Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Sustainable Plastics
  • Plastics News China
  • Rubber & Plastics News
logo-pn-color
Subscribe
  • Login
  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • Processor News
    • Suppliers
    • More News
    • End Markets
    • FYI Charts
    • LSR World
    • Multimedia
    • NPE2021
    • K Show
    • Special Reports
    • Top materials of injection molders
      Recycled PET use by product category
      US PET, flexible packaging desintations
      Global fluropolymers additives market: CAGR
    • NPE exhibitors question handling of deposits for canceled trade show
      Exhibitors back NPE cancellation: ‘We couldn't take that risk'
      NPE2021 canceled as in-person event
      NPE reviews its options as pandemic prompts exhibitor to exit
    • Injection Molding
    • Blow Molding
    • Film & Sheet
    • Pipe/Profile/Tubing
    • Rotomolding
    • Thermoforming
    • Recycling
    • Machinery
    • Materials
    • Molds/Tooling
    • Product news
    • Design
    • What Keeps You Up At Night
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
    • Sustainability
    • Public Policy
    • Material Insights Videos
    • Numbers that Matter
    • Polymer Points Live
    • Automotive
    • Packaging
    • Medical
    • Consumer Products
    • Construction
    • Videos
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • CEO Issue
    • Best Places to Work
    • Processor of the Year
    • Rising Stars
    • Women Breaking the Mold
  • Opinion
    • The Plastics Blog
    • Kickstart
    • Heavy Metal
    • One Good Resin
    • BRICS and Plastics
    • All Things Data
    • Viewpoint
    • Perspective
    • Mailbag
    • Getting back on the road
      How long will it take for EVs to replace internal combustion engines?
      Watching, and hoping, for progress in 2021
      COVID-19 stories dominate 2020 headlines
    • Kickstart: More toys for your collection
      Kickstart: Microchips, masks and US manufacturing
      Kickstart: Bringing plastics, sustainability to the construction site
      Kickstart: Making more US beds
    • Heavy Metal: Coronavirus edition, plus the work of working from home
      Don't put off succession planning
      What's a good gift for your cobot? Batteries?
      Here's some big ideas to mull over the holidays
    • Green feet: Braskem partners with Dansko on bio-based clogs
      Curbell donates plastic sheet for prosthetics project in Ecuador
      Covestro volunteers build ramp for Ohio veteran
      Chase expands giving campaign in 2020
    • There was no choice but canceling NPE still a big deal
      The business case for producer responsibility
      Think divided government stalls plastics legislation? Think again
      ACC, NAM eye economic priorities in Biden presidency
    • Thermoformers: Would you believe a 12 percent gain?
      Just how big is thermoforming in North America?
      Changing names for compounders embracing corporate branding
      Diversity the key to outperforming the market
    • Thermoformers: Would you believe a 12 percent gain?
      The benefits of getting social
      Rising Stars shine bright future on industry
      Getting back on the road
    • Perspective: Plastics manufacturers — a surprising contribution to sustainability
      Plastics industry business owners: Listen to your future workforce
      Perspective: ‘Fake news' of a different sort?
      Perspective: Making products in the USA is good for the planet
    • Mailbag: Additional fees for electric vehicles ‘unfortunate'
      Mailbag: Where's the plastics industry's response to critics?
      Mailbag: Manufacturers struggling to follow COVID-19 safety rules
      Modernizing recycling infrastructure will benefit businesses as well as the environment
  • Shop Floor
    • Blending
    • Compounding
    • Drying
    • Injection Molding
    • Purging
    • Robotics
    • Size Reduction
    • Structural Foam
    • Tooling
    • Training
    • Maintenance can ensure efficient blender operation
      Dosing: Perfect for adding color
      Blending vs dosing: What you need to know
      Going low or high: Comparing volume
    • Colors and custom compounds
      In the laboratory: Compounding solutions
