Pros
Fast paced customer service environment at the Chicago Metal Plant. Shipping millions of metal cans & pails. Truckload plant with over 100 Truckloads (combined) shipping from two warehouses during peak "paint" season ( March to November). Reporting to the master scheduler for production, I was given autonomy to manage my department autonomously with little micro-management. It was great to work with this man / highly respected manager. The management team at the plant who were experienced in the operation of this plant are critical to it's success.
Cons
Compensation was lower than comparable for industry. Manufacturing equipment was aged, and often subject to breakage. Was it the age of equipment or an over reliance on temporary / contract employees who did not sufficient experience running the equipment or did not have "buy-in" to maintaining manufacturing equipment. Manufacturing personnel appeared to work overtime all the time, virtually 365 days a year, all three shifts. Maybe by now new equity ownership group will / has identified how much capital is / wasted wasted on old equipment / consistently working temporary / contract employees. Maybe they will hire those temporary employees / contractors who "care" enough to work... invest ( educate / pay fairly) those who are reliable and willing to learn added responsibilities...then, maybe then will be able to better maintain their equipment / increasing productivity, decrease production errors that cause re-work & waste lithographed component stock and repeated reduce production delays that negatively affect ability to ship and deliver product on time as had been promised to the customer.