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MMPA NEWSLETTER - June/July 2003
Read our previous issues:
Association Health Plan Bill
As many of you know, MMPA lost our group health plan due to rising costs and several other reasons. Because of the inability of associations to maintain group health plans, MMPA is supporting the following federal association health plan bill. The following is from the National Tooling and Machining Association. They offered to write this article to help inform MMPA members about the work that NTMA is doing in Washington.
Greetings to the Maine Metal Products Association. There is a large and complicated problem facing this industry. It involves foreign competition, Fortune 500 companies that are answering to Wall Street, government officials that don't understand what is happening in the real world, the high costs of doing business in the U.S. as well as many others. The NTMA has helped introduce several pieces of legislation that will help lower the costs of doing business, slow or stop manufacturing from going offshore, eliminate some business taxes and create long-term solutions for this industry.
As of the time of this writing, the Senate is debating an Association Health Plan Bill that will allow associations to offer health insurance to pools of companies in different states. This will force health insurance providers to come to those trade groups and offer lower costs. This type of plan has been tried in different states but failed because the health insurance companies could just pull out of the state leaving no competition, driving up costs until the state program failed. With a federal program these same companies won't be able to run to other states.
How do we get Congress to pass this and other legislation important to this industry? We bombard them with letters. As this bill gets ready to come up for a vote, this industry needs to pull together and let Congress know how it feels. The NTMA has set up a program to allow any company to easily inform their elected officials about what is needed. Any company can go to www.ntma.org and follow the instructions where it says to fill in a zip code. One then clicks on the box and the mailing addresses and e-mail addresses of the individual's House Representative, two Senators and President Bush's will come up. There will be approximately six different letter subjects to choose from. You can then send e-mail or have a letter to print, sign and then mail. We're asking everyone to make copies of the letter, ask their employees and vendors to also sign and mail copies of the letters. As the time draws near for the actual vote, we will also send letters by e-mail to companies to sign and mail immediately. We want the elected officials to be buried with letters as they get ready to vote. If we can sway a few votes, we can get these measures passed. President Bush has already agreed to sign them.
In addition to the AHP bill there is a bill designed to give tax incentives to keep work in this country, stop defense contractors from sourcing work offshore as well as others. We will be using the letter program to get them passed as well. Please be watching your e-mails for letters and don't let them wait to be signed and mailed. If this industry doesn't stand up now and speak to educate Congress, we may never have this chance again. For more information on this, please contact the NTMA or me at jgrosmann@aol.com
JIM GROSMANN-NTMA REGIONAL DIRECTOR
More Information about Association Health Plans
SENATOR TALENT VOICES STRONG SUPPORT FOR AHPS AT ASAE TOWN HALL
Senator Jim Talent (R-MO) spoke to over 60 attendees at an Association Health Plan (AHP) Legislative Update and Implementation Workshop recently at American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). Sen. Talent reiterated his support for this bill (H.R. 660 and S. 545) and his work in the Senate to move the legislation that would allow for federally regulated AHPs.
Alan Gilbert, Special Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, also addressed attendees on the Administration's work on AHPs. Industry experts then provided sessions on the implementation side of AHPs, including legal, administration, marketing and actuarial aspects.
The House Employer-Employee Relations Subcommittee recently approved H.R. 660 that would allow for AHPs, and full-committee mark-up of the bill in the Committee on Education and the Workforce is expected at any time. Currently there are 133 cosponsors in the House and legislation has also been introduced in the Senate (S.545).
Notes from MMPA
Currently, small businesses and the self-employed do not have the advantage of spreading their health insurance costs over large numbers of people, as do health plans sponsored by large corporations. Corporate and union plans have economies of scale, substantial bargaining clout, administrative savings from regulatory uniformity, and greater health plan design flexibility. Small businesses do not have access to these advantages.
AHPs will rectify this inequity by allowing small businesses and the self-employed to participate in health plans sponsored by bona fide trade and professional associations under rules similar to those for corporations and unions. This will provide workers with the benefits of economies of scale, more bargaining power with large insurance companies, and savings from other operating efficiencies. The bill also contains strong new solvency standards and other consumer protections that will ensure that their benefits are secure.
It is time to level the playing field in health care benefits between America's Main Street small businesses and large corporations by enacting the Small Business Health Fairness Act.
