In the realm of industrial operations, the role of a Rigger is pivotal, and at Mazzella, this position takes on a unique form. A Rigger here is not merely someone who works with ropes and pulleys – they are creators and innovators. They craft the very equipment that makes modern construction and manufacturing possible.
Potential team members who don’t know that these two industry roles are different may be confused when applying or may not even apply, which could mean crucial roles can’t be filled.
We sat down with two experts, Don Milliron, Talent Acquisition Partner, and Chris Wood, Operations Manager for the Mid-Atlantic Region, to talk about the Rigger role and interview process at Mazzella to find out:
What roles at Mazzella are considered a Rigger?
What skill sets and character traits are looked for in a Rigger?
What skill tests may a Rigger do during the application process?
How does hiring for Government Contracts change the process?
How will a Rigger’s performance be evaluated over time?
What advancement opportunities does Mazzella offer?
What roles at Mazzella are considered a Rigger?
Don says that at Mazzella, he defines a Rigger as someone who is “Preparing devices to lift, pull, or push. They’re the ones behind the scenes, producing all the equipment that an oil rigger will use in their field, an offshore oil rig in the ocean, or someone at a job site locally lifting something on top of a building.”
Chris said that to understand why Mazzella uses the term Rigger, you need to know the origin of the term, which began with wire rope manufacturing. That role has expanded to cover the now many facets that technology and time have brought to the lifting industry and what they produce.
Don went on to share, “When you think of a rigger, in the traditional sense, you may confuse it with an ironworker or someone putting up the new downtown skyscraper. I think the difference at Mazzella is that we’re putting together the tools for rigging in the field to assist with rigging projects going on. Here, Riggers are building, lifting, pushing, pulling, and moving heavy things from point A to point B.”
Some Rigger duties at Mazzella Companies are:
Wire Rope Production: Working in the wire rope department and manufacturing wire rope slings and assemblies with wire cables that come in on reels and are intertwined in the production process.
Chain Production: Working with alloy steel to create chain lengths that are welded or mechanically coupled together to create chain slings used in overhead lifting applications.
Canvas Production: Manufacturing custom covers, tarps, and nets using canvas or synthetic materials and a sewing machine to create them.
Synthetics Production: Creating slings that use nylon or polyester webbing material and are sewn together with industrial sewing machines.
Below-the-Hook: Producing, repairing, or modifying specifically engineered and custom-fabricated products that are not mass-produced.
Related: What Are the Steps in the Mazzella Companies’ Interview Process
What skill sets and character traits are looked for in a Rigger?
Chris says that at the start of his now 17 years in lifting and rigging, he didn’t need a lot of experience in the industry and doesn’t require new applicants to either, but that certain skills and personality characteristics will set one applicant apart from the other.
Basic Mechanical Skills: People who are mechanically oriented will typically do better in this line of business. While the equipment used at Mazzella may not be familiar to the average person, an interest in mechanics serves as a solid foundation for mastering complex machines in these hands-on roles.
Consistent Work History: Consistent work history is valuable because it suggests that the applicant is likely to have the discipline and focus required for the detailed and precise work that rigging entails.
Attention to Details: There are specific tolerances and requirements in drawings and specifications that must be followed to ensure that what is being fabricated meets those tolerances and requirements, so attention to detail, accuracy, and an ability to take time with the information provided to gain understanding is crucial.
High Level of Patience: These roles require dealing with many complex pieces, parts, and instruction, and being able to maintain patience and not rush through a project to get it done is crucial to a Rigger’s success at Mazzella.
Early Rising: While each location may have varying production hours, many start before the company opens at 8 AM. Being someone who enjoys starting their workday early can contribute significantly to job satisfaction and overall well-being.
Stamina: There will be certain jobs, especially emergency orders for rigging items critical to a customer’s operations, that may require late nights or even weekend calls, as well as early mornings.
Core Value Alignment: Mazzella is focused on hiring based on their core values of humble, hungry, smart, lifelong learning, and being safe.
Related: What are Mazzella Companies’ Core Values?
What skill tests may a Rigger do during the application process?
Chris says that some tests an applicant does during their application process may vary depending on the department and location, but the initial test he likes to administer is a walkthrough. “We show them through the shop and what we do. Not every person is plug and play for the position that you have, and we want them to look at it and get an idea of if it’s what they want or if there’s something else that might interest them.”
Don said he values this kind of face-to-face interviewing, saying, “We believe in eyes wide open transparency.”
After an applicant shows interest in moving forward, Chris will typically go through some of the gear involved in a production job, including a caliper, a computer, a torch, a forklift, and a measuring tape. “You’ll have about 8-10 different tools you’ll begin with, and, certainly, there’s going to be a lot more introduced after that. One of the most essential skills you can have is going to be your ability to measure.”
Once Chris understands the applicant’s goals, interests, and basic understanding, he will go through skill tests specific to a certain role.
