Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year To Focus on Millennial Hiring

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Company Cites ThomasNet Research as a Catalyst for Action 

Menomonee Falls, Wisc.–May 28, 2014 —As the U.S. jobless rate hits new lows, and the manufacturing sector continues growing, Tailored Label Products (TLP) today issued a call to Wisconsin manufacturers to focus on the Millennials (age 18-32) who are the key to their futures.

TLP, which manufactures high-performance, custom labels for industry, puts a premium on innovation, and works hard to attract and keep young talent with new ideas and technology savvy. But recent research from ThomasNet.com® points to an urgent need for other manufacturers to do the same, according to Tracy Tenpenny, Vice President of Sales/Marketing at TLP.

He noted that a recent ThomasNet.com® Industry Market Barometer® survey of more than 1,200 manufacturers demonstrates a troubling trend: Companies are not bringing in Millennials to replace retiring Baby Boomers fast enough. With this generation projected to make up 75 percent of the workforce by 2025, manufacturers need an aggressive recruitment plan. Yet, eight out of ten respondents report thatMillennials represent a very small fraction of their employee base, and most don’t see that changing soon.

“As a sector, North American manufacturing could forfeit its global leadership unless we attract the young talent we need. That effort must start in our home state,” said Mr. Tenpenny.

Part of the problem is that many Millennials are either unaware of manufacturing or see this career as undesirable. Three quarters of the ThomasNet.com survey respondents believe negative perceptions of the manufacturing profession are preventing new generations from joining forces with them. This comes at a time when many manufacturers have more jobs than people to fill them. Forty percent of the survey respondents, for instance, have been hiring.

“Manufacturing is in dire need of a brand makeover. Those of us who love the industry need to become advocates for our profession,” he added.

He pointed to efforts that ThomasNet, a company that connects buyers and sellers of industrial/commercial products, has taken nationally. ThomasNet recently launched a Job Board to provide manufacturers with strong support. Last year, they awarded thirty $1,000 scholarships to graduating high school seniors interested in manufacturing careers.

TLP has also taken action to attract and retain Millennials by providing an exceptional workplace. They just earned their second Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year Grand Award (MOTY), honoring their innovation, philanthropy, commitment to customer satisfaction, and job creation. In addition, TLP has won the Journal/Sentinel’s Best Places to Work in Wisconsin for six consecutive years.

About Tailored Label Products, Inc.

Celebrating its thirtieth anniversary, Tailored Label Products (TLP) is a custom manufacturer of high-performance labels, tags and die cut adhesives. TLP provides custom engineered and label solutions for the electronics, automotive, industrial, biomedical, medical equipment, hydraulic fluid and power industries. TLP is headquartered in Menomonee Falls, Wis., and has additional manufacturing facilities in Suwanee, Ga. For more information, see www.tailoredlabel.com.

For more information, visit www.tailoredlabel.com.

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As Tailored Label Products Reflects on 30 Years of Business, Culture is Key

Technology has changed for the label manufacturer, but people are at the heart of its operation

MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. (March 26, 2014) — Tailored Label Products (TLP), a Menomonee Falls-based manufacturer of high-performance labels, tags and die-cut adhesives, is celebrating 30 years of business. While some aspects of the company have changed over the years – including a dramatic increase in capacity, technology and innovation – one thing has not: its focus on preserving company culture during a period of substantial growth.

TLP 30th Anniversary LogoThis culture and management philosophy has been the hallmark of the company since it was founded in 1984 – a culture of trust, rewards, recognition and community involvement. Guided by nine core principles – including a commitment to making work fun, building great teams and high expectations of integrity – TLP has maintained a consistent culture of excellence while significantly boosting sales and increasing employees by 50 percent over a five-year period.

“Finding the right talent is critical to building a successful and respected business in the community,” said CEO Mike Erwin. “As I reflect on our last three decades of business, what I remember most is not the new orders we signed or the growth we’ve achieved, but the people that come here every day and put their passion into creating great products and helping us advance as a team.”

Empowering employees leads to powerful awards

As one of TLP’s 90 employees, Deb Becht-Soliday has witnessed this evolution firsthand. Starting as a receptionist and customer service specialist in 1985, Becht-Soliday is now a regional application engineer.

“TLP has always been willing to empower people to pursue different positions and help them achieve their goals,” said Becht-Soliday. “I never thought I’d be with the company this long, but I knew when I started that I was working for good people who had a good vision. It’s been really rewarding to see the success of the company over the years.”

