Quick start [Vol. 8, no. 3 (Fall 2006)]

Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education

FALL 2006 VOLUME 8, NUMBER 3
On a Roll
Toyo's `smart plant' gets smart training from Quick Start
After 30 years in the industry, Jim Hawk knows what the inside of tire manufacturing facilities usually look like -- and this isn't it. In
2005, Toyo Tire and Rubber Company opened its first U.S. manufacturing facility in White, Ga., and inside, gleaming bright blue and yellow machinery does the heavy lifting in a smaller, smarter building than even the company's home plant in Sendai, Japan. "Toyo has been very patient and clever, methodically developing their own automated process and expanding here to a new facility when they felt the time was right," says
Hawk, senior vice president and plant manager for Toyo Tire North America. "Starting here with a blank sheet of paper meant we could have the right location and
Continued on page 6

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

From top: A ribbon rope extruder (RRE) turns raw rubber made at Toyo's White, Ga., facility into ribbon used for tire building; Jonathan Schelleach, a manufacturing technician, uses a Quick Start computer-based job aid on the plant floor; Toyo employee Colby McKnight measures a sample in the company lab.

Quick Notes

About this issue: Georgia's thriving industries

`It is very gratifying to see the scores of new companies thriving thanks to new technology and a trained workforce in our state.'

Over the years, Quick Start has worked with numerous standout companies in Georgia. It has been very gratifying to be able to see first-hand the scores of companies that are thriving thanks to new technology, a trained workforce and a shared commitment to building success in our state. In this issue of Quick Start's newsletter, we are featuring a set of companies that represent some of the best in their industries, ranging from manufacturing, to logistics, to food processing.
Toyo Tires, for example, has implemented advanced manufacturing processes that are state-of-the-art for producing world-class tires. Quick Start's work with Toyo has helped that company implement new procedures and stay competitive in its category. Quick Start is also helping Bass Pro Shops, a brand that has become synonymous with the outdoor lifestyle, pioneer new warehouse-and-distribution systems at its facility near Macon that will help it keep people throughout the Southeast hiking, fishing and boating for years to come.
For those who also like to spend some time around the house, Faus Group in Calhoun is manufacturing the latest in laminated flooring so that indoor enthusiasts can create luxurious home environments. And Perdue Farms is ramping up its processing facility near Perry to become its flagship, producing top-quality chicken products for markets around the region.
Quick Start is proud to be able to contribute to the success of these businesses in Georgia. Their success is our success, and that means a shared prosperity for all Georgians.

From left: Derek Lovins, Faus Group

vice president of manufacturing;

Gov. Sonny Perdue; and Juan Flores,

Jackie Rohosky

Faus Group president, examine some of the company's high-end laminate

Assistant Commissioner Economic Development Programs

flooring during the Calhoun facility's recent grand opening.

jrohosky@georgiaquickstart.org

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Table of Contents

3 8

Events Around the State

8 Get Cooking! Perry facility to be Perdue Farms' flagship

10 Flooring It Faus Group lays foundation for success

14 Powering Up Contract training helps Emerson Network Power stay charged

11 It's Prime Time at Bass Pro State-of-the-art distribution center is ready for its close-up

16 Quick Start Project Announcements

Fall 2006 Volume 8, Number 3 Published by Georgia Quick Start www.georgiaquickstart.org Quick Start is a registered service mark of the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education Michael F. Vollmer, Commissioner. Address comments and questions to: Rodger Brown, Director of Communications rbrown@georgiaquickstart.org GA Quick Start 75 Fifth St. NW, Suite 400, Atlanta, GA 30308
2

Events

From left: Sandra Morris, Quick Start director of performance technology; Kirk Lord, DS Waters director of customer service; and Russell Vandiver, Lanier Technical College vice president of economic development.
Branch Water
DS Waters, the largest provider of home and office delivery of bottled water in the United States, is expanding its Flowery Branch call center with help from Quick Start and Lanier Technical College.
The company, which employs about 5,500 people in more than 30 states, is hiring at least 50 customer service workers at the call center. The facility opened in 2002 to serve customers who receive water dispensers and delivery to their offices and homes. DS Waters produces and distributes several regional brands of water, including Crystal Springs in the Southeast.
TM

