Founded in 1990, Portacool is celebrating its 30th Anniversary this year. To give you a view into what makes the leader in evaporative cooling tick, we’re spotlighting long-time employees and a few that have made a big impact in a short time to share their memories, experiences and perspectives during their time with the company.
Name: David Galaviz
Role: Plastics Department Lead
Years at Portacool: 23 years
What does your day at Portacool entail?
My day consists of not just spending time with my coworkers, but also friends that I do a job with. For the most part, every day is a happy day. I maintain all of the plastic machines – we have five rotomolders, three pulverizers or powder machines, two mixers and one chopper. On a daily basis we make sure they are working properly and we are minimizing scrap to keep production up. I make sure the lead operator on each machine has the resources they need to be successful for the day. I’m lucky, my team is a good crew – they come in motivated each day!
How has Portacool changed and grown over your time at the company?
We have gotten a lot more resources than we used to have. Our work used to be hard, physical work. Now with all the upgrades we have gotten it has become easier. We still work hard each day. Our goal is to have six rotations per shift per machine – which is 24 arms or 48 products per machine in a 12-hour shift.
What is your favorite thing about working at Portacool?
The people. It is why I come in every day. These aren’t just my co-workers, they are my friends. We are a family here and have each other’s backs. We are part of something bigger. It is not just getting a pay check – it is taking care of our families, our community and helping Portacool grow.
