Yesterday talking to JB Brown, President of Bremen Castings in Bremen, Indiana, I was reminded of why I admire manufacturers.
They face challenges, create solutions and make it happen.
In this particular case, it’s not a manufacturing issue but something manufacturers, and all businesses, must deal with – healthcare. The responsibility of providing employees healthcare is still one placed squarely on the shoulders of businesses and therefore must be factored into a company’s cost structure.
What propels many companies to find solutions to healthcare costs stays in the realm of cost control. And while that’s absolutely necessary, when talking to JB his take was a little different.
“If I can do something to enable one employee to live a longer, healthier, happier life, than how lucky am I that I have the power to do that?”
And so without concentrating on when the ROI will kick in and not tapping into a capital fund account set aside for such things, he “just did it” as he told me.
It needed it be done and so it was. He built a medical/wellness clinic for his employees that is free to them and their families.
Next week I’ll write about how he did it and how others can follow in his footsteps, but for now, I am just grateful to have spoken to him. As my family was discussing the sad day’s events last night I was able to speak up and tell the story of one man who was helping his fellow human beings.
