GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP) — Things have changed since Steve Bright began his plastics fabricating company in Greensboro back in 1987.

So has the world.

Kirk Sparkss, the president of Bright Plastics, knows the plastics industry as well as anyone and, yet he says, “21 years ago, I didn’t see a pandemic coming.”  

The pandemic has made some workers nervous about being in a facility. The management team at Bright Plastics understands that and does everything it can to mitigate any issues.

At the same time, the company is seeing record orders this year.

“You only get one chance as a company to take this business and execute on it, so we’re afraid it will pass us by,” said Todd Poteat who is the company’s vice president of manufacturing.

The other issue is getting enough quality workers.

“We love to promote from within,” said Chuck Willis who is the manufacturing manager. But before you can do that, you need the workers to be within.

That’s Bright’s challenge right now. They have a chance for record company growth but can’t find enough workers to make it happen. It’s what keeps Todd Poteat awake at night.

“It does. I think it keeps everyone on the team awake,” Poteat said.

See the other big reason why they say they can’t get enough workers and why the workers they do have say they love it at Bright in this edition of the Buckley Report.

For more information, visit the Bright Plastics website.