Latest / Red Truck Radio / Red Truck Radio Episode 8: Built Here. Still Building.

Transcript

Red Truck Radio Episode 8: Built Here. Still Building. · Red Truck Radio

• 0:04
  SPEAKER_02: 250 years ago, this country was built on an idea that if you work hard and you stand behind what you make, it matters.
• 0:11
  SPEAKER_02: That idea is still alive.
• 0:12
  SPEAKER_02: Today on Red Truck Radio, we're sitting down with the employee owners at Ladena, Diamond Coat, and Taylor.
• 0:18
  SPEAKER_02: People who show up every day and build things the right way.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_02: Right here in America.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_02: Let's get into it.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_02: All right, Joe, Justin, how are you guys doing today?
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_02: I'm doing great.
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_02: They're going up, glad to have you guys here, man, celebrating uh 250 years of the great old US of A, right?
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_02: And uh here at Wassau Supply, we obviously uh have great distributed brands and and vendor partners, but uh, you know, I think our our overwhelming uh prideful products are Diamond Coat Wadena Cam Clad Taylor, and you guys are here to talk about uh Diamond Coat and Wadena.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_02: So glad to have you guys here.
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_02: Um, let's just start out with this.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_02: Uh tell me a little bit about what you do, just in general.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_02: How would you describe your job?
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_00: Uh basically, I I take care of Field 22, which does a lot of the little stuff, takes the little jobs off the bigger line.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm in charge of the personnel over there, making sure that everything's running smoothly, the quality's there, the safety's there.
• 1:12
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I run PL6, which is the hauncher.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_00: So I do a lot of work over there, make sure everything's quality and safety over there, too.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_00: And that's pretty much it.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_00: Stock really.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, no.
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_02: Uh just for just for our audience a little bit.
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_02: So PL is paint line.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_02: Okay.
• 1:27
  SPEAKER_02: Production line.
• 1:27
  SPEAKER_02: Production line.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, there we go.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_02: Uh so 20 and 6.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_02: The hauncher, I remember before we had that thing encase there, it was a little loud, but uh not that case anymore.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_00: Uh uh, it's still got a little bit of a voice to it.
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, but yes, they're working on it, making it a little bit softer.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_02: Very good.
• 1:42
  SPEAKER_02: The hauncher does what for us?
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_00: It does all our shakes.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_00: Actually, it does our staggered and straights, it does uh sevens, nines, and twelves.
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_02: For sure.
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_02: And uh, as our audience would know, our dealers and our contractors, uh, 12 inch is readily available for a lot in the market, but uh we got the seven and the nine, which is unique to diamond coats, so absolutely.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_01: So a little bit in the day of life, what uh explain your role and what you do.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so I worked on at one DNA exterior doors, and I'm a production lead there, uh, in particular on the unfinished lines.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_01: So, what we do is uh we manufacture exterior doors, and how we go about that is we get our jams, and when we get them throughout the line, we do our inspections as well, our quality checks to make sure that they are what they're supposed to be.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_01: Uh so then we we've had to put them together.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_01: And we do a lot of custom doors, a lot of cunt downs, uh real extravagant doors when we're looking at the side lights, double doors with transoms on it, you name it.
• 2:31
  SPEAKER_01: We can basically build it when it comes to exterior doors.
• 2:34
  SPEAKER_01: So that's that's about kind of the gist of it, if you will.
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_01: So I don't want to try to diminish it at all, but there's a lot that goes into it, believe it or not.
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_01: I've never looked at an exterior door the same since I've started working here.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_01: And uh and I understand how important they are.
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_01: You know, uh a person's house is kind of their sanctuary, if you were if you if you put it like that.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_01: And uh uh exterior door is important to them.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_01: So when they're buying something for their home, we try to make it as easy as possible for them to install it because a lot of our customers are kind of DIYers, do it yourself.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_01: So it's important on us to kind of put it together the way it should be so they can kind of just pop it in when it's their weekend to do that.
