owen industries hr recruitment

background

Founded in 1885 as Paxton & Vierling Iron Works, Owen Industries, Inc. is an international structural fabricator with projects in India, China and the Philippines, and throughout the United States. The company has long-standing relationships with major customers including General Motors, John Deere and UP. Owen Industries is growing and recently opened a state of the art facility in Carter Lake, Iowa.

challenge

Human Resources regularly attends job fairs, and the division vice president wanted their recruitment materials to more effectively convey the most attractive things about a career with Owen Industries. He saw the need for language that specifically articulates the spirit of the culture and the joy that employees get out of working there. A particular challenge was crafting messaging and creating materials that resonate with metal workers but that also capture the attention of IT and administration professionals.

solution

We listened to stakeholders, audited their current materials and competitors’ materials, and from these insights we distilled the most salient and attractive elements of their culture and values. The language reaches beyond things like wage and vacation days, and successfully expresses why employees find happiness and fulfillment in their work on a daily basis. We shot custom photography of employees and included their own quotes in the pieces we created. Concepts like Respect, Stability and Developing Skills are central to Owen Industries’ culture and job satisfaction, and the recruiting materials now reflect this.

impact

“Our advertising vision came to fruition, which is now represented on aesthetically pleasing brochures and on a large backlit graphic display. These new materials are used throughout the Midwest at all Owen Industries job fairs and recruiting events, and at open house functions at our corporate headquarters. We have had a considerable amount of success recruiting, as the volume of applicants visiting our recruiting booth has increased exponentially. We stand out in a crowd with our handouts and our display; we are always excited to promote and advertise our brand thanks to the efforts of David Day Associates.”
-Ron DeBord, Vice President, Human Resources/SPHR