They laid it on the line last night. The steel industry in Utah-and this means Geneva Works – stands at the crossroads.
With a handicap of having to ship its product 700 to 1000 miles to market, Geneva faces serious competitive challenges. This means the Utah plan must step up the fight for its markets. Indeed, it must fight for its very survival.
The threat has been created largely by two competitive forces: (1) Japanese-produced steel dumped on western U.S. markets; and (2) large tounages now being shipped by cheap water transportation from eastern plants in Seattle, Portland, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Despite improved efficiency the past year or two, Geneva is still unable to match, in delivered cost, either of these competitive forces.
This sobering problem was presented at the BYU Fieldhouse to 8000 people, including Geneva employees, their wives, and 500 guests.
But serious as the picture appeared, it was obvious from the start that the speakers did not come to preach a funeral sermon. They came to inform, to inspire and to motivate. They outlined frankly what they felt must be done to keep Geneva healthy-and they warned of consequences should the mill fail to meet the challenge.
While no guaranteed blueprint for solution was presented, the general tone was optimistic, based 0n determined, united teamwork. “We must simply . . put Geneva into the picture by our own hands, minds, and will to achieve,” said J. D. McCall, U. S. Steel Corp. vice president .
More specifically, the “Operation Bootstraps program inaugurated by General Superintendent George Jedenoff must be intensified in order to effect future economies in production; produce a higher quality product than competitors can offer; speed delivery to customers; improve service and total plant performance; and keep up on technological developments in the changing steel industry.
The “Errors Zero” program adopted during the meeting puts the crusade on a personal basis by charging each employee with (1) presenting his practical ideas for eliminating errors and production defects and (2) setting and achieving goals to improve job performance.
The program was supported by speakers representing management and labor; also by Governor Calvin Rampton and N. Eldon Tanner of the LDS Church first presidency.
But perhaps the most eloquent endorsement of all came from the rank and file steel-makers themselves, who rose to their feet, upon invitation of Mr. Jedenoff, to demonstrate overwhelmingly their intention to make “Errors Zero” succeed.
Gov. Rampton summed up the situation when he said “This is not just Geneva’s fight — it’s the fight of the whole state.” Everybody knows that Geneva Works is the backbone of our economy in Utah Valley. We need this plant.
Geneva’s Competitive Crusade
Some people have been known to scoff at the idea of Geneva’s ever being closed. The Herald has the utmost confidence in the ability of the dedicated Geneva team to meet the competitive challenge ahead. But make no mistake. Should Geneva go downhill and become a marginal operation, it ultimately would be closed, just like the mills at Donors, Pa. were ordered shut down recently, after a long history of steel production.
Fortunately, George Jedenoff, the alert, energetic Geneva general superintendent, sized up at an early stage the impending threat to Geneva, and the employees have responded well in rallying to his call.
Last night’s meeting at the Fieldhouse represented a striking effort to intensify “Operation Bootstraps” and to create an awareness of the high stakes the Geneva team is working for.
Like the steel industry itself, everything about the meeting was big-the attendance, the dinner operation, the mammoth advance preparations, the caliber of speakers, and most of all, the idea and concept which were so dramatically portrayed.
Mr. Jedenoff and his co-workers, BYU, and all others who helped, have provided spring-board and most helpful climate for the launching of “Errors Zero.”
Now it’s up to members of the Geneva team at all levels and at all departments to carry on and make it go. This crusade if it is to achieve its maximum effectiveness, must be considered an opportunity, which it is. For the employee, it’s an opportunity to make his job more secure and to do his bit to keep the community moving economically; for the plant as a whole, it’s an opportunity to remain a vital force in the steel industry and in this state.
Members of the Geneva team must not embark on the crusade begrudgingly. If there are some who are slow to accept the program adopted last night, they had better get converted; if there are employees who are giving less than their best, they had better put their shoulders to the wheel because this crusade is a going thing.
In his closing remarks, Mr. McCall spoke of the Geneva management and workers as “a steel making team with more talent, imagination, responsibility, and competitive will to win than any other like it in the world.”
This was a great tribute. So, men and women, if they respond 100 per cent in the new competitive crusade, are bound to succeed . . . to “rise above themselves and to win the fight. All Utahns will be pulling for them to do it.