Valspar Flooring
On the Move...
APRIL, 2006 — Over 100 years ago, a 164,000 square foot manufacturing facility on Chicago River's banks produced its first batch of paint. With millions of gallons of coatings produced since and countless employee hours served, this building is rich with a legacy built over the past century. It represents our history and our progress; the same progress that is putting Valspar Flooring on the move… literally.
Momentum of Progress
As part of a corporate-wide initiative, Valspar’s Ashland Avenue address in Chicago—home of Valspar Flooring for the past 20 years*—will close its doors by the end of May, 2006. “Because our manufacturing plant is one of Valspar’s smallest and oldest, it is one of approximately 13 plants worldwide that is scheduled for closure,” explains Greg McGuirk, General Manager of Valspar Flooring.
However, this transition does not represent an end to the product quality, customer service, and innovative technology that our customers have come to expect. In truth, it represents an improvement. McGuirk continues, “Our volume can be absorbed fairly easily by other locations that have newer production equipment and enhanced communication systems. And we can capitalize on the expertise of other Valspar manufacturing sites, such as the Automotive Division that will produce our color additives.
Valspar has committed more than $1.5 million in new capital to make this move successful in every respect. “This is a significant capital investment in new processes, equipment, and facilities,” says McGuirk. “If I do my job, our customers will never know anything has changed.”
On the Road to Wheeling Illinois & Points In Between…
The transitioning process has already begun. Although the Wheeling Road address in Illinois may be new, the members of Valspar’s Customer Service team and Laboratory group will remain the same. According to McGuirk, “I am thrilled that our entire Customer Service and Laboratory groups are staying with Valspar and making the move to Wheeling. This insures greater stability and should provide a significant level of comfort for our customers to know that the same person they’ve worked with for years will be there for them after our move. I assure you, it’s also comforting for me to know that we are keeping our team together.”
Unfortunately, not everyone is packing. The greatest change will be felt by those who are part of Valspar’s flooring production and warehousing efforts. This is not only an emotional time for the affected employees and their families, but for their coworkers and the company overall as recognized by McGuirk, “This move has nothing to do with the effort or performance of the employees that have worked so diligently throughout their careers. I am grateful for their years of service and sincerely regret the impact that this decision may have on their lives.”
Although maintaining stability and consistency is a priority, several improvements are expected. Hours of warehouse service will increase reflecting the switch from a one- to a three-shift operation. This adjustment allows Valspar to improve service levels by shortening the time from order placement to shipment. Major upgrades are also expected in inventory management. With access to the Demand Planning software currently used by the Architectural group for their customers such as Lowes Home Improvement and Walmart, Valspar can take a more methodical approach to production planning and scheduling. Even currently stringent product quality levels will be enhanced as a direct result of improved equipment and process controls.
Moving into the future, Valspar Flooring has the opportunity to develop new innovations built on its history of product excellence, reliability, and performance. With the continuing support of a corporate-wide infrastructure of technology, purchasing power, and branding, the quality of customer service everyone has come to expect will continue with the growth of Valspar Flooring.
* Valspar has owned the Ashland manufacturing facility since the acquisition of Enterprise Paints in 1987. At that time, Enterprise had occupied the building for 60 years.
Please contact us to learn more or to discuss your specific project.
MAIN OFFICE
Sika Industrial Flooring
201 Polito Avenue
Lyndhurst, NJ 07071
p 800.933.7452 opt. #2
f 800.294.6408
DEPARTMENT E-MAILS
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flooring.marketing@sika-corp.com
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