• 3:09
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, very well said, very well said.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_02: And I know we've uh I finally got down there to Ben a while, and uh a lot of uh things going on down at Wadina, significant investment in automation, yeah, a lot of innovation, if you will.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_01: So uh I've been here for six years, and I kind of got on an interesting time to where it was before the robots and after the robots.
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_01: So I really got to have a first hand look at the growth that the company has gone through within the six years, and it's not just in an investment into the company, it can really be you can say an investment into the customer because it's just gonna reflect in the work, and I feel like it has.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_01: With our new quality team, we've been really able to get our defects down to underneath one percent, and that's where we like to keep them.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_01: So I feel like the investment into the company itself is just reflecting within the product, and the customer is the one that's benefiting from that mostly.
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_01: So it's been very exciting.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_02: Uh yeah, glad to hear it.
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_02: Glad to hear it.
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_02: So uh what would you say in your role?
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_02: What are the finer details uh that matter the most in your role?
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_02: You think about it.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_02: What's what's the most important?
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_02: Fine details.
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, fine details.
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_00: Oh making sure we have everything we need to to make the day smooth, you know.
• 4:13
  SPEAKER_00: The number one, the safety, the quality.
• 4:15
  SPEAKER_00: Making sure we get the best product we can to our customers.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_00: That's that's gotta be it, you know.
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_00: And make sure, like he was saying, it gotta get the best.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_00: That's 100%.
• 4:25
  SPEAKER_00: That's what we do here.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_02: Excellent.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_02: Excellent.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_02: How would you feel that what do you how do you feel in your role?
• 4:29
  SPEAKER_02: What's what's the finer details you're always looking for?
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_01: I So I just like to lead by example a lot my particular role.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_01: I like to show up every day on time with a positive attitude.
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_01: Try to do really whatever I can for the company that's really gonna that that it needs me to do.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_01: You know, if Wadina needs me in glass prep, that's where I'm gonna be.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_01: Or if you need me in RKG, that's where I'm gonna be.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_01: Whatever is is really gonna help the company.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_01: Um Another kind of stance I like to take is you know, we take pride in our work.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_01: We like to stand behind our work.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_01: So if you don't like it, if you're kind of questioning on the quality, uh probably not then.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_01: If you have to think about it more than twice, usually is not a good idea.
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_01: So that's just one thing in particular that we're really emphasizing is quality.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_01: Um, definitely quality over quantity these days.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_01: So our sure.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and it's just been fun.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_01: It's been a lot of fun building a door like that, and then standing back and looking at it, realizing how much of the team effort it is when it comes down to stain, the glass getting set, and the right jams.
• 5:21
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_01: The details are important.
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and I I don't think whether it's diamond court or wadena, uh, a lot of times I think our our customers, the homeowner, sees the the final product.
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, but I don't think a lot of times they understand all the details and steps that go into what we're doing.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_02: So kudos to you guys.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_02: Um you know, it's it's not always the things that people see.
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_02: Uh it's it's the things that are behind the scenes that are the smaller details.
• 5:47
  SPEAKER_02: So, what's something that most people wouldn't notice, but you always do to make sure that we'd have the best quality.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_02: Either one of you guys.
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_01: I'll go first, actually.
• 5:58
  SPEAKER_01: Oh.
• 5:58
  SPEAKER_01: So one thing that I I really noticed and appreciated that what Dino in particular does very well is we follow what what Jeremy likes to say is we find the right seat on the bus for our passenger.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_01: So if you may not be doing so well in this particular area, we're not quick to brush somebody off.
• 6:13
  SPEAKER_01: We're investing in our employees by training them properly, finding them the right position that they will excel in.
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_01: So therefore, it will just reflect within the product, which it like I've said, it it really has.
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_01: So I think just investing in our people is something that has been really good.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
• 6:27
  SPEAKER_00: It rubs your mind for you.
• 6:29
  SPEAKER_00: Well, uh go along with what he was saying is making sure those the employees are trained up to the specs or what we expect out of them, and uh making sure that they understand, like he was saying, if you got a question on it, chances are it's it's not even good.
• 6:44
  SPEAKER_00: We can't send that to a customer.
• 6:45
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, this this is good stuff.
