M '·., , , , < ' '· L-U. Although Belleville is the smallest of six plants, it's the only one in North America to have metallizers which put aluminum in the film. Even though the employment rate at the Belleville operation has remained steady over the years, Halls worth said the plant has expanded its site both physically and with new equipment. The most recent addition was a slitter (slitting machine earlier this year. This machine cuts plastic into specific customer sizes. "We're also developing new products with the equipment we have. But we are still producing oriented polypropylene as we have for 26 years," he said. Hallsworth said Belleville's plant has a promising future because "we're constantly changing and improving what we do. "We add new equipment, upgrade existing equipment, develop new products and improve our work methods. They are all key elements of our success," he said. Hallsworth said safety ranks right up there with productivity because the facility is always striving to provide a safer way for employees to operate the myriad of equipment located inside. Its focus on safety is also working. "We have recorded over one year without a recordable injury or illness and that's something we're very proud of," be said. One particular shift, in fact, has gone four years without a recordable injury or illness. "We have made some tremendous improvements in safety, productivity, quality and costs in the past couple of years and these improvements bode well and we have a promising future here in Belleville," said Hallsworth. '