Greater Toronto's Top Employers (2025) Magazine - Flipbook - Page 86
86
( 2025 )
SPONSOR CONTENT
How IPEX keeps its talent pipeline full – and fulfilled
M
anpreet Banwait
joined the
Oakville, Ont.based pipe manufacturer IPEX Inc.
in 2010 on a temporary contract as
a production scheduler. The move
involved a pay cut for Banwait
but, as it turned out, not for long.
When the contract expired, he was
hired on as a production supervisor, then a full-time scheduler.
His big break came in 2015,
after IPEX acquired a company
in the United States. Banwait
was tasked with helping train the
new division’s employees on the
company’s way of doing things.
Not long after, he was promoted to
fabrication master planner, then
Mississauga, Ont. plant manager
and, just this year, director of manufacturing, fabrication, overseeing
five plants in the U.S. and Canada.
Along the way, Banwait benefited from the IPEX Leadership
Development Program and
Operational Leader Development
Program, just two of several
internal training streams at the
Manpreet Banwait, director of manufacturing, fabrication, at IPEX.
5,200-employee organization that
combine classroom modules,
mentorship and stretch assignments designed to develop new
skills. Now he finds himself
mentoring new recruits and recent
business and engineering grads
enrolled in the firm’s 36-month
New Graduate Development
Program, which sees them rotate
through both shop floor and
corporate office roles.
“People don’t just come here
to do a job,” says chief human
resources officer Cheryl Stargratt.
From the moment new hires come
through the door, they are treated
as individuals with unique attributes, and IPEX does its level best
to nurture their talents, expand
their skillsets and optimize their
career paths.
“This is a large organization
that still has a smallorganization heart.”
— Manpreet Banwait
Director of
Manufacturing, Fabrication
“This is an organization that
cares about its employees as much
as it cares about its customers,
and it’s a very customer-intimate
organization,” Stargratt says.
Last year, IPEX overhauled its
onboarding process, extending
hourly operations hires’ training
to 90 days. It also maintains a constant dialogue with employees, soliciting their input through “coffee
chats” with the CEO and senior
executives, culture workshops,
surveys and “Happy or not?” questionnaire kiosks at specific sites.
To improve employee retention, it
conducts not only exit interviews
but also “stay interviews” with
those marking long tenures.
“We want to understand what
the experience is of employees
in the organization so we can
continue to meet their needs,”
Stargratt says.
A year ago, IPEX created iCare,
a new social impact program that’s
designed to support communities
where the company operates and
provide engagement opportunities
for employees. It sets budgets
for supporting local charities,
maintains area partnerships,
