Our vice-president, Bob Confer, writes a weekly opinion column for the Greater Niagara Newspapers. In this week's installment he invited the public to attend our open house. Here's the column (and YOUR invitation)...
A cordial invitation to visit Confer Plastics' open house
By Bob Confer
For the eight years that I’ve written this column, Confer Plastics has had a recurring role in it.
The
company has often been used as example when talking about the obstacles
US manufacturers face when competing against the Chinas of the world.
Similarly, I’ve used our experiences to express some of the concerns
shared by New York-based small businesses when they compete against
companies located in the more business-friendly political/economic
climates of the Carolinas or Ohio.
Some subscribers to this
newspaper have read so much about our family business that they want
to experience it for themselves, just to see what it’s all about.
Now is your chance.
Confer
Plastics just turned 40 years old and to celebrate that occasion, we
are having on open house on April 4 at our plant at 97 Witmer Road in
North Tonawanda (at the corner of Witmer and River roads).
Tours
will start at the top and bottom of every hour from 11:00 a.m. until
7:30 p.m. Each tour will take approximately 45 minutes to complete. We
will share the history of the company with you and then walk you through
the plant floor, allowing you to see how we transform little plastic
pellets into our name-branded swimming pool ladders or a variety of
custom products like kayaks and docks.
If the closest that you’ve
ever come to a factory is one of those “how it’s made” shows on cable
TV, then you’re in for an eye-opening experience. Every year we take
local organizations on tours of the plant and all of them walk away in
total awe. As our society has changed over the years, most people have
become unfamiliar with what goes on within a factory’s walls and many
assume that US-based manufacturing is dead. We’ll be showing you that
it’s very much alive and how exciting modern production can be. You’ll
be seeing some of the largest blow molding machines in North
America spitting out some impressive products. You’ll also see my
equally-impressive army of coworkers transforming those items into
quality finished goods. After witnessing so many moving parts and
so many moving people, you’ll have a different appreciation for all of
the various manufactured goods that you own.
This event is free
and open to the public. It’s a learning experience for kids as much as
adults, so we welcome children, too. We only ask that no one under the
age of 5 be in the plant and that all minors be accompanied by a parent
or guardian. We also require that you make a reservation so we can plan
accordingly. So, before March 23rd, please call our office at 693-2056
or email us at plastics@conferplastics.com to make your reservation.
Safety glasses and hearing protection will be provided, as will
refreshments and some trinkets.
My coworkers, my family and I all
look forward to showing off the company to you. We’re pretty proud of
what we do and what we’ve done. You’ll get to experience the
manifestation of my father’s and my late grandfather’s American Dream
and how we help achieve the same for the people who work in our plant
and the customers for whom we’ve brought their ideas to life.
Who
knows – maybe seeing how we do things at our family-owned and operated
small business will inspire you, too, to chase your American Dream. We
do know this much, though: It will be a memorable open house for you and
for us.