MMPA is supporting HR 660 and S. 545 and watching it closely. The Senate will be voting on this shortly. We encourage you to contact your government representatives today and tell them how you feel about Association Health Plans. You can go to www.ntma.org and enter your zip code to find your reps and you can send them an email right through this website.
Letter from the President
What a year this is! MMPA has completed our series of monthly member tours and will resume in September. Thank you to all the members who hosted the tours and especially to those that attended!
Although summer is upon us, MMPA will not have much time for summer fun! We will assist the ASQ with their 3rd Annual Golf tournament on June 17, host the MMPA Annual Golf tournament on August 8 and begin planning for the MMPA Annual Meeting on October 4th, 2003!
In addition, MMPA is working with Maine MEP on the Manufacturing Supply Chain Consortium, to begin the data collection and information sessions for members. This all takes time, but we are working as quickly as possible to implement this initiative. Call our office if you have any questions or comments.
In early May, the MMPA Board of Directors, staff and several state organizations met at the beautiful Bethel Inn for our BOD Retreat. Wayne Mitchell, President of ProdCom, facilitated this event, and did a fantastic job! The board discussed all aspects of the association and with the help of our partners, developed a strategic plan to guide the association, staff and members to stay vibrant and grow to be the "Best Association in Maine"!
We will post the strategic plan on the MMPA web site! If you haven't signed up for the MMPA Golf Tournament, do so now! You all know how fast we fill up and you don't want to miss this one!
Thank you for continuing to support MMPA! The staff works very hard on your behalf. Let us know what we can do for your business!
Bob King, VP & Co-Owner, Steele & Marshall, Inc.
MMPA Board President
MMPA Member Company Profile
Silvex Surface Technology
Member Since 1968
(WOW! Silvex is the oldest current member of MMPA !)
Silvex Surface Technology
Member Since 1968
(WOW! Silvex is the oldest current member of MMPA !)
At Silvex they develop innovative, consistent, and affordable surface technology.
Originating from a garage in rural Maine back in 1958, Silvex has grown to now reside in a specifically designed 40,000 square foot building that is considered to be one of the premier silver plating facilities in the country.
The C.E.O. and owner of Silvex is Richard Atkinson. He has committed his forty plus year career in building this company on a firm foundation of family values, integrity, tradition, and maintaining the strongest customer satisfaction possible. The next generation, which consists of Daniel Atkinson, son, and Phil Ridley, son-in-law, maintains those same standards of excellence. Much of our success can be attributed to our experienced and dedicated personnel, who also know the value of good quality and customer service. Many of our employees have been with Silvex for over 10 years.
Today's technology offers the answer to virtually any plating problem. The Silvex advantage is our experience at developing practical and affordable plating processes. Our team has devised techniques to silver-plate on ceramic, copper plate the I.D. of a 60 foot tube and platinum plate on niobium, to name just a few. These and other success stories allow us to make you this promise: Give them the opportunity, and they'll design a custom plating process that's practical for your application.
