CT Chief Manufacturing Officer Visits Thermaxx

As part of his Lean In, Listen, Learn, and Link (L4) tour, Paul Lavoie, Chief Manufacturing Officer for the state of Connecticut, stopped by Thermaxx Jackets on Thursday, September 22, 2022.  In total, Mr. Lavoie spent more that two hours touring the facility and talking about Thermaxx and manufacturing in Connecticut with the company's leadership team.  He was joined by friend and colleague, Eileen Candels, Director of Partnerships at Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology (CCAT).  

One of Mr. Lavoie's favorite things about the Thermaxx facility was the big scoreboard visible from anywhere on the manufacturing floor, tracking production quantity as well as quality to ensure that daily targets are being met.  Mr. Lavoie was impressed by Thermaxx's focus on leveraging technological innovation and data in an industry that traditionally is not associated with technology.  This is particularly apparent in Thermaxx's use of Slate™ smart tags to track assets all the way from design to installation.  Beyond that, Thermaxx provides end users with an asset tracking portal to easily access information about any individual jacket both on site and remotely.

The team at Thermaxx also shared with Mr. Lavoie their commitment to the local community. This was reflected in Thermaxx's quick decision to pivot production of PPE gowns during the early peak of COVID in Connecticut.  It was Thermaxx's entrepreneurial problem solving mindset that allowed them to think fast, reconfigure manufacturing, and bring back employees quickly during a very uncertain time.  Not ones to hog the spotlight, when Thermaxx developed a simple pattern for making PPE gowns, they chose to make that pattern open source, providing a resource for others in the community and beyond to sew their own gowns.

Mr. Lavoie and Thermaxx also discussed the company's focus on energy savings.  Insulation, especially removable and reusable insulation, is often the most overlooked opportunity for carbon reduction in construction and facilities management.  Thermaxx even shared with Mr. Lavoie some scannable slate tags for him to share with great information on how removable insulation can help other Connecticut manufacturers cut utility costs and reduce energy consumption using removable insulation solutions.  This has become especially important, not just in Connecticut, but across the country, with the continually increasing price of gas.

The conversation finally turned to what the future for Thermaxx looks like. Since being acquired by parent company, SPI - Specialty Products and Insulation, throughput has only increased, as Thermaxx has become a fabricator not just for its own sales, but those of the more than 60 SPI branches across the United States and Canada. 

It was a pleasure to host Mr. Lavoie on site.  His background in manufacturing gave him a strong understanding of the importance of all the work that Thermaxx is doing at their facility. He shared his passion for continuing to grow the manufacturing jobs market in the state of Connecticut, something he refers to as "Connecticut Shoring." Thermaxx is equally committed to growing their workforce here in the great state of Connecticut, while supporting a team with a continually growing reach both across the country, and even around the world.

Are you another Connecticut manufacturer or just interested in learning about how you could be saving on your utility bills this winter and reducing emissions at the same time? Be sure to request a heat loss survey or contact us today and Thermaxx will get you set up!