Getting to know the company, and students, next door

I want Heavy Metal to be a forum for ways to attract young people to manufacturing. Last time, we heard the always-interesting thoughts of Charlie Sears, owner of Dri-Air Industries Inc. in East Windsor, Conn.

Let's return to Connecticut, Heavy Metal readers, and talk to two other machinery veterans: Jim Murphy and John Adamowicz. These are both solid guys. Plain-spoken.

Murphy was promoted to president and CEO of Davis-Standard LLC a few months ago. He is a 25-year veteran of the machinery manufacturer, based in Pawcatuck, Conn., which is part of a small town called Stonington right by the Atlantic Ocean. Mystic is close by. A picturesque area.

In early June, Davis-Standard sponsored the PlastiVan for three days in the area, including stops at high schools in nearby Westerly, R.I., and Stonington. The PlastiVan is the Society of Plastics Engineers' traveling hands-on education exhibit, led by Marjorie Weiner, who does a great job. No matter how long you've been in the industry, you will learn something new from the PlastiVan road show.

OK, back to the elusive “young people.” Davis-Standard is right next door to Stonington High School. But, aside from the kids whose parents work at Davis-Standard, almost none of the high school students knew what Davis-Standard does, Murphy said.

Right next door. “We share a property line, right?” he said.

Murphy said just about every area high schooler has heard about Electric Boat, the huge submarine shipyard in Groton, Conn. But Davis-Standard? Right next door?

Murphy said Davis-Standard does work with two local technical schools, Norwich Technical High School and the Ella T. Grasso Technical High School, supporting their CAD program. Students from those programs also tour Davis-Standard twice a year.

But their next-door neighbor knows nothing about Davis-Standard. It's like living in an apartment building where nobody ever says hello.

Well, the PlastiVan helped Davis-Standard say hello to Stonington High School. In an industry struggling for exposure among young people, that's just as important as teaching them about cross-linking and polymers.

Murphy is one of those people you call Jim, even though his business card says James.

And John Adamowicz… You know those types who have been at a company forever, that when you ask what his title, he has to think about it for a minute?

Adamowicz is an unassuming guy who has worked for 38 years at Arburg Inc. — and before that, Polymer Machinery Corp., Arburg's long-time representative in the United States.

He has done “a little bit of everything” at the U.S. operation of German injection press maker Arburg GmbH + Co. KG. Engineering. Service. And he was the point man during planning and construction of Arburg's sparkling new U.S. headquarters in Rocky Hill. Conn.

Adamowicz worked closely with the architect and builder. He was there when they dynamited the top of a hill to level the site — he moved as far away as possible and clamped his hands over his ears, he recalled.

At the Arburg dedication, I grabbed a minute with him to talk about the attitudes of younger employees. Now, John is thoughtful. He's not someone to spout off. But he does notice how you can set your watch by some employees — they're out the door exactly at 5 p.m. Every. Single. Day.

“When it comes time to go home, they go home,” he said.

Why does that bug people like John Adamowicz? “Nobody stays, nobody gets the job done. I see it in plants I visit — ‘Hey, I gotta wash up, I'm going home.' You just don't see the people taking pride in their job and sticking with it.”

I told him maybe they do take pride, just have a different attitude. But it bothers me, too. Sometimes, if you just work on something for another 45 minutes, it's done and done right.

John agreed. “And I think it's part of the training they get. Back in the day, you didn't have everything written down in a textbook. You had to figure it out and learn yourself. And nowadays, you only know the textbook and you never figure anything out.

“It's a different way of culture, I think because the industry's kind-of moved along where the young people can learn it in school. They can ... places and learn the plastics side of it but, they only know what's in the textbook. Not figuring things out for themselves.”

Aren't they an example of “skilled workers” that the plastics industry so desperately needs?

“Yes. But they didn't evolve with the industry. And they don't have that background,” he said.

So attention young people: When you start a new job, seek out people John Adamowicz. Listen and learn. 

And if you need to stay late a little now and then to finish a major project, then do it.