Author: Algood

I monitor economic news and insights very closely. It’s part of my daily media routine and there are several people whose opinions I seek out and follow. Based on all that, there are three interconnected E’s that are keeping me awake lately. The situation in Europe, the impending global energy crisis and the economy all have my full attention these days. I’m concerned but I’m also very confident that Algood’s manufacturing will remain strong.

Europe’s supply of gas has been cut off by Russia and the effects are rippling through every country. Electricity supplies may not be enough to sustain the winter. In some places, raw material production and manufacturing is being shuttered.  Production of everything from manufacturing components to toilet paper is being reduced. Not surprisingly, both unemployment and prices are soaring.

Algood ships worldwide, including to Europe and some of our components are manufactured in Europe. Both of those factors may present a challenge to our business over the coming months. In addition, what happens in Europe does not stay in Europe. There will be global repercussions to the current state of European affairs.

Gasoline and oil prices in North America peaked about six weeks ago but in California, there is a severe energy crisis. The Californian electricity grid can’t keep up with the demand and electricity imported from other states is not enough to close the gap. The state is re-evaluating its decision to mothball nuclear power plants. All of that makes the state more dependent on fossil fuels. While Russian oil represents only three percent of total imports to the U.S., nearly half of Russian oil shipped into the U.S. last year, or close to 100,000 barrels a day, ended up primarily in California, Washington and Hawaii. And California’s economy is the largest in the U.S. and the fifth largest in the world.

California may be the canary in the coal mine. We can expect extreme weather to put demands on energy grids throughout North America. While oil prices have been declining, reductions in global supply will reverse that trend. Rising energy costs will affect every type of production, having an impact on supply chain, employment and the cost of goods.

That brings me to E number three – the economy. The inflation rate is high. While the cost of some goods like steel, wood and paperboard have started to come down the cost of other supplies and components is rising, hurting manufacturing. Central banks in the U.S. and Canada are increasing interest rates with no ceiling in sight. While experts debate about whether the economy is officially in a recession, the economic outlook gets bleaker. Stock markets are losing value.  A recent PwC study indicated that 50% of firms in the U.S. are forecasting layoffs. The future is, at best, uncertain.

A number of our suppliers and customers reducing output and laying off employees. We expect that supply chain issues will persist for both manufacturers and consumers. The impact on sales is unclear but it’s unlikely that our revenue will not grow this year.

Our employees have always been our most important asset and we are concerned for them. The cost of food, clothing and other items is increasing rapidly, straining personal budgets. Families are being forced to do more with less which increases stress levels.

We have faced tough situations before and not only did we survive, we thrived. In 2008, we didn’t lay off a single employee and made a decision to reinvest in our business. Over the past two years, we very successfully guided the company through the pandemic and emerged stronger.

Throughout it all, we have grown by being responsive to the needs of our customers. We have innovated by bringing new products to the market and by finding unique solutions to meet customers’ requirements. The quality of every caster and wheel that leaves our plant is guaranteed and our reputation for on-time delivery is unmatched.

Despite my concerns, I am confident that none of that will change.  We are moving forward with product development projects and capital equipment acquisition. I am watching these three Es – Europe, energy prices and the economy – very closely. But I’m also ensuring that we will be there for our customers and remain the next generation of CasterSmiths.

I’d like to take this opportunity to wish all our Jewish customers, colleagues and friends a Happy and Healthy New Year.

While everyone in the manufacturing sector and the business world is consumed with news about inflation, supply chain and the lingering pandemic, I’m concerned about something far more important – the physical and mental well-being of our employees. They are our most valuable asset and we are doing everything we can to help them and protect them.

The last two years have been unbelievably challenging for our employees and current circumstances aren’t much better.

Masks may now be optional but the risk of getting Covid remains high. While the current strain of Covid is less likely to cause serious illness, being infected is still disruptive. We provide employees with as many paid days off as they need to be healthy and safely return to work but family members may get sick or have to isolate. That presents financial and practical implications. Just think about kids and school, grocery shopping as well as getting to appointments. The constant worry about getting sick is unprecedented and takes its toll on people.

The pace of manufacturing in our plant has been intense. We are often struggling to keep up with demand, particularly as customers are challenged by off-shore suppliers. That, in turn, puts immense pressure on our staff. Every part, every component and every caster is critical. There is little to no down time. The pressure to produce and meet customer requirements is unending. It’s really hard to sustain the physical and mental effort needed to be “on” all the time. As I walk through the plant, I can see the strain on employees’ faces and it worries me.

The price of everything from gas to groceries to health and beauty supplies is rising quickly. And, as interest rates climb, housing costs are going up. To offset some of the impact, we give our employees store gift cards every other month. While that helps, a pay cheque definitely doesn’t go as far as it did a few months ago. The financial pressure on employees is dramatic.