Metals Plated on... ♦ Aluminum ♦ Molybdenum ♦ Beryllium ♦ Nickel ♦ Brass ♦ Powdered Metals ♦ Castings ♦ Stainless Steel ♦ Copper ♦ Steel ♦ Invar ♦ Titanium ♦ Magnesium
Process Control and Testing ♦ ISO 9002 certified ♦ Computer controlled chemical analysis ♦ Baking for Stress Relief ♦ Baking for Hardness ♦ Testing for Solderability ♦ X-Ray Testing for Thickness (ASTMB-568) ♦ Beta-Ray Testing for Thickness (ASTM-567) ♦ Eddy Current Testing for Thickness (ASTM-244) ♦ Salt Spray Testing (ASTM-117) ♦ Coat Weight (ASTM-137) ♦ Coating Weight Analysis (ASTM-571) ♦ Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy ♦ Statistical Process Control
Other Services ♦ Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) ♦ On Line Inquiry ♦ UPS/FedEx Automated Tracking System ♦ Bar Code Capabilities ♦ Drop Ship Options ♦ 24 Hour Service
For more info contact:
Silvex Surface Technology
45 Thomas Drive
Westbrook, ME 04092
phone: 207-761-0392
fax: 207-761-1651
e-mail: danatkinson@silvexinc.com
website: www.silvex.thomasregister.com
MMPA Resource Page
Job Seeker's Corner Church's Welding Arundel Machine MRM Machine Company Scott Staffing For job details, contact information, and most up-to-date selection, see our job posting board at www.maine-metals.org/jobpost.html TO EMPLOYERS: Post jobs on-line at MMPA to fill any open positions within your company !! Welcome Corner MMPA would like to welcome the following new member to the association: NortEast Industrial 40 Winada Drive Winthrop, ME 04364 phone: 207-377-2522 fax: 207-377-6776 e-mail: bengelhardt@northeastindustrial.com contact: Bob Engelhardt |
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| Market Development Center - Assists Maine small businesses obtain
government contracts with the Department of Defense, other Federal
Agencies, state/local governments and prime contractors. For more info contact Rachel Lynch Market Development Center at Eastern Maine Development Corporation One Cumberland Place, Suite 300 PO Box 2579 Bangor, ME 04401 voice: (207)942-6389 or (800)339-6389 fax: (207)942-3548 e-mail: rlynch@emdc.org website: www.mdcme.org |
MMPA Strategic Board Retreat
On May 1st & 2nd the MMPA board members gathered at the Bethel Inn for an opportunity to take an in-depth look at the association, where we have been and where we are going! The retreat was very well attended.
On the first day, facilitator, Wayne Mitchell - ProdComm, Inc., took the board through the process of understanding the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT Analysis) of MMPA. During this time, Wayne expressed how strong the MMPA board is, how they are fully committed to their roles on the board (which made his job very easy!) and also they are very dedicated to making MMPA "the best association in Maine"!
Joining us on Friday were partners of MMPA including: Maine Technology Institute, Maine MEP, Small Business Development Center, CMTC, Mid-Maine Technology Center, River Valley Technology Center, Maine's Applied Technology Center, Maine Dept. of Labor and USM/Center for Workplace Learning. With the assistance of Jim Damicis, the partners and board reviewed the previous days' strategic plan outline and offered up support and opportunities to work closely with MMPA to fulfill our action plans.
The show of partners was especially satisfying and it was even more pleasing to see all the assistance our partners have to offer MMPA and our members. The strategic plan will be posted on the website as the board moves ahead with approving the draft plan! Our sincere thanks to Wayne Mitchell, Jim Damicis, the MMPA board, staff and partners for attending and supporting MMPA!
CBER Conducts HRM Study
with
Maine Metal Products Association
with
Maine Metal Products Association
Professors Frederic Aiello, Bruce Andrews, and Richard Grover
CBER Research Assistants Gokhan Cakmakci and Joseph Herszkopf
CBER Research Assistants Gokhan Cakmakci and Joseph Herszkopf
In partnership with the Maine Metal Products Association (MMPA), the Center for Business and Economic Research recently completed a study assessing how well supervisors in small companies understand what their employees want. Two hundred and seventy one (271) first-line employees working in six MMPA companies (ranging in size from 21 to 125 employees) ranked the importance of ten workplace characteristics:
∼ Personal loyalty to employees
∼ Full appreciation of work done
∼ Interesting work
∼ Promotion and growth in the organization
∼ Good wages/benefits
∼ Tactful discipline/constructive criticism
∼ Feeling of being in on things
∼ Job security
∼ Sympathetic help with work problems
∼ Good working conditions
Then, independently, the 35 supervisors of these employees were asked how they believed their employees would rank the same ten items, and the two sets of rankings were compared.
Similar studies, which were previously conducted only in large organizations, found that while supervisors assume that they know what their people want, they are inaccurate in their predictions of how their employees actually rank these workplace characteristics. One of the issues that this study sought to examine was whether or not this discrepancy would be as prevalent in smaller firms.
CBER's findings indicated that supervisors in these MMPA companies are far more accurate in assessing how their employees prioritize their values of workplace characteristics than supervisors in large organizations. When the average of all supervisors' predictions were correlated with the average rankings of all non-supervisory employees, the correlation coefficient rose from 0.05 for the large companies examined in a previous study to 0.85 for the smaller MMPA companies studied by CBER. These correlations calibrate the relationship between supervisors' predictions as a whole and non-supervisory employees as a whole, without regard to actual reporting relationships.