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_00: We got to send it the best.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_00: 100%.
• 6:49
  SPEAKER_00: So 100%.
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_00: Nope, good deal.
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so I mean, there's good and then there's done right.
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_02: And uh and what's the difference to in your mind uh in in both your areas?
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_02: Uh you know, I I think you guys have both really stressed this here.
• 7:03
  SPEAKER_02: You know, it's not always that it's just good enough, but it's it's done right the Wassaw way.
• 7:08
  SPEAKER_02: How do you describe that in your areas?
• 7:10
  SPEAKER_00: Well, good's just not gonna do it.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_00: It's gotta be done right.
• 7:13
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, it's gotta be, you know, we got the specs out there, and we could go right by the specs or we could do a little bit better.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_00: So I I we always try to strive to do a little bit better, the best we can, you know, for sure.
• 7:25
  SPEAKER_00: There's always hiccups in the road, but we can get through that.
• 7:28
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, no doubt about it.
• 7:29
  SPEAKER_02: About the door side of things.
• 7:30
  SPEAKER_01: I'd say kind of the way we look at it, there's just tiers to everything kind of throughout life, but I'd have to say a lot of people like to use the word quality.
• 7:38
  SPEAKER_01: Uh I just say we're we're in the next tier.
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_01: We are the top tier of our doors.
• 7:44
  SPEAKER_01: You know, you have your your F-150s and your Chevrolet, and then we try to say we're the Lamborghini of the door industry.
• 7:50
  SPEAKER_01: You know, we're really just trying to be that anyways, trying to be that next top tier, the really brand name to where you know you're buying a Wadena door.
• 7:59
  SPEAKER_01: It's somewhat of a flex, if you will.
• 8:01
  SPEAKER_01: You should take great pride that you have a Wadena door in your household or whatever building you're putting it in.
• 8:06
  SPEAKER_01: So FSA, really holding ourselves to a higher standard, even better than just quality.
• 8:11
  SPEAKER_01: We want to be that next tier of the top level of the industry.
• 8:14
  SPEAKER_01: So I think that that's really something that everybody's been buying into with down at the door shop.
• 8:19
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, for sure.
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_02: And I think, you know, the the industry and right now there's a lot of economic headwinds that are there that make people have to question their budgets.
• 8:27
  SPEAKER_02: So it's always great when the sales team has a story to tell about our products.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_02: And both Diamond Colt and Wadina, we've got a great story.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_02: It's not only about the features and benefits, but it's about that quality, that long-lasting investment that we're making.
• 8:39
  SPEAKER_02: I I mean, you think about it, uh, most people uh are gonna, you know, want to put siding on their house one time or replace that entry door one time.
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_02: And with Diamond Colt and Wadina, that's what they're getting, that quality.
• 8:50
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, especially when it comes to a front door.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_02: I I don't think people understand uh how much goes into that front door.
• 8:57
  SPEAKER_02: It's it's like a piece of fine furniture that uh gets used uh very regularly.
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_01: It can really be used as a sales pitch, if you will, if you are selling your house.
• 9:05
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, the front door is one of the first things you see when going up to a house.
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_01: So it can make a very good impression or a very bad one.
• 9:12
  SPEAKER_02: So good point.
• 9:13
  SPEAKER_02: No, good point.
• 9:14
  SPEAKER_02: And and that's the thing about the products that we sell.
• 9:16
  SPEAKER_02: Um, these are things that people are looking for return on their investment in both cases, the diamond coat and Wadena, our customers are assured to get that uh uh that long return on their investment, whether it's it's the years that they're in the home enjoying it, or when they go to resell it, it's a great point to say, hey, I have a Wadena door, I have a diamond coat uh siding on my house.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_02: So um there's always people that uh you know they rely on people to catch things.
• 9:42
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so in both cases here, um, you know, there's a lot of technology that we can use to help us with quality, but it always comes down to people.
• 9:50
  SPEAKER_02: So, how do you guys, in your role, uh how do you build that within your team?
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_02: So we're kind of working with each other to help each other, maybe catch things as they go on.
