Should Your Plant Managers Change Molds?

A plant manager recently approached me with an issue…
Problem
The plant was losing between $20,000 and $50,000 a month in mold damage during mold changes. It turns out, they had changed plant managers a few times in the past two years. As a result, no one really cared since accountability went out the window with each change and new managers came in with a clean slate.
Solution
I shared a couple of success stories from the past with him about upper management teaching critical job functions. Your employees are impressed when the plant manager, president, or owner is willing to roll up their sleeves and show someone how to do the job right. In such a role, these managers act as professional mentors to your employees.
Recommendation
In this case, I told the plant manager to learn the proper way to change a mold, and then teach, step-by-step, the most effective way to change a mold at their facility. Also have the employee change a mold side-by-side with the plant manager. Once this has been done, the plant manager can offer to repeat this instruction if any issues occur… but ultimately, the employee is now inherently responsible to the plant manager for doing the job right.
Remember, employees always look up to a mentor… and plant managers often make great mentors.
-Andy
  1. Plastics Guy left a comment on 2009/05/19 at 5:08 pm

    I did something similar with our material handlers. They could never clean out the driers correctly. -PG

  2. Daniel Stephens left a comment on 2009/05/19 at 5:11 pm

    You should make sure anyone doing this is being supportive.

  3. ToolFanatik left a comment on 2015/02/18 at 1:54 am

    To have this at my facility would be a dream come true. we are plagued with improper mold sets, improper LPD “cleaning”. the #1 reason why we cannot get things right is the lack of formal training. once upper management shows they care, by doing the job themselves and then showing us the proper way, I think all else will fall into place.

  4. Andy Routsis left a comment on 2015/02/18 at 12:42 pm

    Good Points,
    An in-house training plan is the foundation to making and sustaining change within an organization.
    -Andy

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