Dave Hetrick has been a gentle presence at Miller Fabrication Options for 35 years, enjoying a important position in conserving operations working easily at one of many firm’s key amenities. As upkeep supervisor on the firm’s Sandy Lick plant, Dave combines deep technical know-how with a hands-on management type.
His dedication to his work and to Miller has made him an integral a part of our firm’s household.
Dave began half time, “doing just a little little bit of all the pieces” and studying alongside the best way. He’s now a trusted chief and mentor. His potential to navigate challenges, embrace change and quietly lead by instance represents the sort of crew member each firm hopes to have.
Within the following Q&A, Dave displays on his journey, the values which have guided him and why Miller has been greater than only a office – it’s been the fitting place. His perspective provides a glimpse into our firm tradition, which is characterised by a perception that long-term staff like Dave are key to our success.
Q: What do you do at Miller?
A: My primary job is caring for equipment and conserving manufacturing working, no matter that takes. I oversee and assist implement our preventative upkeep program. I’m additionally concerned in new gear installs and shifting machines – which entails setting them up of their new places, placing them again collectively and ensuring they’re operational. Different days, I would assist considered one of our crew members repair a crane, restore a welder or diagnose a machine that’s down. The aim of the crew I lead is to all the time hold manufacturing working as easily as potential, with the protection of our crew members and manufacturing staff as the highest precedence
Q: What do you want most about your job?
A: The variability. Upkeep, to me, is sort of like working round the home. You do one factor sooner or later after which one thing else the subsequent day. In that manner, it by no means will get previous. The troubleshooting we get into generally is a little traumatic, but it surely’s rewarding when you determine an issue. The victories make all of it worthwhile, and selection makes coming to work very straightforward. I really like my job!
Q: What has saved you at Miller all these years?
A: Miller could be very family-oriented, so I all the time had the flexibleness to are inclined to different elements of my life, like actions with my youngsters and at church. Miller realizes that household is crucial factor – not your job. They’ve by no means regarded over my shoulder or been strict about me conserving a selected schedule so long as I did my job, so I by no means missed any of my youngsters’ ball video games and was capable of do a number of teaching after they had been rising up.
I had some flexibility as I wanted so I might be there for my household and my church. I can’t put a greenback worth on that, and I wouldn’t commerce it for the world.
Miller additionally taught me commerce, and Dave Miller, the corporate’s founder, believed in me greater than anybody else ever has. He let me be taught on the fly. He inspired me after I was struggling and helped after I wanted assist. I made dwelling and, extra importantly, life. I owe quite a bit to Miller.
Q: What are a few recollections that stand out out of your years at Miller?
A: My father-in-law had been answerable for machine upkeep. When he determined to take a place at one other space producer, I requested if I might take over the machine upkeep.
On my first day in that job, our latest machine broke down. I needed to take some deep breaths, as a result of I had by no means labored on that machine. So, my new machine upkeep job was actually trial by hearth. It was an all-day job to get the machine again up and working, however I figured it out, together with the machine operator’s assist and calling for technical help.
One other reminiscence is the flood of July 19, 1996. Once I got here into our Sandy Lick plant at 2 a.m. that day, it was sprinkling just a little. By 3 a.m., it was pouring rain and by 5:30 some staff had been calling off due to the roads being lined with water. Our welding store was flooded and fully shut down by 7:30 a.m., and water was rising in different elements of the constructing.
It occurred quick – all inside hours. The rain stopped by late morning, however by then, we had 46 inches of water in our fabrication store and 27 inches in our machine store. A variety of electrical cupboards sat on the ground and most of the motors on the machines sat low to the bottom, so our complete facility was fully down.
We needed to take off each motor that was in water and ship them away to be dried out and have new bearings put in. It amounted to about 200 motors.
Inside every week, we had sufficient smaller machines working that we had been making elements once more, but it surely took three weeks of working 100 hours per week to wash up and get the vast majority of the bigger machines and burn tables again to regular manufacturing. Two of our older CNC machines wanted retrofitted with new controls from an outdoor firm.
Q: What are some stuff you’ve discovered in your profession from being a part of the Miller crew?
A: I’ve discovered something’s potential. One instance is a welding job the place two of us had been imagined to line spherical kilns that had been 13 ft. in diameter and 40 ft. lengthy with stainless-steel. The primary one took us three weeks or possibly even a month. After which the job bought pulled from us and given to a different firm. The opposite man and I had been upset we misplaced that job as a result of, with eight of them to do, it will have been seven or eight months of ongoing work.
However Dave, Miller’s founder, wasn’t frightened. He stated, “We might get that job again.” Dave was the everlasting optimist – typically to a level that you just sort of shook your head! However that’s why he was so profitable.
Certain sufficient, the job got here again to us, and we completed the remaining six kilns. That taught me to maintain on conserving on. A profession is what you make of it. It’s about having a optimistic angle day-after-day.
Q: What would you inform folks about what it’s wish to work at Miller?
A: In the event you are available in with an angle of desirous to be taught one thing – whether or not that’s being a welder or a machinist or no matter – you’ll succeed and prefer it right here, as a result of we’ll train you. As staff, we’re not overworked. You’re simply anticipated to do the perfect you’ll be able to. In the event you do this, you’ll achieve success at Miller. For me, it’s been an ideal match.
