Nancy Cefalo Promoted to Top HR Role at Mack
Nancy Cefalo, a 14-year employee of Mack Molding, has been promoted to human resources director for the company’s three Vermont manufacturing facilities, it was announced today by President Jeff Somple.
“Nancy has served as human resources manager during her entire tenure at Mack and is uniquely qualified for her new role and responsibilities,” says Somple. “Beyond HR experience, she brings a well-rounded background of nursing, organizational management and mediation training to the table. She will be a welcome addition to my staff.”
Cefalo replaces Kevin Dailey, who has served as HR director for 16 years, but has now accepted the new position of VP, human resources, for Southwestern Vermont Health Care (Bennington, Vt.). “Kevin has been on the Board of Trustees of the hospital for several years and has a strong interest in healthcare issues,” adds Somple. “This is a wonderful opportunity for him — we wish him the best in his new and exciting position.”
Before joining Mack, Cefalo worked as a home health nurse for Manchester Health Services, Manchester, Vt., where she established the Maternal Child Health Program for wellness and preventive care. Earlier, she was owner/operator of a family restaurant, where she managed all operations, including human resources.
Cefalo holds an associate’s in nursing from Bunkerhill Community College (Charlestown, Mass.), a certificate in mediation/conflict management from Woodbury College (Montpelier, Vt.), and a bachelor’s in organizational management/psychology from Ashford University (Clinton, Iowa).
Active in the community, she is a member of the board of directors for the Battenkill Valley Health Center in Arlington and past treasurer of the Arlington Area Child Care board of directors. Cefalo is also a member of the Society for Human Resource Management.
Cefalo lives in Arlington, Vt., with her husband, Richard. They are the parents of three adult children and are now enjoying two young grandsons. When she isn’t working, Cefalo enjoys cooking, hiking and bicycling.
Mack Technologies Showcases Circuit Board Assembly Capabilities
Check out this video tour of Mack Technologies, an EMS provider and sister division in Westford, Massachusetts. Its electronic manufacturing capabilities are mirrored in its Florida and Mexico locations, providing a seamless transition of production between facilities. Mack Tech’s North American manufacturing footprint includes over 337,000 sq. ft. of advanced technology and more than 600 employees. Services include design support, circuit board assembly, system integration and configuration, advanced test operations, and direct fulfillment services. The company prides itself in having the leading edge technology of a big company, and the customer focus of a small one. See for yourself!
Jeff Somple Named President of Mack Molding
Effective today, Jeff Somple, president, Mack Molding Northern Division, will assume the presidency of all of Mack Molding, it was announced by Don Kendall, CEO and chairman of the privately held Mack Group.
“Jeff took over the helm of our northern division in 2002 and has delivered sustainable, profitable growth ever since,” says Kendall. “That has been particularly challenging in the face of the Great Recession, financial market chaos, massive job loss throughout the country, and a tepid economic recovery. For Mack, this time period also reflected a significant loss of sales from the computer and business equipment sector to overseas low-cost labor; diversification of our markets with a major thrust toward medical device manufacturing; grass-roots development of a full-service machining center; and the acquisition of an engineering services company to enhance upfront design capabilities. Jeff has demonstrated strong, confident leadership throughout each of these challenges. I am extremely pleased he has chosen to accept this one as well.”
As president of Mack Molding, Somple will be responsible for both its northern and southern divisions, including five manufacturing facilities in Vermont, North Carolina and South Carolina; Mack Prototype, a prototyping and low-volume manufacturing facility in Massachusetts; and Synectic, an engineering services group in Connecticut. Kendall will remain as CEO and chairman of Mack Group, which includes Mack Molding and Mack Technologies.
Somple has been with Mack since 1988, when he joined the sales department. He moved quickly up the ranks to vice president, sales/engineering, and then president, Northern Division. Earlier, Somple was northeast regional sales manager for five years for Continental Extrusion Corporation, an extruder, printer and converter of plastic packaging in Garden City, N.Y. He also owned and operated his own restaurant in Black Rock, Ct.
Somple holds a bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vt. He and his wife, China, are the parents of three daughters and make their home in Manchester Center, Vt.
Why 60% Rib-to-Wall Ratio is NOT Sacred
It has long been an accepted practice in the plastics industry to maintain a 60 percent rib-to-nominal-wall ratio in injection molded parts. Any increase in this ratio can cause visible sinks on the part’s cosmetic surface. However, with a thickness differential of 40 percent, the rib and wall of the part can shrink at different rates, causing the entire part to warp and distort. So, how can you achieve a flat AND beautiful part?
