Holo-Krome Adds Jobs While Others Downsize
FEATURES
MEDIA SPOTLIGHT – U.S. fastener producer Holo-Krome is bucking the trend of declining manufacturing jobs in Connecticut.
“From December to January, manufacturing jobs declined 0.6 percent” – or 900 jobs – in Connecticut, the Record-Journal reports. ” A year ago, there were 160,900 manufacturing jobs in the state — a 1.3 percent difference.”
But Holo-Krome is ramping up its hiring process.
“We’re doing pretty well,”Holo-Krome manufacturing team leader John Brazil told the Record-Journal. “I have a goal to hire six a month and we’re exceeding that or coming close.”
Holo-Krome reportedly struggled to fill about 30 entry-level positions last year. Since then, however, the company has made significant strides in hiring and retaining employees, Brazil told the Record-Journal.
For example, Holo-Krome interviewed 300 candidates last year, hired 50 but only retained 38 after a probationary period. The company hired an additional 13 through February, retaining 11, Brazil added.
Plant manager Ralph Larson told the Record-Journal the hardest part of recruiting is assessing in a month whether an employee is a good fit for the job.
“It’s about getting the right training and the right person,” Larson stated. “… It’s an interview for them — the first 30 days — to see if they’re a good fit and for them to see if they like what we have to offer. It’s not always a perfect match.”
To help this process, Holo-Krome has programs to help new hires. New machine operators undertake more structured training that takes 40 hours to complete.
Founded in 1929, Holo-Krome began by manufacturing socket screws by the then-new technique of metal forming, or heading, rather than machining. Today Holo-Krome manufactures grade 12.9 socket screw products.
Holo-Krome was acquired by Fastenal in 2009 and moved from West Hartford, CT, to 61 Barnes Industrial Park North, Wallingford, CT 06492. Web: Holo-Krome.com
Editor’s Note: Articles in MEDIA SPOTLIGHT are excerpts from publications or broadcasts which show the industry what the public is dreading or hearing about fasteners and fastener companies.
For more on Holo-Krome, click on the Fastener History section:
Fastenal’s Holo-Krome Unveils New Facility
Socket head fastener manufacturer Holo-Krome unveiled its new facility in Wallingford, CT.
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