The members of IAM Local 1260 working at Amerequip and the company recently received the prestigious 2010 Wisconsin Corporate Safety Award from the Wisconsin Safety Council.
Left to right
Doug Thompson, Plant Manager; Marty Schaefer, Safety Coordinator; Bonnie Polster, LL1260 Shop Committee Chair;
Aaron Cork, LL 1260 Committee Person; Fritz Heathman, Quality Engineer
This award was earned by only 15 Wisconsin-based companies. A panel of 39 judges selected these 15 winners from a finalist group of 115. Of the 15 winners, the awards were given to companies based on industry and company size. The award is based on safety excellence, which includes 2010 OSHA 300 log results, safety culture and health & wellness.
After becoming a finalist, all companies submit a subjective report that reflects the company's safety culture, commitment to safety excellence and wellness, programs in place to support this, employee involvement and items that are considered unique which potentially are "difference-makers"
According to Plant Manager Doug Thompson, "The positive relationship that exists between union/management has allowed us to make significant progress on our journey to excellence. The employees on the shop floor are responsible for receiving this award...they are the ones that made it happen. Amerequip has also continued to get support from upper management in their goal to have 0 doctor visits each year."
Amerequip was founded in 1920, employs 135 people and has 4 locations totaling 250,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing space in the Kiel-New Holstein area of northeast Wisconsin. Amerequip is a leading designer, manufacturer, painter and assembler of accessories and attachments for construction, utility, industrial and lawn/garden equipment.
The 85 members of IAM Local 1260 at Amerequip work in Production, Maintenance and Assembly.
