Wednesday, October 19, 2016

The vice president of Montaplast of North America, the Frankfort, KY factory where two employees died in separate accidents issued a statement Wednesday addressing their deaths and the temporary closing of the plant. Frankfort factory where two employees died in separate accidents issued a statement Wednesday addressing their deaths and the temporary closing of the plant.


Montaplast executive issues statement in wake of employee deaths

By Greg Kocher

gkocher1@herald-leader.com

The vice president of the Frankfort, KY factory where two employees died in separate accidents issued a statement Wednesday addressing their deaths and the temporary closing of the plant.

Holger Ramcke, vice president of Montaplast of North America, reiterated that “the safety and security of every employee at Montaplast is of the utmost priority to us.” (a.k.a. "lip service").

Angela Mitchell, 35, died Sunday after suffering a head injury Thursday night in an accident involving an overhead crane. Then, on Monday, Ben Cermak, 23, of Lawrenceburg died after suffering an electric shock.

Another employee in the Thursday night accident suffered a shoulder injury, but that person’s name was not released.

In his letter, Ramcke wrote: “The Montaplast and Frankfort communities have been shaken by the recent tragic, accidental deaths of Angela Mitchell and Ben Cermak. Angela and Ben were valued members of our Montaplast family of employees. Our employees are the backbone of our company. The safety and security of every employee at Montaplast is of the utmost priority to us.

“We feel it is important for the community to understand what we have done after these accidents. Once we voluntarily shut down the facility the afternoon of October 17, we began the important process of inspecting every piece of equipment. We engaged outside, third-party investigators to inspect our equipment at the same time governmental authorities were present investigating the accidents,” Ramcke wrote.

“Prior to re-opening our facility and resuming production on October 19, we re-certified the facility’s equipment with a focus that our team was coming back to a safe and secure workplace,” Ramcke added.

Ramcke wrote that grief counselors remain on site and “we plan to keep those counselors available to our employees until they are no longer needed. Our employees are encouraged to share questions or concerns with their supervisors, and we have a safety hotline available for our employees’ use.”

Ramcke said the company is “determining the most meaningful way to remember and honor Angela and Ben. We look forward to sharing that news with the Frankfort community soon.”

The Kentucky Labor Cabinet is investigating the two accidents.

Montaplast is a supplier of center caps, exterior trim parts, and cloth molded interior trim parts for vehicles, according to the Kentucky Directory of Manufacturers.


Montaplast of North America, Inc. - Frankfort, KY - Montaplast of North America Inc. is a technological leader supplying the automotive industry with state of the art composite air intake manifolds as well as highly engineered plastic components. Rapid growth and our technological capabilities have increased our need to continue staffing our Frankfort, KY. facility. Position Requirements and Description 

======



Internal and external values

Cars can always do more. They get better, more versatile, and safer. With our innovative, high quality plastic systems for the engine compartment, exterior, and interior, Montaplast is making its own valuable contribution to progress.

Cars can always do more. They get better, more versatile, and safer. With our innovative, high quality plastic systems for the engine compartment, exterior, and interior, Montaplast is making its own valuable contribution to progress.
At Montaplast we understand "plastic" in its original artistic sense too. We apply our creativity to ensure that today"s finest automobiles meet our customers" increasing demands for safety, stability, durability, environmental compatibility, design, and comfort. The fact that tomorrow"s car can do so much more than yesterday"s without becoming heavier or more unstable due to new components has a lot to do with Montaplast. We work to ensure that metal parts are replaced wherever possible by modern plastics that integrate the maximum number of functions. With the help of the very latest processing and material technologies we develop temperature and pressure-resistant modules that are optimized for function, cost, and weight - destined for the vehicles of the future, today.
This proactive approach characterizes Montaplast today. Our high-quality plastic parts comprise the heart of all systems "Made by Montaplast" just as before.

Precision engineering born in Germany
and now satisfying customers all over the world.

The history and development of a special family business

Founded in 1958 by Albert Stulz Sr. in Morsbach, Germany, Montaplast is a mid-sized company representing five decades of experience in the production of plastic precision parts and systems - first for household appliances and now for the automobile industry. When Montaplast of North America, Inc. was founded in 1992 in Frankfort, Kentucky, the family business moved into a new and expansive phase. Since then, Montaplast sales offices and development centers have sprung up in Detroit, Suzhou, Nagoya, London, Paris, Stuttgart, Munich, and Cologne. In 2006 a third production location was added, the Montaplast Automotive System (SIP) Co., Ltd. in Suzhou near Shanghai.
History
1958 Company foundation by Albert Stulz Sr.
Manufacturing of plastic precision parts for household appliances
Start of the toolshop and extrusion technology
1968 Introduction of vibration welding of plastic parts
1979 Start of the lost core technology
1980 Start of the first paint line
1985 Introduction of CAD and CAM systems
1990 SOP of the first plastic air intake manifold in lost core technology for Porsche
1992 Opening of the Sales and Engineering Office in Detroit
1993 Foundation of Montaplast of North America, Inc. in Frankfort, Kentucky
1999 Inauguration of the technology center at the head office in Morsbach
2006 Establishment of Montaplast Automotive System (SIP) Co., Ltd. in Suzhou, China