Quick start [Vol. 3, no. 3 (Summer 2001)]

Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education

Summer 2001 Volume 3, Number 3

Workforce Training Supports Plastics Industry

INSIDE
Plastics in Georgia 4
Wilden, Piolax and NACOM
benefit from training
Kubota 8
Growing with Gainesville
HL-A 10
Bremen facility expanding

Q uick Start and the Department of Technical and Adult Education have responded quickly and thoroughly to the needs of the state's plastics industry. The evolving relationship between companies like Piolax, NACOM and Wilden and the agency tells the story of a growing industry that has thrived on this interdependence. During the 1990s it became clear that plastics workforce training was essential, and that a lack of trained personnel was going to cramp the formation and growth of new plastics companies across the state. Companies were coming up empty in the search for workers who knew the secrets of mold making, extrusion and injection molding.

"We were badly in need of mold makers and other skilled workers who could turn their talents to plastics," explains Gary Gray, manager of human resources for the Piolax Corporation in Canton. "They were a dying breed. We went to Appalachian Technical College and presented our problem. Since then, and with the help of the wonderful people at Appalachian Tech, we've been able to grow, knowing that a pool of trained workers is being created. We have, traditionally, a low turnover rate thanks to this training," he adds. Most of the company's workers come from Cherokee and Pickens counties, but Piolax also draws from nearby counties, such as Forsyth, Fannin and Gilmer.
CONTINUED ON PAGE

QUICK START IS GEORGIA'S PREMIER SOURCE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TRAINING

J A C K I E R O H O S K Y Quick Notes

Quick Start is a vital support system for Georgia's economy....

The past several months have been volatile ones for the nation's economy, and Georgia has felt the
pressures of this "cooling off" as well. At the time of this writing, close to 16,000 jobs have been lost, many of them in our state's textile industry. The good news is, Quick Start and the Department of Technical and Adult Education are stronger than ever and ready to face the challenges of this volatility. We can reach out across the state and help train and retrain workers now in both new companies and existing companies. In these pages you will find that many of our existing companies are, in fact, expanding (see HL-A story on p. 10), in large part because of our ability to help them quickly and efficiently train workers from other industries.
Good news travels worldwide. We recently had a delegation from China visit our Atlanta offices, and Austrian executives, who have been attending the Executive MBA Program at the Goizueta School of Business at Emory University, also have been by to see our unique programs in action.
Quick Start is a vital support system for Georgia's economy. We are glad to be able to support our citizens, serve these fine companies and spread the word to other countries as well.
JACKIE ROHOSKY Assistant Commissioner Economic Development Programs jrohosky@georgiaquickstart.org

HL-A Signs Training Plan With Quick Start and West Central Tech
Recently, DTAE State Board member, Edgar Rhodes (second from left, standing) joined economic developers at HL-A in Bremen for a training plan signing. Pictured are (l-r, standing) Jonathan Warner, Quick Start; Edgar Rhodes; Mike Burnett, HL-A Plant Manager; and Don Rhodes, V.P., First National Bank of Georgia. Seated (l-r) are Jeff Lynn, Quick Start; Tetsurou Komaki, President, HL-A; and Janet Ayers, President, West Central Technical College. See p.10 for story.

GEICO Benefits From Quick Start Service Training
Quick Start, GEICO and Central Georgia Tech recently celebrated the culmination of a highly productive three-year training relationship. Pictured at the luncheon are (l-r) Norm Moye, DTAE Assistant Commissioner for External Affairs; Ken Breeden, Commissioner, DTAE; Jackie Rohosky, Assistant Commissioner, Economic Development Programs, DTAE; Dave Pushman, GEICO Regional Vice President; and Mel Palmer, President, Central Georgia Tech.
ON THE COVER: (l-r) HL-A employee Wendy Roberts, a sampling of Piolax plastic products, and Wilden employee Jeff Lyons overseeing an EDM precision mold machine.
Summer 2001 Volume 3, Number 3 Published quarterly by Georgia Quick Start Quick Start is a registered service mark of the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education Kenneth H. Breeden, Commissioner
www.georgiaquickstart.org Address comments and questions to: Director, Communications Georgia Quick Start 1800 Century Place, Atlanta, GA 30345 404/679-2915
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Serving Georgia Companies Statewide

