Tom Vert General Manager Primary Manufacturing Arcelormittal Dofasco
Posted by Ralph Montesanto
on Feb 14, 2012
Arcelormittal Dofasco will be celebrating its 100th anniversary in Hamilton on September 27, 2012 and Tom Vert the GM Primary Manufacturing spoke about what it takes for a company to stay in business for 100 years. He started by informing us that only 0.2% of companies ever make it to 100. Dofasco or its predecessors was purchased by Arcelor and then by Arcelormittall and is now part of the largest steel making organization in the world. The Hamilton plant produces four million tons of steel a year and one in four new cars in the world are made with its steel.
Tom talked about the characteristics required for a company to stay in business for 100 years. It must be flexible, people focused, willing to take risks to adapt to external forces and look to the long term. The motto here in Hamilton is "Our Product is Steel, Our Strength is People" and this has served the company well. It does not rest when it comes to innovation and is always looking for new and better products. Recently it was able to lower the overall weight of a car by 14% and still keep it strong. This led to a direct saving in fuel efficiency for vehicles. Environmentally, the company looks to improve water and air quality on an ongoing bases and is the largest recycler of scrap steel in Canada, processing over one million tons per year.
There are 6000 employees in the Hamilton plant who have profit sharing for their retirement, a recreation centre on the Hamilton Mountain and an annual Christmas party and summer BBQ that attract over 15 000.
The company is a great supporter of community. It contributed $7500 to the Rotary District Conference in 2008 and supports the Roots Centre through a $5000 contribution, two things that are close to this club.
Tom talked about the characteristics required for a company to stay in business for 100 years. It must be flexible, people focused, willing to take risks to adapt to external forces and look to the long term. The motto here in Hamilton is "Our Product is Steel, Our Strength is People" and this has served the company well. It does not rest when it comes to innovation and is always looking for new and better products. Recently it was able to lower the overall weight of a car by 14% and still keep it strong. This led to a direct saving in fuel efficiency for vehicles. Environmentally, the company looks to improve water and air quality on an ongoing bases and is the largest recycler of scrap steel in Canada, processing over one million tons per year.
There are 6000 employees in the Hamilton plant who have profit sharing for their retirement, a recreation centre on the Hamilton Mountain and an annual Christmas party and summer BBQ that attract over 15 000.
The company is a great supporter of community. It contributed $7500 to the Rotary District Conference in 2008 and supports the Roots Centre through a $5000 contribution, two things that are close to this club.