ASK THE HEAT TREATMENT RECRUITER
“FEBRUARY 2022; From Mr. Josh Hale of International Search Partners we have this fascinating summary about what commercial heat treaters in the USA get paid “Salary Guide for Commercial Heat Treating”. This is part of a three part series with the next one covering typical salaries for heat treatment industry suppliers. Josh can be reached at [email protected], International Search Partners | (ispards.com)
Salary Guide for Commercial Heat-Treating
Although job descriptions can vary quite a bit between companies and salaries are subject to regional cost of living adjustments, what follows is a snapshot representation of the current market-value for most job functions in a commercial heat treat.
An important note: the below information focuses primarily on salary data and does not account for non-cash incentives such as vacation, flexible work schedules, incentive bonuses, profit sharing, etc. Overall compensation has increased rapidly across the board since the last iteration of this guide and many companies have gotten creative in looking outside base wages to entice and retain employees.
General Manager: GM, Plant Manager, Director of Operations… there are some nebulous titles at the top of the typical heat treat hierarchy, but for these purposes, consider at GM as the plant “owner.” He acts as the face of the company and rather than getting overly concerned with day-to-day tactical operations, he focused on dealing with key customers, high-level strategy/planning and ultimately has full P&L responsibility to turn a profit.
Salaries for an experienced GM are in the $125-175k range but can sometimes exceed $200k+ per year for larger, multi-site operations. Almost all GMs are incentivized with performance bonuses, and some are offered a path to ownership or equity.
Plant Manager: PMs usually report to a GM, and like their superior, they can go by many names such as Operations Manager, Production Manager, etc. Here a Plant Manager is considered the person responsible for day-to-day operations of a plant and overseeing all hourly employees and production.
PM salaries are hard to pinpoint because they can vary widely based on size of company, organizational structure and how much hands-on work is necessary for the role. Confounding things further, some companies will also have a plant “supervisor” level just a step below the manager. Those caveats aside, a base salary in the $90-120k range is a fair estimate, with supervisors at about a 10-20% discount from there and both most often with a bonus or additional incentive program.
Plant Metallurgist: Metallurgists will sometimes also act as the Quality Manager and/or Lab Manager, but here assume that the Plant Metallurgist’s main responsibility is over the various processes within the plant. As with most of the positions discussed here, there is a wide variance based on the employee’s qualifications, skills, and experience. A recently degreed process engineer acting as a plant metallurgist will obviously earn less than a seasoned metallurgist who oversees his company’s lab and testing.
Overall, good metallurgy skills are in high demand and wages have increased significantly over the past 2-3 years. An experienced, non-manager, plant metallurgist will earn a salary in the realm of $80-110k.
Quality: As mentioned, sometimes a Metallurgist will fill this role, but often it is a non-degreed person with hands-on experience who has risen through the ranks. It is common for there to be manager of the quality department who will supervise a staff of quality technicians or engineers. Together, they will ensure quality over all heat treat processes, oversee audits, and usually have responsibility over the lab and testing.
Salaries for experienced Quality Managers are between $75–$100k but can easily creep into the low-mid $100ks for someone with niche expertise such as NADCAP or ISO. Quality technicians or quality engineers will have a wide range based on experience and education and can be anywhere from $25ish/hr up to $60-75k per year or more.
Maintenance: Maintenance is one of the most important functions for any heat treat facility. Without a good preventative maintenance plan and good repair capability when furnaces do go down, a commercial heat treater is out of business. Most of the time, Maintenance Supervisors are non-degreed professionals who have worked their way up from an hourly position on the floor. Maintenance Mechanics might be former field service engineers or operators who have transitioned. Over the past few years, there has been a huge uptick in demand for qualified maintenance professionals and salaries have risen as a result – so much so that they are sometimes the highest comped employees in a company earning even more than their bosses.
Hands-on maintenance mechanics are earning high $20s to mid-high $30s/hr plus overtime and can earn more with strong electrical or controls experience. Supervisors and managers are at a $100k minimum and can be up to the mid-$100ks with bonuses.
Sales Engineer: Two types of compensation plans are prevalent for sales. One type of plan is salary only, commensurate with experience. The other is salary plus commission or bonus. Most heat treats implement the latter as it aligns incentives for the company and employee and allows for the motivated sales professional to earn his worth and be rewarded for results.