Events

Wire Rope.....................................
Wire Rope Corporation of America signed a training plan with Quick Start and Valdosta Tech this past May. The facility in Hahira will employ 22 Georgians. Pictured at the signing ceremony are (l-r) John Josendale, President, Wire Rope Products Group; Marla Lowe, Director, Regional Project Operations, Quick Start; and Dr. James Bridges, President, Valdosta Technical College.

TEMCOR .....................................
TEMCOR, makers of clear-span roof systems, had its Grand Opening on June 2, 2001. Pictured are (l-r) Dr. Carlisle Rathburn, III, President, Savannah Tech; Roger Rogers, co-founder, TEMCOR; Hon. Ann Purcell, Ga. House of Representatives; Walt Mitchell, co-founder, TEMCOR; Charles Miller, Chairman of the Board of TEMCOR; and Leland Sanders, Director of Manufacturing, TEMCOR. The company will employ 55 Georgians at its new facility.

Quick Start Welcomes World Business Leaders

Chinese Visitors............................
A delegation from China recently visited Quick Start's Atlanta offices. Mike Jones (standing), Marketing Manager of Quick Start, gave the group a tour and answered questions concerning the services Quick Start offers.

Austrian Visitors...........................
Austrian graduates of the Executive MBA Program at the Goizueta School of Business at Emory University were given a tour and presentation of the Quick Start offices by Ben Walton, Director of Marketing, Quick Start.
3

Plastics Workforce Development

In the last ten years, plastics companies moving to North Georgia have had a tremendous economic impact in the area. They brought with them good jobs with higher wages and a need for highly skilled workers. They have helped to grow our labor force and opened our eyes to the need for training in the plastics field. Piolax is a great industry partner!
NANCY PROFFITT PRESIDENT APPALACHIAN TECHNICAL COLLEGE

1

2

1 Piolax President Yoichi Okitsu. 2 Nancy Proffitt, President, Appalachian Technical College. 3 Gary Gray, Manager of Human Resources, and Clyde Melton, Vice President of
Manufacturing at Piolax. 4 Dr. Peter Lohage, President and CEO, Wilden Plastics USA. 5 L-R: Piolax employees Peter Sharp, Tool Maker; Joe Satterfield, Engineer;
Walter Alfredo, Machine Operator; Randy Thompson, Production Manager; and George Lavendar; Production Supervisor. 6 Danny Waldrop (left) and David Worley work on an injection mold at Piolax in Canton.

CONTINUED FROM COVER
Several other companies joined in the effort to get a program up and running at Appalachian Tech. Seed money was obtained for an instructor and now the school boasts a successful Mold/Tool and Die Maker program.
Piolax manufactures fasteners for the automotive industry. Some of its biggest customers include Nissan, Honda, and Ford. Many of the small, but essential details that make our lives more livable can be found on production lines at Piolax. Visor and seatbelt clips, radiator grille clips, and fuel tank components, as well as air dampers that gracefully open and close glove boxes and cup holders, are just a few of Piolax's products. There are 61 plasticinjection molding machines in use at the Canton plant now, and the company plans to have a total of 100 in operation within the next five years.
Three Japanese cherry trees welcome the visitor to the Canton facility, commemorating the tie to the company's headquarters in Japan. Piolax, which

