BUSINESS GROWING YOUR - Innovation, technology, e-commerce and the ability to pivot are crucial - Plant.ca
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WWW.PLANT.CA
MARCH/APRIL 2021
GROWING YOUR
BUSINESS
Innovation, technology,
e-commerce and the
ability to pivot are crucial.
Communicating effectively when everyone is zoomed out
Getting the lead out
Are you really pivoting?
Getting serious about e-commerce?
ADVANCING AND SUPPORTING A DIVERSE WORKFORCE JOIN US ONLINE MAY 13, 2021 automationmag.com/womeninmanufacturing PRESENTED BY MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT
CONTENTS March/April 2021
Vol. 79, No. 02
FEATURES
10 ARE YOU REALLY PIVOTING?
The current travel restrictions in
effect makes in-person physical
meetings a distant memory. Yet, the
need for business improvement still
exists and is perhaps even amplified.
COVER PHOTO: Laurence Dutton / E+ / Getty Images
7 COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY 20 CHECKING-IN ON INVISIBLE
Recent events have increased adoption of technology to communicate. WORKPLACE HAZARDS
With regular check-ins and a
commitment to worker well-
being, psychological hazards can
be addressed and supported,
increasing the health of workers and
their general wellbeing.
DEPARTMENTS
8 GETTING THE LEAD OUT 12 GETTING SERIOUS ABOUT E-COMMERCE?
Lithium-ion battery manufacturer growing Many businesses have started online 4 Editorial
market for material handling applications. selling, and manufacturers are among 6 News
those looking to get in on the action. 21 Tech Centre
22 Postscript: It Takes All Hands
on Deck, Working Together
and Across Borders, to Tackle
Climate Change
14 MANUFACTURING TEAM ENGAGEMENT 18 STIRRED, BUT NOT SHAKEN
Challenges of engagement and Manufacturer thrives making fans and
communication increased in the early laboratory stirrers despite pandemic chaos.
days of the pandemic, as information was
coming at people from all directions.
PLANT—established 1941, is published 7 times per year by Annex Business Media. Publications Mail Agreement #40065710. Circulation email: bolechnowicz@annexbusinessmedia.com
Tel: 416-510-5182 Fax: 416-510-6875 or 416-442-2191 Mail: 111 Gordon Baker Road, Suite 400, Toronto, ON M2H 3R1. Occasionally, PLANT will mail information on behalf of industry-related groups
whose products and services we believe may be of interest to you. If you prefer not to receive this information, please contact our circulation department in any of the four ways listed above. Annex Privacy Officer:
privacy@annexbusinessmedia.com Tel: 800-668-2374. No part of the editorial content of this publication may be reprinted without the publisher’s written permission. ©2020 Annex Publishing & Printing Inc. All
rights reserved. Performance claims for products listed in this issue are made by contributing manufacturers and agencies. PLANT receives unsolicited materials including letters to the editor, press releases,
promotional items and images from time to time. PLANT, its affiliates and assignees may use, reproduce, publish, re-publish, distribute, store and archive such unsolicited submissions in whole or in part in any
form or medium whatsoever, without compensation of any sort. This statement does not apply to materials/pitches submitted by freelance writers, photographers or illustrators in accordance with known industry
practices. Printed in Canada. ISSN: 1929-6606 (Print), 1929-6614 (Online).
www.plant.ca PLANT 3
EDITORIAL
Embracing change
In a continually evolving world, pivoting is of utmost importance. Reader Service
Print and digital subscription inquiries or
changes, please contact
N
Beata Olechnowicz,
ext year, Plant magazine will celebrate its 80th anniversary. In a world Audience Development Manager
Tel: (416) 510-5182
where a lot of companies come and go, this is an achievement worth celebrat- Fax: (416) 510-6875
ing. To that end, a lot of changes are happening at the magazine. email:
First, this issue of Plant is the last to feature the current look. Beginning with bolechnowicz@annexbusinessmedia.com
Mail: 111 Gordon Baker Rd., Suite 400
the May/June issue, Plant will take on a more modern appearance. While the con- Toronto, ON M2H 3R1
tent will be presented in a new way, rest assured that the information contained
within Plant will not change. However, if there are any subjects that you believe
Editor
we should cover, please send us a note. Mario Cywinski
Next, as many of you have noticed, Joe Terret, the editor, and face of Plant for 226-931-4194
mcywinski@annexbusinessmedia.com
many years, has decided to hang up his pen and retire. I would like to take this
opportunity to thank Joe for all the hard work he has done on the magazine, and Associate Editor
Maryam Farag
wish him all the best. His are some very big shoes to fill. 437-788-8830
Having taken over as editor earlier this year, I have been getting up to speed mfarag@annexbusinessmedia.com
with anything and everything Plant related. As the editor of Machinery and
Senior Publisher
Equipment (MRO) magazine and having also worked as an automotive journal- Scott Atkinson
ist – I am prepared for the role. 416-510-5207
satkinson@annexbusinessmedia.com
Also joining the Plant team is Maryam Farag, associate editor. You may have
already seen the news and product articles that she has written for Plant’s web- National Account Manager
Ilana Fawcett
site. We welcome her to the Plant team. 416-829-1221
Another change for 2021 is the addition of special features for each issue. With ifawcett@annexbusinessmedia.com
March/April being the Growing Your Business issue. On page 8, Getting the Lead
Media Designer
Out by Andrew Snook focuses on how a lithium-ion battery manufacturer is Svetlana Avrutin
growing the market for material handling applications. savrutin@annexbusinessmedia.com
Richard Kunst’s Are You Really Pivoting? on page 10 looks at how the needs Account Coordinator
for business improvement still exist and are amplified as a result of current travel Debbie Smith
416-442-5600 ext 3221
restrictions. dsmith@annexbusinessmedia.com
With COVID-19 increasing the amount of purchases people make online, Derek
Corrick asks Getting Serious About E-Commerce? Avoid These Costly Errors COO
Scott Jamieson
on page 12. He looks at how many businesses have started to sell online, and how sjamieson@annexbusinessmedia.com
this year manufacturers should ‘kick-start’ the process.
