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PAGE 14, TFIURSDAY, NOVIEMlUR 2, 1972, WIUJTBY FREER*S PEOPLE and MACHINES and TECHNOLOGY add up to SUPER STEEL - by Kim Armitage "Hey, look! that barn's on fire! "That's flot a barn! That's Whitby's new steel plant." A spring afternoon in 1965. Prom the 401 highway the large structure set far back in stubble fields did, indeed, re- semble a barn on fire as hangings of yellowish smoke billowed around its roof. But no barn, this. On a 400 acre lakefront site at Whitby, the Lake On- tario Steel Company Lirnited had erected the humble be- ginnings of its plant. And with it set a fire with heats ,.that would be felt through the entire North American steel industry within three years. Lake Ontario Steel Com- pany - Lasco - is Whitby's largest industry with an em- ployment figure crowding the 150,000 tons per year.:Now, ini4ta~4~fg~p in 1972 capacity is moving upwards frorn 300,000 tons per year. Today Lasco is an acknowledged leader in the international steelmaking industry. The Lasco nanie wasn't always so brighî. During the first few years of operation about the onily thiing the corn- pany could be proud of was the quality of' its product. There were always problemis. What hadn't gone wrong tu- day would certainly happen tomorrow, along with that day's allolmient of nîiseries. Plant workers complained bit- terly to the point of open hostility, about imnpossible working conditions. Plant breakdowns, sabotage were the rule rather than the ex- ception. Serious accidents and team was somneîhing else. They were ini trouble--and they got down to the business of find- ing out what had to be done. Then did il. Mlany of the goals set then are now realities. Much of the rapid progress can be traced to Lasco's utilization of' the miost modern techiiological advances in nmetallurgy and the science of' steel makîng. enîgieering and design tech- niques--rnany of thern devel- oped (and internationallv ac- claimied) by people ai Lasco. Froni the days when 'plant safety' was considerably less than satisfactory in the corn- pany, the safety record has been bullied and coaxed int draniatie im-provement--"and we're just nicely underway!" The adoption of new ap- proaches 10 indusîriul-employ.. ee-managemnent relations fi4îve children whichi is held in two shifts eatch fillîig Oshawa's large Eastdale Collegiate Audi- torium hl o capacity. [rom a niber of maai- ajgenent coifles îlîis reflection on Lasco's image - patst and prescrit. "Lasco lias evolved mbto an erniniently successful and respected corporation. Righît now we're squeaky dlean. We adhiere hoAlthie rules. ."But, lie cautions, "Doni't puish us too far. If (lie going in the market place gels stîcky- tliere is a certain eIe- nient o! îouglhness in us. We're well trained in tlie 'e;ist-sîide tazct ics.' We learnied tliein very well. We hiad ho--to suirvive." About two and a hall' years ago the Lasco managemient teain really began 'to pull up its socks. Just about thiat lime Williami Winspear was appointed the new President Ilie production workers in the nianutfacturiing ar*eas-- ithey're better educated, have more tiîîie 10 think, nmore leisure hours. Tlie trend is ho large- ncss iin priva te business today. Thie impersonaliîy of big busi- ness conflicts wiîlî the desire of tlie individual enîployce Io feel responsible, creative, suc- cessi'ul and proud of liiinîself. "Thie individual wants ho. 'do my own thiing.' This is 'self-deterninat ion". andhie trend to self-deteruiinat ion op- posed to the trend ho large and impersonal business, is already causing sparks whieî thiey clasli. Tlhere'll be con- flics between tliese two very powerll trends wliiclî will be difficult to reconci le. We miust learni Iouse Ithe human factor wisely. "Ini our capitulist society thle rewa rd is niotiey f-or every. An aerial view of the 400-acre Lake ontario Steel CompanY Limited, Whitby's largest industry. 