40 Years of Manufacturing and Packaging Excellence

As the economy recovers it is appropriate to discuss an impressive manufacturing milestone for New Jersey, a state that has lost much of its industrial base yet still maintains a leading role in the new economy.

This year marks 40 years of manufacturing and packaging excellence for CEA Packaging Services which has been handling the outsourcing and specialty packaging needs for many of the best known companies in the region since 1970.

CEA Packaging, part of the Center for Educational Advancement, conveniently located near major transportation hubs and highways in Flemington, NJ, is different from other companies in the contract packaging business in that their mission is to apply high quality QC/QA standards, which regularly exceed customer expectations for the various projects being worked, and to also provide employment for many special needs adults in the region. Revenue from the packaging business provides paychecks for close to 100 people, many with one or more defined disability, with the balance helping to fund evaluation, training and placement programs run by CEA.

CEA Packaging is a $1.5 Million business that provides a variety of manufacturing, packaging, inspection and related services to a number of companies in the region. Industries in the pharmaceutical, retail, food, medical and hospitality, injection molding and other businesses regularly send work to CEA Packaging when their orders are greater than their manufacturing capabilities, or when they have a rush order to fill, a new product to launch, or have run into a problem that needs a solution NOW.

This business service is convenient, local and, best of all, a New Jersey based business that provides these services and more while also meeting the financial and employment needs of an often overlooked segment of society.

As many other contract packagers and manufacturers have closed their doors over the past few years, it is important to note that CEA Packaging has continued to provide rapid, high quality assembly/manufacturing turnaround for products and services such as Hospitality and Medical Kits, Clear and Print Registered Film assembly/bundling services, and expert Inspection, Sorting, Culling and Component Salvage.

To recognize the 40-year milestone of providing business services to New Jersey, CEA and CEA Packaging are teaming up with several political and business leaders, as well as the Somerset and Hunterdon County Chambers of Commerce to present their business and Community Service credentials to the business community.

Congressman Leonard Lance is scheduled to address the guests at a planned reception during the evening of June 21, 2010, as will State Senator Michael Doherty. Additional speakers will be announced in the coming days. Following the keynote address, there will be an interactive discussion on the types of business services offered by CEA Packaging. Business, Community and Political leaders will have a chance to learn about the variety of business services that CEA Packaging can offer. The theme of Business Partnerships and the importance of keeping business local through job creation and job preservation are sure to be a focal point for the guest speakers.

Jim Cavanagh, Sales Director for CEA Packaging explains that many people, even some family members of CEA employees “do not know how large, varied and complex a business exists right in the middle of Hunterdon County. This past year we accepted, and shipped over 900 truckloads of products to destinations as diverse as Raritan Township, Canada and Belgium. Every day our employees work with high-and-low tech machinery and pride themselves in meeting the strict quality standards our customers expect.”

Michael Skoczek, President & CEO of CEA explained that “…although manufacturing has changed considerably in the last forty years, I believe that through outreach programs such as the 40 Years of Business Partnerships presentation, CEA Packaging will be able to meet the new and changing manufacturing and packaging needs of industry in New Jersey in the coming years.”

“We are also seeking to finally overthrow some of the preconceived notions that still exist about our friends and neighbors with a disability. We believe, and can prove, that people with various disabilities can be members of a viable and dedicated workforce performing high quality, market priced work for NJ Manufacturing and other businesses.”

The primary objective of the June 21st event is to ‘generate awareness’ about CEA's packaging and assembly operation and the positive impact on the regional economy through job creation and job preservation. Through community support and the endorsement of public officials and regional business leaders, CEA staff believes that CEA Packaging can expand their business operations while promoting CEA as a means of maintaining and expanding employment opportunities in NJ. Overall, CEA employs 200 individuals. As the economy recovers there is room to grow and help New Jersey keep jobs, and wealth local.

