November 2022: Issue 04

Serving The SilMan Community

Issue 04

November 2022

Serving The SilMan Community

Issue 01

April 2022

In This Issue

BUSINESS UPDATE

Completed projects and new clients

FROM THE FIELD

SilMan is On the Road

SAFE & SOUND

Defeat the Dark Side (of Driving)

On The Move

Business Update

[Photo Caption: Five-Side Scanner Tunnel on Tail Sorter System]

As 2022 wraps up, we continue to see new business and expanding opportunities with existing clients.

To start us off, the Material Handling Team has had a busy month!

ThredUP: Completed our fourth project for the online apparel retailer in Lancaster, Texas. Phase two (2) of this system will start in 2023.
OnTrac: In our continuing relationship with the parcel and logistics company, we have completed a system in Phoenix and are set to start a new project in San Diego
Completed: Two Tail Sorter systems for our favorite fulfillment company in Columbus and Chicago.

Along with some new business

The MH team has been engaged to provide conveyor systems at three Florida sites for TForce Logistics. The projects will start in February 2023.

Banner Engineering is a new customer! The company, a leader in the controls sector, signed with SilMan to provide low-voltage electrical services at a distribution center in Jacksonville. With more on the way.

Site Services

The Site Services team has started a new project for TracPac, a container handling service at the Port. The work will engage our civil and millwright teams, including fabrication, which has begun.

Also, the electrical team is out on a new two-week project at Clorox providing a lighting upgrade.

Ongoing Project Updates

Barton-Malow: Thanks to the team’s skill and diligence, SilMan has won the confidence of the client, adding a contract to install multiple motorized vertical interior doors. Not just any doors, one of them is 60’ wide!
Vanderlande North Carolina: Our engineering team has created a daily work plan for the entire project, which is making the client very happy. Meanwhile, the leadership team is gathering in Tupelo in November for planning and strategy. Onsite work is scheduled to begin on this project in December 2022.
Daifuku | Tesla: Our mechanical team is installing overhead header steel, hangers, bracing, screen guard, conveyor support steel, and hand railing. Full speed ahead into conveyor installation in December.

From The Field

Saluting Our Travel Teams

statue of liberty from staten island ferry

John Burns snapped this shot of “Lady Liberty” on his way “into town” for some well-deserved R&R.

SilMan’s horizon is expanding…literally

Did you know that the cutting-edge of our growth is being accomplished by team members who spend days and weeks away from home and family?

In this issue of Under One Roof, we celebrate our Travel Teams, who crisscross the country doing great work for our clients and cementing SilMan’s national reputation.

One Team

While we deploy a wide variety of specialized teams, our clients perceive us as a single team, thanks to the seamless collaboration between these teams and the support of our project management/coordination group.

An amazing accomplishment, indeed.

And here they are!

Mechanical

Bobby Vansant
Dale Porter
Howard Fisher
Jeff Porter
John Burns
Josh Wardlow
Mark Davenport
Mitchell Dean
Nick Goulart
Paul Newell
Trace Porter

Electrical

Brian Childs
Carey McCalvin
Chris Gann
Curtis Jordan
David Hutcherson
Jason Kent
John Jordan
Johnny Pruett
Matt Gann
Skyler Scates

Controls & Integration

Our material handling team travels to support numerous installations every year, including David Rebata, Ray Hawkins, David Birmingham, Roger Soles, and Eric Bickford. In particular, our new Controls Team member Logan Nguyen (Alabama) has been onsite supporting our SAPS projects in Millbrae and Detroit.

And of course, we can’t talk about travel without mentioning the controls team leader, Kevin Jackson. He is a perennial traveler in support of the MH group.

Civil

And, as previously featured, our Civil Team is currently onsite at the San Diego Airport for FedEx.

Rafael Cornejo
Jose Martinez
Omar Montiel
Pedro Contreras
Nico Montiel
Amos Martínez
Armando Nieves

Let’s Take a Closer Look at a Few Individuals!

Roger Soles

A newcomer to SilMan in 2021, Roger lives in Arkansas and has had a big year on the road. He estimates that he has traveled 70% of the year.

He has nearly singlehandedly supported the rollout of Cognex scanners for multiple material handling projects, including thredUP, Lonestar Overnight, Meyer, and multiple sites for our favorite fulfillment provider.

He’s been to cities such as Staten Island, Dallas, Chicago, and Austin, working with Kevin Jackson, Ray Hawkins, and Tupelo Engineer, John Morrison.

When asked about what he likes about traveling, Roger said, “My office is always changing.”
Carey McCalvin

Carey, also known as “West Coast Carey,” lives in Tennessee and has been on the road since July, as well as the entire month of February.

He has been to Houston, Las Vegas, multiple locations in the Los Angeles area, Memphis, and Detroit.

He’s worked on projects such as Air Knife, and JR Automation and often works with John Burns, Nick Goulart, Justin Neely, Hugo Padilla, Caleb Siewell, and Tyde Biggerstaff.

He loves driving across the country, especially I-90 across the Rocky Mountains and taking I-5 from Los Angeles to Seattle.

He is looking to spend time at home for the holidays!
Matt Anger

Matt hails from Northern California and has traveled approximately 150 days in 2022.

He has contributed to Air Knife, SmartPoly, ORCA, and JR Automation projects.

He primarily travels on the West Coast, however, he commonly wanders beyond the West, including destinations like Las Vegas, St. Louis, Portland, Seattle, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, and Houston.

He commonly works with Brandon Carey, Richard Eichorn, Shane Benson…or alone!

The thing he loves most about working away from home is the commute – that is, not sitting in Bay Area traffic!

