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AN EXPANDING GLOBAL NETWORK OF EXCELLENCE • 2013-2014
McWANE 1
It is hard to imagine 2013 has drawn to a close, and we are starting yet another year. Our various business groups’ progress contin-ues to impress Phillip and me with the level of commitment to
The Technology Group is proceeding very well. The level of in-vestment has been significant and we feel the rewards will be great in the future. Futurecom had a booming 4th quarter with shipments to Motorola that were the second largest in the company’s history. ComTech booked more orders for equipment in 2013 than ever in its history. Nighthawk successfully gained acceptance by Verizon and projects a significant increase in sales for 2014. Synapse successfully developed and ran five proof-of-concept applications in an HCA hospital, improving clinical and financial outcomes, developed two proof-of-concept applications for Amerex, and installed lighting ap-plications in a 5.1 million square foot General Motors plant. In South America, we are looking at yet another acquisition for Manchester Tank in Colombia, and we have hired a Regional Man-
routine consistent process improvement in all aspects of our opera-tions, sales, service, and personnel development. You may ask where is EHS and HR? Well it is imbedded in all these aspects of our business. We have always aspired to fully integrating compliance functions into our daily lives. Although we can never say the “job is finished,” we can say with the newest round of strategic planning for EHS and HR, “the next generation” is almost completely driven by Team Members in our operations who are actively engaged. We want to thank each and every Team Member for their hard work toward this newest evolution of being “Best In Class” or better than anyone in our industry. As part of this success, Phillip and I are pleased to share that Salary Team Members’ efforts, through participation in wellness programs and conscientious use of healthcare, have effectively con-trolled health costs in 2013. As a result, the only increases for 2014 will be related to the Federal Government’s additional taxes and fees applied to your health care plan. While many of our fellow citizens appear to be panicked about actually having health insurance cover-age or rising deductibles and premiums, your health care coverage at McWane will remain at what the health care exchanges would label “Gold Coverage”. This is truly a remarkable feat achieved by our ef-forts TOGETHER when many around us appear to be losing their heads. Thomas Jefferson said, “A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have”. We as an organization are on our own for now and actually doing quite well. So let’s make 2014 another healthy, safe year.
New BusINess RepoRt
A messAge fRomthe pResIdeNtg. RuffNeR pAge, JR.
ager for their business in Chile and Colombia that will also sup-port McWane International’s efforts in Central and South America. This is a significant next step in solidifying our gains in the region where we intend to grow opportunities in our business. Both Solberg Foam and Janus Fire Systems, as part of Amerex, turned the corner to profitability in 2013. These new businesses are also extending our reach internationally as they grow. I expect their greater contribution to our profits to materially improve the bottom line of McWane.” Pacific States has installed the newest generation of casting ma-chine in the world. This is the slow, safe beginning of transforming our centrifugal casting technology, where it makes sense. It means much better thickness control, faster cycle times, and lower produc-tion costs. We first will learn the intricacies of our new casting ma-chine, and then look to selectively install additional units in other pipe plants. McWane Global’s product development arm will roll out our new SureStop restrainer gaskets that connect ductile iron waterworks fit-tings to PVC pipe in 2014. The patented product will improve in-stallation efficiencies in the field and be a new profit line item. Also, the group has begun construction on the new Abu Dhabi facility, which will produce and finish everything from ISO fittings, Protecto 401 linings for sewer applications, soil pipe/fittings, and our new ISO valves/hydrants. Finally the India Engineering Group (MSPL) in Coimbatore, India has really taken off as a critical support team for our operations, not only in the US but also in the Middle East and elsewhere. The source of our innovation successes is our culture of relying on local knowledge, which is closest to the activity and the best in-formed. But success requires a culture of inclusion. All team mem-bers across all the ranks are to be included in process improvement and innovation. According to the great philosopher Aristotle, what draws people to trust and follow a leader hinges on three main elements:• Competence (Do they know what they are doing?) • Integrity (Are they trustworthy?) • Goodwill (Do they really care about people like me?) The importance of one far outstrips the others: Goodwill. If peo-ple know you care about them, they will follow you. Each and every Team Member has daily opportunities to lead by showing he or she cares about the people around them. Take the lead and take care of our most important resource, our Team Members. That is the
McWane Way! s
and business groups. We learned a lot about problem solv-
ing, creativity, invention, change and disruption—and a lot
about the challenges facing each other and how we can work
together to succeed.
Over the next two days, we dug into the nitty gritty. The HR
team members learned about the financial implications of The
Affordable Care Act, HIPAA training, talent management and
union negotiations as well as labor relations, among others. The
Safety team covered serious injury risk reduction, Medgate tips, in-
cident investigation, culture change and electrical risk assessment
training. Environmental team members focused on stormwater
management, EMS evaluations, air, Tier II reporting guidance and
toxic release inventory reporting.
Despite all the work, all the new ideas and all the studious dedi-
cation, there was some downtime too. The Talent Show packed
‘em in, as usual, laughing at each other and themselves. Team
members mingled and networked during breaks and at evening
festivities.
Another winning year at McWane University! A decade of learn-
ing…and counting! s
McWANE 2 McWANE 3
w e all want to be a success. But like the old saw says,
you can’t have a garden tomorrow without planting
the seeds today. As it happens, McWane University
sessions are the perfect time for winning ideas to take root. Mc-
Wane President Ruffner Page developed McWane University in
2003 as a forum for discussing changes taking place within the
organization team. In the ten years since, the University has
become popular for those looking to sharpen their skills and
broaden their perspectives.
This year the EHS/HR Retreat was held under the McWane U
banner at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia. There
were happy reunions among old friends and new introductions
made. Discussions began on issues everyone shared: culture
change, costs and benefits of best-in-class programs & systems, and
the EHS Strategic Plan, among others. This got the collaborative
energies flowing.
Soon after, University of Alabama Professor Robert M. Mor-
gan led an impassioned discussion on thinking “outside the
box.” Dr. Morgan formed breakout groups to foster free-flow
brainstorming between members from different disciplines
mcwANe uNIVeRsItY 10 YEARS AND COUNTING
McWane Environmental, Safety and HR team members
uring the building and unveiling process for our new web-
site and the Pocket Engineer™, we heard lots of you ask-
ing: “What about social media?” d With seemingly everyone on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and
the rest, it is a good question. After all, if social media is familiar
turf for businesses, government officials, charitable foundations,
our children and even ourselves personally, why not McWane?