From left: Phil Carter, West Central Technical College vice president of economic development; Jackie Rohosky, DTAE assistant commissioner of economic development programs; Tommy Green, Greenway Medical Technologies chairman and CEO; Greg Schulenburg, Greenway chief operating officer; and Tee Green, Greenway president.
Greenway Makes Practices Perfect
Doctors and staff in small practices can quickly find themselves overwhelmed by a flood of paperwork and regulations for billing and collecting fees. Greenway Medical Technologies Inc. offers one solution in the form of PrimeARMTM, the Carrollton company's new business unit that automates the accounts receivable process.
Opening a new customer assistance center in Carrollton, the company has teamed with Quick Start and West Central Technical College to provide training for its new employees.
To support PrimeARMTM, Greenway has created a team with over 20 years of experience in practice management and billing, and Quick Start is providing customized training to each PrimeARMTM representative in communication skills and professional business language.
"Any time you're in a business that delivers mission-critical, complex software, training is a huge issue," said Tommy Green, Greenway Medical chairman and CEO, at a recent training plan signing ceremony. "That's why we're very excited about our partnership with West Central Technical College and Quick Start."

Coffee County Gets Wired

American Insulated Wire Corporation recently announced it is converting

a 340,000-square-foot facility in Coffee County into a highly automated

wire drawing, stranding and extrusion production facility. Quick Start and

East Central Technical College will provide training for the more than 200

area residents who will be employed there.

Quick Start will initially provide training in everything from company

orientation to cranes and rigging, quality control, and manufacturing operations. After this training is completed, East Central Tech will assist the company with its ongoing training needs. Founded in 1924, the company manufactures electrical wire and cable products including power cable,

From left: Ray Perren, East Central Technical College president; Tom Donaruma, American Insulated Wire vice president of human resources; and Marla Lowe, Quick Start executive director of economic development programs.

building wire and telecommunication cable. It is headquartered in Massachusetts.

"The Quick Start team has put together a comprehensive training plan for

American Insulated Wire," said Marla Lowe, Quick Start's executive director of

economic development programs. "We're looking forward to implementing it,

and creating a long partnership with this forward-thinking company."

Quick Start News Fall 2006 3

Events

Paint Job -- Dennis Pacilio, director of distribu-
tion for FinishMaster Inc., cuts a ribbon to officially open the company's new 40,860-square-foot distribution facility in Adel. Quick Start provided training in everything from process overview to safety for employees of the company, which is the leading national independent distributor of automotive paints, coatings and related accessories to its customers in collision repair, automotive dealerships and fleet operations.

Let Them Ship Cake
All those tempting Sara Lee treats don't make their way to your grocer's freezer by themselves. To help get them there, the company has chosen Total Logistic Control (TLC), a leading thirdparty logistics provider, to operate and manage its new cold-storage distribution center in Bibb County.
Quick Start and Central Georgia Technical College are partnering with TLC to provide pre- and post-employment training to about 140 new employees at the 214,000-square-foot distribution center, where frozen bakery items and meats will be distributed to grocery store chains like Kroger, Winn-Dixie, Publix and Wal-Mart.
"We've been here two months and have experienced excellent partnerships and cooperation with Central Georgia Technical College, Quick Start and local economic development," said Marc Evans, TLC facility manager, at a recent training plan signing. "This new startup for us is likely to be the best one yet with all of the help we've gotten here."
From left: Marla Lowe, Quick Start executive director of economic development programs; Marc Evans, Total Logistic Control facility manager; and Dr. Melton Palmer Jr., former Central Georgia Technical College president.
4

From left: Dr. Ivan Allen, Middle Georgia Technical College president; Richard Rateau, Perdue Farms director of operations; Richard Jamison, Perdue Farms complex manager; and Jackie Rohosky, DTAE assistant commissioner of economic development programs.
Just Perdue It
Already one of Houston County's largest employers, Perdue Farms is investing $155 million to turn its Perry, Ga., operation into its flagship facility. With the addition of a cook plant and an expansion doubling the size of the existing processing plant, Perdue, the No. 1 brand of fresh chicken in the Eastern United States, is creating 2,000 new jobs in Houston County.
Recently, representatives from Perdue, Georgia Quick Start and Middle Georgia Technical College met to celebrate this expansion and
sign an agreement for training the new Perdue employees.
"None of this would have been possible if it weren't for people, and to have good people, you must provide them with world-class training," said Richard Jamison, Perdue complex manager. "I've been in this business for 32 years,
and this partnership with Quick Start is the very best, public or private, I've encountered."

