrea, Noelle and Colby Foote.

Special Edition on Succession Planning: Sustaining Scandic Springs for the Next Generation

By Gary McCoy Managing Editor

I

t was nearly 10 years ago that Springs published a Springmaker Spotlight on Hale Foote and Scandic Springs (“Powered by the Sun,” Fall 2010) that focused on the company’s sustainability efforts as it had recently installed a new solar roof. The story started off by defining sustainability as “the capacity to endure.”

In this issue of Springmaker Spotlight we revisit the subject of sustainability in a different way, as Scandic is in the early stages of a succession plan. Company president Hale Foote is beginning the process of passing the business to his oldest daughter, Andrea. There was a time when Foote was uncertain whether the business would endure to the third generation.

SPRINGS / Summer 2020 / 57

Known simply as Scandic, Scandic Springs, Inc. is the company’s legal name and is based in San Leandro, California. The company is known for its precision stampings, wireforms, mechanical assemblies and springs. Scandic was started in 1969 by Foote’s father-in-law Dick Lind and several partners who were engineers. Over the years Lind bought out his partners and the company became entirely family-owned. Lind recently died at the age of 91 (read more about this on page 65).

Foote, a Georgetown University undergraduate and law school graduate, met his wife, Beth, in college. As an ordained Episcopal priest, Beth never had an interest in running her family’s business.

At the age of 31 (which is coincidentally Andrea’s current age), Foote was ready for a new challenge and switched from commercial litigation to running a spring and stamping company. It also gave Hale and Beth an opportunity to be near one set of grandparents.

With no background in the industry, Foote worked alongside of Lind for a couple of years before taking over the business. “Dick was active for a couple of years after we got here,” said Foote of his father-in-law. “But he was planning to retire, so the timing was good for all concerned.”

Planning to Sell Since joining Scandic 30 years ago, Foote has been the only family member involved in the business. In addition to Andrea, who is married to Maggie, Hale and Beth are the parents of Colby, who is married to Noelle, and Hannah.

“All our children are quite different with unique personalities and talents. But none of them had really expressed an interest in the business,” explained Foote.

Foote said all three went to liberal arts colleges and had different career interests. “They’re working people, so I thought, ‘They’re not interested and that’s fine.’”

Prepping the business for sale was an effort that Foote started about 10 years ago. “Everything from the books, which were in fairly good shape, to the layout of the plant, which included moving to a larger building. I was really spending a lot of time working on the business, to make it look sexy.”

Foote believes it was the SMI convention in San Antonio in 2012 when people started asking him if he had children in the business. He remembers replying “no,” and several people asked “Do you have plans?” Foote thought at the time, “I better have plans!”

Foote said he received lots of inquiries from larger spring and stamping companies who were interested in buying the business so they could have a presence in the Silicon Valley area of California.

As a result of that SMI meeting and the inquiries, Foote started talking to private equity firms and brokers. “I was just sort of dipping my toe in the water, because there was no rush to sell at the time.”

Foote also attended a seminar sponsored by a local accounting firm on how to value your business. He remembers saying to himself at the time, “I’m going to go. I’m going to learn.”

58 / SPRINGS / Summer 2020

However long it takes, Foote exclaimed, “My goal is for her to turn to me someday and say, ‘You know, dad, I got this.

You can sit yourself out.’”

Coincidentally after coming out of this seminar, he got a text message from Andrea saying, “Dad, can we talk?”

I called Andrea and I said, “What’s up?” She replied, “Could we talk some time about me coming into the business?”

Foote said the inquiry, totally initiated by Andrea, “kind of blew me over.” He said the fact that she brought up the subject was extremely healthy.

“I began my career in the nonprofit sector leading youth programs,” explained Andrea of her decision to join Scandic.

“So manufacturing is definitely a pivot!”

Andrea said she admired how her grandfather established and grew the company, and how her dad continued to invest in his employees and developed the business in new directions.

“Professionally, I was ready for a change in my work life,” said Andrea. “Sharing the third generation of ownership with my siblings and keeping the company in the family were all factors.”

Putting a Plan Together That exchange between father and daughter took place four years ago. They both acknowledge that they are still in the beginning to middle stages of executing the succession plan and with humility admit they are not experts in this.

In addition to membership in SMI, Foote is a member of the Precision Metalforming Association (PMA) and has been part of a PMA executive networking group for many years. With the wheels in motion, Foote started asking group members about their experiences with succession planning.

“I’ll never forget one conversation where this executive told me, ‘Well, my sister and I don’t speak anymore.’”

Foote said he listened to many unfortunate stories of people that had bungled the passing of the torch. Common comments were, “I wish we had done this,” or “I wish we hadn’t done that.”

