On-shoring jobs is a Groov-y thing

IN THE GROOVE: Scot A. Jones, CEO of Groov-Pin Corp., said that even though “the economy is not growing that quickly right now, we’re encouraged by what seems to be a return to America of manufacturing.” / PBN PHOTO/TRACY JENKINS
IN THE GROOVE: Scot A. Jones, CEO of Groov-Pin Corp., said that even though “the economy is not growing that quickly right now, we’re encouraged by what seems to be a return to America of manufacturing.” / PBN PHOTO/TRACY JENKINS

Manufactured products like grooved pins are commonly used in lawn sprinklers on golf courses, in fire hydrants and in bike kickstands.
“If you look really carefully, you’ll see them in a dentist’s drill, but you’re probably preoccupied,” said Scot A. Jones, CEO of Groov-Pin Corp.
Groov-Pin and its subsidiary, Precision Turned Components, operate from facilities in Smithfield and Newnan, Ga., as well as at field-application offices around the country.
The company has made the patented fasteners since 1926, Jones said, adding threaded inserts in the 1950s. The firm developed its precision turning component lines, which had been around since the 1940s, to serve the telecommunications industry in the 1980s.
Like the grooved pins, the threaded inserts and custom-made precision parts have useful applications, though they might not be easily recognizable products to the uninitiated, Jones said.
For example, threaded inserts hold together the cable junction boxes on telephone poles to keep the elements away from the electronics. They hold trim in some of the BMW dashboards and can be found in wood furniture projects that require assembly, he said.
Likewise, precision turning components can be found in sutures used in endoscopic surgery, in connections for satellite communications and cell-phone towers, and even in the connections of airline power and battery cables, Jones said.
Each of Groov-Pin’s many products provide a strength, durability and reliability upon which the company has built its reputation, Jones said.
The threaded inserts, for instance, enhance the holding power of a fastener in a soft metal like aluminum, improving the clamping force so fewer and smaller fasteners can be used to accomplish the same result, he explained.
One of the biggest changes in this industry, partly in response to the economic downturn, has been a reduction in the setup times and lead times – that is, the time it takes the manufacturer either to prepare the job to get ready to run or complete the job from start to finish.
Ten years ago, Jones said, it was not unusual to have 12 weeks of lead time.
“Today, we’re shipping many of our products in an average lead time of 20 days,” he said. This increased demand from customers “makes a lot of sense, because our customers were experiencing the downturn as well, so they’re trying to be more responsive and competitive.” The company is doing so well that it is planning to double in size, output and revenue, but like many manufacturers today, is struggling to find technicians trained in advanced manufacturing, Jones said.
“Even though the economy is not growing that quickly right now, we’re encouraged by what seems to be a return to America of manufacturing,” Jones explained. “We’re seeing work coming back to America. We’re seeing jobs coming back from China – our customers bringing part of their production back from overseas to the U.S.”
The available capacity means the firm can add CNCs, or Computer Numeric Control machines, but needs workers to run them.
“We need young people interested in advanced manufacturing, and that’s a national problem,” he said. “Our expansion is limited by the workforce. We’re a small company, but we feel it’s an important-enough issue that we’re starting to do our own training internally.”
Jones will have four trainees in place this spring and is looking for at least two more. He is also is participating in a manufacturing-skills initiative comprised of business and economic development leaders in the state who are visiting technical and high schools in order to get the word out about the need for more skilled labor.
Other developments have benefited the company, including a lean-manufacturing initiative that helped employees refocus and continue to improve in spite of the recession, Jones said.
On the website, business-to-business customers have been taking advantage of a recently introduced live-chat feature, he said.
“We’re thinking of the Web as a new way to educate” both the public and clients, he said. “It’s really changing the way we’re talking to our customers and helping us to adapt.”
Jones expects a “bumpy” road through the middle of next year but then, after mid-2014, two strong years, at least.
“I think the future of advanced manufacturing is bright,” he said. “Every manufacturing job generates four other jobs. I feel like we’re an engine. I feel good about that.” •

COMPANY PROFILE
Groov-Pin Corp.
OWNER: Scot A. Jones, CEO
TYPE OF BUSINESS: Manufacturing
LOCATION: 331 Farnum Pike, Smithfield
EMPLOYEES: 85
YEAR ESTABLISHED: 1926
ANNUAL SALES: $12 million

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