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Indiana Department of Labor Honors Sellersburg, Indiana Branch with Safety Award

The Indiana Department of Labor is pleased to announce the certification of Sellersburg, Indiana’s Metal Sales Manufacturing Corporation in the Indiana Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (INSHARP).

INSHARP, one of Indiana's exemplary safety and health recognition programs, was established to recognize and promote safety and health management programs throughout the state. Based on benchmarks for advancement and development of safety and health programs within the workplace, INSHARP status can be achieved when management and employees work together to create and maintain a safe and healthy work environment.

Metal Sales Manufacturing Corporation manufactures metal building components to meet the needs of the agricultural, commercial, industrial and residential market. The corporation transforms more than 33 million pounds of steel a month into its finished product line. “INSHARP recognition highlights Metal Sales’ knowledge, understanding and application of effective worker safety and health management. The Indiana Department of Labor is pleased to present this award to and partner with Metal Sales for continued employee safety and health excellence,” Commissioner of Labor Lori A. Torres stated.

The INSHARP award ceremony was held on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 in Sellersburg, Indiana. The ceremony provided an opportunity for Metal Sales Manufacturing employees, staff, and management to showcase their exemplary status to the media, state officials and local elected officials.

To be eligible for participation in INSHARP, a company must have a Days Away Restricted and Transferred (DART) and Total Recordable Case (TRC) Rate lower than the national average for their respective industry. In 2005, Metal Sales respective rates were 8.9 and 32.7, well above that of the national average. However in 2006, the company’s respective rates were 1.9 and 3.8, which represents a reduction in the DART of 79 percent and a reduction in the TRC of 88 percent. The company’s current DART rate is 60 percent lower than the national average and corresponding TRC is 57.8 percent lower than the national average. “This is an incredible achievement, one that Metal Sales should be proud of showcasing,” added Torres.

Metal Sales Manufacturing Corporation operates 19 sites nation-wide. The Sellersburg, Indiana location is the company’s first site to be inducted into INSHARP. For more information or if you have questions, please contact Sean M. Keefer at (317) 232-2683.

Metal Sales Paint Systems Are Now 100% Lead-Free

Metal Sales Manufacturing Corporation, headquartered in Sellersburg, Indiana, has announced it is now the first component products manufacturer in North America to go 100% lead-free with its MS Colorfast45 and PVDF (Kynar 500) color finishes in its full line of metal panels. With over 40 years of proven technology, Metal Sales is the leader in the industry for providing its architectural, residential, and agricultural customers the latest product components with advanced technology on an Eco-Conscious level.

“We all know there are concerns with lead—especially in the brilliant reds—so we are very proud to be 100% Lead-Free,” said Dave Cunningham, National Accounts Manager. "We are thrilled that we can play such an important role protecting our environment as well."

Manufactured in a wide range of styles and structures, Metal Sales, by following the Energy Star guidelines, distributes steel panels that provide customers tax credits, LEED credits for architects, as well as the benefits of steel with a 45-year paint warranty. In addition, steel panel systems are more energy efficient because they are solar-reflective and cooler.

Metal Sales offers a complete line of metal roof, wall, and fascia panel systems for the commercial, architectural, industrial, residential, and agricultural markets. Metal Sales offers over 75 profiles with a wide selection of widths, colors, and gauges – new construction or retrofit. For more information call 800-406-7387.

Metal Sales Announces New Vice President of Purchasing

Metal Sales is pleased to announce Derek Underwood as their new Vice President of Purchasing.

Underwood has extensive experience in the metal manufacturing industry – having spent over three decades in purchasing and inventory management. This includes twenty years combined with US Steel and National Steel.
“I believe Derek is a great fit for Metal Sales,” said Jeff Mackin, President and CEO. “Derek has an incredible amount of experience in our industry and will hit the ground running.”

Underwood was previously with Kenwood Painted Metal, where he spent over ten years as Vice President of Purchasing and Operations. In this capacity he assisted in achieving significant growth in the company as well as establishing a number of international strategic partnerships.

