Global Fastener News

Cravens, Spackman and Lentini

The fastener industry has an image problem, according to Advance Components president Gary Cravens.

Employees and potential employees “need to feel the industry is about more than rusty bolts,” Cravens told Pacific-West Fastener Association members. “Robotics, aerospace is a lot cooler than talking about rusty nuts and bolts.”

Cravens joined Copper State Nut & Bolt CFO Carl Spackman and Spirol sales manager Mike Lentini for a Pac-West panel on “Future Proofing Your Workforce.”

To recruit and retain employees, Cravens recommended a strong company culture, some he spent a decade building at Advance Components. The process “began with strong conversations.”

“Once it gets going, it is amazing how strong it becomes,” Cravens explained. “It creates a vibe.”

Cravens added that people pick up on the culture and then “they self-police.”

Spackman of Copper State made a similar recommendation.

“We are all about relationships at Copper State,” Spackman stated.

Spirol’s Lentini advised fastener companies to “go to schools to talk about manufacturing.”

Copper State began sponsoring events from kindergarten through high school to promote awareness of fasteners and the company.

Retaining new recruits can be more challenging, according to the panelists.

Lentini said Spirol has a program of rotating new recruits among different departments. Top tier recruits might not know their ultimate position on their first day of work. The rotation “helps them create their own path.”

Lentini termed the current employment market as “okay” for hiring, but “difficult for retaining.”   Good employees will leave after two years when they reach peak productivity for “fifty cents an hour more pay.”

Spackman asked how to “get people to stop chasing the next dollar.”

Advance Components has a commitment to work / life balance that includes flexible work schedules, standard benefits such as 401K, tuition reimbursement and health care insurance, according to Cravens.

Spackman said Copper State also encourages managers to lead in work / life balance.

“That sends a perfect message to allow people to be human,” Spackman said.

While the last generation (pre 2000)  got used to annual reviews, new employees are saying “screw that” in favor of more frequent contact, Spackman explained. Newly hired need to be “side-by-side” with other newly hired.

“You don’t have to over-guide people.”

At Spirol, new employees may be introduced to as many as five different departments.

Cravens advocated “making yourself available” to employees. He said he tries to meet with everybody.

“Show respect and make them feel a part of the enterprise,” Cravens advised.

Lentini relies on frequent team meetings to learn what drives employees and what they enjoy doing. Beyond intense training, companies should encourage building relationships among employees through dinners or lunching together.

Cravens said weekly management meetings cover all the hot topics and offer solutions.

While management meetings usually don’t invite junior people, at some point you want to encourage participation, Spackman advised.