which is under consideration, it’s not likely he’d find comparable talent with 15 years of experience doing just that. Losing a veteran employee means loss in production as well as their valuable knowledge. Replacing them or adding someone new has a cost—not just in new wages but training, as well. “Word starts to get around locally,” Schaldonat said. “Pay rates are up. No layoffs. Benefits are better. Word gets around.” In the same vein of valuing employees, Schaldonat immediately placed a higher focus on safety in the foundry, first targeting proper PPE and usage, hazard recognition, and near-miss reporting. “My mission statement is to safely produce quality castings as efficiently as possible,” he said. “Best-in-class safety is the only option. Our philosophy on safety is that each of our employees must feel safe at work and that all of return home in as good or better condi-tion than how they arrived at work. It must come from the top and you have to continually drive its importance.” Schaldonat said one of his proud-est achievements is Aluminum Alloys’ hazard reporting. For example, an employee told him recently that before, there were certain actions or practices he was doing that he just accepted as fine, but now the employee is beginning to identify and report what is a poten-tial hazard and that the practice should be changed if it is hazardous.” The capital investments at Alumi-num Alloys are also addressing some safety and ergonomic issues. As an example, over $90,000 was spent this year in hoist inspections, repairs, and replacement. Top Left: An Aluminum Alloys operator skillfully runs one of the two semiautomatic roto-lift lines. In September 2022, the foundry made upgrades to its green sand delivery and removal system. Middle Left: Aluminum Alloys operates four nobake and two shell core lines in-house. Bottom Left: Post-casting services at Aluminum Alloys include grinding, machining, heat treat, anodizing, painting, and nondestructive testing. 24 | MODERN CASTING January 2023
Modern Casting January 2023: Page 24