Foote said he started reading and educating himself about family business consultants and found that there was a whole industry dedicated to this. Foote said they ended up engaging a consultant assigned to them from The Family Business Consulting Group, Inc. (FBCG) who lives in Boulder, Colorado.

“This person has been a good fit for us and a wonderful resource,” explained Foote.

Right now, they are about 18 months into working with the consultant. The consultant has conducted family meetings with all their children and their spouses and worked with the family to establish timelines.

As a result of the process, Andrea left her previous employer at a nonprofit in Cincinnati. She is currently working on a graduate degree in business at the University of Cincinnati. In addition, she spends two days a week as an intern at a Cincinnati area metal stamping company that are suppliers to the automotive industry.

Andrea says the internship has been invaluable.

“Seeing how another company of similar size, but different management structure operates has sparked questions and conversations that have helped me better understand Scandic,” she said.

Andrea’s internship includes one day in the office and one day out on the production floor. She says her mentor has been extremely generous with his time and in facilitating his staff to work with her.

“My time at the company has been divided between a rotation through each department in the office, working in production in their assembly department, and shadowing other employees around the plant floor,” Andrea explained.

She says the experience has helped her see firsthand and connect how decisions, actions, or delays affect each part of the business.

“Especially after establishing my career first in nonprofit, I know this year’s experience both at the metal stamper and University of Cincinnati will give me a solid foundation to begin my work at Scandic,” concluded Andrea.

Foote said Andrea’s mentor at the stamping company in Cincinnati has been wonderful. “He’s older and has really taken her under his wing.”

Both father and daughter endorse the value of the internship, especially in learning from a company outside of Scandic. “A voice other than dad,” said Foote with a laugh.

They also value their work with the outside consultant.

“One of my biggest concerns was treating each of our children fairly,” explained Foote. “It does not mean identical, but fairly.”

Foote said the consultant interviewed every family member separately with total confidentiality. The consultant confirmed that Colby and Hannah were not interested in being involved with the business.

We needed to get their buy in before we moved forward, explained Foote. “That each of them was saying, ‘No, I don’t really want to be in the business. Yes, I understand that Andrea is likely to have a different career path, but I don’t want to work here.’”

Each of the three children will have an ownership stake in the company. Their consultant advised the Footes that since they were expanding the ownership pool of the company, they might want to set some new norms moving forward.

Foote said the consultant advised, “Instead of just having your annual meeting on the back porch and being bare-bones about it, why not build in some family retreats that are onethird learning, one-third on the business and one-third fun?”

The Footes had a family fly-in to Boulder, Colorado in January 2020 where they met with their consultant from the FBCG. Boulder was the natural setting because it was

close to where the consultant lived, explained Foote. “And it’s where Hannah went to college. Plus, Beth loves Boulder and Colby was already living there.”

Foote deemed their first family summit a success and they hope to do it again somewhere else when everyone is able to travel again.

Lessons Learned So Far Foote said he and Andrea both learned they did not have all the answers going into the succession planning process.

“I’ve learned that there are a lot of resources out there that can help people through this fairly complex financial, and emotional process,” said Foote. “I’ve learned that it can be a lot of fun, actually. It’s made me really look at this with fresh eyes.”

Foote said his dedication now is to answer such questions as: “What does Andrea need to know? What sort of head start can I give her?” He said his goal is to make sure Andrea is equipped as best as she can be to take on this challenge.

In addition, Foote said he learned that he had been under a microscope at Scandic without knowing it. Importantly, Foote said he did not realize that company employees, especially those with more than 20 years of service time, had been wondering, “What’s he going to do?”

The Footes recently made the announcement to company employees that Andrea would be joining the business. The plan is for her to be on-site in San Leandro sometime later this year.

SPRINGS / Summer 2020 / 59

Foote had meetings with top managers who all reacted positively to the news, and among all the employees, there was a sigh of relief.

In chatting with employees, Foote said they told him things like, “O, thank God, you’re not going to sell; you’re not going to liquidate. All those other competitors we’ve heard about are not going to be here.”

There is no definite timeline of how long Hale and Andrea will work together before Andrea permanently takes over.

Foote said part of this depends on where Beth’s career takes her. “She’s happy where she is in San Francisco,” explained Foote, “but her next assignment is unknown.”

Foote said the transition to new leadership could be as soon as 2 ½ years. “I could be wrong. There’s no external imperative that says it has to be done in one year or in five years.”

Of the transition, Andrea says she’s excited to learn and work with her dad at Scandic.

