operator

senior operator

finisher

manufacturing operator

machine operator

Hitchiner Manufacturing

I loved who I worked with, absolutely loved; we all got along, everyone was laid back and we joked and laughed about any and everything to get through the shift. We had potlucks, going away parties, Secret Santa... It was fun with them.

That being said, it's not a good company to work for. I miss the paycheck, which wasn't horrible, but it's not worth it. Stress, stress and more stress. All they care about is numbers and production. I've had friends be close to done with their assignment just to have more work piled onto them not even 30 minutes before the shift is supposed to end and they didn't leave until almost an hour, hour and half after they were supposed to leave. The sprays we used made my hands raw and break out, it made my nose itch like crazy and made several people congested and have respiratory issues. The machines are old, wonky, break down a lot and it can take a few hours to get it looked at or fixed, sometimes you can't use a machine all night causing production to fall behind meaning very possible mandatory overtime on the weekend and one day to recover. Parts can come out distorted, broken, no good and so on meaning no production. Some things are out of your control there but it doesn't matter; if numbers aren't met, everyone pays for it. 

You HAVE to use vacation time if you or your kid(s) get sick, and if you don't have vacation time (they call it "call in vacation/CIV"), too bad so sad. You get points against your attendance, which they hold over you for 6 months. They will keep tacking them on and give you warnings, even if you don't take advantage and don't call out frequently. Have a doctor's note? Doesn't matter if you don't have CIV, you'll still get points. Get sick and have to leave early but no CIV? Points against your attendance. I was coughing so badly I was getting dizzy and lost my voice, yet couldn't miss work so I went in with a mask so I wouldn't cough on anyone and spread germs. I was told very rudely by one of the supervisors "you can't wear that you have to take it off, safety will come talk to you". Safety never came to talk to me. Medical and dental are expensive and not worth it. Supervisors pick favorites and one is good friends with HR, so there's no use complaining to one about the other or complaining about their favorites, nothing will get done as the favorites can do no wrong (even if their work is shoddy at best). 

I left after getting warnings because I called out TWICE and left early once because I was about to get sick and pass out on the floor, all incidents weeks apart and I didn't have access to CIV (it was within my first 90 days). I was in no way taking advantage of calling out; I hate when I have to miss work for any reason. I recently ended up getting really sick and ended up in the ER with no CIV, and a note wouldn't have mattered and I would have been fired. I walked.

After reaching my 1 year mark at Hitchiner Manufacturing, I can say that I'm appalled with the direction and management of the company. 
A job is a job and you're not meant to like it, but people need to have decency and common sense. The company having multiple buildings makes it even harder to scope, because each plant is different. So with discretion, this is a review on CCO.

Punch in, get a rundown of priorities for the day, do stretches to loosen yourself up, go do work, punch out for lunch at given time, punch back in after time is up, work more then go home. Typical. I've learned so much in my 1 year there, and yet you don't get anywhere. 

Management of what is ran and how its ran is absurd and poorly thought out. Management as well as front office engineers don't  listen to insight as to how to make parts run efficiently and effectively. Outdated machines that are constantly mickey moused for life support. 

Hardest thing about the job is transparency, not knowing how things will be the next day, you could be in a completely different department the next.

There really isn't much enjoyable about the company. I guess some of my co-workers I like is something i enjoy, but that doesn't help with my satisfaction with the company.

If you're looking at Hitchiner for a job, I would take it as a last resort. As long as you know how to pace yourself and keep doing what you're supposed to do, you'll be fine. But when you get into the weeds of management and see how they operate, that's when you really dislike and distrust the company

A typical day at work involves working through batches of parts, then there is a lunch break, then a ten minute break, then you work until you leave. I learned how to navigate the workplace environment, since this was my first year on manufacturing, there was a lot to learn. All of the managers, supervisors and line leads were excellent, except for the one guy who pressured me into skipping steps. I'm just not comfortable skipping steps. As for my coworkers, I don't know what happened, I guess it might be my fault, but I found it difficult to work with other people. As in any manufacturing plant where the rotation of people is frequent and the job requirements are entry level, you are bound to have both good and bad interactions. I will certainly use my experiences at Hitchner to be even better of a coworker in the next manufacturing environment I work at. The hardest part of the job was making rate, the rate at which they set is sometimes impossible to attain. The most enjoyable part of the job was being able to work with interesting parts. 

