by FCNews staff
EDUCATING MASCOT: The Shaw Learning Academy (SLA) may be considered one of the country’s top corporate training programs as the story on page 1 points out. Nonetheless Shaw still feels something is missing. What is it? A mascot. Through the end of this month, the company is holding a contest to find the character it feels represents the right charm and attitude of SLA. Entering is simple: Just send a drawing of your idea and a note on how it pertains to learning in general and SLA more specifically. It is open to all Shaw employees and customers and participants are eligible to win an X- Box 360 Kinect game system. Fax entries to 706.275.4697 or through interoffice mail at WH-12, attention Mary Rose Threet.
TRAINING FACTS: Training magazine, which compiles the Training Top 125 list, reported some interesting statistics regarding the companies on the list: The median revenue among applicants was $1.2 billion. The median training budget was $4.9 million, representing 2.9% of payroll. The median number of employees trained per organization was nearly 6,000, with 58% (3,500) trained online via self-study. The median rate of turnover was 11.5%, and the median length of service was 7.2 years. Some 93% used employee satisfaction surveys, while 56% tied managers’ compensation to the development of their direct reports, and some 98% used competency maps and personal/individual development plans.
ASIAN EXPANSION: Mapei continues its worldly expansion as the company announced the acquisition of its 58th manufacturing facility with the purchase of Henkel in South Korea. Located about 60 miles from Seoul where the new Mapei Korea will be headquartered, the company said it is a springboard to create a production base for the North Pacific zone. Mapei “intends to strongly increase its presence in South Korea [because it is] one of the most technologically advanced countries on the global scene.” The sluggish global economy is not stopping Mapei as this expansion falls within the framework of an investment program for more than $275 million in the Asia-Pacific region.
TRADE SHOWS: The bulk of the industry’s winter trade shows is over so it’s time to put the wrap on them with a few noteworthy figures: The average attendee spent approximately six hours looking at exhibits; within those six hours, attendees spent time in an average of 17 booths; exhibitors have approximately four seconds to attract that attendee to their booth, and 86% of all trade show and convention attendees have buying influence.
KEEP ON TRUCKIN: Shaw’s trucking fleet is already noted for being one of the largest and most reliable in the country, but it is also one of the safest. The National Safety Council recently honored 29 Shaw Transportation drivers with its Safe Driver Award. The Council also named Shaw’s Ray Hardin as its Atlantic Region Best Safe Driver of the Year. To qualify, the drivers must have at least 15 years of safe driving with not preventable accidents. The 29 recipients had a combined 624 years of safe driving, during which they drove more than 38 million miles without a single preventable accident. That’s enough miles to circle the Earth 1,536 times. In addition, the National Private Truck Council recently inducted Jerry Beasley, a linehaul driver for Shaw, into its Driver Hall of Fame. All 31 people were honored by Shaw at a recent banquet held at the Dalton Country Club. There were no accidents reported during the event.