We are slowly bringing our customer service staff back to the office. Working from home offers lots of convenience and flexibility but being isolated from fellow employees creates loneliness. It’s clear that employees crave the camaraderie of being in the office together. In the coming months, we’re hoping to have everyone back together again and to restore the family atmosphere that was a hallmark of Algood. And I am definitely looking forward to our first summer luncheon in almost three years.

While we consider capital manufacturing enhancements to mitigate supply chain issues and buffet us from inflation, we know there is no greater investment we make than in our human capital – our employees. Even though I am very concerned about their physical and mental well-being, I believe that, with a little help from us, our employees will weather the storm. They just want to get back to some sense of normalcy and I couldn’t agree more.

Last Friday, Algood Casters celebrated its 53rd birthday. Much has changed since our father, Max Guttmann, started Algood in 1969. But there’s a lot of truth to the adage that the more things change, the more they stay the same. There’s no question that looking at Algood then and now creates a portrait in contrasts (as you will see in the photos below). While my brother, Sean and I strive to make our own mark on the company, we feel our father’s presence and the values he held dear every day. And now, there’s a new generation who will add their very own touches to the culture and tradition that are so much a part of who we are.

Our father was a tool and die man, making stampings for brake drums. When the opportunity arose, he borrowed $3,000 to buy the machinery to make casters. He had two lines – one for small furniture like the TV dolly pictured below and one for office chairs. It was small and easy to manage. Then in 1972, he showed his competitors that he was a fighter by acquiring his own injection moulding equipment, which allowed him to produce plastic and urethane wheels. Perhaps more than any other business decision, that one made him the master of his own destiny.

Max was a problem-solver and a creative one at that. When the people at McCullough were struggling to produce a shroud for their chain saws with ten dies, he found a way to do it with three. That earned him a trip to L.A. Later, he found was one of the first people in the industry to find a way to simultaneously lock the wheel and the swivel on a caster. The ALock is a mainstay of our available brake options to this day.

If our father could see Algood today he would be blown away by the equipment and the processes as well as by the number of people that work here and the sheer volume of casters we produce in any given week. At the same time, there is much that would be familiar.

My father never forgot how he was welcomed to Canada as an immigrant. He made a point of helping other refugees families get settled in Canada, including the Vietnamese boat people in the 1970s. He also maintained a strong commitment to doing business in Canada and supporting other Canadian businesses. A number of years ago, with Dad’s principles in mind, we made a major commitment to invest in our own equipment and our future here in Canada. The events of the past two years have strengthened our on-shore resolve and made us even more proud to be a North American manufacturer.

Max respected and was connected to his employees. He appreciated what they brought to the company, never taking them for granted. Today, there is nothing that we value more than our staff. We are particularly proud of the ways in which we have protected and accommodated employees as we faced the challenges of Covid. With numerous people who have been with the company for decades, we have a deep sense of responsibility for every employee.

In 1969, small business strategy was simple. Produce goods of outstanding quality and deliver them on time, every time. Guess what. That hasn’t changed. We know that in 2022, what distinguishes Algood is our ability to produce casters of superior quality and get them to our customers exactly when we said we would. As an ISO 9001 company, we make an ongoing commitment to every aspect of quality.

So, what has changed in 53 years? For starters, we are totally committed to high-quality industrial engineering design. Through investments in CAD and 3D printing as well as the expertise to leverage the technology, our casters are well-engineered and beautifully designed. That same industrial design capability has also allowed for the in-house production of four robotic welding cells as well as numerous automation enhancements to our equipment.

We have become more innovative and our product line has increased exponentially. Many of those products have become industry leaders, like our RollX™ wheels with their sister Lava™ high temperature wheels and our iLock™ multi-positional braking system.

While some of the equipment our Dad bought over 40 years ago is still running well, we have more machinery – and more sophisticated machinery – than ever before. The production floor includes stamping and injection moulding equipment, three CNC machines, automated assembly stations and more. We also have a fully integrated manufacturing facility that includes a complete tool and die centre as well as our engineering and design complement.

Perhaps more than anything else, Algood’s success has been founded on a deep sense of family values. We are not a corporate conglomerate. We make decisions based on principles, integrity and honesty. The Algood stamp on every product signifies the personal responsibility that we take for its quality. Together, with our employees, we see ourselves as a family. And of course, starting in 1992, the second generation of our family took the reins in leading our company – with me as the President and Sean as the Vice President of Manufacturing.

Now, as my son Elie has made a personal commitment to be part of the future of Algood, he becomes the third generation that will take responsibility for the company. Undoubtedly, he will make his own unique mark, as I have made mine. What is equally certain is that he will be guided by his grandfather’s enduring values and principles.