Message From the General Manager of Our Indianapolis Facility

Ed Kash asked me to write this week’s blog for him. Seeing how we recently celebrated Memorial Day I thought it would be good to ponder those who have sacrificed and who have helped us.

I have worked for G&H now for more than 7 years. We have seen lean years and good years. I remember Sept 11 in 2001. Hearing of the horrible news, all the office computers had the internet open trying to stay current. Everyone in the shop was asking questions, trying to get information. And yes I remember brining everyone into the break room for a moment of prayer as the reality of the day unfolded.

I remember talking with Ed about the Indianapolis plant. Should it stay open, should we close it, what did the future hold? Which markets can we try to break into, which customers can we grow? How can we become profitable? And yes I remember praying about it. We trusted God to lead, to direct. In just a few years we had a record year in both sales and profitability. I know God heard and answered our prayers.

I remember talking with Ed about the Gun shop. Should it stay open, should we close it, what did the future hold? Which markets can we try to break into, which customers can we grow? How can we become profitable? And yes I remember praying about it. We trusted God to lead, to direct. In August, 2008 G&H is set to open a new building. Yes it looks like it has turned the corner. I know God has heard and answered our prayers.

Earlier this year we got a major piece of work making a dune buggy type car frame. It is exciting and yes it is a very big challenge. This product line can increase sales by 50%. This one project will be as big as our top 3 customer’s alone. We purchased machines, rented another building and started hiring employees. We have invested our entire capitol budget on this one project. This project is made even more difficult by the customers demand to get up and running in less than 6 months. How do you grow a business by 50% in six months?

Until the production line gets up and running, we were asked to build these frames manually. We have had to add 33% more staff and develop temporary tools and processes. This represents a daunting task. How do you take limited resources and split them. Partially building frames by hand, and partially building the automated production line. Guess what, I remember praying about it. We trusted God to lead, to direct.

In May we were challenged again by the customer to build 40 units by hand. (We had only shipped 21 units in April). How were we going to double our output, how could we manually produce this many? We have had our problems, delays and difficulties. How were we going to find the workers, how could we double and still hold the quality? Well, we prayed about it. We trusted God to lead, to direct. On the last day of the month we shipped our 40th frame.

I don’t want to give you the wrong impression. God is not a good luck charm, a rabbit’s foot or a genie. Each time we prayed, we also worked very hard and there were a lot of employees who worked hard and sacrificed. There were failures and successes. But there is one thing that we have recognized, God does care and He is active in our lives.

Thanks to all the welders, all the quality people and to the engineers who helped make May so successful. Most of all thanks to our Lord, who listens, cares and answers prayers.


Steve E. West
General Manager -- G & H Indianapolis
swest@ghindy.com