Fine plastics companies, such as Wilden,

originated in Japan back in the 1930s, has had a close relationship with Nissan since that time. So when Nissan decided to set up a plant in Smyrna, Tenn., Piolax wasn't far behind.
Piolax is now about to undergo its third expansion, increasing its facility by 30,000 square feet. Quick Start has been part of each of these expansions, and Appalachian Tech continues to provide long-term training and education. The company employs approximately 170 Georgians.
David Worley is one Georgian who has benefited from the Piolax/Appalachian Tech relationship. Worley, who has been employed full-time as an apprentice at Piolax, has just completed his course of study at Appalachian Technical College and is now a Certified Mold/Tool and Die Maker. Jack Godfrey, Piolax supervisor, served as David's apprenticeship mentor.
Wilden Plastics also has benefited from its relationship with Quick Start and the Department of Technical and

Adult Education. A leader in the production of high-grade plastic products, Wilden is headquartered in Germany and has facilities in Switzerland, Italy, Sweden, the Czech Republic and the United States. The Peachtree City location serves as the company's only North American facility, so it is very important to be able to hire and retain qualified employees.
Wilden's need for trained personnel has led to a continuing partnership with Griffin Tech. Six years ago, the company approached the school to request assistance with training. With the help of the school's president, Dr. Coy Hodges, the pilot for the now successful mold-making apprenticeship program was developed. Wilden typically accepts one apprentice per year.
"When Quick Start and Wilden asked if we could help them train qualified mold-makers, we knew it would stretch the educational programs we had in place," says Hodges. "We were happy to work to meet that need, and the apprenticeship program has been very

4

3

4

5

6

Piolax and NACOM, have benefited from DTAE plastics programs.

successful. We hope it will continue to grow."
Currently, five companies arrange apprenticeships through Griffin Tech, and nine companies work with Appalachian Tech. The program has been so successful for Griffin Tech that the school is expanding its curriculum to include a full plastics technology program. Hodges explains, "It's an expanding market, and the companies need trained employees. We want to be the provider of training and education for the plastics industry in Georgia."
Around the world, Wilden produces everything from cell phone screens to inhalers to state-of-the-art plastic horseshoes. The Georgia facility focuses on three divisions of the company's products: medical and diagnostics, technical and industrial, and smart cards.
Smart cards are one of Wilden's specialties. The cards are similar to credit cards in size and appearance, but the difference is that there is a space to insert a small computer chip. The card

can be used as a credit card or a check card, but also can be used to store and process information, such as banking information and balances, making it a much more useful tool. Wilden exports approximately 10 million cards each month to Central America, South America, Europe and Asia.
The company also has new projects on the horizon, and is in the process of hiring more employees to meet the demand. The Peachtree City facility currently has about 70 employees, with plans to increase that number by a third in the immediate future. Dr. Peter Lohage, president and CEO, believes the company's 50 years of experience will serve it well as the industry advances. He says, "We are a full service supplier, and we continue our research and development. Our expertise in developing products and manufacturing is well known throughout the industry."
Lohage is excited about the coming expansion. "As it stands right now, we should quadruple our production within

18 months. We're hiring, and we will be buying new machines and equipment. The company has spent time changing the mix of divisions and products, so now we are ready to focus on growing. This is a very exciting time."
NACOM Corporation of Griffin is another plastics giant that has benefited from the state's plastics training.
Brian Burk, the company's manager of training, recently noted that NACOM has enjoyed a long and prosperous relationship with Quick Start.
"The training available through Quick Start has been an important part of our growth and expansions. Its customized training has allowed us to focus on implementing new technologies with a highly trained workforce," says Burk.
And with apprenticeship programs like the ones at Griffin Tech and Appalachian Tech, and the state-of-theart plastics lab at Albany Tech, these companies will be assured of a skilled workforce for many years to come. QS

5

Economic Development
The Plastics Industry in Georgia

Plastics is a major industry in Geor-
gia and it is growing. Georgia plastics companies provide 43,400 jobs and have grown within the state by an impressive 30.5 percent in the last five years. Annual shipments from the 587 companies total $10.6 billion. These figures rank Georgia 13th in the nation in plastics employment and ninth in the nation in plastics shipments.
Because of the importance of the plastics industry to the state's economy, the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education and Quick Start have a focused effort for meeting the training needs of the industry. Through DTAE's network of 34 technical colleges, a wide range of training programs are available. At selected technical colleges, Plastics Technology is available in both degree and diploma programs. Mold-Making Apprenticeship provides technical training combined with handson experience through a European-style apprenticeship program. Operator Training is available in a variety of processes, including injection molding, extrusion molding, blow molding and thermoform molding.

