The Industrial Mesh: Why "Pushing a Broom" is Killing Your Plant
The news hitting the Roanoke Valley right now is heavy.
The Yokohama Tire plant in Salem is officially closing its doors on March 18th. For me, this isn't just a headline—it’s personal. I started walking those plant floors when I was 12 years old. Those early days, watching massive machines and the people who ran them, planted the seeds for everything we do at TW Controls.
When a giant like Yokohama stops breathing, the impact radiates. We aren't just losing 571 jobs; we are feeling the economic multiplier effect. In tire manufacturing, that multiplier sits between 2.5 and 4.8. When you factor in the machine shops, hydraulic centers, and local vendors that supported that facility, we are looking at 1,400 to 2,700 livelihoods impacted.
Stop Waiting on Washington
I’ve seen a lot of comments lately asking why "Washington" let this happen. Here is the hard truth: if you are waiting on a lifeline from D.C. to save your community or your business, you’ve already lost.
The reason the #1 PLC training facility in the United States is located in Roanoke, Virginia, isn't because of a federal grant or a government permit. It’s because Amber and I saw a need and we filled it. We didn't wait for permission to build a solution. Resilience isn't a policy—it's an action you take in your own backyard.
The "Broom" Mentality vs. The Practice Bench
We hear it every day: "There's a workforce skills gap." But I have to ask the managers and owners—what are you doing about it?
I am tired of seeing world-class technicians forced to "keep a broom in their hand" just to look busy while the plant is running. If your line is up, that is not the time for janitorial work; that is the time for practice.
If a repair took your team four hours last week, don't just complain about the downtime. Ask them:
What specific skill would have turned that into a two-hour fix?
When can you block off four hours this week to sit at the bench and master that scenario?
Training is Not "One and Done"
Automation moves too fast for a single training class to last a decade. My Master Electrician’s license requires continuing education for a reason—the NEC changes, technology evolves, and if I don't stay current, I’m a liability.
If you want to be a better technician—or if you want to run a better plant—stop pushing the broom and start hitting the bench.