Alcan Packaging Saves $70,000 Plus through Training for Industry Program 

In March 2004, Chicago-based Alcan Packaging-North America opened a $16 million facility at the Tulsa Port of Catoosa with 35 employees, but no customers. Today, the facility makes one million plastic bags a week, reports $1 million in sales a month, and plans to hire at least a dozen more employees early next year.

According to Luis Bogran, Plant Manager, Oklahoma's Training for Industry Program proved a key draw to the state, citing a level of flexibility and customization not found in similar programs offered around the country.

"Rarely--if ever--in our worldwide company have we seen such an effective program for molding a training program to fit a company's needs," Bogran says. "Oklahoma was the only state that didn't try to push something we didn't need."

Services Received through TIP

• Training assessment, consultation, and curriculum development: Worked closely with Alcan to ensure that all skills and leadership training matched programs used across the corporation such as Total Production Maintenance (TPM) and Visual Management (VM). Six Alcan employees traveled to Germany for specialized equipment training.
• Facilities: Tulsa Technology Center-Lemley Campus provided space, equipment, and materials for all training classes, job fairs, and administrative operations while Alcan finished its Port facility from August 2003 to March 2004.
• Instructors: 407 hours of instruction from qualified professionals, who work in their fields of expertise, in basic maintenance, pneumatics, programmable logic controls, communication, conflict resolution, and more.
• Fair Market Value: Alcan didn't spend any money for the pre-employment assessment, hiring, and training services it received--a fair market value of $70,000 to $100,000.

This is the customized Training for Industry Program that worked for Alcan. Your company is probably different. Let the Oklahoma Department of Commerce help build the perfect curriculum for you.