MEET WYNN LINDSAY, SALFORD GROUP INC. OPERATIONS MANAGER, NORWICH PLANT
What department do you work in Operations
How long have you been at Salford: I worked for Salford for 12 Years. I spent the first 9 years working at the Salford Plant and the last 3 working in Norwich
Tell us a bit about you outside of Salford: In my spare time, I enjoy hiking, hunting, fishing, building furniture, coaching my son’s hockey team, playing hockey myself, and spending time with my super awesome wife and kids. I have lived on our family farm for most of my life and I enjoy staying connected to the Ag industry by working at Salford.
What stands out to you as an employee at Salford: What stands out to me most at Salford, is the constant growth in all aspects of Salford’s business operations. We have had consistent growth throughout my tenure at Salford through, acquiring new companies and facilities, engineering new innovative equipment, investing in equipment within our plants to keep up to the customer demands, and hiring talented staff to work together to meet these demands for machinery and parts for our customers.
Can you describe the Operations team dynamic?
My ops team is fun to work with. Many are new to their roles and as a team, we are learning the best ways to work effectively together to achieve our goals. We have members that are experienced Salford employees and others who are new to Salford, this brings different ideas to the table as we are solving problems, we are always collaborating together! Though we have a lot of customer demands, we really like to keep things light and have fun, and mostly at my expense… the team regularly convinces me to trial their various homemade hot sauces, that are so hot I am sure they could cut through steel as well as our lasers!
What is the day in the life of the Operations Manager for Salford, Norwich location:
I enjoy starting my day by walking through the plant and greeting all staff, it is important to me to see everyone so if there are any questions, concerns, or a new sauce I am able to connect immediately. Then the supervisor group briefs each other on the day’s priorities and if there is any support needed for a successful shift.
Every day there is a different challenge that gives me the opportunity to learn more about our team, equipment, and machines Usually, mid-morning I will dive into additional meetings both on and off the floor, between these I follow-up on e-mails or any of projects set to start the next day. Near the end of the day we begin to prepare for the next shift to make sure they get off to a good start for the afternoon team as well.
What is something that surprised you about Salford/Ag manufacturing that you did know before you started:
I was surprised by how much technology is incorporated into modern agricultural equipment. I grew up on a small tobacco in Southwestern Ontario, and we used discs, plows, and cultivators (most of which my Grandfather used when he ran the farm), none of it was very fancy. But Salford’s continuous growth in technological advancements, like the newest HALO VRT, variable-rate tillage machine, really has not just impressed me not just as a former farm kid but as an employee to see what we are creating to change the industry. It is great to see what our product development team can dream up and what we are able to create collectively. I enjoy learning how our products work from the production side and in the field, as well as seeing how we have continued to improve our product lines over time.
Describe working at Salford in 5 words: Highly Challenging and Highly Rewarding.
Any advice you would give to a new hire of Salford: There is a lot to learn. Listening and taking the time to learn from the many experienced employees who would be willing to teach. This will be a recipe for success and growth at Salford quickly.
Would you recommend Salford to someone looking for employment: I would recommend Salford to those looking for work. Salford provides many opportunities for personal and professional development in all departments. We have good benefits programs and a great team of people to work with locally and across North America.