The opportunities for engagement and outreach are certainly ap-
pealing, but rushing headlong into media sometimes better suited
for cute kittens than genuinely innovative manufacturing compa-
nies like ours isn’t the McWane Way. To properly determine the
right way to embrace social media, we convened our first Social
Media Conference, on August 27 and 28, in Birmingham—de-
signed expressly to educate team members about the opportunities
and pitfalls presented by social media.
We began with the background and basics, with presentations
from social media gurus followed by a panel discussion led by so-
cial media managers from the University of Alabama-Birmingham,
Protective Life and O’Neal Industries. That, naturally, led to a dis-
cussion of what an ideal McWane social media presence might
look like, and which tools would be most effective for our custom-
ers, divisions and team members. McWane team members left
the conference with a better understanding about social media, its
capabilities and its potential.
“The first day I came in here I was against it,” said Terry Christ-
john, Vice-President of Sales and Marketing for Kennedy Valve
and M&H Valve. “By the second day, my eyes had been opened
and I was convinced it was a good idea.”
As with any powerful technology, be it state-of-the-art foundry
or push-button global communications platforms, it pays to think
before leaping.
“Think of Facebook as a moving billboard of free advertis-
ing,” said Francesca Dunbar, marketing director for the Plumb-
ing Group. “Twitter can keep our clients and supporters updated
on the very latest. LinkedIn can help us connect directly with the
people making purchasing decisions. YouTube can help us share
our great stories in compelling, dynamic ways. We can embrace
social media, we just have to do it in the right way.”
One important concept discussed during the conference is that
we can’t dip our toes in the water on social media. Just as we do
with all communications to our customers and the public, we have
to manage our use of social media responsibly. Social media must
be managed all day, every day to be successful. Once we establish
our presence, it is imperative to keep the content fresh and inter-
esting. Quality counts in our products, and quality content is just
as important in social media and online.
Already, those at the McWane Plumbing Group have recognized
social media’s potential for communicating directly to our audi-
ence. At AB&I, they’ve just begun to test the waters—starting a
pilot social media program by building an audience, dynamically
engaging their followers, and, eventually, turning followers into
proud brand ambassadors. AB&I’s experience will help shape the
McWane social media policy currently under development.
“We’re very excited about McWane’s social media potential, es-
pecially knowing that we’re approaching this the right way,” said
Elizabeth McCoin, McWane corporate marketing director. “We’re
continuing to hold follow-up meetings to refine our social media
approach and fit it effectively into our marketing strategy. And
we’d love to hear from those of you with great ideas!”
If you are interested in using social media at your division, please
contact Mickie Coggin or Elizabeth McCoin at the Corporate
office before embarking. s
do we LIke, tweet, post oR IgNoRe?poNdeRINg mcwANe’s Next steps INto socIAL medIA
McWANE 4 mcwANe 5
he measure of fast action is taken in mere seconds. But
when it comes to preventing arc fault hazards, response
times are measured in milliseconds.t An arc fault occurs when damaged wiring or loose connections
allow a high power energy discharge to erupt between two conduc-
tors —an arc fault of just 500 milliseconds, or a half-second, can
cause severe damage. Under some circumstances, an arc fault can
create a plasma discharge so scalding hot that it rivals the tempera-
ture of the sun.
With this much destructive potential, there’s plenty of incentive
to detect and extinguish arc faults fast. And if it’s done within four
milliseconds, most real damage can be prevented. By combining
advances in wireless technology from Synapse, with best in class
Smart Combiner Boxes from Shoals Technologies Group, a solu-
tion has been created that will interrupt or disable problematic
connections before they become trouble – reducing the potential
for fires, burns, and other damages associated with faulty power
system operations.
The pairing of Synapse SNAP-based Sensor Control Modules
with Shoals Technologies Group Combiner and Zone Monitor
boxes makes monitoring the current, voltage, and other data gen-
erated within the fields simple. This information then provides
solar field and grid operations managers with the critical, real-time
insights into the health and status of their systems – providing the
data granularity to diagnose problems quickly and maximize power
production.
The Synapse Wireless/Shoals Technologies Group partnership
isn’t just making solar fields safer—it’s also lowering the barriers for
solar power while increasing efficiency.
Synapse and Shoals Technologies Group recently demonstrated
the SNAPShot Field Install Tool software, specifically designed
to make it easier to install and maintain solar field monitoring
systems.
“We had one goal in mind when we collaborated on this proj-
ect and that was to make the installation and commissioning as
fast and easy as possible,” said Jason Whitaker, CTO of Shoals
Technologies Group. “We’re very excited with the outcome and
are confident our user base will be, too.”
The SNAPShot Field Install Tool is user-friendly, graphical soft-
ware for the installation and troubleshooting solar installations at
the string level. The new system utilizes all the latest developments
in machine-to-machine technology to allow for a seamless process,
allowing users to wirelessly:
n read operational data and retrieve sensor data;
n document Combiner and Zone Monitor boxes present
in the field;
n reconfigure wireless radio parameters;
n update and enhance system software.
“A real advantage this tool offers is not only real-time trouble-
shooting, but also training,” Whitaker said. “Those who are work-
ing in the field will instantaneously know if the problems arise
from (panel) manufacturing or product defects. They’ll also learn
if the problems are due to installation-related errors that they can
learn from during future installs.”
It may not be ductile iron, but Synapse’s newest offering is
built the way everything at McWane is built: built to last. s
thRee geNeRAtIoNs of mcwANe INducted INto the BIRmINghAm BusINess hALL of fAme
fter more than a century helping to build Birmingham—
and the nation—three generations of the McWane family
have won a spot in The Kiwanis Club of Birmingham’s ABusiness Hall of Fame.
The honor was bestowed on McWane Cast Iron Pipe founder,
J.R. McWane, his son William McWane and William’s son James
Ransom McWane, and marks not only three men’s contribu-
tion to Birmingham but a legacy that continues to be upheld by
each of us.
“I am accepting this award on behalf of the McWane family and
the McWane team members, both past and present,” said Phillip
McWane, J.R.’s great-grandson and the chairman of the board for
McWane, at the Business Hall of Fame event earlier in the year.
“This company would not still be here without all of them and
their contributions to the company over the decades.”
