A COMMITTED CULTURE - Gala Industries

GALA INDUSTRIES INC.www.gala-industries.com/HQ:EagleRock.Va./ Revenues: $50 million / Employees: 266/ Specialty: Pelletizing systems and centrifugaldryers for the plastics industry / David Bryan, president and CEO: "We bring the highest total years of experience to the table for the customer."A COMMITTEDCULTURECUSTOMER SUPPORT IS SECOND NATURE FOR PLASTICS INDUSTRYMACHINE MANUFACTURERGALA INDUSTRIES INC. BY JIM HARRISThe key to Gala Industries Inc.'ssuccess involves more than just manufacturinghigh quality machines."Equipment similar to ours is madein other countries by different competitors,but where we are set apart isour technology and our ability toservice the customer afterward, travelingtotheir site and personally helpingthem with their issue," VicePresident Mike Dudding says.The company's engineering staffalso draws upon its experience tooffer customers more than after-marketservice. ''We can bring customersinto our lab and show them how ourmachines can be used to process theirproducts, and customers can talkdirectly to our manufacturing staffabout the parts they're making for[customers]," President and CEODavid Bryan adds. "We bring thehighest total of years of experience 'tothe table for the customer."Customers are provided operatortraining and technology updates, aswell as za-hour technical support."I'm proud of the commitment of ourpeople unselfishly giving of their timeto get products out to the customer,"Marketing Manager John Robertssays. "That's in our culture and howwe were raised. The commitment wehave to the customer is like breathingto us. It's just natural."This emphasis on service hashelped the company keep the majorityof its manufacturing operations inEagle Rock, Va. This is important,especially at a time when many companiesare looking overseas for theirproduction needs, the company says.Gala Industries Inc. is the leadingmanufacturer of underwater pelletiz-74 manufacturing-today.com FALL 2011

GALA INDUSTRIESINC.ing systems and centrifugal dryersworldwide. Pelletizers and dryers aretypically sold within an underwaterpelletizing system but are also providedas replacement components orcomponents to be added into othermanufacturers' pelletizing line. Gala'slarge centrifugal dryers are commonlyused by major resin producers inhigh-volume virgin resin production.Machines manufactured by the companyare used in the plastic industryfor applications including bulk resinand polymer production, as well ascompounding and recycling. Plasticsproduced by Gala's underwater pelletizingsystems are used in productsincluding wiring, food containers,adhesives, medical tubing, automobileinterior components, drink bottlesand Styrofoam cups, to name afew examples.MEETING SPECIFICATIONSThe manufacturing process beginsimmediately after the sale of a projectwith the creation of a job folder thatinitially goes to Gala's engineeringdepartment. Each project is launchedat a meeting of sales, design and productionpersonnel where all aspectsof the project are discussed and allphases of the project are scheduled toensure a timely ship date.The engineering department completesthe final designs based on customerspecifications and needs, includingproduction volume, electricaloperation requirements, specialmaterials of construction or commercialcomponents, etc. Each project isassigned to a production coordinatorwho maintains communication withthe customer throughout the productionprocess."We have standard product lines,but also customize our products,"Dudding says. "Some of our machinesgo out as designed, but there's also amix and match based on experienceand engineering requirements to runa particular customer's polymer."Once customizations are takeninto account, actual manufacturingbegins. Fabrication includes lasercutting, rolling, sawing and bending;machining and kitting of parts anddrawings for each assembly. Once thekitting process is complete, the projectis moved on to welding to be fittogether by Gala's skilled team of migand tig welders. After welding, allstainless steel items are finished witha glass bead blasting process, then aremoved to mechanical assembly. Next,electrical assembly will wire the componentsto meet the customer's volt- »Hendrick Screen CompanyCutting Edge Metal Solutionswww.hendrickscreenco.comsales@hendrickscreenco.comphone: 270-685-5138CONTROL SYSTEM DESIGNUL 508A SHOPCONTROL PANEL ASSEMBLYPLC PROGRAMMINGHMI PROGRAMMINGMONITORING SYSTEMS69 McADENVILLE ROAD PH 704-829-1015BELMONT, NC 28012 FAX 704-829-1055WWW.sOLVERE.NETINFO@SOLVERE.NETFALL 2011 manufacturing-today.com 75

