Collins to Head ESCO Engineered Products
Cal Collins has been promoted to president of ESCO’s Engineered Products Group. The announcement was made on September 3 by Larry Huget ESCO’s president and chief operating officer.
“With this promotion Cal will now have full responsibility for all global sales marketing engineering and operation groups which will strengthen the strategic focus and deployment of resources critical to ESCO’s global growth strategies” said Collins.
Reporting to Collins will be three Group vice presidents Pat Fonner Jeff Kershaw and Jon Owens.
Collins was most recently Group Vice President Engineered Products North American Operations. He has also served as ESCO’s vice president of Administration and as Corporate Secretary and General Counsel.
Collins began his ESCO career in 1977 as a flogger and a grinder before entering college. He received his BA from Brigham Young University in 1983 and his law degree from BYU’s J. Reuben Clark Law School 1986. Following law school he was a partner with the Portland law firm of Newcomb Sabin Schwartz & Landsverk until 2000 when he returned to ESCO. In 2007 he transitioned from his corporate role as General Counsel and vice president of Administration into an operational role with the company.
ESCO Best in Training Excellence
On October 29 2009 the Portland Business Journal presented its annual Manufacturing Awards at the Portland Art Museum. ESCO Corporation received the award in the “Excellence in Training” category.
Business Journal Publisher Craig Wessel said the goal of the new program is to “recognize manufacturing companies that continue to drive our region’s economy through innovation and strategic evolution.”
The other awards categories were “Product Innovation of the Year” and “Manufacturing Company of the Year” (small medium and large companies).
ESCO Corporation has become increasingly noted for its application of “lean manufacturing” practices that emphasize waste reduction in its operations. According to spokesperson Robert Kenneth the goal is to increase customer value while continually reducing waste and cost.
“Our culture of quality value and speed – or QVS – drives the elimination of waste in everything we do from engineering and payroll to the plant floor and loading docks. The result is business practices that create long-term sustainable economic environmental and social benefits for our employees our customers and our neighbors in the communities where ESCO operates” said Kenneth.
The company’s Organizational Effectiveness team is responsible for development and delivery of countless training initiatives aimed at integrating lean and continuous improvement at every level of the company.
Among ESCO’s products are cutter teeth that are used in dredging operations.
