Strategic planning helping Company in 1980
Decreased sales of new cars, higher gaso-
hne prices and people driving less—all will
slow down the tire industry during 1980.
A “strategy of realism” will help Firestone
cope with industry problems and allow the
company to make progress, said Richard A.
Riley, Firestone chairman and chief execu
tive officer.
At the company annual meeting of share
holders, he predicted that the slowed tire
market would grow by 12 percent between
early 1980 and 1984; that Firestone “will be
prepared to get its share of that increased
business.” Among other points he made:
• Energy-efficient radial passenger-car
tires will continue to take an increasing
share of the market in 1980, growing to
more than 80 percent of shipments to new-
car manufacturers and to more than 50
percent of the replacement market.
• Demand for radial truck tires will grow
substantially in the 1980s.
• The tire industry is in a state of change
that will affect all companies that are a part
of it, and “the immediate outlook of our in
dustry is undoubtedly difficult, but Fire
stone’s emphasis on strategic planning will
help us to capitalize on our strengths in the
1980s.’
• Firestone’s other-than-tire businesses
expect to show growth in sales/profits each
year into 1984.
YMCA campaign into April
The Gaston County (N. C.)
YMCA annual membership/
financial campaign that began
February 26 wiU go through
March 25. A victory dinner
meeting is set for April 15.
Firestone Textiles is partici
pating in the Y-support pro
gram, with the plant’s ‘Team
721’ (named for Firestone’s
premium tire) being led by
Jimmie Lou Hartgrove and
John Butts. Ralph King, di
vision factory manager, is ‘Team
Owner.’
Working within mill depart
ments, offices, warehouses, etc.,
are T. E. Gibson, Buddy Plem-
mons, W. H. Massey, Bill Ratch-
ford and Ray Stephens Jr., all
in TC Twisting; Clyde Thomas-
son, Dan Howe, Joe Adams, Bob
Duncan and Kenneth Cash in
TC Weaving; Jimmie Lou Hart
grove, Bill Baker, Carl Kunkle,
Earl Cunningham and Vernon
Carver in other departments
and ‘miscellaneous.’
In the county campaign, each
of the 10 teams is seeking $2,800
to make the $28,000 goal. A Y
adult membership per year is
$40; for youth, $25. At Firestone,
money is collected through new
and renewed memberships and
gifts for sponsoring individual
and undesignated memberships.
Up to $5,000
People aged 65-71 are allowed
to earn up to $5,000 during 1980
without losing any of their
Social Security benefits. For
people under 65 the annual
earning level has risen from
$3,480 last year to $3,720 before
any deduction in SS benefits are
made.
Benefits will be reduced $1
for every $2 of earnings ex
ceeding these ceilings. For those
72 and older, there is no limit on
amount of annual earnings.
Ceilings for earnings this year
will provide about $280 million
in additional benefits for almost
1.6 million people. Those who
receive SS payments are per
mitted outside income because
the SS benefits are designed
only to partly replace lost earn
ings due to retirement.
PROGRESS
ENERGY SAVINGS
• • Even with rising costs
of all fuels, Firestone’s cor
porate energy-conservation
program keeps on showing
progress in reducing energy
costs in production plants.
At the end of the fiscal year last October, cor
porate savings were at 21 percent on a goal of 20
percent set in October of 1975 when the company
started its present energy program.
Each of the company’s four production groups
have separate goals. The best performance has been
in the Chemicals & Raw Materials Group, with an
actual saving of 27 percent against a goal of 22 per
cent. The textiles division belongs to the C & RM
Group.
45 with perfect attendance
During the fiscal year’s first
quarter (November 1, 1979-
January 31, 1980) 45 employees
established perfect-attendance
work records at Bennettsville.
Frances Fletchcr, employee re
lations representative, wrote in
a plant bulletin:
“You are commended for your
perfect attendance. It is appreci
ated by the company. All of us
striving together means ‘success’
for the company we work for!”
With no absences:
James Abraham Sr., Elease C.
Barfield, John H. Barfield, Wen-
don Bridman Jr., Freddie
Brown, Jerry M. Coble, Bobby
Covington, Freddie Covington,
James M. Covington, Moses
Covington.
Jackie T. Greech, Joyce J.
Crowley, Redona J. David,
Thomas M. Dismal, John K.
Ellison, Nancy Mae Everett,
Luther J. Ford, James Green,
Steve Green, Robert L. Grooms,
Robert H. Hailey Jr., Curtis J.
Ledbetter, Archie Leviner,
James Little, Joseph E. Lock-
amy, William C. McLean, Willie
McNeil Jr., T. C. Mack Jr., Rob
ert C. Murry.
