U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

MEP Success Stories from Kansas

Quality Certifications Improve Business Results

Reported Year
2023
Colt Tech’s customers are very satisfied with the products they receive. However, Colt Tech’s clients continuously demanded higher standards and increasingly ask their suppliers to operate under a formal quality system. Colt Tech initiated ISO Certification in the past. However, those records, processes, and certifications were out of date. Without

Hometown Pie Company Cooks With Executive Coaching

Reported Year
2022
Hometown Pie Company is receiving recognition as a premiere made-from-scratch pie operation because Wanda Chaffain is an exceptional food manufacturer. Wanda also wants to be an exceptional leader. As the company continues to grow, Wanda needs to assume not only the role of pie manufacturer, but also the role of business leader, making appropriate

Investments in Employees Improves Them and Improves Retention

Reported Year
2022
Recently brought under the Hershey brand, Dot’s Pretzels is experiencing an enormous amount of growth. Like many other manufacturers in Kansas and throughout the United States, Dot’s Pretzels is constantly looking for employees to become a part of their team in the Lenexa, KS. Those employees, especially those qualified for supervisory roles, are

Maintenance Apprenticeship Program Has Success in Rural Kansas

Reported Year
2020
The Johns Manville manufacturing facility is located in a rural location in Kansas. There is a shortage of skilled workforce in the community, as well a sizeable number of manufacturers competing for the same limited talent pool. Johns Manville was experiencing a challenge filling open positions it required to effectively manufacture their products

Continuous Improvement Helps Leander, LLC Improve

Reported Year
2021
Leander had multiple opportunities to improve their operations. The existing facility had concerning safety and space concerns that caused heightened liability and efficiency issues. A new facility was being purchased and a future layout was needed to provide for optimal production and material flow. Leander also lacked an MRP database or

Executive Coaching Helps an Already Successful Leadership Team

Reported Year
2022
The Full Vision executive leadership team are each individually strong performers and Full Vision has experienced good productivity from their talents. However, President and CEO Doug Scheible recognized there were opportunities for his executive leadership team to improve as a cohesive unit, which ultimately would strengthen the performance and

COVID Pandemic Spurs Employee Handbook Updates

Reported Year
2021
SOR needed to make sure its policies were current given the changes with employment law because of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES), as well as confirm the policies were legally sound. When the COVID-19 pandemic started, the unknown implications of the virus on

A Growth Plan in Uncertain Times

Reported Year
2021
As with many small companies, time limitations make the most pressing needs leadership's focus. Planning for the future, especially in the middle of a global pandemic, may not have appeared to be MSA's most pressing need, but a majority of their business was with one client. Although a multi-year contract was in place there was always a risk of

A Resource for Human Resources

Reported Year
2021
Like many small to mid-size manufacturers, Smith and Loveless’ human resources department has limited internal resources and a limited support system. Keeping up with changing laws and regulations is critical, establishing a company culture that retains employees is paramount, and developing programs, benefits, and workplace experiences that entice