Share your voice

Coming together and using one loud voice instead of a multitude of smaller voices enables manufacturers to get their views across to government.

Running a manufacturing business is hard work. Even herculean sometimes, it seems.

Pressure from customers, suppliers, regulators, and staff is constant, and that usually is just the beginning. Rising costs for materials, labour, and electricity; ever-tightening margins; and a lack of skilled workers round out the trouble.

Sometimes it feels like running in quicksand.

The good news is that, as a shop owner or manager, you’re not alone. Literally thousands of other Canadian shops experience the same or similar problems.

This shared experience can be helpful when dealing with the myriad problems of the industry. Networking events designed to share problem-solving ideas are an easy-to-use resource that not enough shops take advantage of. If you have a particular hang-up, chances are one of your peers already has had the same issue. Now it’s just a matter of finding that other shop.

Associations Matter

Joining a local or national association can make sharing problems and solutions easier. And you have many options.

"Networking among shops definitely is something we encourage at all of our events throughout the year," said Robert Cattle, executive director of the Canadian Tooling & Machining Association (CTMA), Cambridge, Ont.Cattle explained that the CTMA uses its annual general meeting, annual golf event, and its many plant tours to get shop owners talking among themselves.

With a membership base of around 160 companies, the CTMA has a thorough understanding of the problems the manufacturing sector faces. This is because each member of its board of directors is on the management team of a manufacturing company.

The CTMA is a not-for-profit organization that was established in 1963. Its membership produces numerous products, including tools, dies, moulds, jigs, fixtures, gauges, machinery, automation equipment, models, patterns, and cutting tools.

Its member companies employ more than 11,000 people and generate more than $2.1 billion in annual gross sales.

With a mission to represent, support, and promote the interests of the Canadian tooling and precision metalworking industries, CTMA lobbies governments on behalf of manufacturing businesses and has created several apprenticeship programs over the years to help subsidize the cost of adding apprentices for its member companies.

"I don’t know why more manufacturing companies aren’t jumping at the chance to become members," said CTMA President Robert Flack of Hibar Systems, Richmond Hill, Ont. "I know for us at Hibar, it was a no-brainer, and it was about more than getting access to funding for our apprenticeship program. We take advantage of the networking events and tours as a way to get better at our business."

Cattle agreed that membership in the CTMA is about more than just funding.

"The most important thing we can do for the industry is be its collective voice that can go to government and talk to them about concerns that our members have that are specific to our industry," said Cattle. "At the same time, we are there to push for future training programs because, for the most part, these have been disappearing."

Other key membership benefits include the association’s online sourcing network, where members can outsource and procure work, and an annual wage and business survey.

"Some companies join just to get that information," said Cattle.One of the most tangible and immediate benefits of membership, however, are programs like the new Career Ready with CTMA.

"The ‘Career Ready with CTMA’ program, which launches July 15, works with post-secondary students, graduates, and new apprentices to help find them career opportunities within our member companies. Participants are assessed and screened for both attitude and aptitude, as well as given a psychological evaluation to determine their employability," said Cattle.

"This is a great way to find out about the employability of the person," said Flack. "The hard work, finding and screening the potential worker, has already been done by the CTMA, so it’s much more likely that they will work out as an employee. We’ve had more than an 80 per cent success rate with people who’ve gone through this screening process.

"When we do hire someone through this program, we receive $3,000 in funding. That creates an incentive for me to put time into their training. The worker is pre-screened and I’m getting a financial incentive. That’s a win-win situation."

Gain Government Support

The current culture of program cuts is prevalent at every level of government. One solitary business, unless its name is Ford, General Motors, or another established multinational corporation, cannot make a difference. However, the voices of hundreds of shops, and the thousands they employ, can.

"Every politician we talk to, we talk about training and the importance of supporting education, and the need for skilled trades," said Cattle. "They all say the same thing: They hear that everywhere. But for us, it’s about suggesting options and promoting the ideas of our membership on how these problems can be solved."

That’s why it’s important to come together and use one loud voice instead of a multitude of smaller voices.

"If you are frustrated about issues in the industry, become part of an association so you can contribute your voice and be part of a group that’s pushing for change," said Flack. "Come and join us for a year. See what difference it makes and give us your thoughts to guide this association into what it is currently, and what it’s going to be in the future."

Editor Joe Thompson can be reached at jthompson@canadianmetalworking.com.