• 10:01
  SPEAKER_02: Is that is that the case for both of you guys with the people that work for you?
• 10:04
  SPEAKER_00: Um absolutely.
• 10:05
  SPEAKER_00: It's so you go down through there and you got to teach them the right way first, know what to look for.
• 10:09
  SPEAKER_00: So if you've got an example of a bad project or what we will not send to our customer, you bring everybody over and teach them this is what we need to look for, or something similar to it every time.
• 10:21
  SPEAKER_00: So it's even questioned, it's going down the line.
• 10:23
  SPEAKER_00: Hey, bat board's bad.
• 10:24
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, we pull it off, give it an extra look, it's bad, it's back.
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_00: We're not sending it down.
• 10:28
  SPEAKER_02: Perfect.
• 10:29
  SPEAKER_02: Perfect.
• 10:29
  SPEAKER_02: How about indoors?
• 10:31
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I'd say we uh I'd like to give a shout out to Danny Dillon.
• 10:34
  SPEAKER_01: Uh he was the quality manager, now he's the service of warranty manager, if I'm not mistaken.
• 10:38
  SPEAKER_01: He's the one that really got the ball rolling with doing our quality checks and kind of giving us the blueprint, if you will, about how we go about what we really need to check for, which would be like our top three defects.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_01: So if you keep track of the defects that you have throughout the year months, if you will, there should be a recurring defect somewhere within that, and that's where we really got to focus on, you know, whether it be hinges, weather strips, sill, clad nosing, things of that nature.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_01: So by doing that, uh, we've been really able to uh make our defect rate go down.
• 11:07
  SPEAKER_01: So, and how we go about doing that is we just have steps.
• 11:10
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, you got to do your job and follow the process.
• 11:11
  SPEAKER_01: We use our visualizer, uh, which is you you scan your bead eggs and it shows up every component that you need that is going into the door.
• 11:18
  SPEAKER_01: So it makes it a little bit easier.
• 11:19
  SPEAKER_01: Those trailers can get difficult to read at times, but like I said, with the innovation that's going on in Wadena, they're definitely doing their best to try to make things a little more simple for us to make our job uh easier and just overall give it better, better quality.
• 11:32
  SPEAKER_01: So, but yeah, uh making those steps, following those processes.
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_01: And I say just doing your job, reading the paperwork, and make sure what you're reading is what you have.
• 11:41
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, shout out to Danny Dowan on that one.
• 11:43
  SPEAKER_01: He really laid the blueprint for us.
• 11:45
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, for sure.
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_02: Glad to hear that uh Danny's a great resource to the company and uh uh glad to have him aboard.
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_02: So, but I think it's important, you know, as we continue to uh invest in technology, we continue to invest in people too.
• 11:57
  SPEAKER_02: And you know, I think a lot of times, whether it's safety or even maybe quality of work, sometimes people uh might be a little afraid to say to their partner or their co-worker that uh maybe they missed something or something wasn't up to the highest quality.
• 12:10
  SPEAKER_02: But I think being an employee-owned company, having the culture that we do makes it a little easier to say and have that expectation of one another that we're putting out the best quality pride.
• 12:19
  SPEAKER_02: 100% have the pride, yeah.
• 12:21
  SPEAKER_01: And onto your point, that's one thing too that we're we're building a great culture down there at Wadena.
• 12:25
  SPEAKER_01: I feel like because a lot of people will have that attitude.
• 12:27
  SPEAKER_01: If they make a mistake, they like to hang their head.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_01: We're not gonna come down here.
• 12:30
  SPEAKER_01: It's a lot easier to tear somebody down.
• 12:31
  SPEAKER_01: Down at Wadena, the culture that we created, we're building people up.
• 12:34
  SPEAKER_01: You know, we're we're gonna build you up.
• 12:36
  SPEAKER_01: So that's one thing that we kind of tackle head on.
• 12:38
  SPEAKER_01: It's just we're we're a great team, we're a great culture, mistakes are gonna happen.
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_01: But what can we do?
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_01: We can learn from the mistakes, so they're not continuing to happen.
