Miller masters employee involvement

摘要

Miller Electric Mfg. Co., headquartered in Appleton, Wis., cultivates employee involvement in its manufacturing and delivery operations along with a streamlined approach to production that focuses on the firm's core competencies and maximizing flexibility. Recently, Mike Wetter, president of Miller and president for ITWr Welding Products-Distribution group, spoke with GWD to share his views on the firm's approach. GWD: How has the distributor's role evolved over the last several years? Weller: It's changed up and down the supply chain, becoming more consultative. Distributors now provide solutions and recommendations to end users and are more involved in adding value through training and service. They will be challenged to supply more value in the years ahead, perhaps adding more trained employees to engage end users earlier in the process. GWD: How would you characterize Miller's relationship with its distributors? Weller: We probably have one of the best relationships in the channel. That's primarily because we've never wavered regarding direct sales. When asked, we say no. We believe strongly in the value added by our distributors and our consistency on this issue has earned us a great deal of their trust and loyalty.