The Hall of Fame selects only a handful of new members each
year, choosing Birmingham business leaders who exemplified
strong leadership or made extraordinary contributions to the
Greater Birmingham area. J.R. , William
and James Ransom McWane all qualify
on both counts.
J.R. McWane, loved working with
metal and passed this love on to his
sons. In 1904, J.R. moved to Birming-
ham to work at the Birmingham Steel
and Iron Company. One of J.R.’s ear-
liest commissions was the casting of
Moretti’s statue of Vulcan, the great Ro-
man god of fire and forge, for the 1904
Louisiana Purchase Exposition. From its
perch nearly 600 feet above the city of
Birmingham, the statue still celebrates
the region’s foundry heritage. Nearly
100 years later, J.R.’s namesake company
led the way in restoring and returning
the Birmingham icon to its original glo-
ry atop Red Mountain.
After his death in 1933, J.R.’s son,
William (Bill) McWane became presi-From L to R: Anna McWane (Phillip’s sister), Laura McWane, Heather McWane, Phillip McWane, Katie
McWane Gaston and Michael Gaston)
dent. Bill remained focused on keeping the business going
through the good and bad times of the 1930s and World War II.
In 1971, William’s son, James Ransom (Jim) McWane, took over as
the President of McWane Cast Iron Pipe and later in 1975 served
as chairman and chief executive officer for McWane, Inc.
That namesake company began life in 1921 as the McWane
Cast Iron Pipe Company. Since then, McWane has grown into
a multi-billion dollar company, employing approximately 6,000
team members with 25 manufacturing facilities in the U.S. and
Canada. No longer just producing the building blocks of America,
McWane today is a global company with manufacturing facilities
in China and, soon, in Abu Dubai and India too—casting duc-
tile iron pipes, building wireless network switches and monitoring
equipment, and delivering clean drinking water around the world.
More than 92 years later and still a family-owned business led
by a fourth generation of the McWane family, Phillip McWane,
McWane sets the pace for its industry. This is a key piece of the
McWane legacy—one that we now share, and can take pride in. s
sYNApse wIReLess ANd soLAR techNoLogY: INNoVAtIoN IN the BLINk of AN eYe
mcwANe 6 mcwANe 7
heights of excellence. This will require a change in management’s
approach through team engagement, teamwork and transparency.
It will also require all of us to give it our all.
Our new strategic plan sets goals and establishes how we’ll fulfill
them. It also highlights the participation of everyone in the pro-
cess. What’s more, while common goals are established, individual
facilities and teams will have more flexibility in deciding how to
achieve them. This values-based approach recognizes that a posi-
tive, open culture fosters improved performance and that account-
ability at all levels is key.
Just as we must all take responsibility for our own role in meeting
EHS goals, leadership must work to ensure this culture of broad en-
gagement is continuous and harmonious. This includes everything
from encouraging dialogue and wisdom sharing to acknowledging
every team member’s progress toward their own goals. We’re all in
this together, and each of our efforts is worthy of applause.
McWane values the support of senior leadership committed to
adhering to these values and everyone who is helping to move the
ball forward every day – even when it is not easy. Our past EHS
performance speaks for itself. With our record firmly in place, we
must now continue honing our EHS performance. There’s always
room for improvement, even when you’re on top and the McWane
team is qualified and capable of embracing this EHS challenge.
These are exciting times to be a member of the McWane Team. As
we look to the future, tomorrow promises to be even brighter. s
I n 2013, McWane, Inc. celebrated the tenth anniversary of our
2003 Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) Initiative. Built
on the work launched in the 1990s, McWane’s EHS Initia-tive drives a culture of performance that goes well beyond compli-
ance. Today, our EHS performance paces the industry, giving us an
additional edge over the competition while earning accolades from
regulators. It’s a process that encourages participation from across
the ranks – that always looks for ways to improve.
With our record of performance beyond compliance, it is only
natural that McWane embrace a values-driven EHS culture where
every team member has a role and takes pride in helping us all
become safer and more environmentally conscious. A steering
committee began work last year to further develop this team-
spirit approach to EHS and, in mid-2013, issued a roadmap for
future success.
Based on research into successful change management and an
examination of McWane’s existing EHS program, the steering
committee identified a number of opportunities for improve-
ment. Integrated Project Teams (IPT’s) comprising members from
across the company will evaluate existing systems and recommend
improvements. IPT’s examining audits and training processes are
already underway.
While history proves it true, it’s always worth repeating: every
member of the team counts. Engaging each and every one of us
will be essential in further elevating EHS performance to new
to kNow wheRe You’Re goINg, You’Ve got to kNow wheRe You’Ve BeeN
E n v i r o n m E n ta l , H E a lt H & S a f E t Y
mcwANe & the uNIVeRsItY of ALABAmA expLoRe New modeLs foR puBLIc/pRIVAte sectoR woRkpLAce INItIAtIVes
“This is a natural partnership and one that will pay dividends
for everyone,” said Kevin Stouse. “Talent development is a
McWane priority, to help us secure another century of success for
McWane. We look forward to sharing ideas with the University
of Alabama and exploring ways we can help each other meet
business objectives.”
“When we visited the university’s metal foundry we were proud
to see the McWane name there,” Kevin said.
Something to look forward to is the full development of our
talent assessment initiative, a key HR objective launched earlier
this year by the Talent Management/Development Center of
Excellence (COE). The assessment process will objectively
identify “high potential” and “high professional” incumbents
in benchmark positions across the company. Developmental
tracks for the high-potential group will include some academic
curriculum from the University of Alabama on areas such as
k evin Stouse knew there was potential for a partnership…
it seemed obvious. Stouse, vice president of HR, joined
the company in 2012 and soon recognized that McWane
University could leverage the academic resources of the Univer-
sity of Alabama in Tuscaloosa to expand our own educational and
creative opportunities. After several meetings with delegates from
the university, McWane executed a memorandum of understand-
ing to explore new models of public/private workplace initiatives
between the university (public) and McWane (private).
“Partnerships between higher education and the private sec-
tor are a strategic lever for successful economic development in
our state,” stated Judy Bonner, University of Alabama’s president,
upon signing the landmark memorandum.
We couldn’t agree more.
The memorandum of understanding opens the door for
McWane and the university to, among other things, develop an
academic curriculum for programs we will build following the
talent assessment currently being piloted by our Valve & Hy-
drant Division. This initiative will gradually expand to other
McWane divisions.
