Jan 16, 2019 | Blog, News
Industry veteran brings more than 23 years of experience in sales, service, product development, and management.
SencorpWhite, a global leader in end-to-end solutions for automated packaging, integrated AS/RS systems, and warehouse automation software, has announced that Corey Calla has assumed the role of president, effective October 1, 2018.
White is a provider of integrated inventory management systems, high-density storage solutions and storage and retrieval systems for the hospital pharmacy space, manufacturing, distribution and fulfillment, aerospace, in-store pickup and military point-of-use solutions.
As the new president, Calla has responsibility for White Systems, including the operations of the InTek and Minerva Software divisions, both recent strategic acquisitions. Calla is also leading the customer service initiatives for SencorpWhite and its product offerings including thermoforming, sealing and automated storage equipment, based in Hyannis, Mass. Calla will report directly to SencorpWhite’s CEO Brian Urban.
“We are excited to enter the next chapter in our evolution and we are most excited about the experience and leadership Corey brings to our organization. His deep knowledge of sales, service and software systems makes him a natural fit to grow both our products and our customer base,” Urban said. “I am confident Corey will leverage his many years of experience in warehouse automation and service to drive exceptional growth for White Systems.”
Calla has held various leadership positions at Honeywell Intelligrated over the past 23 years and has extensive experience in sales, service, product development and management. He has led the introduction of many initiatives to develop new products, enhance customer experience, and streamline business systems. He has also designed and developed a cloud-based suite of applications to expedite service and support and managed a 40-person strategic sales team with exceptional results.
Initially, Calla will focus on growing White Systems’ storage and retrieval hardware and software businesses, while expanding its reach into integrated systems and capitalizing on the company’s recent successful distribution installations across a variety of sectors, including:
● Aerospace at Airbus, Gulfstream and United Airlines
● Manufacturing at Boeing
● Repair facilities for the United States Air Force and Lockheed Martin
● Hospitals at Providence Hospital
● Apparel at ChefWorks
These White Systems installations are automated systems comprising either stand-alone or combinations of White vertical and horizontal carousels, vertical lift modules (VLMs), StorBot robots and inventory management software.
“I am enthusiastic about the future of White Systems and our newly acquired software divisions. New opportunities continue to open in several key vertical markets, including hospital automation and consolidation, home delivery, in-store pickup, and a focus on efficiency as labor markets tighten,” Calla said. “For over 70 years, the White brand has been synonymous with performance and quality. I am truly excited to be leading the next phase of innovation and growth here, focused on driving customer value.”
Dec 21, 2018 | Blog
(From left to right: Brian Urban, Lisa Minerd, Curt Minerd, Frank Doyle)
There’s a competitive spirit at SencorpWhite. Ask anyone who has worked with us, and they’ll tell you: We like to win. But where does that kind of drive come from? What do we, as a company, do to nurture it?
For me, cultivating a competitive spirit isn’t particularly complicated, but it does involve embracing who we are as people—on the good days, when someone’s basking in the glory of a win, and also on the less-than-good days, when someone’s coping with the reality that things didn’t turn out exactly the way they had hoped.
Jack Welch touches on this point in a blog post where he argues that, above all else, winning requires authenticity. As Welch describes it, in order to succeed:
“The most powerful thing you can do is, well, be real. As in not phony. As in grappling, sweating, laughing and caring. As inauthentic.”
That means winning involves owning up to the fact that, inevitably, there will sometimes be losses. But even so, you realize the risk is worth it. What’s important is knowing that you can learn from the occasional setback and make the best of it.
Here’s a recent example that proves my point.
As I am sure you know, the SencorpWhite brand now includes facilities located in southern California, namely Accu-Seal in San Marcos and Minerva Associates in San Diego. This past October, Frank Doyle, CEO of Connell Limited Partnership, SencorpWhite’s owner, and I were at a regularly scheduled meeting with the Minerva team, and our trip happened to fall at precisely the time that the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers were headed into the World Series.