      Recycling content: Resins going ‘green’
      Compounding: Glass and other fillers
    • Dryer maintenance: Don’t err with air
      Dryers: Options for a shop’s process
      Dryer installation: Going central?
      Resins: Hygroscopic or non-hygroscopic
    • Electric injection molding presses: Efficiency is key
      Hydraulic injection molding machines
      Proper maintenance can prevent downtime
      Hybrid injection molding machines
    • Purging Hot runners: Open or closed methods
      Purging extrusion machinery
      Purging extrusion blow molding machines
      Purging: Chemical, abrasive and non-abrasive
    • Controls, special applications boost production, profitability
      Robot maintenance key for smooth operation
      High-speed robots: A rapid way to increase efficiency
      Robots: Every shape and size
    • Maintenance: Key for efficiency
      Shredders: Plastic in pieces
      Safety first for size reduction
      Granulators: The right fit
    • Structural foam molding: Flexibility for processors
      Video: Structural foam molding
    • Mold inventory: How many molds does a shop have?
      Molds: Innovation
      Mold changeover: Saving time and money
      How molds work
    • Labor: Apprenticeships may provide answer
      College training, programs
      Internships: Solving the skills gap in-house
      Lean Six Sigma: Transforming business operation
  • Events
    • Plastics News Events
    • Industry Events
    • Livestreams/Webinars
    • Ask the Expert
    • Polymer Points Live
    • Reifenhäuser Technologies Livestreams
    • 2020 Caps & Closures Library
    • Plastics in Healthcare Library
    • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum Library
    • Polymer Points Live - February 2021
      Polymer Points Live - January 2021
      Polymer Points Live - December 2020
      Polymer Points Live - October 2020
    • Plastics in Healthcare 2020
    • Plastics News Executive Forum
    • Plastics in Automotive
    • Plastics News Caps & Closures
    • Plastics in Healthcare
    • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum
  • Resin Prices
    • All Resins
    • Commodity TPs
    • High Temp TPs
    • ETPs
    • Thermosets
    • Recycled Plastics
    • Historic Commodity Thermoplastics
    • Historic High Temp Thermoplastics
    • Historic Engineering Thermoplastics
    • Historic Thermosets
    • Historic Recycled Plastics
  • Rankings
    • Injection Molders
    • Blow Molders
    • Film Sheet
    • Thermoformers
    • Pipe Profile Tubing
    • Rotomolders
    • Mold/Toolmakers
    • LSR Processors
    • Recyclers
    • Compounders - List
    • Association - List
    • Plastic Lumber - List
    • All
  • Data Store
  • Directory
  • More+
    • Classifieds
    • Digital Edition
    • Newsletters
    • Sponsored Content
    • KraussMaffei Sponsored Content
    • ENGEL Sponsored Content
    • White Papers
    • Processor of the Year submissions
    • Sponsored By Mitsubishi
      Innovative new technology from Mitsubishi Engineering-Plastics Corporation helps reduce emission footprints
      Canon Virginia, Inc.
      Sponsored Content By Canon Virginia, Inc.
      Canon Virginia Inc. brings collaboration to the table
      Sponsored By CDS MACHINES
      Facing medical equipment shortages during COVID-19 outbreak?
      Sponsored Content By Canon Virginia, Inc.
      Transform your molding capabilities with the Canon Shuttle Mold System
    • Sponsored Content Provided By Krauss Maffei
      KraussMaffei Retools in US with investment from Parent Ownership
    • Sponsored By ENGEL Machinery
      Tailored maintenance for injection molding machines and robots
      Sponsored By ENGEL Machinery
      Improve maintenance efficiency with e-connect.monitor
      Sponsored By ENGEL Machinery
      Maximum precision for lowest shot weights
      Sponsored By ENGEL Machinery
      Even more cost effectiveness for small precision parts
    • Sponsored By Conexiom
      Use Sales Order Automation to free up time for CSRs to focus on customers, not manual entry
    • Place an Ad
    • Sign up for Early Classified
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. News
September 03, 2019 09:24 AM

