What makes Amherst Label great

We really apply ourselves

Our slogan, “We really apply ourselves” could be the topic of a daily blog. Here’s a little story about yesterday by Ruth Sterling, Marketing Manager

In my first night training to be in the rotation of night shift managers, after two+ years in marketing here, I learned a lot about Amherst Label. 

I couldn’t help noticing one member of the Amherst Label team who:

1) Didn’t hesitate to report to work after a mishap on his stairs at home that morning—sore, limping, no complaining.

2) Was a member of the “Dream Team” introducing Amherst Label’s 3-year plan—the Painted Picture—to the company at 1:45 at shift change.

IMG_23003) Was scheduled to be the first “Night Manager” on September 5 when the rotation of Second Shift coverage was starting. Didn’t consider canceling. Agreed to train his backup (me) and didn’t cancel that training even when he was asked late in the day to run two super-rush label orders for our customer Mitchell’s. Mild salsa and medium. Red, yellow, black, different greens for each label, plus varnish. Tracked down the plates upstairs for the rerun (wincing, limping, but not hesitating). Mounted his own plates, prepped 10-2, patiently explained to me what he was doing every step of the way. Taught me what had to be done to “sign off” on a job, following the lengthy checklist, including testing the barcode on the label with a scanner. Tracked down the last samples of the previous run of the job to double check a tiny, tiny, tiny white scratch on one of the 6-up labels. Yes, it was there last time. Yes it was ok. Yes, we should get a new plate if we ever reran the job. But knowing that Mitchell’s will soon be printing their packages directly and discontinuing labeling, we should wait. Many decisions and judgment calls, many snags unsnagged.

4) Answered questions from everyone printing that night, for example: slit or not to slit with Will, plate lift issue noticed and fixed quickly by Ricky, color too vivid on Chris’s job? (No, looked great.)

5) Never took a break, never lost his cool even when the die station had a malfunction and he had to begin again winding the roll of printed labels. Took every challenge in stride—an uneven, painful-looking stride. Made the night productive for everyone. And fun. Finished the two super rush jobs an hour before he was scheduled to leave and decided to go home early to rest the sore leg. Stayed another half hour checking in with the guys on the floor.

At some point that afternoon, he went to the dentist. Didn’t even complain about that.

There’s a guy you want on your team. He wouldn’t want to be singled out for any of this—he’s just doing what he does—but we all know who he is.

Checked on him today and he’s fine, a little sore, nothing worth mentioning. 

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