“I’m sure there will be challenges, but I don’t anticipate any pertaining to the generations,” said Andrea. “I’m grateful we have been proactive in setting up this succession plan intentionally, to hopefully be successful and healthy for the years to come.”

However long it takes, Foote exclaimed, “My goal is for her to turn to me someday and say, ‘You know, Dad, I got this. You can sit yourself out.’”

Foote believes the transition between he and Andrea should be gradual, “because I think there are things that take time to learn. But it shouldn’t be open-ended either.”

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He does not envision the transition lasting forever, “because then the incoming next generation never really feels like they ran the show. They never feel like they had the power to do what they needed to do.”

He does not envision the transition lasting forever, “because then the incoming next generation never really feels like they ran the show. They never feel like they had the power to do what they needed to do.”

To help in the transition, father and daughter are utilizing internal communication technology in the onboarding process.

Foote said it was Andrea’s idea to setup a Google drive so the two of them could share notes, schedules or anything related to the business. Foote also said he is now including Andrea on emails, “either by carbon copy or a blind carbon copy, I want her to have a sense of how people talk to each other.”

They are also using external technology to participate in such things as SMI and PMA webinars. Foote sees the wisdom in paying for any and all college/graduate school tuition to help the next generation arrive with good tools.

“It’s such a tiny expense in the context of your family’s ongoing business asset,” said Foote.

Spouse Considerations Hale and Andrea are both married to Episcopal priests.

Before Dick Lind died in April, he joked that his son-in-law and granddaughter would be part of the only springmakerpriest couples in the country.

Because most couples today are career couples, Foote said factoring in your spouse’s career is an important consideration in any succession plan, especially if you are going to make a cross-country move from Cincinnati to the San Francisco Bay area that Andrea and Maggie are making. “The move needs to work on a timeline for each spouse,” said Foote.

“As an Episcopal priest, Maggie was approached last year to help with a big project to turn a Latino community center in the Cincinnati area into a full-fledged parish,” explained Foote.

The year-and-a-half project for Maggie should end about the same time that Andrea finishes graduate school and her internship, so they can make the move out west.

Though a formalized succession plan has not been written, he said they are taking their time. “We’ve etched out a big picture of where we need to go,” explained Foote.

He said at some point they will formalize everything with buy/sell agreements and other legal and financial documents. “In a business as big as ours and as complex as I think it is, I would advise others not to rush it,” said Foote. “Take your time. Call in help. Talk about it.”

Those three statements sound like a formula for success to help sustain a business to the next generation. n

Book Corner ©iStockphoto.com/kertlis

Family Business Succession: The Final Test of Greatness

By Gary McCoy

F

“

amily Business Succession” provides useful principles to help a family business transition from one generation to the next. The booklet is written by Craig E. Aronoff, Stephen L. McClure and John L. Ward, who are all principals in The Family Business Consulting Group, Inc. It is less than 100 pages and is part of a series of publications to provide practical guidance surrounding family business issues.

The first edition of this volume was published in 1992. The most recent edition, from 2011, looks beyond the founder of the business. “This edition identifies succession management problems and solutions for any family business CEO, whether the business is in its first or second or third generation, or beyond.”

The subtitle of the book, “The Final Test of Greatness,” is theme of the book’s introduction because the authors believe it marks the opportunity for families to preserve a lasting institution. “Managing succession is the task that is most critical to securing the future of private enterprise in the United States. Rising competition, government regulations, taxes and other problems withstanding, the failure to plan and manage succession well is the greatest threat to the survival of family business.”

Each chapter includes specific family case histories. There are 15 exhibits scattered throughout the book with tips and checklists, such as Exhibit 3: “The CEO’s

“Managing succession is the task that is most critical to securing the future of private enterprise in the United States. Rising competition, government regulations, taxes and other problems withstanding, the failure to plan and manage succession well is the greatest threat to the survival of family business.”

‘Letting Go’ Checklist,” and Exhibit 8: “8 Ways to Minimize Family Tension.” Three appendixes at the end of the book provide one family’s emergency succession plan example, a family council charter example and guidance on how to forge a family mission statement.

I liked the chapter on leadership transitions. The authors cite five different models to transition management from a CEO to a successor, including “Cold Turkey,” “Delay, Delay and Delay and…,” “Here, Gone, Here, Gone…,” “Gradual/Progressive,” and “Nonfamily CEO.” The authors express their preference for the “Gradual/Progressive” model. “In

our experience, it promises the greatest assurances for a smooth, successful transition. It provides the best safeguards for protecting the health of the family and the capacity of the business to thrive. And it offers the widest and most creative opportunities for the successor to develop into a solid leader and for the outgoing CEO to plan and implement an active, satisfying life upon retirement.”

