shipper/receiver

press operator

sales representative

packer

fabricator

Simpson Strong-Tie

Being at Simpson Strong-Tie for over 14 years, I can easily say that there are endless opportunities for anyone who wants it. Regardless of where you start or what skills and experience you may have there are always chances for advancement and development. Internal training and mentorship is a constant and external training is always open to anyone. There is a teamwork atmosphere like mine I've experienced at any other company. Everyone has a common goal of exceeding customers expectations and a servant mentality. With the common goal, everyone across departments and even across branches around the world are excited to help with whatever is necessary to make it happen. Management is in a constant state of development and growth; always trying to learn. Succession planning is a focus and performance management helps give management and employees the tools to grow. The culture is fun and inclusive regardless or title or department. Many employees hang out often and have become great  friends outside of work. Many customers and employees have become great friends also.  Incredible benefits include vacation and sick pay, tuition reimbursement, AMAZING medical, dental, vision, chiropractic programs, wellness program where positive health and lifestyle choices are encouraged, discounts, great work/life balance, and so much more. People rarely leave the company because of the culture and ever-changing possibilities. I can't recommend Simpson enough for anyone who wants to be excited to go to work each day, make great products, and have fun in your career.

A typical day at work was pretty relaxed for me.  I was generally able to set my own schedule during the day and choose what to work on.  I was able to learn about a new industry (for me) and about different metrology skills and 3D printing.  Overall, the management team in the corporation seemed competent, ethical, and balanced.  The workplace culture, especially the target (stated) culture, is second to none in my opinion. (See Barclay Simpson's 9 Principles of Doing Business.) The most enjoyable part of my job was the team aspect of product development.

The hardest part of my job was communicating with the individuals who didn't necessarily live up to the stated principles or standards of the company on a consistent basis.  Of course, those types of people are not unique to Simpson any way.  

When I went through orientation in 2010, Simpson was touted as a career rather than a job, meaning that they hired for the long-term.  They didn't view themselves as the next hop in a career of hopping.  Those were slow economic times.  Now, in times when the company is doing very well and my division is doing better than most of the others, and after hiring two new engineers in the last three years, my position was eliminated out of the blue.  While they are well within their rights to do this, I believe it is a symptom of a change in the culture following the death of the founder, Barc Simpson.  It will be interesting to see how the company changes moving forward.

This company was founded by great man who created nine principles of Business to explain his philosophy on what makes a company successful. I studied these principles on the company web site before my first interview and decided that this will be my very last job which I planned to work until retirement. 
 Principle "five" states "Everyone in a company is important, Everybody. That's absolutely crucial and so you must do everything you can to make people feel they're valued. Our company culture says that everyone gets recognized for their contribution, no matter what the role. There are no big shots, no parking places. It's always been first names. Nobody's Mr. or Ms. You're addressed by your first name-- we're all working together toward the same goal. We rely on each other to be successful, we show each other respect. 
 It’s extremely unfortunate that a majority of the people that shared the founders visions who were with the company when I was hired are no longer with the company and either retired, resigned or were terminated. Simpson Strong-Tie has transformed into a typical corporate America company concentrating on profits and ignoring common sense fair treatment of ALL its employees. Insurance Companies and Attorneys principles seem to be the guiding force casting a dark cloud over the founder’s wonderful but deteriorating legacy.

Productive learning environment with opportunity for versatility.  Activity-filled day, constant performance of duties as trimmer/finisher with little downtime in between.  Three to four three men crews functioning as lamination techs, completing lamination tasks of two halves of product every 40 minutes, prepared for trimming to specified dimensions using power tools with steady workload for trimming function.  Acquired hand/eye coordination at rapid pace meeting high demand for trim work completion.  Learned independent ability of blueprint dynamics, self-management, meeting crucial deadlines, quality assurance as demanded by DOT.  Firm management personnel, yet easy going, attentive to personnel needs and satisfactory completion of responsibilities.  Family oriented atmosphere with strong employee unity, streaming over into outside personal life.  Hardest part of the day is bundling procedures preparing for shipment.  Most enjoyable part of the job was seeing the completed product loaded for delivery with satisfying stamp of approval of finished product.

a typical day at work, starts from home and drive to different lumber yards in your territory, you are usually able to hit at least 4 while maintaining your call quality. While driving you have to constantly try to extinguish customer issues and play phone tag. And don’t forget to log all your calls and opportunities, which they do no trainings on.

what you believe you learned, lots of in depth product knowledge as well as learning more on how different yards in the area operate

management, is very uninvolved, especially when it comes to training on how to do things to the company’s policy and use of many systems you are just left to either figure it out or are essentially told to “bug someone else”

workplace culture, very friendly, and people often say they are willing to help. But with the vast distance between coworkers, the most help anyone can truly give is a new phone number to call

the hardest part of the job, figuring out your routine. A lot of company customer lists are incomplete and you tend to have to discover who your customers are on your own

the most enjoyable part of the job was getting to meet so many new and fun people throughout my territory and at lumber yards. You get to see so much more of the area you live in.