Commission structures come in all shapes and sizes and be set-up in an infinite number of ways but suffice to say that base salaries for heat treat sales start in the $80-100k range.
Furnace Operators: Hourly Furnace Operators are always in demand, and while they sometimes don’t require much experience and are trained in-house, there are situations where these workers are not only running equipment, but also providing quality control checks and resolving minor maintenance issues.
Wages for furnace operators have increased quite a bit in the past few years and are now around $17-20/hour + OT to start and can get up above $25/hr for someone with extensive experience and additional skills around maintenance, quality or shipping/receiving.
This salary information has been culled together based on data International Search Partners has collected from over 20 years of providing recruiting solutions exclusively to the heat treat industry. There are many variables to consider, and it is becoming quite common for companies to have hybrid roles that are not specifically addressed here. That said, this guide provides a solid, accurate baseline of information and is meant to be used a reference for employers and employees alike. For specific salary questions, or to inquire about more about recruiting and placement solutions, please contact Josh Hale at [email protected] or call 619-828-1040.”
Did you like this article? Click here to subscribe to The Monty.
View our recent magazines and podcasts by clicking the following link. https://themonty.com/magazine/
The Bodycote facility in Vantaa, Finland has just received a brand new vacuum nitriding furnace. The furnace which was provided by German furnace builder KGO is described by Bodycote as a “state of the art” nitriding furnace with the latest in controls. Bodycote plans on using the furnace 24/7 which will significantly shorten lead times.
Bodycote is the world’s largest commercial heat treater https://themonty.com/project/t
Did you like this article? Click here to subscribe to The Monty.
View our recent magazines and podcasts by clicking the following link. https://themonty.com/magazine/
“Solar Atmospheres of Michigan is pleased to announce the addition of Chris Molencupp as their new Sales Manager. With a career of over 30 years in Vacuum Heat Treating, Chris has been involved in every facet of commercial heat treatment: quality, operations, management, and sales. Chris’ diverse experience enables him to understand the needs and desires of our customers.
Bob Hill, President of Solar Atmospheres of Michigan, states, “We are extremely fortunate to welcome Chris to the Solar family of companies. As we are in the process of merging the two existing Vac-Met facilities under one roof in our new and spacious Chesterfield, Michigan plant, Chris is extremely excited to be an integral part of our next phase of growth.” Welcome to the Solar team, Chris!
For more information about the Solar Atmospheres Michigan facility, visit solaratm.com, or contact Chris Molencupp at (586) 264-8100 ext. 1620, or chrism@solaratm.com.”
Did you like this article? Click here to subscribe to The Monty.
View our recent magazines and podcasts by clicking the following link. https://themonty.com/magazine/
For a number of years “The Monty Heat Treat News” has worked closely with “International Search Partners”, a US firm which we believe is the only recruiting agency in the world which deals exclusively with the heat treatment industry.
“International Search Partners” (ISP) has over the years provided us with fascinating articles about compensation within the industry, the hardest positions to fill and tips for finding and keeping good people.
“The Monty Heat Treat News” is very pleased to announce that in 2023 ISP will be providing regular, exclusive features in which they talk salary, offer negotiations, hiring, interviewing and a host of other topics all related to hiring and recruiting individuals within the heat treatment industry.
Today Jessica Maier speaks about tips on how to engage a recruiting firm for new hires.
Top Ten Tips for Hiring a Recruiter to Fill Your Open Requirements in 2023
The global heat treatment industry is universally facing challenges finding and retaining good people. As such, many companies are wisely looking to external help from third-party search and placement firms to support their recruitment efforts. Utilizing the expertise of a recruiter is a great way to expedite time-to-hire while improving the overall quality of your candidate pool.
If you find yourself considering hiring the services of a recruiter in the New Year, keep reading for expert tips from Jessica Maier, Sr. Recruiter with heat treat focused search firm International Search Partners, for her opinion on the Top Ten Tips for Hiring a Recruiter to Fill Your Open Requirements in 2023:
- Set aside time to talk to your recruiter. Have you sent a recruiter a basic job description and expected great results? That might work if you have a long-standing relationship with your recruiter and they’ve filled this position before, but in most cases, and almost certainly if this is your first time working with this recruiter, you’ll need to have a longer and more in-depth conversation before engaging the search.
