August 1, 2023

On August 6, 2023, Forest City Gear will transition its second shift operations to a third shift schedule. This change comes after receiving feedback from current and prospective employees that working third shift provides a better work-life balance. Third shift hours allow employees to spend time with their families during dinner or after-school hours, whereas second shift scheduling requires them to be working during that time.

“We believe this change will allow us to create a more robust shift that will aid us in better serving our customers, cutting down lead times by increasing production and keeping those spindles turning!” said Kika Young, President of Forest City Gear.

“Previously, on second shift, there was a hand-off from first shift to second shift. Third shift team members will be coming in to machines that aren’t already running. Due to this change, we knew it would be extremely important to have a seasoned leader familiar with our processes, engineering standards, and a large breadth of knowledge across FCG departments,” said Young.

Kent Blatchford, a 21-year veteran of Forest City Gear, will take the role of Third Shift Supervisor.

“We are absolutely delighted that Kent is moving forward with us to lead this new shift,” said Young. “Having a long-tenured employee with so much knowledge will be a significant asset in the growth, development, and capabilities of this shift. We are extremely excited to build a team around Kent and increase our machine utilization to better serve our amazing customer base.”