Episode Transcript
[00:00:05] Speaker A: Welcome to the Clear Impact podcast, brought to you by PGTI University. Thanks for joining us today. My name is Sheri Connor, and I am your host.
[00:00:17] Speaker B: Good afternoon.
[00:00:18] Speaker C: We are here on the Clear Impact podcast, and we are recording at Anlin windows and doors today, and we've just found all kinds of people to talk to. This has been so fun. And so our latest victim volunteer is John Trevino. And so, John, welcome to the podcast.
[00:00:37] Speaker D: Hello. Thank you for having me.
[00:00:38] Speaker C: Yeah, thanks for being a willing participant or, I don't know, somebody twisted your arm or.
[00:00:43] Speaker D: Voluntold.
[00:00:44] Speaker C: Voluntold. There we go. So, John, tell us a little bit about what you do here.
[00:00:48] Speaker D: I am the production manager, one of them.
[00:00:50] Speaker C: Okay.
[00:00:51] Speaker D: Primarily glazing, window glazing. So the window department, we basically take all product. We are the end of the production line. So we're getting frames from frame department, sash from the sash department, screen from the screen department, and then our outsourced glass, which comes from Cardinal, and putting it all together and just trying to put out the best quality product safest way and get it to our customers in a timely manner.
[00:01:15] Speaker C: So you work in the window area? Not necessarily the door area.
[00:01:19] Speaker D: Yeah, just windows and.
[00:01:20] Speaker C: So how long have you been here?
[00:01:21] Speaker D: I have been here for 21 years.
[00:01:24] Speaker C: Wow.
[00:01:24] Speaker D: Yeah, I started super young.
[00:01:26] Speaker C: Okay, so did you start as a production manager, or did you? Like.
[00:01:29] Speaker D: I wish I did. No, I actually started in the loading department. From loading, went over to the window lines. They needed some help, and I rubbed some shoulders with some people and learned a few things from the window lines. I started just dipping in certain areas that needed help at that time. You know, we're just cross training and moving bodies around. So I eventually started learning multiple areas throughout the window line. We then built phase two, and the window department just expanded, so it became more lines and same thing. Kept learning. Learning. Eventually became a lead in the window department and then really started diving into, literally from a to z, cutting frames, punching frames, welding frames, CNC corner cleaning to building. Worked our way through glazing. So basically had a good idea of frame and sash and glazing, and then from there, just kept leading. Learning. Got more involved with some of the leadership things that we were doing here. And then, believe it or not, I had an accident. I tore my AC joint. I was playing some Thanksgiving football, we call it the turkey bowl, and got a little injury. So I was out for a bit, and the management here got ahold of me and was like, hey, JT, like, we'd really like to have you back. We got some stuff you can do in order entry. Would you mind? I was like, man, I'm getting tired of being home. I wouldn't mind at all. I would love to go back to work. That's all I knew.
[00:02:45] Speaker C: Right?
[00:02:46] Speaker D: So talked to this doctor, got cleared, came back, did about ten months in order entry, which was really big for me because I learned what's going on on this side of the building, as opposed to just, you know, reading paperwork and instructions. We were able to collaborate and change some things because there was times where we'd see notes out there and it might make things difficult for the builders or vice versa. So we were able to clear some things up. I'd come in here, I'd come in production at 06:00 and end up in here at 08:00 okay, so we're sharing and we're learning. That was really nice. Finally healed up. They had some plans for me back out in production. So I went back to production, which eventually turned into my supervisor position. So started that with the window lines, did all vinyl, ran vinyl and sash. To me, that was one of my biggest, I think, accomplishments, because I really learned what the window was all about from start to finish and what our customers are requesting from the front side.
Did that for many years. Got really good. Then for a while, I actually had an opportunity to go into service, so there was a lot going on. Did three and a half months in service, which was another huge thing for me because I was also able to see the backside of things. What could we be doing better in the plant that might not affect our customers and dealers as much? You know, there was a day where you might think, oh, we should be okay there. Now we're sending a service tech, spending money on gas, food, lodging, and everything just to fix something we probably could have took care of here in the plant. So that, to me, was one of my, I think one of the biggest things for me to kind of just learn full scope from the front to the back to the service, able to learn some customer service, how to talk and knock on doors to homeowners. But I think I utilize that to come in back when we were here days, loading our materials and stuff, and I would talk to some of the personnel here and just let them know, like, hey, this is what I'm seeing out there. These are things we can take in the plant, like on site that'll probably only run us a little remake money here and there, but it's not going to cause a two man job on a Hill in San Francisco on scaffolding. So I think that was really cool for me. And then as well as the partnership we built with production, I'm not going to say we went out there and cleared everything out, but I think the communication was there because I had seen front to back. So it helped us a lot.