• 12:45
  SPEAKER_01: So that's something that we're really focused on and I feel like thriving.
• 12:48
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 12:49
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah.
• 12:49
  SPEAKER_02: And I would tell you guys, you know, as we continue to expand our footprint, uh, we're all the way up to the East Coast and West Coast now, and people don't know who Wall Sall Supply is.
• 12:58
  SPEAKER_02: So really it comes down to uh, you know, a lot of times a new salesperson will join us in one of those new geographies, and they're out there beg, borrowing, and trying to steal to get an opportunity for a job.
• 13:08
  SPEAKER_02: And really, what is going to make the difference on whether we get another opportunity to sell that customer a job, a side in or a door really comes down to the quality.
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_02: So it's very important, you know, whether it's the sales team, customer service, uh, our supply chain, really it's everyone has an integral step in what we're doing.
• 13:24
  SPEAKER_02: So kudos.
• 13:25
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, I think it's uh, you know, we we look at uh and and a lot of times take it for granted, but uh it's we're a very practical organization as as employee owners, and it also means something to uh have something built from within you know uh a state like Wisconsin or so how does what does that mean to you guys when you talk about you're sending these products out all across the United States?
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_02: What does it mean to you guys and your team to to know that that's something that's coming from lost all supply in Wisconsin?
• 13:54
  SPEAKER_00: Well like you go out to the community or whatever state you're in, you could really notice being Wadena Doors or Diamond Code, you really spot it and you know what to look for, and you're like, hey, you know, that's our product that looks really good.
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, love it.
• 14:07
  SPEAKER_00: Oh it's yeah, it's it's really something else.
• 14:10
  SPEAKER_02: Well, you see the trucks riding around all over, and you know, I do quite a bit of traveling, and it's always amazing to be somewhere, you know, New York, Tennessee, Alabama, Wyoming, and rarely am I out and I don't see a Wassau supply truck running down the road.
• 14:24
  SPEAKER_02: So um what do you what are you most proud of in what you do uh and the products uh that you guys are producing?
• 14:33
  SPEAKER_02: What what makes you multi-proud?
• 14:36
  SPEAKER_01: Well, like I said, being a homeowner, uh, I understand how important your home is to you.
• 14:41
  SPEAKER_01: So therefore, when you buy something for your home, I understand that it is important to you.
• 14:45
  SPEAKER_01: So we just take great pride in making sure that that product that you are buying is at the expectation that you have, which should be a high one, because if you're buying from Audena, that's top of the line.
• 14:55
  SPEAKER_01: So I take great pride in that.
• 14:56
  SPEAKER_01: I take great pride in just kind of giving back to my community.
• 14:59
  SPEAKER_01: I say we all kind of serve a role, if you will.
• 15:01
  SPEAKER_01: I build doors so I can go down to the bakery and buy my grid, kind of things of that nature.
• 15:06
  SPEAKER_01: You know, we all have a part to play within our community, and I and I'm just proud to be part of an organization that takes great pride in being American made and things of that nature.
• 15:16
  SPEAKER_01: So I don't understand that's what we're saying.
• 15:18
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 15:18
  SPEAKER_00: He said it all right there.
• 15:19
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it is.
• 15:20
  SPEAKER_02: It is so well it's good.
• 15:22
  SPEAKER_02: Great having you guys here, you know, the important role that you play in the evolution and the growth of the company.
• 15:27
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, you know, we're uh 1,100 employees, uh, and we all have a role that's very integral into our success.
• 15:34
  SPEAKER_02: And providing these long-term value add products to our contractors, our dealers, and homeowners is so important.
• 15:40
  SPEAKER_02: And you guys have a massive part in that.
• 15:42
  SPEAKER_02: So thanks for everything you guys do.
• 15:44
  SPEAKER_02: Really glad having you here.
• 15:46
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you, Brabant.
• 15:46
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you.
• 15:47
  SPEAKER_02: So, Joe, how are you doing?
• 15:49
  SPEAKER_02: Good to see you.
• 15:50
  SPEAKER_00: Good.
