faces of the frontline: manufacturing’s all stars

Gerardo Camargo has a knack for mastering complex machinery and improving production processes. This came in handy when he joined Virginia Park Foods—a contract manufacturer of gluten-free pasta located in Riverside, California—and used his skills to reduce repair time and improve machinery output.

After working in flour, packing, tail off, and on the press, Gerardo has not only streamlined operations but also fostered a culture of reliability and collaboration within the company. His use of Redzone to improve quality assurance and train others has been particularly recognized by senior management, resulting in a raise from the President and owner of the company.

Mastering the Machines

When Gerardo first joined the company on the third shift, he had limited exposure to the machinery and processes, yet he was eager to learn more about them. When he moved to the second shift, he sought out the mentorship of the Maintenance Director and immersed himself in understanding every detail of the press machinery. 

This expertise proved invaluable during the assembly of the company’s newest production line, Line Five. With a new press and brand-new pasta-cutting dies, the company had to dial in all settings from scratch—from screw speeds to dryer fans. The entire process took about four months and led to frequent downtime and wasted resources. 

Gerardo spent hours fine-tuning every aspect of the machine until he identified the correct settings for each component. His meticulous eye for detail identified a solution to a recurring flour problem on Line Five, reducing repair time from over an hour to just 15 minutes. His efforts to reduce downtime and minimize waste also helped reduce hours lost by 31% between Q1 and Q2. 

Line Five is now the company’s second-highest capacity production line, and it’s where it makes all of its specialty items. His colleagues often mention that the production line is always “green” when Gerardo is in charge, a testament to his ability to keep everything running at optimal levels. “Gerardo is the main press operator for that line,” says Victor (last name, position). “The only time I worry is on Gerardo’s days off.” (20:03)

Trusted by Managers and Team

In an environment where precision and efficiency are critical, machinery knowledge is a must. Gerardo’s years-long experience and stellar performance have earned him the unwavering trust of his peers and managers alike.

An example of this trust is how quickly and readily Gerardo’s suggestions are adopted by the team. His managers note that the Maintenance Director is usually hesitant to accept changes to the machine settings, but not when it comes to Gerardo. “When I told the Maintenance Director that Gerardo wanted to change the settings, he said, ‘Oh yeah, sure. Go ahead, Gerardo.’” says Victor. (8:46)

Gerardo stands out as a leader on the factory floor due to his natural ability to connect with his coworkers regardless of age or experience. For instance, Gerardo mentored new press operators, shared his knowledge, and helped them develop their own skills without being asked. He leads by example, demonstrating that respect is earned through hard work, consistency, and a genuine concern for the success of the team. This approach earned him respect and helped him overcome the challenge of being a younger employee who mentors more seasoned workers. 

Taking Initiative and Driving Innovation 

Not only does Gerardo have an unwavering work ethic, but he also has the foresight to anticipate future challenges and resolve them before they occur. Throughout his tenure at Virginia Park Foods, he’s been able to identify opportunities for improvement and proactively implement solutions that have had a lasting impact on the company’s production processes.

One example is his decision to meticulously document machine settings and operational details long before anyone else recognized the need for it. No one asked him to do this; he simply foresaw the potential challenges of not having a detailed record of the machine settings. He took it upon himself to catalog this information, and when problems did occur, he had a ready reference to resolve them quickly. This forward-thinking approach saved valuable time while reducing downtime and waste.

Gerardo’s willingness to share his knowledge and guide others has not only enhanced his own skills but has also elevated the capabilities of the entire team. When the company brought in Redzone, he immediately embraced the platform’s tools and features to perform press operator and quality checks. He even included additional settings the subject matter experts hadn’t thought of. 

His overall favorite tool in Redzone is the Production Huddle— a forum where the team posts what issues they’ve had and how they solved them. This presents a great opportunity for everyone to learn from the situation and from one another. Gerardo’s managers and the company’s President and owner have recognized and rewarded him with an additional raise for going above and beyond with Redzone.

Always Looking for New Challenges

At Virginia Park Foods, Gerardo’s strong work ethic consistently exceeds expectations. He’s often taking on additional responsibilities or staying to help any team member who asks for help. 

Gerardo is always eager for new challenges. “He told me once he learns something, he wants to learn more. He said, ‘I need more challenges here. I want to learn more things.’” says (name, position). (5:26)

Ultimately, Gerardo stands out as a reliable and trusted figure at Virginia Park Foods. His managers don’t just trust him with the machines; they trust him with the team’s morale and the company’s future.

That’s because Gerardo doesn’t just manage; he mentors. He doesn’t just solve problems; he prevents them. His actions have not only made him a key leader at Virginia Park Foods but also a source of inspiration for those who have the privilege of working with him.

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