The Alabama Business Council (BCA), in partnership with the Alabama Technology Network (ATN), recently announced the winners of the 2020 Manufacturer of the Year Award. Three winners were named Small, Medium and Large Manufacturers of the Year, respectively.
The award program has been held annually since 2000 to recognize the best manufacturers in Yellowhammer, celebrating the hard work and dedication of each employee and promoting the many achievements of some of Alabama’s best industry leaders.
The awards recognize those who are leaders in leadership, performance, profitability and workforce relationships, according to a BCA statement. Winners are reportedly selected by an independent panel of judges based on demonstrations of excellence in customer focus, employee engagement, performance, continuous improvement, profitable growth and investment in training and retraining.
The 2020 awards were announced last week at the end of a highly successful BCA virtual business summit, Engage Alabama.
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“The annual Producer of the Year Awards exist to highlight those who excel in the industry and contribute greatly to Alabama’s economic development,” said Katie Boyd Britt, president and CEO of BCA. “While this year’s ceremony was certainly different from previous years, the business community could not miss the opportunity to celebrate these amazing producers.”
The following awards were presented (small with 99 or fewer employees, medium with 100-399 employees and large with 400 or more employees):
Small Manufacturer of the Year: Adventech LLC, Florence, Alabama
Adventech LLC of Florence quickly recognized itself as a world leader in the industry by creating a sophisticated electric motor generator, Maxeff, that sets efficiency standards. Adventech’s mission is to develop unique solutions that inspire, drive and drive the world through value-added technology.Medium producer of the year: Steel dust recycling, Millport, AL
Steel dust recycling in Milport, Alabama, is the newest facility in America dedicated to the recovery of zinc from the industrial waste stream. Currently, the SDR recycling facility can process more than 240,000 tons of steel dust from an electric arc furnace. SDR is part of Zinc Nacional, a private company dedicated to the production of zinc compounds and recycled cardboard, founded in 1952.Big producer of the year: Constellium, Huntsville, AL
Constellium is a world leader that designs and manufactures innovative and aluminum products and high value-added solutions for a wide range of applications dedicated primarily to the aerospace, automotive and packaging markets. The Constellium plant at Muscle Shoals is a world-class aluminum plant and world-class canning recycling center with a capacity to recycle nearly 20 billion cans a year.
Keith Phillips, CEO of ATN, added: “Today’s recognized companies represent the best of Alabama’s manufacturing industry. ATN is excited to continue our partnership with BCA to provide a platform for Alabama manufacturers and suppliers to share their stories of growth, hard work and economic impact on our country. “
Two Supplier of the Year awards, sponsored by the Alabama Automobile Manufacturers Association (AAMA), were also announced during Engage Alabama. This year’s awards went to Mercedes Benz US International and Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama for their incredible response during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The two companies awarded the Supplier of the Year awards for 2020 went beyond and responded to the situation in which they found themselves in the COVID-19 pandemic, and considered what needs to be done to adapt to the changes brought by Ron Davis, President of AAMA. “These companies were committed to the issue, they communicated with their peers, they were proactive, they were creative with their decisions to help solve the problem, and they were very transparent. We are glad to honor them with these awards. “
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn