After the North Region Targeted Industry Partnership’s (TIP) meeting on December 8th, each of the three committees went on their way to develop and execute a plan to achieve their respective goals. On January 25th, the Evaluation/Industry Needs Committee met to work towards their goal of defining the needs of manufacturers and found the common need is skilled employees. At the North Region TIP meeting, the committee brainstormed ways to reach other manufacturers and decided that a brief questionnaire would be the best way to define what manufacturers want and need from their employees.

Although the manufacturing industry is very wide spread, the committee worked together to define a simple list of questions based on the basic skills and necessities that are transferable across all industries. By establishing the manufacturer’s employee needs, a tangible list can be created to bring to schools and to the state to show the demand that is not being met and hopefully lead to more efficient manufacturing programs across the state.

It is important that manufacturers become involved and let their voices be heard. The more manufacturers involved, the more knowledge can be brought to the table in all areas of manufacturing. The Evaluation/Industry Needs Committee is also able to bring what they learn to the other two committees; Pathway Development Committee, which works with the education opportunities and the Marketing Outreach Planning Committee which generates the interest in manufacturing programs. With the knowledge gained from all three committees, the North Region TIP can make strides in the manufacturing industry.

We want to hear from you! The next Evaluation/Industry Needs Committee phone conference is on March 2nd at 3pm. For more information, please email Larry Taitel at admin@convertech.com. We have an opportunity to make a difference in the manufacturing industry!

Double E Company LLC, West Bridgewater, MA, has acquired Convertech, Inc. Headquartered in Wharton, NJ, Convertech joins Appleton Manufacturing, Epoch Industries, and Double E Europe as part of the Double E platform of companies manufacturing mission-critical converting products.

“The Convertech acquisition continues Double E’s drive to provide the industry’s most comprehensive portfolio of web handling solutions,” said Tom Pranka, Double E CEO. “We are excited to welcome Convertech into the Double E family. This year Convertech is celebrating its 40th anniversary manufacturing outstanding products and is considered the leader in the narrow-web segment of our industry. We are proud that Convertech has chosen partnering with Double E as the avenue to accelerating their growth in the coming years.”

Convertech, Inc. is the leading supplier of web handling components to the narrow web industry. Known for providing high-quality air shafts in a full range of sizes, orientations and gripping methods while achieving the industry’s fastest delivery time, Convertech’s dominance in narrow web complements Double E’s technological leadership in the converting industry. Larry Taitel, Convertech’s President offers, “The Convertech/Double E partnership is ideal for both companies. It allows us to leverage our combined advantages to deliver better products, technologies, and solutions to our customers even more rapidly.”

About Double E Company Group

Double E Company is the premier supplier of engineered solutions for Core Chucks, Core Shafts, Reel Spools, Safety Chucks, Core Plugs, and associated accessories to the global web handling industry. Its recent acquisitions of Appleton Mfg. (2016) and Epoch Industries (2015) broadened the company’s product offerings to include Core Cutters, Material Handling Solutions, Salvage Technologies, and Idler Rollers. www.ee-co.com

Double E Press Release

Notice for Convertech Vendors

The County College of Morris hosted the Legislative Manufacturing Caucus on Tuesday, October 17th. The meeting focused on the education and technical training in vocational-technical schools and colleges, specifically issues that could be placed on next year’s ballot.

The caucus featured a panel with multiple Presidents and Directors of vocational-technical schools and colleges, along with Robert Staudinger, President and CEO of the National Manufacturing Company and Co-Chair of NJBIA’s Manufacturing Network. It is very important to include manufacturers in the discussion as they will be the ones to eventually hire the students from these manufacturing programs. The input from the manufacturing industry will help to create effective manufacturing education, especially with how rapidly the industry is evolving.

But it’s equally as important for employers to get involved and let their voices be heard. In the end, it will benefit both the educators and students to have more information about the ever-adapting industry from the manufacturers themselves.

To read more about the Legislative Manufacturing Caucus, visit NJBIA.org.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: October 11, 2017

(Wharton, N.J.) – Larry Taitel at Convertech Inc, a manufacturer of chucks and shafts for the converting industry, has been announced as a finalist in the Raymond Hopp Award for Excellence category for the 2017 New Jersey Manufacturing Awards which was held on Friday, October 6th at the Bridgewater Marriott at 700 Commons Way, Bridgewater, NJ 08807.

The annual celebration included a continental breakfast and lunch, networking opportunities, keynote speeches, and breakout sessions on important topics to manufacturers including Cyber Security, Employment Law, Tax Credits and Incentives, Women in

Manufacturing, Tax Laws, and more.