[00:05:00] Speaker C: That's amazing. What a great career.
[00:05:03] Speaker D: Yeah. So from there, finished that up, had some, you know, learned a lot from, you know, Sergio and his guys, Mark Maloney, everybody. John Satello, who was kind of backing me up in that area, then came back out to production, and that's when the management stuff opened up and took off from there. From that point, our production output really needed to gain. We had a lot of things going on and we just collaborated with all management. And there's some good teams created out there. Obviously, Michael Roy heading it all, and Charles Hill assembled a really good team. From that point forward, we just put our heads down and rock and roll.
[00:05:42] Speaker C: Yeah, we got to walk the floor yesterday with Brennan, and it's a really impressive operation.
[00:05:49] Speaker D: That's a sharp guy there, Brennan.
[00:05:50] Speaker C: Yeah, it was fun. We learned a lot. And it's different than Florida vinyl production, but it's also, there's some similarities. Some of the equipment's the same, obviously, the processes are very similar. But, yeah, it was very impressive to see. We don't have a paint booth. We don't do any of that. So that was like, wait, what?
Taping everything off, untaping it. Just the attention to detail was really impressive yesterday.
[00:06:17] Speaker D: Definitely.
[00:06:18] Speaker C: That's awesome.
[00:06:19] Speaker D: Yeah, that was a neat part of this, too. And we used to outsource, of course, and then the ownership here says, hey, we need our own. They made it happen, and once they opened up and started running, it was really, really cool to see it develop and get to where it is today. Like you said, super detailed.
[00:06:33] Speaker A: Be sure to tune in for upcoming episodes. To help you understand the fenestration industry, what you need to know when buying windows and doors and other related topics. You can find out more about us at PDF. You can also find us on Facebook and LinkedIn.
[00:06:51] Speaker C: Yeah, that's amazing. So you've been here obviously, through the acquisition.
[00:06:54] Speaker D: Yes.
[00:06:55] Speaker C: And so now that Anlon is part of a larger group of production facilities and different products, different lines, how has that been? Have you gotten a chance to see any of the other plants or had any other collaborations?
[00:07:09] Speaker D: Fortunately, I've been able to go out to Phoenix, check out western, which is extremely impressive, their facilities pretty top notch, which was cool. The first time I was there, they were in the middle of building, I believe they call it 21 50. It's the address.
[00:07:23] Speaker C: The next door.
[00:07:24] Speaker D: The next door, right. So it was in the making, which was pretty neat. We got to see all the machinery getting put in and whatnot. So we knew something big was happening on the other side, what they were running inside. Again, super impressive. That was really neat. And then kept in touch. We did some trainings out there, so we were able to go back a couple of times, finally seen it operating, which was impressive as well. And then I also had the opportunity to go out to Martin. Okay, so Mister Yandel assembled the team, got a couple folks from western, a couple from here, actually, four of us from here. And we teamed up, you know, obviously, with the acquisitions, things are going to need assistance for whatever the reason may be. But our team went out there and, you know, introduced ourselves, started talking to a lot of people, looked at things we can help with, whether it was equipment, cleansiness of the building, just, you know, talking to folks, letting them know, hey, everything's good. We've been through this. Not a bad thing. It's a great thing, as a matter of fact. Just got to talk to the people, got to talk to their management, shared some things, looked at their products, their processes that, you know, we compared to ourselves. And we were able to implement some things. You know, whether it was scanning materials in the shipping department, their wheel call department, made a world of difference for them. But I believe that was what the whole thing was for. Hey, how can we get there? How can we help? How can we make suggestions? How can they make suggestions? I mean, you know, we're rolling with some of our engineers, some of westerns. I mean, if you ask me, that's some heat.
[00:08:45] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:08:45] Speaker D: So I was very, very fortunate to be able to be a part of that and watch it unfold. And then, you know, if you go there now, you can see some of the things that are implemented now and just see the difference within a short time since the acquisition. But, yes.
