Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Firestone's new manager says the future is bright

Theres a new person in charge at Firestones Prescott complex, and he says the future is looking bright for the building products company.

Ray Oxley, a native of Missouri, took over as plant manager just over a month ago. Although he is new to the Prescott facility, he is no stranger to Firestone having 12 years with the company and previously holding the position of operations manager at the companys Wilson, N.C., plant.

The Prescott facility manufactures membrane roofing products and the auxiliary products that go along with them, Oxley said, but overall, Firestone is one of the largest companies in the rubber business.

Were just one section of that, he said.

Being plant manager differs slightly from Oxleys previous jobs within the company because he is now charged with the task of seeing that the entire operation runs smoothly. He said the plants departments work well on their own most of the time, but you have to have someone who brings the groups together when they need to be brought together. Thats where Oxley comes in.

Another one of Oxleys responsibilities is participating in local community events and ensuring that the company stays active with various community service projects. Although his short tenure at the plant has not allowed him to personally attend many community functions, he said the plant has continued its overall effort to improve the community.

One of the companys community service projects is picking up litter along the roadway near the complex. He said employees volunteer to go out and complete the work, and most are more than willing to help.

We try to participate as much as possible because we are a part of the community, he said. Everyone that works here is a part of the community.

Another way the company has helped out the Prescott community is through a $100,000 grant to the science department at Prescott High School. The money will be given over a five year period. This is currently the second year of the commitment.

The plant also has a $20,000 community fund. Oxley said local charities apply for grants from the fund, and a local committee of plant employees review the applications and decide on the grants.

With a current employment of more than 500, Oxley said he sees a bright future in store for the Prescott facility. He said there are several new building material products that will be coming to the market in the upcoming years, and he hopes some of those could be manufactured in Prescott.

Looking to the future, Oxley said the plant has three main goals: safety, high quality and continuous improvement.

Safety is probably our number one concern at this plant, he said. Safety is the whole plant, not just the plant manager.

The Prescott facility has a better safety record than the national average, he said. The plant did not have a loss-time injury in October and has not had one so far in November.

I hope we continue that trend through the end of the year.

Loss-time injuries can be something as small as a cut that requires a few stitches, he said. The injuries are classified by Occupational Health and Safety Administration.

Overall, Oxley said he is glad he made the decision to move to Prescott. Besides being closer to his family, he said that he and his wife have enjoyed meeting everyone here so far.

There are some very hospitable people here, he said.