From L to R: Tony Orlowski, M&H Valve General Manager; Jeet Radia, Senior Vice President of EHS and HR; Kevin Stouse, Vice President HR;
Carolyn Dahl, Dean of the University of Alabama College of Continuing Education; and Judy Bonner, President of The University of Alabama
Leadership Development, Six-Sigma/Lean Manufacturing and
many more.
The McWane HR Team is now developing a succession man-
agement approach by evaluating our human capital requirements,
formalizing succession planning, forecasting upcoming retire-
ments and developing a process for knowledge transfer in critical
areas. At McWane we are focused on ever improving our culture of
performance and innovation—one driven by all of us.
Kevin isn’t done yet, either. He’s working on outreach to the
Auburn University School of Engineering and other major univer-
sities to develop partnerships to recruit and retain the best and the
brightest for generations more to come. s
mcwANe 8 mcwANe 9
ear the southern tip of India, on the ancient Noyyal Riv-
er, sits Coimbatore—a city most of the world has never
heard of. In the shadow of Bangalore, the famed technol-Nogy metropolis some 200 miles to the north that boasts a pres-
ence by many Fortune 500 companies, Coimbatore is a leading
industrial and IT center, with an ever-refreshing talent pool of
more than 30,000 engineers (in product design, IT, software and
support) graduating annually from the its five major universities.
Coimbatore is also the home of McWane Services Private Limited
(MSPL), a wholly owned McWane subsidiary that opened for busi-
ness two years ago.
Starting with a small but dedicated team of engineers and spe-
cialists, MSPL quickly began providing support—such as material
take off and line drawings—for the Pipe and Valve & Hydrant
groups. The office soon established its design expertise and prod-
uct development for ISO valves, too, under the eaves of a leased
bungalow that served as MSPL’s office until suitable commercial
space was located this year. MSPL settled into its new digs in
May 2013.
We are not alone in pursuing opportunities in Coimbatore—
McWane has been joined by Siemens, Dell, Bosch, Tyco and other
prominent international manufacturers setting up shop in this
sprawling South Indian city.
“In MSPL, not only does McWane have a secure foothold in a
vital foreign market, with access to excellent skills and resources in
Asia,” said Gopi Ramanathan, senior vice president for McWane
Global and Director of MSPL. “McWane also has an experienced
team, in-house, to help refine designs and develop systems that will
cut out the costs of using outside vendors. We’re developing value
far beyond ISO Valve product designs to provide backend support
to practically every McWane division.”
To help answer the growing calls from within the McWane
family of companies, in 2013 MSPL established teams for AWWA,
ISO, FEA, FARO, supply chain and IT among others, to continue
providing low-cost, high-value service to McWane team members
company wide.
“At MSPL, everyone contributes to our performance,” said
Gopi. “And because we’re a part of the McWane family of compa-
nies, we’re always looking for ways to stay on top.”
In addition to supporting the core manufacturing divisions,
MSPL will soon be supporting the Technology group as well. After
getting off to a rousing start in 2012 and settling into new offices
in 2013, MSPL is poised for an even bigger 2014. s
the mcwANe stoRY tuRNsA pAge IN INdIA
2013 mcwANe techNoLogY & INNoVAtIoN coNfeReNcet’s easy to talk about how we innovate and improve the way
we manufacture our products for our customers—especially
when we’re together. I So for 2013, McWane brought together 70 team members from
across the McWane family of companies for a two-day creative
pow-wow in Birmingham. From senior management on down,
the sessions focused on how to keep a growing diversified com-
pany focused on innovation. With a growing roster of high tech-
nology companies now part of the McWane family, the subject of
advantageous synergies naturally arose.
“We’ve been very effective over the last decade or two in find-
ing ways to improve safety and environmental health while driv-
ing down costs in our core businesses,” said G. Ruffner Page, Jr.,
McWane President, reflecting on the intense two days of work.
“By properly meshing our legacy business with the new acquisi-
tions and new offerings, from advanced firefighting equipment
to wireless network technology, we can better serve the customer
while honing our own competitive advantages here at home and
abroad.”
Technology & Innovation Conference participants learned
about the high-value, low-cost engineering and IT services avail-
able from our MSPL operation in Coimbatore, India. Our core
businesses benefit by utilizing these capabilities for bid take-offs,
product design for ISO specs, new product design (gaskets and
joints), plant layout and engineering (Abu Dhabi and India Valve
Plant), 24/7 IT help desk and IT programming.
McWane innovation spans the world, but our innovative tech-
nology is also near at hand.
Barnes Ray introduced the McWane Pocket Engineer, available
for download at the iTunes Store. Jeff Otterstedt, Arne Feyling
and Tom Crawford discussed the availability of grants for green
and other innovative projects.
Conferees listened to updates on innovations in our core
business including the new thermal sand reclamation sys-
tem at Union Foundry, the proposed rubber coating system
at M&H Valve and the new centrifugal pipe casting machines
at Pacific States and Clow Water. Solberg’s Dennis Kennedy
offered a tutorial on the patented and environmentally friendly
RE-HEALINGTM Foam products manufactured by Amerex/Sol-
berg in Wisconsin and Norway.
On the technology side of the business, Wade Patterson gave
the group a tour of the stunning potential of the Synapse wireless
mesh network technology, which offers powerful applications in
the industrial, retail and healthcare markets. In one example
of on-site synergy, attendees were treated to a demonstration of
the new Amerex fire extinguishers outfitted with state of the art
Synapse technology to track and monitor their performance. Fi-
nally, Appalachian Lighting Systems boasted of its use of Synapse
technology in their products, which enabled the installation of
over 5,000 smart LED lights in a General Motors assembly plant
that reduced lighting costs by more than 80%.
Futurecom, Nighthawk and ComTech technologies and prod-
ucts also shared time in the conference spotlight.
“There may have once been a time when people would’ve
looked askew at a foundry company moving so assuredly into
the high tech space,” said Page. “But we’ve changed all that.
It’s one of the main reasons McWane remains a growing
American success story.” s
McWANE 10 McWANE 11
nother year, another set of awards for jobs well done.
In the case of Clow Valve’s Metal Casting Facility, one
might ask if there’s anything that could possibly top earn-Aing the U.S. Occupational Health & Safety Administration’s Vol-
untary Protection Programs Star certification. The answer is, of
course, “Yes, being recertified as a VPP Star site!”