Dream Team
When manufacturer Gem Industries opened a new division, Global Partitions, to manufacture powder-coated metal, stainless steel and plastic laminate bathroom partitions, executives decided to stick with the team that's kept them on top for three decades -- Stephens County, North Georgia Technical College and Quick Start.
"I know you'll be a tremendous asset to our region," said Sen. Nancy Schaefer, attending recent training plan signing ceremonies.
"We've been part of Toccoa since 1976, strong and steady," said Global Partitions President Peter Rolla. "Quick Start is definitely an important part of what we looked at when planning this expansion."
"I'm extremely proud of North Georgia Technical College and the Quick Start program," said Rep. Jeanette Jamieson. "Often, Quick Start is the final touch in bringing industry into communities."
At left: Sen. Nancy Schaefer (far left) and Rep. Jeanette Jamieson attended a recent Global Partitions training plan signing ceremony. Above: (from left) Jeff Lynn, Quick Start director of northern operations; Peter Rolla, Global Partitions president; and Dr.
Ruth Nichols, North Georgia Technical College president, sign the training plan.
The New Class -- The 11th group of Quick Start and technical
college economic development professionals to complete the Department of Technical and Adult Education's 18-month CEDT (Certified Economic Developer Trainer) program attended graduation ceremonies recently. Back row, from left: Austin Johnson, Okefenokee Tech; Ronnie Pettus, Quick Start; Steve Conway, Gwinnett Tech; Wally Summers, South Georgia Tech; and Tim Hart, Coosa Valley Tech. Center row, from left: Hank Griffeth, Central Georgia Tech; Rusty Denning, Quick Start; Angela Crance, Valdosta Tech; Tonya Cooper, Moultrie Tech; Mary Clayburn, Quick Start; Eddie Fite, Quick Start; Ken Boyd, Savannah Tech; and Gary Frag, Albany Tech. Front row, from left: Steve Pearce, Okefenokee Tech; Vic Desmarais, Quick Start; Judi Lovvorn, Moultrie Tech; Kay Pounds, Quick Start; Lisa Palmer, Augusta Tech; Betty Jackson, Columbus Tech; and Barry Grove, Quick Start.

From left: Sandra Morris, Quick Start director of performance technology; Nancy Coleman, Columbus Technical College executive vice president; Bonnie Verhulst, Road America response center manager; J. Robert Jones, Columbus Tech president; Emily Greer, Road America director of human resources; and Deborah Hall, Quick Start training coordinator.
Assisting Roadside Assistance
When you're stranded on the highway, a phone call to a calm, well-trained roadside assistance representative can make the difference between security and panic.
The next time this happens to you, you may have Quick Start to thank in part for the comfort on the other end of the line.
Road America, a Miami-based business-to-business provider of international automotive assistance service programs, recently signed an agreement to have Quick Start and Columbus Technical College train up to 300 assistance coordinators who will respond to roadside assistance calls. Road America provides services to more than 150 corporate clients and 13 million members, and has invested $6 million in a new Columbus call center.
Road America Manager Bonnie Verhulst is in charge of establishing the center in Columbus. "We are very excited about this opportunity, both for Road America and Columbus," she said recently.

Quick Start News Fall 2006 5

Cover Story

Continued from page 1

new, automated equipment, which

This smarter facility demands

meant a building with a smaller

smarter employees. The level of

footprint, requiring less inventory, a automation in this plant means its

less labor-intensive process and half inhabitants spend more time thinking

to two-thirds the workforce of a

and working with multiple machines,

similar operation."

and less time repeating tasks. To

The new facility, with its 500,000 maximize their time in this fast-paced

square feet of manufactur-

ing space and 400,000

square feet dedicated to

warehousing, is set up to

respond instantly to the

needs of the U.S. market

for Toyo's specialty high-

performance and off-road

tires, reducing both the

amount of stock the com-

pany must keep on-hand

and dealer backorders.