This is a good, nuts and bolts guidebook for those who are starting down the path of succession planning, or for those who have already put together a plan and are looking for a benchmark comparison. n

Have a favorite business book you would like to tell us about or review? Send your suggestions to Springs managing editor Gary McCoy at gmccoy@fairwaycommunications.com.

SPRINGS / Summer 2020 / 61

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Global CTE News Highlights

Industry Leaders Come Together to Help CTE Students Continue Learning During COVID-19 Crisis

T

he manufacturing industry is already facing a skilled labor shortage, and the onset of the COVID-19 crisis has presented an additional challenge for educational institutions, temporarily closing schools across the nation and interrupting face-to-face learning.

To help meet the mission-critical challenge of building the industry’s future workforce, the newly formed CTE Coalition, led by Lincoln Electric, Tooling U-SME, NC3, camInstructor, Haas Automation and SkillsUSA, quickly mobilized to create the website Keep CTE Moving. The site is a central portal where instructors and students can go to access much needed resources, including hundreds of online classes, videos, and instructional materials in areas such as machining, welding, mechatronics, industry 4.0, and programming.

“A lot of CTE courses are in areas like welding, CNC, automotive, manufacturing and construction and are very hands-on,” said Jason Scales, business manager, education, Lincoln Electric. “Many instructors simply don’t have online training content.

This noncompetitive group of industry-leading companies each maintain a robust set of e-learning modules and other resources. Together, we agreed to share our resources in an unprecedented manner. With this opportunity, tens of thousands of CTE students can keep learning, even while they may not be allowed to gather in a physical classroom or lab.”

“This noncompetitive group of industry-leading companies each maintain a robust set of e-learning modules and other resources. Together, we agreed to share our resources in an unprecedented manner. With this opportunity, tens of thousands of CTE students can keep learning, even while they may not be allowed to gather in a physical classroom or lab.”

Understanding the urgency for education to respond to the crisis, coalition partners are also providing recorded sessions with CTE instructors highlighting best practices in how to effectively utilize e-learning, and

online resources to educate students and quickly transition to a virtual learning environment.

Given the changing nature of the COVID-19 situation, CTE instructors are urged to periodically visit the Keep CTE Moving website at www. ctecoalition.com for additional remote learning resources and guidance that will likely evolve over time. The coalition is committed to continually monitoring the situation and coming together to respond to our nation’s educators and students.

“The coalition hopes that by offering these centralized online resources, we can quickly help thousands of students continue their studies in these unprecedented times when many schools are temporarily closed,” said Chelle Travis, executive director, SkillsUSA. For more information on the Keep CTE Moving site and coalition efforts, visit www.ctecoalition.com. n

SPRINGS / Summer 2020 / 63

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SMI Webinars with Dr. Laura Helmrich-Rhodes

10.88”

SMI’s regulatory compliance consultant, Dr. Laura Helmrich-Rhodes was scheduled to present four webinars during 2020 to assist the spring industry. Two of the webinars were already conducted in May on “Basic Ergonomic Assessments: Eliminating Inefficiencies and Stressors,” and in June on “Job Safety Analysis: How to and Their Many Uses.”

Still to come this year is a “Basic Safety Recordkeeping” webinar on July 13. The session, intended for owners, managers and human resources professionals, will examine the many questions that arise regarding OSHA recordkeeping including those most frequently asked. Participants will also receive clarification on the length of time safety documents have to be kept. For example: How long are you required to keep documents like hot work permits, training sign-in sheets, air/noise monitoring and hearing test results? Sample forms will be provided to SMI member

companies as well a s pa r t ic ipa nt certificates.

The Sept. 25 webinar will tackle “Basic Lock Out/ Tag Out Compliance.” This session is designed for owners, managers, human resources professionals, safety committees and technical/engineers. “Lock out/Tag out continues to be among the most frequently cited in the spring industry and in manufacturing as a whole,” explained Helmrich-Rhodes. “This presentation will focus on the federal OSHA requirements for both electrical and the other forms of energy often overlooked in industry. Both applicable subparts of the federal OSHA standards will be reviewed.”

The webinar will also clarify the training requirements for those who are considered “affected” versus “qualified.” A sample written program will

be given to each SMI member company as well as participant certificates.

Helmrich-Rhodes is a former member of Pennsylvania OSHA Consultation. In addition to her work with SMI, Helmrich-Rhodes is an associate professor in the Safety Sciences Department at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where she teaches graduate and undergraduate classes on topics such as OSHA standards, safety communications, workers’ compensation and human relations.