The company has been recognized, in many cases multiple times, for its focus on talent and quality with the following awards:

  • Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year Grand Award
    (2 time receipient)
  • Top 100 Workplaces
    Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
  • Best of the Best Workplace in the Americas
    Printing Industries of America
  • Best Place to Work in Southeastern Wisconsin
    Milwaukee Magazine and MRA, The Management Resource Association
  • Top 10 Business in Southeastern Wisconsin
    Waukesha County Chamber of Commerce, Printing Industry of America and Small Business Times

Innovative investments fuel business growth

These recognitions have been the result of a more recent pursuit of innovative manufacturing processes. In the last 10 years, TLP has substantially increased its investment and focus on capacity, technology and innovation. In that time, it has devoted an unprecedented level of earnings to new methods and machinery, and achieved consistent patent generation.

These investments, which have supported exponential increases in sales and new business, include:

  • A new cleanroom for the company’s label doming line
  • Three overhead gantry cranes for tool handling ease of use
  • Multiple new printing presses, including a large-format digital press and high-speed inline variable inkjet printer
  • A large quality assurance and engineering laboratory

John Trayser was employee No. 18 when he started in TLP’s purchasing, production and planning department in 1989. Back in those days, pre-press graphics were created manually as paste-up art. Since then, he said, computer systems have automated much of the company’s processes, taking inventory times from two days down to about four hours. There are still parts of the operation, however, that need a human hand, Trayser said.

“The culture of the company allows us to work better together as a group, solving problems and finding solutions,” Trayser said. “I worked for a larger company prior to TLP, but I much prefer the close-knit, community feeling here. It’s made me a better team player, and it’s made us successful as a company all these years.”

About Tailored Label Products Inc. (https://www.tailoredlabel.com)

Celebrating its 30th anniversary, Tailored Label Products Inc. (TLP) is a custom manufacturer of high-performance labels, tags and die-cut adhesives. TLP provides custom-engineered adhesive and label solutions for the electronics, automotive, aerospace, industrial, biomedical, medical equipment, hydraulic fluid and power industries. TLP is headquartered in Menomonee Falls, Wis., and has an additional manufacturing facility in Suwanee, Ga. For more information, visit www.tailoredlabel.com.

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TLP Earns 2013 Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year Grand Award

New business growth, community involvement, and operational excellence propel the company to its second MOTY grand award recognition in 9 years

MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. (Feb. 28, 2014) — Tailored Label Products (TLP), a Menomonee Falls-based manufacturer of high-performance product labels, tags and die-cut adhesives, has won the 2013 Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year Grand Award (MOTY) which recognizes Wisconsin manufacturers for exceptional innovation, philanthropy, commitment to customer satisfaction, and job creation.

This marks the second time that TLP has won the award; it previously won in 2005.

TLP earned its award in the small company category, open to manufacturers with 1 to 99 employees. The award winners, selected from among 34 total nominees in four size categories, were revealed Feb. 27 at a black-tie banquet at The Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee.

“I am absolutely honored that TLP has been recognized with this very prestigious award for a second time. This achievement is a testament to our innovative manufacturing processes and dedicated team of professionals, without whom this would not have been possible. I thank them all from the bottom of my heart,” said Tailored Label Products CEO Mike Erwin. “On behalf of our entire organization, we are very grateful to our customers, business partners, and our community for having played such a huge role TLP’s continued success over the past 30 years. We are happy share this honor with them.”

In the award ceremony, it was noted that TLP’s application stood out to the judges since it clearly and concisely demonstrated TLP’s operational excellence and dedication to continuous improvement. The judges felt these two categories showcased Tailored Label’s strong corporate leadership, one that is not afraid to invest in new technology, process improvement, and developing employees.

TLP is continually recognized as one of Wisconsin’s best workplaces. In addition to the MOTY award, TLP has also received such distinctions at Best of the Best Workplaces of America and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Top 100 workplaces awards for several years running. “Building upon our employee’s strengths and talents is imperative to the growth and success of our organization”, said TLP President Jeff Kerlin.

A heavy focus on Community involvement was another factor the judges considered. The company’s ‘Touching the Lives of People’ program, established in 2007, started out as the team name for a cancer run and has now expanded into a company-wide culture that has employees asking, “when, where, and how can we help?” TLP employees are committed to giving back to the community through a combination of both financial contributions and volunteer time. The company routinely donates their own manufactured products in the form of graphic design services, stickers, decals, labels, promotional magnets, static clings, signs, and other products.

TLP produces high-performance labels, UL/CSA labels, custom labels, die cut adhesives, short run and long run labels and unique bonding solutions. Headquartered in Menomonee Falls, Wis., and with a location in Suwanee, Ga., the 90 dedicated employees at TLP produce custom-engineered labels around the specific demands of their customers’ applications.

That dedication to customer needs prompted a surge in new business, which was in part what helped TLP secure the award. The company added a record number of new customers in 2013, which follows its trend of adding 100 or more new accounts every year for the past five years.

About the Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year Award
In its 26th year, the Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year program recognizes manufacturers of all sizes and industries for their contributions to the state. The award winners were picked by an independent panel of judges from industry, education and the public sector and focused on how each company’s contributions helped drive Wisconsin’s economy.