- Know why your company is great. This sounds silly but remember that you’re trying to attract the best-of-the-best and top talent wants to know what makes your company better than their current employer. Of course, money talks and compensation is always a factor, but often company culture, career progression, training, etc. are just as important. Think about what sets your company apart and let your recruiter know!
- Recruiters are your strategic partners. Just like any aspect of your business that you outsource, you should consider your recruiters part of the team. Stay honest, stay communicative, and stay open to feedback.
- (Good) Recruiters don’t lie. If you’re working with a reputable search firm with a long history (like ISP!!), your recruiters won’t lie to you. For example, if your recruiter tells you a candidate is looking for $45/hour, then making an offer at $35/ hour “just to see” is only going to frustrate all parties.
- Recruiters are market experts. Just like the tip above, trust your recruiter. An active recruiter might speak to 100 or more prospective candidates for every search and work on nearly 5-10 new openings each month. These conversations result in having a solid “pulse of the market,” and imparting this insight to you is part of the service offered.
- Be ready to hire. Don’t engage the services of a recruiter until you’re ready to pull the trigger on a hire. “Kicking tires” on prospective candidates is a good way to lose a recruiter’s services and burn bridges with prospective candidates.
- Don’t wait for the perfect candidate. Sorry to burst your bubble, but your “perfect candidate” probably doesn’t exist! If you interviewed a candidate that ticks 8 or 9 out of the 10 requirements, make them an offer! Many companies wait for the 10/10 unicorn, while their competition gets ahead by hiring the 9/10 who is still an all-star.
- Follow the recruiters order of operations. Your recruiter wants the offer accepted more than you do. If they want an offer sent to them prior to sending to a candidate, follow their instructions – it’s for good reason. Once again, recruiters go through the hiring process every day and have perfected the way to ensure success with different types of situations and candidate personalities.
- Don’t forget about your competition. Recruiting firms work with multiple companies at one time. If you’re not communicative, not listening to your recruiter, and offering way under market value, you’ll likely not get first look at any candidates.
- Communication, communication, communication. A successful working relationship with your recruiter boils down to making sure your communication is direct and honest, while listening to and trusting your recruiter is just as important.
Jessica Maier has specialized in talent acquisition for the heat treat industry with International Search Partners since 2015 where she loves the thrill of the search and helping put “good people in front of good companies.” ISP was originally founded in 1998 and is the only search and placement firm to specialize exclusively in heat treat. For more information email [email protected] or call 619-465-9621.
Did you like this article? Click here to subscribe to The Monty.
View our recent magazines and podcasts by clicking the following link. https://themonty.com/magazine/
French furnace builder BMI is rather pleased to announce that they have just finished commissioning a vacuum oil quench furnace destined for a company in Spain making components for the wind power industry-the details are below. What caught the attention of the “The Monty Heat Treat News” is the fact that this design (according to the press release) was launched in 2006. The design reminded us of a design by Canadian furnace builder “Vac Aero” who developed a very similar design almost 40 years ago. One of the photos below shows one of several of this design installed at Vac Aero’s Oakville, Canada location.
“BMI has just completed the commissioning of its 10th Vertical Vacuum Oil Quenching Furnace. The V6_TH range was specifically launched in 2006 to heat treat long tapering aerospace parts, such as landing gears. Until today, only Chinese aircraft manufacturers had ordered this very specific XXL furnace. Today, we are happy to have our first European customer equipped with a V66THC200, which includes low pressure carburizing and vacuum oil quenching processes. It is a Spanish customer working in the wind-power industry and which also provides heat treating services to the industrial sub-contractors of the region. The V66THC200 can treat parts up to 2m long and 3000 kg. These are considered exceptional capacities for the European continent.”
Did you like this article? Click here to subscribe to The Monty.