The formal festivities for the recertification unfolded on Nov. 6,
2013, but the work and preparation had been underway for a long
time. VPP doesn’t just happen overnight, as everyone who has ever
pursued this high honor from the OSHA division of the U.S. De-
partment of Labor knows. It requires years of work, dedication and
a team-wide commitment to excellence. For Clow Valve’s Metal
Casting Facility, it was more than a decade in the making. And
recertification is proof positive that the work was worth it, and that
their absolute commitment to team safety has been unwavering.
The same commitment to excellence helped Tyler Coupling
in Marshfield, Missouri secure its own share of prestige in 2013.
Every year, the Missouri Association of Manufacturers (MAM) rec-
ognizes companies in the state who have achieved and maintained
exemplary safety standards. And it should come as no surprise to
any of us who have visited the facility: that Tyler Coupling won the
award for its category (manufacturers with between 100,000 and
200,000 annual hours worked).
As a VPP Star site in its own right, Tyler Coupling excels in man-
agement’s commitment to health & safety as well as employee en-
gagement. Their winning engagement is inspiring: nine different
facility committees made up of team member volunteers actively
pursue issues, concerns, and continuous improvements in the ar-
eas of Health and Safety at work and at home. Coupled with this
organizational readiness is the determination to solicit input from
everyone—tapping the genius of the entire team.
“My philosophy is simple,” said Bill Hoffman, Tyler Coupling
plant manager. “My employees’ personal safety is more important
than their production. I’ve told everyone here this over and over
again. It’s important we never forget it.”
The MAM Safety Excellence Awards Program aims to boost ac-
cident prevention awareness and improve workplace health and
safety—something like Missouri’s own version of the VPP program.
Winning this award is a true testament to the team members of
Tyler Coupling and their daily practice of excellence on the job! s
It’s AwARds tIme... foR cLow VALVe metAL cAstINg IN oskALoosA, IA ANd tYLeR coupLINg IN mARshfIeLd, mo
Team members of Clow Valve Back row L-R: Dennis Glassford, Jerry Fairbank, Jose Rivera and Stacey Craig
Front Row L-R: Juana Plum, Juan Matias, John Grahek and Bob Kelly
2001 Representatives from IOSH Consultation visit Clow Valve to conduct a hygiene and safety review.
2002 A Clow team visited two sites at the recommendation of Shashi Patel, Iowa OSHA’s VPP Team Leader, to evaluate lead programs and pollution control techniques. Clow renovated its lunchroom, locker room, and ventilation systems and established a model facility for lead compliance.
2004 Brought in a medical intern who interviewed staff in cooperation with University of Iowa Hospitals.
2005 Employees attended a VPP Application Workshop in Atlanta and Clow overhauled its safety programs to incorporate core VPP elements.
2006 Visited four Iowa VPP sites to provide benchmarking and mentoring ideas. A VPP Kickoff meeting was held.
2007 Clow’s Metal Casting Facility achieved VPP Merit status from IOSH.
2008 Hosted a visit from US OSHA representatives to help draft ergonomic guidelines for the foundry industry.
2009 Clow’s Metal Casting Facility achieved VPP Star status from Iowa OSHA.
2013 Clow’s Metal Casting Facility gets recertified as a VPP Star Site!
the cLow VALVe metAL cAstINg fAcILItY’s RoAdmAp to Vpp stAR stAtus:
A pRoVeN tRAck RecoRd woRth ceLeBRAtINg...go cLow—go!
Team members of Tyler Coupling from L to R: Bill Hoffman, Alicia Hardacre, Jo Bowers, Brian Cline and Randy Witherspoon
McWANE 12 McWANE 13
e very year, members of Team McWane donate their valuable time and impressive skills to help make our communities better—hon-
oring a tradition of volunteerism across the company. From the team at Anaco that raised money for the American Red Cross
to assist the victims of hurricanes Manuel and Ingrid, to the Kennedy Valve team that volunteered for the Lackawanna Trail
commuNItY outReAch fRom teAm mcwANe...Cleanup on Earth Day, and to all the other warm-hearted efforts undertaken, Team McWane takes pride in doing well by doing right.
Anaco raised money for the American Red Cross
Pacific States Relay For Life team walked in honor John Balian
Tyler Pipe donated $10,000 to East Texas Food Bank’s Backpack program
Kennedy Valve Team volunteered to clean up Lackawanna Trail
M&H Valve team raised money for the American Cancer Society
Tyler Union team celebrated Earth Day with local children
ur third annual Pollution Prevention Challenge—
or P2C— proved that McWane’s talented teams continue
to lead in innovative thinking when it comes to recycling, oreuse and conservation of natural resources. On December 12,
that brainpower was on impressive display as 10 finalist teams
competed for bragging rights—and the chance to make the
biggest, tangible improvements in their workplaces and for
their communities.
Congratulations to everyone for taking part, and proving that
we can continue to do well by doing right…
Pacific States captured First Place by modifying the weir on the
T-Pot (Desulphurization Ladle) to optimize lime used for remov-
ing sulfur from the iron. This entailed lowering the weir in one-
inch increments until reaching the optimum height, cutting lime
in half! This simple change will produce an estimated $248,000 in
savings thanks to reduced material use and waste—and fewer trips
to the landfill means less greenhouse gas emissions. It also means
improved stormwater quality and resource conservation as well as
improved safety. Awesome job Pac States!
Second place went to the AB&I team for a project that injects
the cupola dropout material and coke breeze into the cupola via the
tuyeres. Before, the cupola dropout material was disposed as Cali-
fornia Hazardous Waste at an estimated annual cost of $623,910
while the coke breeze was sent off-site for briquetting at an esti-
mated annual cost of $183,000. That’s a lot of costs eliminated,
and these numbers don’t include the savings associated with in-
jecting the coke breeze, further reducing the amount of new coke
required and estimated to save $56,540 per year. This means that
Team AB&I’s total cost savings minus the capital/installation cost
($75,000) and annual operating cost ($10,000) is about $778,450.
Wow!
Third place went to the MTE Bedford team for modifications
made to the sheet steel purchased for fabricating hot oil tanks.
