Continuous Improvement in Action: James Builds a Better Workplace

Before joining Husky as an employee, James Dierken already knew the company well. Family members had worked here in the past, and as a child, he was familiar with the Bolton campus through Copper House, Husky’s former onsite childcare program for team members’ children. Years later, after studying electromechanical engineering at Georgian College, he returned to that same campus in a very different role.

In September 2025, he joined the Machines division as an Assembly Technician, helping assemble robots for HyPET machines. With his electromechanical background, he quickly noticed opportunities to improve how some work areas were organized, maintained and used day to day.

To him, this was not only about making the area look more professional. When tools have a clear place and workspaces are clean, labelled and easier to use, the team can work with more clarity, care and pride.

“I knew that if I could make an effort to improve the level of organization, then it could likely go a long way into making things look more professional.”

What stood out was not only the work itself, but the fact that James saw the opportunity and took it on without being asked.

Taking Ownership on the Shop Floor

The first place he started was his own toolbox. Shortly after receiving it, he went through every tool, kept what he needed, created specific locations and added labels so everything had a clear place. From there, other opportunities became easier to identify and he proactively got to work.

Bench vises were refurbished by removing the paint, cleaning each part, repainting them and reassembling them. A new computer desk was sanded and refinished. When zone lines needed to be painted on the floor, he masked and painted them. He also repainted the spreader bar used for lifting Z-axis beams and helped relabel its positions.

None of this was assigned as a formal project. He saw work that could improve the area and took ownership of it and just did it.

“What motivates me to do these tasks is a need to keep things clean and functional and improving them at the same time if I am able. This kind of work I find satisfaction in doing.”

For James, that satisfaction also comes from seeing a visible improvement when the work is finished and knowing that the effort supports his fellow team members who use the area every day.

Recognition That Opened New Doors

At first, some team members were surprised by the amount of time and care going into each improvement. As the changes became visible, that surprise turned into appreciation, which encouraged him to keep going.

“I believe my team members were quite satisfied with what they saw. The end results yielded appreciation, which was another motivating factor for me to continue.”

The recognition also led to something he did not expect. After improving areas within Robots, he was asked to help in other parts of the Machines division. What started with organizing his own workspace became a way to see more of the business, support other teams, and gain insight beyond his day-to-day role.

“What stuck with me the most was the recognition I got from these improvements. This led to me being requested for help outside of Robots. It ended up opening a lot more opportunities to explore different areas of our Machines division and allowed me to gain some important insights into other functions of Husky.”

For someone still early in his Husky career, this shows how impact can start with practical, everyday improvements: a toolbox, a bench vise, a painted line on the floor or a workspace left so much better and more organized than it was before James saw the opportunity to improve it.

On the shop floor, these details matter. They make work easier for others, strengthen pride in the workspace and show how continuous improvement and being proactive to solve problems can become part of everyday work.

James did not wait for a formal project or a request. He saw what could be better, made it better, and helped raise Husky standards in the process. What a way to make an impact in his first year at Husky.

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