Finding Common Ground in Chehalis

Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way

For Epifanio Aguilar, understanding his role as A Part of Something Bigger® at Quanex goes without saying—in English, anyway.

Epifanio has been a screens roller at Quanex’s Chehalis, Washington, plant since 2018. Originally from the Philippines, he moved to Washington in 2017, both to be with his daughter and her family and to find work, as most employers won’t hire past age 35 in his home country. At first, lack of knowing the English language proved to be an intimidating challenge.

“When Epifanio applied and came in the shop for a tour and interview, it only took us a few minutes to figure out we didn’t understand each other,” said Brad Schoepf, plant manager at Chehalis. Searching for a way to make the communication work, the plant team invited Epifanio’s daughter in to translate and help with paperwork.

“There’s a way to ‘get there’ with just about any challenge,” Brad said. “We all have our struggles, and we just need to figure out a way to help overcome any barriers and get it done. Epifanio wanted to work with us, and we wanted to offer him that opportunity.”

Initially, Epifanio was hesitant. “It was scary to work somewhere I couldn’t communicate easily,” he said. “It was hard to do what I was asked at first.”

Brad said while his early training and learning curve were tricky to navigate, his co-workers found ways to help with what he needed. “Once we found his comfort level and the place where he was most productive and happiest, it was a no-brainer to move forward from that spot.”

Fast-forward six years, and now Epifanio works on the plant’s specials line, where he handles multiple types of screens and is required to understand more operational facets than the typical roller. “Epifanio understands some English, and he speaks screens for sure,” Brad said. “His understanding of and ability to decipher color tags has allowed him to grow into one of our best team members. He’s very loyal and willing to go 100% every day.”

In fact, he’s a top producer, making up to 500 screens daily. He hasn’t missed work in four years. And when needed, the plant team still works with his daughter, sending notes back and forth to translate important messages.

“One of the keys to building a successful manufacturing environment is finding people who feel fulfilled in helping to get products out the door,” Brad said. “Epifanio feels that—it’s obvious by the way he does his job and the commitment he has.

“It’s our job to find the value in every person we have at Quanex and to enable everyone to feel like they’re A Part of Something Bigger. Epifanio is a part of Quanex in Chehalis. We’re lucky he found us.”