TWB COMPANY, LLC: Growing Skillsets & Targeting Engagement
The Center played an instrumental role in providing our employees with the tools they need to be successful. The lessons learned provided immediate results on how employees approach their jobs and how managers lead. TWB promotes the philosophy that our employees are the most important asset; we provide the channels for our employees to develop and grow in their careers. TWB and The Center have established a wonderful partnership for our employees to grow and for our organization to flourish.
-- Patrick Lambrix, Regional HR Manager
Founded in 1992, TWB Company, LLC (www.twbcompany.com) is a joint venture between Worthington Steel and BAOSteel, which merged with Wuhan Iron and Steel Company (WISCO) in 2017. TWB is now the leading manufacturer of tailor welded products in North America, providing collaborative support and service in every phase of production. TWB has eight facilities located in North America, with 550 employees throughout the nation and 200 employees at their Monroe, Mich., facility.
Challenge
The number one reason workers leave a company is because they do not like their supervisor. At TWB, the direct cost to replace an employee is 20% of their annual wages. Investing in additional training for supervisors would provide a great return on investment in terms of both cost savings and engagement.
Solution
After receiving funding support for training from the state of Michigan, TWB turned to the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center (The Center) for assistance with these leadership challenges. Eight mid-level supervisors from TWB attended The Center’s four-day Supervisor Skills training. After applying their new leadership skills on the plant floor, retention among workers drastically improved. The facility was running at 26% turnover, which has now decreased to 12.6%. This is substantially better than the industry average turnover rate, which runs at 25%.
In addition, nine TWB maintenance workers attended The Center’s Blueprint Reading course. Participants emerged with new skills needed to avoid costly issues that can result from misinterpreting blueprints. All nine participants passed the final test. TWB’s maintenance team now is capable of assisting in projects that use their newfound aptitude for blueprint reading.
Results
- New Investment in Workforce Training: $21,585
- Increased Retention: Rate of turnover decreased from 26% to 12.6% (51.5% improvement). Retention rate for first year employees improved from 85% to 94%.
- Turnover Costs: Reduced by $160K
- Culture Change: As a result of this training, TWB employees have experienced higher morale, productivity and efficiency.