Who would have imagined that we would all be using online communication
technology to get all aspects of our work done? As a result, Shawn Casemore
looks at Communicating Effectively When Everyone is Zoomed Out on page 7. Subscription Price
In this issue we also have our news segment, tech centre, Postscript with Canada $76.00 per year, US $201.00
(CAD) per year, Foreign $227.00 (CAD) per
Jayson Myers, and a cross-section of manufacturing articles. year. Single Copy Canada $12.00. Add
Once again, if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for how to applicable taxes to all rates. Combined,
expanded or premium issues, which count
improve Plant, do not hesitate to contact me. as two subscription issues.
One last note, the July/August issue will feature our HR Report and Salary Sur-
vey. Be sure to take the survey by going to (www.research.net/r/RD2NHDN). Mailing Address
Stay healthy and stay safe. Annex Business Media
111 Gordon Baker Road, Suite 400
Toronto, ON M2H 3R1
Mario Cywinski, Editor
Comments? E-mail mcywinski@annexbusinessmedia.com
4 PLANT March/April 2021
LAUNCH JUNE 1, 2021 Canadian Manufacturing Demo Days puts the power of Annex Business Media’s manufacturing brands to work to showcase your product videos through a single online source. Promoted through database, online, editorial and social media drivers across 17 manufacturing titles to ensure you receive the leads of decision makers interested in your products. For More Information Visit: canadianmanufacturing. com/demo-days/
NEWS
PHOTO: Beckhoff Canada Canadian Tire and NuPort Robotics partner
with Ontario government
Canadian Tire Corporation and NuPort Robotics Inc. have partnered with the
Ontario government to invest $3 million in undertaking an automated trucking
project to test a new technology.
The technology provides a transportation solution for the middle mile; the
short-haul shuttle runs that semi-tractor trailers make between distribution cen-
tres, warehouses and terminals each day, by enabling next-generation automated
trucks that are more fuel-efficient and safer to operate.
The two-year project is backed up by $1 million from the Ontario government
through Ontario’s Autonomous Vehicle Innovation Network, and by $1 million
investments from Canadian Tire and NuPort Robotics.
The project will apply artificial intelligence (AI) technology from NuPort
Robotics to retrofit two semi-tractor trailers, which will be attended by a driv-
er, with a touchscreen navigation system, and other features such as obstacle
Beckhoff Canada moves headquarters and collision avoidance.
to Cambridge
Beckhoff recently moved its Canadian headquarters to Cambridge, Ont., to
increase warehousing and customer support capabilities.
The 11,000-square-feet office offers space for customer training, seminars,
Taiga Motors to build new assembly facility
Taiga Motors Inc.
sales activities, technical support and an innovation lab for application testing
announced plans to
and proof of concepts with the latest Beckhoff technologies, including the XPla-
build a mass-produc-
nar flying motion system and the eXtended transport system.
tion assembly facility in
Shawinigan, Québec.
The first phase of con-
PHOTO: General Motors Canada struction, scheduled
PHOTO: Taiga Motors Inc.
for completion in 2022,
represents an investment to accelerate the mass production of Taiga electric
snowmobiles and personal watercrafts, and Taiga’s side-by-side vehicles, which
are expected to be ready for production in 2022.
The facility is expected to increase Taiga’s production capacity to 80,000 units
by 2025. The facility will begin at a 200,000-square-feet capacity and later to
increase to 340,000 square feet.
Salesforce releases its first Trends
in Manufacturing Report
Salesforce has released its first Trends in Manufacturing Report, which includes
Manufacturing employment increases, a survey of 750 manufacturing leaders globally, including 50+ Canadians, to help
says ADP Research Institute guide decision making in becoming “future ready” across all areas of business.
According to the February ADP Canada National Employment Report, Canadian Key report findings include:
employment in manufacturing has increased by 2,200 jobs. • Eight in 10 global manufacturers (81 per cent) say they need both new ap-
Employment in Canada decreased by 100,800 jobs from January to February. proaches and new tools for accurate forecasting.
The decreased jobs are in the service providing sector, including trade/transpor- • 95 per cent of global manufacturers admit to applying manual approaches to their
tation and utilities, professional/business services, administrative and support, forecasting, with less than half of manufacturers using mostly-automated tools.
education and healthcare, and leisure and hospitality. • 31 per cent of global manufacturers say COVID-19 significantly changed their
The ADP Research Institute report, which is derived from ADP payroll data, need for improved marketing/customer communications and 30 per cent of
measures the change in total nonfarm payroll employment each month on a manufacturers say COVID-19 significantly changed their need for customer
seasonally-adjusted basis. service capabilities.
• Over half of manufacturers consider the changes to customer service and sales
capabilities to be permanent.
GM’s CAMI Assembly gets multiple • Over half of global manufacturers rely on a primary manual process for gener-
ating quotes/proposals, prioritizing leads/opportunities and determining what
ENERGY STAR certifications action to take on accounts.
General Motors’ CAMI Assembly recently received Natural Resources Canada’s
Canadian C-suite manufacturing executives say the following is critical or high
ENERGY Star for Industry Certification, for a third straight year.
priority over the next 24 months:
GM plans to be carbon neutral by 2040. Energy efficiencies are integrated into
• Increasing process efficiencies (82 per cent)
GM’s business plans, which allows all employees an opportunity to raise energy
• Demand planning (82 per cent)
reducing ideas, contribute to energy saving initiatives, and deploying projects
• Digital transformation (86 per cent)
with a focus on reaching company goals.
• New service offerings (86 per cent)
6 PLANT March/April 2021
VIRTUAL COMMUNICATION 101
COMMUNICATING
EFFECTIVELY WHEN EVERYONE IS ZOOMED OUT
RECENT EVENTS HAVE INCREASED ADOPTION OF TECHNOLOGY
TO COMMUNICATE, BY USING VIRTUAL MEETINGS.
