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The art of manufacturing

The people building products at Handler Red Wing International consider their work an art form. (Photo: Handler Red Wing International)
Rick LaDuca, President & GM, Handler Red Wing International

Rick LaDuca, President & GM, Handler Red Wing International

Mon. 10 February 2014

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When was the last time you built something? I mean really built something, anything from scratch? Do you think you can do it? Do you have the tools to do it? Do you think our children will be able to do it? If we took a survey, the answers to these questions might be undesirable.

Grass roots manufacturing has been — and always will be — the cornerstone of growth and prosperity in America. Technology is only part of the manufacturing balance, and it is difficult to survive long term solely as a services sector country.

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Why? The answer is simple. American companies can make money by providing services, of course, but much of that money just moves around within the United States. When American companies manufacture quality products, we can export and bring new money into the United States.

Yes, it can be that simple. America has been sending more cash and assets offshore than we have been bringing in for decades, and with it goes America’s wealth. The chart (Fig. 1) has been taken from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis and is online for anyone to see. The U.S. trade deficit as of July 2013 was -$39.1 billion. America’s wealth is being distributed to other countries around the world.

New Jersey based, since 1920

Handler has been manufacturing products for the dental business since 1920. The company is still located in New Jersey. Over the years, Handler has developed excellent relationships with outstanding dental distributors in the United States.

Handler enjoys domestic distribution into other vertical markets, including jewelry, podiatry, audiology, medical, industry, pharmaceutical and hobby craft. Handler’s domestic market share in the dental community is still very strong and remains as the core source of revenue.

Handler employs manufacturing people, some of whom have 20-plus years of tenure. The work we do to build our Red Wing products and new Pro Tech Lite series of benches and furniture is an art form. I am privileged to be a part of something so special. Manufacturing is of course done by the numbers. We use planning tools, engineering masters, procedures and instructions and we employ safe and lean manufacturing techniques. But to work with people who take such great care and effort into crafting each piece of equipment and each product that leaves Handler is an art, much like preparing food in a fine restaurant. Everything on the manufacturing floor, from sourcing to planning to building to testing to packaging to shipping, must flow much like the paint brush of a skilled artist.

However, it is becoming very difficult to find skilled manufacturing people, because they are few and far between. Handler’s factory is automated, incorporating technology into the manufacturing process. We use a robust, state-of-the-art, Oracle-based ERP system customized to our portfolio of products for efficiency, and we incorporate lean manufacturing strategy. However, it is the people, the artists at Handler who manage the system and actually build the products we ship every day.

Handler’s mission is to foster leadership behavior that facilitates the vision of delivering flawless products and services. Every employee is trained and focused on the value of the goods and services that are manufactured for the benefit of our customers. Ongoing communication, problem solving process, training and development, monitoring and inspection are leadership tools we use to strive toward the ultimate target of zero defects.

Handler has been exporting American made Handler Red Wing products to many areas around the world for decades. And here is the good news that zeroes in on the topic of exporting: Handler has recently opened up distribution in China.

For almost 10 years, we have been developing relationships and conducting marketing research. In 2012, we finalized a strategic alliance with trade partners in China. Handler has participated in two of the largest dental trade shows in Beijing in the past two years, and our partners are effectively promoting and selling Handler Red Wing products in China. We have enjoyed distribution in Asia for years, and now the opportunity to grow exports significantly seems to be real.

Handler is and will remain an American Manufacturer. I’m asked frequently if Handler will be outsourcing our manufacturing offshore, and the answer is no.

We will expand exports, and we are proud to grow our business globally. Handler is a small part of a large dental community and behemoth economy. We know that Handler exports are not going to make much of a difference in the American trade deficit. However, we are encouraging everyone to think about America’s position as a global leader and superpower. Think about how we developed as a nation. Think about vocational education and our kids being able to build, whether for themselves or for someone else. Think about becoming an artist, an engineer, a manufacturer.

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