General Cable Plant Among the Best

Jan. 1, 2011
General Cable's Franklin, Mass., manufacturing facility, which produces GenSPEED brand data communications, NextGen fiber optics and Carol brand specialty

General Cable's Franklin, Mass., manufacturing facility, which produces GenSPEED brand data communications, NextGen fiber optics and Carol brand specialty electronics wire and cable for signal transmission, alarm, sound and security, and professional audio/video broadcast markets, was selected by Penton Media's IndustryWeek magazine as one of the 10 Best Plants in North America. IndustryWeek's Best Plants Award Program, which started 21 years ago, is an annual salute to outstanding manufacturing facilities that are on the leading edge of efforts to increase competitiveness, enhance customer satisfaction and create stimulating and rewarding work environments. General Cable's Franklin plant will receive a commemorative award during ceremonies scheduled for January 26.

IndustryWeek's annual Best Plants competition evaluates manufacturing facilities in multiple categories, recognizing that operational excellence is not delivering good quality at the expense of on-time delivery. Neither is it meeting productivity goals at the expense of worker safety or by working harder but not smarter,” said IndustryWeek Editor Jill Jusko, in the publication's January issue. “It is a comprehensive focus on excellence in all areas, with an unstoppable focus on improvements that will further increase competitiveness and enhance customer satisfaction.”

Competing plants reported management practices and plant performance in categories such as quality, customer and supplier relations, employee involvement, application of new technologies, productivity, cost reductions, manufacturing flexibility and responsiveness, inventory management, environmental and safety performance, new product development and overall market results.

Since 2001, General Cable has had nine plants selected as finalists in IndustryWeek's Best Plants competition, and seven of those plants have gone on to achieve the title of one of the Top 10 Plants in North America.

“Our associates' focus on manufacturing quality products, coupled with outstanding on-time delivery, gives our customers the confidence to partner with us to serve their product needs,” said Jim Clark, Franklin's plant manager. “This award recognizes the hard work and dedication of all the associates in Franklin who have changed this facility around with a focus on continuous improvement.”

Note: Penton Media also publishes Electrical Wholesaling magazine.