The registration fee per webinar is $129 for each computer terminal for nonmembers. All webinars are complimentary for SMI members, but registration is required. All seminars are scheduled for one hour and begin at 1 p.m. Eastern, Noon Central, 11 a.m.

Mountain and 10 a.m. Pacific time.

For complete details and to register, visit www.smihq.org/news/502713/2020Regulatory-Compliance-Webinars.htm.

SMI Mourns Passing of Members

He rose to become sales manager at Connor and opened their San Jose plant. He then founded Scandic in 1969 with two partners, and over the years he grew the business into the largest spring and stamping company in Northern California. Lind was active with SMI and WCSMA. R. Hale Foote, Lind’s son-in-law and the current president of Scandic, said, “Many will remember his sharp wit. He and Dorothy rarely missed an annual convention and they counted many SMI members as close friends.”

Foote said that in his last year, Lind was delighted to learn that the business would enter third-generation family ownership in 2020, as

his granddaughter Andrea joins the business.

It is with deep regret that Springs announces the recent loss of three members.

Richard Lind, 91, of Scandic Springs, Inc. in San Leandro, California, who died April 24. Dorothy, his wife of 64 years, predeceased him by one year.

Lind had a long career in the spring industry, starting at Connor Spring (as it was then named) in San Francisco.

David Edward Purcell, 52, died April 29, 2020, at Yale New Haven Hospital, as a result of a motorcycle accident.

Purcell was born in the fall of 1967 in Ottawa, Illinois, to Edward L. Purcell and Judith A. (Poundstone). He graduated from Ottawa Township High School in 1985. Growing up, Purcell played Little League and basketball. As a teen, he enjoyed discovering new bands and attending concerts.

SPRINGS / Summer 2020 / 65

Inside SMI

After high school, Purcell went on to earn his B.S. in Manufacturing Engineering Technology from Northern Illinois University in 1990.

While at college, Purcell joined the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, where he formed many friendships, most of which are still intact today. Following college, Purcell earned his MBA from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2003, where he was a member of Beta Gamma Sigma and the International Business Honor Society.

Following college, Purcell had a successful 20-year career within plastics engineering, working for Owens-Brockway, Bucher, Krauss Maffei Corp., Bulk Molding Compounds, Inc. and Wittmann Battenfeld, Inc., before moving into his current role as president and CEO of WAFIOS Machinery Corporation. In charge of the U.S. division which is headquartered in Branford, Connecticut, Purcell’s leadership of WAFIOS Machinery Corporation for the past nine years brought the company to new heights, markets and success. His involvement in industry trade groups touched many customers and friends.

Purcell shaped WMC and WAFIOS

group with his positive attitude to life, unique leadership style and innovative ideas. He truly respected each and every WAFIOS customer; indeed, he respected everyone. He loved his work and every interaction was meaningful, purposeful and in the spirit of fairness. The industry will miss his presence dearly.

Purcell leaves behind his wife, Heather Rowe-Purcell of Branford, Connecticut. While only recently married, they enjoyed more than seven years together as a couple boating, traveling, running, golfing, skiing and mountain biking. He also leaves behind his two sons Cole and Ben Purcell, two step-children Onna and Samuel Gott, sister Heather Purcell-Bushno (Craig), niece Skyler, mother-in-law Susan Rowe, sister-in-law Beth Mullen (Paul), nieces Kate and Clare, nephew Matt, Carrie Rowe (Jim), and step-brother Kurt Zwanzig, as well as many adoring aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and colleagues.

He is preceded in death by his parents.

Purcell’s greatest joy in life was being a father to Ben and Cole, and then to Onna and Sam. The memories, stories and photographs with his wife and children are a window into a life

filled with faith, love, support and Sunday family dinners. His friendships ran wide and deep, and the loss of such a great man is felt by many.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the following organizations: New England Donor Services, 60 1st Ave, Waltham, MA 02451; Ottawa YMCA, attn. Joe Capece, 201 E. Jackson St, Ottawa, IL 61350; North Haven Congregational Church, 28 Church St, North Haven, CT 06473; Woods Hole Oceanographic Inst., 266 Woods Hole Rd, Woods Hole, MA 02543. Please refer to “David Purcell” in the memo line.

Services in both Branford and Ottawa will be announced at a later date.

Naomi Vinderine, beloved wife of former SMI president Roy Vindervine, died peacefully at home surrounded by her family May 12, 2020. She was the loving mother and mother-in-law of Mark Vinderine and Curtis Arthur, Dorian Vinderine and Nick Ward, Andrea and Elliott Raisin, Daveda and Michael Goldenberg, and Graeme and Sharon Vinderine.