View our recent magazines and podcasts by clicking the following link. https://themonty.com/magazine/
What is the entire team at Thermal-Vac, Arizona grinning from ear to ear? Because they just read the December 2022 edition of “The Monty Heat Treat News” and they now know everything they need to know about the global heat treatment industry. Want to be as happy as Thermal-Vac-we would suggest this link https://fliphtml5.com/gvbzt/uq
“The Monty Heat Treat News” Visits “Thermal Vac, Arizona“; One of the only “greenfield”, brand new commercial heat treats in North America in 2022 is the Thermal Vac, Arizona facility in Chino Valley, Arizona and Gord & Dale Montgomery of “The Monty Heat Treat News” were lucky to be able to land an exclusive visit just yesterday.
First the background on the company; “Thermal Vac Technology Inc. was established in 1985 by Steve Driscol to supply the So Cal area with Highly Technical brazing capabilities and High end Vacuum Heat treat of specialty alloys. Currently they have two facilities in SO CAL providing Brazing of complex assemblies using Vacuum Furnaces, Dip brazing, Induction Brazing , Torch brazing and specialty plating operations. Our heat treat capabilities serve the specialty alloys arena as well as steel treating. We offer first-class services to a wide customer base, including some of the most demanding in the industry. For three decades we have been sought out by customers who require the most innovative solutions for challenging project needs, effectively helping us to secure our position as a leader in our industry. Today the company is being propelled forward at a rapid rate by the Professional family members that are Steve’s Adult children. “I have been very fortunate to have five of my six adult children involved heavily with our organization, breathing in new and more sophisticated processes/procedures/managemen
To this description we can add that Thermal Vac is ranked as one of the 50 largest commercial heat treaters in North America as ranked by “The Monty Heat Treat News” https://themonty.com/project/t
Thermal Vac Arizona is the third location for the company with the other two locations in Southern California. Arizona will be guided by Sean Driscoll, President who has 20 years experience in the industry. This facility will have a total of 20,000 square feet under roof, 6,000 dedicated to a machine shop and 14,000 allocated to the brazing/heat treating industry. Currently what we see are a brand new Ipsen “Titan” vacuum furnace and several induction hardening systems, however future plans will bring joy to the heart of any vacuum furnace salesman-2 all metal hot zone, large vacuum furnaces in the very near future with another 8 in the works over the medium term.
Steve Driscol, Chairman of the Board for the company says that he aims to have total sales for the three Themal Vac facilities in the range of $25 million USD per year within the next 4-5 years.
Did you like this article? Click here to subscribe to The Monty.
View our recent magazines and podcasts by clicking the following link. https://themonty.com/magazine/
3D clay cutaway render of turbofan jet engine isolated on white background. 3D rendering image.
“Solar Atmospheres of California is pleased to announce we are now Honeywell approved to heat treat Austenitic Steels, Martensitic Steels, PH Steels, Tool Steels, Nickel Alloys, Cobalt Alloys, Titanium Alloys, and Magnetic Alloys. The complete list of over 160 specifications covered in this approval can be found on the Honeywell APSL.
Tim Barstow, Quality Manager for Solar Atmospheres of California, states, “We are honored to add this approval to support Honeywell and its supply base throughout the world.”
With our wide range of furnaces, we are capable of processing very small pieces or loads of 50,000 pounds and up to 24 feet in length. This approval will translate into improved lead-times and greater efficiencies for all Honeywell suppliers that require heat treat services.
For more information about vacuum heat treating services at Solar Atmospheres, visit solaratm.com, or contact Frank Trujillo at 866-559-5994 ext. 1333, or [email protected].”
Did you like this article? Click here to subscribe to The Monty.
View our recent magazines and podcasts by clicking the following link. https://themonty.com/magazine/
Aalberts Surface Technologies, one of the largest commercial heat treaters in the world recently promoted Connor Montgomery to the position of Plant Manager at their Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA facility. Connor has been with the company for a number of years including a period of time when this location was called “Applied Process” before being acquired by Aalberts in 2019.
This location is rather unique in that it is almost exclusively dedicated to austempering and marquenching and it is also home to what is quite possibly the world’s largest integral quench batch austempering furnace. This has an operating window of 84″W x 96″L x 54″T, a gross capacity of 20,000 pounds and a quench tank which holds 400,000 pounds of salt. It was built and installed in 2011by furnace builder AFC-Holcroft of Wixom, Michigan. We include these photos of the furnace from when “The Monty Heat Treat News” visited the plant a few years back.
