gmhTODAY 14 gmhToday May June 2017 | Page 55

without distortion. If it is the flooring of a commercial aircraft, it must be strong, light and fireproof. If this sounds very high tech, it is. The amount of engineering that goes into these advanced components is extraordinary. Many of the employees speak a high-tech language that is foreign to most non-engineer types. The high tech nature of TenCate in Morgan Hill is one of the characteristics of this company. This is sophisticated stuff. The testing labs are a testament to an extreme level of high tech. All orders undergo extensive testing. One section of the facility is a bank of labs dedicated to testing every characteristic of the product. Customers work with staff to identify and specify the qualities of the materials they need. It is not unusual for a client to come in with one set of specifications and change them for the better with the help of staff. Customers also are involved in testing and auditing the manufacturing of their components. Extensive records and audit procedures are maintained. A second characteristic of the Morgan Hill facility is that employees seem to like it there. People are happy and involved. Jobs are often multi- dimensional. A good example: the machine operators who combine the resins and components are also quality inspectors. They are responsible for flagging defects and imperfections. In the hallways, manufacturing floor and offices employees say hi and smile! Employees proudly point out products that use their components. There are approximately 350 employees between the Morgan Hill and Fairfield TenCate sites. And the company is hiring workers for the shop floor. A third characteristic is the high level of security and safety. Badges are swiped entering and leaving different branches of the operation. Everyone is accountable and comfortable with that. Safety is an obvious priority. TenCate has a lot of government and military contracts, which heightens the security procedures. TenCate in Morgan Hill should be a source of pride for local residents. Here is an international manufacturing company focused on aerospace that has chosen Morgan Hill. Materials from TenCate are shipped all over the world…another example of how inter- national is the touch of Morgan Hill! Strengthening our coastlines with TenCate Geobag® units. GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN MAY/JUNE 2017 gmhtoday.com 55