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Vital Plastics, 1979 4th Ave, Baldwin, WI

Travel Information:
Recommended airport: Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP); approximately 1 hour from the facility

MAPP’s third quarter plant tour will be held at Vital Plastics in Baldwin, WI, a 2019 finalist for Processor of the Year and winner of the Plastics News Excellence Award for Employee Relations. The 25-year old plastics organization is dedicated to achieving maximum efficiency by utilizing data-driven decision making. The organization, established in 1994, operates nearly 70,000 square feet of climate controlled manufacturing space and utilizes all-electric injection molding machines.

Starting just two years ago, Vital Plastics began moving from an intuition-based manufacturing facility to one that utilizes technology and data to make important business decisions. Each morning, managers receive an updated production report to understand what happened the previous day, allowing them to make decisions about the upcoming day’s operations. Additionally, the organization uses their data intelligence to report on and fully understand metrics such as daily part rejects, machine utilization, scrap and cycle time.

Not only is the organization running on up-to-date operational data, Vital is also committed to being a fun and welcoming employer. Unlike many manufacturers, Vital Plastics uses home-based employees to do assembly. According to president George Hauser, “What's unique about it is we've used home-based employees to do this, and it serves a variety of needs. It serves our community; it serves people who maybe otherwise wouldn't be employable or people who would not have access to jobs because of their situation, stay-at-home moms, retired folks, etc.” The organization even installed a “drive-thru” in its facility so workers can easily pick up and drop off work.

Join MAPP, the board of directors and dozens of other processors to tour Vital Plastics, and get a deep-dive into how this organization, which employs more than 300 people and operates nearly 60 presses, continues to push operations forward using data while still maintaining a positive workplace.