At each of Georgia's technical colleges, Certified Manufacturing Specialist provides certification in manufacturing skills. Applied Manufacturing Technology, Electronics Technology, Industrial Maintenance Technology, Machine Tool Technology, Quality Control Technology and many more programs help meet the training needs of the industry. Management and Supervisory Training offers career growth opportunities through specialized training in supervisory skills. Customized training to meet specific company requirements is available through each technical college.
Quick Start provides high-quality training at no cost. Quick Start, Georgia's award-winning economic development incentive training program, provides customized training as part of a partnership between the expert training staff at Quick Start, the local technical college and the company.
The next step in training opportunities to the industry will be the Plastics Training Center, part of Griffin Technical College's expansion plan. The Center will provide entry-level training as well as career enhancement opportunities

Bill Thielemann at the National Plastics Exposition in Chicago.
designed with industry input to meet training requirements. Programs will include introduction to manufacturing and introduction to plastics for new employees; operator training in injection, extrusion, thermoform and blown film; technical training in plastics technology and industrial maintenance; and apprenticeship programs in mold making and set-up technician. The Center also will accommodate specialty programs in ISO/QS 9000, as well as seminar presentations on timely topics. Groundbreaking for Griffin Tech's expansion is scheduled for fall 2001, with classes starting in fall 2003.
DTAE and Quick Start are committed to ensuring growth and expansion of the industry within the state. Quick Start works closely with the Georgia Plastics Industry Council, Society of Plastics Engineers, Society of Plastics Industries, and American Plastics Council.
We presented the Quick Start message of industry opportunities in Georgia to the National Plastics Exposition (NPE) in Chicago last summer and will take the message to Plastics K 2001, the world's largest plastics show in Dusseldorf, Germany, this fall. The goal of these efforts is a world-class workforce to meet the needs of the plastics industry now and into the future.

Plastics apprentice David Worley has improved his skills at Piolax with training from Appalachian Technical College.

By Bill Thielemann Director of Plastics Training, DTAE wthielemann@georgiaquickstart.org

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Partner's Perspective
Partners for a World-Class Plastics Workforce

When Wilden Plastics

opened its only U.S. facility in

Peachtree City, Ga., everything

was in place for the company to

continue its 50-year tradition of

quality plastics manufacturing.

Everything, that is, except

enough qualified workers, espe-

cially mold-makers.

"When we built this facility,

we had a need for mold-makers,

but there were no mold-makers

available on the market," says Dr. Peter Schulz, president of Wilden. "We had to find a way

(L) Dr. Peter Schulz, President, Wilden Plastics (R) Dr. Coy Hodges, President, Griffin Tech

to train and hire mold-makers.

Therefore, we tried to do an apprentice

The result of this partnership is the

program, as we do in Germany." Wilden Mold-Making Apprenticeship program, a

is headquartered in Germany, where

joint venture between education and

apprenticeships are common, and Schulz industry. Dr. Ken Breeden, commissioner

believed it was possible to use the same

of DTAE, says, "The program is designed

training methods here in Georgia.

as a collaboration and a cooperative pro-

Wilden met with the Department of gram between the high school, the techni-

Technical and Adult Education's business cal college, and the industry or business."

development specialists at Quick Start to

The three-year program offers stu-

get the ball rolling. In turn, DTAE and

dents a strong mix of classroom and

Quick Start approached Griffin Technical workplace experience, preparing gradu-

College to partner in custom tailoring a

ates to become journeymen mold-makers

program to meet Wilden's needs for

anywhere in the world. Students attend

skilled mold-makers. According to Dr.

school several days a week and work at

Coy Hodges, president of Griffin Tech,

the company the rest of the week, under

"Our machine tool technology program

the supervision of a master mold-maker.

has been operating for a number of years. A mentor at Griffin Tech coordinates

We've trained numerous students to

communication between the apprentices,

become tool and die makers, so we

the college and the company, making sure

believed this was a natural foundation

both the students and the business are

leading into a program to train mold-

getting the results they need.

makers as well."