"Having this plant in

the U.S. means we can

carry significantly less

From left: Jim Hawk, Toyo Tire North America senior vice

inventory -- two to three months less," says Hawk.

president and plant manager, and Mr. Shozo (Carlos) Kibata, president and CEO of the company.

"This plant was designed for small- environment, they need smarter train-

lot production, so we can change

ing aids, a Quick Start specialty.

our schedule every day, or within

"Our people are here to operate

the day."

machines and think in terms of the

entire process -- not to do physical work," says Hawk. "In a manual operation, jobs are limited in scope and repetitive. Our jobs are more all-encompassing."
So, Quick Start literally threw away the manual, creating searchable, computer-based job aids available to machine operators throughout the plant. Instead of paging through a paper manual to figure out how to troubleshoot a twitchy machine, Toyo employees can type in a search term and a computerized database will quickly show them -- in photos, words, animations and even video -- how the machine's process works and where and how to correct a problem.
The softer side
In addition to high-tech, computer-based training, Quick Start is providing new Toyo employees with

En-tire SOPs
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are the ground rules of any company, and ISO certification for those SOPs is an automotive supplier's grand slam. With Quick Start's help, Toyo is ahead of the game in both.
The Quick Start team's ISO experts are currently writing the company's SOPs to fit Toyo's Georgia facility. The company anticipates applying for certification next year, and when they do, the paperwork will be in place.
"Part of ISO registration is comparing your written SOPs with how people are actually doing their jobs," says Jim Hawk, Toyo senior vice president and plant manager. "With Quick Start's help, all the documents are already in the correct format; we won't have to touch them at all."

6

Curtis Adams, Toyo Tire North America training coordinator, leads an employee training class using materials developed by Quick Start.

the background they need on the company, its processes, safety and interpersonal skills before they ever walk onto the plant floor. Forty hours of classroom training are now offered to each new hire, which executives say helps employees ease into their first days on the job. "Quick Start has developed materials that make employees more comfortable before they hit the floor," says Curtis Adams, training coordinator for Toyo. "Before, they only had a couple of hours' overview on human resources and Toyo policies and some pizza first; it was `start quick' versus a `Quick Start.'"

`Quick Start was able to blend right

Speedy delivery in to our organization ... a big part

Having its nearly of our success has been because of
400 employees up to
speed before getting Quick Start's help.'

down to business is just one factor Toyo credits for its extreme-

Jim Hawk, Toyo Tire North America Senior Vice President and Plant Manager

ly successful startup. After breaking Hawk. "Quick Start was able to

ground in October 2004, the facility blend right in to our organization --

was in pilot production only a year even going to Japan to work with the

later. In January 2006, Toyo was

people there. They're real go-getters,

selling product from the plant, and and a big part of our success has

this fall will reach full production of been because of Quick Start's help."

about 1.4 million units per year

for the facility's first phase.

"If we'd had to do all of the training and SOP development ourselves that

The White, Ga., facility of Toyo Tire North America, where tires are made under the Toyo and Nitto brands.

Quick Start's doing, it

would have cost us another

six months at least," says

Quick Start News Fall 2006 7

Food Processing

Perry facility to be Perdue Farms' flagship

Times may change, but there is one question that never does: "What's for supper?"
Increasingly, the answer is "chicken."
In the past 30 years, Americans have more than doubled their consumption of this versatile, low-fat, low-cholesterol protein source, climbing from an annual average of 27 pounds per person to nearly 60 pounds in 2004. Fueling the rise has been a move toward healthier eating and the convenience offered by the
broad range of innovative products developed by companies such as industry-leader Perdue Farms.
Grilled chicken strips you just heat and serve, dinosaur-shaped nuggets that end up being your kids'

