Clyde Sharpe
President of International Sales for Elasto Proxy
Did you participate in Manufacturing Day on Friday, October 4th? Don’t worry if you missed it. There’s still time to celebrate. What began as a day-long event to end misperceptions about manufacturing is now a month-long attempt to emphasize the importance of industry. Manufacturing Month
Three Myths about Manufacturing
Not everyone is in the mood for a holiday, however. According to critics, manufacturing pollutes the environment and burdens workers with low-skilled, repetitive jobs. In short, the naysayers claim that manufacturing is dirty, polluting, and boring! What critics miss, however, are firsthand accounts of how manufacturing supports green energy and rewards highly-skilled employees with meaningful work.
In honor of Manufacturing Month, Elasto Proxy is dispelling misperceptions about manufacturing by “opening its doors” with this blog entry. We’re not alone in this effort, of course, as scores of companies participated in the second annual Manufacturing Day earlier this month. By raising awareness and debunking three common myths, however, our Canadian company is proudly doing its part.
Myth 1: Manufacturing is Dirty
If you could take a tour of Elasto Proxy’s production facility in Boisbriand, Quebec, you’d see that custom fabrication doesn’t have to be a dirty business. As Andrew Yang, our sales representative from China, wrote when he visited, “Although I’d expected to find a rubber shop with plenty of dust, there weren’t even any dark spots on the floor. I could have eaten the beans that I dropped there.”
The way that manufacturers maintain their shops isn’t just a matter of cleanliness. Companies that are committed to quality understand that attention to detail extends to all aspects of the operation. That’s why so many manufacturers seek ISO 90001:2008 certification, a goal Elasto Proxy achieved in 1991, and remain committed to continuous improvement.
Myth 2: Manufacturing is Polluting
Manufacturing’s critics paint a picture of sooty, gritty smokestack industries that spread pollution by land, water, and air. Although many manufacturers still burn fossil fuels, some companies are exploring alternative sources of energy. Stricter pollution controls and a strong commitment to local communities also disprove the “manufacturing is polluting” myth.
Green power projects require manufactured components, and some production processes reuse natural resources. As a customer fabricator of sealing solutions for windmills, wind turbines, photovoltaic (PV) panels, and hydroelectric turbines, Elasto Proxy supports green power projects. Moreover, our water jet cutting equipment reuses water resources while making rapid, cost-effective cuts.
Myth 3: Manufacturing is Boring
When critics describe manufacturing, they complain that the work is low-skilled and repetitive. In short, they say manufacturing is boring! At Elasto Proxy, however, highly-skilled workers hand-craft seals for a wide variety of industries. Some artists work with paint, pottery, or stone. Ours work with rubber and plastic to provide our partners with the benefits of the art of sealing.
October is Manufacturing Month in Canada, at least here at Elasto Proxy. What are you doing to dispel myths about manufacturing? Will you help us to raise awareness about how manufacturing strengthens supply chains, communities, economies, and individuals? I hope you’ll comment on this blog entry, or connect with me on LinkedIn.
