Shelton power manufacturer Lex Products utilizes a rare yet simple solution to address the workforce shortage in Connecticut manufacturing: Hire people who fit into the company’s culture; train them for the job they were hired to do; and retain them with enough compensation, promotions and respect that they stay with the company.
“We haven’t had the hurdles that other companies have been experiencing,” Lex President Mike Scala said. “We don’t really worry about attrition.”
Manufacturers across Connecticut hold positions vacant for months or years searching for the right candidate to step immediately into productivity. They fear spending the time and money training a new hire and then losing that new asset to a higher-paying competitor.
This workforce development problem led to a handful of state and federal initiatives designed to help reshape the educational system around training a young manufacturing workforce.
Scala said the expectation of a new hire stepping immediately into a productive role is unrealistic. Manufacturing work is unique to each individual company, so any new employee — even those with an advanced set of skills — will need training on the company’s equipment and practices.
“Our biggest challenge is more of a culture fit for our employees,” Scala said. “We hire for attitude and train for skills.”
Lex manufactures portable power distribution products and control systems. The company wants to expand its product offerings, focusing on electric vehicle charging and cable assemblies. Its 2010 revenue was $50.9 million.
In 2011, Inc. magazine ranked Lex No. 2,346 in its top 5,000 fastest growing companies. It ranked third among all Connecticut manufacturers after East Hartford lighting manufacturer RSL Fiber Systems and Stamford wood chip provider Cogent Fibre.
The Lex employees are excited about the company’s growth, as they like to learn new skills and train their co-workers on equipment and processes, said Lex CEO Bob Luther.
“That has worked really well,” Luther said. “Our people are enthusiastic about upgrades to equipment.”
Five years ago, Lex employed 75. Today, the company employs 212.
“As our revenue grows and we develop into new markets, we will be hiring,” Scala said.