When individual supervisor predictions were compared to the average rankings of employees who directly reported to them, their accuracy dropped from 0.85 down to an average correlation of 0.56. Thus, this analysis revealed that supervisors' understanding of what their own employees want is far less than when aggregated across all employees. When supervisors' predictions were compared to the individual rankings assigned by their employees, the measured level of understanding fell further to an average correlation of 0.34.
This suggests that management and supervisors should not assume that they know how their employees value various elements of their workplace. Wrong assumptions about employee needs may lead to missed opportunities to design work environments and human resources practices that satisfy employees' needs well. Companies that understand and respond to employee needs are more likely to be successful in attracting, motivating, and retaining valued employees.
Employees at these MMPA firms also reported their levels of satisfaction with each of the ten workplace characteristics. When related to employee rankings, this information enabled management and supervisors to determine how well their companies were meeting the needs of employees in the areas they deemed most important. This provided a basis for confirmation of practices that work well and identification of practices in need of improvement.
Managers of the six companies that participated in this study received a 22-page report presenting the summarized findings for their companies. This individual company report was reviewed with top management by one of the study investigators. At the conclusion of the study, a summary of the combined results for all six participating companies was shared with management to provide a basis for comparison.
The CBER research team for this project presented preliminary findings of this study at the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship National Conference in January 2003 and is currently preparing three manuscripts for publication in academic journals. Paralleling the presentation, the first article compares the small company findings to those of larger firms. The second one is focused on trying to explain why some supervisors are more adept at estimating what it is that is most important to their employees. The third paper will examine the relationship between non-supervisory employees' job satisfaction and the ability of their supervisors to predict what their reports really want most.
JMG Career Expo
On April 30, MMPA participated in the 2003 Career Development Conference (CDC) Career Expo in Augusta Civic Center. Over six hundred high school seniors from 32 statewide schools took part in JMG's (Jobs for Maine's Graduates) daylong educational forum of challenges and celebrations. This was the third year the CDC had featured a Career Expo to help students explore opportunities in the world-of-work and lifelong learning.
JMG is an independent, private- nonprofit corporation established by the Maine Legislature in 1993. The company has the exciting mission of cultivating the potential of and opening new doors and opportunities for Maine's young people in grades 6 through 12. JMG currently operates 50 program sites in 44 Maine school systems, serving over 2,400 students from 148 communities.
Attending the CDC Career Expo, MMPA worked on providing the opportunity for the students to explore the many options available to them in the metal industry. We also introduced them our Scholarship program which many of attendees were very interested in.
We would like to thank Carol Verville, JMG Development Manager and Pete Thibodeau, JMG President for this great event, for visiting our display table and meeting with our staff. We are looking forward to participating in JMG events again.
Technology Foundations at Lewiston Adult Education
Ann Fowler
Community Services Coordinator
Lewiston Adult Education
Ann Fowler
Community Services Coordinator
Lewiston Adult Education
On May 8, eight students were awarded certificates of completion for their participation in a 350-hour Technology Foundations program. This 13-week program is part of the USM "Metalworks" Project and made possible through a partnership of Lewiston Adult Education, USM's Center For Workplace Learning, the Training Resources Center, Lewiston CareerCenter, Portland Adult Education, and MMPA.
The goal of Technology Foundations is to help dislocated workers update their existing skills as well as acquire new ones. The program provides students with competencies needed by MMPA member companies and to assist with job search strategies. Skill areas covered in the program include keyboarding and technical computer applications, graphing and charting, quality control, blueprints and technical documents. Interwoven with these classes are communication skill classes and mathematics that is relevant to a manufacturing environment. Students visit local MMPA member companies and often job shadow at some of these sites.
MMPA members can assist by offering tours for students during the 13-week program. Lewiston Adult Education will offer the Technology Foundations program again this fall. For information, call Loretta Fox-Ferraro, MetalWorks Project Team Leader, at 925-1432.