During the ceremony, the winners of the 2017 New Jersey Manufacturing Awards were announced in the following categories:

• Manufacturer of the Year (Start-Up / Young Manufacturing Company)
• Manufacturer of the Year (Small – 50 Employees or Less)
• Manufacturer of the Year (Medium – Between 51-125 Employees)
• Manufacturer of the Year (Large – 125+ Employees)
• Innovator of the Year
• Raymond Hopp Award for Excellence

“I am very pleased to be nominated for this award.  I always strive to be a vocal proponent of manufacturing, in the processes my company uses to produce our products as well as trying to improve and increase the pool of eligible people who are interested in making manufacturing a career.  Thank you for recognizing me.” Larry Taitel, Convertech Inc.

The “Made in New Jersey” event was organized by the New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program, Inc. (NJMEP). NJMEP is a not-for-profit that enhances the competitiveness of New Jersey’s manufacturers through programs and services that increase profitability, efficiency and productivity. NJBIA and New Jersey Business Magazine served as the event’s partners. To view all of the sponsors and partners for the event, click here.

For more information about the Made in New Jersey event in celebration of the sixth annual National Manufacturing Day, please click here or contact Lynore DeSantis at ldesantis@njmep.org or 973-998-9801.

 About Larry Taitel and Convertech Inc.

 Larry Taitel has grown up around manufacturing. His parents started Convertech in 1978 and prior to that owned another manufacturing company. Larry took over Convertech Inc. with his business partner once his parents retired in 1989 and Larry is still President and co-business owner today. Convertech, Inc. has provided the wide- and narrow-web industry with reliable, high-quality expanding air shafts and core chucks. Each air shaft and core chuck is designed and manufactured from the ground up to meet exact specifications delivered with the fastest lead-time in the industry.

About NJMEP

NJMEP is a private, not-for-profit organization that improves the profitability and competitiveness of New Jersey’s manufacturers. Backed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), NJMEP enables organizations to enhance their productivity and efficiencies, reduce costs, and improve employee performance. For more than 20 years, NJMEP has used its extensive network of connections and proven track record of success to help manufacturers adapt to the latest innovative technologies and best practices to realize more than $3.4 billion in value. Services are categorized into the following three areas: Operational Excellence, Innovation and Growth Strategies, and Workforce Development.

The trucking industry will need to hire 890,000 drivers in the next decade to replace retirees and meet rising demand, and companies are already pushing up pay to avoid falling short, according to a new study by the American Trucking Associations.

The industry group estimates that trucking companies will have to bring on an additional 47,500 drivers this year to smoothly handle customers’ orders, a figure that would grow to 73,500 next year if the economy picks up speed. The labor crunch is likely to worsen in coming years because drivers tend to be older—an average age of 49, compared with 42 in the wider workforce—and the industry will see more retirements.

Shippers could count on plenty of trucks to move their cargo in the years after the recession, when demand plunged and unemployment spiked, leaving a surplus of drivers available to haul freight. But an expanding U.S. economy since then and a steady increase in imports has soaked up much of that excess capacity.

Get the latest logistics and supply chain news and analysis via an email newsletter. Sign up here. Shipping costs are rising as companies raise driver pay and take other steps to make sure they have enough trucks available, though delays caused by a lack of capacity are still rare. The ATA warned of more severe problems if trucking companies aren’t able to recruit more drivers.

“If the trend stays on course, there will likely be severe supply chain disruptions resulting in significant shipping delays, higher inventory carrying costs, and perhaps shortages at stores,” the report said.

Trucking companies have raised pay sharply since the economic recovery gathered speed in 2011, with particularly large increases in the last two years. About half of for-hire truckload carriers—companies that fill a single truck with shipments from one customer for long-distance transport, typically to distribution centers or factories—offered sign-on bonuses averaging $1,500 each in 2014, the ATA said.

‘If the trend stays on course, there will likely be severe supply chain disruptions resulting in significant shipping delays.’ —American Trucking Associations Those measures helped bring down driver turnover in that wing of the trucking industry from nearly 100% in 2012 to just over 90% last year, though that means a typical company still needs to replace nearly all of its drivers on a regular basis.

There are about 1.6 million tractor-trailers on the road today driven by professional drivers, according to the ATA. Of the 890,000 new hires needed by 2024, 45% would replace retiring drivers and about a third will be needed to handle growing demand, the report said, with the rest necessary to replace workers who leave the business for other reasons.

Covenant Transport, a truckload carrier based in Chattanooga, Tenn., needs to hire about 3,000 drivers a year, said Robert Hatchett, vice president of recruiting. The company began offering a guaranteed minimum salary to some drivers this summer, a bid to increase the appeal of jobs where income is often based on the number of miles driven.

Mr. Hatchett said Covenant also is considering installing satellite televisions and enabling wireless Internet in truck cabins.

