This International Women’s Day, we are proud to feature three women at our Stevens Point mill who are breaking down barriers, challenging the status quo, and paving the way for future generations of women to succeed in manufacturing.
Meet the Women Behind the Mill
We sat down with Jessica Clements, Mill Process Improvement Manager; Brittany Spencer, Paper Machine Senior Production Engineer; and Samantha Hornick, Environmental Supervisor to learn more about their time at Pixelle and what it means to be a woman in manufacturing.
Jessica is an industry veteran who has been in the paper manufacturing business for almost 23 years. As Mill Process Improvement Manager, she is all about continuous improvement, spending her days on projects to refine raw material usage, energy consumption, productivity, and more.
Thanks to a love of math and science that was sparked in childhood, Jessica was drawn to a career in engineering and fell in love with paper manufacturing right out of college. “I went to college to get a chemical engineering degree. One of my first interviews when I was looking to graduate was with a paper company and I fell in love with the process. You can get out on the floor, and you get a chance to interact with the crews on a daily basis. It’s just very exciting and dynamic.”
"I wish I'd known how limitless the options really are for your career path."
As an experienced engineer, Jessica wants other women entering the field to know that there is endless opportunity to be had. “I wish I’d known how limitless the options really are for your career path,” she shared. “You have the option to grow into operation roles, product development roles, quality roles, engineering roles. There’s a lot of different paths you can take.”
According to Jessica, Pixelle is a great place for women to explore those opportunities. “I feel very supported in my career path here at Pixelle. We have a talent development management program, so if there’s a certain path you want to follow, your supervisor will work with you through this program to help you get the skills and development that you need to succeed. And you get assigned a mentor to help you learn and grow and feel supported in the process.”
Brittany has been with Pixelle since May of 2022, working with maintenance crews and operators to ensure the 34 Paper Machine at the Stevens Point mill is running smoothly. In that time, she has embraced the new challenges and experiences that work brings each day. “I like that the day to day is never the same. You can be at a desk crunching data all day, or you can be on the floor troubleshooting a mechanical problem. I love the variety in my job.”
Like Jessica, Brittany also built her career in manufacturing based on a love of math, science, and getting hands-on with all things mechanical. “I always loved building and taking things apart. I worked with my dad in his shop a lot [and we] watched BattleBots and Junkyard Wars. That was my thing. Still is to this day!”
Britanny attributes her success in the manufacturing field partly to her excellent listening skills. “It is important to be a good listener and a good team player and to be able to take everyone’s advice and act on it.” That’s one reason she believes more women should look to manufacturing as a career choice. “We bring a really interesting perspective to it. We bring compassion and empathy and can advise people in a way only a woman can.”
"It's critical that they see that there are women thriving in manufacturing today."
What will it take to get more women in manufacturing and engineering? Brittany believes the answer lies in role models and mentorship. “I think seeing other women do it gives others the motivation that they can do it as well. It’s critical that they see that there are women thriving in manufacturing today.”
With a long-time love of the outdoors and a passion for conservation, the decision to pursue a degree in water and soil science at the University of Wisconsin was a natural one for Samantha. Following her education and seven years of field experience in environmental lab testing, she joined Pixelle as the environmental supervisor for the Stevens Point mill wastewater treatment facility in April 2022.
According to Samantha, it’s a role for which she wears many hats. “I supervise the guys that run our water treatment plant and our landfill off site. Along with that, I do a lot of our chemical approval processes and manage all of the waste that we generate. I tend to do what needs to be done on a day-to-day basis and it’s never the same thing.”
Variety is one thing Samantha loves about her work, but she says the best thing about working at Pixelle is the people. “[The team I manage] are all guys who were very experienced on paper machines and then transferred out to the water renewal center. So, it’s intimidating right? I’m working with guys that are my parents’ age and older. But probably the number one reason I am so happy with my job is that those guys are amazing. They are really easygoing. I ask them a lot of questions and they explain things thoroughly.”
"Knowing that no matter what happens on a day-to-day, the company is there for me. It means the world.
Samantha also shared that, as a working parent, Pixelle’s support of families has been a crucial part of her success in this demanding career. “I feel super supported. It’s a big reason I’m still in this position. If I need to leave early for a doctor’s appointment for the kids or myself, I can go and come back or make up hours and shift my schedule as I need. Knowing that no matter what happens on a day-to-day, the company is there for me. It means the world.”
Advice For Young Women in Manufacturing
We asked these extraordinary women if they had any advice for young women looking to enter the largely male-dominated field of manufacturing. Across the board, their responses were centered on confidence.
“Don’t be scared of it. It’s just me and a bunch of guys for most of my day. They all respect me and take my opinion like it’s their own. It can be intimidating, but don’t let it intimidate you,” says Brittany.
Jessica advises, “Anything is possible. If you’ve got the skills, ability and the desire to pursue that career, then it’s available to you. Don’t hold back. Have that confidence and go for it.” She added, “I’ve had supervisory positions with crews of up to 25 people and at times all of them have been male. I’ve had no issue garnering the respect of those crews or working with them on a daily basis.”
"Don't hold back. Don't be intimidated. The world is yours."
Samantha echoes their statements, encouraging young women to confidently pursue any path they choose in life. “You can do it. Don’t hold back. Don’t be intimidated. The world is yours.”