GW Plastics grows its workforce with the production floor

Catherine Kavanaugh
Plastics News Staff
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print
    Courtesy of GW Plastics Inc.
    Vermont Technical College engineering graduates Eric Haskins, Caleb Bump and Greg Johnson landed jobs right out of school in the areas of quality, mold making and operations at GW Plastics Inc. They stand with their new boss, GW Plastics President and CEO Brenan Riehl, who gave the keynote speech at their commencement, and Vermont Tech President Patricia Moulton. Bump was a summer intern for the injection molding company in 2017 and then continued working there through a college co-op until he graduated and could join the company full-time. Johnson was introduced to GW Plastics when he attended the company's School of Technology while in high school.

    As its manufacturing and technology center in Royalton, Vt., undergoes a $10 million expansion, the hiring sign is out again at GW Plastics Inc. for engineers and hourly workers.

    Founded in 1955, GW Plastics, which is based in nearby Bethel, Vt., produces complex thermoplastic and silicone components and assemblies for customers in the health care, automotive, consumer and industrial markets.

    With $173 million in annual sales, GW Plastics ranks No. 54 among North American injection molders. That's up from $165.5 million the previous year and $153 million two years ago.

    Because of its sustained growth, GW Plastics was recently inducted into the Vermont Business Hall of Fame by the Vermont Chamber of Commerce and a local business magazine.

    About 10 minutes from the headquarters, the growth is visible at the 24-acre Royalton campus, which serves as the main hub for product and process development, mold making, molding and training. GW Plastics is putting a 30,000-square foot addition onto the facility and creating 30 new positions.

    "This is a significant expansion, so we will have a number of open positions through the rest of the year," Cathy Tempesta, GW Plastics's vice president of human resources, said in a phone interview.

    She is looking to fill five engineering positions and a dozen hourly jobs. Attracting and developing a skilled workforce is no easy task for advanced manufacturers, especially in a small rural state like Vermont, where the regional labor pool is tight and college graduates often set their sights on other professions in bigger cities.

    Courtesy of GW Plastics Inc.
    High school students learn about advanced manufacturing at GW Plastics Inc., which launched it School of Technology in 2015 as a form of educational outreach for potential production workers and engineers. Students in ninth through 12th grade earn science credits for attending two-hour classes once or twice a week about material selection, mold design, mold making, injection molding, quality and pricing.

    Tempesta attends high school and college job fairs and keeps administrators up to date about GW Plastics' internships and scholarships. The company relies on a couple of programs to fill its talent pipeline.

    GW Plastics launched its School of Technology in 2015 as a form of educational outreach to high school students as early as ninth grade. They go by bus to the company for two-hour classes about the facets of manufacturing. Students earn science credits as they learn about material selection, mold design, mold making, injection molding, quality and pricing.

    "Our goal is to show students in ninth through 12th grades who we are and what to do and let them know they have an opportunity to have a career here," Tempesta said. "Students who are mechanically inclined could join us right out of high school."

    To tap into post-secondary schools, GW Plastics offers a summer internship program for local college engineering students. They earn $15.50 an hour as they are exposed to all engineering positions in the company. Interns are assigned mentors and asked to complete work projects by the end of the 14-week program. The projects are formally presented to senior managers to give students experience in discussing business solutions and later to bolster their resumes.

    Tempesta said GW Plastics has had some standout interns. For one summer project, a student created a 3D catalog of commonly used automation and molding equipment for the company's cost-estimating library.

    "Cost estimators can access a central location for assistance. A lot of the work has been done, and they can pull it from the library," Tempesta said.

    Another intern caught the attention of company officials by quickly grasping new software for the tooling division.

    "He's got a lot of promise," Tempesta said. "We've worked with some really sharp young adults. I have a lot of hope from what I've seen."

    GW Plastics' high school and college programs open students' eyes, too.

    "I think many young adults look at advanced manufacturing from their parents or grandparents' lenses. Their perception goes back to when there was no air conditioning, it was dirty, and it was sweatshop foundry kind of work," Tempesta said.

    She likes to get high school and college students in the door to dispel myths about manufacturing as much as put GW Plastics on young job radars.

    "When students come in, nine times out 10, almost 10 times out of 10, they say, 'I had no idea this is what it's like.' We're highly automated," Tempesta said. "They see a lot of robotics. It's clean and tidy. The processes are very efficient."

    GW Plastics' facilities — there are eight worldwide — house sophisticated technology like 3D printers for plastic and steel and robotically assisted injection molding.

    In another effort to develop a skilled workforce for its facilities, GW Plastics offers scholarships to incoming freshmen of Vermont Technical College who are pursuing an associate degree in mechanical engineering technology. The scholarship recipients also participate in the paid internship program at least one year.

    "The scholarship virtually covers the cost of their tuition, and they get a guaranteed summer internship in between their freshman and sophomore years," Tempesta said.

    In the last few years, about 10 graduates from Vermont Technical have gone to work at GW Plastics.

    "They're some of the strongest, highest potential young engineers," Tempesta said. "It's great that they can work alongside our mature employees. They're learning the ropes to take over when the experienced engineers retire."