• 15:51
  SPEAKER_03: How are you?
• 15:52
  SPEAKER_02: Doing well, doing well.
• 15:53
  SPEAKER_02: We're uh this is my first episode kind of doing virtually here.
• 15:57
  SPEAKER_02: Uh here we lost all Wisconsin here in uh our West Bridge, Michigan uh campus.
• 16:04
  SPEAKER_02: And uh over the years, Twitter has really grown to be a uh significant part of the lots of the part of all the three a lot of investment with me in Twitter.
• 16:18
  SPEAKER_02: Uh and we deliver a very unique, differentiated solution for customers.
• 16:22
  SPEAKER_02: So really excited to have you on job and um why don't you tell our audience a little bit about uh uh your title, your role, how long you've been with the lawtop supply.
• 16:33
  SPEAKER_03: Okay.
• 16:33
  SPEAKER_03: Um my role as a maintenance manager here at Taylor.
• 16:37
  SPEAKER_03: Um, I've been with the company since 1991, so approaching 35 years, um started out working on the floor, uh building garage door panels, uh foam injection into entry doors.
• 16:52
  SPEAKER_03: 2004, I became a supervisor for a period of time.
• 16:56
  SPEAKER_03: Uh later that year, I entered into the manufacturing and engineering role and I did that until 20 uh 2013.
• 17:07
  SPEAKER_03: Um and then I became the plant manager in May of 2013.
• 17:12
  SPEAKER_03: And then in 2021, I became maintenance uh facilities manager when I joined today.
• 17:19
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, so I'd like to think that when you had made that last year, Joe, that uh a lot of the plant managing went away, but I'm sure it didn't.
• 17:27
  SPEAKER_02: So appreciate everything you're doing for us.
• 17:29
  SPEAKER_02: Um but kind of that kind of gave us an overview.
• 17:32
  SPEAKER_02: How about a day in the life of Joe and Taylor?
• 17:36
  SPEAKER_02: What is it?
• 17:37
  SPEAKER_02: What does that day to day look like for you?
• 17:41
  SPEAKER_03: Uh ensuring that everything is running um as soon as we walk in the door Monday morning, um, making sure that all the equipment is functioning, any issues we have, um with engineering support, we're getting things done, taking care of the people, getting them what they need.
• 17:59
  SPEAKER_03: Uh the main focus is, like I said, ensuring that the plant's up and functioning.
• 18:04
  SPEAKER_03: Uh, I also help uh engineering in the uh urethane or four foam core for our doors.
• 18:12
  SPEAKER_03: So I uh work with uh our vendors and a plant here to ensure that that's one of the most critical parts of uh what we do to ensure that the door is full and and meets all the requirements.
• 18:23
  SPEAKER_03: So um, and then just you know, what do the people need?
• 18:28
  SPEAKER_03: What what do my colleagues need here?
• 18:29
  SPEAKER_03: And and let's just grab a hold of it and get it done.
• 18:33
  SPEAKER_02: No, that's awesome, Joe.
• 18:34
  SPEAKER_02: Appreciate that.
• 18:35
  SPEAKER_02: And you know, I think uh um just as we go through the evolution of kind of this podcast here and uh getting to talk to all the functional leaders of the organization, you know, the one resounding theme that we hear over and over again is really talking about the people and and heard that a lot of clear from from your world, you know.
• 19:18
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I mean I think that's what you want to do for four doors, a lot of very building, but a lot with the um perstitution is it's it's very critical.
• 19:29
  SPEAKER_02: So where does percent matter most in what you see going on in the plant day to day?
• 19:36
  SPEAKER_03: It matters most in the uh punching and forming of our steel slabs and uh the urethane foam injection of that of that slab as well.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_03: Um I think that's really the the key to what we do and holding tolerance to make sure that uh the end user is getting the product that they need.
• 19:59
  SPEAKER_03: Fiberglass is slightly different, it still has urethane core, but it's making sure that the correct the components are coming in as we need them and machining the doors uh with the tenetors to uh correct spec that meets all of our um requirements.