While we were there, Frank, who is a loyal Red Sox fan, discovered that Lisa and Curt Minerd, principals in Minerva Associates, are avid fans of the Dodgers. Naturally, a spirited discussion ensued and that, in turn, led to a friendly wager. Whichever team won the World Series, the fan of the other team would have to wear the jersey of the winning team at work for a day and donate $500 to the charity of choice of the winner.
Five games later, the Boston Red Sox were victorious. And sure enough, a few weeks ago, when Frank and I returned to Minerva for our 2019 planning meeting, Lisa and Curt made good on their bet, sporting bright red Red Sox t-shirts. In addition, Curt made a $500 donation to Frank’s designated charity, Franciscan Children’s Hospital.
Nov 19, 2018 | Blog
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and if you’re like me, you’ve probably grown somewhat accustomed to thinking about it as just one more in a string of over-commercialized events. Don’t get me wrong—I thoroughly enjoy the family time, the football and of course, the turkey, complete with stuffing and New England’s celebrated cranberry sauce. But if I’m being perfectly honest, it’s been a while since I’ve thought about the holiday’s true meaning.
All that changed earlier this month, when my eyes were opened by our outstanding SencorpWhite employees. Let me explain.
First of all, a few weeks ago, we held an all-employee luncheon in honor of Veterans Day, and I had the privilege, on behalf of all of us at SencorpWhite, to personally thank each and every employee who has served, or serves, in any branch of the United States armed forces and to present each one with a jacket, as a small token of our appreciation. Coincidentally, this luncheon was held on November 6, Election Day, which made it even more meaningful. As I told the group gathered that day, veterans have sacrificed to protect our right to vote—and for that, we are truly grateful.
This theme was underscored a few days later, when Noelle Forde, SencorpWhite’s HR manager, came into my office looking puzzled. “This has never happened before,” she said. “I have a request from one of our employees to buy everyone at SencorpWhite lunch.”
As it turns out, Doug Flook, one of our remote Field Service Technicians from Texas, had written to Noelle to say that because he was so thankful for the help and support he receives from SencorpWhite employees, he wanted to sponsor a “thank you lunch.” Oh, and by the way, Doug sent a check with the letter to cover the cost of lunch for everyone!
Now, I am not often at a loss for words, but in this instance, I didn’t know what to say. I asked Corey Calla, our newly appointed President of White, into my office, and the three of us began to discuss how we should handle Doug’s request.
We couldn’t possibly let an employee pay for everyone’s lunch—that just didn’t seem like the kind of precedent we wanted to set. But what other option did we have? I tried letting Doug know that I would personally match the money he sent, and then we could donate the total in Doug’s name to a charity of his choice. But Doug was adamant. “I want to thank everyone for what they do for me,” he said. In fact, here is exactly what Doug put in writing to all SencorpWhite employees:
A Co-Workers Words of Thanks
Greetings Friends and Co-Workers of SencorpWhite, I know each of us performs the duties to which we are all hired to do. That in and of itself creates a conducive atmosphere or environment in which to work in. However, SencorpWhite employees don’t stop there. The effects of such are evidenced in the pride of workmanship, customer satisfaction, and employee relations. The customers in my area are all satisfied with the “product” we provide. This satisfaction stems from the components of the whole. Thank you for the efforts each of you provide that makes my efforts less burdensome and more meaningful. To show appreciation I invite you to a pizza luncheon.
Thank ya’ll very much,
Doug Flook – Field Service TX
How could anyone say no to that?
I mentioned earlier that Corey Calla was in on the conversation about how to handle Doug’s request. During that discussion, he told us that his prior employer has an employee-sponsored fund that periodically provides a meaningful distribution to any employee who anonymously requests assistant in time of need. That sounded like a brilliant idea to me! Is there any better way to say “thanks” to our fellow employees than to start a fund that can help one in time of need?