As part of this cooperative venture, Wilden also encourages other companies to take advantage of the benefits of the MoldMaking Apprenticeship program. Schulz is pleased with the success Wilden has had with the program. "It's a good possibility for young people to start a new job and to be skilled -- it's very important that we have more and more skilled workers," he says.
Through the Mold-Making Apprenticeship program, those needed workers are now being trained and are available to work with Wilden and other companies around the state. The program has grown to include other companies working with Griffin Tech, and it also has been added to the curriculum at Appalachian Technical College in Jasper, Ga. The apprenticeship program has been very successful, and there are plans to expand it to offer additional plastics training for operators, including set-up technicians, plastics engineering technicians and maintenance mechanics. By working together, DTAE, the technical colleges around the state and plastics manufacturers throughout Georgia can build the skilled workforce needed by the industry for it to continue being one of the fastest growing manufacturing segments in the world. Having partners working to create a world-class workforce in the plastics industry benefits everyone. QS

250,000 Expected at K 2001 Trade Fair

If you're involved with the plastics and rubber
industry, the place to be this fall is Dusseldorf, Germany. K 2001, the 15th International Trade Fair for Plastics and Rubber, will take place there October 25 through November 1, 2001. The K show is the industry's preeminent trade fair, bringing together industry experts, suppliers and customers to exchange industry news and advances. And Quick Start will be there.

With the continued increase of plastics and rubber facilities in Georgia, K 2001 is an important opportunity to promote the state. Quick Start, in partnership with the Georgia Department of Industry, Trade & Tourism, will host "Georgia, USA," an exhibit to enhance Georgia's image within the industry, develop and maintain industry contacts, and attract plastics companies to Georgia.
For more information, visit www.k-online.de.

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Kubota

Kubota Expands Gainesville Facility

Businesses from Japan have been
duly impressed with Georgia in general and services offered through the Department of Technical and Adult Education, such as Quick Start, in particular. Many Japanese companies find the weather similar to Japan's and appreciate the accessibility of Hartsfield International Airport and the port in Savannah. But when it comes down to the details of actually running a facility, training the workforce is of utmost importance.
Several Japanese companies, including Piolax (see p.1), HLA (see p. 10) and Kubota Manufacturing of America, have found essential support from Quick Start and recently enjoyed

expansions at their Georgia facilities. According to Kubota Manufacturing
of America Corporation (KMA) president, John Shiraishi, Quick Start was a major factor in his company's decision to locate in Gainesville. Lanier Technical College also was an important factor in the tractor company's decision to diversify and grow in recent years.

Quick Start and Lanier Technical College have been instrumental in the growth of KMA for the past 12 years. The college has provided training in welding, forklift operations, supervisor and manager training and various safety and workplace skills. Of special significance has been the Certified Manufacturing Specialist program. This technical certificate credit program helps increase employees' skills and understanding of job responsibilities and expectations in the workplace. Compa-
nies with employees who have the CMS training have noted a significant decrease in turnover and improved efficiency in general. At KMA, workers who complete CMS training receive a $1 per hour increase in their wages.