BY SHAWN CASEMORE
cation objective is met? Would
T
echnology has definitely it be best to make a call, or
saved many of us during the would a brief video sent from
pandemic, allowing us to my phone make more sense?
communicate with employees, 3. How will I measure the
customers and suppliers all from effectiveness of my communi-
the comfort of our sparse office cation? What will tell me my
or even home office. choice of tool worked or did
There is only one problem; not work?
we stopped considering how we 4. If my initial approach does
best communicate for the most not work, what will my next
impact. For those trying to lead step be? If I try the phone and
a team, be they engineers, proj- do not get a response to my
ect planners or sales, there has message, how will I proceed?
to be more strategy about how PHOTO: fizkes / Getty Images 5. Conduct a survey. Ask the re-
we use technology. cipient of my message if it was
There is more to life than team building, etc. message to a large group? Try a the best way to communicate,
virtual meetings. The default No wonder most people are tired group text. Considering how to or if they have other sugges-
of sending cold emails (when of virtual meetings. The sugges- share some personal news? Send tions for the future.
spam filters are increasing tion is not to cancel them, but they a group voice message. Want to
and patience for cold emails have their place. As most people send a personalized email with Communication is personal.
are decreasing) is not the best have realized, not all virtual video? Check out Loom.com. Always consider that how you
approach. Instead, making a meetings are productive, and most Virtual meetings still have prefer to receive a communica-
connection requires placing fail to keep the attention of almost a place, of course. If you need tion may differ from how some-
some thought (and effort) into everyone except the speaker. to share something visually, a one else would prefer to receive
considering how to best reach A year ago, suggesting to man- virtual meeting is likely the best the very same message.
out to each and every customer. ufacturers to incorporate more approach. Hopefully the world emerges
Could we send a direct mes- virtual meetings in their commu- from this pandemic in 2021 and
sage on LinkedIn? Would a voice nications would have been a great Five questions to effective gets back to some degree of nor-
message, followed up with an recommendation. Back then, most communication mality. That said, the impact on
email, make more sense? struggled with either having too Here are five key questions for external and internal communica-
There are plenty of tools and many face-to-face meetings, or not ensuring you are choosing the tion has forever changed. People
approaches that can be used. As having enough. best approach to improve the now have a greater willingness to
the saying goes, just because you However, due to circumstances effectiveness of your commu- accept and use technology.
have a hammer does not mean beyond our control, many people nications, both internally and As such, people need to take
you treat everything like a nail. have quickly shifted from thinking externally. Ask yourself these the time to consider the best ap-
As much as the events of late about how to incorporate virtual questions to determine what the proach to achieve their objective.
have increased the adoption of meetings to thinking they are the best tool or approach is for your Just because you have a hammer
using technology to communi- only option available. However, communication to achieve its does not mean you should not
cate, the tendency has been to they are not. intended purpose: put it down and go find a wrench,
latch onto a single solution. The There are plenty of options if the wrench would be better
most common, of course, has that can and should be used to 1. What is the objective of my suited for the job.
been virtual meetings. Those communicate effectively. People communication? What is the
meetings have taken the place just need to spend a little bit of best possible outcome of this Shawn Casemore helps compa-
of external meetings, internal time considering what the best communication? nies accelerate their growth. To
meetings, desk side chats, one- communication tool is for their 2. What options do I have to con- learn more, visit his web site
on-one discussions, lunches, purpose. Want to send a quick nect and ensure my communi- at www.shawncasemore.com.
www.plant.ca PLANT 7
BATTERIES
Getting the
LEAD OUT
PHOTOS: courtesy of Electrovaya
LITHIUM-ION BATTERY
MANUFACTURER GROWING
MARKET FOR MATERIAL Jennifer de Souza, Senior Direc-
tor of Energy Solutions, Procure-
batteries that are UL 2580 listed
and compatible with most Class
HANDLING APPLICATIONS. ment and Leasing, The Raymond
Corporation. “Engineered to
I, II and III Raymond lift trucks.
These battery systems use
excel in the toughest material Electrovaya’s NMC ceramic lithi-
BY ANDREW SNOOK In late 2020, The Raymond handling applications, these um-ion battery technologies and
Corporation announced the lithium-ion solutions provide provide a full integration with
I
f you have ever worked in a launch of its energy essentials our customers with significant the Raymond vehicles, accord-
distribution warehouse or lithium-ion battery line that productivity enhancements, ing to a recent statement by The
manufacturing facility, you supports the company’s family including increased uptime and Raymond Corp.
have likely had more than one of material handling equipment, reduced electricity costs.” This deal could mark the be-
run-in with a lead acid battery. including its forklifts, pallet The Raymond Corp. signed a ginning of a significant shift in
Long the go-to choice for materi- jacks and swing-reach trucks. strategic supply agreement with the battery marketplace.
al handling equipment, ranging “Energy essentials distributed Mississauga, Ontario-based “Right now, lithium-ion
from pallet jacks to forklifts and by Raymond enables complete Electrovaya, which will supply batteries take up less than five
reach trucks, lead acid batteries and unique integration between battery systems for Raymond’s per cent of the market, but that
have dominated the battery mar- the truck and battery, giving full energy essentials battery line. can change overnight,” said Raj
ket. However, lithium-ion battery visibility to operational data Electrovaya will supply Ray- DasGupta, VP of Technology and
technologies are finally starting elements that include state-of- mond exclusively distributed Business Development, Electro-
to make significant inroads. charge and fault codes,” said Raymond branded lithium-ion vaya. “I’m surprised it’s taken
8 PLANT March/April 2021
365 days a year. So, they have
the highest priority customers,
especially in the pandemic,
where food distribution is so key
to keep moving,” said DasGupta.
“This market is starting to move
now. With our customer base, af-
ter these guys have operated our
batteries for a couple of months,
most of them have come back
with a statement that they would
never buy a lead acid battery
again.”
He also added that companies
that run their material handling
equipment for two to three shifts
a day receive clear operational
efficiency benefits from using his
company’s lithium-ion batteries.
Ensuring the lithium-ion
batteries are safe to operate has
been a key focus for Electrovaya.
“Safety is a concern for ware-
house operators. If you have a
car fire, it’s outside. If you have
a fire in a forklift, you can burn
down an entire building,” said
DasGupta. “We completed a UL-
2580 electric vehicle certifica-
tion for all of our batteries going
into these forklifts and have a
UL-2580 listing now. That’s quite
significant.”
Energy essentials distributed These batteries are not just
by Raymond enables designed for new material
complete and unique
handling equipment. They have
been designed for retrofitting THAT’S THE TRUE MEANING OF
integration between the existing fleets.
