Precast Inc. - November/December 2008 - (Page 42) “WE’VE GOT A VERY, VERY DEDICATED GROUP OF ABOUT 60 PEOPLE HERE. WHEN THEY GET ALL FIRED UP AND INVOLVED IN FINDING SOLUTIONS, IT’S A VIBRANT PLACE TO WORK – AND I LOVE IT.” – DOMINIC GIROTTI hotel. Mel Marshall, principal of Mel C. Marshall Industrial Consultants, British Columbia, is called upon to provide the training. Dominic’s intention is to produce the best-trained precasters in the industry. Sixty-four Hy-Grade employees have recently completed NPCA’s PQS online course; in fact, everyone on the payroll has taken the course (visit www.precast.org/education/pqs_main.htm for more information on NPCA’s Production & Quality School). In addition, Dominic has enrolled 14 members of his office staff in a 13-week-long Dale Carnegie Program, and 12 employees have completed the ACI Level I course. “I’m really focused on trying to improve communication, improve skills and create a team environment where we all work toward a common objective,” he said. Staying on top of emerging technology Dominic attends the international BAUMA Expo, a construction trade show that occurs in Germany every three years (visit www.bauma.de/en/Home for more information). “It’s a construction show with a large precast component,” Dominic said. “I feel Europe – and specifically the Germans – are decades ahead of us in the development of specialized product facilities and automation.” Dominic has developed both business relationships and friendships with professionals in the European precast industry. He zealously reads European industry publications as well as receiving NPCA’s publications and other precast-related magazines and reports. In fact, much of Hy-Grade’s equipment was purchased from Germany, where precast facilities typically manufacture specific product lines. Even though U.S. and Canadian precast plants need a diversified product offering to smooth out production levels, Dominic tries to adapt the efficiencies he has learned in the European product-specific plants to his own operations in Canada. When asked what he would do if money were no object, Dominic doesn’t hesitate to reply: “I would install as much automation and robotic equipment as I could because I believe that would produce the most consistent product in terms of quality and predictability of cost.” Dominic knows that more consistent product quality leads to a bigger market share and more growth. BOOTH 1311 THE PRECAST SHOW NPCA involvement: invaluable NPCA membership provides Dominic with important contacts and the latest information in the precast industry. “NPCA participation helped me immensely right from the first day I walked into Hy-Grade,” he said. “I think it is invaluable. I went to my first NPCA show in San Diego the year I started here. I met people in the industry with common interests and challenges. Participation helps increase one’s knowledge of the industry, provides a solid network of people to contact, and NPCA also offers opportunities for leadership.” Dominic has been active in NPCA for 16 years. He has been chairman of four committees and has served on two boards. He always selects one or two of his staff to accompany him to NPCA events, rotating his selection from different departments at Hy-Grade Precast to give more people the benefit of the NPCA experience, courses and training. 42 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008 | PRECAST INC. http://www.hawkeye-pipe.com http://www.precast.org/education/pqs_main.htm http://www.bauma.de/en/Home http://www.hawkeye-pipe.com
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