People Make it Possible: Kim Toner
Kim Toner’s grandkids know that their grandma has an important job, even if the details are sometimes a little fuzzy.
“My granddaughter once said, ‘My grandma invented paper towels,’” Kim said with a laugh. “Not quite – but I do make them every day!”
Kim is a winding technician at First Quality’s plant in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, that manufactures household paper and tissue products. She runs the equipment that makes the paper towels into finished rolls. It involves operating a large crane, which happens to be Kim’s favorite part of her job – something she never imagined when she started at the Lock Haven facility 20 years ago.
“I had previously worked as a bookkeeper, and had never done work like this before,” she said. “It was intimidating at first, but nice people helped me along the way.”
From new technician to trusted trainer
When Kim joined First Quality in 2004, she started in the absorbent hygiene part of the business. In 2007, she moved over to paper manufacturing, and got to experience many different aspects of the production process. She found her niche as a winding technician and has since trained countless others.
“Safety is huge. You have to be aware of your surroundings when you’re operating a crane,” she said. “When I’m training people, I tell them to take their time and if they have questions, ask me! I’ve always had people looking out for me, so I want to do the same for my teammates.”
The Lock Haven facility produces a lot of private label paper towels for popular retailers. Kim says she feels proud when she is out shopping and sees something she makes in someone’s cart.
“There’s definitely pride knowing that I helped make that,” she said. “Looking back, I’m really glad I made the leap from bookkeeping to manufacturing. First Quality is a great place to work.”
About First Quality
First Quality is a closely-held diversified group of companies manufacturing, selling and distributing branded and private label absorbent hygiene, paper and packaging products into the healthcare, retail and commercial channels. First Quality is dedicated to meeting the demands of the market by providing innovative and high-quality products manufactured utilizing state- of-the-art technology. For more information, please visit www.firstquality.com.
Media Contact: media@firstquality.com