Plastic Components Inc. of Germantown, Wis., has been named the top Best Place to Work by Plastics News for the processors category. With 81 employees, PCI, a producer of small- and medium-sized plastic injection molding parts, has made the Best Places to Work list every year since 2014.
"PCI delivers precision 'mission critical' engineered thermoplastic components for diverse market applications with dedication to innovation in manufacturing, developing and maintaining strong business partner relationships, employee engagement and development, and delivering superior value to all stakeholders," according to the company's website.
PCI was founded in 1989 by Tom Duffey, Richard Duffey Sr. and Michael Callihan. It won PN's Processor of the Year in 2008 and the 2014 Sustained Excellence award. Private equity firm MPE Partners bought PCI in 2017.
PCI said it has been able to maintain its health insurance policy without any changes, and that includes premiums. "This lets employees keep their cost of living adjustments rather than applying them to increased yearly premiums and allows them to really understand their benefit plan because it doesn't change every year," it said.
The company has 10 paid holidays per year, and employees can use up to 10 paid days and two sick days per year after one year of employment.
PCI has endless fun activities for employees. Such ways to relieve stress from the workday include Halloween costume contests, Buffalo Wild Wings' Blazin' Wings Challenge, baby showers, root beer floats, food trucks, cookouts, pancake breakfasts and catered lunches.
Service awards are given to employees every five years. PCI also awards impact/spot and referral bonuses.
Two days per year are given toward community service outside of work, and PCI also organizes charitable events. Team members have collected items for Toys for Tots and toiletries for women's shelters, donated to food banks, made blankets for the Ronald McDonald House, donated blood and helped fellow companies source personal protective equipment during the coronavirus pandemic. They have also adopted and cleaned a portion of the Milwaukee River, "as it's important for plastics molders to prove we care about the environment," PCI said.
During the pandemic, all employees that could work from home did. Leadership ensured daily communication "to make sure all needs were met and everyone aligned." Hourly employees were allowed to sell back vacation time.
CEO Derrill Rice said the team quickly mobilized after a late Saturday night phone call to help make ventilator parts.
For job development and training, PCI employees can take advantage of mentoring, apprenticeships, job shadowing/cross-training, leadership workshops and continuing education programs such as RJG and aPHR. There are also lunch and learns with Rice. Employee performance reviews are conducted twice per year. Leadership and office staff are willing to jump in and roll up their sleeves to support the plant whenever necessary.
"This honor beats any other recognition as it comes from the dedicated staff that PCI owes its success to," PCI said in its Best Places to Work survey. "Manufacturing is hard ... and balancing appreciation and engagement on three shifts in three buildings is no small task, but PCI is up to the challenge and is constantly looking for more ways to show appreciation and be a destination workplace."
With $45 million in sales, PCI ranks No. 143 among North American injection molders, according to PN's latest ranking.