    Some of the training and internship programs offered in Vermont have been implemented at other sites and eventually will be in full operation at every location, Tempesta said. In addition to the Bethel headquarters and two facilities in Royalton, GW Plastics has sites in Tucson, Ariz.; San Antonio, Texas; Sligo, Ireland; Dongguan, China; and Queretaro, Mexico.

    Related Article
    Interns play key roles at Wisconsin-based Plastic Parts Inc.
    Deceuninck offers window of opportunity to college students
    Met2Plastic recruits intern expertise from France
    Orbis parent Menasha offers a wide variety of internships
    Wisconsin Plastics keeps it local when looking for interns
    Manufacturer converts interns to full-time staff
    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Do you have an opinion about this story? Do you have some thoughts you'd like to share with our readers? Plastics News would love to hear from you. Email your letter to Editor at [email protected]

    Get our newsletters

    Staying current is easy with Plastics News delivered straight to your inbox, free of charge.

    Subscribe today

    Subscribe to Plastics News

    Subscribe now
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram

    Plastics News covers the business of the global plastics industry. We report news, gather data and deliver timely information that provides our readers with a competitive advantage.

    logo-pn-color
    Contact Us

    1155 Gratiot Avenue
    Detroit MI 48207-2997

    Customer Service:
    877-320-1723

    Resources
    • About
    • Staff
    • Editorial Calendar
    • Media Kit
    • Data Store
    • Digital Edition
    • Custom Content
    • People
    • Contact
    • Careers
    • Sitemap
    Related Crain Publications
    • Sustainable Plastics
    • Rubber & Plastics News
    • Urethanes Technology
    • Plastics News China
    • European Rubber Journal
    • Tire Business
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Copyright © 1996-2021. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • Processor News
        • Injection Molding
        • Blow Molding
        • Film & Sheet
        • Pipe/Profile/Tubing
        • Rotomolding
        • Thermoforming
        • Recycling
      • Suppliers
        • Machinery
        • Materials
        • Molds/Tooling
        • Product news
        • Design
      • More News
        • What Keeps You Up At Night
        • Mergers & Acquisitions
        • Sustainability
        • Public Policy
        • Material Insights Videos
        • Numbers that Matter
        • Polymer Points Live
      • End Markets
        • Automotive
        • Packaging
        • Medical
        • Consumer Products
        • Construction
      • FYI Charts
        • Current FYI
      • LSR World
      • Multimedia
        • Videos
        • Galleries
        • Podcasts
      • NPE2021
      • K Show
      • Special Reports
        • CEO Issue
        • Best Places to Work
        • Processor of the Year
        • Rising Stars
        • Women Breaking the Mold
    • Opinion
      • The Plastics Blog
      • Kickstart
      • Heavy Metal
      • One Good Resin
      • BRICS and Plastics
      • All Things Data
      • Viewpoint
      • Perspective
      • Mailbag
    • Shop Floor
      • Blending
      • Compounding
      • Drying
      • Injection Molding
      • Purging
      • Robotics
      • Size Reduction
      • Structural Foam
      • Tooling
      • Training
    • Events
      • Plastics News Events
        • Plastics News Executive Forum
        • Plastics in Automotive
        • Plastics News Caps & Closures
        • Plastics in Healthcare
        • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum
      • Industry Events
      • Livestreams/Webinars
      • Ask the Expert
      • Polymer Points Live
      • Reifenhäuser Technologies Livestreams
      • 2020 Caps & Closures Library
      • Plastics in Healthcare Library
      • Women Breaking the Mold Networking Forum Library
    • Resin Prices
      • All Resins
      • Commodity TPs
        • Historic Commodity Thermoplastics
      • High Temp TPs
        • Historic High Temp Thermoplastics
      • ETPs
        • Historic Engineering Thermoplastics
      • Thermosets
        • Historic Thermosets
      • Recycled Plastics
        • Historic Recycled Plastics
    • Rankings
      • Injection Molders
      • Blow Molders
      • Film Sheet
      • Thermoformers
      • Pipe Profile Tubing
      • Rotomolders
      • Mold/Toolmakers
      • LSR Processors
      • Recyclers
      • Compounders - List
      • Association - List
      • Plastic Lumber - List
      • All
    • Data Store
    • Directory
    • More+
      • Classifieds
        • Place an Ad
        • Sign up for Early Classified
      • Digital Edition
      • Newsletters
      • Sponsored Content
      • KraussMaffei Sponsored Content
      • ENGEL Sponsored Content
      • White Papers
      • Processor of the Year submissions