8

President Shiraishi recently commented that these employees (CMS graduates) have improved quality and provide a more adaptable employee profile while reducing turnover.
Laura Vandiver, KMA's manager of human resources, notes that CMS is important because it opens up opportunities for the individual worker. "Approximately 200 of our workers have a CMS certificate, which also included training them to work more closely with the Japanese staff," she explains.
KMA's 600,000-square-feet of work space, located in two buildings at Gainesville Industrial Park North, has three assembly lines and employs approximately 800 people. There are three shifts when the plant is in full production. Kubota tractors and mowers are gaining ground in the market and boast more than 1,000 dealers across the United States. There are four Kubota distribution centers throughout the United States.
In Georgia, the company makes front-end loaders and backhoes for larger-sized tractors, as well as three different lawn tractors. The most recent addition to the line is the highly popular Zero Turn tractor, which is used extensively in maintaining golf courses. The company produces 20,000 mowers annually and records $250 million in gross sales.
Kit Dunlap, president and CEO of the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce, is especially proud of Kubota's decision to come to the Gainesville area and has watched the company grow and contribute to the community.
"Kubota is especially interested in education. For several years they have sponsored trips to Japan for students and teachers from Hall County. This is an excellent way for students to learn about the Japanese culture, including the highly regarded Japanese business culture," she explains. "Kubota is a wonderful corporate citizen. They believe in their community and participate in numerous ways, for which we are very grateful," she adds. QS

Quick Start's CMS Program Assists Kubota

Quick Start and Lanier Technical

newspaper, Nikkei, was given a tour of the

College were instrumental in the growth of Kubota plant and a briefing on the services Kubota during the past twelve years. The offered by Quick Start. Also participating

relationship between the company and

were Dr. Joe Hill, President of Lanier Tech,

DTAE continues.

Russell Vandiver, Vice President of Economic

This summer a team from Quick Start, Development for Lanier Tech and Lisa

which included Assistant Commissioner for Wilson, Vice President of Lanier Tech's

Economic Development Programs Jackie Student Services.

Rohosky, Ben Walton, Director of Market-

Quick Start's Certified Manufacturing

ing, Quick Start, and Donna Maddock-

Specialist Program, offered through Lanier

Cowart, Director, Business Development Tech, has been of special assistance to and Communications, Quick Start, attended Kubota. Approximately 200 employees have

a briefing at the

received the

request of Kubota.

CMS training,

A representative

which increases

from Tokyo's busi-

the employees'

ness and economics

wages by $1 per

hour.

Osamu Okamoto, Kubota Corporation Chairman, looks on as KMA employee Bumpei Machida explains recent statistics.

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Rural Economic Development
Bremen Welcomes HL-A

On July 19, 2001, HL-A, Georgia
Quick Start and West Central Technical College signed their third training plan agreement at the company's facility in Bremen. Tetsurou Komaki, president of HL-A, was on hand, along with West Central Tech's President Janet Ayers and Jeff Lynn of Quick Start, to sign the agreement, which ensures another positive link in the business and educational community of Haralson County.
The facility employs approximately 82 people and has plans to expand that number to 192 by December of 2002.
"We are excited to see this kind of development in our county," noted Don Rhodes, vice president of the First National Bank of Georgia and chairman of the Haralson County Development Authority. "We hope to continue a long relationship with this fine model of world-class manufacturing." Rhodes, who also serves on the board of West Central Tech, was present for the signing, along with his father, Edgar Rhodes, who serves on the State Board of the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education.
HL-A, a supplier to Honda, first came to Georgia in 1998 as an extension

of its headquarters in Selma, Ala. Quick Start was involved from the very beginning when the company decided to build the plant in Bremen to make zinc die casts for door locks on Honda's cars. A team of project leaders from Quick Start went to Miyazaki, Japan, to conduct a project study and returned to the United States to train the first 25 employees. Progress was so effective that the company asked Quick Start to go to Japan a second time in 1999, this time to study door-latch manufacturing. This expansion meant an increase of 55 employees, as well as a dramatic increase in the physical plant's size in Bremen.
In the spring of 2001, Quick Start returned a third time. Soon, the Bremen facility will be manufacturing outside door mirrors and handles in addition to the lock assemblies. This third expansion also added the somewhat complicated step of painting the products.
West Central Tech's President Janet Ayers noted the important relationship between the company, Quick Start and the local technical college, which is expanding its operations dramatically just down the road from HL-A.
"Our technical colleges work handin-hand with business and industry in