Mary H. Oliver, Charles
Peterkin, Charles E. Quick,
Howard Quick Jr., Clarence
Rogers Jr., Faye K. Shankle,
Carl R. Starnes, Mary B.
Starnes, Mildred S. Steen,
Carolyn S. Stubbs, Charles
Sweatt Jr., Lougina Thomas,
Betty A. Watson, Prentiss
White, John W. Williams.
• • Robeit E. L. Burleson,
worked thiough February, thus
bringing to an end a long work
career with Firestone-Gastonia.
For his record: 28 years, 4
months and II days.
His last job was painting bob
bins in TC Twisting.
Also retiring as of March 1
was Dewitt Ezell, last a box
repairer in TO Twisting. His
time at work amounts to 13
years, 6 months and 23 days.
Ezell's wife Alice is a weaver
in Chafer Weaving. She has
been employed at Firestone-
Gastonia since late 19G9.
FUNITUR •
ALLSO ODSANINS
Sign nailed to tree on Cres
cent Lane, Gastonia.
Spring Art Show
Artists living or working in
Gaston County and 18 years or
older may submit up to 3 entries
in the Spring Art Show at Gas
ton County Art & History
Museum, AprU 1-27. At the
museum in the old Courthouse
in Dallas, artists may display
painting, drawing and graphics,
and sculpture.
ENTRIES may be brought to
the museum March 23, 3-6 P. M.,
or March 24, 5-8 P. M. There is
no entry fee but participants
must be or become members of
the Art Guild. Dues ($7 per
year) are ppyable ;ach April
and will be collected at the time
of the art entries.
All accepted entries are eli
gible for prizes and ribbons. A
number of purchase awards will
be offered for works the owners
allow for sale. Prizes and pur
chase awards are more than
$2,500.
Museum hours are Tuesday-
Friday, 10 A. M.-5 P. M.; Sat
urday, 10 A. M.-2 P. M.; Sun
day 2-5 P. M. No admission
charged. For more details on
the Spring Art Show, inquire at
the museum or call 922-8361.
SPEAKING
SAFETY
• Rita H. Franks, Firestone-
Gastonia Quality Control
laboratory supervisor, took sec
ond place in the recent Blue
Ridge Safety Council's annual
"Speaking of Safety" competi
tion. Here are parts of her talk
at the CouncU meeting in
Cherryville.
From
Another
Winter
This "
photo
of the Southern magnolia tree in front of the Gastonia Firestone
mill main entrance was made just before the severer-than-usual
weather killed it in February 1977. Variety Garden Club had
planted the tree 8 years earlier, in memory of Harold Mercer.
He was for more than 37 years with Firestone—At Gastonia as
plant general manager and textiles division president.
In picture (left) Mae Jones, then a battery hand in Chafer Weav
ing and now a bench mechanic in the Shop: Bertha Jolly, weaver
in Chafer, now on leave of absence. They recall that on this oc
casion the sun had warmed enough to allow them (sleeveless) "to
run outside for the picture."
• Among people, safety can be all the way
from simple to complex. But “dumb” animals
take to it naturally. A way of survival and well
being is born and bred right into them. Man
(who’s supposed to be ’way on top of the social
order) is too often careless, unthinking, and de
velops the attitude that “only sissies practice
safety.”
It is said that beavers appoint and position
one of their group to watch out for, and warn
the rest of the animal tree-choppers when the
tree is about to fall.
DUCKS FLY in “V” formation for safety, so
that if any source of danger is spotted, a scout
flies ahead to investigate.
A woodchuck always digs 2, 3 or more holes
in his burrow, just in case a predator comes
along. The woodchuck can escape by choice of
a backdoor exit.
Have you ever tried to whip a horse into
crossing a rickety old bridge that looked unsafe
to him?
Who’d caU an animal a coward or a sissy just
because he takes all these precautions? Instead,
we give animals credit for being pretty smart.
Yet, some of us scoff at the safety precautions
that people take. I wonder sometimes if WE
aren’t the ones to be put in the “dumb animals”
class!
It’s often said that it’s up to the safety manager
to promote safety practices. I’d say it’s up to
the individual, just as with smart animals. All
the safety protection we have can mean a
world of difference to us and others we work
with.
I heard that out of 300 accidents that occur,
there’s a good possibility that one of them could
happen to you or me. In closing, here is a
“Safety Recipe”:
1 pair safety glasses
1 pair safety shoes
1 pair earplugs
Mix well with safe practices, sprinkle lib
erally with care and common sense. Practice 24
hours a day and enjoy the ever-lower accident
rates, with plenty of safety for all who follow
the recipe.