August 2026 Volume 8

OPERATIONS & MANAGEMENT

PREPARING REPLACEMENTS AND NAVIGATING TRANSITIONS Without Losing Valuable Institutional Knowledge By Angela Gibian

T he forging industry has always relied on experience. From understanding how a billet will move under pressure to recognizing subtle changes in equipment sound, temperature or vibration, much of what keeps a forging operation running safely and efficiently is learned over years — and As longtime employees retire and experienced leaders move into new roles, forging companies face a growing challenge: How can they prepare the next generation to take over without losing the knowledge that has made the organization successful? Succession planning provides an answer, but only when it is treated as an ongoing business process rather than a response to an announced retirement. Succession Planning Is More Than Replacing Executives Succession planning is often associated with senior leadership positions. While preparing future plant managers, company presidents and department heads is important, the process should extend throughout the organization. Critical roles may include maintenance technicians, die designers, metallurgists, quality professionals, press operators, estimators, sales leaders and employees who manage key customer relationships. In many forging companies, the person who presents the greatest operational risk may not have an executive title. It may be the employee who knows how to troubleshoot a particular piece of equipment, adjust a difficult process or respond to a recurring quality issue. Companies should begin by identifying positions that would be difficult to replace and evaluating the consequences if the person currently holding the role left unexpectedly. Questions to consider include: • Who possesses knowledge that is not documented? • Which positions require years of experience to master? • Where does the company rely heavily on one individual? • Which customer, supplier or regulatory relationships depend on a specific employee? The answers can help leaders prioritize succession efforts based on business risk rather than organizational rank. Start Before a Transition Is Announced One of the most common succession planning mistakes is waiting too long. When an employee announces plans to retire in six months, the sometimes decades — on the plant floor. That experience is also increasingly at risk.

organization may attempt to capture decades of knowledge in a handful of meetings. By then, the company is racing against the clock while the departing employee is often managing regular responsibilities and preparing for retirement. Effective succession planning begins years before a transition is expected. It should be incorporated into workforce development, performance reviews, cross-training and long-term business planning. Managers should regularly discuss career goals with employees and identify individuals who demonstrate the ability and interest to take on greater responsibility. Potential successors do not need to be ready immediately. The purpose is to understand what experience, education and exposure they will need to become ready over time. Companies should also avoid selecting only one possible successor. Developing several employees creates greater flexibility and reduces the risk of building a plan around someone who may ultimately pursue a different opportunity. Capture the Knowledge Behind the Process Written procedures are essential, but they rarely capture everything an experienced employee knows. A standard operating procedure may explain the correct press settings, inspection steps or maintenance schedule. It may not explain why a particular adjustment works better for one alloy, how to recognize the early signs of die failure or which production conditions have historically created problems. This type of knowledge is often called institutional or tribal knowledge. It is built through experience and may be difficult for the employee to explain because certain decisions have become second nature. Companies can capture this knowledge through structured interviews, video demonstrations, troubleshooting guides, job shadowing and lessons-learned sessions. Employees should be asked not only what they do, but why they do it. Useful questions include: What problems occur most often? What warning signs do you watch for? Which mistakes should a new employee avoid? What decisions require judgment rather than following a written procedure? Who do you call when something unusual happens? The goal is not to document every thought or action. It is to preserve the information that allows someone to make a sound decision when conditions do not match the manual. Give Successors Time to Practice Knowledge transfer cannot occur through observation alone. Future leaders and technical specialists need opportunities to

42 FIA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2026