favorite staple, pre-breaded breast tenders, popcorn chicken, and countless other products make homecooking quick and easy. But these days, it's the foodservice products -- cooked, frozen chicken shipped to restaurants and distributors -- that are the real meat-without-potatoes of Perdue Farms' new facility located in Perry, Ga.
"Fifty cents of every food dollar now goes to food prepared away from home," says Joe Forsthoffer,
Perdue spokesman. "So, we're responding to that here. We're already the No. 1 brand of fresh chicken in the Eastern United States. Frozen products for foodservice and retail will help us
grow nationally." "Thanks to the partnership
with the state of Georgia and Georgia Quick Start, we're moving forward with plans to make the Perry plant one of the world's leading food processing operations," says
Jim Perdue, Perdue Farms chairman and CEO. With a forming machine that can make patties or more complicated nugget shapes at a rate of 6,000 pounds of meat per hour and other state-of-the-art equipment, the variety and volume of products produced at this facility is unprecedented, which

is why Refrigerated & Frozen Foods magazine recently named it a "Food Plant of the Year" (see sidebar, p. 9).
"We chose Perry because the facility's capabilities and geographic location fit our strategic growth plans," says Forsthoffer. "We can
`Thanks to the partnership
with Georgia and Quick
Start, we're moving for-
ward to make the Perry
plant one of the world's
leading food processing
operations.'
Jim Perdue, Perdue Farms Chairman and CEO
better serve our Southeastern retail customers from here, and the facility's foodservice capability is important because there's more room for growth in that sector. These products can travel farther than fresh, allowing us to serve customers nationwide."
In 2004, Perdue purchased the former Cagle's Inc. processing plant, along with its feed mill and hatchery in Forsyth. The initial $14 million investment in the plant was followed by the $146 million expansion now in progress, adding a cooking plant

8

In one of Perdue's many qualitycontrol measures, employees check the temperature of breaded chicken wings emerging from the steam oven, an important safety step to ensure proper cooking.

and doubling the capacity of the existing processing plant at what is becoming one of the most sophisticated facilities in the United States.
By 2009, the company will have brought a total of 1,700 new jobs to the facility. During that time, Quick Start will be working side-by-side with the company, providing workforce development services ranging from pre-employment assistance to specific job skills training and leadership courses.
"I couldn't survive without Quick Start training," says Charlotte Truett, Perdue human resources representative. "Turnover is going down in the processing area, thanks to the two-day pre-employment training."

"At the cook plant, we recognize the value of well-trained associates," said Director of Operations Richard Rateau at a recent Quick Start training plan signing ceremony (see story, p. 4).
"We've invested money in worldclass equipment," Rateau concluded. "Now we must invest time in worldclass training."

Processing Honors
In its April issue, Refrigerated & Frozen Foods magazine named Perdue's Perry facility "Food Plant of the Year" in the meat, poultry and seafood category for 2005-2006. The magazine solicited nominations for the honor from industry experts and observers, industry suppliers and editors of its sister publications -- The National Provisioner, Dairy Field and Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery.
Perdue company officials are proud of the role that Quick Start training played in their success. When asked about the past year's achievements, Richard Jamison, complex manager at the Perry facility, told the magazine, "We increased staffing from 1,000 to more than 1,700. That meant retraining existing associates and training new associates, something we accomplished with the assistance of Georgia's Quick Start program."
Asked about challenges faced at the plant, Jamison continued: "Our biggest challenge was the rapid growth of the operation, in terms of both increased volume and new processes. We met the challenge through training, training and more training. We had a lot of support from our sister Perdue plants and our corporate group. Georgia's Quick Start program has been a big help."

9

Advanced Manufacturing

Brazilian Tigerwood is one of the newest entries into Faus Group's line of laminate flooring.
`This is an example of what can be done with good planning, a good team and Quick Start.'
Juan Flores, Faus Group President

