When Van Simpson, a longtime Manchester Tool Co. employee, was named executive vice president and general manager in July 2003, the company changed its focus and began to reduce costs, expedite new product development and identify new sales opportunities.
Throughout this transformation of the Akron-based cutting tool manufacturer, management wanted to establish and maintain regular communication with employees. To do that, in addition to planning a companywide offsite meeting, management began posting information on a daily basis.
“What (the employees) want to know is not some abstract number that may mean something to an accountant, but, ‘What does that mean to what’s going on in my particular area?’ I don’t know that it’s possible to overcommunicate,” Simpson says.
Timing is everything, and Manchester got an influx of orders toward fourth quarter 2003.
“Ironically now, here we are, a year-and-a-half later, and decisions that we’re making now seem almost more difficult to make now because then, there was no question what had to be done,” Simpson says. ” … You come to the realization that there are a lot of things that are outside of your control, all the more reason to focus on those things that are within your grasp and make sure you can control as much of your own destiny as you can ,and then try to turn that into something positive.”
HOW TO REACH: Manchester Tool Co., (330) 644-8853 or www.manchestertools.com