Bedford used to have to purchase sheet steel and then cut it to
size using a plasma cutter. This produced emissions and scrap steel
that had to be trucked off for recycling. Bedford worked with their
supplier to have the sheet steel pre-sized, eliminating the need for
cutting and thereby avoiding the emissions and waste produced—
leading to estimated savings so far of $62,290!
To recognize teams that devised small but ingenious environ-
mental improvements, the “Why Didn’t I Think of That” award
was created in 2012. This year’s winners were Kennedy Valve for
Stormwater Improvements; Clow Valve for TGIC Reclaim Powder
Coating; and MTE Elkhart for Round Seam Flux Elimination.
Great work all around.
The 10 finalists’ projects in McWane’s 2013 P2C generated an-
nual cost savings of over $1,600,000. That is impressive—and it’s
not just a win for the teams who puzzled out winning solutions, it’s
a win for our communities and our planet!
Great job... see you all next year! s
2013 POLLUTION PREvENTION chALLeNge / p2c
McWANE 14 McWANE 15
hway—well, except for virtually journeying down this road while
getting fit at the same time!
McWane’s “Get Fit on Route 66” summer wellness program for
2013 saw nearly 1,100 of our team members from across the US and
Canada getting fit by engaging in a variety of physical activities like
running, kickboxing and yoga. Everyone joined into teams, which
tracked their competition on the Get Fit on Route 66 web page.
Not only did everyone enjoy the healthy benefits and camaraderie,
we also got to take in the virtual sights along the way. Participants
advanced one mile along Route 66 for every minute of exercise,
passing through historic spots like Carthage, Missouri; Valentine,
Arizona; and Santa Monica, California. The faster and further par-
ticipants moved on Route 66, the more “road signs” they earned.
The team with the most road signs per participant won.
While we were all winners by participating, this was still a com-
petition and there could only be one winning team. So hat’s off
to Pacific States Cast Iron Pipe, who won the coveted “King of the
Road” trophy by collecting 3,571 road signs—topping second-place
finishers Kennedy Valve by more than 1,000 road signs.
While there was but one top winner, everyone was able to claim
a prize beyond improved health and wellness. Each participant re-
ceived a commemorative mid-journey souvenir in July and a souve-
nir t-shirt when the program ended, in celebration of their accom-
plishments. There were even corporate drawings for bigger prizes,
including gym bags, back packs, gift cards and iPods. In order to
qualify for the drawings, however, participants had to log:
n 525 miles by June 24 — for the first drawing
n 1,750 miles by August 12 — for the second drawing
n 2,448 miles by September 8 — for the grand finale drawing
It may be over for 2013, but it’s never too soon to get psyched up
for next year’s big events! s
get fIt oN Route 66 “kINg of the RoAd” stANdINgs
istoric Route 66 is an iconic ribbon of roadway running
from Lake Michigan to the Pacific Ocean. Nothing quite
like getting fit while journeying along this legendary high-
The Pacific States team is led by Kent Brown. From L to R: Gary Wood, Emily Croft, Brad Olson, Kent Brown, Miguel Munoz, Jessica Stones, Kevin Stouse, and Sara Courtney.
Pacific States Cast Iron Pipe 45 3,571 79.36
Kennedy Valve 32 2,437 76.16
MTE Crossville 17 1,211 71.24
Clow Water 58 4,020 69.31
Clow Canada 40 2,760 69.00
MTE Elkhart 39 2,647 67.87
MTE Franklin 24 1,471 61.29
Atlantic States Cast Iron Pipe 93 5,556 59.74
Tyler Union Foundry 44 2,507 56.98
Amerex 194 10,702 55.16
Canada Pipe 17 918 54.00
Tyler Coupling 46 2,482 53.96
MTE Quincy 42 2,264 53.90
Tyler Pipe 39 2,081 53.36
Anaco 39 2,068 53.03
MTE Bedford 49 2,458 50.16
McWane Birmingham 64 2,931 45.80
Clow Valve 127 5,558 43.76
AB&I Foundry 70 3,027 43.24
M&H Valve 20 825 41.25
loCATIonCoMPAny nAME
CoUInT EACHPARTICIPAnT
TOTAL ROAD SIGnS EARnED
SIGnS PER PARTICIPAnT
get fIt oN Route 66who wILL Be kINg of the RoAd?
McWANE 16 McWANE 17
woke up one morning in a Holiday Inn not feeling well. Indiges-
tion, I thought. But what started out as discomfort soon became
excruciating pain. As panic began to ripple through me, I fo-I
w
cused on dressing and getting out of the room. If I passed out there,
I might not be found until it was too late. I struggled to reach the
front desk. The pain increased, never letting up.
This is it, I thought. This is how it ends.
The next several hours were a blur. After multiple rounds of scans
and blood work, the doctors ruled out a heart attack. But they still
didn’t know what was causing the pain, which left an infinite num-
ber of scary alternatives to ponder. Sleep that night was not easy.
I awoke the next morning to the doctor standing over my bed,
telling me there was some good news and some bad news. The good
news: my heart was fine. The bad news: the MRI showed a very large
neuro-endrocrine tumor on my pancreas that had grown around the
major arteries and blood vessels feeding my internal organs. It was
bad. Surgery would not be an option.
When I asked about my chances of beating this, I suspected they
might be 50/50. I was wrong. The oncologist was straight with me—
10% is more like it, he said.
Leaving the hospital that day, giving up seemed to be my only op-
tion. The top-notch medical staff had said there wasn’t much they
could do. Modern technology would be of no use to me. At that
moment, I’d never felt more alone. My battle had just begun and I
was already way behind. As I drove away from the hospital I began to
pray. I prayed not to be healed from the disease but for the courage
to handle whatever lay ahead of me with grace and understanding.
Over the next two years I underwent constant chemotherapy treat-
ments along with all the unpleasant side effects. Sores in my mouth
made the simple act of drinking water feel like acid torture.
My condition was not improving. Finally, a decision was made to
use a recently approved drug with almost no history. In light of my
prognosis, it seemed like the best alternative.
Weeks later, after yet another MRI, a surgeon with an unfamiliar
look on his face entered my room: he was smiling. This time, the
news was all good. The tumor had shrunk by a full centimeter!
Shannon Payne is 44 years old and is the Florida District Manager for M&H Valve and Kennedy Valve. He lives in Brandon, Florida and has
worked for the company for 3 years
tIme, suppoRt & fAIth heLp shANNoN pAYNe wIN!
