“We’re Hiring” is All it Took…and the Rest is “Awesome History”
The workplace environment feels like family – it’s what keeps experienced Shop Expediter at L&M Radiator
Jim Ahlgrim joined L&M Radiator four years ago after seeing a giant “We’re Hiring” banner hanging on the plant building while driving down City Limits Road in Yankton, South Dakota.
He applied, and he hasn’t looked back since.
Why? Because of the family-like workplace environment that L&M Radiator offers.
Ahlgrim started at L&M in the warehouse “pulling BOMs.” Pulling BOMs is the act of compiling all the components needed to make a product, including the nuts, bolts, and washers. After the BOMs have been pulled, the product is assembled and shipped out.
“Pulling BOMs is where the manufacturing magic all begins,” noted Ahlgrim.
After working in that position for one and a half years, Ahlgrim was promoted to shop expediter. He now works in a team with seven other co-workers unloading trucks and doing receiving and stock counts to stock the company’s plans to get customers their products in a timely manner.
“I really like what I do. It’s challenging and rewarding work that is different every day,” said Ahlgrim. “The family-friendly work environment, benefits, and pay are great. If you are looking for a career change, I will encourage you to give L&M a shot definitely.”
From Restaurants to Manufacturing
Prior to working at L&M, Ahlgrim was a restaurant chef. Although he enjoyed and excelled in that career, it involved a rather long commute from his home in Yankton. It was along that very same long commute – on City Limits Road – where he was introduced to L&M and where the “We’re Hiring” banner drew Ahlgrim in for an interview.
“L&M provided the training necessary to advance into my current position,” said Ahlgrim. “They supported my transition completely. I was provided a mentor who helped me through the entire process. The training at L&M starts immediately — the very first week is focused on a comprehensive orientation — followed by hands-on plant training. The company wants you to succeed and the room for advancement is awesome.”
Before joining L&M, Ahlgrim had never seen mining trucks up close.
“It’s truly awe-inspiring to be working on these products. I had no idea that they made dump trucks that big,” said Ahlgrim. “Some of the radiators are 14 feet tall and 10 feet wide and a couple of feet thick. We actually can only put two of them on a flatbed trailer.”
Like Family
Over the past four years, Ahlgrim has come to consider his co-workers’ family.
“The company actually cares. They work with you when you need time off from work for family or other issues,” added Ahlgrim. “They actually tell you not to come into work if the weather is inclement. That’s just not common. The company really puts their employees first.”
L&M also hosts a number of company-wide celebrations that include employee families. For example, the company hosts picnics, and Christmas parties and even celebrates Easter. There are bowling tournaments, volleyball leagues, and river rafting outings.
“L&M promotes playing hard together as well as working hard together,” noted Ahlgrim. “And the fact that the company includes our families in many of these celebrations, makes them even better.”
When Ahlgrim is not working, he loves to hunt and fish. “I’m kind of an outdoors person,” he said. “I like sunburns and mosquitos.” And Yankton is the perfect community to do both. There is a lake, a river, and lots of parks and other family-friendly amenities and activities, including an aquarium, a multi-million dollar pool with a lazy river and diving boards, a go-cart track, a mall, and numerous golf courses.
A single father of five, Ahlgrim has one granddaughter and enjoys listening to country and rock and roll music – which is also often played in the plant. And, like the team he works for, he’s a huge fan of the Minnesota Vikings.
“Go Vikings!” Ahlgrim added.
Want to learn more about career opportunities at L&M Radiators? Click here.