La Jolla, Calif. — Communication has been a key part of growth at molding supplier PCS Co.
"Communication is about building trust and respect," President Angela Elsey said March 12 at the Plastics News Executive Forum in La Jolla. "That's important, because people are the basis of everything we do."
Fraser, Mich.-based PCS is the only U.S. manufacturer of mold bases that also supplies mold components. Elsey joined the firm in 2019 and was named president in 2022.
Elsey's communication skills were tested when she returned from maternity leave at a time when the firm's sales were down. "We had opportunities for improvement, but we weren't communicating properly," she said.
Elsey added that in troubled times like that, "you need to lead the narrative. … You need to address it. … Workers know when orders on the shop floor are low."
Responding to employee concerns is also important. "If an employee brings a concern to you, they deserve to have you respond and close the loop," Elsey said. "We answer all questions submitted at our employee town halls. And connecting individually with team members is something that costs time, but not much money."
Tough decisions also have to be made in business downturns.
"If you have to reduce head count, it's better to reduce toxic employees first, even if they're a top performer," Elsey said. "Manage them up or manage them out."
She added that it's important to include remote workers — such as an outside sales team — in communication.
"You need mutual trust and respect with your leadership team," said Elsey, who was named to PN's Women Breaking the Mold list in 2022. "Everyone needs to feel like they're all on the same team. And that culture drives customer satisfaction."
PCS employs about 120. In addition to Fraser, the firm operates sites in Grand Rapids, Mich., and Torrance, Calif.
In 2024, PCS invested $3 million to expand with new machinery, staff and inventory. In that expansion, the firm increased its capacity by 50 percent, inventory by 15 percent and workforce by 10 percent. The 2024 move is the first phase of a five-year improvement plan.
Founded in 1960, PCS — which stands for pins, cores and sleeves — started out as a family-owned operation and grew into a supplier of mold bases, mold base components, molding supplies and hot runner products for the plastics and die-cast industries.
PCS at first sold mold bases from a source in China. In the 1990s, the firm started machining them in house. PCS has been owned by Tokyo-based Misumi Group Inc. since 2012.