“We’ve designed them to match RELIABILITY
truck and battery, giving full the weight and size of lead acid
visibility to operational data batteries. You need some soft-
ware updates on the trucks and
elements that include state- some communication updates,
of-charge and fault codes. but the batteries, for the most
part, are compatible with any
this long for lithium-ion batteries forklift,” said DasGupta.
to displace lead acid batteries.” The up-front purchasing costs
Electrovaya recently signed are typically three to four times
agreements with several major higher than a lead battery, but EXPLORE THE BROAD RANGE OF
corporations, including Walmart the return on investment makes NEW SULLAIR COMPRESSORS AT SULLAIR.COM
Canada, to supply lithium-ion them worth the additional cost,
batteries for their material han- DasGupta argues.
dling fleets. DasGupta said that “If you’re replacing three lead
interest in the company’s battery acid batteries with one lithi-
technologies has increased sub- um-ion battery, then with the
stantially since the company first energy savings, maintenance
decided to target the material savings and longer life span,
handling market in 2017. Electro- you’re looking at an ROI in three
vaya supplies its batteries across to four months for heavy users.
a wide variety of industries, If you’re a lighter user, then
with a significant portion of its within a year or two,” he said.
customer base currently active in
the food distribution market. Andrew Snook is a freelance
“Those operators typically B2B magazine editor and writer
© 2020 Sullair, LLC. All rights reserved.
operate those vehicles 24/7, based in the Toronto area.
www.plant.ca PLANT 9
PLT_Sullair_MarApril21.indd
021013_Sullair_Plant 1 MRO_3.875x11.indd 1
Canada and 2021-03-22 9:56PM
10/13/20 2:03 AM
DIGITAL SOLUTIONS
BY RICHARD KUNST
Are you really of digital interactions, as they
now become a common element
C
OVID-19 has spawned its within daily life. However, with
PIVOTING?
own vocabulary. “Physical that acceptance also come risks;
distancing”, “super spread- such as cyber security and cyber
ers” and “elbow bump” have attacks. Kunst Solutions’ web-
all come to mean very specific site witnesses up to 1.5 million
things over the past 12 months, attacks per month. Therefore, a
in terms of the way we relate to critical element of your trans-
one another. During the pandem-
ic, the word “pivot” has come to
THE CURRENT TRAVEL formation has to be increasing
your resistance to cyber attacks,
represent how businesses have
sought out new revenue streams,
RESTRICTIONS IN EFFECT especially as incidents of ran-
somware are exponentially on
while unable to tap into their
traditional means of earning
MAKES IN-PERSON PHYSICAL the increase. A successful attack
could 1) cripple your business,
income. Clearly, the Coronavi-
rus has forced businesses to
MEETINGS A DISTANT 2) cost a lot of money or 3) cost
you your business, either physi-
adapt the world over. But is your
business really pivoting, or are
MEMORY. YET, THE NEED FOR cally or indirectly, as customers
start to avoid you.
you going through a complete
business transformation, from
BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT With security a paramount
concern to protect websites,
product and process strategy
to delivery? STILL EXISTS AND IS and our clients who are will-
ing to share the gift of their
As is the case for many indus-
tries, COVID-19 has changed PERHAPS EVEN AMPLIFIED. intellectual property, it is not
only prudent, but imperative to
the arena of business consult- cherish and protect that gift of
ing. For the past 15 years, the cal meetings a distant memo- add high value to a wide range information.
favoured approach was to visit ry. Yet, the need for business of industries.
a client site, where consultants improvement still exists and Change your offering
can absorb and assess the sights, is perhaps even amplified. The Safety first Over the past year, businesses
smells, sounds and the aura of passion to help others has not The first thing to know was have had to adapt, and adapt
culture. Consultants then could been subdued. Therefore, what that, however the transforma- quickly. Not to mention that or-
formulate a recipe of success is the answer? A digital trans- tion was, it had to be secure. ganizations, and clients among
specific to that client with formation that would still allow For many businesses, a digital them, are migrating through
rapid returns. coaching on the application of solution has become a mainstay a tsunami of change. Because
Desire to travel thwarted, plus lean methodologies, to provide of the new equation. Thank- of the pandemic, changes are
current travel restrictions in a path for transformation of fully, people have become being made intuitively with the
IMAGE: © Buffaloboy / Adobe Stock
effect, makes in-person physi- businesses, while continuing to more tolerant and accepting concept that they will only be
10 PLANT March/April 2021THE PASSION TO HELP OTHERS HAS NOT BEEN
SUBDUED. THEREFORE, WHAT IS THE ANSWER?
A s one of the largest distributors
of Motion & Control, Industrial
Filtration and Automation solutions in
A DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION THAT WOULD Canada, Wainbee remains a reliable
STILL ALLOW COACHING ON THE APPLICATION source for our customers, especially
during these challenging times.
OF LEAN METHODOLOGIES, TO PROVIDE A PATH
FOR TRANSFORMATION OF BUSINESSES, WHILE
CONTINUING TO ADD HIGH VALUE TO A WIDE
RANGE OF INDUSTRIES.
temporary in nature. In the past, engagement, comprehension
work would be with clients on- and application. Students will
site to navigate change manage- not sit in a chair for a whole
ment; something that was not an day learning virtually, but they
option for a year. need short, high impact lessons.
Anything beyond a two-hour
Change your delivery engagement you will lose their
When you cannot open the doors
interest. Since body language
to your store, you still have
and facial impressions cannot
to figure out a way to get your
be monitored the same way with
products into the hands of your
e-learning, these subtle clues
customers. E-commerce boomed
need to be replaced with com-
in 2020, as businesses raced to
prehensive testing and feedback
get their offering online quickly
and efficiently.
analytics so courses can be Wainbee continues to support our
quickly adjusted.
As consultants and improve-
Is this a pivot? No, it is most customers, ensuring production
ment coaches, the company had to
likely a complete rethink of your doesn’t stop and scheduled
figure out how to deliver e-learn-
ing that matches the quality of
business strategy, and it is going maintenance still takes place.
to require looking deeper to be
in-person delivery. When on-site, it
is easy to share stories and speak
more effective, while provid- We continue to work closely with our
to one slide for hours, while mon-
ing value to your customer. As
suppliers to monitor their operations,
devastating as the pandemic has
itoring the class’s facial and body
been for so many people, both inventory and delivery scenarios.
expressions to ensure keeping
them engaged, but more import-
personally and professionally, We are here to support our customers
ant that they are absorbing.
it has also given us an opportu-
coast-to-coast across Canada.
nity to re-imagine businesses in
A transition to e-learning, even
ways we never thought possible.
for skilled trainers, is not just
While people hope for the
a simple change of venue, but
demise of the “elbow bump” and
adds a whole new dimension to
the return of the handshake, or
your delivery to ensure student
even the hug, it is also hoped
that this challenging time
spawns innovation, rewards
flexibility and ultimately helps
people shift the way they work
Technical System Coast-to-Coast
for the better.
