Unison

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Down to a science

by: Michael McGuire

If a company has safety down to a science, chances are it has efficiency down pat, too.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Unison Industries in Norwich is one of the safest companies in the entire country. In fact, of 7 million eligible work sites in the United States, Unison was one of only 1,869 that earned a distinguished “Voluntary Protections Programs Star” designation from OSHA.

“Approval into VPP is OSHA’s official recognition of the outstanding efforts of employers and employees who have achieved exemplary occupational safety and health,” reads a statement on OSHA’s website.

Unison Norwich, a division of Unison Industries of Jacksonville, Fla., an aerospace company that produces parts for General Electric, earned the distinction as a “Star” company after voluntarily undergoing a safety audit conducted by OSHA last year.

“It’s a big deal,” said Gary Cummings, director of operations at Unison Norwich, referring to VPP Star designation. “It’s a validation of the safe environment our people work so hard to create.

“Not only are they safer because of it – which has resulted in reduced injuries and less people getting hurt – they are also more efficient,” Cummings added. “When you work safe, you work efficient. The two go hand-in-hand.”

More than safety awards, those efficiencies have also earned the Norwich division a larger share of Unison’s overall production orders. Specifically, it has taken over nearly all of the entire corporation’s speed and temperature sensor production and is now Unison’s “center for excellence” in that area.

“That growth could have been anywhere,” said Product Line Manager Mike Weaver, referring to any number of Unison’s other divisions located in and outside the United States. “It’s happening right here.”

As of February, Norwich also became production home to the CFM-56 alternator, which is used on GE engines in Boeing 737s and Airbus 320s.

“The CMF-56 is now in full production,” said Cummings. “And it’s here doing what we thought it would do.”

What has it done? Along with the addition of the new sensor lines, the CMF-56 has produced record earnings for the Norwich plant, with third and fourth quarters that were the highest in its history. According to Weaver and Cummings, the near future looks even brighter.

“Right now, were 25 percent higher (in terms of firm product orders) than we were this time last year,” said Cummings. “This is definitely going to be a growth year for us.”

The company added 17 new jobs in the latter part of 2007, and expects to add more as production demands rise. The company currently employs 302.

“We’re mirroring the rest of Unison as a whole; not too far ahead, not too far behind,” said Weaver. “The bottom line: We’re growing our employment in a global market.”

Thirty percent of Unison Norwich’s products are sold internationally to company’s like Airbus and Honda. The rest of their business lies in domestic aerospace – small and large planes – as well defense contracts.

“We do a wide range of business,” said Cummings, “with pretty broad coverage in aerospace.”

On the surface, the increase in business could be attributed to an upswing in the aerospace market. However, Weaver and Cummings say the driving force behind Norwich’s success in landing new business is directly related to a strong and talented team of employees.

“Yes, the market is in good shape,” Weaver said. “But we’ve gone out and captured growth, too – by being aggressive and performing.”

“Our advantages come from the workforce we have,” said Cummings. “We have a highly skilled, flexible workforce that steps up to the challenge. That’s what really makes the difference here.”

Weaver also said that challenges in the aerospace industry – such as high fuel costs – have forced airplane manufacturers and related businesses to become more efficient, having an ultimately positive effect on the market.

Both said employees help Unison Norwich overcome high costs of doing business in New York state, such as taxes, worker’s compensation and energy costs. Cummings said the company again plans to make efforts this year to reach out to state legislators and make their concerns known, specifically on re-upping vital energy programs that are set to expire this year that help Unison Norwich compete nationwide and globally.

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