Georgia," explains Ayers, who grew up in Haralson County. "Fifty-two percent of our citizens leave the county every day to go to work, which is a drain on the county's income. With the HOPE Scholarship and the Workforce Investment Act passed by the legislature, no Georgian who has been laid off is without access to some retraining, either by way of traditional enrollment in postsecondary schools or by certificate training for specific job skills," says Ayers.
Companies like HL-A are the beneficiaries of these programs. Workers can develop new skills or enhance those they have in an on-going effort to improve quality of life.
Haralson County, which is a Tier 1 county, was very dependent on the textile industry for many years. When that industry began to dry up in recent decades, local eco-

Above: Mike Burnett, HL-A Plant Manager, with an automotive mirror his company will soon produce at its Bremen facility. Right: Tammy James inspects products at HL-A.
10

Service Industry

nomic development teams comprised of business leaders and politicians began actively courting manufacturing companies like HL-A.
"There are a lot of people who don't have time to take off a few years and go back to school. They've been laid off and they need to find work as quickly as possible. I see these certificate programs as a `quick response' for these workers. They make it possible for them to learn new skills and find jobs in the new industries coming to the area," Ayers adds.
"West Central Technical College will be here to assist you for the longterm," Ayers promised the HL-A gathering, "and we greatly appreciate your company's decision to come to Bremen."
Joan Young, president of the Haralson County Chamber of Commerce, is equally appreciative of HL-A's presence in Bremen.
"We were one of 50 cities in six states that the company was considering when they decided to come here. We had lost almost 5,000 textile jobs and badly needed a new industry. Since HL-A came, they have not stopped expanding. They were instrumental in helping us re-establish a manufacturing base in the county," she explains.
Young believes HL-A is an especially good model for manufacturing and
sees the value of its presence in terms of local employment. "These are local jobs for local people. Just what we need!" she adds enthusiastically. Haralson County is in the process of building a second business park not far from HLA. WestPort Business Park will have 170 acres devoted to technology, light industry and distribution center businesses. The business park will have fiber optic capabilities to provide high-speed Internet service at the same level as is available in Metro Atlanta. QS

Quick Start's Service Industry Program Celebrates Ten Years

Pictured here is part of the Service Industry team at Quick Start (l-r): Nick Morning, Liette Utt, Sandra Morris and Mary Fornoff.

This year, Quick Start celebrates a decade of assisting service industries across Georgia with successful start-ups or expansions. During this time, we trained new employees of many national and international service companies.
Through Quick Start, employees are trained to positively interact with customers, operate complex computer systems, and work together effectively.
The Quick Start service industry program, like its manufacturing counterpart, provides comprehensive training services at no cost to qualified new and expanding companies. Probably the question that is most often asked about our service industry program is, "What is a service industry?" You may be surprised to learn that our definition is fairly broad.
With few exceptions, most non-manufacturing and non-retail operations that are primarily "back-office" in nature may qualify for Quick Start training assistance. In-bound customer contact centers; regional, national and international headquarters; billing and remittance centers; consolidated sharedservices centers; and select e-business enterprises have all qualified for Quick Start training assistance when creating new jobs.
While qualified businesses are different -- some provide banking/ financial, telecommunications, insurance, or hospitality services while others provide transportation or customer service support for manufacturing companies -- what they all have in common is the need for a large number of employees to have a strong balance of interpersonal and technical skills.

