Britt Campbell, Brad Pearson and Don Newman Join Precision Plus’ 2013-2014 Internship Program

October 20, 2013

Britt Campbell, Brad Pearson and Don Newman Join Precision Plus’ 2013-2014 Internship Program

2013-2014, academic year, Brad Person, Britt Campbell, Don Newman, Elkhorn, high school seniors, Interns, internship, manufacturing., Mike Reader, paid internship, Precision Plus Inc., Wisconsin

Michael Reader

2013-2014 Precision Plus’s interns: Britt Campbell, Brad Pearson and Don Newman.

Mike Reader, President of Precision Plus continues to push forward the company’s efforts to make an impact on the manufacturing skills gap epidemic.

The success achieved during the pilot internship program launched during the summer of 2013 has resulted in the establishment of a formal internship program for the 2013-2014 school year. Three high school seniors, Britt Campbell (Badger H.S.), as well as Brad Pearson and Don Newman (Elkhorn Area H.S.) have been awarded this year’s internships.

Intern Britt Campbell tests a component with OASIS equipment.

Britt Campbell, a senior at Lake Geneva Badger, starts her day at 6:30 a.m. and works until 9:00 a.m. Britt plans to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering at Milwaukee School of Engineering or at Purdue University. Britt’s interest in the engineering field stems from her racing background. Britt began racing go-karts and now races a Mazda Miata.

Intern Britt Campbell Races a Mazda Miata at Road America in Elkhart Lake

She is a licensed novice wheel-to-wheel racer in the Midwestern Council of Sports Car Clubs (MCSCC) in the Sports Car Club of Rockford (SCCR), currently working towards her full competition license. You can read more about Britt’s racing on her Facebook page and contact her there to become a sponsor.

Intern Don Newman using the Earth-Chain spinner micro-deburring station

Interns Brad Pearson and Don Newman are seniors at Elkhorn High School. They are part of an apprenticeship program, which is overseen by Joanne Pella, Career and Technical Education Instructor/Coordinator at the school. The program is run in conjunction with Blackhawk Technical College.

The students start at 6:30 a.m. at Precision Plus Inc. and then head to school at 10:00 a.m., earning credit from school as well as being paid by Precision Plus for the work performed. Brad and Don are considering attending a technical college or a four-year college to pursue a degree in CNC machining or engineering.

The Internship Program at Precision Plus begins with classroom time, where interns receive instruction on blueprint reading, how to use measuring tools and general procedures. The interns then are rotated through the various operations and machining platforms.

The goal of the internship program is to immerse the students in the precision manufacturing industry so they can gain an initial understanding of the entire manufacturing process.

Precision Plus is looking to hire interns for the summer of 2014 as well as for the 2014-2015 academic year. For more information, please contact Barry Butters, Director of Education & Training at (262) 743-1700, or email him at buttersb@preplus.com.

Employee Spotlights

October 16, 2013

Brian White’s Manufacturing Story is An Inspiration for New Generations Coming Up Through the Ranks

Brian White, dream it do it, Elkhorn, employer, GE Energy's Waukesha Gas Engines, Manufacturing Alliance, manufacturing., Mike Reader, plant your, Precision Plus Inc., video, Waukesha County Business Alliance, WCBA, Wisconsin

Michael Reader

By Mike Reader
About a year ago, I had the pleasure of attending a Waukesha County Business Alliance (WCBA) Manufacturing Alliance panel discussion on workforce development issues and meeting Brian White. Brian, President of GE Energy’s Waukesha Gas Engines, was one of the panelists and he spoke frankly about manufacturing and the privilege of employing about 700 Wisconsinites.

In September of 2012, and under Brian’s leadership, GE Energy’s Waukesha Gas Engines had announced the hiring of 115 employees, following a $3.1 million investment into its engineering center.

Brian is a brilliant leader, but his story is not your typical rise-to-the-top story, because Brian didn’t go to college after graduating from high school. As a matter of fact, he didn’t know what to do with his life, until he found the opportunities that manufacturing presented to him—opportunities which he did not hesitate to pursue.
In May 2013, Dream It! Do It! Wisconsin, featured Brian in a video titled “Upward Bound – Wisconsin Manufacturing Careers.” In just a few statements, Brian tells us about his early life, and gives anyone looking into a career in manufacturing the assurance that anything is possible.

Last night, I attended another WCBA meeting, hosted by GE Energy’s Waukesha Gas Engines, which included tours of the engine assembly area and featured the Dream It! Do It! Wisconsin video featuring Brian. I was pleased to connect with Brian again. We had a very good discussion about what each was doing to address the skills gap and looked forward to collaborating in the future.

Community Involvement Educational Development

March 11, 2013

180 High School Students Attend the First Manufacturing Career Panel Discussion at Elkhorn Area High School in Wisconsin

Michael Reader

Despite an 8” snow fall, on February 27, 2013 180 high school students from Elkhorn, Lake Geneva and William’s Bay gathered at Elkhorn Area High School’s Wehner Auditorium to listen to a panel of manufacturing professionals discuss the vast possibilities available today in the world of hi-tech manufacturing. The program was entitled “Elkhorn Area High School – Manufacturing Career Panel.”

