Founded in 1974, Air Logic Power Systems manufactures systems for nondestructive leak testing of containers and packages for the food and beverage, health care, automotive and personal care industries. It manufactured its first leak tester in 1978, then developed its first electronic leak test circuit in the 1990s and began to focus on nondestructive leak testing for the packaging industry.
ALPS Inspection, with 19 employees based in Oak Creek, Wis., is No. 2 among suppliers on Plastics News' Best Places to Work list for 2021.
ALPS has always offered an open, flexible environment for its employees. But when COVID-19 hit, ALPS further increased its remote working policies, allowing employees to care for themselves and their families during the pandemic while still accomplishing their work tasks.
A cleaning company came on-site to provide midday services, cleaning the restrooms and sanitizing the lunchroom. A weekly electrostatic sanitation service is conducted using a Clorox Total 360 System. Mask reminders are displayed throughout the building. Signs are posted at the entrance notifying visitors that ALPS is not allowing people to enter without a meeting and it being essential business. Temperature scanning stations are at each entrance. Conference rooms have limited capacity.
General Manager Jill Shearer said what she is most proud of has been being able to adapt to the pandemic, using the keywords patience and perseverance.
"We didn't miss a beat, and I'm really proud of that," she said.
ALPS offers 10 paid holidays throughout the year and 15 paid days off to start after one year with the company. It granted 10 days paid emergency sick leave to support employees affected by the coronavirus.
Employees traveled to Puerto Rico in January 2020 for the annual meeting and to celebrate a record year in 2019. The company also celebrates for the holidays and March Madness office games.
Family-centered benefits include parental leave for the birth or adoption of a child; adoption assistance, such as reimbursement of agency fees, travel fees, legal assistance and paid time off before or after adoption; facilities for breastfeeding mothers; and flexible hours to accommodate for school events or taking a family member to the doctor.
The company offers yearly scholarship opportunities for employees' children.
ALPS is involved with community service projects, such as Pathways to Home, to give back to others. With Pathways to Home, the company was able to provide enough gifts for 50 children the past holiday season.
"This honor to be selected as Plastics News' Best Places to Work list is a reflection of the long-standing success, innovation and strong employee culture that has steadily been developed over decades in the plastics industry," the company said in its questionnaire. "ALPS' small employee size allows it to have a family-style environment and a very agile mindset to be able to support our customers quickly and effectively."
This is ALPS' first time on the Best Places to Work list.