I told our team that I would take the matching money I offered Doug and “seed” the start of the fund. Corey jumped in and said, “I’ll match you!” Then, Justin Edwards, our new CFO, quickly followed with, “I’ll match you, too!”
I am happy to report that we now have sufficient seed money to start our new fund and that we are finalizing the details so we can formally introduce it during SencorpWhite’s traditional “Week of Thanks.”
Any employee will be able to donate to this new fund, and as Corey explained, what started out as a similar small gesture at his former employer, has grown into a meaningful part of that company’s culture. I have no doubt that the same will happen at SencorpWhite, and to recognize and thank Doug Flook for reminding us about what it truly means to be thankful, we will name our new fund the “Flook Fund.”
Like I said in the beginning, this month has opened my eyes in new ways. Thank you, again, to all our veterans, and to Doug, Corey, Justin, and Noelle… and my best wishes to all of you for a joyous holiday!
Nov 5, 2018 | Blog
Not that long ago, manufacturers were somewhat wary about discussing the topic of automation—and for good reason. Back then, analysts were predicting that automation was poised to displace millions of jobs and threaten the very foundation of society.
That’s not what has happened.
In fact, today in the United States, there are more than seven million jobs going unfilled, with virtually full employment in the labor market. And I just returned from the 2018 Pack Expo International show in Chicago where virtually everyone I spoke with was talking about—you guessed it—automation.
From exhibitors to attendees, the great labor shortage of 2018 was on everybody’s mind, and automation was being hailed as a reliable and cost-effective way to ease the pain. For me, that made it especially gratifying to SencorpWhite’s solutions in the spotlight, since we chose to feature:
- The SencorpWhite CeraTek tray sealer integrated with a Universal brand collaborative robot. Integrating a robot allows SencorpWhite’s tray sealer to run unattended, automatically. Just a few short years ago, companies shunned integrated automation like this because they could not justify the cost versus hiring a low-skill machine operator. “The payback just isn’t there,” they told us. But today, many manufacturers’ machines sit idle because there’s no one to run them—which means now, there’s ample justification to automate.(Of course, there are other compelling reasons, too. Chief among them: Automation works twenty-four hours per day, day-in and day-out, and does it “right” every time!)
- Our CeraPak automated packaging systems group. In addition to exhibiting our CeraTek, Accu-Seal, and Sencorp product lines, we also reintroduced our CeraPak automated packaging systems group. CeraPak automated sealing systems can be found in diverse global markets, ranging from consumer and medical packaging to life science and energy product manufacturing, and our renewed emphasis on custom configured automation is in direct response to increased interest in integrated systems within these verticals.
Our CeraPak systems can automatically form and feed formed blisters or clamshells, load product, and then seal and collate the packages. With integrated OEM-provided equipment, the packaged product can also be carton- and case-packed. Each system is manufactured to order, configured to meet customer requirements, and recognized as robust, flexible, and dependable with high throughput and quick changeover features.
It’s clear that the skilled labor shortage is real, as is the need for automation. Fortunately, SencorpWhite is here to meet the demand, and you can rest assured that our team will find a way to custom-fit a solution that will solve your needs now and scale as you grow.
Oct 5, 2018 | Blog
I just got back from the 2018 SPE Thermoforming Conference held in Fort Worth, Texas, a true renaissance city that’s coming back from its less-than-glorious days when the area we stayed in was known as Hell’s Half Acre. Clearly, young professionals are moving to this area in droves, which, as luck would have it, made the perfect backdrop for one of my favorite sessions from the conference: a seminar titled “Hunting Unicorns, Talent Acquisition in Todays Plastics Industry.”
