My Dad Ran a Production Floor

 








 When I was a boy my dad ran a production floor. 250,000 square feet of big machinery making all kinds of loud noises and bending metal like it was paper. I loved it. When going to the floor with my dad the first step was to put on the safety glasses. For some reason, I always thought of James Worthy whenever I put those things on.

My dad kept me close to his side whenever we went in – I know now this was for my protection as well as the protection of his workers. There were painted lines that you did not cross unless you had business beyond them. The big machines were absolutely off limit. You could stand at a distance and feel the floor shake when they hit. I was in awe of the guys who worked those machines. They were on par with astronauts.

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The fantastic things the workers in that production plant could do to metal was inspiring. They would take a raw sheet of steel and make 1,000 shiny metal parts that were used to attach some part of a car to another. The hubcaps were my favorite. I would take the rejects home occasionally and use them for target practice or run around with them on my head like an early version of Devo.

Production formed as a meaning in my mind during those times at the plant. I began to understand what it is to produce something – to take a raw product and produce a useful tool or part out it that others would buy because it was important to them.

I believe now that production or the capacity to create something important to others is the foundation of our economy. It is vital and a building block of all other facets of our country’s business structure to make something useful to people. If we lose this capacity the other areas will fail and fall. Bankers can’t bank when no one buys. Service providers cannot service without these components. There is no sale without products to sell.

So here is to all those men and women involved in production. By the way, did I tell you that my dad has always been a hero to me? How could he not be? He ran a production floor.­ -- by Scott Toal.