A family service was held May 13, 2020.

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Calendar of Key Events for the Global Spring Industry

Sept. 16 CASMI Golf Tournament Bridges of Poplar Creek Country Club, Hoffman Estates, Illinois www.casmi-springworld.org

2020

Sept. 17–18 ISO/TC 227 – Springs Milan, Italy www.iso.org/committee/369318.html

Sept. 14 NESMA Annual Golf Outing Chippanee Golf Club, Bristol, Connecticut www.nesma-usa.com

Oct. 7–9 SpringWorld Rosemont, Illinois www.casmi-springworld.org

Sept. 14–16 International Committee on Spring Technologies – ICST – 2 Düsseldorf, Germany www.icst2020-germany.de/

Oct. 28 NESMA Casino Night DoubleTree Hilton Hotel, Bristol. Conn. www.nesma-usa.com

Sept. 16–17 WAI Regional Fundamentals Canfield, Ohio www.funwiremfg.com/

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Dec. 3 NESMA Holiday Party Nuchie’s Restaurant, Bristol, Conn. www.nesma-usa.com

Dec. 4 NESMA Annual Meeting Double Tree Hilton Hotel, Bristol, Conn. www.nesma-usa.com

2021 May 10–13 WAI InterWire Atlanta, Georgia wirenet.org/events/interwire Sept. 28–30 2021 SMI Metal Engineering eXpo South Point Resort and Casino, Las Vegas www.metalengineeringexpo.org Sept. 30–Oct. 1 ISO/TC 227 – Springs South Point Resort and Casino, Las Vegas www.iso.org/committee/369318.html Oct. 8 11th International Congress of Springs Spain (location TBD)

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©iStockphoto.com/Studio-Pro

Committee Connection

SMI Board Meets in the Bahamas

S

MI president Steve Kempf of Lee Spring presided over his last meeting of the association’s board of directors when the group met March 8 at the Atlantis, Bahamas. Kempf welcomed the newest member of the board, Jennelle Carlier of S3 Wireform.

Kempf noted that the committee meetings were well attended earlier in the day. This was reflective of the fact that they were being held a day later than usual, on Sunday.

Here are some of the highlights from the meeting.

Workforce Development SMI will continue to be a part of the Dream It. Do It. program and to support the annual Manufacturing Day event in October. The association wants to produce a video to be used in schools to promote springmaking and the spring industry. There is also a plan to have workforce development regional chairs who would meet periodically by conference call. The regional chairs would represent companies in their region, who are using their local contacts and resources to promote manufacturing.

Technical Offerings/Services The 100 series “fundamental” videos on spring design are available for free on the SMI website. The 201 spring design class has been taught several times in person; SMI is promoting the availability of private classes, in which companies can have SMI come to their facility to teach the course to their employees. There is also an option of making the class a combined class for designing compression and extension

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springs that would stretch over a day and a half. SMI is working to make its budget for technical services closer to break-even. It was announced that the price for SMI’s ASD software will increase for the first time in 12 years.

Metal Engineering eXpo Plans are moving forward toward the 2021 SMI Metal Engineering eXpo at the Southpoint Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. SMI will also host the international TC227 meeting at the hotel. It was noted that SMI associate members are pushing toward combining the eXpo with CASMI’s SpringWorld.

They want to pursue a “one show” idea with CASMI, while making sure that that CASMI doesn’t lose money and keeps their programs funded.

There have also been conversations with doing some kind of collaboration with the Wire Association International and PMA. In addition, the International Fastener Show is traditionally held in Las Vegas near the same time as the eXpo. It was suggested that SMI might

team up with the Fastener Show to have a reciprocal agreement so attendees could attend either show.

Associates The associates committee also suggested that SMI institute a suitcasing policy.

If an associate member would be able to exhibit at the eXpo and chooses not to, they would not be allowed to attend the eXpo. In addition, non-exhibitors would not be permitted to have an outside event within 24 hours of the event. The associates committee also requested that SMI pursue a best practices policy written by an attorney, as insurance against sexual harassment and other issues.

Convention Planning The 2021 SMI Annual Meeting will be held at the Hyatt Regency in Scottsdale.

For future meetings, the committee suggested looking at more budgetconscious resorts to attract more attendees. They also suggested looking at offering discounted registration fees

based on how many people attend from each company. Site considerations for 2022 include the Gulf Shore region, Florida or New Orleans.