This manufacturing awareness initiative began in late July of 2012, when 40 business representatives from Walworth County—most of them manufacturers—met to discuss the skills gap and the increasing demand for skilled manufacturing professionals. The vision was clear: to strive for the collaboration of businesses, the academic world and legislators in order to validate the impact that the manufacturing sector (or its absence) has on the overall economy of the state and the country. Additionally, the group agreed to foster initiatives aimed to bring up a new crop of world-class manufacturers through relevant education. The mission was also clear: to make the vision happen, and to dispel the current stigma hovering over the notion of pursuing a career in manufacturing.

“The real world of 21^st Century manufacturing is totally different than its mid-century predecessor,” comments Mike Reader, President of Precision Plus “Today, manufacturing is the engine behind every “Top-Gun” pilot’s aircraft, the tools behind every surgeon’s life or death decision, the technique behind every tractor reaping the best of the crop, and even the reality that made the Mars Rover Mission possible. “

“Today’s manufacturing industry is not looking for unskilled workers, but instead, is looking for the cream of the crop,” adds Mike Reader, “Only 3 out of 100 candidates makes the cut. The manufacturing industry needs people who will make James Bond succeed and we’re willing to train them on the job and pay them a salary comparable or even greater than any college graduate. But they have to have the drive and the will.”

Late in 2012, Precision Plus invited twenty-four area educators to tour its facilities in Elkhorn, WI and to discuss the manufacturing possibilities available for high school graduates in the area. The exchange resulted in the implementation of a program aimed to educate high school students about the reality of a future in manufacturing. Under the diligent leadership of EAHS’s Career and Technical Education Coordinator JoAnne Pella and the support and endorsement of Principal Tina Bosworth, a Manufacturing Career Panel was organized for February 27, 2013.

The event was formatted as a panel discussion. The manufacturing professionals panelists were Dan Murphy, Regional Sales Manager at Rem Sales, LLC; Darlene Miller, President and CEO of Permac Industries; John Murphy, President of Morris Midwest, LLC; Olaf Tessarzyk, Managing Partner of ZPS America, LLC, and Mike Reader, President of Precision Plus For one and a half hours, the panelists and students engaged in a genuine discussion about the state of the industry and the possibilities manufacturing has available for young people finishing high school.

It was pointed out by the panelists, that the marked difference between a regular college education vs. a technical college education and/or on-the-the-job training was the opportunity to have real-work experience rather than strictly classroom instruction. A person learning and experiencing the art and science of machining, may continue on as business owner, as a program developer, design engineer, quality control engineer, management leader or sales professional, to name a few, and have the real-life experience to understand how to transform ideas into reality. The machining industry opens the doors to limitless possibilities, offering rewarding careers to “Top Gun” candidates, both men and women.

Following the panel discussion, several tours have been scheduled for students to visit area manufacturers. The next phase in the manufacturing awareness program is to develop internships for high school and college students, to coordinate learning opportunities with local technical colleges and to seek increased support of local, state and national legislators.

A Note from Mike Reader

June 28, 2012

A Note From Mike Reader, President of Precision Plus

automobile, bringing manufacturing back to the U.S., Economic Predictions, Elkhorn, high quality, hydraulic, industry, lack of trade crafstmen, manufacturing., Michael Reader, movie, part difficulty, pneumatic, Precision Plus Inc., Precission Swiss Machining, President, trade, Wisconsin

Michael Reader

As we enter the second half of the year I am happy to report we have many good things happening here at Precision Plus All and all, it was a successful first half with sales surpassing those of last year, and the addition of our 4th Miyano ABX lathe. Our customers remain optimistic and continue to ask us to take on more work from them. It is a testament to the hard work of all our staff when I hear a long-standing customer ask me “we need to resource a package of parts, how much more can you take on?”. Especially with existing customers, we have developed a trust that ensures them that we know what we are doing and that we will produce what they ask for. As the degree of difficulty in developing and manufacturing new components continues to increase, we understand that the complexity of the part will make a difference in our customers’ profitability and efficiency.

We are continually improving “embedding” ourselves with our customers’ product engineering teams, so as to add more value and be in the best position to transition from prototype to production. Our customers love this because they can understand cost and manufacturing challenges early on in a design project. We love this because we want to make the entire process seamless. Bill Wells, our Sales and Engineering Manager, devotes much of his time working with these engineers. It’s a time-consuming proposition, but an investment in both our futures.

Since the beginning of the year, we have taken on over 100 new jobs, not only from new customer-partners, but from our existing customer-partners from a variety of industries, including pneumatic and hydraulic, aerospace, industrial, automotive, medical and dental and movie and still motion product manufacturers.

This organic growth, coupled with new opportunities developed through our website and media efforts have us plenty busy. As I mentioned earlier, we continue to reinvest in capital equipment and technology to support our customer’s needs, and remain committed to ongoing improvements.

