Dunlee

“We invest in our people for three primary reasons: 1) It is difficult to find skilled workers—especially experienced glassblowers and the availability of appropriate training programs is almost nonexistent, 2) Our customers are non-forgiving —they have high standards and demand quality and 3) we view employee education and training as a means of retaining good people.” - Bob Malnar, President

As one of just five companies in the world that can manufacture x-ray tubes for CT scanners, Dunlee, based in Aurora, IL, employs 280 highly specialized workers, particularly experienced glassblowers, who must adhere to rigorous quality control standards. To meet customers’ demands, Dunlee needed a committed, skilled workforce. Consequently, Dunlee instituted a program of Total Quality Management that restructured and formalized work systems, created consistent processes, set clear standards and dramatically increased employee involvement.

Creating its internal infrastructure proved to be the foundation for building a comprehensive employee development system. Dunlee now operates under a performance driven culture, with pay linked to performance evaluation and a clear “step” system that employees proceed through as they add certifications and competencies to their skill sets. The performance driven culture also relies on team efforts, where manufacturing employees are cross-trained on all facets of the production process. This team and employee driven culture stresses group problem solving, transferability of skills, and resource sharing.

Dunlee sets high expectations for employee development and allows staff latitude in determining how they will fulfill their performance expectations. The firm also reimbursed employees for 100 percent of college level tuition and fees. As a result, Dunlee has increased shareholder value by 15 percent over the past three years, and experienced a low employee turnover rate of only 6 percent, while continuing to produce high quality product for satisfied customers.

Click here to view full case study. The information presented here was assembled in 2002. This does not necessarily represent the current status of Dunlee.