“Underwood will play an instrumental role in facilitating the ongoing growth of Metal Sales”, added Mackin. “His knowledge and experience in this industry will be a great advantage working with our national and international relationships.”

Underwood has a degree in Management and Logistics, cum laude, from Robert Morris University as well as CPM Certification from Xavier University. He is also a member of a number of organizations including the Metal Construction Association.

Metal Sales offers a complete line of metal roof, wall, and fascia panel systems for the commercial, architectural, industrial, residential, and agricultural markets. Metal Sales offers over 75 profiles with a wide selection of widths, colors, and gauges – new construction or retrofit. For more information, call 800.406.7387

Metal Sales Rock Island Branch Sees Significant Improvements in Scrap Loss Due to Six Sigma Training.

A team of Metal Sales employees was recently honored for completing a Six Sigma quality program. Award recipients Nate Blommer, John Fenstermacher, and Michael Langenheim, along with Jim Albrecht and Michele Patt, led the Rock Island plant through a program of scrap reduction that will mean a significant savings for Metal Sales in material costs.

Six Sigma means a measure of quality that strives for near perfection. Six Sigma is a disciplined, data-driven approach and methodology for eliminating defects (driving towards six standard deviations between the mean and the nearest specification limit) in any process -- from manufacturing to transactional and from product to service.

"The advantage for our customers is that we can more quickly and more thoroughly eliminate bottlenecks and waste using the Six Sigma and Lean Management Tools," said Jennifer Thompson, Marketing Director. "We are getting the right people involved – evaluating both plant and office processes."

The leadership team from the Rock Island branch sought to reduce the amount of scrap by 1/3 by the beginning of September – which would mean a significant annual savings. Along with Blommer, the Operations Manager at Rock Island, key members of the Rock Island production team were brought on board to implement the Six Sigma program including Rod Clement, Otto Harrington, Jason Kauer, Shawn Paxton, and Josh Purcell.

The Rock Island team attacked the scrap issue from a number of directions, conducting failure mode effects analyses, operator training on scrap, and brainstorming with plant employees on SOP's and other methods for scrap reduction. The end result was a better trained production force armed with new methods in the daily pursuit of lower scrap.

Rock Island met their goal in annual savings and continues their pursuit of improved methods for scrap reduction. Metal Sales plans to apply the results of their work at other plants for additional savings.

Metal Sales proudly congratulates Nate Blommer, John Fenstermacher, and Mike Langenheim, along with the entire Rock Island production team, for their achievements, and looks forward to seeing continued benefits from their work in the years to come.

Metal Sales Announces Colors are now Energy Star Certified

Metal Sales is pleased to announce that a number of their stocked colors are now Energy Star certified. These colors include nine MS Colorfast45TM finishes, nine Kynar (PVDF) colors, and three Versa Rib colors -- in a number of gauges and profiles. Galvalume is also available.

"We are very pleased with the choices we can now offer our customers," said Pat Hennessey, Vice President of Sales and Marketing. "Not only do our paint systems come with a 45-year warranty, but now we have a variety of colors that carry Energy Star certification."

Metal Sales is now able to certify that by following the Energy Star guidelines, its metal roof panels are “Eligible Building Envelope Components” that qualify its customers for the tax credit allowed under § 25C by virtue of their listing in the Energy Star program.

Metal Sales recognizes that architects and consumers are becoming more and more concerned with ways of making their building project more energy efficient. Metal Sales is making this possible by having colors, tax credits for consumers, and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) credits for architects available.

Hennessey added: "By stocking many of these colors and Galvalume at our 19 nationwide locations, we are not only giving our customers more value-added features, but doing our share to protect the environment. We feel this is a vital responsibility as a leader in the industry."

Metal Sales offers a complete line of metal roof, wall, and fascia panel systems for the commercial, architectural, industrial, residential, and agricultural markets. Metal Sales offers over 75 profiles with a wide selection of widths, colors, and gauges – new construction or retrofit. For more information, contact Metal Sales, 800-406-7387 or go to the Energy Star website: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_tax_credits

Energy Star Certification
MS Colorfast45/Kynar 500 PVDF | Versa Rib | Galvalume