Flooring It
Faus Group lays foundation for success
Chances are you've walked all over the products made by Faus Group Inc. If you have, the company thanks you for it. Since its 1953 beginnings in Gandia, Spain, Faus Group has built a reputation for innovation in high-end laminate flooring, developing proprietary technology and processes to ensure that its products authentically mimic natural materials, while being easy to install in a variety of patterns.
As Fortune 500 customers like Home Depot have created increased demand in the United States for the realistic wood-, stone- and tile-look floors, the Spanish company needed a U.S. site to help support this growing customer base. With Quick Start's guidance through the new venture, nothing was lost in translation.
"We are very impressed that we began manufacturing only six months after we started the project -- with the same accuracy, the same precision and the same final results that we have in our plant in Spain," says Juan Flores, Faus Group president. "That is quite an example of what can be achieved with good planning and a good team and a program like Quick Start."
At recent grand opening ceremonies, company CEO Juan Negre called the plant, "the most important project in the nine-year history of the Faus Group." Among those on hand to cut the ribbon was Gov. Sonny Perdue.
"We appreciate that an international company like Faus Group could have chosen to locate in many places," said Perdue. "I can commit to you that the workforce here will not disappoint you." He also thanked the many organizations that helped make the opening possible, including, "the great Quick Start program, of which we are very proud," Perdue said. "I don't believe there's another state that works harder and more efficiently to bring everyone together than Team Georgia."

From left: Craig Lesser, Georgia Department of Economic Development commissioner; Juan Flores, Faus Group president;

Gov. Sonny Perdue; Juan Negre, Faus Group chairman and CEO; Pedro Coca, Valencia, Spain secretary of enterprise; Lorene

10

Potts, Calhoun mayor pro-tem; and Jackie Rohosky, DTAE assistant commissioner of economic development programs.

Warehousing and Distribution

State-of-the-art distribution center is ready for its close-up

The soaring success of Bass Pro Shops shows that the company knows what its customers want. Bass Pro's theatrical and evocative environmental dcor has been a hit with its outdoor-adventuring clientele, and at its state-of-the-art distribution center in Macon, the company is letting its fans go backstage.
Top photo: Bass Pro Shops' merchandise shines in its natural setting. Above: A Bass Pro distribution center employee scans a shipment of boots for sale in the stores.

"Our shoppers are the kind of people who are interested in how things happen," says Bruce Beasley, vice president of distribution for Bass Pro. At the company's new distribution center, Bass Pro shoppers for the first time anywhere will have the chance to peek behind the curtain and see "how an item gets from a vendor to a peg hook in the store."
An observation area in the 420,000-square-foot facility will let customers watch cutting-edge mobile warehouse equipment dart in and out between aisles of merchandise, guided by a wireless system embedded in the floor and moving in precision to get everything from full-sized kayaks to the tiniest fishing lures into the center and back out to stores across the six Southeastern states it supports.

"I think being able to enter the distribution center environment and observe our trucks and conveyors will have a real `wow' factor for our customers," Beasley says.
`The distribution center... will have a real "wow" factor for our customers.'
Bruce Beasley, Bass Pro Vice President of Distribution
If the stars of this show are ready for their close-up, everyone agrees it's partly due to Quick Start's training program for the distribution center employees, who will eventually number about 175.
Continued next page

Quick Start News Fall 2006 11

Warehousing and Distribution

Continued from previous page
Facing the challenge of training employees before the facility was built, Quick Start's solution had to be as innovative as Bass Pro's new distribution system.
"Having a simulated working warehouse for training was essential to having a well-trained workforce on the first day of operations," says Burt Bethea, Quick Start training coordinator. So Quick Start's team studied Bass Pro's operations in Missouri, documented the process and created a virtual distribution center with animations, video and multimedia technology.

Above: An artist's rendering of the Macon Bass Pro Shops retail and distribution complex. Inset: A Bass Pro store exterior.

This training, along with Quick good, solid understanding of what

Start's customized core skills and

their job involves before they ever

job-specific courses, has paid divi- hit the floor."

dends in both time and money,

according to the company.

"Quick Start made promises

"We have a schedule for transferring stores to the new distribution

and not only kept those

center, and the Quick Start training promises, but often even

has allowed us to move that schedule up by about a month," says Ernie

exceeded them."