Expertise Integration Tech Support
Richard Kunst is an author,
speaker and seasoned lean
practitioner based in Toronto,
who leads a holistic practice
to coach, mentor and provide
management solutions to help
companies implement or accel- Motion & Control · Filtration · Automation Solutions
erate their excellence journeys. 1-888-WAINBEE (924-6233) | www.wainbee.com
You can reach him at:
www.kunstsolutions.com.
www.plant.ca PLANT 11
PLT_Wainbee_MarApril21.indd 1 2021-03-29 9:25 AME-COMMERCE
PHOTO: © LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS / Adobe Stock
Getting serious about lanes that require separate
approaches. In fact, the lines
E-COMMERCE?
between them have blurred to
the point of being irrelevant. The
people who make up B2B audi-
ences, be they buyers, customers
or partners, are by now largely
avoid these costly errors
made up of younger digital
natives. For them, Amazon is the
standard by which they measure
online shopping, regardless of
who they are dealing with. They
MANY BUSINESSES HAVE STARTED ONLINE have come to expect a seamless
and engaging experience that
SELLING, AND MANUFACTURERS ARE AMONG they will abandon at the first
sign of friction. It is dangerous
THOSE LOOKING TO GET IN ON THE ACTION. THIS to assume that they will willing-
ly revert to the traditional, no-
YEAR SHOULD BE THE TIME THAT MANUFACTURERS frills, “rack and stack” approach
that many manufacturers have
KICK-START THE E-COMMERCE PROCESS.
traditionally taken to presenting
their products online.
According to Forrester
BY DEREK CORRICK While manufacturers have ers, and lay a foundation for research, 68 per cent find that
made some movement towards long-term growth by digitizing gathering information online is
E
-commerce was already this goal in recent years, it is no their sales and supply chains. superior to interacting with a
gaining significant traction stretch to say that they still have This year should be the time sales rep. In addition, research
across many industries over a long way to go. As recently that manufacturers who want to shows that the top driver of
the last decade. COVID-19 has as 2018, only 5.9 per cent of get serious about e-commerce B2B buying decisions is the
put that trajectory into over- B2B manufacturing sales came kick-start the process. availability of product informa-
drive. Whether it was by choice from e-commerce, according to The best way to start is to tion, which buyers inspect to
or something forced upon them numbers from Digital Commerce take a step back and let go of be easily available online, when
by recent events, many business- 360. As they continue to grapple certain assumptions that, if they and how they want, customized
es have jumped head first into with the impact of COVID-19, were ever right, are certainly no to their unique needs.
online selling, and manufactur- there has never been a better longer relevant. The first is the Once rid of these assumptions,
ers are among those looking to time to add more operational still widely held belief that B2B manufacturers can begin to
get in on the action. efficiency, attract more custom- and B2C sales occupy separate move forward with an e-com-
12 PLANT March/April 2021As recently as 2018, only 5.9 per cent of B2B manufacturing online buyers with additional of- For most manufacturers, launch-
fers tailored for them, meant to ing an e-commerce initiative is
sales came from e-commerce, according to numbers from
ease and accelerate their buying still an uncharted territory, but it
Digital Commerce 360. As they continue to grapple with the decisions, or help them make does not have to be painful. With
product modifications on the fly the right guidance and approach,
impact of COVID-19, there has never been a better time to
without having to call and talk digital programs can bring quick
add more operational efficiency, attract more customers, to someone, are ways to better wins and open a business up to
engage buyers and strengthen a new customers. All manufacturers
and lay a foundation for long-term growth by digitizing their
manufacturer’s brand. need to do is take the first step.
sales and supply chains.
merce plan. Here are three Mastering your data Derek Corrick is General Manager of Master Data Management,
key factors to succeed as they is critical Pivotree, which specializes in providing frictionless commerce to
embark on their journey. The e-commerce landscape is manufacturers.
quickly becoming a case of the
Start small, but make haves versus the have-nots, and
an impact it is usually data that divides
It is often tempting to dive into them. Data-driven enterprises
the technology aspect out of the add relevance and personaliza-
gate, or create aggressive plans tion to their customers’ online
that can lead to more risk than experiences, while others are
opportunity. That is a mistake. falling behind. That is why
Instead, take time upfront to implementing a product infor-
focus on the business aspects. mation management approach
Get crystal clear on what your at the outset of any e-commerce Your Automation and
core customers mostly need and strategy is critical. Integration projects
want from you, right now and Knowing your customer’s are our top priority!
into the future. Compare that to buying preferences and offering
what you are currently offering accurate product information is Whether you are a
them, and map out what has to impossible without an effective full service integrator
happen to start bridging the data strategy. From search to or trying to address a
two divides. product recommendations to particular bottleneck
As an example, manufactur- order fulfillment, you simply in your operation, our
ers are often the first stop for cannot accomplish your goals experienced technical
customers looking for replace- without a consistent, end-to- sales team can help
ment parts. Given their physical end approach. Therefore, it is with a wide variety of
supply chain roots, many have recommended that manufactur- standard and custom
simply opted to catalogue the ers begin the work now to make solutions.
information supplied to them by that possible. This will allow for
their distributors, and assume context-driven product infor-
that some static images and mation. For example, allowing a
basic details would satisfy tool to be featured based on its
the need. This “just enough” usage in an automotive versus
approach does little to engage a construction environment,
digital-savvy customers, and depending on the needs of
over time risks tarnishing the a customer.
manufacturer’s brand.
What if instead of offering Your brand, your story,
static product data that is quite your future
likely lacking in accuracy, a Finally, even if they are dipping
manufacturer offers custom- their toes into e-commerce for
ers a detailed and customized the first time, manufacturers
overview of spare part data that
is automatically updated behind
should know how they want
their brand to evolve over the CALL TODAY!
