Global Finishing Solutions (GFS) is a family-owned and operated company, focused on our family of exceptional employees. With this “people-first” approach, our employees have every chance to flourish and make their mark. Each month, we spotlight a different department within the company, from our manufacturing floor to our office buildings.
Let’s learn a little more about our first shift auto refinish manufacturing team:
Department name: Auto Refinish Manufacturing
Number of employees: 24
Who they are: The auto refinish manufacturing team is a diverse group of people, with male and female employees, ranging from a high school intern to those nearing retirement age. This group is very positive, eager and hardworking, ready to take on the challenges of building components of some of GFS’ most popular paint booths.
What they are known for: Day-to-day work for this team consists of building parts and products — including lights, cure towers, KANBAN parts and doors — for GFS’ auto refinish paint booths.
How they make a difference: This group relies heavily on a continuous improvement mindset. Employees often make process improvements on their own, take pride in what they are producing and continually maintain a high level of quality for our customers.
Hidden department fact: The light cell employees in our department like to put together potluck meals for birthdays, retirements and other events. The last potluck they hosted included many decorations and gifts, and served more than 100 people!
Additionally, five members of the auto refinish manufacturing team are volunteer youth coaches for various sports including baseball, basketball, bowling, football and softball.
Justin has been an integral part of GFS for the past 10 years. He manages the manufacturing of sheet metal on GFS’ auto refinish products. He also provides employees the tools and training needed to make improvements in their career and lives outside of work. He loves working with all of the different people in his department and at GFS. Justin also enjoys seeing the continuous improvement ideas that come from the group, developing them and making big impacts. He continuously works with his team to achieve their goals and identify the next improvement that will have an impact on what they do.
On a more personal note, Justin says his wife and four kids inspire him to get out of bed and come to work everyday. He laughs, “Plus if I didn’t get out of bed, they’d ‘inspire’ me to get up quickly, anyway!” In his spare time, he enjoys coaching 12-year-olds in baseball and softball, 10U softball, T-ball and seventh grade football, as well as cutting wood, gardening, baking and spending time with his wife and kids. Working at GFS has allowed — and encouraged — him the flexibility of having a life outside of work, as well as being able to grow as a leader and a person.
While working at GFS, he has been able to travel to job sites and other companies to help bring back ideas to make improvements and advancements in the company and his team.
Heriberto started at GFS in 2005 and has been an important guide in improving assembly lines to meet and exceed quality standards and production requirements. He started at GFS’ previous manufacturing facility in Monterrey, Mexico. When GFS consolidated manufacturing to the Osseo headquarters in 2011, Heriberto took the opportunity to continue working for the company in Wisconsin. In his current role, Heriberto loves being involved in research and development projects, helping others and training when needed, as well as being a part of the safety committee.
As a family-oriented person himself, Heriberto says he appreciates that GFS puts an emphasis on family. He is very thankful that GFS is always willing to help employees improve themselves, as family is his number one inspiration each day. His wife, Sandra, also works at GFS in the industrial sales business unit.
Thank you for all of your hard work!
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Shop a variety of GFS aftermarket products, including booth protection products and mobile accelerated curing units. And enjoy the convenience of fast and free ground shipping throughout the contiguous United States.
Located at GFS’ headquarters in Osseo, Wisconsin, the Center for Excellence is an innovative facility featuring an automotive refinish training center, as well as a separate space dedicated to technical product training.
GFS is continuously searching for talented, ambitious individuals to join our team. We aim to provide our employees with every opportunity to make an impact on the company and find their niche along the way — weather in a production, field services or an office position.