“We know an even greater capacity crunch is coming, and we’ve got to make being a professional truck driver as attractive as possible,” he said.

source: Wall Street Journal

Manufacturing evolves every day. There are new advances, business strategies, and modern techniques that continue to be adapted. But pivotal moments in history have brought manufacturing to where it is today. And three women have played an important part in the advancement of manufacturing throughout history: Madame C.J. Walker, Rosie the Riveter, and Stephanie Kwolek. These women have made an impact on history and continue to inspire women to join the manufacturing industry today.

Madame CJ Walker
Sara Breddlove, or more famously known as Madam CJ Walker, left her mark on the manufacturing industry after starting her own manufacturing company and becoming who Biography describes as one of the first American females to become a self-made millionaire. Walker opened her own factory and beauty school in 1908 and The Madame CJ Walker Manufacturing Company produced her line of cosmetics and trained sales beauticians. The advances she made through her own manufacturing business not only sparked profits but inspired women to become business owners and get involved in the manufacturing industry.

Rosie the Riveter
Rosie the Riveter embodied a strong woman showing that she can achieve anything. The famous poster was created in 1942 to recruit women to fill open positions in the industrial industry. Her fearless pose with the “We Can Do It” tagline inspired and encouraged women to join the industrial labor force during World War II. Mary Doyle Keefe was the inspiration behind the character and The Atlantic explains that she was not aware “Rosie the Riveter” was modeled after her until almost 40 years later.  Although Keefe quickly resigned from the industrial workforce, Rosie the Riveter gave women an opportunity they may not have known was available to them during that time. Rosie the Riveter still inspires women today and became a figure that many look up to.

Stephanie Kwolek
Stephanie Kwolek was a brilliant chemist and in 1965, she created Kevlar and her discovery was merely an accident. As Amazing Women in History describes, she was one of the first female chemists at DuPont and volunteered for a project to find a new lightweight fiber for tires. The solution she made was not as expected but once it
[Women in Manufacturing] was spun, the new fiber was discovered. Kevlar has changed the way we manufacture clothing, building materials, airplanes, and so much more. It is mostly known for being used to make bullet proof vests but has many more uses. There is no other fiber with the strength and as lightweight as Kevlar.

Women in Manufacturing Today
Earlier this year, Kate Hulley who has worked in manufacturing for most of her life, was featured in an article in Small Business Heroes. In the article, “Kate speaks with great pride about running a company that is female-led; ‘Manufacturing is a sector I feel passionately about and figures show only a quarter of the industry workforce (26%) are actually women, so of course I would like to encourage more women to seek out careers in such a fascinating and diverse industry.’” There is so much passion behind this industry and women like Hulley are representing the industry well; and she is not alone. Many women are contributing to the industry and hopefully in time, we will be closer to closing the gender gap in manufacturing.

Ideas that we would only see in movies are quickly becoming reality. Imagine what the shopping experience will be like in a hundred years. Will we be able to virtually try on clothes through a hologram of ourselves? Will we pick what we want to have it instantly 3D printed in the store for our purchase? With how fast technology is advancing, you never know what could be possible down the road; especially with 3D printing.

3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, uses stereolithography to make three dimensional, tangible objects using digital data. This method invented by Charles Hull in 1984 formed a foundation for 3D printing and made a huge impact on inventors. As explained by RedShift, “this new technology was big news to inventors, who could now theoretically prototype and test their designs without having to make a huge upfront investment in manufacturing.” Once this discovery was made, 3D printing evolved and over 30 years, advanced to the point where its uses became more mainstream in the manufacturing industry.

Today, 3D printing is being used more in manufacturing for both prototyping and mass production. Rich Smith at Forbes published an article in 2015 about how 3D printing is changing the process of manufacturing. Smith pointed out that for low volume production, 3D printing might save companies money in the long run. And the benefits of mass customization are unparalleled.

“Until recently, if you needed to have your knee replaced, a nurse would bring a box directly into the operating room and the doctor would select one of the five possible knee designs that she felt most resembled your knee. Today, your actual knee is scanned and a perfect replica is printed and ready for you prior to surgery.” -Rich Smith at Forbes

3D printing introduces a lot of opportunities to manufacturers and consumers. It makes customer specific production easily possible, potentially at a fraction of the cost and effort. This could really shake up the manufacturing industry.

As far as 3D printed clothing, there are a lot of speed bumps to get over before it can become widespread. Fashion trio threeASFOUR has taken on this project and their 3D printed designs have been featured on the runway and in articles like “The Shattering Truth of 3D-Printed Clothing”. This article in Wired pointed out that “because 3D printers build objects by depositing layers of melted plastic one on top of the next, the layers fuse together in a manner wholly unlike the way fibers become fabric.” ThreeASFOUR, along with others, have been tackling this issue and are continuing to find a solution. Until then we will have to hang onto the tradition of buying our clothes off the rack.