800 461-6806
the scenes whenever a distribu- long-term, and ensure they have
tor makes changes, and that is an e-commerce strategy that
presented in a way that makes it will take them there.
simple to browse and order? It is Providing a great customer ex-
just one great example of a real- perience depends on compelling, www.rolmasterconveyors.ca
istic goal at the outset that adds accessible information delivered 121 Avenue Road, Cambridge, ON
value, and lays down a founda- in a timely and accurate fashion.
tion that can be replicated as However, it is also about context
info@rolmasterconveyors.ca
e-commerce capabilities grow. and adding value. Providing
www.plant.ca PLANT 13
PLT_Rolmaster_MarApril21.indd 1 2021-03-29 2:40 PMEFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
Take your manufacturing
and alignment very difficult, as
leadership and staff work on a
different schedule and rhythm.
During any month, members of
TEAM ENGAGEMENT
the operating teams will work
less than one-third of the time,
side by side on the same sched-
to a new level
ule, as well as the staff and their
senior leaders. Despite all the ad-
vances in communications tech-
nology, many manufacturing and
service companies have almost
no direct channel of communica-
THE CHALLENGES OF ENGAGEMENT AND tion to its operations people.
These challenges of engage-
COMMUNICATION INCREASED IN THE EARLY ment and communication came
screaming at the team in the ear-
DAYS OF THE PANDEMIC, AS INFORMATION WAS ly days of the COVID-19 pandem-
ic. As information was coming at
COMING AT PEOPLE FROM ALL DIRECTIONS. people from all directions; media
sources, social media, friends
and neighbours, it became very
difficult for the company’s mes-
sages, policies and direction to
find their way through. Misin-
formation and misunderstand-
ings were rampant, and as an
essential business, the company
needed to keep its business going,
and keep people safe, healthy and
informed.
We had been, for some time,
looking for a platform to commu-
nicate and connect with its team
more effectively. All the solutions
that were encountered were
either cost prohibitive, not simple
enough, needed an enterprise
email address, or just tried to do
too many things. In the search,
we stumbled across a relatively
unknown app called Blink.
The app seemed to have every-
thing that the team was looking
BY RON HARPER • 24 per cent less turnover in creates the greatest organi- for; a news and information feed
high-turnover organizations zational results, and the best that could share company-wide
C
ogent Power Inc. has im- • 10 per cent in customer ratings chance to thrive and create feel- or individual team information;
plemented a new employee • 20 per cent increase in sales ings of success and fulfillment. a confidential instant messaging
communications platform, • 21 per cent greater profitability Many manufacturers and channel that could allow everyone
called Blink, which is helping This is a pretty strong case for service companies operate on an in the company, regardless of their
communications of teams and an investment in employee en- expanded work schedule. Cogent role, a two-way communication
increasing active engagement. gagement. With that being said, operations teams work on a 24/7, to everyone; and an intranet-like
A challenge with any busi- Gallup regularly reports that 12-hour work schedule. This hub, where company policies,
ness is to create a high level of manufacturing team engagement makes connection, engagement information, news, forms and
engagement and alignment with averages are below 30 per cent.
their people and work teams. Maintaining a high level of
Gallup, an advisor on engage- actively engaged members of a
ment, found out the following team is important. The goal is to
results in its reports: achieve this active engagement,
PHOTOS: Cogent Power
• 41 per cent reduction where people are passionate
in absenteeism about their work, with clear
• 17 per cent increase alignment with the goals and
in productivity mission of the company. This
14 PLANT March/April 2021micro-apps could be accessed. All now those working on a remote quick and easy feedback and their voice is both important and
of this could be achieved through schedule through the pandemic recognition to individuals and heard is essential. Blink provides
the personal smartphones of are able to get important com- teams, both from each other and the channels and platform for
everyone at the company. pany information and priorities their leaders. Timely recogni- this level of two-way connection,
The Blink sales and onboarding at the same time, efficiently tion, celebration and feedback feedback and a stronger voice.
teams have been great to work and effectively. It has allowed are important elements in cre- This is important to help your
with. Within two weeks, there to increase health and safety ating a strong work culture and team be and feel informed, and
was a 50-person active evaluation awareness, and has contributed active engagement. through effective communication
going, and within eight weeks of to improvements in reduction of everyone in the company can be
the company’s first sight of Blink, safety incidents, and the engage- Giving the team activated towards the goals, mis-
the company launched a wide roll ment has improved productivity. a stronger voice sion and vision of the company.
out. With the Blink team and 15 In all workforces, manufactur-
internal designated Blink champi- Recognition ing, services or otherwise, the Ron Harper is President and
ons, the roll out has met all goals. Blink offers the ability to share people and team’s sense that CEO of Cogent Power Inc.
Within just a few weeks, we had 75
per cent of the company’s employ-
ees activated on the app, and use
of the app grows every day.
The team feedback has been
tremendous, and employees are
now able to exchange and have
dialogue on all important compa-
ny issues, from health and safety
reporting and information shar-
ing; to news and reports on client
feedback; sharing production
information and achievement;
and human resources information
and access.
Company policies, procedures,
and employee services are now
instantly accessed by all employ-
ees through their phone. It has
allowed us to proactively commu-
nicate changes to its COVID-19
policies, and information and
services related to recent Ontario
pandemic measures.
In terms of business benefits of
the Blink app, we are concentrat-
ing on several key target areas:
Leadership
Using the Blink app to increase
leadership presence and connec-
tion with all work teams. The
level of engagement between all
levels of leadership and their team
is significantly enhanced through
the app, both through news feeds
and chat messages. This enables
active engagement amongst
teams, and can create a strong
alignment with the company and
team goals and mission.
Communication
Using the communication plat-
forms to share important com-
pany information, news, plans,
practices and policies. Given
the diverse shift schedules that
many of the teams work, and
www.plant.ca PLT_AdvancedAnaly_MarApril21.indd 1
PLANT 15
2021-03-26 10:28 AMHiring
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up to*MANUFACTURING
BY KIM LAUDRUM
Stirred, but not are, that becomes our insight,
our ‘a-ha!’, now we understand
U
SHAKEN
nderstanding customers’ their problem,” said Solecki.
passions is key to achieving “We then look for ways to use
consistent business growth the technology that we are good
over several decades, said Tony at; motors, heat transfer, plastic
Solecki, President, Caframo Ltd.; injection moulding, mixing, elec-
a Wiarton, Ontario-based man- tronics, etc., and we ask, ‘Is there a
ufacturer of specialty fans and
heaters for the consumer market
MANUFACTURER THRIVES way that we can help the customer
resolve their problem using our
and laboratory stirrers.
