Manufacturing 2018 Manufacturing Week Bus Tour | Page 17

Buyken Metal Products
Kent
Buyken Metal Products makes precision metal fabricated components for more than
100 companies. It invests heavily in treating its employees right. With 100 percent
paid medical and extensive training, it has nearly zero employee turnover.
Buyken Metal
Products
in Kent has
28 full-time
employees
plus two being
trained from
a local high
school. Every
employee
goes through
training in
Lean, blueprint
reading
and forklift
operation.
“I’ve been doing this for 40 years, if you can believe it,” said Les
Sanchez, “13 of them here. It’s a good company. It’s been a good
ride so far.” He’s a sheet metal mechanic who uses a 100-ton press
break to bend 3/8-inch metal plates.
“I’d rather do this than sit at a bench.
I’m a hands-on person.”