However, while we can put all the new equipment we want on the floor, it is the difficulty in finding/developing skilled machinists that will constrain our growth moving forward. This is a real problem for us, our industry and our country that requires a true Manufacturing Training Plan. We are addressing this issue on many levels. Locally, we are participating in trade school and college programs designed to instruct young and/or unemployed individuals in the crucial trade of manufacturing. On a national level, with the PMPA, we are talking to Congress and Senate leaders in order to create a mind shift with respect to training younger people in the trades, so they can fill in the open spots that retiring Baby Boomers are leaving at a rapid pace. The goal is to bring manufacturing back to the U.S.

Reach out to me with any questions, suggestions or comments you may have! My door is always open.

Mike Reader
President

Community Involvement Industry News

June 27, 2012

Walworth County, WI and Gateway Technical College: Light Years Ahead in Addressing Impending U.S. Manufacturing Needs

collaborative effort, Elkhorn, Gateway Technical College, Job Center and the Walworth Gateway Technical College LogoCounty Economic Development Alliance, manufacturing courses, manufacturing., new opportunities in manufacturing, Precision Plus Inc., the trades, trade schools, training, USA, Walworth County, WCEDA, Wisconsin

Michael Reader

Recently, we received this invitation from Debbie Davidson, Vice President, Workforce & Economic Development Division at Gateway College:

“Dear Walworth County Manufacturer,

Due to the increased need for skilled manufacturing employees, Gateway Technical College, Walworth County Job Center and the Walworth County Economic Development Alliance (WCEDA), invite you to attend a planning meeting on July 26^th at Gateway’s Elkhorn Campus (400 County Road H, Elkhorn, WI, South Building, Room 112) from 7:30am to 9:00am.

At this meeting we will discuss a variety of options to provide you with skilled technicians including:

Developing curriculum to meet your needs;
Offering training at the Elkhorn Campus and/or at your facility;
Modifying and/or developing boot camps in manufacturing-related skills;
Implementing an “Earn-and-Learn” model which would allow students to work for you while attending classes providing an opportunity for on-the-job skill application;
Scheduling classes such as, Applied Math, Blueprint Reading, Safety, Gauging and Inspection, Measurement, Communication, Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt and more;
Identifying funding models to support new and unique training models.

Please join us and be part of the conversation. The meeting is free. However, we ask that you make a reservation for our planning purposes. Please contact Debbie Davidson at 262-564-3422 or email davidsond@gtc.edu no later than July 20, 2012 to reserve your spot. We look forward to working with you to meet your hiring needs. If you are unable to attend, please consider sending a designee from your company. Feel free to share this invite with others throughout Walworth County.

Debbie Davidson
Vice President, Workforce & Economic Development Division

Gateway Technical College

3520-30th Avenue
Kenosha, WI 53144
Office: 262-564-3422
Cell: 262-914-0154
Email: davidsond@gtc.edu ”

We’re planning to be there. Are you?

Industry News

June 10, 2012

The Blue Oval is Back

bail out, Blue Oval, bring manufacturing back to the U.S., car manufacturers, Elkhorn, federal bail outs, Ford, GM, government, Precision Plus Inc., Renaissance, Wisconsin

Michael Reader

On May 22, 2012, Moody’s Investors Service upgraded Ford’s credit rating to investment status. This milestone is to be congratulated because of the time, effort and commitment it took to regain this rating. According to Bill Ford, great grandson of Henry Ford, “At great emotional cost, the company used its Blue Oval logo as part of the collateral for a $23.5 billion loan it obtained in 2006.” The loan enabled Ford to do a major restructuring allowing the automotive manufacturer to avoid the crisis that led GM and Chevrolet to obtain a Federal bailout. Part of the loan requirements was the regaining of the investment status by two of the credit rating agencies. Fitch Ratings upgraded Ford’s credit rating last month.

In looking over the recovery that has occurred within the Ford Motor Company, several steps have been noted:

In 2006 the company raised $23.5 billion in liquid assets through the combination of secured and unsecured loans. The Blue Oval logo along with a substantial part of it domestic assets secured the loan.
In 2007 Ford negotiated a labor agreement with the UAW that allowed for a lower wage structure for new employees as well as a new set of flexible work rules.
In March 2009 it reached another major agreement with the UAW that brought in the ability for the company to reach equality with transplant automakers. This resulted in annual savings and efficiencies on an incremental basis.
In October 2009 Ford reported its first quarterly pre-tax operating profit since the first quarter of 2008.
At end-of-year 2009 Ford achieved its first full-year of operating profit. It also had a net income of $2.7 billion, which was an improvement of $17.5 billion over its losses in 2008.
At end-of-year 2011 Ford reported the third year in a row of improved annual operating profits. It also reduced its debt by more than $20 billion compared with year-end 2009.
In September of 2011 Ford was able to completely pay back its loan.
In March of 2012 Ford was able to make its first dividend payment.

The day after Moody’s Investors Service announced its decision, Ford’s accomplishment was being touted in the National News Services. Michael Reader, President of Precision Plus Inc., added , “My personal congratulations to the Ford Team, this is an impressive accomplishment as the only domestic auto group to do it on their own.”

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Tag : Precision Plus Inc.