• 20:17
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, no, no, I can see I can see that all in uh action when I was there just last week as well.
• 20:24
  SPEAKER_02: Uh no, I think it's you know when we think about Latino where where the Taylor's lineup has been brought together with all the other components of the building.
• 20:34
  SPEAKER_02: You talk about craftsmanship, but that's a lot to do with tailor facility.
• 20:40
  SPEAKER_02: Uh craftsmanship uh build everywhere.
• 20:43
  SPEAKER_02: So what does crafts craftsmanship look like in your role as you as you're seeing in the plan?
• 20:49
  SPEAKER_02: Where does craftsmanship come into play?
• 20:54
  SPEAKER_03: Ultimately, uh my team has to ensure that the folks on the floor are able to build the quality product that they need with the machines that they have.
• 21:04
  SPEAKER_03: So um, you know, making sure that everything is is in tolerance or it's it's in the mean or right in the middle.
• 21:12
  SPEAKER_03: So we have a little bit of fluctuation, being able to move and still create a good product without having any non-conforming parts, you know, that's really the goal at the end.
• 21:22
  SPEAKER_03: So it's a lot of uh just making sure that everything is in spec and as it needs to be.
• 21:29
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, no, nope, for sure.
• 21:31
  SPEAKER_02: You know, the other thing that I've seen over the last several years at Taylor is the integration of automation and technology.
• 21:38
  SPEAKER_02: Um, how have you how has that impacted your job uh and and really the job of of all the employees at Taylor?
• 21:47
  SPEAKER_03: Um as far as a lot of the employees at Taylor, it's helped with some of the ergonomic issues, um robots you've seen as you were here.
• 21:54
  SPEAKER_03: That certainly helped.
• 21:56
  SPEAKER_03: Um, as far as my perspective in engineering, it's actually uh We become more educated on what it takes to keep these things running and troubleshooting and understanding um the ins and outs of the machinery ultimately.
• 22:11
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, where some of the older machinery you can uh get away with changing to a different part or something that's close, doesn't have to be exact, whereas the newer technology you have to kind of know exactly what you're looking for in this certain area and uh basically uh make sure that everything is reading as it needs to, and the same part needs to go back in the same place.
• 22:36
  SPEAKER_03: 100%, 100%.
• 22:37
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, no, appreciate that.
• 22:39
  SPEAKER_02: And uh, you know, it's amazing to see uh as we continue to grow at Taylor uh and adding technology, but at the same time, hand in hand, we're adding more people to the business as well.
• 22:49
  SPEAKER_02: So that's great.
• 22:50
  SPEAKER_02: You know, that kind of takes me into the employee ownership, which you know is very important at lost off supply.
• 22:56
  SPEAKER_02: I think it really differentiates us.
• 22:58
  SPEAKER_02: So how does uh being an employee employee owner show up in in your work and the work of the people at Taylor?
• 23:07
  SPEAKER_03: Shows up by obviously having the sense of ownership.
• 23:11
  SPEAKER_03: Um, I would I look at things, and I know a lot of the folks here do is I mean, just as you would do at home, or you want to be uh fiscally responsible, you want to make sure you're making the best product that you can.
• 23:24
  SPEAKER_03: Um you know, the customer in the end needs to have the correct product on time.
• 23:30
  SPEAKER_03: So that that's really the the way that I see it, and I know the uh lion's share of our employees as well.
• 23:37
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, nope, and it comes forth in the quality of products that we put out, so couldn't agree any more.
• 23:43
  SPEAKER_02: Um you know, um I would say based on you know just our portfolio of our proprietary brands, Taylor being one of those, um you know, there's really no room for compromise.
• 23:57
  SPEAKER_02: So as you go about your day-to-day work, um, is there just something that top of mind sticks out to you that you just refuse to compromise on?
• 24:07
  SPEAKER_03: Um I think quality.
• 24:10
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, if if if I see something that isn't right, I'm I'm not afraid to say, hey, this isn't how it should be, or we need to take a look at this.
• 24:18
  SPEAKER_03: Or if somebody points something out to me, you know, I I tend to spend a lot of time on the floor, but probably 80% of my day.