He also enjoys the local attractions wherever he goes, such as Hoover Dam, the Grand Canyon, and sporting events with the Golden Knights and Seattle Mariners.
Dale Porter

Dale traveled for approximately 30 weeks in 2022.

And he’s been everywhere: Memphis, Detroit, Chicago, Seattle, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Canton (MS), Katy (TX), Raleigh, Hebron, Huntsville, Pittsburgh, Miami, Jacksonville, St. Louis, and Des Moines. And Tupelo.

Team members that he typically works with: Josh Wardlow, Howard Fisher, Mark Davenport, Trace Porter, Bobby Vansant, Jeff Porter, Mitchell Dean, and Thomas Loyd,

Customers he has served include all the usual suspects: FedEx, UPS, Koerber/Siemens, Toyota, and our favorite fulfillment company.

“These Teams are the backbone of our company. Their dedication, communication, and willingness to adapt to the changing needs of our clients are greatly appreciated. But we can’t let this moment pass without recognizing the sacrifice and support of their families…we could not achieve our current success without them.”

– Nick Goulart

Community Spotlight

Meet David Birmingham

David Birmingham was born and raised in Arkansas, and to this day works remotely from Batesville.

He is an all-star example of the value of vocational school. Building on his drafting coursework, he landed a spot at Hytrol Conveyor Company where he enjoyed 17 years as a Design Engineer and Project Manager. He moved over to S&H Systems for another 13 years as their Engineering Manager.

And then, at the height of his powers, he joined SilMan in 2015.

David plays a consultative role for SilMan Engineering. He supports David Rebata and the System Integration team by advising the group regarding equipment specs and ancillary materials such as guardrails or supports. His decades of experience working with technical drawings bring irreplaceable value to SilMan.

Team member Garrett King said: “David not only provides valuable advice for the success of our projects and internal achievements, he is always happy to consult our team on the “lessons of life,” which has certainly been helpful to the team in a unique way.”

Birmingham loves to spend time with his five grandchildren. And on most weekends, you can find David and his wife up in the Ozarks at Greers Ferry Lake where he zips around in his boat, listening to his favorite tunes!

What is your favorite part of working at SilMan?

“I love the collaboration between individuals and teams. No one is an island. We’re all in it together.” – David

Jonathan & Nikki King

Lizzie had a surprise wedding guest

Johnny, Josh, Mitchel, Trace, and Dale (FedEx / MEM)

Howard Fisher at FedEx Memphis

Terry and Ronnie Huguley at Tupelo shop

Brian, Jeff, and Matt at the Tupelo shop

hugo-padilla-oustanding-apprentice-award

Hugo awarded “Outstanding Apprentice” for his class

Thanks Tyler, Richie, and team for making this happen!

Happy 21st Sara!

Mya Diaz Day One with Jessica

Submit your snapshot here! Let us know who is in the shot, and where.

Safety Tip

Nighttime Driving

The holiday season inherently includes increased driving at night. This reality presents many challenges to our personal safety.

If you need to get behind the wheel outside daylight hours, it is crucial to be prepared.

Here are the most common nighttime driving challenges and how to mitigate them.

Limited Visibility – Test all car lights, dim interior lights, clean the windshield, replace bad wipers, and plan your route to remain on well-lit roads.
Fatigue – Do not drive if you are drowsy. Avoid heavy meals. Drink cold water, coffee, or energy drinks. Turn up the AC or crack a window. Pull off the road for a quick nap or a short walk.
Oncoming traffic headlights – Avoid looking directly at oncoming headlights. Instead, focus on the left-hand curb or center lines.
Heavy Traffic – Plan around rush hours (AM and PM) to reduce stress and crowded conditions.
Construction Work / Emergency Vehicles – Keep an eye out for signage, flares, and reflective cones. Slow down when passing any construction or emergency crews.
Distractions – Always avoid distractions while driving in the dark. Including electronic devices, viewing bright images and billboards. Use conversation to help stay awake.
Poor Weather Conditions – Take extra precautions at night during bad weather, or avoid it altogether. Ensure adequate tire treads and fresh wipers. Slow pace on curves and brake early for stops.

And of course, reduce or eliminate alcoholic beverages before getting behind the wheel. Here is a chart to estimate the number of drinks, body weight, and blood alcohol levels.

Team Member Jams,
curated by the Safety Team

Danielle Calderon

All I Know So Far

Danielle is the one team member EVERYONE knows!

Aside from passing out the dough every Wednesday, Danielle enjoys crafts, party-planning & cooking delicious meals for her family.

She loves this song because of Pink’s amazing voice and its “don’t care” attitude.

“This is a song about our expectations in life, and how if someone told us it was our choice, perhaps we would live life differently. We need to learn on our own, and stand by what we believe in, no matter what people say or think.” – Danielle

I gotta hear this!

Foundations

Reflections On The Way We Work & Connect

During the Holiday Season, we spend more time with our loved ones and others that impact our lives. It is a natural time to reflect on our personal and professional relationships.

As relationship builders, we must be careful to understand the needs of others and the ramification of our actions. As Team Members, our internal relationships are the foundation of our Culture. It is essential to be intentional when building these relationships. This will allow us to have more fun and live joyously in every moment with our families and teammates.

Here are three questions to ask ourselves as relationship builders:

Have I lived Today?
- Am I going through the motions or making decisions necessary for my personal growth or the growth of my team?
Have I loved Today?
- When we take action with a desire to love, not accomplish, we find deeper fulfillment and an endless supply.
Did I Matter?
- Did your work have an impact? Did you have an impact? Did you make a difference? Did you learn anything new? Did you help someone else?

Challenge yourself as relationship builders. Seize the moment to strengthen your relationships with deliberate actions that lead to a more fun and joyful existence.