Food Processing - July 2008 - (Page 26) Convey a broad range of bulk solids to/from multiple discharge/ inlet points with Flexicon’s positive pressure or vacuum dilute-phase Pneumatic Conveying Systems. Fully integrated with your process. How is the economy affecting your company? Feed free- and non-free-flowing bulk solids from large pellets to sub-micron powders in any direction, around obstructions, over short or long distances, with no separation of blends, dustfree at low cost, with Flexicon Flexible Screw Conveyors. Batch multiple bulk materials by weight from nearby or distant plant locations, blend the batch and discharge/ convey it automatically with Flexicon Weigh Batching and Blending Systems. Unload free- and non-free-flowing solids from bulk bags automatically with Flexicon Bulk Bag Unloaders. Untie full bags, retie partially empty bags and collapse empty bags— all dust-free. Available with weigh batching controls. Fill bulk bags with free- and non-free-flowing bulk solids with Twin-Centerpost™, Rear-Post and Swing-Down™ Bulk Bag Fillers. Available with numerous performance enhancements for low to high capacity applications. New CD ROM 1 888 FLEXICON sales@flexicon.com ® the end of his rope when he wrote his company suffers from “lack of communication and focus; ‘Chicken Little’ syndrome when problems occur; near-complete lack of understanding Promotions/ at senior management level vis SPC, Hiring raises 12% Lean, Process Excellence, 6 Sigma, No e ects 13% etc., (yet they) beat those buzzwords at all 34% to death. Sales and Marketing live in their own world where laws and 16% theories of physics and economics do Hiring 13% not apply, e.g. touting great ‘variable 6% freezes 6% income’ being derived from products we are losing money on.” Layo s/ Pay cuts/ closings In spite of this year’s flood of More overtime raise freezes complaints, two and a half times as and maintenance, robotics maintenance, office many respondents provided praise Which of the as provided gripes this year. Comments such as these abound: “I enjoy following does your producing and maintaining a qualcompany outsource? ity product our customers need and R&D Other want, making us a leader in our inManufacturing dustry”; “I thrive on helping develop 7% 12% 20% new products to maintain our competitive edge”; “As a Quality Control Company supervisor, I enjoy the work I do and Security and does not 20% take pride in the fact we produce maintenance outsource very healthy and safe products for 52% 6% consumers”; “(I’m in a) positive enCustomer vironment, (with) challenging work support (and a) solid management team.” Management A number of folks even describe 1% what anyone would deem the perfect PC programming and anything else remotely job. Says Richard Turchetta, a quality control technical on a 24/7 basis. Raises are minimal, expert for a Lincoln, R.I., bakery, “I am given and never exceed the cost of living and no bo- total management control over my department nuses for many years. I have no control over without interference from higher management. my budget and monthly cost information is I am the Food Safety Manager and I receive exunavailable to me, as the company is private cellent support from the president and board of (and secretive). Promotion opportunities are directors creating new policies and procedures nonexistent, salary is well below the norm for that benefit the company. I am able to purchase all tools and equipment necessary to perform my knowledge and experience level.” Whew! After that litany, you’d think this our function, within reason, without upper more-than-able worker is justifiably fed up. But management interference.” Similarly, Rebecca Lewis, a lab manager for he goes on to note, “ e stress is lower than in larger companies I’ve worked for in the past, Bakersfield, Calif.-based Bolthouse Farms Inc., challenge and variety of work is ample, I have a writes that her place of employment has “nice good boss and my talents are at least somewhat people, lots of laughter and much appreciation. respected by peers.” e latter likely explains Management is good about being clear about what they need from you and your department; why he’s been at his job for about a decade. Bottom of the list – surprisingly, considering they also want to know what you need to get the the troubled times we’re in – was the need for a job done or done better. Continuing to learn is low-stress environment, at under 4 percent. Still, encouraged, with no scapegoating if there are stress is where you encounter it. A dairy prod- problems, just finding the solution. at’s what ucts manufacturer in Wisconsin clearly was at I love about this place.” FOODPROCESSING.COM U-1014 .com http://www.flexicon.com http://FOODPROCESSING.COM
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