Lauren adds extrusion lines at Ohio facilities

NEW PHILADELPHIA, Ohio—Lauren Manufacturing is expanding its rubber extrusion capabilities at its two New Philadelphia sites.

The Ohio facilities, which collectively span more than 200,000 square feet, are in the process of adding 10 new extrusion centers plus additional capabilities to support its growth. President Lisa Huntsman said in an email the firm intends to increase its work force by more than 50 employees by the end of 2017.

Financial details were not disclosed, but Huntsman said Lauren is investing several million dollars on the project. The firm also operates a 220,000-sq.-ft. facility in Spring Lake, Mich., which handles its plastic extrusion business.

"Lauren has had strong quoting activity for the past two years," she said. "In this business, the time from quote to production conversion can be anywhere from six to 18 months. For more than 50 years, Lauren has strategically positioned itself to remain diversified into many markets. The growth we are experiencing is being realized in almost every one of those industries, coupled with our core business being up significantly."

In addition to the work cells, Lauren will use the expansion to improve 5S, single-piece flow, floor space management, and material and information flow. Huntsman said the firm's technology gives it a competitive advantage, and the expansion is affording Lauren the opportunity to go after markets it didn't previously participate in.

"Customers today value the full integration of systems and manufacturing processes," she said. "They are looking for a supply partner rather than just a supplier. Short lead times and tighter tolerances are becoming more commonplace than ever before."

Safety first

Lauren said the project will allow it to continue to strengthen its safety programs. In late December, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration proposed fining Lauren Manufacturing $274,934 after an investigation of a June 2016 incident where an employee had a finger severed.

Huntsman said Lauren met with OSHA in January to discuss the penalties and confirmed that at the meeting the firm showcased its safety program and reached an agreement for a "significant reduction of the penalties," adding that Lauren committed to continue to monitor the development of its safety culture.

"The agreement allows us to continue to put our resources into our safety programs," Huntsman said.

"Safety has always been at the forefront for Lauren Manufacturing and our parent company, Lauren International," she added. "We continue to engage in due diligence regarding all safety protocols, including regular associate safety training that embraces our position in the workplace of 'stop, think and then act.' We teach that safety is everyone's responsibility and to take care of not only ourselves but one another."

Chuck Laney—vice president of safety and continuous improvement for parent firm Lauren International—said at the time the OSHA citations were issued that the firm has made strides in its overall safety program, adding that Lauren has set aggressive goals of zero recordable and lost time accidents for 2017.

Huntsman echoed this commitment, stressing that Lauren has had a safety record better than the industry average for years, but admitted that zero is a very aggressive goal for a company of Lauren's size.

"We have asked all of our associates to make a 100 percent commitment to safety for themselves and their co-workers," she said. "In the past year, we have been able to improve our safety performance by about 70 percent. This is a good first step toward achieving our goals."

Other projects

The expansion comes at a time where another subsidiary of Lauren's parent company, Lauren International, is adding capacity as well. LMI Custom Mixing's third line has been installed, and Huntsman said Lauren received compound from the mixer in late May.

The $12 million project expanded LMI's Cambridge, Ohio, site by 50,000 square feet and increased capacity by 50 percent to 60 million pounds of rubber per year.

"LMI being part of the Lauren International family supports our vertical integration model as well as allowing us to respond to customer needs quickly," she said.

Lauren Manufacturing also recently launched its Tuition Assistance Program, which will offer production department employees the opportunity to earn funds toward their education at either Kent State University Tuscarawas or Buckeye Career Center. Employees become eligible after 90 days of employment with the firm.

Huntsman said the employee must be enrolled and attending classes toward a degree or continued education—no specific major is required—and also meet the firm's attendance and work standards. She added that both schools embraced the idea.

"Lauren has always been a strong education advocate in the community," she said. "We had a need for more hourly associates and we believed we could create a win-win opportunity: support the local students going to Kent and BCC that are pursuing their degrees by offering them work at Lauren while going to school."