7-Year Gray Manufacturing Team Member Becomes Compass Precision Employee of the Month
At the heart and soul of every successful company are a few prideful individuals who consistently go above and beyond to ensure mission accomplishment. For one Gray Manufacturing Technologies employee, this mentality fuels him to continue helping the company thrive into the future. This distinguished individual is Robert Melton and his efforts have gained him recognition as Compass Precision’s August 2022 Employee of the Month.
“I enjoy seeing the finished product and knowing what it’s going to be used for,” said Robert, who provides support in Quality, Assembly, and Shipping & Receiving departments. “It makes me proud knowing what its purpose is going to be. The things we’re doing is important to our country and national defense.”
“I could not be happier than to have Robert receive this distinction,” stated Jacob Trahan, General Manager of Gray Manufacturing. “He is simply a great employee.”
The 47-year-old Lenoir, NC native accredits his recent recognition and professional success to a work-ethic he established early in life thanks to his family.
“I always wanted to go into the military and this my chance to serve,” said Robert. “Attention to detail, time management, being a team player, being proactive and thinking about others to help make their job easier are all things I take pride in. To me it’s about going above and beyond to ensure the job is done correctly.”
This type of recognition isn’t something Robert takes for granted and resonates with him on a personal level.
“It makes me really proud,” said Robert, who is also a proud grandfather. “I’m happy that the organization felt like I was deserving because I want to do a good job each and every day. My wife is really proud of me and I’m very thankful.”
Robert’s role at Gray is one that can be described as dynamic and essential. On a daily basis, he wears a variety of hats to ensure quality and efficiency across the board.
“I’m the last person to handle the parts,” said Robert. “It is a very detailed process with a lot of responsibility along with additional shipping and receiving duties. I also handle all assemblies, install keyed inserts and bushings as well as stencil and stamping procedures. It’s important I balance all of responsibilities in a timely and organized manner.”
Having the opportunity to gain experience from others and continue to evolve professionally is one aspect of being a part of the Compass family Robert genuinely enjoys.
“I’ve gained several new skills since starting at Gray and I’ve grown as a worker,” said Robert. “I would like to grow even more with the complexity and production of parts. We are producing exceptional parts and I want to help the company continue to grow. One of my future goals is to be a supervisor in the growing assembly department.”
Gray Manufacturing Technologies is an ISO9001 and AS9100D certified supplier of complex-geometry metal parts used for mission-critical applications by space, aerospace, and defense customers.
Since incorporation in June 2013, the company has purchased a state-of-the-art facility in Denver, NC, which houses its advanced 5-axis machining and metrology equipment. The secret behind Gray’s rapid success is the talented individuals who work on the team.
“I enjoy working here with my brother, nephew and some good friends,” said Robert. “There are very dependable people at Gray who are always willing to help. I’m proud of what we do and the products we produce. I enjoy seeing things take shape from print to a beautifully finished part. I think that’s super cool.”
Gray’s highly skilled workforce has been in various venues such as medical implant and professional motorsports while also accumulating more than 40 years of combined certified aerospace experience. The diverse background of such talented individuals gives Gray the competitive edge when applying the most advanced manufacturing techniques in exotic aerospace materials. These strategies allow the company to not only meet but exceed expectations which saves customer’s time and money by helping them beat the competition to market.
Under Compass Precision, Gray continues to invest in highly skilled labor and the most innovative machinery. Gray now also has easy access to numerous additional resources through its sister companies — Advanced Machining & Tooling, Douglas Machining Services, Quality Products & Machine, R&D Machine, Strom Manufacturing, and Tri-Tec Industries — which further enhances the customer’s ability to do one-stop shopping.
For more information about Gray Manufacturing Technologies and Compass Precision, please contact David Wyscaver, Compass’s Communications Manager at [email protected].