“No one wins a battle of this magnitude alone.”—Shannon Payne
I continued to make progress over the next 10 months and as
the tumor shrank, the possibility for successful surgery grew. A team
of incredible surgeons spent nine hours undoing what cancer had
spent years doing to my body. The small part of my pancreas the
surgeons left is doing a great job regulating my blood sugar today. It’s
like my crisis never happened. But it did.
It most certainly did, and I learned more than I could have ever
hoped from the experience. I learned that no one wins a battle of
this magnitude alone.
It took a team of the best surgeons, experimental drugs and every
ounce of faith I had. It took loving support from family and friends.
It also took time.
And precious time is what McWane gave me. Time to fight my
lengthy battle with cancer—an extremely tough opponent. My family
and I both agree that I could not have done it without the support
of McWane. Each conversation with Terry Christjohn, Greg Davis
and John Chalk was filled with concern and backed by reassurance.
They lifted a burden from me that I simply could not bear at the
time.
How do you thank a group of people for saving your life? I thanked
my surgeon before I left the hospital and I thank my friends and fam-
ily every day for their love and support. And now, I thank everyone
at McWane. I learned firsthand that McWane is an honorable com-
pany staffed by honorable people. They stand behind their products
and their employees—and I’m living proof of this philosophy.
I thank everyone at McWane from the bottom of my heart. I will
always honor the faith and trust that you put in me. s
hat’s the best way to identify problems in the workplace
and devise solutions that improve safety, efficiency
and effectiveness? Easy. Just turn the members of team
McWane loose!
On October 16, 10 teams from the McWane family of compa-
nies competed in the third annual ErgoCup Competition. From
paint system improvements to a specially designed pneumatic lift,
this year’s competition brought applause from all the judges—and
will bring measurable improvements to the workplace. After much
deliberation, competition was down to the top three—with the ulti-
mate winner slated to represent McWane at the National Applied
Ergonomics Competition in Orlando, Florida in March 2014.
So, without further ado, congratulations to the team from Man-
chester Tank and Equipment in Elkhart, Indiana for taking this
year’s top prize! Its winning entry was a new, two-piece paint hook
system that significantly reduced the risk of hand and wrist injuries
and reduced thread leaks during the washing process by approxi-
mately 70%! This project not only promises to reduce potential inju-
ries, it will reduce potential runoff and improve efficiency.
In second place, was Manchester Tank and Equipment in Quin-
cy, Illinois. They designed and installed a special pneumatic lift to
eliminate the need to manually lift a 56-pound tank head onto a
roller conveyor, thereby eliminating the repetitive stress of lifiting an
average of 150 heavy tanks throughout an eight-hour shift.
In third place was Tyler Coupling, which designed and built a
roll-off mold setting fixture that eliminates the need to push and
pull dies from a new vertical press. While it’s a mouthful to describe,
the innovative design incorporated multidirectional rollers and a
simple winch with a battery-powered drill. It also turned a difficult
two-person job into a simple task that anyone can do without hassle.
Nice thinking, Tyler Coupling!
Amazing projects in this year’s competition finals also came from
teams fielded by Clow Canada, Kennedy Valve, Clow Water, Atlan-
tic States and Amerex. Every finalist team presented photos, Power-
point presentations and videos to demonstrate their inspiring work
to the panel of judges. They also handled questions from the panel,
which included Pat Tyson, Esq., from the OSHA practice law firm of
Constangy, Brooks, & Smith in Atlanta; Dr. Elizabeth Maples, Dep-
uty Director and Assistant Professor, Deep South Center for OH&S
at the University of Alabama-Birmingham; Matt Hollub, Associate
Director of the University of Alabama SafeState Onsite Consultation
Program, and Dan Copeland, Vice-President of McWane Global.
Congratulations to everyone who participated—and thanks for the
hard work and didication. While not every one of the 33 submitted
projects could place in the final competition, every project entry is
a winner for McWane, where we all benefit from the improvements
that each of us makes in our workplace.
See you at next year’s competition! s
mcwANe eRgo mANIA
2013!
mcwANe eRgo mANIA
2013!From L-R: Matt Hollub, CIH, CSP, Pat Tyson, Elizabeth Maples, Dan Copeland
From L-R: Rusty Stoeckinger, Jill Drajer, Rita Scott, Trish Timm,Robert Gutierrez, Juan Gonzales,George Williams, Wally Tochman
Roger Morningstar, Eric Doland
McWANE 18 McWANE 19
AB&I fouNdRY shARes the stoRY of Its commuNItY IN AN ARtfuL wAY
or more than a century, AB&I Foundry has been produc-
ing pipe and fittings for use across the country. From its
site in Oakland, California AB&I has made components ffor US Navy submarines in World War II and bronze statues for
Market Street in San Francisco. Building off the work of founder
Joseph Boscacci, AB&I products are recognized for their superior
quality and craftsmanship and are 100% “Made in America” from
post-consumer recycled scrap material.
But for all its history in Oakland, AB&I has been walled off
from its community—literally. The foundry’s amazing work has
been taking place behind a high wall tracing the edge of the prop-
erty, wedged between Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) train tracks
and San Leandro Street. To transform the relationship between
company and community, AB&I embarked on one of the largest
public art projects of its kind in the area: a beautiful mural 253-feet
long, eight-feet high containing more than 2,026 square feet of his-
tory and inspiration.
With the city’s former luster dulled by years of economic un-
certainty, AB&I’s efforts not only help beautify —they remind the
community of all it has accomplished while inspiring it anew.
“Our story is one worth telling, and our city is in desperate need
of beautification,” said Kurt Winter, AB&I’s general manager.
“The walls around our neighborhood are constantly tagged by
graffiti artists, so we decided to take action and turn our own
facility into a canvas for the benefit of everyone in the community.
The art is beautiful, and so too is the message behind it.”
Instead of bare walls, commuters on the BART train and driv-
ers cruising on San Leandro Street are presented with a striking
tableau of milestones, memories and moments of genuine civic
pride. Block by industrial block, AB&I is transforming its com-
munity while celebrating both local history and its own. Initial
scenes in the mural depict Boscacci making ornamental castings
for the city and the foundry’s work on behalf of the nation during
World War II. Later images illustrate AB&I’s pride in its
city and neighborhood, with iconic renderings of the Oakland
Zoo, the Oakland Raiders football team, Fox Theater and the
Christ of the King Cathedral at Lake Merritt. The richly detailed
mural also honors team members who have worked at AB&I
across its history.