MMPA would like to thank all the
companies that hosted a MMPA
Monthly Tour during the last year:
companies that hosted a MMPA
Monthly Tour during the last year:
ATS / TSI, CAM Manufacturing, Cianbro, Daryl D. Gushee, Inc., Howard Tool Company, McCann Fabrication, MEGA Industries, Northern Maine Technical College, Smith & Wesson, Southern Maine Industries, Stainless Food Services Mfg, Target Technology Center, The Baker Co., WahlcoMetroflex
We would also like to thank the
companies and organizations that
attended MMPA Monthly Tours during
this same time period:
companies and organizations that
attended MMPA Monthly Tours during
this same time period:
ACAP/CareerCenter, Advantage Gases & Tools, American Steel, Artel, Inc, Arundel Machine Tool, Burroughs Machine Tool, Butler Bros., CAM Manufacturing, Caribou Chamber of Commerce, CMTC, CNC Systems, Creative Mold, D&G Machine, Daryl D. Gushee, Inc., Denman & Davis, E. Perry Iron & Metal Co., E2Center, EMTC, Fisher Engineering, FoxTech Design, Grover Gundrilling, Howard Tool Company, Howie's Welding, I. Zaitlan & Sons, Integris Metals, K.L. Jack Co., LaBrecque Construction, Lane's Systems & Supply, Leaders LLC, Lebel Sheet Metal, MacDonald Page Schatz & Fletcher, Maine International Trade Center, Maine MEP, Maine Oxy-Acetylene, McAllister Machine, McCann Fabrication, ME Patent Program, MEGA Industries, MEMIC, Millinocket Foundry, Mountain Machine Works, MWPA, Nelson & Small, Newberry Enterprises, O'Brien Consolidated, OEST Association, Pratt & Whitney, Precision Screw, Presque Isle Chamber of Commerce, Rodgers-Aerotech, Ryerson Tull, Sanford / Springvale Chamber of Commerce, Saunders Manufacturing Co, Southern Maine Industries, Steel & Marshall, The Baker Co., Training Resource Center, USM Metalworks, WahlcoMetroflex, Woodlander Associates, Inc., Yarde Metals, Inc.
Many thanks to everyone for making this year's tour schedule successful,
fun and informative. We hope that
we have enchanced your networking opportunities through these events.
Our fall schedule is being planned now.
If you would like to host a monthly meeting at your facility, please let us know. MMPA will work closely with you
on the details of putting
a tour together.
LOOKING FOR A WAY TO REACH NEARLY
2,000 BUYERS OF INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS
AND SERVICES?
2,000 BUYERS OF INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS
AND SERVICES?
The Maine Industrial Show is your best bet!
September 24 & 25, 2003 at the
Bangor Auditorium
September 24 & 25, 2003 at the
Bangor Auditorium
The Maine Industrial Show, held every-other-year, is coming to the Bangor Auditorium on September 24 & 25, 2003. This two-day event has proven over the years to be the place to be if you are looking for new industrial products and services from the best distributors in the area. Look for show specials, meet factory representatives and see live hands-on demonstrations.
Space is filling up fast - For more information check out their website: www.cornerstoneexpos.com/MEShow/Index.htm
Russ Ryan, show manager
617-489-2302
rryan@cornerstoneexpos.com
CENTRAL MAINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
(CMCC)
POISED TO GAIN NIMS CERTIFICATION
(CMCC)
POISED TO GAIN NIMS CERTIFICATION
CMCC expects to receive its NIMS (National Institute for Metalworking Skills, Inc.) accreditation in June, according to Lloyd Pulsifer, chairperson and instructor in the CMCC Machine Tool Technology program. As of April, 129 educational sites across the US have received NIMS accreditation. Mid-Maine Technical College in Waterville became the first high school educational institution in Maine to receive NIMS accreditation. CMCC will be the first technical college/community college to receive NIMS accreditation in Maine.
NIMS states that its accreditation process initially involves completing a self-study form focusing on NIMS desired program requirements. Next, institutions "…must successfully complete an on-site evaluation of the program, facilities, instructors, and administration. NIMS sets standards for program content, equipment, tooling, and measuring devices inventory, instructor qualifications, and participation by advisory bodies."
For additional information regarding NIMS, please read the MetalWorks insert to this newsletter and visit the NIMS website www.nims-skill.org
Maine Metal Products
Association
Copyright © 2003 - 2004 MMPA, Inc.
All related marks, content, material and logos are trademarks of MMPA, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Copyright © 2003 - 2004 MMPA, Inc.
All related marks, content, material and logos are trademarks of MMPA, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.