Employee Spotlight: Josh Struck

Rocket Industrial's Employee Spotlight series highlights a different employee every month, offering an inside look at our company culture and the awesome people who work here.

This month's employee spotlight features Business Development Manager, Josh Struck. Josh has worked at Rocket for 3 years and educates customers on the benefits of automation.

What is your role at Rocket Industrial?

I work in inside sales/business development at Rocket. My role is to retain current customers and build on those accounts if possible. I also develop new customers and help create raving fans. I do this by offering our equipment expertise and discussing our supplier reach.

What do you enjoy about working at Rocket Industrial?

Professionally, I enjoy that the sky is not the limit working at Rocket. I get to develop accounts across the country every day, and that's huge for a driven individual like myself. It's also the daily challenges that come across my desk; and then finding solutions for a customer's packaging needs.

On the other side of it, it's more personal. It's the little things that Rocket Industrial does, including birthday celebrations at the end of each month with treats such as cookies and donuts. And also, the employee social outings and the chance to get drinks with coworkers and relax.

What challenges have your customers been facing? How have you been able to help them?

Right now, lead times with packaging equipment present the biggest challenge. One approach we have taken is stocking machines at some of our 3PLs. Doing this has given us an upper hand over other suppliers. We're able to ship equipment within 24-48 hours of an order. It's an advantage when we live in a world where customers need equipment either yesterday or by next week.

I help by being responsive to my customers. When they call in, they want to hear a human voice on the other end of the phone when they want an update. They want a quick response to an email wondering where their equipment is or when their order will ship. So I think being responsive to them and providing the best information I can is huge to helping my customers.

How do you approach a customer who is interested in packaging equipment? Any tips on preparing for automation?

My approach includes getting a feel for their application and seeing what they are doing. Although I discuss labor savings and consumable savings on tape and stretch film, I also discuss the boost in employee morale. Typically, if the customer is wrapping pallets or taping boxes by hand, they normally are a good candidate for automation.

I've had numerous customers buy equipment for their employees for Christmas. The fact that an employee doesn't have to walk around a pallet with a heavy roll of stretch film anymore or need to tape the same boxes 100 times a day is a huge benefit. Introducing automation to a facility goes a long way. As far as any tips I would offer for automation, I would say, do it, move to automation, you won't be disappointed.

What can a customer do to prepare their facility for automation? Any space concerns?

What's nice is that entry-level equipment does not take up a lot of space. A lot of the equipment is compatible with a 110-volt outlet, which is standard in most facilities. Most of these units are easy to set up.

How do you enjoy your free time?

I love spending time with my family, including my wife and two kids. My two little ones keep me quite busy. Aside from that, I love kayaking with my wife, playing golf, and going to the gym. I'm content being outside. One goal I've set for myself, living minutes from Granite Peak, is to get back on my skis by next winter.

What's a surprising fact most people don't know about you? What's the most exotic place you've traveled to, favorite bands, or any other fun facts?

I was born in California and moved to Wisconsin when I was a freshman in High School. I like to think I am still a California kid at heart. I have never surfed. I lived up in the mountains, so the ocean was faraway from where I lived. As far as traveling, I have not traveled to any exotic places. My goal is to visit every state before traveling outside the United States.

My wife is trying to turn me into an Eric Church fan, and she and I are going to an Eric Church concert in a couple of weeks. We'll see if he'll be my new favorite musician!