Getting onto Training Top 125 list is no easy feat. Companies are graded on training programs, metrics, human resources, training infrastructure and more. This year, Shape beat out some tough competition and was ranked #12 – the highest in our history. Training Top 125 is a worldwide ranking of organizations that excel at training and associate development. This looks at the entire corporate training overall, not just single programs. In 2015, we beat out companies like Edward Jones, McDonald’s, Quicken Loans, MasterCard, AT&T, CVS, and more. Training and development became a business strategy and a necessary part of everyone’s employment experience here at Shape in 1996. Formal, corporate-wide needs assessments […]

The room was packed with fellow Toyota suppliers at the annual Bluegrass Automotive Manufacturers Association (BAMA), sponsored by Toyota, conference last week. Daric Morell, director of manufacturing, walked up to the stage to speak in front of hundreds of people about Shape’s journey with the Toyota Production System. BAMA reached out to Daric, Jay Blanchard, continuous improvement manager, Craig Arends, 1900 plant manager, because of the unique story behind Shape’s journey. Usually when Toyota comes into manufacturers to help them with their production systems, it’s because the supplier is in crisis mode – meaning that if they don’t change their ways, they could ultimately shut down Toyota. But this wasn’t […]

What started out as an internal campaign to raise awareness about safety, has turned into an opportunity to share our best practices with the entire Toyota supply base. Our “Work Safe, Have Fun” campaign focuses on being safe so you can enjoy your favorite activities outside of work. The iconic logos and tag-lines have been placed throughout the facilities to reinforce good safety habits. After the BAMA Safety Committee meeting this December, in Franklin Tennessee, Toyota requested attendees to share some of their best safety practices. Mike Westbrook, safety and environmental manager, sent in our “Work Safe, Have Fun” campaign to the group. Toyota liked the campaign so much that […]