Eileen Mozinski Schmidt Salute to Women in Material Handling ‘A Rewarding Career’
Women talk about building their careers in material handling, along with some of the latest industry challenges and opportunities on the horizon, including technology and recruitment.Lori Palmer was in the office at REB Storage Systems International during a shift when the whole team of salesmen were out, and a sales call came in.
Lori L. Palmer
“It was about shelving at a school,” she said. It was in 1982, when women in material handling were “very far and few between” and Palmer’s position was in administration. But a client was on the line, and so Palmer jumped into action. “I literally got in a car and went and did it. I really enjoyed the sales part of it,” she said.
Intrigued by the possibility of working in sales, Palmer found her career moving in a new direction. “I started to deal with so many different types of businesses. It was fun to go to all these different places I knew and see what they really do and to be able to help them. I enjoyed it,” she said. At the same time, Palmer was aware of the disadvantage of being “young and a woman.”
“I found that if I was bidding on a project, I literally would have to prove myself more than two men. There were early struggles that I had to overcome,” she said. But Palmer added that she was supported in her career by ‘the best team of men’ internally to keep working to advance. And as Palmer’s industry knowledge grew, she found advantages in being one of the few women in the industry and cultivated an approach to business that helped her make a mark.
As Palmer’s industry knowledge grew, she found advantages in being one of the few women in the industry and cultivated an approach to business that helped her make a mark.
“Through the years, I’ve always focused on being honest and open and truthful with clients and employees and suppliers. I really feel that’s what drove my career,” she said. Palmer is now president of the company where she began at 19-years-old. She journeyed from direct selling to marketing to executive vice president. She has been company president for just shy of a decade.
REB Storage Systems International has over 50 employees and Palmer said would like to hire those with potential and interest in growing in the company.
The company has its corporate office in Chicago, and offices throughout the U.S. and in Dublin. It bills itself as “designers, builders, and installers of storage and materials.”
Building a path in material handling
Palmer is one of many women who have carved a career path in material handling, and as Material Handling Wholesaler salutes their efforts this month, some of those in the industry said they are seeing new trends and challenges emerge.
Annette Springer also has built her path in the industry. She has been in the material handling business since 1973, and in 1992 she and her husband Ted Springer started their own business out of their home.
Annette Springer
“We had one employee. We had no new lines, we sold used equipment” and offered service and forklift repair, she said, describing the origins of Springer Equipment. Eventually, manufacturers started seeking out the company, drawn to the business’ reputation. Today, Springer Equipment employees 62 employees.
The business is currently “a Master Dealer for new Hyundai, Komatsu, Linde, Big Joe, CombiLift and Hoist machines and also one of the largest pre-owned forklift providers with over 300 late model trucks to choose from,” according to its website.
Springer Equipment is a full-service dealership providing sales, service, rentals and parts for forklifts of all types serving the Birmingham area, the site said. “There were a lot of ups and downs but we were not going to be defeated. That was our motto,” said Springer, of building the business.
Technological growth and challenges
When she began her career, Springer said most women in the business who she knew were working in administration. But she has witnessed more women in the industry in recent years, particularly in service management positions.
“I have seen great strides in the years I have been in the industry, but I still think there needs to be more,” she said, referencing what she sees as a need for more women in material handling. “There is room for improvement.”
More women are in the industry in 2019 then when Palmer started four decades ago, but recruiting overall is more challenging, while robotics and automation present both opportunities and difficulties. From Palmer’s perspective, technological developments in particular present a recent industry challenge.
“There’s a true learning curve, but for all of us now,” she said, describing her reaction to the new developments at the ProMat 2019 trade show. “The floor was completely different than anything I had experienced in the past,” Palmer said, adding that being witness to the technological gains also encouraged her to take action in implementing similar initiatives at her own company.
To Palmer’s mind, this technological growth presents more of generational challenge as opposed to gender in the current industry. “Younger women and men basically have an advantage on us,” she said.
A need to recruit more young workers
At the same time, both Palmer and Springer added that the recruitment of younger workers remains a concern. Springer said she would like to see more emphasis in high school curriculums on the options trade careers offer and explanations to students about how high paying the trades can be, along with all of the opportunities currently available. She said the struggle at Springer Equipment, as throughout the industry nationwide, is in finding qualified service technicians.
Palmer has found more young workers are interested in working for the tech giants like Amazon and Google as opposed to material handling companies.
That hesitation may be because work in the material industry can be demanding, Palmer theorized. “This is hard work for staff people, project managers, engineers. It’s physical work, mental work,” she said. “For those of us who have experience and have grown up in it, we’re used to it and we enjoy the challenge and work involved.” Springer agreed.
“Being a forklift mechanic, you’re going to get dirty,” she said, describing how conditions can be hot in the summer and cold in the winter. “It takes someone who enjoys the job and wants to make a good living,” Springer said. Palmer’s hope is that younger workers will see the potential within material handling industry, as technology advances and opportunities continue to grow.
“The struggle our industry is having is getting younger people to appreciate and enjoy what this industry has to offer, so they can take it and run,” she said.
And material handling offers well-paying jobs and, in many companies’ careers with the opportunity to advance, Springer said. “I still think it’s a rewarding career,” she said.
Eileen Schmidt is a freelance writer and journalist based in the Greater Milwaukee area. She has written for print and online publications for the past 13 years. Email [email protected] or visit eileenmozinskischmidt.wordpress.com to contact Eileen. If your company would like to be featured, email [email protected]