Wire Rope
Chris says when he’s interviewing for a Wire Rope Rigger, he likes to lay out a piece of cable and see if the applicant can measure it accurately. “I may pull out a tape measure and, as an example, ask them to show me 12.5” or 7 5/8” so they can prove they can read that tape measure because when you’re making slings, you use it every day.”
If someone comes in and says they used to make cables, then he likes for them to show him how the eye is formed, how many lays are in the cable, and break the cable open to show him how it gets formed, as evidence of their current skill level.
Non-Wire Rope
Chris said that they have a wide variety of customers, including Government and Military so he likes to test how familiar the applicant may be with some of the specific knots they may make in that area of the shop.
Sewing
Chris says he likes to bring the applicants in, put them in front of a machine, give them some scrap material, and have them show him a basic line back and forth to see if they’re familiar with the machine. He says with this test, he’ll know quickly if anyone will grasp it.
Canvas
Chris says that he likes to get Canvas Rigger candidates involved in looking at drawings and listening to the applicant describe the information back to him.
Chris says, “Out of any department, canvas has more drawings and more attention to detail in the drawings than anything else. They’re going to take basic material and make it into something of a drawing. Looking at a print and understanding how the print works and where the key information is huge.”
What industries does Mazzella support?
Aerospace: The design, development, manufacturing, and maintenance of aircraft, spacecraft, satellites, and related systems.
Automotive: Automotive integrators, assembly facilities, tier 1 and tier 2 manufacturers, and stamping facilities.
Construction: Steel erection, concrete and precast, infrastructure, geotechnical drilling, bridge /wastewater/dams, GCs and PM firms, and marine construction.
Entertainment: Amusement parks, theme parks, concert venues, arenas, and performing arts venues and theaters.
Food and Beverage/Pharmaceutical: Research, production and processing facilities, distribution, logistics, and warehousing for food, beverage, and pharmaceutical offerings.
General Manufacturing: The production of goods through various processes, typically involving the transformation of raw materials into finished products.
Government/Military: Governance, public administration, and service provision. Includes Military/Armed Forces, Government contractors, and other local, state, and federal authorities.
Metals: Steel producers and processors, aluminum producers and processors, metals service centers, metal fabricators, non-ferrous producers, foundries, and scrap yards.
Mining: Surface mining and underground mining and extraction of minerals, metals, coal, gemstones, and other geological materials.
Oil and Gas: Drillers, gas producers, pipeline construction, processors/petrochemical plants, rig movers, supply houses, well service companies, and general service companies.
Power Generation: Generation and distribution of electricity and power using hydro, nuclear, coal, natural gas, and onshore wind and offshore wind technologies.
Pulp and Paper: Production of paper and paper-related products through pulp extraction and manufacturing of various types of paper and paperboard products.
Shipbuilding: The shipbuilding industry is a vast sector that supports shipbuilding and repair, boat building and repair, and barge building and repair.
Transportation/Intermodal: Railroad transportation and rail car manufacturing, tug and barge, commercial dams and levees, inland ports, break bulk, seaports, and harbors.
Wholesale: Distribution of goods and merchandise to various retailers, businesses, institutions, and other wholesalers.
What advancement opportunities does Mazzella offer?
At Mazzella, career growth is about being ready when opportunities arise. As Don suggests, if you prepare, the path to opportunity is already here.
Chris, who now holds a Regional Manager position, echoes this sentiment. “I didn’t know anything about rigging when I came into the Branch Manager role. I had to learn about the wire, chain, and synthetics. I eventually moved here into a Regional Manager position.”
Chris said that once you’ve worked in the shop, working in customer service may be an opportunity because it requires so much experience. “Whether it’s on the phone or if you have a walk-in counter, knowing what we do in the shop and how things are done makes it a lot easier to help people It gives you a leg up when it comes to dealing with these discussion of what is the proper product, what is the proper technique, and what is that they actually need?”
For those who are truly beginners and want to get into our industry, Chris says subscribing to the company’s core value of Lifelong Learning can go a long way, “Even just a basic maintenance program at a trade school is going to help you here.”
Don reiterated that being that Lifelong Learner can lead to advancement. “As one becomes proficient in all areas of Rigging, they can move into a role we call a Lead Rigger. From there, you can move into the Crane Service side of the business through the Crane Service Apprenticeship Program. If that’s a direction you don’t want to go into and you want to stay in rigging specifically, you can move into our Journeyman program. We’re partnered with the Department of Labor, so it’s a journeyman’s certificate, which is equivalent to a plumber’s, carpenter’s, or electrician’s certificate.”
Related: What Education Benefits Does Mazzella Companies’ Offer?
Chris says that we are always in need of quality team members who can come in and manufacture products. “This company gives a lot of opportunity and the ability to move forward, not just within a specific branch but across the country.”
Conclusion
The role of a Rigger at Mazzella transcends traditional boundaries. Despite the specialized nature of the business, making hiring a challenge, Mazzella is committed to attracting and nurturing the next generation of creators and innovators who will continue to drive the industry forward.