700 mark. Last year despite the adverse economic climate, Lasco posted al-time pro- duction, sales and earnings records. Lasco is a steel plant. A steel plant wilh a difference. The difference is ils unique- ness. Uniqueness in almost every phase of ils operation from steel making to cm- ý-ployee management relations to company policies lu ils very inception. That inception was the resuit of the cala- lystic enterprise of G.R. Hef- fernan who, wilh a team of engineering, construction and financial experts, set about the design andi layout of this, lte world's f irst 'mini-steel plant' for the Whitby site. The 'mini-steel plant' is based on the modemn concept of continuous billet casting pro- cess utilizing with ultra high power electric arc furnaces. The construction of -Las-- - Co began in November, 1963. The first steel bars were rolled in JuIy, 1964. In an industry -noted for ils Jack of a modern apprecialion of lime, G.R.* Heffernan and Associates had pulied off a remarkabl e con- struction performance-from green site 10 rolled bars in aine months! In thaI year of birth Las-. co')s production capacity was injuries were cold every day facîs. Management was con- slanîly accused of inepîness and calousness. To work ah Lasco was lu be prematurely treated 10 a session in pergatory. Traditionally steel mîlîs were lough places t0 work. The work was gut-grinding tough. People had 10 be tough. People gol killed. There was an aura of 'ough glamour' 10 the popular image of 'steel man.', The Beginning That was the beginning aI Lasco. Like every uther new business îheyjust started righî in. Get the steel out the door. Thaî's whaî keeps the conipany in business. Throughu their first five years lhey constantly baîtled problems. The lack of train- ing and experience from plant - worker tu management in- hibited progress. Few area workers, hired at the plant, had evcr even seen a steel milI let alune worked in une. For the most part management was made up of sharp, rela- lively yuung individuals whu had come up lhruugh the ranks in various seclors of Ihe steel indusîry. But putting il ail together as a management been dranmaîic and rewarding. ln public relations the coin- pany and its ernployees are everywhere ini the coummnun- ity-volunteer guidance anid support for civic and cultural activities, endless assistance and sponsorships for kîd's an- ateur sports, and Junior Achievement for the teenagers. Lasco is on top of the heap now and management is qujick ho point out that lhey're there because of the people of Lasco. It has over I50 salaried employees and approximnahely 500 hourly rated employees, the latter members of the United Steel Workers Union. (lit is an es- tablished fact that the con- tract set Ilemenîs arrived ah in the union bargaining with the giant of thie steel indusîry Stelco wîll aulomnatically apply at Lasco with th e ex- ception of some local issues. There is an extensive bene- fils prograni for ail employees including pension plan, credil union, sickness and welfare, and most recently the Em- ployee Profit Sharing Plan for both salaried and hourly rated personnel. Recreahion groups range from sports teams, a bowling league, bridge and chess, dances, an annual suin- mer picnic;'and a giant Christ- mas party for the employees' of Lake Ontario Stcel ('oui- paîîy, atnd proceeded ho stnap t lic socks n p thli rest oh' thie wa Y. To the iiployces oU Las- co, Winspcar is an enigîuîa tlbey dount really undcrstand hirn but think ie's 'one whalc of a President!' FHc's thc per- sonificat ion of tlie brîllian t young execut ive-- pipcsnîuk- ing, baIl, slim, rcddisli-brown hair, glasses and reserved to the poitît of shîyness on occa- sion. He lias an îiîpressive business background, a corn- puber-like mîind witb away- frotm-1îhe-o tfîice leanings to- wards mîusic, literature and philosopby, and cliess. Of his job as President lie says. "The management, the office staff, hourly rated enîployees-all of these deparînîenbs and groups-l'm thîe une wlio mus( pull theni aIl together, make them work as a tcarn." 