Reed, manager of the distribution center. "It's helped reduce our

Bruce Beasley, Bass Pro Vice President of Distribution

turnover rate as well, all because

the training gave the employees a

The training is particularly

critical for the new Macon facility

because the variety of products

Web Slinging
To help employees grasp the scale and scope
of the entire operation at Bass Pro's new distribution center, Quick Start developed an innovative, Web-based e-Learning module that illustrates processes through detailed animations and allows trainees to access pages of information quickly and easily.
"We wanted to make sure the instructors had as many tools as possible -- photographs, video clips and animations," says Burt Bethea, Quick Start training coordinator. "The Web is a fast, efficient way to deliver this type of information."
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will surpass that of many other distribution centers.
"We handle 78,000 [different products], which is unusual among distribution centers," says Beasley. "We're not dealing with just shirts, or even just clothing. A trolling motor and a fishing lure are not handled the same way, and our employees have to know how to handle each one, and everything in between."
The solution to that logistical challenge is technology, and with every new technological advance in the industry, a greater skill set is required from team members. The new Bass Pro facility incorporates all the latest innovations, from overhead scanners to automated high-speed conveyors and radio frequency (RF) scanning of labels and bar codes, and the new technology is changing the entire scope of a distribution center employee's job.
"A lot of what we do with bar codes is all new to our associates, allowing so much to be done in real time," says Beasley. "Before, someone would inventory a new shipment on the floor, and then take it to a clerk to input into the com-

puter system. Now, the second you put something on a shelf and scan it with an RF scanner, the entire company knows where it is."
Thanks to Quick Start training, these employees are prepared for the challenges.
"I've been very impressed with the Quick Start team -- they did everything they said they were going to do, and that's important," says Beasley. "Lots of people make promises. Quick Start made promises and not only kept those promises, but often even exceeded them."

Employees in Bass Pro's distribution centers use radio frequency technology to scan labels and efficiently receive, store, track and ship merchandise of all shapes and sizes.

Quick Start News Fall 2006 13

Customized Training

Powering Up
Contract training helps Emerson Network Power stay charged

Bobby Arrington usually fills his day at LaGrange's Emerson Network Power making outdoor telecommunications cabinets for clients like BellSouth.
But recently he took a break from his welding duties to spend part of his shift learning the latest techniques of his craft with instructors from West Georgia Technical College -- on company time and on the company's dime.
"Whatever we can learn in these classes will help us as we go along," says Arrington. "What I'm learning will help me do my job and also help me in training new employees in my area."
Research shows that companies that invest in training improve both employee morale and overall productivity. At Emerson Network Power, Eddie Mabe, human resources manager, says he's convinced the investment is worth it.
"Definitely, there've been noticeable results," Mabe says. "I've seen improvements such as a reduction in scrap and increased efficiency."
The Technical College Advantage
At Emerson Network Power, officials faced a growing challenge -- keeping employees' skills up-to-date in a rapidly expanding operation and a field where technology constantly changes the product. They went to West Georgia Tech seeking a solution to the problem. Linda Jones, vice president of economic development at the college, listened to their requirements and proposed contract training as the best fit for their training needs.

Clockwise, from top: Emerson's Gage Rife welds a battery cover for one of the company's telecommunications cabinets; (left to right) Eddie Mabe, Emerson Network Power human resources manager, and Linda Jones, West Georgia Technical College vice president of economic development; the entrance to the LaGrange facility.
14

"This company needed a quick, effective solution that was tailored to their operation," she says. "Contract training provided the company-specific component Emerson needed."
"West Georgia Tech sold us on the industrial and maintenance
`Definitely, there've been noticeable results ... improvements such as reduction in scrap and increased efficiency.'
Eddie Mabe, Emerson Network Power Human Resources Manager
training," says Mabe, who's had nearly 200 employees taking classes since October 2005 in subjects like math, measurement, blueprint reading and cabinet configuration, in addition to welding. "They studied

our blueprints and based all the classes and projects on our processes and what our employees actually do. It was especially helpful of the college to offer Saturday training for our weekend shift."
Pre-training assessment is another key component of the technical college's offerings. To help make sure Emerson employees got exactly the amount of training needed, West Georgia Tech conducted individual assessments before courses began, giving each employee an opportunity to exempt from classes as their skills and knowledge merited.
"We do assessments whenever practical before drawing up a training plan for a company," says Jones. "That way we'll know what to train to, what the employees need most."
Bankable Results
"This project has been a success because the employees saw that the company really cares about them,"

says Jones. "Not only was the company willing to absorb the cost of the training, but they also paid the employees while they were training, instead of making them do it on their own time."
"Our turnover rate during the first four months has been phenomenally low, around 10 percent," says Mabe. "That has a lot to do with this company's investment in training."
"It's more cost-effective for a company to outsource training than do it in-house, and more cost-effective to use us than another source," says Jones, also a former private training consultant. "I don't know why any organization located within 20 miles of a technical college campus has a training arm at all."