Membership It was suggested that membership value could be reinforced with an article in the magazine on “Why SMI?” This could include testimonials from members as to why they joined. There was also a suggestion that SMI ramp up its social media feeds with continuous news on what’s happening with SMI. This would be especially useful during the annual meeting to provide information to those members who are unable to attend. Relevant magazine articles from Springs could also be shared on LinkedIn.

basic and advanced). The 201 class has been taught two times already and the group is considering feedback from the students to make changes to help improve the course. Most of the feedback from the compression spring (201 class) was that the next class should be extension and torsion springs.

Future courses would involve spring

washer, torsion and snap ring design.

The committee indicated they would change the priority on some of the courses based on what people want, and to start presenting some of the advanced classes.

SMI’s board of directors is currently scheduled to meet just before SpringWorld in October. n

Regulatory Compliance Laura Helmrich-Rhodes conducted four webinars in 2019 that were well attended. The PowerPoint presentations from those webinars are available at the SMI website on “Effective Safety Committees,” “Workers’ Compensation Cost Controls,” “How to Handle an OSHA Inspection,” and “Accident Investigations.” Four webinars are planned for 2020. “Basic Ergonomic Assessments: Eliminating Inefficiencies and Stressors,” was scheduled for May 18 and “Job Safety Analysis: How to & Their Many Uses” was scheduled for June 15. For the remainder of 2020, “Basic Safety Recordkeeping” is planned for July 13 and “Basic Lock Out/Tag Out Compliance” on Sept. 25.

Helmrich-Rhodes also noted that 31 companies were recently fined more than $500,000 and the most frequent citation was lockout/tagout.

Technical A safety roundtable group among SMI members might be a valuable addition to Helmrich-Rhodes’ webinar to garner more involvement. The committee continues to meet on a regular basis to build the training program of 14 courses on spring design (fundamental,

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SPRINGS / Summer 2020 / 69

New Products

Saint-Gobain Abrasives has introduced its new Norton Stellar inserted-nut grinding wheels for double and single disc grinding that offer improved wheel life, increased parts per wheel and lower cost per part. The new grinding wheels are

ideal for a wide range of industries, including automotive, bearing, tool manufacturing, compressors, knife blades and job shop/ general machining.

Norton Stellar grinding wheels have a more than 30 percent longer wheel

life than existing disc grinding products, and require less dressing and parameter changes for increased productivity. The new wheels also have an improved material removal rate of more than 15 percent.

“Our advanced manufacturing process produces homogeneous wheels that have extremely consistent quality from wheelto-wheel,” said Kelly Pica, senior product manager, Norton | Saint-Gobain Abrasives.

“We are very pleased to offer customers our new Stellar double disc grinding wheels that produce excellent, high quality surface finishes throughout the life of the wheels.”

Norton Stellar wheels are available in Norton’s range of high-performance grains and bonds, including the most cuttingedge ceramic grains and advanced bond technologies. All Norton Stellar disc grinding wheels are made-to-order to fit exact customer requirements, and are available in diameters from 8" thru 42" and in grit ranges from 16 thru 220.

Key applications include piston rings, connecting rods, compressor plates, automotive and machinery components, bearing races, hand tools and springs.

For more information, contact Pica at 508-667-4586, or visit www.nortonabrasives.com.

HSI Machinery HTC-10CL 5 Axes Spring Coiler HSI Machinery and FSI announces the addition of the new HTC-10CL 5 Axes Spring Coiler. The new HTC-10CL includes many improvements over the HTC-10CF, including a larger feed motor for increased power and higher feed speeds, and an all new feed transmission gear design to better handle the higher speeds.

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According to HSI Machinery and FSI, the production of the new machine is 35 percent higher than the HTC10CF with higher accuracy.

A digital scale is installed with HTC-10CL 5 to indicate the exact position of mandrel (up/down) and includes optimized auto lubrication. The coiler is ready for Industrial 4.0

(optional WF2, in which a Wi-Fi system enables the user to remotely monitor the machine to see production rate).

For additional information, contact Forming Systems, Inc. at info@formingsystemsinc.com or 269-679-3557.

©iStockphoto.com/hüseyin harmandaglı, morkeman, PeskyMonkey

New Norton Disc Grinding Wheels Offer Longer Wheel Life and Consistent Perfomance

New Products

Starrett Introduces High Throughput Rotary Table Springs Force Tester The L.S. Starrett Company has introduced a newly designed Rotary Table Springs Force Tester. The system is set up to test multiple springs in a single setup, without the need for additional operator input as required when springs are tested one by one. The batch testing volume production approach saves time, and significantly increases test throughput, while freeing up the operator to attend to other jobs.

Multiple springs can be loaded and tested in the Rotary Table Force Tester System, and the system will provide a pass/fail report on each spring. Detailed information on each spring is also available, including free length, spring rate, and critical load and distance points. Different rotary table options are available to accommodate a customized number of springs in a single setup.

