Top 5 Takeaways From the Year 2020

Top 5 Takeaways From the Year 2020

 

A new year is a great time for reflection. At Spec Engineering, we find great value in understanding the highs and the lows from the previous year so that we can better adapt and grow as a company. Here are our top 5 takeaways from the year 2020.

 

Watch the video here!

 

 

1: Safety is paramount. In 2019, there were over 395,000 workplace injuries and over 35,000 workplace illnesses in the manufacturing industry alone. At Spec, we have a responsibility to keep our 60 full-time employees safe and healthy, so that they can return to their loved ones every day. Using the “Gray Safety 6”, we’ve implemented even more safety procedures and protocols within our company throughout 2020. Spec leadership has increased our planning accountability, and communication in every job we take on, and our employees receive consistent training to recognize dangerous situations before they happen. More importantly, anyone is empowered to stop a job at any time in order to address potential issues. The return on this investment transcends any dollar amount. It’s a program with fewer incidents, injuries, and accidents. Safety is important to us because it protects what we value most: our employees.

 

2: Relationships matter. In the spring of 2020, it seemed the world stood still. We became introduced with six feet of distance and face coverings, and replacing hugs and handshakes with zoom calls and FaceTime. Now more than ever, people are feeling the distance and are missing those daily in person interactions with those they hold dear. At Spec Engineering, we encourage all of our staff to reach out to their friends, family, coworkers, and customers during this time for a heartwarming “hi how are you doing” phone call. We know what can’t replace a face to face relationship, but hopefully in a time of uncertainty and fear we will be able to come together and have a light hearted conversation. People are one of our core values here at Spec Engineering, and developing authentic relationships is just one way we can give back to our community of customers and valued partners.

 

3: Prepare for the unexpected. 2020 has taught us to address our new normal, head on. This has allowed us to become more flexible to me never changing customer requirements. We’ve adapted new business practices like virtual presentations and meetings to protect the safety of our customers and employees. In order to support the increased demand for hand sanitizer, we’ve invested in multiple hand sanitizer processing lines. We’ve stepped up our modular skid based equipment supply in virtual FAT for quicker field installation. This has given our customers Peace of Mind knowing our prefabricated skids will be commissioned on time. Our success in 2020 is a testament to all of our hard working customers and employees. We look forward to overcoming our next unexpected challenge.

 

4: Expertise makes execution. When supply is low and demand is high, people often turn to toll processors or contract manufacturing help. During the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Spec Engineering was asked to produce a small amount of hand sanitizer. Through the use of our FDA approved facility, we were able to fill a gap in the market and started producing over 50,000 bottles a day. At the same time, our customers had to shift their food production to try to meet market demands. Some were not able to do this on their own and turned to Spec for help. We learned the importance of being a trusted partner, in both good and bad times, to fulfill our customers needs, all under one roof.

 

5: Innovation, innovation, innovation. This innovation “drumbeat” has been increasing over the past few years, got amplified in 2020. Companies that were able to pivot, innovate, or do something differently were better able to weather the 2020 storm. At Spec, we believe innovation will be even more critical to a company’s success in 2021 and beyond. That’s why we’re optimistic about Spec’s future. Innovation has always been a core competency of Spec ever since its beginning four years ago. Our culture embraces innovation encouraging all employees to come to the table with their ideas, but it’s not just any ideas, it’s those eager to create new value or capture value in a new way for the benefit of our customers. We don’t know what 2021 has in store for us, but we really feel prepared because of our innovation culture and our focus on finding unique solutions to our customers problems.