38 New Way, End of Work

New Way

New Way Machine Components in Aston PA, a southern suburb of Philadelphia, or rather their VP/General Manager, was a customer (made air bearings using porous media, notably carbon and graphite) I worked with at CTI.   When my company closed CTI and I lost my 35-year job, New Way offered to hire me as their “porous material engineer”, at a salary roughly half my former salary, and the loose understanding that I would be based at my home, and my work would take about half time.  As it worked out, I basically worked when called (which was occasionally) and I often sent e-mails to my boss and other contacts, trying to “make things happen” and ensure I wasn’t forgotten, since I was rarely seen, and unknown to many.

This forward company had quarterly informational meetings for all employees, and typically I would fly to the PHL airport and visit the office/factory on these occasions, usually putting in two days there; when in town, I would be transported from/to the airport, and to/from the office, by my boss, and I was housed at a local hotel, arranged by his secretary; all my expenses were paid by New Way (usually through an “expense report” form that I had adapted from one used by my former company), and I found my situation very pleasant.

The company had a summer outing and an annual Christmas party for families, and on these occasions I took my wife; one year my boss and his family were our guests for dinner at our hotel’s adjacent restaurant.  In the fall of 2008, New Way was recognized at a gala dinner; as one of a few top new companies in the Philadelphia area; Ginny joined me for this event, and looked smashing as always, and I wore a tuxedo she bought me for the event, to which we were driven by my boss and his wife, and sat with them.

At the same time I had a consulting arrangement with another carbon company, who wished to become a New Way supplier and wanted my advice; this arrangement, which included drawing on my carbon experience with CTI, was rarely used and has now ended.

New Way provided what I needed to work: they sent a machine with which I could do air flow measurement, including a standard for calibration; which I housed in my basement, and I used it to measure the air-flow of samples sent by our suppliers, or our own parts for verification.  They bought almost everything I requested, including a printer/copier/fax machine for my office, and calibration weights I used for the scale I own.  I set up a UPS account which I used to send samples and other things, at New Way’s expense.  I also made files for my own use of part drawings and quote/order documents I was sent (I destroyed these when my job ended).

In spring 2009, the US economy was failing, and I was “laid off”; I took this termination as my retirement, since I had been collecting Social Security benefits. Upon my termination I requested and was given the laptop computer I had used for New Way work; I removed all its company-related files and made it a gift to Ginny, who was very thankful for it.