External Gas Assist
Mack Tool Design Engineer, Tom Revane, has a solution. External gas-assisted (EGA) injection molding. This process allows for an increase in rib-to-wall ratio without creating sinks in the visible cosmetic surface. Here’s how.
This molding technique employs a micro-thin layer of nitrogen gas that is released to the non-cosmetic surface of the part once the mold cavity has been filled with resin. The nitrogen gas layer packs the part evenly, replacing the holding phase in traditional injection molding.
The nitrogen gas flows along the ribs, pushing them toward the surface of the wall. This causes the rib to narrow at the point of intersection with the wall, providing a flatter, more even pack with no visible sinks.
Designing for EGA
Molding using EGA is not quite as simple as adding nitrogen gas into a standard injection molding procedure. The process must be engineered into the design of the part.
“If the gas escapes from the mold, the process doesn’t work,” says Revane. “We have to design features into the mold to seal the part.” Working closely with toolmakers and design engineers is critical to ensure that elements such as shiplap joints, grooves and ribs are incorporated into the part to prevent gas leaks.
1-to-1
Using EGA, Mack can increase rib-to-wall ratio in molded parts far above the industry standard of 60 percent, which is particularly important in molding large panels and trays.
“We are able to raise the rib-to-wall ratio to one-to-one,” Revane says. This uniformity within rib and wall thickness allows parts to be more structural with less distortion. Additionally, the part shrinks uniformly, allowing for improved fit during assembly.
Mack has used EGA to increase rib thickness in several recent molding projects to mold polycarbonate, PC/ABS, ABS, nylons, polyethylene, polypropylene and even glass-filled HDPE. The process is not limited to any specific resins.
Additional Benefits
While EGA is specifically effective in creating parts with high rib-to-wall ratios, it has many additional benefits:
• no molded in stress, resulting in less warp and stress-cracking
• lower clamp force requirement, allowing for a smaller press
• reduced wear on molds due to lower operating pressure
• uniform packing pressure
• reduction, and sometimes elimination, of secondary operations
• better texture reveal on part surfaces.
Total Customer Satisfaction
Increasing rib-to-wall ratio in parts from 60 percent to one-to-one, Mack is able to produce parts that are well within customer specifications for cosmetics, flatness and dimension. Employing EGA in the injection molding process has allowed Mack to provide its customers with better quality products.
“EGA is not really well known in the industry,” Revane says. “A lot of people have never heard anything about it. Yet, for us, it’s a normal part of processing. We do it every single day.”
Contact:
Tom Revane, Tool Design Engineer, Tom.Revane@mack.com
Sylvia Jarvis: Working at Mack a Family Tradition
Editor’s Note: Another Mack is ME! post, this series spotlights the people and personalities behind our services. Check back frequently or subscribe to the feed, as these profiles will be interspersed with news updates on a regular basis. We hope you’ll enjoy getting to know us!
Title: Leader, East Arlington Plant
Her job? Sylvia is responsible for coordinating employee activities and material movement to meet production schedules in the painting department in East Arlington. She is also the expert in silk screen training and has been taking the lead in that department for many years.
Favorite Mack project: “I’d have to say the good ole days,” she says, when questioned about her favorite times at Mack. Sylvia also enjoyed her responsibilities as a trainer and will miss guiding employees through new processes. “I really enjoy helping the new people get started,” she says.
Experience: On September 21, 1978, Sylvia began her lifelong career at Mack as a finisher at the East Arlington plant. After working in finishing for about 17 years, she moved into the painting department as a painter. In 1997, she was promoted to her current position as leader. Sylvia has maintained an impeccable attendance record, missing only a few days of work in her 35+ years at Mack.
Personal life: Sylvia has recently moved into a new home in Cambridge, N.Y.., which brings her much excitement in her retirement. Prior to her new abode, she lived in the town of Tinmouth with her husband, the late Paul Jarvis, who worked at Mack’s East Arlington and headquarters plants for over 32 years before retirement. Combined, Sylvia and her husband are responsible for more than 67 years of service to Mack! Sylvia has a grown son, Scott, who also works at the East Arlington plant, in the molding department.
Life after Mack: Having just moved, Sylvia is looking forward to the many projects she will be able to begin in her new home, once she settles in. She also plans to spend as much time as possible with her family, “the best way to enjoy free time.”
We will miss Sylvia’s skill in the training room and talent in the paint department, but are excited to wish her the very best in her retirement.
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