VENDORVFOCUSManufacturers around the world turn toSiemens Industry Inc. to meet their factoryautomation needs. The company is theleader in producing automation productsincluding industrial programmablecontrollers, human machine interfacesystems (HMls) and distributed 110systems.Siemens' factory automation business unitis proud to provide Gala Industries with manyofthe machines that run its production lines."The controls we provide to Gala automatetheir equipment and solve the problem ofhaving to manually operate their equipment;'OEMProgramManagerfor FactoryAutomationPaul Ruland says."We reduce their cost ofdoing business:'Siemens'SIMATIC industrial product lineincludes a range of programmablecontrollers, graphic panels, panel PCsandsupervisory control and data acquisition(SCADA)software.SIMATICprogrammable controllers provideflexibility to manufacturing customers, asthey can be integrated into any productionand automation system and can be easilyconfigured to work acrossdifferent machinesand handle different production lines. Thecontrollers share core intelligence with morethan 100,000 Siemens automation products."We make the base design of the automationproducts very flexible and modular acrossmany kinds of equipment;' Ruland adds.Controllers are also available in embeddedand PC-based formats and also featurebuilt-in diagnostics, multiple-languagecapabilities, high speed response and longlifecycle capability.Siemens controllers are engineered withuser ease in mind, offering customers anumber of advantages including a lowertotal cost of ownership, a reduced softwareengineering time through the reuse of codeand creation of custom libraries for shortersystem start-up times.Siemens Industry offers customers 24/7support and has stocking and distributionlocations around the world ready to meetcustomers' needs. The company's globalreach gives it the capability to meet anumber of international electricalstandards, Ruland says.The company also offers partnershipoptions to OEMs and can work withengineering and research anddevelopment departments on automationsystem implementation. "We collaboratewith companies on how they can improvetheir machine's productivity;' he adds.For more information, visitwww.usa.siemens.com/automation.SIEMENSGALA INDUSTRIES INC.» age, hertz and area classification specifications.When mechanical and electricalassembly are finalized, testingbeings with a complete wiring check,and a run test to verify all electrical andsafety components are operating properly.The equipment goes throughdimensional checks, and this databecomes part of the project file.The company's purchasing departmentworks closely with its suppliersto procure needed components duringmanufacturing. Most procurement isdone on a just-in-time, as needed,basis. However, Gala maintains someinventory on components that it needson a regular or emergency basis.Quality is maintained both on theproduction line and through the use of3-D SolidWorks imaging software."We've empowered all of our people tostop a product if they see any kind ofissue with it," Dudding adds. ''We don'twant people to feel threatened if theyhave made a part wrong, so everyonedoes their own checking. We are a 100percent ESOP company, so it is ineveryone's interest to ensure we shipthe highest quality for a fair price."EXPERIENCE COUNTSIn October 1990, Gala's founder andmajor shareholder, the late Vernon E.(Buck) Dudley, contributed shares toGala's newly formed employee stockownership plan (ESOP). Dudleywantedto keep the company in the Galafamily and not sold off to the highestbidder. Gala purchased stock a little ata time until 2003, when it purchased alloutstanding stock shares to become100 percent employee owned.One of the company's greateststrengths is its dedicated, knowledgeableand experienced employee-owners.Gala's customers benefit through thisdedication to quality and success. Thecompany's greatest asset is its people,and there is very little employee turnover.There are people at the companythat have been employed for more than40 years. As of Jan. 1,2011,19have beenwith the company for 30-plus years, 39for zo-plus years and 58 for lO-plusyears. The longevity of the work staff isbeneficial for the customers, as experienceand growth comes with longevityand the customer benefits from thisexperience.Gala is a lean environment, no easytask in a custom equipment environment.In 2005, nearly every associate, aswell as several of Gala's key suppliers,underwent training in lean manufacturingconcepts and principles. Byapplyinglean, Gala was able to identify wastethroughout the company and by implementinglean, began to make changesand improvements. The largest singlesavings was the identification of wasteexceeding 30 hours per job dedicated tolocating materials. Establishing a kittingprocess of material gathering andchanging the material flow to finalassembly, Gala was able to reap additionalsavings. Gala's new layout of themanufacturing facility resulted in areduction ofl7 to 20 miles ofunnecessarymaterial handling per year. As aresult, the company has been able toreduce lead times from 16 to 24 weeksper job down to 14to 18weeks.''We've tried to streamline as manyoperations as we can and placed cells incertain areas," Dudding says. ''We willcontinue to do that as we see opportunitiesto combine processes." mt76 manufacturing-today.com FALL 2011

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