MFG Day message: ‘An entry-level job today could be a plant manager tomorrow'

More than three-quarters of manufacturers say attracting and retaining a quality workforce is their biggest concern, edged out just slightly by supply chain challenges.

To catch the attention of prospective job seekers, many of these companies are opening their doors as part of MFG Day 2022, organized by the Manufacturing Institute.

Dozens of plastics industry businesses are participating, including foodservice products manufacturer Cambro Manufacturing Co. Inc. in Huntington Beach, Calif.

Founded in 1951 by brothers Argyle and William Campbell, Cambro's first product was a fiberglass food tray that became a staple in cafeterias. Now the company offers 15,000 products — insulated — manufactured at facilities in California and Mebane, N.C.

The company typically employs 750-850 people in the U.S. with 50-100 open positions at any given time, according to Priscilla Urbina, Cambro's organizational learning and development manager.

The company needs to fill manufacturing, machine operator and office positions such as sales and marketing, accounting, purchasing and human resources.

To put manufacturing in general, and Cambro in particular, on the radar of prospective job recruits, the company marked MFG Day 2022 on Oct. 5 with visits by students who got swag, attended presentations and had a meet-and-greet with employees.

One of the goals was to get out the word that 71-year-old Cambro may be a legacy company, but it develops new talent.

"An entry-level job today could be a plant manager tomorrow," Urbina said.

Events like Manufacturing Day, along with a comprehensive benefits package that includes profit-sharing bonuses and tuition reimbursement, have helped attract new employees to Sekisui Kydex, a thermoplastics material maker based in Bloomsburg, Pa. An MFG Day participant since 2015, Sekisui Kydex had an in-person event Oct. 5 at its Bloomsburg facility to make local youth aware of career paths in their own backyards, according to Heather Coyle, strategic communications manager.

"The career development journey is designed to help young adults work while figuring out what path they want to take," Coyle said in an email. "With tuition reimbursement and catalytic coaching, employees can go back to school to specialize in the areas they are most passionate about. We have several success stories of employees who began their career as an inspector packer and are now engineers, systems administrators and more."

Sekisui Kydex invites middle and high school students to see a range of opportunities. This year they participated in an applications lab with testing equipment; a design lab to explore color science and make colors; a manufacturing station to learn about production, maintenance and automation; and a circular design workshop about the sustainability of thermoplastics and how pattern, color and texture work in design.

The goals are to overcome the negative stigma of manufacturing careers and create awareness of opportunities right out of high school.

"Students still have a misconception of manufacturing positions being dirty and having no growth potential," Coyle said. "The reality is that as manufacturing automation increases, opportunities to develop careers in engineering positions will abound. Manufacturing is a career opportunity worth investigating."

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In Williamston, Mich., blow molding machine builder Bekum America invited high school students to presentations and tours Oct. 7 of the newly expanded state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, which has an apprenticeship training center. The staff wants to show advanced technologies like automation, 3D printing and robots and will stress that manufacturers have high job retention rates in the private sector, with 90 percent of workers having medical benefits.

Established in 1979, Bekum America builds the machines that produce plastic bottles, containers and other large plastic parts.

Approximately 50 percent of Bekum's workforce has graduated from the apprenticeship program or are currently registered in the program. Apprentices must complete 8,000 hours of training and about 60 tuition-paid credit hours at a community college as they work toward an associate degree.

"Bekum wants to give every student who is interested in the plastics manufacturing industry the opportunity to explore and learn," Steven London, Bekum America's president and chief operating officer, said in a news release.

Rochester, N.Y.-based Accede Mold & Tool also is trying to show youths that U.S. manufacturing can be financially and personally rewarding with chances to continue their education and get their career off to a good start.

"You'll experience a positive work environment fostered through first-rate machinery and continual investments in new technology and equipment," the company says in its online appeal to attendees.

Cavalier Tool & Manufacturing Ltd. in Windsor, Ontario, held a webinar Oct. 5 and tours Oct. 7. The company offers eight-, 10-, and 12-hour shifts for flexibility, full benefits and even fun in the form of social outings, family events and charitable support of the community.

Minco Tool and Mold Inc. in Dayton, Ohio, has participated in every MFG Day since the event was launched in 2012. Filling positions is especially tough these days, according to Karen Brush, sales and apprentice coordinator.

"It is difficult to find anyone right now, either with experience or interested in doing an apprenticeship," Brush said.

She pointed to two major hurdles: a lack of young people looking for a skilled career, or potential employees looking for top wages in a starting position.

In Wallace, Mich., Advanced Blending Solutions, a designer and manufacturer of material handling, blending and control systems for the plastics industry, hosted its first MFG Day event on Sept. 22.

The company wanted to draw attention to job openings in a tight labor market in the state's Upper Peninsula. The staff offered tours, demonstrations and on-site interviews to anyone interested in attending.

"Our biggest hurdle is our unemployment level is very low in the area due to a large manufacturing base in our community," Marketing Manager Chloe Linsmeier said in an email.

ABS is one of the big area manufacturers with 150 employees serving top companies in the carpet, foodservice, barrier film and medical film markets.

"Opportunities surround us, and even in our small community, we produce on a large scale," Linsmeier said.

The Manufacturing Institute is the workforce development and education partner of the National Association of Manufacturers, which recently released its outlook survey for the third quarter of 2022. The results are mixed. The number of manufacturers listing supply chain disruptions as their primary concern came in at 78.3 percent, followed by labor shortages, which was cited by 76.1 percent of respondents. Increased raw material costs also worry 76.1 percent of survey takers.

Because of the consistent economic headwinds, manufacturers' confidence declined to 75.6 percent of respondents having a positive outlook for their company. That's the lowest since Q4 2020.

The survey was conducted Aug. 16-30, and the results were released Sept. 22.

Three out of four manufacturers still have a positive outlook for their businesses, but optimism has certainly declined, according to NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons.

"The majority of respondents are expecting a recession this year or next, and it's clear the challenging environment is taking its toll," Timmons said in a news release. "Manufacturers have shown incredible resilience through multiple crises, but the challenges of inflation, supply chain strains and the workforce shortage are taking a toll."

Transportation and logistics costs are a primary concern of 65.9 percent of respondents.

Just over 40 percent of survey takers said inflationary pressures were worse today than six months ago, while 53.7 percent said higher prices made it harder to compete and remain profitable.

The top sources of inflation cited were increased raw material prices (95.2 percent), freight and transportation costs (85.4 percent), wages and salaries (81.7 percent), energy costs (54.4 percent) health care and other benefits costs (49 percent), and the war in Ukraine and global instability (21 percent).