Located at 2000 Commerce Center Drive in Franklin, the company of 200 employees traces its roots to Little Falls, NY, and has been in continuous operation for more than 95 years.
Novolex acquired Burrows in November 2016, six months after acquiring institutional can liner producer Heritage Bag Company in West Chester Twp.
Both Burrows and Heritage Bag Company are hiring more employees because of recent strong performance, according to Novolex human resources field manager Kelli Steinbrunner.
We asked Steinbrunner about Burrows’ challenges and needs, especially as it pertains to hiring. Here’s what she had to say.
Q: What’s the biggest challenge facing the company and others in the industry and how is the company uniquely positioned to address that challenge?
A: “Our largest challenge is seeking and growing our talent within the company. We have phenomenal employees at Burrows and as we grow we hope to continue to attract employees with the same motivation and ambition. We are working to utilize our current employees to help recruit the future employees of Franklin through a strong Employee Referral Program. We are also implementing new training and apprenticeship programs to develop our internal workforce daily.”
Q: What’s the most prevalent roadblock you encounter when it comes to hiring and what can jobseekers do to remedy that situation?
A: ‘We are always looking for individuals that want to grow within the organization and make Burrows Packaging their long term career. We encounter issues with attendance and motivation from some of our new hire employees. The company has implemented programs such as Perfect Attendance awards, employees appreciation lunches, and monthly town hall meetings to promote communication and attendance throughout the plant.”
Q: Some job seekers are concerned about the limits of advancement within a company. To what degree can your employees advance from entry-level positions?
A: “We provide many opportunities for our employees to progress. Our own vice president of manufacturing started on the plant floor in our forming department 21 years ago. Promoting from within is a daily practice at Burrows. We have a bidding and interview process for all hourly roles within the company. Internal employees are encouraged to apply to all roles they feel they are qualified for within the company. We also have started to implement apprenticeship programs to help develop future positions within the organization.”
Q: What’s the vision for the company’s growth, both jobs and otherwise, for the next five years?
A. “The Franklin facility will have a continued focus on training and development over the next five years to grow from the inside out. We expect to continue to grow our workforce over the next five years.”
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