For those of you who have been following my posts, the fact that I chose this as a conference highlight shouldn’t come as a surprise. After all, for years now, I’ve maintained that SencorpWhite’s biggest challenge is finding and retaining skilled employees, a.k.a., “unicorns”—and we’re not alone. As explained in a 2015 report from Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute, some 3.4 million U.S. manufacturing jobs will be needed over the next decade. However, 60 percent of these positions are likely to go unfilled. That means the U.S. manufacturing sector is in the midst of a shortfall of 2 million workers.
There are many factors at play here. First, the current economic expansion has turned the labor market upside down, creating more jobs than there are candidates to fill. Second, “baby boomers” are starting to retire, producing a significant exodus of skills and knowledge as they do. Third, the job pool is filled with the millennial generation, many of whom seem uninterested in pursuing careers in manufacturing.
As I have written earlier, I believe my generation did a disservice to millennials by telling them that manufacturing jobs were a losing proposition. Our schools and government reinforced that message and promoted college as the only path to success. Millennials listened. They went to college, racked up debt, learned unmarketable skills, and spurned manufacturing. Fast-forward to today, and it’s no wonder that so many high-paying manufacturing jobs are going unfilled.
What will it take to turn this around?
I am happy to report that at the seminar, I learned that more and more companies are recognizing the need to recruit, train, and retain young talent. I thought SencorpWhite was being creative in working with high school students, teachers, and counselors to promote the benefits of a career in manufacturing. I was blown away to see that others are doing the same—but starting in grade school! I also heard that manufacturers are restarting apprentice programs and working with trade schools on skill-enhancing curriculum. In fact, in the past few years, SencorpWhite recruitment of skilled employees is impressive, increasing engineering, assembly, machinists, welders, and service technicians by over 40%. It’s this kind of innovative thinking that will help us close the current talent gap.
But until then, it looks as though manufacturers will have to continue being vigilant, seeking out the elusive millennial unicorns… and eagerly welcoming them to the shop floor.
Sep 13, 2018 | Blog
Do you have a name for people who quit, but then eventually want to come back to, your company? I’ve heard them called “second-timers,” “re-hires,” “re-treads,” and—my personal favorite— “boomerang employees.” Even more important than the moniker you prefer, what is your policy regarding these “comeback kids?” Some companies refuse to rehire, or even talk to, ex-employees. Apparently, they consider the breach of loyalty too grievous to ever move past.
I don’t see it that way at all.
Sure, I may grumble a bit when an employee tells me they are leaving for another job, but I do not discourage anyone who is trying to better themselves. I realize that as a small company, we cannot always provide opportunities that meet an employee’s personal growth objectives or life goals. So, every now and then, an employee may feel they need to work elsewhere. I get it.
The funny thing is, though, after some time passes, it’s not uncommon for us to see those same people reaching out about a job opening we posted. Their motivations for returning vary, ranging from the job they left for “wasn’t as described” to “the work environment just wasn’t the same.” Maybe the grass isn’t always greener on the other side?
Regardless of why an ex-employee may want to return, we pride ourselves on being welcoming—that’s always been fundamental to SencorpWhite’s company culture. Plus, let’s face it: right now, we are experiencing the tightest job market in my lifetime, and it’s difficult to find people with the skills and experience necessary to succeed in a world-class company. Ex-employees can bridge that gap and often, they can do so in ways that “ordinary” hires simply can’t. That’s because re-hires offer a unique combination of these three key elements:
- Consistency. Ex-employees know your business just as well as you know them. There is nothing better than hiring a known entity, someone who has already proven themselves to be a good fit.
- Fresh perspective. Based on their experiences “on the outside,” re-hired employees can bring valuable insights back into your company. After being away, it may be easier for them to recognize where you can improve processes, strategies, etc.
- Gratitude. One of the most notable characteristics of ex-employees who want to return is exactly that…their want! They undoubtedly appreciate your company more, now that they have tried some place different.
So, the next time you learn there’s an ex-employee who wants to come back to your company, be open to the idea. It’s likely you will reap valuable benefits from hiring a boomerang.