What is Customized Contract Training?

Business leaders today know that to remain competitive, they need to periodically train employees to keep their skills up-to-date if they are to adapt to the fast-paced marketplace. Customized contract training delivered through Georgia's technical colleges is the proven, effective solution.
The executive team at each of the state's technical colleges includes a vice president of economic development who oversees the contract training provided through his or her college. When a company requires specific training, the vice

president of economic development helps define the need, develop a program, and deliver the training that is customized for that particular client.
The key word is "customized." At Emerson Network Power, Linda Jones, vice president of economic development at West Georgia Technical College, led the team that assessed the employees' skills and then delivered the targeted training.
"The training was tailored to exactly what we do on the floor," says Eddie Mabe, Emerson's human resources

manager. "That made it more interesting to the employees and more valuable to their jobs."
The popularity of the program is clear. Last year, more than 1,700 companies invested in more than 6,000 customized training courses offered through Georgia's technical colleges.
From left: Emerson employee Bobby Arrington takes notes from instructor Rob Nicholson in a classroom located at Emerson's facility; Arrington and fellow welder Erick Vines work an exercise in class; Charles Heard, who recently completed a blueprint-reading course, assembles one of Emerson's telecommunications cabinets.

Quick Start News Fall 2006 15

DELIVERY SYSTEM
34 Technical Colleges With Multiple Campuses 4 University System Colleges With Technical Divisions

Michael F. Vollmer, Commissioner Georgia Department of Technical
and Adult Education www.georgiaquickstart.org

Quick Start Project Announcements
... Serving communities throughout Georgia

Blue Ridge: Blue Ridge Manufacturing is hiring 20 employees at a new facility for manufacturing truck bodies and components.

Dawsonville: Impulse Manufacturing, a precision contract metal fabrication house, is hiring 60 in an expansion.

Douglasville: The American Red Cross is consolidating several locations to a new Douglas County processing and distribution center, adding 50 jobs.
Lithia Springs: Office furniture company Steelcase is expanding its Lithia Springs operation by 100 jobs.

Trenton

Thomson: Augusta Coating and Manufacturing, provider of fabrication, assembly and coating for golf carts and other industries, is expanding, adding 30 jobs.

Tifton: Manufacturer of commercial and industrial refrigeration equipment Heatcraft Refrigeration Products is expanding, creating 70 jobs.

Blue Ridge

Trenton: Steel company JMS Metal Services is starting a new operation
employing 25 people.

Dawsonville

Mableton: Stone veneer producer Environmental Stoneworks is starting a new production operation, hiring 50.

Mableton Norcross

Macon: Cement fiber board siding manufacturer Nichiha USA Inc. is creating 100 jobs.

Lithia Springs Douglasville

Marietta: ProCore Solutions, a provider of outsourced call center services for companies in the utility and other industries, is expanding its customer support center by 100 jobs.

Thomson Sandersville

Milledgeville: Rath Refractories Inc. of Vienna, Austria, is creating 25 jobs in a new project to manufacture extreme temperature fire brick.

Macon

Nahunta: Hydraulic pump manufacturer Hydraulic.net is creating 20-40 jobs.
Norcross: Sci-Tech Manufacturing is starting a new operation for producing nutritional supplements and functional foods, creating 28 jobs.

Richland

Savannah

Richland: Apex Homes Inc. is creating 75 jobs at its modular-home manufacturing facility.

Nahunta

Sandersville: Industrial Environmental Products Inc., manufacturer of absorbency products, is creating 100 jobs.

Savannah: Retailer Target is creating 500 jobs at a new warehouse and distribution facility.

Georgia Quick Start Centergy One 75 Fifth Street NW Suite 400 Atlanta, GA 30308 16