The accounting and advisory firm of Baker Tilly, the law firm of Michael Best & Friedrich LLP, and the business association Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce sponsor the Manufacturer of the Year awards program.

For more information on the Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year Awards, please visit: http://www.wimoty.com/.

About Tailored Label Products Inc. (https://www.tailoredlabel.com)
Celebrating its 30th year anniversary, Tailored Label Products Inc. (TLP) is a custom manufacturer of high-performance labels, tags and die-cut adhesives. TLP provides custom-engineered adhesive and label solutions for the electronics, automotive, aerospace, industrial, biomedical, medical equipment, hydraulic fluid and power industries. TLP is headquartered in Menomonee Falls, Wis., and has additional manufacturing facilities in Suwanee, Ga.

For more information, visit www.tailoredlabel.com.

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TLP Joins Roundtable-Effective Workforce Development Strategies

Mike Erwin to share insights on how TLP’s strategies are paying it off, while paying it forward

MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. (Feb. 11, 2014) — Tailored Label Products (TLP), a leading manufacturer of high-performance labels, tags and die-cut adhesives, has been recognized numerous times over the years for having an outstanding workplace culture. But how does the company maintain that excellence day in and day out?

That will be the subject of an executive roundtable as Mike Erwin, CEO of TLP, joins the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce’s Council of Small Business Executives on Tuesday, Feb. 18. Taking place at the University Club of Milwaukee from 4 to 6:30 p.m., the event promises a candid sharing of ideas and inspiration for business owners and executives.

Erwin will be interviewed by Mary Isbister, president of GenMet – a metal fabrication business located in Mequon – on how maximizing staff engagement, having a rewarding company culture and developing a plan to take employees to the next level can help a business maximize its resources.

“At TLP, our high-performance culture is our greatest asset – and that’s not just something we say,” said Erwin. “We’ve really strived to make workforce engagement and development a priority, and I look forward to sharing some actionable tips during the roundtable discussion. More importantly, I want to express how implementing these strategies can help businesses of any size improve recruitment, retention and enhance relationships with customers in the process.

Erwin will make a presentation on how TLP’s highly engaged workforce produces great products and drives results for customers every day. Highlights of the presentation include:

  • How TLP has built a culture of integrity, innovation and personal development
  • How the company keeps and grows talent with positive recognition, communication and coaching
  • Why TLP has created a structured career development program that includes job rotations, education and mentorship

This focus on employee excellence has been recognized numerous times with multiple awards, including:

  • Top 100 Workplaces – Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
  • Best of the Best Workplace in the Americas – Printing Industries of America
  • Five-time winner of the Best Place to Work in Southeastern Wisconsin award – Milwaukee Magazine and MRA, The Management Resource Association

For more information and to register for the roundtable event, visit http://www.mmac.org/about_mmac/Council_of_Small_Business_Executives.aspx.

About Tailored Label Products (https://www.tailoredlabel.com)
Celebrating its 30th anniversary, TLP is a custom manufacturer of high-performance labels, tags and die-cut adhesives. TLP provides custom-engineered adhesive and label solutions for the electronics, automotive, aerospace, industrial, life sciences, medical equipment, hydraulic fluid and power industries. TLP is headquartered in Menomonee Falls, Wis., has another manufacturing facility in Suwanee, Ga., and has a distribution and fulfillment center in Tijuana, Mexico. For more information, visit www.tailoredlabel.com.

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Tailored Label Products Wins “Best of the Best Workplaces” – Printing Industries of America

best workplace in the americas of the best 2013, Tailored Label Products IncMENOMONEE FALLS, WI (November 5, 2013) – Tailored Label Products, Inc. (TLP), a manufacturer of custom product labels and die cut adhesives, is pleased to announce they have been named Best of the Best Workplace in the Americas 2013 competition for their exemplary human resource practices.

The Best Workplace in the Americas program was created in 2000 to honor printing companies that provide a superior work environment. All of the winning companies actively show their employees that they care about the their work environment, their personal goals and ambitions, as well as the needs of the company. The applicants were judged by a panel of highly respected HR professionals on eight different categories; Work Environment; Training and Development Opportunities; Financial Security; Workplace Health and Safety; Work-Life Balance; Recognition and Rewards; and Health and Wellness Programs.

Mike Erwin, President of TLP, reflected on the recognition saying, “It is an honor to continually be recognized by the industry as a company that offers a superior workplace…it is our goal to maintain this standard and to improve our environment as opportunities arise.”

About Tailored Label Products, Inc.

Tailored Label Products, Inc. (TLP) is a custom manufacturer of high-performance labels, tags and die-cut adhesives. They provide custom engineered adhesive and label solutions for the electronics, automotive, aerospace, industrial, biomedical, medical equipment, hydraulic fluid and power industries. For more information, contact TLP at 800.727.1344 or visit www.tailoredlabel.com.

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