after graduation , but returned to the company as a full-time engineering employee in 1997 . He worked his way up through the ranks to become General Manager . He said the company needs new employees with the right background .
“ All need to be able to work on stainless steel ,” he explained . “ That requires some special training . With that training , they can hit the ground running .” FPEC looks for workers who love what they do , and rewards them with pay that beats most other companies offering jobs , Clouse said .
The FPEC team is passionate about its work . The company has everything it needs in-house to create the custom pieces of equipment from start to finish . “ It ’ s a lot of fun to see a concept go from an idea to bringing it into a plant ,” Davison said . “ It is gratifying to see it work .”
FPEC customers include Tyson Foods , Cargill , George ’ s , Simmons Foods , Ozark Mountain Poultry , Hormel , Bar-S and Lopez Foods . “ We help them update their equipment ,” Davison said . “ We provide everything from stand-alone equipment to totally automated systems .”
A lot of the company ’ s products are sold outside Arkansas and FPEC also sells internationally . The company has grown over the years as sales expanded .
In 1995 , FPEC expanded by adding 24,000 square feet to its facility . The company later added an additional 40,000 square foot work space as they continued to grow .
Many of the employees hired during the expansion found a long-term career at FPEC .
Good pay and the opportunity to build a stable career are some of the reasons workers choose to stay at FPEC .
“ Our retention rates for the last 10 years are off the charts ,” Clouse said . “ Some people have left or retired . It ’ s harder now to find devoted employees .”
The company needs people with a good work ethic who will do their best in the job . Prospective employees can apply at the company ’ s office at 2216 Ford Ave . in Springdale . They also can email a résumé to hr @ fpec . com .
“ By having a résumé , you can distinguish yourself ,” Clouse said . “ Good references are helpful . Recommendations from former employers are important .”
Also , it ’ s good to have industry-recognized certifications for specific skills , such as welding . Any potential employee must show the company that they care about being the best in the business .
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