Meet Shawn Berry
It is an honor to introduce Shawn Berry who has been a member of The Vantage Plastics Team for eighteen years as of September 2022. Shawn is one of our most highly skilled machine operators with a level 4 rating. In regards to his position, he says it requires a lot of training and he is constantly learning more and more every day. Shawn says; “I love this place, it’s a good place to work, the vibe is good.” Additionally, Shawn says he likes staying busy and setting up the machines for running new production jobs. He especially likes setting up the machines for the jobs he will run as the operator. Setting up jobs for production involves several steps from installing the forming tools into the thermoforming machine, connecting water lines, putting the right-sized clamp frames in place, and potentially placing plug assist devices, among other steps. Shawn likes to be efficient when doing set-ups by making sure everything required for the set-up is in place ahead of time. Once the job is set up Shawn enjoys the process of starting production. This again involves several steps such as reviewing work instructions, refining oven temperature settings, trimming, meeting cycle times, and achieving product quality specifications. Discovery of creative ways to improve production efficiencies is also a big part of these startups. These discoveries can then be incorporated into work instructions for other crews so everyone can benefit. One of Shawn’s favorite jobs is the Vantage Plastics’ egg pallet which he has ran for several years. Shawn says; “It has some special mechanics involving a rotating plug so it is very unique and is an enjoyable job to run.” Shawn worked on a farm while in high school and has a special affinity for agricultural products.
Outside of his career at Vantage Plastics Shawn has two sons Jaxon age six and Knox age two. His significant other is Ailisha, whom he met through a friend. Ailisha has three daughters Caril-Lee age 12, Savanah age 8, and Skyler age 3. Shawn says; “Ailisha keeps me going and is a big supporter of Vantage Plastics as she also worked here in the past.” Shawn grew up in the Standish area and has a lot of family in the area. In his spare time, he likes to hunt and fish. He also has a very unique hobby. From 2003 to 2005 Shawn was a competitive dirt track racer in the factory stock division. He typically competed at Tri City Motor Speedway in Auburn, Michigan.
Shawn describes dirt track racing as “a major adrenaline rush.” As family came into the picture, he gave up the hobby. Recently Ailisha told him she wanted to take him for a drive somewhere. Without telling him she had found a dirt track racing car and made arrangements to purchase it. Upon arrival at the destination, Shawn was totally surprised. He is currently working on upgrades to the car and is super excited to get back into the sport.
As Shawn prepares for his future, he greatly appreciates the benefit plans offered at Vantage Plastics. Since he has a young family the health insurance benefits including vision, dental, and disability provides a lot of comfort and security. Shawn has also been an active participant in the 401-K retirement plan and is building a fund that should provide for a very good retirement lifestyle. As a team member Shawn Berry has certainly been helping fulfill the Vantage Plastics’ Mission of Forming Better Lives, Forming Solutions, and Forming Sustainable Futures.
At Vantage Plastics, we have the expertise to sort through all the options for the right solution for you. And if your needs are specialized, we can custom design the right solution for the job. Contact Vantage Plastics to get your questions answered.
