ChampionX Artificial Lift’s Harbison-Fischer, Inc., business unit moved into its manufacturing facility in Crowley at the end of 1982 and has been a top employer in the area ever since. Currently, the Crowley ChampionX facility, which includes manufacturing for both Harbison-Fischer and PCS Ferguson, has 277 employees. However, it doesn’t feel so big one can get lost in the crowd. “We have a lot of employees who have family members who work here as well. It is very much like a family here, as big as we are. But people are extremely close. Employees always tell me, ‘Wow, I’ve made so many great friends here.’ It’s such a wonderful place to work because of the people,” Neil Thomas, director of manufacturing operations, explained.
Due to his admiration of the company’s genuine investment in its employees, Neil has worked with the company for 18 years. He originally worked as a floor worker at a ChampionX facility in Utah. After having done some improvement activities in Texas with Harbison-Fischer, Inc., Neil “got really interested in Texas and the people down here.” In 2013, the Crowley location was searching for an operations manager. Neil accepted the promotion and moved his family to Texas.
ChampionX leadership shows concern for their employees through continuous improvement efforts. “We rely heavily on our employees,” Neil said. “We look to them for ideas on how to improve their daily work. We’re very open in that regard. We almost require the employees to answer, ‘What are your ideas to make your process better? How can you work smarter? What can we do?’ We go through a lot in terms of investing in our employees.” Not only does the company want employees to be as productive as they can be, but they want them to feel heard. “Because at the end of the day, they’re the ones that deal with all the problems. They know what the issues are.”
“We rely heavily on our employees. We look to them for ideas on how to improve their daily work. We’re very open in that regard.”
Once a month, the Crowley facility hosts a luncheon for its employee recognition program, Kaizen Orange. The name derives from the Japanese term for “change for the better” and Harbison-Fischer’s signature color. At the luncheon, employees can share what projects their teams have completed and their ideas for continuous improvement. Leadership then votes on which team best exemplifies the ideals of Kaizen Orange, and the winning team receives a basket of oranges. The cheeky prize might not seem like much, but it’s highly coveted by employees. “We had to suspend Kaizen Orange when COVID started,” Neil said. “People were so glad we brought it back.”
ChampionX is always looking for motivated workers to join their team. “Come with whatever background you have. What we focus on is their potential for growth,” Neil said. Leadership knows their employees are smart and capable. They give them space, opportunities and tools to foster personal professional development. If an employee discovers a safer, more efficient way of running things, they are open to the change. “We don’t want people to just blindly follow processes simply because that’s how things have been done. Most of all, [we want] somebody who is logical, who can do what they need to do in terms of safety or quality or production, but who are not afraid to challenge the status quo as well.”
ChampionX Artificial Lift
901 N. Crowley Rd.
Crowley, TX 76036
(817) 297-2211
https://www.championX.com
Facebook: facebook.com/ChampionXcorp
Twitter: twitter.com/wearechampionx
Hours:
Monday-Friday: 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Written by Emma McKay
You must be logged in to post a comment.