Apache is celebrating one year as a Blue Zones approved worksite. Blue Zones Project is a community-by-community well-being improvement initiative designed to support longer, better lives through permanent changes to environment, policy and social networks. Blue Zones Project is brought to Dodge County in part through sponsorship by the Marshfield Medical Center in Beaver Dam. Dodge County is the first Blue Zones Project demonstration site in Wisconsin.
As a Blue Zones Worksite, Apache has met the official qualifications, including offering benefits and programs that provide employees with a safe and ergonomic work environment, purposeful volunteering and community engagement, support of family, social events, healthy choices, financial well-being and overall mental and health balance.
Some of the past year's activities were a monthly walk-bike-ride share promotion and drawing, quarterly volunteer incentives, organized social activities, sports related and healthy choice prizes at employee events, numerous health and wellness incentives and presentations.
During this unprecedented COVID-19 Pandemic, we are focusing on the overall health and safety of our employee-owners with specific guidelines and schedule adjustments for social distancing, continuous information, resources and flexibility to stay safe.
Every year, Apache turns approximately two million pounds of stainless and high alloy steel into large tanks, small vessels, cookers, mixers, conveyors, augers, grinders and more – and everything is custom built to precise customer specifications or provided as a proprietary solution. Due to the nature of our custom business, Apache has a well-established continuous improvement initiative to reduce waste and control costs to drive three main goals: Eliminate Workplace Risk, Create an All-In Continuous Improvement Culture and Total Customer Satisfaction.
Eliminate Workplace Risk: Apache looks to eliminate not only big, compliance-type risks, but also small risks to employees in the workplace. Even an ergonomic improvement that is seemingly incremental, but if eliminated throughout all manufacturing staff, will greatly increase engagement and morale as well as increase efficiency and productivity.
All-in Continuous Improvement Culture: Apache promotes an established process through strategy teams, welding step programs, mentor and supervisor training, and tactical teams. Communications are shared through CI TV employee videos, shop monitors, operations meetings and other internal marketing.
Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty: Apache’s brand is our quality, cost, timing and service. In reducing all types of waste, controlling costs, using resources efficiently, minimizing material handling and improving operational and educational communications, Apache will be providing the best product and service possible to the market.
"Ultimately" does not exist with this initiative, it is a thought process of continuous improvement for the purpose to achieve and sustain operational excellence to improve the customer experience, the workplace and the lives of Apache’s employee-owners.
3.20.2020
Our company and our employees have a special responsibility right now, to help our customers who are the nation’s food, beverage, pharmaceutical and energy producers through this crisis. We will support our customers in any way possible. Even as state and federal policies tighten, we continue to adapt and innovate to support our customers who have a vital supply role.
At Apache Stainless, our people and our customers’ health and safety are our number one priority. We are taking extensive measures to make sure that our employees stay safe while still meeting the needs of our customers amidst the COVID-19 crisis.
Currently, we do not have any major disruptions in our supply chain and are monitoring it closely. Most lead times should not be significantly affected, and we are maintaining business as usual. If there is anything that we can do to help your operations stay running smoothly, please do not hesitate to contact us.
For Hope, Health and Safety,
The Apache Stainless Leadership Team
Announcement Document
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