BY CATHERINE L. HOMES

Manufacturing Appreciation Week celebrates
Georgia's companies in this vital sector of the global economy

Not a doubt remained in anyone's mind that manufacturing is vital to Georgia's economic health after the Manufacturing Appreciation Week (MAW) luncheon, held April 18 in Atlanta.

"One thing is certain," said Gov. Roy Barnes in his address. "To maintain a high quality of life, you have to maintain a highly productive manufacturing base. If you do not remain competitive in the manufacturing sector, you will not have a prosperous state or nation in the long run. We're proud of the manufacturing industries in this state that continue to compete well in the global market."

When the first MAW luncheon was held at the Holiday Inn in Macon nearly a decade ago, 120 people attended. The first honoree was The Boeing Co., recalled speaker Gus Whalen, CEO of Alexis Playsafe and one of four people responsible for starting MAW. "The president of Boeing came all the way from Seattle for that first luncheon, and when he arrived, the press met him," Whalen said. "One of the first questions was, 'Why exactly have you come all these thousands of miles to receive this award that most people have never heard of?' And he replied, 'The people of Georgia seem to understand that the nature of manufacturing is interdependent relationships throughout the manufacturing community. Boeing is just that -- we are a company with 26,000 U.S.-based subcontractors."'

 

Whalen's story demonstrates why MAW has been such a success: It recognizes and celebrates the relationship between manufacturing, jobs and a healthy economy.

This year, more than 1,000 business leaders from across the state joined Gov. Roy Barnes at the Crowne Plaza Ravinia for the eighth annual awards luncheon. Three companies were honored with Manufacturer of the Year awards:

Commenting on the contribution of manufacturing to Georgia's economy, Gov. Barnes expressed a desire to enhance its role. "In order for us to provide meaningful employment for our citizens," he said, "we have to make sure our manufacturing base continues to grow. The industry that we call manufacturing provides almost 600,000 jobs and has a value of $52 billion annually to our state."

Workforce training, he emphasized, is a key component in nurturing the manufacturing base. "When I talk to businesses about coming to this state, I ask them, 'If you could tell me one thing you need to locate here, what is it?' It's never tax incentives or infrastructure, even though they will get to that in the end. It's always, 'Show us a better-educated and better-trained workforce and we will come.' Georgia has made great strides in this area. Quick Start and our technical college system have provided us with an economic advantage in bringing new industry to the state."

HL-A, named Manufacturer of the Year in the small-employer category, has been instrumental in re-establishing a manufacturing base in Haralson County. The company first came to Georgia in 1998 and has expanded three times in four years. Initially, the automotive component supplier made zinc diecasts for door locks on Honda cars. Its manufacturing output has since grown to include latches, mirrors and handles, as well as a painting line. HL-A will have invested $30 million in its facility by 2004.

In accepting the award, plant manager Mike Burnett said the company's corporate philosophy "emphasizes key elements like teamwork, flexibility, initiative and respect for the individual." He attributed the plant's success to the joint efforts of several groups and individuals, thanking the upper echelons of management, the company's employees, West Central Technical College and Georgia Quick Start.

In the medium-employer category, plant manager Brett McGuire noted the achievements of his facility, calling it Sweetheart Cup Co.'s most profitable facility. "I can't begin to measure the impact the Department of Technical and Adult Education has had on the Sweetheart Augusta plant," he said, adding that 36 percent of his employees are graduates of Augusta Technical College. "I honestly believe the Quick Start program in Georgia is the best pro-business program in the United States."

John Shiely, CEO and president of Briggs & Stratton, traveled from corporate headquarters in Milwaukee to accept the award in the large-employer category. He, too, commended Georgia's technical college system, noting that 1,200 of his company's employees received pre- and post-employment training through Quick Start and Ogeechee Technical College.

"Gov. Barnes is absolutely correct that education is key to creating value," he said. "The efforts of the Quick Start people have allowed us to develop and train employees with the skills necessary to be a world-class manufacturer of gasoline engines."

Noting that Briggs & Stratton holds over two-thirds of the market share for small engines, Shiely pointed to the significance of the company's Georgia plant. "Over half of the lawn-and-garden tractors sold in the United States receive their power from engines manufactured in Statesboro, Ga.," he said. "These engines serve a wide array of customers, from Wal-Mart to John Deere, and provide in excess of $230 million in revenue to our company."

The three winning companies were nominated by their respective technical colleges and by business and civic leaders. They were chosen for their excellence and contributions to the state's economy and their local communities.

Also announced at the luncheon were winners of the statewide student design contest, an annual event held in conjunction with MAW. More than 1,100 students submitted entries featuring Georgia manufacturers and their products.