A business community that fully understands the value of a dedicated workforce here in the heart of New Jersey will know that by sending their outsourced projects to CEA Packaging they will help generate economic growth. (More people working means less people collecting public assistance. The multiplier effect of the earned dollars spent is better for NJ businesses & tax revenues.) They will also help dispel the perception that special needs adults cannot function as productive members of society.

CEA Packaging provides companies with exceptional product quality & extremely competitive pricing. Companies partnering with CEA also demonstrate, by example, that community giving truly is a worthy endeavor with positive impact on profits.

CEA is the only private, not-for-profit organization in NJ providing this depth of services and commitment to employment based on real work with real, measured pay. Our employees, trainees and students are someone’s constituents, neighbors, friends and family-possibly yours!

CEA is, to the general public, probably best known for the wildly popular Turkey Trot fundraiser on Thanksgiving Day, which attracts over 5,000 runners and walkers to the streets of Flemington.

CEA is a not-for-profit social business enterprise that provides education, employment and placement related services to disabled and disadvantaged people through its three operations, CEA Packaging, the Employment Services Group and Spring Run School, which has been providing customized special education to students with special needs since 1984. Transition services, which guide school age youth into employment readiness are also provided to students. A similar program is also available for adults seeking to (re)enter the workforce.

For more information about CEA Packaging and the June 21, 2010 “40 Years of Business Partnerships” program, please contact CEO Michael Skoczek at mskoczek@ceaemployment.com or Rose Holden, Director of Development & Public Relations at rholden@ceaemployment.com.

Additional information about this event, other CEA services, Spring Run School and CEA’s fundraising activities, can also be found at www.ceaemployment.com or by calling 908-782-1480.

Teaching Opportunity... a Beautiful Thing

Working as a team, Instructor Michael Walsh and two of his Building and Maintenance students, Christian T. and Allen M. have created something beautiful, functional, and enjoyable… a picnic table! They decided together that they wanted to make something that others would be able to enjoy and something that would be seen around the CEA and Spring Run School campus.

The project spanned 22 hard-working hours, with lumber being purchased from Lowes in Flemington in early February and the completion of the table on March 4th. “So far it’s great to look at but we can’t wait to actually enjoy a picnic here when the weather warms up,” commented a CEA employee viewing the new picnic table.

At first the boys, age 17 and 18, thought the project was “over their head’s”, but as time and work ensued, they grew more confident. About halfway through the project their enthusiasm grew to the point of wanting to create more and sell them. At the completion, they were ready to embark on the next woodcraft with their new skills.

Mr. Walsh took every opportunity as one to teach, starting with the materials. The students were instructed as to how fresh lumber shrinks and dries out. Extra attention went to the selection of lumber planks that weren’t’ twisted to ensure a better product in the end. Since the picnic table is intended for outdoor use, pressure-treated lumber was important. Next was the use of tools, including power tools. Reading a tape measure, using a bevel, an adjustable square, the measurements of π, ∏, ≤, 7/8 and so on, were all pretty challenging lessons gained from this experience. The team used the existing (store-made) picnic table that sits outside of The CEA Café as a model and was able to successfully recreate their own without formal blueprints.

Several places around the CEA/SRS campus were discussed for placement of the new picnic table. The winning ground is between to two main buildings, tucked under small serene woodland, on top of pine-needle ground. It’s been informally noted that, “We may need to build a few more.”

Throughout this experience the students dreamed of starting their own business one day. They really began mastering the tools, even the screw gun which created the greatest challenge. Parents even reported how they talked about their work at home after the school day ended. With each milestone in the project, teachers were called in to view the work’s progression, and excitement grew among many. Five coats of polyurethane were applied to the table because the boys really liked the way it shined. But an even ‘shinier’ moment was when they attached the “Made By” sign to the front of their work.

So what’s the next project? “We are currently in production of a planter bench for the patio outside of the art building,” reports Michael Walsh.

For more information about the Building and Maintenance Training Program at Spring Run School or about the Center for Educational Advancement please call Michael Walsh at (908) 782-1480 Ext. 239 or e-mail mrwalsh@ceaemployment.com.