• 24:26
  SPEAKER_03: But if somebody has an issue, let's let's just do it, let's get it done now.
• 24:31
  SPEAKER_03: Uh take care of the problem and and move forward.
• 24:34
  SPEAKER_03: And figure out a way that we don't have to deal with it again.
• 24:38
  SPEAKER_03: Is there a fix we can put in place?
• 24:39
  SPEAKER_03: We never have to see this again because then ultimately it makes things better, more efficient.
• 24:45
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, 100%.
• 24:46
  SPEAKER_02: And I think you know, it starts at the top with folks like yourself, Joe, and having that quality uh culture.
• 24:53
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, because we're really, I think as uh as a product moves through the line, uh it's really uh people looking at the product and and and maybe somebody missed something before them and having the courage and understanding that it's uh you know we're not we're not going after one another, we're really helping each other by kind of checking the work of those before us.
• 25:14
  SPEAKER_02: But you know, that takes a lot of uh leadership and it and it takes a uh very specific culture.
• 25:19
  SPEAKER_02: And you guys have done a great job of creating that at Taylor.
• 25:22
  SPEAKER_02: So kudos to you guys.
• 25:24
  SPEAKER_02: Um how do you see your work, how do you see your work connecting to the bigger story of American manufacturing?
• 25:31
  SPEAKER_02: You know, today there's this big push to bring manufacturing back.
• 25:34
  SPEAKER_02: You know, uh, I know when we acquired Taylor uh many years ago, uh it was in receivership and look where it is today, how it's growing.
• 25:43
  SPEAKER_02: But you know, in the grand scheme of things, how do you see what you're doing connecting with the the bigger story of American manufacturing?
• 25:51
  SPEAKER_03: I think we're you know we're building building doors for America, right?
• 25:57
  SPEAKER_03: We're helping whether there's floods or fires or hurricanes, you know, helping rebuild areas, um just staying, you know, being in Michigan and in the Midwest, being a manufacturer that's uh sought out, people know our products all over the United States.
• 26:13
  SPEAKER_03: I think that's huge.
• 26:15
  SPEAKER_03: Um, I think we're you know helping build America, you know, it's just it's a great thing.
• 26:21
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, no, I don't appreciate that.
• 26:23
  SPEAKER_02: And you know, what's amazing to me is I had uh some time to spend traveling around to our dealer base in in Michigan.
• 26:30
  SPEAKER_02: And one of the things I heard the loudest was uh about Taylor and the pride that uh Michigan uh has in Taylor Door.
• 26:39
  SPEAKER_02: Uh and we continue to grow that.
• 26:41
  SPEAKER_02: And now it's you know it's really on the sales team and really the organization to continue to take that Taylor name across the nation and instill that same level of pride uh that that's found in Michigan.
• 26:52
  SPEAKER_02: So, you know, Joe, I really appreciate everything that you've done for the organization, your time, your commitment, your development, your leadership of those that uh you know are coming behind you uh because we got a lot of opportunity at Taylor to bring more and more value to to the dealer network and to you know uh projects uh and and uh homeowners across the U.S.
• 27:14
  SPEAKER_02: So Joe, really appreciate you for joining us.
• 27:16
  SPEAKER_02: Keep up the good work and look forward to seeing all the great things coming from Taylor.
• 27:20
  SPEAKER_03: All right, thank you very much, Adam.
• 27:21
  SPEAKER_03: I appreciate it.
• 27:22
  SPEAKER_03: Have a great day.
• 27:23
  SPEAKER_03: Thanks, Joe.
• 27:25
  SPEAKER_02: 250 years in, and the story of America craftsmanship is still being written.
• 27:29
  SPEAKER_02: One product, one decision, one standard at a time.
• 27:33
  SPEAKER_02: Justin, Joe, and Joe, thank you for being part of the story.
• 27:36
  SPEAKER_02: And thank you for reminding us what it means to build something worth being proud of.
• 27:40
  SPEAKER_02: That's Red Truck Radio.
• 27:41
  SPEAKER_02: We'll see you next time.