Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.
Date: 8/10/2021
AGAWAM – For more than five decades, Belt Technologies, Inc., located at 11 Bowles Rd., has manufactured custom metal belt conveyor solutions and conveyor systems. Recently, they were awarded a $45,600 grant to assist in the training of 24 workers and the creation of at least two new jobs before 2023.
According to information provided in a press release from Belt Technologies, “This project is funded by a Workforce Training Fund grant from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. The grant program is administered by [the] Commonwealth Corporation.” More than $8 million was awarded to companies across the state.
Alan Wosky, president of Belt said that with these funds, there are two areas that will be assisted with. The first is to help their employees complete several training programs in an effort to improve their proficiency with tooling, planned maintenance, and lean manufacturing principles.
There is also a “makeshift” system that they hope to make more robust. Belt Technologies Owner and CEO Dennis Gagnon explained that there are four kaizen events. “Kaizen is a Japanese ‘Toyota’ production system,” he said.
This needs continuous support. The event typically lasts a week, where they’ll dive deep into/identify areas for more substantial improvement.
Belt originally applied for this grant, had workforce training, and was then selected.
Currently, they employ 39 people in Agawam, and plan to add two new manufacturing positions to increase capacity.
Gagnon said, “This grant provides us with a unique opportunity to grow not only our workforce but provide new and useful skills to the people who we already employ.”
He added, “We are proud to have been selected as one of the 99 Massachusetts companies to receive this grant. These funds will be integral in funding further training for our employees looking to move up in the world of manufacturing.”
With this award, Belt has two years to complete all of their training. Everyone will need to complete 80 hours.
According to Belt Technologies’ website, their corporate bio and mission are intertwined: “It’s our goal to deliver industry-leading custom metal belt conveyor solutions to the automation, electronics, packaging, food processing, medical device, robotics and tobacco markets.”
Their mission is: “To leverage our core competency, which is engineering and manufacturing expertise, and our vast wealth of application and design knowledge to help our customer base solve their automation problems.”
After buying the business two years ago, Gagnon now hopes to expand new horizons. Nonetheless, he claimed, “We still try to run this as a family business.”
Wosky has been a part of Belt for over 30 years. The two of them are committed to growing the business together.