CHEM-TEXTS
Page 2 | Vol. 3 No. 9
FROM THE FACTORY MANAGER
DEAR FELLOW EMPLOYEE:
Sometime back I had occasion to question one of our people why a certain function was being performed in the manner that it was being done. Much to my surprise, the answer was, “It’s Company policy.” I asked, “What do you mean, ‘Company policy’?, Who set the policy?” After a blank look, I received the answer, “Folklore and Tradition”.
While tradition has a place as part of our heritage, it has little place in building a flexible, responsive, up-to-date organization that can effectively deal with the rapid changing demands that we, together, must meet to make our plant competitive in today’s world.
As I have said before, progress is change, and each of us must learn to look upon change as progress. We have to be the first ones to find the best way of doing our jobs or we find ourselves always trying to catch up. I’m sure we all prefer to be leaders.
Let’s take a strong look at the “Folklore and Traditions” in our activities. Let’s all ask ourselves, “How can I do my job more effectively?” Let’s remember that the payoff is results and we each play a part in finding a better way to achieve those results.
Sincerely,
John
Improved housekeeping, a better, safer place to work. Harry Grant, left, and Ray Pekoek inspect newly painted and repaired equipment in Reclaim pilot plant.
competition and operate our business in the black.
New upgraded reactors, the most modern in design, are being installed to improve productivity and reduce the maintenance costs of obsolete equipment. They should improve our competitive position in the chemical market.
Costly investment in equipment protects jobs and depend heavily on the Company’s profits to finance the purchase of it.
The profits on the products made at the plant are
Five Hurt In Accidents
by Bob Shortt
From June 14 to Sept. 5, the plant worked 830,084 man-hours without a lost-time accident, almost hitting the 1,000,000 mark.
But September brought five lost-time accidents. The first occurred when an employee slipped from a ladder fracturing his forearm. The second happened near the plant when an employee’s car hit the rear of the plant’s station wagon, causing a neck injury to the plant driver. While pulling hose on the job, an employee strained his back. The fourth accident took place in Long Island when one of the plant’s new trucks was slammed in the rear by a trailer truck, causing face, chest and neck injuries to the plant driver. The plant’s month-old truck was totally demolished. Both road accidents were clearcut cases of the unexpected happening. The fifth accident happened when an employee was splashed in the eye by a chemical while filling drums. He was wearing safety glasses but did not have the required chemical splash goggles for the job.
Our safety record will improve only when every employee realizes that safety is his responsibility. Wearing safety hats, safety shoes, safety glasses, proper protective equipment on the job will help reduce accidents. Moving drums and lifting heavy equipment properly prevents serious back injuries.
But the most important step to stop this rate is for every employee to think safety every minute of the day . . . and to expect the unexpected happening.
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Customers Secure Our Jobs
In today’s competitive economy, our pay and employment come from our customers, and the only sure type of job security is keeping and increasing our customers. If there are no customers, there will be no jobs.
Keeping a customer can be achieved only when everyone performs his job responsibly and by doing the kind of job that will hold and win new customers. Job security is the responsibility of everyone working together in a spirit of mutual understanding and cooperation.
When production drops, the cost of operating the plant increases and can affect our pay considerably. Lower production means increased cost which the customer will not pay. Naturally he looks to a competitor for a better price which is exactly what all of us would do if we were shopping for a car, a TV set or a washing machine.
Keeping the customer through improved production of quality products increases substantially better job security for all employees.
Reclaim Dust Collectors . . .
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right type of equipment to install for reducing lint escape.
A year’s operation at design capacities in Fiber Separation and Fine Grinding have proved this decision right, as studies have indicated that only five of the twenty cyclones in the system are not operating efficiently.
The Plant Engineering Department, after considerable study, selected the proper equipment necessary to collect the lint from the five cyclones to reduce the present problem. Delivery of the equipment has been made, and the duct work and structural supports have been installed.
Upon completion of the work, a substantial reduction in lint escape will be achieved, and another step taken in the plant’s continuing program to make it a cleaner, safer place to work.
There is an old Chinese saying that each generation builds a road for the next. The road has been well built for us and it is incumbent upon us in our generation to build our road for the next.
“GIVE WHERE YOU WORK”
Hortonspheres at Synthetic plant were scraped and painted to prevent corrosion.
Frank Walinsky, left, color codes cylinder rack bright yellow for safety and light green for platform as Bob Burns watches.
IMPROVEMENTS…
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packaging, department offices and other buildings.
Profits Help Buy New Equipment
Several million dollars in capital investment to improve the efficiency of the plant’s productive capabilities will be invested in new equipment, expansion, and new facilities. These investments cost considerable money without any immediate financial return. Because of the strong competition in the chemical industry, old machinery must be replaced with more efficient equipment to keep ahead of reinvested in new equipment and tools to help perform our jobs more effectively and to increase production. The goods produced with better tools can be sold to the customer at a lower cost because their production is more efficient.