You can find out the relative size of Aalberts Surface Technologies as ranked by “The Monty Heat Treat News” by following this link; https://themonty.com/project/t
Did you like this article? Click here to subscribe to The Monty.
View our recent magazines and podcasts by clicking the following link. https://themonty.com/magazine/
From Press Quenching experts Wickert in Landau, Germany we have this press release about management changes. To learn more about the company we would suggest this “Monty Heat Treat News” interview with Mr. Hans-Joachim Wickert https://themonty.com/an-interv
“Landau, November 29, 2022. Wickert Maschinenbau has begun passing the family business on to the next generation. Stephanie Wickert, 33-year-old great-granddaughter of company founder Jakob Wickert, joined the management team as Managing Director on September 1. She has headed the company alongside Stefan Herzinger since then.
Meanwhile, after 46 years as Managing Director, her father Hans-Joachim has relinquished his operational management duties and joined the Advisory Board. The transition at top management level goes hand in hand with a redistribution of executive responsibilities. Stephanie Wickert will gradually assume all commercial responsibilities of the management board. Currently, she is responsible for human resources, marketing and corporate development. The areas of purchasing, accounting, controlling and IT will follow. Stefan Herzinger, who has assumed responsibility for technical management from Hans-Joachim Wickert in addition to his responsibility for sales, will remain in charge of these areas for now.
Wickert Maschinenbau is doing extremely well economically at the time of the generation change. Hans-Joachim Wickert feels strongly that the company is in a solid position: “We constantly monitor what is happening in the market and continue to develop our products. This way, we succeed in combining stability and growth. Thanks to our highly skilled technicians and engineers, I have confidence that we will continue to be successful well into the future.”
With Stephanie Wickert, the fourth generation of the family is assuming responsibility of the company 121 years after it was established in 1901. She intends to focus the company more intensely than before on future technologies. Innovative industries in particular, such as the production of fuel cells, promising thermal insulation materials and semiconductors, will be increasingly acquired as customers. “An entire series of successful projects in these industries demonstrates that we have the ability to implement efficient manufacturing solutions for an array of different customers with our press systems,” explains the Managing Director.
The company’s workforce grew from 12 to 190 employees under Hans-Joachim Wickert’s leadership. Mr. Wickert, who has now joined the Advisory Board, assumed leadership of the company in 1976. During his 46 years at the helm, the company enjoyed a major upswing. He launched numerous innovations, among others initiating the development and production of clean room presses for the pharmaceutical industry and fully automated heat treatment systems for the automotive industry. Over the course of their many years of cooperation, Stefan Herzinger and Hans-Joachim Wickert successfully established five new production halls while increasing the number of employees from 12 to just under 200.”
Did you like this article? Click here to subscribe to The Monty.
View our recent magazines and podcasts by clicking the following link. https://themonty.com/magazine/
According to this press release Navistar has been forced to recall over 5600 buses because hex flange lock nuts in the steering and suspension systems were not heat treated properly. Once again it is proven that heat treating is a crucial component of almost all types of manufacturing.
“Navistar informed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) about a recall for over 5,600 of its newest IC buses. Used to transport kids to school and people to work, these vehicles are at risk because of issues with their steering and suspension systems. IC Bus manufactures internationally famous American school buses. But these yellow units meant for transporting children aren’t the only ones you’ll find on the road. Many government bodies and state institutions use the same buses for different activities. Similarly, private companies that need to move their workforce daily might have them in their fleets. That’s why this recall is so important.
According to NHTSA’s latest safety recall campaign identifiable with the 22V870 code, Navistar’s IC Bus will recall 5,645 units for critical issues with their steering and suspension. They discovered that the hex flange lock nuts may break. These are used in the suspension and steering joints. The company blames the heat treatment applied to these parts. If the hex flange lock nuts fail, they can cause a loss of tension which leads to steering instability. The risk of crash increases as a result.
When the hex flange lock nuts are manufactured properly, they are preferred over the hex lock nuts because they can be installed faster, there’s no need for washers, and serration is possible on a larger bearing surface which translates into better tightening strength and helps with speeding up the assembly line’s output. The recall involves the following bus models – CE, EV, and RE. They all are 2023 model-year units.”
Did you like this article? Click here to subscribe to The Monty.
View our recent magazines and podcasts by clicking the following link. https://themonty.com/magazine/
