For more than 50 years, Stecker Machine has been a leader in CNC machining, serving customers both big and small. So, why talk about our vision, mission, and core values now when it’s been a driving force for decades?
We’ve always had a strong purpose, and our core values of integrity, honesty, respect, collaboration, innovation, and accountability are the foundation of our success. Like many organizations, there’s often an unwritten understanding of how we demonstrate those qualities and operate as a team. But as we’ve grown, team members realized the importance of putting it down on paper.
That’s why we developed 12 guiding principles to help team members take our vision, mission, and core values from being aspirational to actionable.
I sat down with Stecker Machine’s Co-President, Brad Kurtzweil, to talk through what’s new, what’s unchanged, and how these principles help position the company for the next 50 years.
View Stecker’s 12 Guiding Principles
Which guiding principles stand out as a catalyst for Stecker?
They’re all critically important, but our first principle is foundational. It’s about how short-term decisions and satisfaction can’t compromise our long-term goals or success. In other words, we won’t make short-sighted decisions that risk the company’s future and the livelihoods of our people. That helps everyone from our employees to our customers know that we’re in it for the long haul.
Our second ties into that by stressing the importance of meaningful relationships. Our work environment and culture are extremely important, and that extends beyond our employees. We never want our relationships among internal teams, customers, or suppliers to be transactional.
Every company says it’s committed to quality and customer success. What sets Stecker apart?
It’s how we achieve it. Our team thrives on making sure we deliver the best results possible and are willing to go the extra mile regardless of what’s on a spec or paper. They uphold standards without being pushed to do it. They dig deeper, collaborating with our customers to understand and meet their true needs. Quality starts with a strong team that has developed and follows a strong process. We have both.
What is your vision for Stecker in the next 10 years and beyond?
Of course, our goal is to continue growing and to expand into additional markets, but to do it in a responsible and controlled way. We’re not looking to abandon what got us this far. We’re looking for incremental and calculated growth that isn’t too big or too small. We want to be on the cutting edge of technology in a way that doesn’t overextend our people or resources. I’ve seen too many manufacturers do that and it’s difficult to rebound. We strive to find the balance between mitigating risks and pursuing opportunities that can help us grow.
What is an example of how guiding principles are applied to difficult decisions?
When work slows down, SMC relies on its guiding principles to balance long-term goals, address the needs of team members and their families, and maintain sound business practices. Layoffs and cutbacks are challenging decisions. We evaluate open orders, available work, and our employee base while proactively managing business risks. During periods of reduced orders, teams across SMC collaborate to make cutbacks in all departments to support the entire business. Our leaders, managers, and supervisors set the example by taking the same actions expected of their teams. We communicate clearly with all employees, even when delivering a difficult message.
Tell me more about CNC technology. How is Stecker investing in the future?
We need to approach technology advancements by being both proactive and responsive to our customers’ needs. There have been times when we’ve invested in equipment in direct response to a customer’s project. We also have to look at what technology is a good fit to enhance our employees’ workloads and address potential labor shortages. We’re investing in automation to help perform repetitive or difficult jobs that are hard to fill. We have incredible employees with high skill levels, so we want to make sure they’re focused on tasks that leverage those skills, help us grow, and keep them engaged and fulfilled in their work.
Beyond technology, we’re investing in things like better lighting and climate control on the shop floor. The images of a dimly lit and dirty shop floor are a thing of the past. We understand the importance of creature comforts that make Stecker an enjoyable place to work. And we’re not afraid to have a little fun either with employee get-togethers like our golf outing, Adopt-a-Highway clean-up crews, and other events. It all ties back to building strong relationships and giving back to our community.
Stecker is family-owned. How does it play into the company’s vision and mission?
Being family-owned is a huge advantage. To me, it demonstrates that reinvesting in the company is a priority. There’s a stake in the game and a commitment to our employees and our community. Stecker Machine is in it for the long haul. We have deep roots, and we are building on our solid foundation. Our goal is to continue working and growing here for generations.
If you had to drill down Stecker’s mission and vision into a 30-second commercial, what would you say?
It may sound cliche but our guiding principles are not just ideals. We strive to achieve them every day. They’re the driving force behind a lot of our success and who we are as people and as a company. We’re committed to solving complex problems for our customers through robust processes, collaboration, and a mindset that doesn’t settle for less than our best.
I encourage prospective customers to contact us to discover why leading global brands rely on our team to deliver the results they need. Likewise, we’re always looking for dedicated team members who share our vision of excellence and authenticity. Learn more on our careers page and explore what sets Stecker apart from other custom CNC shops.
