Tech Insight: How To Cut Security Costs Without A Lot Of Pain Companies are spending more on security: According to the recent Information Week 2010 Strategic Survey, 36 percent are expecting an increase in their security budgets during the next year. Is your company one of them?

According to Julie Maydew, vice president of ResourceMFG, the leading manufacturing placement organization detailed some of the core personnel challenges in the plastics sector. According to Maydew, “The plastics industry utilizes a wide variety of skills in its production units with emphasis on processes and equipment setup used to make the product. Molding and Extrusion cover a wide diversity of products and in order to find skilled personnel they must be recruited from other plastics industries. With the exception of entry level machine operators and secondary operations staff, molding and extruder specific experience are required; couple that with the variety of raw materials the profile for the ideal candidate is often unique to the hiring company. The matches must be made with candidates that have comparable process and material familiarity and experience.”

Manufacturing Journalist Thomas R. Cutler profiled the role of ResourceMFG in the current issue of AutomationMedia.com. The entire article can be read at http://www.automationmedia.com/TRCutler.asp?ID=%2026.

Since much of the molding and extrusion has been sent offshore, the specific skills required have migrated to other process industries and have adapted outside of plastics manufacturing. With fewer production facilities in the US, the pool of prospective recruits has diminished significantly.

Maydew insists that the plastics industry face unique pressures from other sectors: “Pressure from other process industries (primarily food, pharmaceutical, hydrocarbon, and chemical production) has taken the Process Technicians, Extruder/Molding Setup Operators and Maintenance Technicians away from the dwindling US plastic producers. The accelerated reduction of the factory that produces plastic products increases the competition with foreign manufacturers more pressing.”

About ResourceMFG:

ResourceMFG is the nation’s leading manufacturing support organization. It focuses on the demands of the manufacturing sector to serve the needs of employees and customers. The company has immersed themselves in the manufacturing community and has close relationships with support organizations such as The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and The American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS).

ResourceMFG is involved with the total spectrum of manufacturing positions including production, quality, maintenance, supervision, and all levels of management. The company serves a wide variety of industry segments that include automotive, electronic, machining, sheet metal, fabrication, and many other specialized producers.

The foundation of ResourceMFG is a commitment to understanding the specialized needs of clients, employees, and the community, which provide the foundation for success. Like the manufacturers they represent there is a philosophy of continuous improvement. ResourceMFG is dedicated to improving programs, processes, training and people to meet the diverse needs of the US manufacturing sector. A benchmark of the organization is on time delivery. The company understands manufacturing professionals and provides excellent programs and productive employees. ResourceMFG delivers the right person with the right skills at the right time.

Manufacturing is the sole focus of ResourceMFG allowing a better manufacturing workforce. ResourceMFG understands that it takes good people to get good results. Experienced manufacturing professionals know how to find the talent needed to deliver results for manufacturing businesses. ResourceMFG has been nationally recognized for having workforce management initiatives that impact the bottom line.

Brian Devine has a dozen years of staffing experience and is a management owner of the company and is the founder of the ProLogistix brand. Devine attended Towson State University majoring in Mass Communications. Devine began his career with PaineWebber Mortgage Finance where he held the position of Area Vice President for the Southeast Region. Devine began his staffing career as Vice President of Marketing for US Personnel. Since1995, Brian has led the ProLogistix Division and has established it as one of the most successful logistics placement businesses in North America. Devine was the 2000 winner of the EmployBridge Spirit Award for exemplary demonstration of company core values.

According to Brian Devine, division vice-president of ProLogistix. “The staffing industry was doing a poor job servicing the logistics industry with talented employees. At ProLogistix, we created the most comprehensive application process for logistics employees in the industry. We use our selection process to evaluate a candidate’s specific knowledge and experience, and we then match qualifications to the positions for which we are recruiting.”

Unlike other staffing organizations, 100% of ProLogistix recruiting efforts are logistics centered. Branch staff is trained in logistics, and they understand the intricacies of the industry. Staff is not spending time testing and interviewing bookkeepers, data entry clerks, and construction workers. ProLogistix is fortunate to have built a reputation in the communities served as the “go-to” company when seeking a job in a warehouse or distribution center.

ResourceMFG, the sister division to ProLogistix places manufacturing specific positions. Devine explained the differentiation between the two organization by noting, “The way we differentiate between which clients are best served by ResourceMFG or ProLogistix is to ask what the company does. If they manufacture products, then they are best suited to ResourceMFG; if they distribute products, then ProLogistix is the right staff solution.”

The types of positions ProLogistix fills include:

• Loaders and Unloaders

• Order Selectors

• Warehouse Associates

• Shipping and Receiving

• Forklift Operators

• Quality Assurance

• Supervisors

• Warehouse Managers

• Operations Manager

The combination of an exclusive focus on logistics, screening tools utilized in the application process, and the experience of branch staff makes ProLogistix the leading provider of logistics talent in the country.

According to Brian Devine, division vice-president of ProLogistix. “The staffing industry was doing a poor job servicing the logistics industry with talented employees. At ProLogistix, we created the most comprehensive application process for logistics employees in the industry. We use our selection process to evaluate a candidate’s specific knowledge and experience, and we then match qualifications to the positions for which we are recruiting.”

Unlike other staffing organizations, 100% of ProLogistix recruiting efforts are logistics centered. Branch staff is trained in logistics, and they understand the intricacies of the industry. Staff is not spending time testing and interviewing bookkeepers, data entry clerks, and construction workers. ProLogistix is fortunate to have built a reputation in the communities served as the “go-to” company when seeking a job in a warehouse or distribution center.

Retaining Good Workers is Central to Logistics Success

“The increase of the plant production has had a terrific impact on the growth of ProLogistix over the past few years. We are seeing increased competition for the skilled workers, and companies are finding they have to stay competitive to attract and retain productive workers. Pay rates are often the first element that hourly employees look at when considering a new job, but other factors play an important role in the “retention” of employees. These include: the work environment, the shift, the way employees are treated by their supervisors and benefits,” asserts Devine.

ResourceMFG, the sister division to ProLogistix places manufacturing specific positions. Devine explained the differentiation between the two organization by noting, “The way we differentiate between which clients are best served by ResourceMFG or ProLogistix is to ask what the company does. If they manufacture products, then they are best suited to ResourceMFG; if they distribute products, then ProLogistix is the right staffing solution.”

The types of positions ProLogistix fills include:

• Loaders and Unloaders

• Order Selectors

• Warehouse Associates

• Shipping and Receiving

• Forklift Operators

• Quality Assurance

• Supervisors

• Warehouse Managers

• Operations Manager

The combination of an exclusive focus on logistics, screening tools utilized in the application process, and the experience of branch staff makes ProLogistix the leading provider of logistics talent in the country.