To provide training that meets this need, we conduct a job analysis for each service company to determine training requirements. Most service industry training programs are quite extensive -- three to 10 weeks in duration. Our goal with each service company is to add training and business value, whether developing new training programs or enhancing existing programs.
Programs developed for each company may include training in a company's business and key processes; commercial and proprietary business software; communications and other interpersonal skills, telephone etiquette and call-management; problem-solving; service/product knowledge; service policies and procedures; and leadership development.
Quick Start's training program for service industries was formally initiated in 1991. Our first projects included training for Equifax's consumer information center established in Marietta (500 employees) and Holiday Inn Worldwide's international headquarters (1,000 employees).
Quick Start recently completed training projects with E*Trade's customer support operation (650 employees) and GEICO Direct's regional operations center located in Macon (2,000 employees). Current projects include AFLAC's worldwide headquarters located in Columbus (1,000 employees).
By Sandra Morris Director smorris@georgiaquickstart.org

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DELIVERY
34 Technical Colleges 16 Satellite Campuses 4 Units in University System

SYSTEM
Kenneth H. Breeden, Commissioner Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education
www.georgiaquickstart.org

Serving Communities Throughout Georgia

EXPANDING BUSINESSES IN GEORGIA
Adairsville: Forty employees have been added to the workforce at Daiki Corporation. The plant manufactures tractor body parts.
Augusta: BP Amoco will expand its polymers plant in Augusta by 50 workers.
Columbus: Cessna has announced it will be adding 300 employees to its payroll in the sheet metal assembly facility in Columbus.
Folkston: BHA Group is adding 15 jobs to its pollution control products plant.

NEW BUSINESSES IN GEORGIA

Rome Adairsville

Alpharetta: PublixDirect, Publix's Internet grocery store, will employ 300 people in its new distribution center in Alpharetta.

Alpharetta

Atlanta: Mountain Top Industries, manufacturers of Ton-

Lawrenceville

neau truck covers, will be opening a plant in Atlanta,

Carrollton Atlanta Peachtree City Jackson

Thomson
Augusta

LaGrange

Griffin Barnesville

Sparta

employing 35 people.
Barnesville: Enpower/Enercon, makers of power modules, has opened a facility in Barnesville, which will employ 100 people.

Columbus

Macon

Swainsboro Midway

Carrollton: Wal-Mart.com has opened a new distribution center in Carrollton, employing 400 people.

LaGrange: Kimberly Clark has added a new line for its converting process of paper products, increasing its workforce by 30 people.
LaGrange: Federal Mogul, Powertrain Division, has increased its workforce by 60 people at its LaGrange facility. The company manufactures pistons for automobiles and small engines.
Lawrenceville: Ricoh Electronics is increasing its workforce by 50 employees at its toner and thermal paper plant in Lawrenceville.
Midway: The Gift Wrap Co. will increase employment by 50 people at its plant. The company makes gift wrap and accessories.
Peachtree City: Cooper Lighting recently announced it will increase its workforce by 130 people at the lighting fixtures facility in Peachtree City.
Swainsboro: Milco Building Products, Inc. is adding 60 new jobs in its aluminum and vinyl windows plant.

Hahira

Folkston

Griffin: Hoshizaki America, manufacturers of industrial refrigerators, has opened a plant in Griffin, bringing the company's total number of Georgians employed to 480.
Hahira: Wire Rope Corporation of America is constructing a 63,000square-foot distribution center in Hahira that will employ approximately 22 people.

Jackson: Tanimura and Antle, lettuce processor, has opened a plant in Jackson, employing approximately 120 people.

Macon: Power Interactive Media Inc. will employ 300 people in its new plant in Macon. The company manufactures digital photo imaging modules.

Rome: Pirelli Tire has opened a new plant in Rome and is employing 350 people.

Sparta: Alliances for Better Education Inc. has opened a facility in Sandersville that will employ 25 people fabricating computer desks.

Thomson: The Mills Company will be making seats for motorcycles and lawnmowers at its new plant in Thomson. Fifty people will be employed.

Coming Next Issue...
Moultrie Technical College recently certified students in DTAE's new Warehousing and Distribution Program. Economic developers like James Chavez (left), President and CEO of the Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce, laud the new program. Working with area employers, such as Target, the new program will serve the growing distribution centers' employees' training needs. Complete story to come in the Fall 2001 Quick Start Newsletter.
GEORGIA QUICK START 1800 Century Place Suite 300 Atlanta, GA 30345