W. L. Gore and Associates
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- Terri Kelly, President and Chief Executive Officer
The WL Gore & Associates, Inc is a PTFE - processing company. It was founded in 1958 in a garage of Bill Gore.
The founder worked in the research department of the chemical company DuPont. He recognized the potential of PTFE ( Polytetrafluorethlylen ), his employer, however, PTFE classified as uninteresting one. The establishment had two objectives:
- To find new applications for PTFE and
- To create a corporate culture based on responsibility and fun at work.
Today 's Gore world leader in PTFE. Worldwide, 8400 employees in 45 plants and four business areas ( electronics, industrial products, medicine, textiles). Production takes place in Germany at the sites Feldkirchen- Westerham, Putzbrunn and Plein field. Among the well-known products include waterproof, breathable performance clothing (Gore - Tex, Armacor ) and flossing.
Corporate Philosophy
The principle that people are willing to work on their own and therefore do not require leadership is still consistently pursued. Employees are Associates, so partners. Executives are elected for the period of a project from the project staff. New employees are not direct supervisors. Instead, they will receive when they enter an "Initial Sponsor", a mentor who accompanies them in their corporate career. However, this can also be changed when necessary, eg when changing the working area.
To be flexible enough and prevent crusting or the development of a hierarchy, a plant is divided, once the number of employees exceeds 150 ( = amoebae principle).
The corporate principles of Gore:
- Freedom to be themselves company within a company, to develop themselves and pursue new ideas. In this case, to be able to build on the tolerance of errors and failures
- Commitment: Do not act on any directions, but are looking projects themselves and to work for their success as well as adhere to agreements made
- Fairness: no competition within the company. With suppliers and employees, a trusting relationship is maintained
- Waterline: decisions that may endanger the company as a whole (and therefore below the waterline ), must be discussed with other employees and decisively. Otherwise the experiments are allowed and even encouraged.