Corporate Maintenance – Automating from Scratch
Kamps Pallets looks a little bit different than 11 years ago when Frank Swartz started in maintenance at the Grand Rapids, Michigan plant.
Kamps has grown significantly in both geographical span and number of employees since Frank started in maintenance. With that growth has come a need for increased automation in our plants and facilities.
In his first years here, Frank was tasked with fixing forklifts, maintaining semi-trucks and other facility maintenance. A decade later, Kamps is keeping Frank busy executing a vision towards increased automation in all the plants across the country. Simply put, when Kamps needs something to increase efficiency in our operations process, Frank and other members of corporate maintenance set out to build it.
One thing that hasn’t changed in the eleven years that Frank has worked for Kamps is the importance of striving for excellence. The corporate maintenance team exhibits this in their endless effort to solve problems, big and small, for their fellow employees.
During our conversation, Frank casually mentions building a chain fed trim saw from scratch and pulls out pictures of the machine stylishly painted in Kamps colors that now sits in the Grand Rapids plant. This is the kind of humble ingenuity we see daily here from the corporate maintenance team.
But it is no surprise that Frank has been able to create as needs arise here at Kamps. Growing up on a blueberry farm meant there were plenty of opportunities for Frank to learn about equipment and how to fix it. It also means that Frank now has a hatred for anything blueberry.
Here at Kamps we recognize the creativity and dedication it takes to keep up with a growing company. Keep up the good work, Frank!