Murals have long been used to celebrate achievement,
highlight important issues and inspire future generations to great-
ness. From Michelangelo to Diego Rivera to contemporary art
prankster Banksy, the mural is art in one of its most vital forms—
directly engaging us in our everyday lives, sharing beauty and
inviting new optimism for tomorrow. With so much value in
the images, finding the right artist was paramount. Luckily for
AB&I, acclaimed Bay Area painter Jean Bidwell from Castro Valley
embraced the commission—and embraced AB&I’s commitment to
community and sustainability by including visuals celebrating the
foundry’s accomplishments alongside those of the surrounding
community.
“We have a long history of social and environmental responsibil-
ity,” said Winter. “This is yet another contribution we are making
to improve our community, and it’s one we hope will inspire for a
long time to come.”
AB&I’s deep involvement in its community goes far be-
yond the pigments and personalities used in the mural. For
over two decades, AB&I has made environmental concerns a
top priority, investing $10 million in environmental technol-
ogy and training to set an industry standard for cleanliness and
environmental responsibility. Its community faces more threats
than just environmental ones, which is why AB&I has also
helped law enforcement get guns off of the streets by taking in
over 50,000 weapons and melting them down. This provides
local law enforcement a cost-free way to permanently keep guns
out of the wrong hands. AB&I also gives specialized confined
space rescue training to new Oakland firefighters.
There’s been a lot to celebrate in the more than 100 years since
Joseph Boscacci cast his first iron in his backyard. And now,
there’s an appropriately sized canvas for this story to finally be
shared with the community.
We just hope that there is room enough saved on the
wall so that AB&I’s future accomplishments can be artfully
memorialized too! s
sectIoNs of the AB&I muRAL
the mcwANe wAY Is the sustAINABLe wAY
foR geNeRAtIoNs
At McWane, we believe in doing things the sustainable way.While protecting the health and safety of our employees, we are committed to the environment, striving to take every possible measure to preserve our planet through caring corporate responsibility. The McWane way is the sustainable way.
It was a long hot summer in 1972 when a 12-year-old Terri Evans began helping her brother mow the grass
and maintain the landscaping at what would become the Manchester Tank Bedford facility. It was called Extruded
Alloys back then and their mother worked as the Executive Secretary/Personnel Assistant. A few years later,
Extruded Alloys closed the plant and Brunner Engineering eventually reopened the facility as an ASME Pressure
Vessel manufacturing facility and Terri’s mother regained her former position. By 1987, Terri’s mother retired
and Terri applied for the opening. E.B. Martin, the personnel administrator at the time, took Terri under
his wing and became an invaluable mentor. He saw her potential and took the time to help develop it.
“I have had various mentors throughout my career, each having an impact on different aspects of my professional
growth, from management skills, communications skills and technical skills. And while all of my mentors
have played a role in my ability to reach my goals, there are two that stand out above the rest. E.B. Martin
being the first to see my potential and now Larry Bowers is my mentor challenging me, encouraging me,
teaching me things I wouldn’t have otherwise known,” said Terri. “This gives me the confidence to be
effective in my job every day.”
Terri’s highly analytical mind, her commitment to quality and her Hoosier work ethic have proved to be
a fearsomely effective combination—helping her rise through the ranks despite changes
in facility ownership including Manchester Tank’s purchase of Brunner in 2000.
She also continued her professional development using the company’s
tuition reimbursement program to take college courses part time while
raising her family and working full time, and in 2007 Terri earned a
BS in Business Management.
The climb from the ground floor (literally) to management took time,
and along the way Terri learned not only the intricacies of our businesses,
but also the wisdom, discipline and perseverance necessary to excel. Today
she’s assistant group environmental compliance director responsible not
just for the Bedford facility, but a number of other manufacturing and
distribution centers as well.
“Watching Terri’s professional development and being able to play some
small part in that development has been one of the highlights of my time
with McWane,” said Corporate Environmental Director Larry Bowers.
Today Terri is paying it all forward, sharing her knowledge and
experience with those around her. Tiffany Smith, MTE Bedford’s
Environmental Manager, had this to say about Terri: “I have
been so fortunate to begin my career
under the tutelage and guidance of Terri. When I took my
position shortly after graduation, I was overwhelmed, but
Terri always took the extra time needed to help me to
succeed. Her mentoring has improved my skills,
enhanced my potential for professional growth and
given me renewed confidence. I am grateful for each
day that I have to learn from her.” So are we all!
teRRI eVANs A pRofILe IN peRseVeRANce
wAteR.It’s a vital part of everything we do.
Whether you’re fighting fires, watering crops,
or just taking a morning shower... chances are,
that water is being brought to you by the
McWane family of companies.
mcwane.com
M c W A n E I n C • P. o . B o x 4 3 3 2 7 B I R M I n G H A M , A l 3 5 2 4 3 • w w w . M c W A n E . C o M • © 2 0 1 4 M C W A n E , I n C . • A l l R I G H T S R E S E R V E D
ductILe IRoN pIpe dIVIsIoNAtlantic States Cast Iron Pipe Company
Canada Pipe Company, LTD
Clow Water Systems
McWane Cast Iron Pipe Company
Pacific States Cast Iron Pipe Company
McWane Coal Company
INteRNAtIoNAL sALes & tRAdINgMcWane Global
McWane Poles
McWane International
wAteRwoRks VALVes & fIRe hYdRANtsAmercan R/D
Clow Canada
Clow Corona
Clow Valve Company
Kennedy Valve
M&H Valve
wAteRwoRks fIttINgsTyler/Union Foundry Company
Tyler Xianxian
soIL pIpe, soIL fIttINgs & coupLINgsAB&I FoundryAnacoBibby-Ste-CroixFonderie LaperleTyler Pipe Company Tyler Coupling
Wade
pRopANe & compRessed AIR tANksManchester Tank & Equipment Company
MTE Cemcogas, SA
fIRe extINguIsheRs & fIRe suppRessIoNAmerex
Getz Manufacturing
Janus
Solberg Scandinavian AS
techNoLogY ComTech Korea
Futurecom Systems Group
Synapse Wireless
Nighthawk
BRINgINg the wAteR You Need to the pLAces You Need It.