[00:08:58] Speaker C: Yeah, that's awesome.
[00:08:59] Speaker D: Yeah, it was pretty cool.
[00:09:00] Speaker C: You know, it's so funny, because, so I've been with the organization for not quite three years, and there have been three acquisitions in three years. And, you know, when you hear the term acquisition and when you think about a company corporation that buys a mom and pop operation or family owned company, there tends to be this negative connotation, like it can be hostile or, you know, it's just the fear of the unknown. But when you really sit back and look at it, we're all doing the same thing and we can leverage our strength to help each other. And so it's been really interesting. One of the earlier podcast I did with Jeff Jackson last year, we talked about what does he look for in an acquisition? And his first top answer was culture and fit. Like, are these people that are going to fit well with who we are? And so we're very much in alignment with the dealer partnerships and caring about the people that we work with and having that family first orientation. And even, like you just said, like, hey, you were injured, you couldn't work, but let's find something else for you to do and then how that builds into your knowledge bank and understanding of the overall process. So I think it's cool. And we get to put our strength, the university because we're already paying for a system. We already have the manpower. And so what else can we put up here that's going to help anybody in our family of brands to just learn more? And so we're excited about having that up there. And we've talked to some of the sales team, and Jimmy's excited and Dan's excited. So it's just fun to get to meet other people that are in the same place.
[00:10:30] Speaker D: Absolutely. Yeah. I think part of it was speaking with some of the folks at all these places and just letting them know, hey, it's not just your company's being bought, but there's going to be some doors of opportunity opening for a lot of folks. So that's a good thing.
[00:10:42] Speaker C: Right?
[00:10:42] Speaker D: And then from our first conversation with them, with, hey, we're here. We're here to help. You don't know what they're thinking, but again, we were there to reinforce, like, hey, everything's cool. We're on your side. Like, we're the same brand now, you know, to the second or third follow up visit. And now it's like, man, you guys are right. This has helped us out, you know, immensely in this area. We, you know, it's a lot less work. We were able to move two bodies and put them elsewhere. Thank you, guys. You know, and it's just like, all right, now that's. That's the more satisfying thing, I guess.
[00:11:08] Speaker C: Yeah, well, everybody wins.
[00:11:09] Speaker D: Absolutely.
[00:11:10] Speaker C: Right. And that's what it's about, so that's awesome. So, anyway, you'll have to get down to Florida.
[00:11:14] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:11:15] Speaker C: You know, I hope so.
[00:11:15] Speaker D: Yeah.
[00:11:16] Speaker C: I mean, the humidity is very different there. Sorry about that.
[00:11:18] Speaker D: That's what I hear.
[00:11:20] Speaker C: But, you know, come in the spring, don't come in the summer. It's just hot. But, you know, come down in the spring and come to a baseball game or whatever.
[00:11:27] Speaker D: I've seen some videos and then I've talked to some folks who were able to get out there and again, everything they say is pretty neat and pretty interesting. So it'd be good.
[00:11:35] Speaker C: It's a fun spot. And the Gulf of Mexico is, I mean, it's not Yosemite, but it's the Gulf of Mexico, right. It's not too bad. So anyway, well, I really appreciate your time. I know I'm pulling you out of your production role, but I'm glad you were able to come in and it's nice to get to know you and understand your story and fits in with everything that we've experienced here at Anlin, that people are just happy to be here. Appreciate the work, appreciate the culture and, you know, love being part of the family.
[00:11:58] Speaker D: Definitely the culture is a big thing here.
[00:11:59] Speaker C: I love that.
[00:12:00] Speaker D: I love being a part of it. Thank you for your time.
[00:12:01] Speaker C: Yeah, thank you for the invite. All right, have a great day. Thanks.
[00:12:04] Speaker D: Thank you.
[00:12:05] Speaker B: PGTI University is the customer education team for an entire family of brands. We began with the original easy breeze porch enclosure line, then became PGT, America's leading brand of impact resistant windows and doors. We then added CGI, CGIC, windoor western window systems, new south windows, echo windows and doors, and limb windows and doors, and our latest acquisition, Martin garage doors. We create products built to withstand major storms, keeping people safe, secure and prepared. Our exceptional brands give you the protection you need without compromising design or functionality. PGTI University is here to educate you, our listener, so that you can be a more informed consumer of window and door products.