Founded in 1955 as Canadian
MAKING FANS AND technology?’” said Solecki. “That
batch of deep insight into the end
Fractional Motors by German im-
migrant Hans Heidolph, the compa-
LABORATORY STIRRERS user’s problem, combined with
some innovation around how best
ny was known for making products
with small motors with less than
DESPITE PANDEMIC CHAOS. to implement that technology, is
what gets you to a new product.”
one horsepower of output. Solecki, Once the company has identi-
with a computer science degree fied products for development, a
and an MBA from Western Univer- multi-disciplinary team is put to-
sity of Ontario, honed his skills at gether, including someone from
RBW Graphics Transcontinental as marketing, who understands
a Manager in nearby Owen Sound. the end user’s problem, and an
In 1994, he met and began working engineer to resolve it.
for Heidolph, who was seeking a Solecki said that Caframo re-
General Manager to take over the ceived an IRAP grant four years
business when he retired. In 1996, ago to introduce a “stage gate”
Solecki bought the company. development process. He credits
Since then, Caframo has grown the process with guiding their
from 20 employees to over 100. It decision-making before either
has been named a great place to getting too far into a project that
PHOTO: Alextov / iStock/Getty Images Plus / Getty Images
work. Innovations earned the com- might fail, or getting a green
pany a Vesta Award for its Ecofan seem an unlikely place for a different products, involving 100 light to proceed.
8200 series for wood stoves from 20,000-sqaure-feet manufactur- sets of tooling. Workers there “You have to stop at each gate
the hearth and accessory industry er’s headquarters. regularly make 50 products at a and ask, ‘what more do I need to
in 2019. It was named Business “But here we are today, and time. According to Solecki, Ca- do to bring this product to mar-
of the Year in 2018 by the Owen given that we export all over framo is “a niche market player.” ket?’ and ‘have we learned enough
Sound District Chamber of Com- the world, it doesn’t really “We don’t want to compete to support this idea?’” he said.
merce. Caframo products are now matter where we are located,” with the big companies on According to Solecki, product
sold into eight different market said Solecki. “It doesn’t have price. They are going to win on development is often the result
segments, and into more than 30 great internet and it’s been a that. We’re not a big company of an end user approaching the
different countries. challenge to operate at times but we’re happy to make tens company with a problem.
“Most of the growth has come during COVID, but the lifestyle of thousands of units,” he said. “We had a boat builder in
through exports,” Solecki told is unmatched. I would take that “Growth is important to us.” Europe who had a problem with
Plant in an interview. deal every day.” Solecki mentions growth a windshield fogging up. He said,
The privately held company Plant operations are housed in strategies, including increasing ‘You guys know a lot about fans,
increased exports from 40 per one half of the building. There, distribution channels to retail- can you help?’” he said.
cent in 1996 to 75 per cent in 50 people work to hand-assemble ers, among others, and driving Therefore, the Caframo prod-
2018. Most of that is sold to the and manufacture products like demand through marketing. But uct development team analyzed
U.S., Europe and Australia. As laboratory stirrers for pharma- the key strategy for growth at Ca- the problem and came up with a
well, Caframo exports to Japan, ceutical companies, heat-pow- farmo is innovating new products new defogger to fix it.
Norway, South Africa and about ered fans for wood stoves, and and developing existing ones for Cows often give birth in win-
30 other countries. In 2020, 12-volt fans both for comfort in communities that share a passion. ter when temperatures dip be-
the company created Caframo recreational vehicles, and for “We call it ‘insight in innova- low freezing. The farmer needed
Europe BV to smooth a path for fighting mildew in boat storage. tion’. We identify end users who a rugged heater. That was an
its products into Europe. That Caframo also sells fans, heaters share a passion, like boating or end-user insight that was helpful
was key to opening the door to and a range of other products pharmaceutical research. We in developing a new product and
Amazon Europe. into the household market. visit them. We collect the voice of expanding market potential.
“For being where we are, that’s “We don’t make just one thing. We the customer so we can under- “We have to keep up with
significant,” said Solecki. make a lot of things,” said Solecki. stand their passion and see what technology and reduce our costs,”
Wiarton, Ont., home to Wiarton Good at short-run manufac- their problems are, doing what said Solecki.
Willie, the famous weather turing with quick changeovers, they are passionate about. And Caframo’s Sirocco 12-volt fan is
forecasting groundhog, might Caframo produces about 100 when we see what the problems a case in point. Solecki said it is
18 PLANT March/April 2021his favourite Caframo product. resolved the noise issue.” that has paid off. freight times, delays and high-
“It’s helpful, quiet, salt-water A cross-pollination of expertise In March 2020, when COVID-19 er costs from suppliers, as the
resistant and shock-resistant. It’s from employees in software and hit Caframo’s fan assembly line, result of the second wave of
a really good fan,” he said. electrical engineering were tasked all office workers began working COVID-19.
The 10-year-old design, though, with resolving the issue. Still, from home to reduce the spread of “We’ve had to lengthen lead
was complicated with a mass the fan had lots of fine wires, and the disease. Those left in the plant times and increase our invento-
of fine wiring and many moving 13 plastic injection moulds were were required to wear masks, ries,” he said. “Currently, we are
parts. needed to make parts. stagger start times and stay two maxed out on our incoming raw
“We had to make it in China,” “That volume of injection metres apart. They doubled down materials. We can’t meet pro-
he said. “But the Chinese manu- moulding meant we needed to on cleaning. duction. And our demand is only
facturer wasn’t the best at invest in a new machine, which COVID-19 restrictions required down a bit.”
quality control.” we did. It only takes 15 minutes the short-run line be changed Time will tell the wider impact
Five years ago, the decision to assemble the fan,” he said. And from three-person workstations of the pandemic on manufac-
was made to bring the manufac- Caframo now has more manu- to single-person ones. That task turing worldwide, but for now,
turing from China to Caframo at facturing capacity, thanks to the fell to the employees themselves, vaccination programs underway
Colpoy Bay. investment in the plastic injec- who rearranged them, incorpo- offer hope on the horizon. The key
“Quality took a real step up,” tion moulding machine. rating best practices. to Caframo’s future success con-
said Solecki. He said that the pro- “It took up more space and tinuing to understand the passion
cess brought some big changes at A great place to work investment, but productivity went of those who use their products.
