Wednesday, March 27, 2013

EASTER HOLIDAY HOURS

Confer Plastics will be closed Friday, March 29th through Sunday, March 31st in observance of Easter.

Have an enjoyable long Easter weekend with your family!

Friday, March 22, 2013

LEADERSHIP NIAGARA TOURS CONFER PLASTICS

Nearly 30 members of this year's Leadership Niagara class toured Confer Plastics on March 21st as a part of their Manufacturing & Small Business Day. The participants were able to walk the factory floor and see a variety of products being made. For most, this day was their first look at the inner workings of a manufacturing environment. They also heard from our vice-president Bob Confer who talked about the struggles and joys of running a business.

This was just one stop on their full day of small business & leadership activities. They also heard from Joe McMahon -- who gave them a tour of Audubon Machinery and spoke about his brand of leadership -- and leadership educator Tim Widjaja.

Leadership Niagara is a year-long leadership training program for adults who represent a cross section of Niagara County; including business, labor, education, the arts, religion, government, community based organizations, ethnic and minority groups.They meet for daylong sessions held each month addressing diverse, local needs. LN focuses on helping participants to enhance their understanding and recognition of what our community lacks to become a better place to live and work, followed by becoming involved and making it happen. The program provides opportunities for participants to develop their own personal leadership styles and networking opportunities. More information can be found at: http://www.leadershipniagara.com/

If your community organization would like to tour our factory send an e-mail to Bob Confer at bob@conferplastics.com

Monday, March 11, 2013

ROAD WORK ON MARCH 11th

Today (Monday the 11th), the city is working on the expansion of the entrance to the road (driveway) that leads to the plant. If you find it impassible while they are working on it, you can enter through our back gate that is accessible via Doyle Drive, which is a side street off of Warner.

Thursday, March 7, 2013

A PUBLIC INVIATION TO OUR OPEN HOUSE

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.