The Millwright 2 level requires completion of additional classes in topics such as programmable logic controllers. Hillerich has also promoted the classes to department veterans. Dreschel has taken most every class in the curriculum. The workforce changeover ushers in a new mentality. That is a plus and a minus. The workforce of the future is going to be much more mobile. Fluidity - where employees stay a few years and then move on - will be prevalent.
In our case, we have had to embrace technology to a much greater extent. That's been difficult for some. We are looking at how we can continually automate what we do in the factory. Machines are taking the place of what workers were doing many years ago. With the addition of new automation comes the concern, or the potential, of reduced reliability. The Alpha Four floppy-drive system crashed recently. The system went live on March It also will give us a list of what tools and parts will be needed, and where they are located in the crib.
That will facilitate and expedite success with the amount of new people and machines we have. Machine history will also be housed on the CMMS, not in the heads of maintenance workers.
That should help as new technicians seek ways to bolster reliability. The program will also tell you what parts are needed for that job and how long it should take to fix it. The system will also allow the department to formally compile, track and utilize metrics that will serve as indicators of the plant's overall performance.
Maintenance has also begun to expand its use of predictive technologies. Rodney Lessler, for instance, is being trained to use infrared thermography equipment. A large percentage of workers at the site have been with the company for more than 35 years.
As has been the case for years, the Hillerich family is managing this team. Hillerich IV took over the president and CEO roles from his dad, Jack, in , marking the fourth generation of family leadership. It will also pursue continuous improvement. And, the plant will continue to craft the bats for Major League Baseball's top players, as well as those who dream of getting there someday. Prior to taking the role in , he had no manufacturing experience.
His previous job? Commander of a U. Navy nuclear submarine. The sub fired the first submerged-launch Tomahawk missile during the Gulf War. It was also the first shot fired in anger from a U. They hit it off and remained in contact for the next seven years. When Stewart decided to retire from the Navy, Hillerich came calling with an offer.
And, as a captain, I had a crew of around people," he says. I was responsible for the nuclear power plant, and the electrical, hydraulic and mechanical system.
I ran that, plus oversaw 60 people. In that environment, you learn how to make things work and how to achieve outcomes, stay on task and stay on target. He follows a credo that's pinned to his bulletin board: "Act with integrity. Tell the truth. Keep commitments. Treat people with dignity and respect. Pro ballplayers' ties to the Louisville Slugger bat and the Louisville bat plant are legendary.
Most every spring, we'd play in Louisville because they were, at that time, a farm team for the Red Sox. We had to sit on the steps for about a half-hour until they opened the factory. We went through looking at some bats. Finally, we ended up with the guy who was back at the lathe, turning out the bats. He was an older man. Ted says to this guy when we got ready to leave, 'Anytime you find any little pin knots in wood, put 'em in my bat.
You can bet that Ted got pin knots in his bat. Players still drop in to visit the plant, watch bats being made and talk with the operators on the pro line. Louis' David Eckstein. Says Rodriguez, "It was worth it. I think it makes a huge difference in putting a face to a name. It also really helps in the wood that they send you. We go out of our way to use the best timber we have for their bats. Players aren't the only ones who visit the plant. The facility is open to the public for tours nearly every day of the year.
Each year, approximately , people take the tour and get up close and personal to the bat-making process. There is always a tour of some kind running from 9 a. Therefore, we try to get some of those PMs done from 6 a. We encourage you to read our updated Privacy Policy Hide. Toggle navigation Toggle search.
Subscribe Today Reliable Plant Newsletters. At the bat, failure is an accepted and unavoidable part of the game. At the bat plant, though, failure is completely unacceptable and avoidable.
Site size: , square feet, including 16, devoted to bat production. Major-league player bats hang to dry after receiving a clear finish. The Louisville Slugger trademark is burn-branded into ash bats. Here are the points: 1 Create constancy of purpose toward improvement of product and service, with the aim to become competitive and to stay in business, and to provide jobs.
The influx of new blood isn't just from the plant closure and consolidation. The company has taken several steps to aid the transition. Browning was the first apprentice in the program.
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Before Wagner, no player endorsed a bat nor an athlete endorsed an athletic product. That practice, of course, continues to this day across all sports. Hillerich and Son. Bud and his father were experts in making bats — but lacked professional sales and marketing expertise. In stepped Bradsby, who, by , became a full partner in the company. In the s, the wood bat business evolved, branching out into aluminum bats — which remains a major part of the baseball world to this day.
Since that day, Louisville Slugger has sold north of million bats — making it, without question, the most popular bat brand in history.
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