Kickstart: From guns to steering systems to masks (plus something fun)

In the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, I worked for the (then-daily) newspaper in Saginaw, Mich. Saginaw was also home to the steering division of General Motors, which was then spun off to Delphi and now is a standalone business called Nexteer Automotive.

The reason I mention this is that if you asked people where they worked, it was very typical to hear them say "the gun plant." Everyone knew they were referring to the steering gear company's second plant. It was built by GM during World War II, specifically to make machine guns for the U.S. military. It was a source of community pride that Saginaw had built that plant, made guns, then converted it to regular auto part production as soon as the war ended.

And now, during a new global crisis, the company that makes steering systems and used to make guns has started making face shields and face masks. So this is a company that has a deep history in filling needs.

Nexteer isn't traditionally a plastics firm, but it is using its 3D printers normally used in prototyping in both Saginaw and Tychy, Poland, to make parts for shields and masks.

In addition, the company said, its Saginaw operation is working with mold maker Mayer Tool & Engineering Inc. to use an injection molding machine in one of its plants to produce 1,000 medical-grade masks per day.

"The mold manufacturer is working around the clock to help speed up the development process so production can begin as soon as possible," Nexteer said in an April 2 news release. "Nexteer has also been working closely with its resin supplier, PolyOne Corp., to supply the materials necessary to manufacture the face masks."

Earlier this week, I asked folks for examples of what they're doing to retain some sense of normality in everything that's going on. You may be working solely at home, or your business is putting in overtime to fill medical or packaging needs while still trying to keep workers safe.

As I've noted, you're not alone, even if you aren't seeing your coworkers or suppliers or custmers in person these days.

Here are a few things some of you wrote about how you're coping in very unusual times:

"I have also found solace in connecting in some way with nature and animals. The animals seem pretty oblivious to the fact our world is upside down. The squirrels are still stealing our bird seed every chance they get. The peepers are still making their music at dusk. The turkeys are fighting in our backyard and there are deer that appear by the marsh down the road. I have taken a number of walks in the woods just to still my mind, trying to alleviate the anxiety."

"I've also found time to finish some of those home projects that I'd promised to get done 'someday.' Doing something productive and something that I can look at every day as a reminder of progress really helps me deal with being cooped up."

"It's quite a change for me, a business traveler who's normally away from home 50 percent of the time. With a positive attitude working from home is actually enjoyable and productive. ... My daughter returned home for the quarantine and is working like me. Both of us have pretty full days. We take 'coffee breaks' and have 'lunch dates' together and plan menus for the week. My wife is a nurse so we make sure her evenings are relaxing."

All this week, we've been running profiles of the Best Places to Work in the plastics industry for 2020. Numbers 1-16 have gone online already this week and the final four will be posted later today.

Here's a little web exclusive, though.

Each year, as part of the awards ceremony at the Executive Forum, we ask the Best Places to help us out with a little video project. We send them a song to lip sync to, they shoot video and send it back to us. Web Producer Erin Sloan then edited this together to celebrate.

You'll have to click here to see it (and turn up the volume) Best Places to Work 2020.

So here's to a few of the Best Places to Work, a reminder of the workplace before social distancing and some hope for a return to normal as soon as possible.