I worked at this company nearly three (3) years. The management had a very hostile attitude towards the workers. We were exposed to hazardous chemicals and heavy metals that made many of us ill and cuased kidney problems...chromium being one of the hazardous materials. The management had a very negligent attitude about exposing the workers to hazardous chemicals and materials. They often turned off the vacuum tables and air filtration systems, allowing the employees to breath air laced with heavy metal particles. One of their HR Managers was fired when they criticised the company management, and tried to write up a floor manager that was discriminating against several employees including me. Not a very nice company to work for. During one of our quarterly re-views, the company had to co-pay $500,000 in cancer treatments for one of the long time employees...they had exposed them to hazardous chemicals that gavve them lukemia.

From my current experience at Hitchiner's, it has a been an efficient and respectable place of employment. The benefits are excellent (Health, 401k, 3 weeks off starting). The work is respectable, and if you are looking for overtime it is usually available. I've been working hard since i've started, and have been rewarded for my work. They are expanding daily increase chances of advancement and growth, for those who work hard and seek it; however if you are also looking to find a position and stay in that position, it is a perfect place for that as well. They are also continuing reward their workers by offering increasing bonuses and other rewards (I.E moving from 2 weeks pto, to 3 pt & starting to do profit sharing)
I recommend anyone who is looking for a committed job to, go talk and learn about the opportunities at Hitchiner's.

If you aren't in a click management won't even know your name. All supervisors avoid you at all costs, walk by them and they look at the floor. They work you until your fingers bleed. You can't work hard enough or fast enough. They shove parts at you non stop and when you're trying to read the directions on your screen you get asked why you aren't working but then when you make mistakes they ask why you didn't read the directions. They want you to live for the place, if you're going to work there, keep a pillow in your car because you'll be sleeping in it! Co-workers are wonderful though, very friendly, nice people, I instantly felt welcomed. Exhausted, blisters, sore back...be prepared to kill yourself for this place. Tons of overtime, most weeks taking home $800. A few months in though and I can't handle it anymore. I'm looking for another job. Tired if going to the restroom just to sit for 10 minutes for some relief.

Will use you and give you raises until they get through their "rough" spells then fire you any chance they get regardless if you have perfect attendance and no black marks on your file, prime example of nickel and dime. They are all about money and making their targets...you are just a number and no flexibility nor respect for persons on any position. Once the target is reach you become of no use to them and your gone. This is not a company to plan anything long term in. Their turn over rate is huge. Training is horrible. And the manner you are spoken to and treated is patronizing and crass . Horrible company to work for, Has a total lack of propriety. Fires people every year around the holidays, to save and pinch pennies on the annual bonus. If your a temp or haven't made it through your 90 days and a bonus is issued, you do not get one even of you worked towards that bonus.

Asked to sign off on other peoples work. This is a violation of company and government policy. If a part fails, the person who signs off is held responsible. The manager is only concerned with hitting numbers. Pulling people from other departments to work my area wasn't uncommon. The people weren't trained, so more harm than good was done. If a mold or part fails and you singed off on it, you get blamed for it, regardless of if you worked on it. If you work overtime, you don't get an extra break. One 10min break, one 30min break, period. The safety person didn't poses ANY state issued certs. Didn't know anything about respiratory diseases caused by breathing in the metal or silica dust in the air. Wouldn't give floor workers masks, but engineers could grab a mask whenever they wanted. 
If you like favoritism, double standards and being thrown under the bus, this is the place for you.

I would go in find out what machine I was to operate that evening. Do set up requirements (Check coolent level, comunication log) Calabrate my measurement machins. My lead was veritentive if I had a problem. But there was no matanice on my shift and our set up person was hard to find at times.This made my job difficult at times becase my machine would be down. I enjoyed going in everynight with a new goal and challenge to meet or exceed my part count. Which if my machine was running properly I would meet or exceed that goal.
Working 3rd shift my co-workers changed alot but most like to work with me because I would challang them. or was able to keep up with them so there was little down time for them

I loved my time at Hitchiner! My direct supervisors were always very helpful and it was easy for me to cross train and advance my career here. This company does enforce some very strict rules. They are very concerned about the bottom line more than anything else but the benefits are the best I have ever had access to and the ability to learn on the job is quite useful for me. Subcontractors are paid a lot more than employees and the pay rate for most positions seems to be below the national average. I was able to make good money doing overtime each week and its balanced considering the phenomenal health benefits offered. I wish they would not do mandatory overtime through the summer months. I was never able to bring my family camping while I worked there.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Operator 11 salaries reported	$18.50 per hour
Senior operator 1 salary reported	$25.87 per hour
Finisher 1 salary reported	$21.91 per hour
Manufacturing operator 6 salaries reported	$18.50 per hour
Machine operator 2 salaries reported	$19.89 per hour

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