Let me start with saying the company itself is great to work for as the benefits are top notch. Now the Columbus branch itself is another story. Management has placed themselves so far from reality its actually amazing. If you start in shipping you will remain in shipping,unless they really don't mind losing you and can't get enough work out of you. The mandatory OT is insane and usually from March-November you will be on at least 50hr mandates no question. They have taken on way more work than their employees can handle but that doesn't matter. They only see profit & numbers. They tell you they care and that their "culture" shows that but it's the opposite. You go to HR for an issue and they will refer you back to your supervisor. Some guys will literally pull 3 lines an hour and have no consequences. New people get hired in to be your boss and have no clue what's going on. You show them you will work hard they will use that to their advantage. You speak out and you draw a target on your back. I've heard some things about auto and fab but most people are happier over there. Like I said the company is great and I wish things would have worked out but I just couldn't do it anymore. If you work here please do yourself a favor and stay away from shipping & receiving.

HR makes the atmosphere bearable.  
Very hot working conditions in summer. BE PREPARED! 
The micromanaging has GOT TO GO. Certain leads don't lead, they police. Simpson promotes their leads from within, and as we all know, a little power in the wrong hands can do more damage to a company than good. You are not allowed to sit for an instant, this is a 10hr. shift, so make sure your shoes are double knotted, they'll definitely question your reason for sitting to tie your shoe. Joking a bit, but want you to know how PETTY some of the knit picking warehouse  BS can be. Dont we have bigger problems to solve? You're free to take problems to upper management but it will come back on you. Be warned.  The pay is unmatched, with bonus. But the low-level management is not worth it, for any length of tenure. 
Barc Simpson promoted 9 principles.  #9 is to have fun. Low-level untrained management has forgotten this principle. More worried about #'s than work conditions.  
HAPPY PEOPLE PRODUCE!! It's a fact. Good management knows this.
I've worked in a factory setting for many years, and this is by far the worst I've seen employees treated by management, at ANY place I've worked. 

Please SIMPSON STRONG TIE,  Train your Leads how to lead. Your work force is begging you. 



Cleaned up as per usual, harassed by co-workers for not engaging in conversations.

People often slacked off at work and refused to do anything outside of their division.

No one cleaned up after themselves, trash on their floor in their departments, bathrooms all messy, don't flush toilets.

Management often ignored complaints, there was only one competent manager who was often belittled by higher management for trying to change things for the better for the employees.

Hardest part of the job was ignoring ignorant co-workers who had nothing better to do than say things to you without reason.

Easiest part of the job was the routine, it was very similar day by day, with a few exceptions.

I enjoyed my job and felt I got paid properly, but poor management and the refusal to talk to other employees who brought drugs to work, alcohol and quite honestly harassed other employees on a day by day basis made me severely dislike the job.

Ever since the last CEO retired from Simpson, the new CEO has been slowly killing the Columbus branch. Management has unreachable expectations for every employee and makes no effort to improve working conditions, they only crack the whip and say "work more overtime." Upper management even recently made the decision to cut bonus checks to pay for the new expansion to the plant.

The only redeemable part of working at Simpson are the people you work with on the plant floor, but stay away from leads, office workers, and those close to leads, as they will rat you out for the littlest of mistakes and many times make up lies to get a step up above everyone else. If you want to work here, avoid 1st and 2nd shifts completely, only work the Weekend Shift as upper management only works weekdays and the leads are human beings.

This is going to be a long story but I'm going to just keep it short.

DON'T WORK HERE!!!

Management is by far the worst, they have no clue on what they are doing. They try to delegate what to do out on the floor but have no idea on what they are talking about so pretty much they do a lot of talking but nothing is coming out. You bring ideas up and they'll shut it down and try to implement their idea which by the way 100% of the time makes no sense. Then few weeks later they bring up your idea and make it seem like it was theirs. Management and HR are completely blind and they never care about the people there. Like typical managers they always say they care but but behind close doors they always talk about the people there (This is true I've witnessed it myself). They try to put a good image when the higher ups show up but once they leave it goes right back to the way it was.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Shipper/receiver 109 salaries reported	$22.77 per hour
Press operator 37 salaries reported	$19.53 per hour
Sales representative 52 salaries reported	$73,673 per year
Packer 27 salaries reported	$20.16 per hour
Fabricator 29 salaries reported	$22.08 per hour

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