The Rotary Table Springs Tester solution features the Starrett FMS-1000-L3, a single-column force measurement system optimized for high-volume production and quality control testing.

The FMS-1000-L3 frame has a 1000N (225lbf) testing capacity, ideal for tensile or compressive testing. The system includes the test frame, controller and software. The controller features a Windows operating system with high resolution color, multitouch display, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and USB 2.0 port(s). The Rotary Table Springs Force Tester has L2 Plus software featuring analysis tools to measure and display results on a single graph. Once this

is complete, the results are automatically measured and placed on all test runs within a batch. Displays include full graphs, split graphs with data tables, or as a data table, complete with statistical calculations or tolerance results.

Visit starrett.com/rotarytable to see the video and more information. n

Advertiser's Index A & D Trading (440) 563-5227. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 Admiral Steel (800) 323-7055 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Alloy Wire International (866) 482-5569. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Anchor Abrasives (708) 444-4300 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 CASMI www.casmi-springworld.org. . . . . . 14 Diamond Wire Spring Co. (800) 424-0500 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Dispense Works (815) 363-3524. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 FENN/Torin (860) 259-6600 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Forming Systems Inc. (877) 594-4300 . . . . . . . . . . back cover Gibbs Wire & Steel Co. Inc. (800) 800-4422 . . . . inside back cover Gibraltar (847) 383-5442. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Industrial Steel & Wire (800) 767-0408. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Interwire Products Inc. (914) 273-6633. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 JN Machinery (224) 699-9161. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Jowitt & Rodgers/Syntech (704) 525-8030. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Kiswire (201) 461-8895. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Larson Systems (763) 780-2131. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Maguire Machinery (609) 266-0200 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Mapes Piano String Co. (423) 543-3195. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 NIMSCO (563) 391-0400. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 North American Spring Tool (860) 583-1693. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Proto Manufacturing (800) 965-8378 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Radcliff Wire (860) 583-1305. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

RK Trading (847) 640-9371. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5, 64 Shanghai SFK Precision Co. sfkppd@163.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Simplex Rapid (563) 391-0400. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Spring Manufacturers Institute (630) 495-8588. . . . . inside front cover Suzuki Garphyttan (574) 232-8800. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Tool King (847) 537-2881. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 United Wire (800) 840-9481 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Vinston (847) 972-1098. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Vulcan Spring & Manufacturing Co. (215) 721-1721. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 WAFIOS (203) 481-5555. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Zapp Precision Strip (203) 386-0038 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

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Snapshot ©iStockphoto.com/Tryfonov Ievgenii, nicholas belton

Alex Melnikow Midstate Spring Name: Alex Melnikow.

Company name and city: Midstate Spring, Syracuse, New York.

Brief history of your company: Our company has its roots in World War II. We recently moved into our third generation of family ownership following my grandfather (Paul H. Bernet) who purchased the company from the founder, and my father (Walter Melnikow) and uncle (Paul S. Bernet) who grew it through the second generation.

Job title: President.

Family (spouse, children, pets, etc.): My wife, Fanny, and I didn’t know if we could handle a dog, so we decided to have a couple of boys, Elliot, 4 and Oliver, 2, instead.

The Melnikow family (l-to-r): Alex, Elliott, Fanny and Oliver.

Gathering, watching esports and being a self-proclaimed foodie.

What I like most about being a springmaker: Springmaking requires such a wide range of skillsets and personalities that necessitates a team approach. I enjoy being on a team, and trying to maximize my strengths to make the whole team better, while having my weaknesses minimized by the strengths of others.

Favorite places: Home, Barcelona and New York City.

Favorite food: I think food is a great cultural connection to the world. I enjoy many cuisines, though my absolute favorite dishes tend to have a nostalgic connection to my childhood like my grandmother’s borscht, blini and maultaschen.

The one thing I can’t stand is: Not having a reason for doing something a certain way.

Hobbies: Now: Quarantining with the family. Before: Poker, Magic: The

I knew I was an “adult” when: When I delivered a eulogy for a friend my age.

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Best times of my life: Laying down relaxing outside in sunny and slightly too warm weather.

A really great evening to me is: Dinner with my wife at a new restaurant we have looked forward to trying.

My most outstanding qualities are: Loyalty, analytical ability and a wry sense of humor.

If I weren’t working at Midstate, I would like to: Return to playing poker professionally and move to a Spanish speaking country with my kids for a few years.

I would like to be remembered in the spring industry for: Having Midstate sustain and be a better company and place to work at 100 years than it was at 75.

But people will probably remember me for: Spreadsheets.