We’re pulling up a chair in the up-and-coming downtown Norfolk area in Nebraska for this episode. Recorded at the Nucor Detailing Center, we chat with Mechanical Engineer Jayden Prauner and Detailing Center Lead Gaby Pena, about what it means to be part of the Nucor family.
Nucor Vulcraft is a company that’s not just supporting the construction of warehouses, schools and hospitals but also helping to build up the local community and the legacy of American manufacturing. We explore how it’s helping to shape the lives of the people who work there and beyond thanks to community investment and a people-first approach.
Jayden and Gaby both share their stories in this episode about working for Vulcraft and how it has evolved its technology, safety practices, and quality over the years. Places like Norfolk are hubs for manufacturing and engineering, so we look at how Vulcraft and downtown revitalization projects have been key to retaining talent in the area.
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3 Quick Things from this Episode
- Though relatively small and remote, places like Norfolk are integral to companies like Nucor Vulcraft in helping to shape American manufacturing.
- One way smaller towns can retain talent from heading to the big cities is by investing in the community. Nucor sponsors local events and is helping toward the revitalization of the downtown area.
- Nucor is committed to being the “world’s safest steel company” so over the last few years has invested millions of dollars in improving the ergonomics, process efficiency and safety of operations.
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Tweetable Quotes
- “It’s hard to go anywhere around town without seeing Vulcraft or the Nucor name sponsoring an event or donating time. It’s surprising how many events you go to and know that your company is willing to sponsor that.” Jayden Prauner
- “My daughter told me, ‘Mom, today at school, all the Nucor kids, like the parents work for Nucor, we all sat together.’ Even the excitement that the kids get just knowing that they’re the Nucor family is really big, at least for me it is.” Gaby Pena
- “I think it starts with putting the people first. I think Nucor and Vulcraft do a great job of not only saying it but really meaning it and showing it through their actions.” Jayden Prauner
Please Scroll Down for Recommended Resources from this Episode
Do you want to connect with other leaders that are moving the needle in manufacturing everyday? Then make sure to join us in the Manufacturing Happy Hour Industry Community on LinkedIn.
This episode is part of the MADE HERE City Series, created in partnership with ISN, the Industrial Solutions Network. In these episodes, we’re exploring what makes a city’s manufacturing community so special. This series not only features full podcast interviews with manufacturing leaders, but behind-the-scenes tours of some of the region’s most iconic and important industrial operations. Check out our latest mini-series in Nebraska today.
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What We Discuss with Gaby and Jayden
- How the downtown Norfolk area is on the up, thanks to local community investment
- Jayden gives us a quick overview of what Vulcraft does and how it sits in the Nucor family of companies
- A brief history on Vulcraft and how it’s closely tied to the culture and community of Norfolk – something that continues today
- How community events, investment, and connections with local schools all make Nucor employees feel like one big family
- Why Jayden and Gaby decided to stick around in Norfolk rather than head to a bigger city for their career
- How one internship at Vulcraft was enough to make Gaby swap her chosen career path and set out into manufacturing
- What other similar small, remote communities can learn from Norfolk and Vulcraft
- Vulcraft’s commitment to improvement and investing in the right things – from people to safety innovations
- Insights into the recent safety innovations and investments Nucor Vulcraft has made to prioritize frontline staff safety
- What the day in the life of a frontline leader looks like today vs. how it looked decades ago
- How Nucor Vulcraft invests in team development and careers with training, role swapping and internal promotions
Recommended Resources
- Nucor Vulcraft, part of the Nucor family, Vulcraft is the largest producer of open web steel joists and joist girders in North America.
- Nucor Detailing Center, a one-of-a-kind drafting facility designed to reduce drafting and modelling times to improve productivity and quality.
- Divots Brewery, craft brewery in Nortfolk specializing in handcrafted beers with American grown barley and hops
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