Specialty Silicone Products (SSP) manufactures EMI silicones and a wide variety of silicone compounds. SSP’s Industrial Team is led by Ron Bushey and includes a group of machine operators and silicone specialists that we’d like you to meet.
Ron Bushey is the Production Manager for the industrial side of SSP’s business. Since joining the company 10 years ago, he’s seen plenty of changes. For example, SSP now runs two shifts instead of one. The number of production employees has grown from less than 5 to nearly 30. There’s a new wing on the building, too. That’s not all either. “We have grown into a family,” Ron says. “Everyone helps each other”.
Corey Scully-Irvin is a machine operator who’s learning about calendaring, a process for making thin, smooth materials like rolls of EMI silicones. Corey lives in Albany and recently moved from the night shift to the day shift. He used to run a forklift and pull parts, but then he joined SSP. “I like the people here,” he says. “There’s always something interesting to do, you’re always moving around, and it’s never the same thing.”
Dan Lord runs the 50-inch mill and makes masterbatches of silicone materials. He’s been with SSP for three years and enjoys being a part of the Industrial Team. “Everyone here is great,” Dan says. Creating a masterbatch is “a bit of a process,” he explains, but Dan is also working to make it easier for his co-workers to pull products to boxes.
Sean Skaskiw runs the extruder and makes all of the EMI extrusions that SSP supplies. “I mill up most of my own compound,” he says, “and schedule all my own orders”. Sean used to work in construction but joined SSP about 5 years ago. He lives in Clifton Park and enjoys skiing and riding motorcycles when he’s not at work. “They are really good to their employees here,” he says.
Joe Goodge runs the 52-inch mill where rubber is mixed before calendaring. “It’s pretty physical,” he explains. Joe mixes raw compounds and makes masterbatches during the night shift. He used to be a manager at a restaurant but has been with SSP for about a year and-a-half now. “They really take care of their employees here,” Joe says.
Todd Caruso is a calendar operator who makes rolls of EMI silicones and other specialty compounds. He’s worked at SSP for four years but used to run gold foil-stamping equipment in the printing industry. “SSP takes care of employees,” Todd says. “They do a lot of functions outside of work, such as the Christmas Party and Company Cookout, so that people can interact.”
Devin Donovan runs the 22-inch mill, but also helps with the other mills as needed. He served in the U.S. Army for four years and has now been at SSP for four-and-a-half. This father of three started out working the night shift but has since changed to days. “They are very family-oriented,” he says of SSP. “They will bend over backwards for you.”
SSP would also like to recognize these members of the Industrial Team.
- Brian Garry – Pressline Operator
- Ben Dicaprio – Calendar Operator
- Ed Moore – Thin Films
- Mike Schwartz – Grease
- Al Maiello – Slitting Room
- Ken Deyeo – Slitting Room
