Meet Edmonton Valve and Fitting’s Warehouse Manager, Dan Constantin

He worked his way up to warehouse manager, but still pitches in on the front line

	Warehouse Manager Dan Constantin keeps shipments on track and on time.

In the 13 years since he joined Edmonton Valve and Fitting as a warehouse associate, Dan Constantin has worked his way into upper management. He is now our warehouse manager, overseeing a team of 10 people that includes the warehouse associates, shipper/receiver, and service counter representatives. Impressive leap for someone who had no prior experience in the instrumentation industry.

Constantin had been an equipment manager for a large Alberta-based company. One of his friends was working for us and suggested that Constantin come in for an interview.

Constantin recalls, "I was quite content working outdoors with my hands. I didn't know if this job would suit me, or that I would make it. But I quickly realized we shared many of the same values. I was impressed with the integrity of the company. It has respect for the individual, whether it is the customer or internally. It's a real family environment as well."

Constantin had three formal interviews and two or three informal ones.  "I enjoyed the process and thought it was a good indicator of what the company was about. They really took their time to ensure a good fit for both parties," he said.

Multitasking

His earliest days with our company saw Constantin picking and packing parts in the warehouse. A warehouse associate’s primary responsibility is to get orders to the customer in a timely and accurate manner. This includes picking, labeling, packing, and checking an order - and handing it off to the courier. Constantin also received inventory from Swagelok and stocked shelves. And when the place needed a good cleaning, he swept the warehouse floors.

After about a year, Constantin moved to our customer service department. There, he learned the technical features of the Swagelok product line and began assisting customers over the phone and by email, ensuring that they got the products they needed.

Most importantly, he has gotten to know a lot of customers throughout his years spent in the customer service department.

"You build a personal relationship with a customer after a while," he said. "You get to understand what is important for them." Even today, Constantin still holds a customer service position in addition to being our warehouse manager.

Managing the warehouse includes recruiting and interviewing, coordinating onboarding and training schedules, and approving vacation time and professional development. It also means that Dan is available to his team at all times, particularly if they need assistance with any tasks relating to customer orders or inventory. Sometimes this even means picking and packing orders to make sure they get out the door. Constantin’s previous experience in the warehouse allows him to relate first hand to the associates on his team.

Good listener

Having previously worked for a large corporation, Constantin knows how hard it can be for some people to be heard and to help make improvements.

"Edmonton Valve & Fitting is really good at listening to the associates," he says. Now as a manager himself, he's in a position to be the listener and to help turn good ideas into action. "Change is something we embrace. We strive for improvement through the change process," Constantin says. "In the past year we've adopted new shipping software, [and] our product line has expanded greatly over the years."  

Continuous Improvement is just one of Swagelok’s six values, and it’s something that Constantin stays focused on in every role he fills.