Caframo. Solecki challenged the Caframo offers a full range of em- up,” said Solecki. “They are just “As long as we are good at what
product development team, “How ployee benefits, including flexible an amazing group of employees we do, we will continue to grow.”
do we make it better?”. work schedules, structured train- to deal with all these changes. said Solecki.
The Sirocco had a brushless mo- ing and community outreach. Last We’ve been a lean manufacturer
tor, which created electrical noise. year, the company reached its goal for a long time, but I think how Kim Laudrum is a Collingwood,
“It was okay in industrial to bring the starting wage to a liv- people feel about their workplace Ontario-based business writer
situations but not next to your ing wage, as defined by the Ontario contributes to productivity.” and regular contributor to
bed,” said Solecki. “It was one of government for people living in the Solecki said the company is PLANT. E-mail
our new electrical engineers who area. It is an investment just beginning to see worsening kimlaudrum777@gmail.com.
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www.plant.ca
PLT_March_Creform.indd 1
PLANT 19
2019-02-07 11:54 AMMENTAL HEALTH
“M
ark, how’s today look-
ing? Everything moving Checking-in on invisible • Workplaces can also provide
training for both managers
WORKPLACE
along smoothly? Any and workers, so they know
delays we should know about?” to recognize the importance
Daily check-ins. We have them of psychological health and
with our workers and teams. We safety hazards, and unhealthy
HAZARDS
check in on the status of proj- work conditions. This training
ects, timelines and deliverables. should include concrete ways
We monitor progress, identify for co-workers to recognize and
roadblocks and then we take the talk about mental health issues,
appropriate steps to get things up and ways to seek support.
and running again.
While these check-ins are com- WITH REGULAR CHECK-INS AND • Host a weekly or monthly
lunch where workers can step
mon when it comes to daily work
duties, they do not always happen A COMMITMENT TO WORKER- away from their duties and
enjoy each other’s company.
when it comes to mental health.
Workplace priorities and pres- WELL-BEING, PSYCHOLOGICAL This is also a good opportunity
for the employer to celebrate
HAZARDS CAN BE ADDRESSED
sures, like deadlines and meetings, successes and milestones with-
seem to come first, or at least that in the organization. These type
AND SUPPORTED, INCREASING
is what we tell ourselves. Add in of awards and events, no matter
the to-do’s that occur outside of the size, can remind workers
THE HEALTH OF WORKERS AND
work, and mental health soon that they are valued.
drops off the priority list. • Start a fun-and-friend-
Workplaces can see, and even ly walking club or a step
measure, the toll that poor men- THEIR GENERAL WELLBEING. challenge where workers are
tal health can take on workers. encouraged to use a portion
When the well-being of workers With the combination of long take their earned breaks and of their break to get moving
is ignored, their mental health workdays, the emotional toll of “press pause”. To help man- and exercise parts of their
can decline, bringing productivi- missing time with his family and age workloads and support the bodies that might be neglected
ty and morale along with it. a demanding workload, Mark is development of healthy habits, throughout their workday.
This domino effect is one feeling overwhelmed, but he is workplace leaders can explore Communication is a key part
reason why workplaces should not comfortable telling his man- the following: of building a healthy workplace.
consider creating formal health ager about what is bothering • Focus on workplace cul- Make sure workers know your
and wellness programs. By cre- him. Instead, he pushes through ture. Promote the balance commitment to making their men-
ating check-ins that are not just at work and continues with the of work, life, safety, health tal health a priority by developing
about projects and their deliver- cycle of never feeling like he can and wellness to create an a policy statement that is actively
ables, workplaces can gauge the keep up with family and work enjoyable work environment, participated in by all levels of
status of their workers’ health demands. Unfortunately, his increased productivity, and the organization.
and well-being too. manager does not notice that happier workers who feel Remember, workplace chal-
Mark is struggling, and as a re- encouraged and rewarded for lenges are not always obvious.
A check-in each day sult, does not think to check-in their efforts. Psychological hazards like work-
can help keep workplace with him to see how he is doing. • Review the job design in place stressors may not be easy
stress at bay Because of the lack of communi- the workplace. Providing to identify and may have nega-
Mental health can be impacted by cation, Mark’s stress levels will employees with clear outlines, tive impacts on workers’ mental
both individual and environmental likely go unnoticed, and might responsibilities of their role health. With regular check-ins and
factors. Let’s go back to Mark, for become worse over time. and variety in job tasks are a commitment to worker-well-be-
example. Mark works Tuesday to Thankfully, employers can ways to improve job design. ing, psychological hazards can be
Saturday. His shifts vary, but on help workers like Mark. They • Touch base with workers addressed and supported, increas-
most Saturdays, he finds himself can be understanding and com- about their workload to ing the health of your workers, and
missing his daughter’s soccer passionate of an employee’s re- offer understanding and your overall bottom line.
games. On top of that, Saturdays sponsibilities that fall outside of support. Managers, super-
at the plant are one of the busi- the workday. They can also build visors and team leads can The Canadian Centre for Oc-
est days. He often finds himself a comprehensive workplace ensure duties and responsi- cupational Health and Safety
working on the line with minimal health and safety program, or bilities have been clearly com- (CCOHS) in Hamilton con-
contact with others. Everyone is so even plan and promote a few fun municated and understood, tributed this article. CCOHS
busy that sometimes a simple “hel- workplace initiatives focused and that the worker feels provides information, training,
lo” goes unsaid. The workload is on well-being to help alleviate supported in their efforts to education, management sys-
also so demanding that Mark often overall stress. achieve their goals. Workplac- tems and solutions that support
does not have a chance to take his Employers can start by fo- es should be prepared to offer health and safety programs and
breaks, which he typically uses to cusing on managing workloads support, such as redistribu- the prevention of injury and
eat lunch and call his daughter to and supporting healthy habits tion of tasks, if the worker illness in the workplace.
see how the game went. and encourage employees to requires support. Visit www.ccohs.ca.
20 PLANT March/April 2021You can also read