0f tic coniditions and pro- blenis ini general lie says, "Tliese are very fascîîîatiîîg and clîallenîîgng i mies. Steel wili cotinue lo bc a para- nîuunt product. As lucre is now, thie boyer trcend will be slrongly suphisbicated and better inforrned about steel. They kîîow what qualihy they wanht and what price. "There is a growing and conîinuing sophistication in une for imor'e effot 'IVM o t* this yeaiî Lasco mnu- guraicd ils radical new [:I- pl(iyee Profit Shariing Prugrani for both salaricd and liourly raîed eniîployees.- Winspcar lias said of' thlicplaii, "Basi- cally (lie cap)italist systeni lias a lotiuof aults but bo date it's fibc best systeîîî ho benefit Ilbc grealest nuniber cf people we've found. Wc wanî our peuple of' Lasco lu slîare iin Ille systeiii by miaking eacb of thîeîîî a capitalist.", Iinbtie t igli tly kîîiî Lasco nianagemietît teami Vice Presi- dent and General Manîager is Ch ris Schimielz wiî h a tiianner, usually, of sofi-spoken per- suasiveriess. He has conie tlie wlîule route blrougli the plant operations te senior nianage- nieîîî He knows tlle steel business inside-out. lie cati talk to tIl e nîin dbc planit. He neyer stops workiîg for- theni-gcîting sotîîetlîing bet- ter fer t liei i 1le ktiowst lîefir problemrs. He's been tlîcre. Vice Prcsidenb cf Finanîce is R.C. Snîiitlî, cool and atia- lytical, witlî an expertise ini international industrial finaîî- cial structures that cati distill mounitains of data into di- gestable, wurkablc progranîs. Howcver noble are a coi- pany's aims, il is the financial structure on which it tîlust hitjig ils prescrit report.s and flut ure proJections. Vice President oh, Sales D.J. BILuchlr. flic eb ilientl, knowledgeab le steel su lesillanl wit i yea rs of' experience ini the fla1îboyan h. young steel industry in Western Canada; a perceptively erudite aîîd re- served nîeîîîber of' the ni- agenient teani. His conmmient on Ille conmupny's attitude towrds ils enîployces is typi- cal. "Lke Ontrio Steel ('oi- pany is sîîîîply a corporute entiîy. A legul description on paJ)er. 1t Cs Ile people of Lus- co wlio have takîil il lr(ti t bis, tluia dynani ic. profit uble and growing organiual ion. Lasco is people."' Wliat is Lasco? Wlîat's il like? Find eutI. Take a lotir ot' t lie plant. "We'r-c ulways ini eresîed in tour-s. Especially local peuple.suys Lasco's Ili- uusî riat Relutitons maun Bill Boigey. -But tourls, ot îîeces- si ty , ni uis be u rru uged in tIlic eveluîngsi' Pollutioni Ili tlle liandsoiîîe, ue1 e- ceit ion uî cu of-t lie udnîîîî st rut ion building Bougey will sec t liai N'tiire it ted '.vil i a liard but and sufciy glusses. Phetil l 1lîglit ill;).1 big. black ciguir and tuke '0ulu11-OIIII ltle p l a nt11 . Y o u ill wv u lk mîile s lo m -,g conC-l cr001-S t]ooî. p.down und ulong steel siuirs and cuîwualks:, expeieicce tIlic soulnds out tlie plati tItlle sirenls (eucbi wiî b tl- s w!) wrtig). Ille stt i1c Ii under ( t [lie t wo giu ni lec- tric ui c 1t ti ices: wut1cll in awe as 55 ton ludels ure t'illcd w itf h olteti steel tlieti ci uîicd (11 Mt) lcet [o Ille levelut lIll et u - u i tow erî t y to co il- pi cllîd t(lic soplîîstîcutîon (0t coniptircon t roIs wlcli zure eveî vwlire: iccoil t rouilIlle whiite flot lieul t 11 illets, bars an d sî rands. Sonicwbere ica r Ille begîtîn iug of, thle tour Boa,)gc\ mil cxplaiiî Lasco's For- tIiis tlîe coiîpaiîy re- ccved lic .V. De La Por-t a1ward lfor large planit polI- Utioii conrol ini 1971. li air polluhioti coiitrol btlîcir systcîîs arc "the best avail- able iti or otit cf' the iiidtks- br*y. lt's nul perfect yet by aîîy imîanls, but wc're work- itig on il." A tour of Lasco is oiic you woti'f hor-gel.-tur a long luite.- 1If' wlîa Lasco is doiiîg can bc paraphirascd by tlie old saying ""thie pruof of tbc conîpany nîiust be tiudging one hîuîdred profl. 1h lias been aiii tonccd tbla( lie coiii- patîy lias beguin a 6.5 mîillioni dollar expansioni prograni lu be conîpîeted in 1974, in- creasirig thie capacity ho 350,- 00tons per year-. Freîîî 150, to 350,000 tous per year- within 10 ycar-s! The stiioke pollution, whlîihî heralded ils birthl, lias beein aIl but eliîîîin- atcd. LakecOntario Steel Coni- pany Liîiîed - a ver>' big bartî-seitiugig uew fires wîil bigger heats iii tlie steel in- dustry of the wurld. at