As the 40th anniversary of Convertech Inc. is rapidly approaching, let’s take a moment to reflect on the adventures and pivotal moments that have brought Convertech to where it is today. Today, Convertech is owned by Bob Gensheimer and Larry Taitel but their story began in 1978.

In 1978, while working with their primary company Landice Products, a treadmill manufacturer, Charles (Chuck) and Ina Taitel established Convertech Inc. with a fresh, new and innovative design for chucks and shafts. Shortly thereafter, Bob, who was just beginning his high school co-op program as a machinist at Landice Products, was brought onto the Convertech team. Bob became Chuck’s “right hand man” in no time while Chuck and Ina’s son, Larry, was serving as the financial controller for Landice Products during his time in college and graduate school.

After Landice Products was sold in 1986, Bob was for the most part buying and assembling parts alone for the next three years with a biweekly visit from Ina to pay the bills. It wasn’t until 1989 that the Taitel’s decided to fully retire but Bob and Larry were ready to take over the company. They were the perfect match as their strengths complimented each other. Bob handled most of the engineering side while Larry used his knowledge of the machine shop to market and run the business. Larry also used trade magazines to establish the Convertech name in a growing industry.

As co-owners of the company, Bob and Larry hired their first two machinists and operated their business out of a 1,800 square foot modified two car garage in Dover, NJ but the company grew very quickly. In 1991, their growth lead them to move into a 6,500-square foot building in Denville, NJ.  But they outgrew that space after only four years of their five-year lease. Finally, in 1995, Bob and Larry with their now 10 employees, moved the company to a 10,500-square foot space in an 80,000-square foot building in Wharton, NJ, where the company currently resides.

Convertech moving to the Wharton location was an important moment for the company. This was the time when Bob and Larry decided to keep all production under their control. Keeping production inhouse allowed them to maintain the high quality standards, reduce lead times, and keep their costs down. Bob and Larry’s decision changed everything for the better, especially for their customers.

Convertech Inc has now expanded to 40,000 square feet within the building, housing around 50 employees. In about 40 years, two men have taken the company and brought it to the success it is today. There are so many doors of opportunity to open and it will be exciting to see what the future has in store for Convertech Inc.

Friday, May 19th was a great day at Convertech Inc. We had the pleasure of hosting Passaic County Technical Institute’s Manufacturing Technology Students.  Passaic County Technical Institute’s Manufacturing Technology program is one of the top manufacturing education programs in the state. Throughout their high school career, the students get hands on experience with the tools and equipment they will use once they graduate. And their program track gives them the opportunity to take their skills and knowledge to college or begin their career right after graduation. Convertech was excited to have the opportunity to educate and inspire these students to continue their manufacturing career path.

The Passaic County Technical Institute students and faculty were led on a tour of the facility by Convertech owner Larry Taitel and one of Convertech’s machinist, Angel Montiel. The students were taken behind the scenes to experience the day to day operation of Convertech’s machine shop. At the end of the tour, you could tell the students enjoyed their time and Convertech was grateful that the program was able to take time out of their day to visit the shop.

Convertech is an advocate for manufacturing education and is always willing to open their doors to manufacturing students to help. To inquire about scheduling a visit for your manufacturing program, please email admin@convertech.com.

According to Forbes, the Generation Z, also known as the iGeneration or iGens, has an estimated attention span of 8 seconds. That means that by the time you have finished reading this sentence, they have moved onto the next thing. The iGens have been brought up in a world with a massive amount of information, and they can quickly and impressively filter through all of it. This gives them the ability to quickly shift from one topic to the next, leaving a very small window of time to appeal them.

The iGeneration includes anyone born after 1995 and according to CMO by Adobe, they are a “quarter of America’s population” and still growing. This group of people has been called the iGens because they are the first to have the internet readily available to them at such a young age. This is the next group of people many employers and educators will have to reach. They are now at the age where they are selecting career paths, going on interviews, and starting their professions. Pretty soon, it will be one of the first times where three generations and potentially four generations, will be working alongside one another; Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and iGens. This opens many opportunities for the workforce, particularly the manufacturing industry.

So how can manufacturing appeal to the iGens? Fortunately, it looks like they already have an interest.  Deep Focus wrote that iGens are “interested in building key skills at a young age… 89% say they spend part of their free time in activities they consider productive and creative”. This exemplifies the foundation of manufacturing. Being creative, productive and making things is where it begins.

Manufacturing gives the iGens an opportunity to be productive and creative and harvest their passions into a career.  Once the iGens are aware of what is available to them, the possibilities are endless. Having a balance between promoting manufacturing in a way that appeals to the iGens, and staying true to the core fundamentals of manufacturing is key. It will lead the path to bridging the skills gap in the manufacturing industry.