Dan Dimicco’s recently published and excellent book, “American Made,” mostly about restoring manufacturing and construction to a central role in the American economy—and by implication to the Canadian one as well—should convince readers of widely differing political perspectives that his thesis is essentially sound for both nations.
Dimicco walks his talk so well that he was included by the Harvard Business Review in its 2010 top 100 list of the best performing CEOs in the world, based on what he achieved at Nucor, now the largest American steel company and the largest recycler in North America.
At Nucor, the culture is uniquely inclusive, excluding special “perks” for senior management. Each of its 22,000 employees is a full team member; remarkably, no one has been laid off in 40 years despite some very tough periods, including 32 U.S. steel companies being in bankruptcy in the early 2000s.
The “no favorites” philosophy is demonstrated in part by giving employees the same amount of vacation and insurance coverage; no one gets a company vehicle, aircraft, or even an assigned parking spot.
A freedom to try new ideas provides Nucor a distinct competitive edge: a creative, get-it-done workforce. As a result, it has been honored as one of 100 Best Corporate Citizens, best in class, Best Big Companies for environmental responsibility, corporate ethics, fairness toward employees, and accountability to local communities.
