SALT LAKE - Jim Wintch is a perfectionist who knows machines and maintenance.

He's meticulous about the small details. He says even the slightest particle of dust in the wrong place, is out of place and can result in the loss of a bearing on an expensive machine.

It is that approach to his job that makes him such a key component of Martin Door Manufacturing. Wintch, 53, is manager of maintenance and safety at Martin Door. He has been with the company for four years. During that time he has been part of a movement towards efficiency that includes almost no operational down time. Larry Martin, Vice President of Martin Door, says the company's maintenance program is without parallel. Wintch brings a plethora of experience to his job. He is a journeyman millwright and a former business owner who has dealt with all kinds of machinery.
		Jim Wintch

At Martin Door, Wintch and his maintenance crew play a key component in the company's Flo-Max system.

"With lean manufacturing you can't have down time," Wintch said. As a result he heads a pro-active approach to machine maintenance that is very hi-tech. That includes vibration analysis of machinery on a regular basis.

		He said it is better to fix or repair a machine while it is still operational, than to wait for it to fail. "Down time is very, very, costly," Wintch said. Wintch said he loves the challenge of being at Martin Door and loves the people he works with. "It's one of the finest outfits I've ever worked for. They treat me well," he said of his employer. The admiration works both ways. "I love working with Jim. I don't think you can ask for a nicer guy," Valerie Barna said of Wintch's contribution to the company.
Jim Wintch holds a picture of the Dago Red, the world's fastest piston-driven airplane. His former business partner owns the plane. Wintch is manager of maintenance for Martin Door and has a passion for racecars and planes.

Jim loves to travel and tinker. He owns a 37-foot motor home that one of his friends described as being the equivalent of a "five-star hotel" that he uses to go to NASCAR races or to go sight-seeing.

Jim and his wife Irene are the parents of one son.