By Dianna Brodine, managing editor
The American Mold Builder

Mark Slack, director of operations for Roush Manufacturing, has been named the AMBA’s Mold Builder of the Year.

With a family history in moldmaking – Slack’s three brothers and father were in the trade – tool building might have been the logical choice for Slack’s career, but it wasn’t the first profession he tried. “Originally, I went off to do different things,” he said. “I worked for a clothing store and worked in life insurance, but when I was going to get married I needed something steady.”

Thirty-eight years later, Slack’s vision and leadership have propelled two companies to the forefront of toolmaking excellence. Additionally, he has been a passionate advocate for keeping moldmaking in the US and developing the skills needed in the next generation of tool builders.

38 years of industry experience

Slack was 22 when he began working at Shapiro Mold in the late 1970s. While there, he continued his education in the trade by taking CNC machining classes at Henry Ford College. In 1987, a year after founding CruCam, Kevin Crute brought Slack on as his first employee to run day-to-day operations. CruCam became the leading provider and servicer of CAMAX CNC Software in North America. From 1987 until 1999, the company grew to nearly $14 million in annual sales and employed more than 150 people.

In 1999, CruCam was acquired by Roush Industries, and Slack was appointed operational director of the business, which became Roush Manufacturing. “Roush was looking for a shop with large machine capacity,” said Slack, “and we had 27 milling machines at that time, but we also were building molds.” The mold building capability led to significant opportunities.

In the early days of the Rousch acquisition, the company primarily built prototype tooling, but Slack was instrumental in taking the business directly to the OEM level, rather than waiting for molds to be sourced through a Tier 1. “It was a big strategic change, but we had all of the equipment and knowledge,” he said. “It was a matter of finding the right people to call on.” In 2005, Roush became an interior cockpit prototype integrator for Ford Motor Company.

From there, Slack was able to leverage the core moldmaking business into a direct OEM market offering and further expanded the company’s reach as a global player. From 2009 through 2013, Slack rebranded Roush Manufacturing as Roush Global Tooling and grew the business from $14 million to $40 million in annual sales. The Roush Global Tooling team built the infrastructure and global supply chain to manufacture and deliver injection mold tooling into each major automotive market: North America, Asia, Europe and, most recently, Brazil.

Slack’s leadership has been evident in other ways not measured by the bottom line. Through the most difficult times after the recession, Roush maintained its people and customers, coming out of that period in a position of stability before returning to strength through tremendous growth.

Regional leadership

In 2010, Roush Global Tooling became a member of the AMBA. “I don’t remember what drove me to join initially,” he said, “but I saw the value in it – and I was disappointed there weren’t more tool shops from our side of the state involved in the organization.” Soon, Slack and other AMBA members decided to form a Southeast Michigan chapter.

“The main purpose was to get more of the tool shops in this area working together,” Slack continued. “By building a relationship with each other, we can help each other to keep work in the United States. I think in any industry, it helps when your competitors also are your friends.”

With Slack at the helm, Roush continues to participate in AMBA events, quarterly OESA meetings and NTMA Detroit chapter meetings. He has included two other members of the Roush team in the Southeast Michigan chapter and often contacts members and nonmembers to spread the word about chapter activities and benefits. Roush recently hosted an AMBA event where all three local community colleges were invited to present their capabilities to the AMBA Southeast Michigan chapter, prior to a tour of the facility.

Slack also has served on the advisory committee for the Skilled Trades program at Schoolcraft Community College. The school is active in the development of youth in the trade and has worked with Roush to improve its curriculum and visibility in southeast Michigan. Slack worked with his team to develop an in-house apprenticeship program for Roush, actively pursuing the younger generation to join Roush and be trained in the profession.

Mold Builder of the Year

At AMBA Conference 2018, Slack’s commitment to the industry was celebrated when he was named as the Mold Builder of the Year, an award sponsored by Progressive Components. “It’s still a blur,” Slack said of the surprise. “After a little while, it dawned on me that it was my career being discussed.

“Over 40 years, you start thinking about where you started,” he continued. “I remember, when I was about 10, my dad had a benching company polishing cavities and cores in a mold. He would bring the work home and do it out on the picnic table, and I remember him teaching me how to polish a mold. At that time, I didn’t think that was the career direction I was going in, but I always liked working with my hands. Once I got into the shop and started working, I felt accomplishment when I took a raw piece of steel and made a mold or component to a mold. There was satisfaction in doing that.

“Now, after all the years of hard work, there’s satisfaction in receiving this award. To be recognized by your peers for what you have accomplished over your lifetime – you’re being recognized for making a difference. That’s a little overwhelming.”

The award is accompanied by a $5,000 scholarship grant, and Slack has chosen Romeo Engineering & Technology Center and the Lincoln High School CTE Center as the recipients.