Manufacturers continue to play a significant role in Washington state's economy through its products and employment opportunities. According to AWB's "2012 Challenges & Opportunities for Manufacturers in Washington State" report, Washington manufacturers have an annual economic impact of $132.2 billion and accounted for 9.3 percent of the state's jobs in 2009. Clearly, Washington state's manufacturing industry remains an integral piece of the state's economic puzzle.
Yesterday, AWB and the AWB Institute recognized seven outstanding examples of manufacturing excellence in conjunction with AWB's Manufacturing Summit in Seattle. The 2012 Manufacturing Excellence Awards honor AWB member companies for their trendsetting and inspiring work in the manufacturing industry.
“We are proud to recognize these manufacturers for their commitment to innovation and sustainable manufacturing, and we look forward to their continued success,” said Kris Johnson, AWB's vice president of operations.2012 Manufacturer of the Year - Janicki Industrites, Sedro-Woolley
Janicki Industrites is a state-of-the-art composite manufacturer for the aerospace and other industries. Founded in 1993, Janicki has grown rapidly over the last several years, expanding its operation in job-starved Skagit County, and opening a 100,000 square-foot manufacturing plant in Utah.
2012 AWB Manufacturing Awards: Janicki Industries from Association of WA Business on Vimeo.
Operational Excellence - Jubilant HollisterStier, Spokane
Jubilant HollisterStier is a Spokane-based pharmaceutical manufacturer. Thanks to a proven track record of operational excellence in aseptic pharmaceutical manufacturing, contract manufacturing has grown exponentially over the last decade and earned the organization a reputation as a premier outsourcing partner.
2012 AWB Manufacturing Awards: Jubilant HollisterStier from Association of WA Business on Vimeo.
Innovation - HPF Manufacturing, Inc., SnohomishHPF Manufacturing’s Rail-X excavator undercarriages epitomize innovation. By engineering a way to convert standard Caterpillar-style excavators into rail-bound machines capable of moving quickly on or off the tracks, the company is not only saving customers’ time, but huge amounts of money.
2012 AWB Manufacturing Awards: HPF Manufacturing Inc. from Association of WA Business on Vimeo.
Innovation - TiLite, Pasco
TiLite manufactures lightweigh, high-tech wheelchairs.The company started 13 years ago with the idea of combining prosthetic-like customization with the most advanced materials and began by launching a full line of titanium wheelchairs, each one tailored exactly to the users’ specifications. Its expert manufacturing team can build wheelchairs in a cost-effective manner without sacrificing quality and durability.
2012 AWB Manufacturing Awards: TiLite from Association of WA Business on Vimeo.
Innovation - Weyerhaeuser NR Company (North Pacific Paper Company)
Weyerhaeuser’s North Pacific Paper Company (NORPAC) facility in Longview, a joint venture with Nippon Paper Industries, has repositioned its market focus through a combination of innovative product development and evolutionary manufacturing technologies. It has found success by developing Norbrite 92, a product that allowed it to enter the market for uncoated free sheet (UCFS), the type of paper favored by publishers and book readers because of its brightness, with lower manufacturing costs.
2012 AWB Manufacturing Awards: Weyerhaeuser & Nippon Paper Group from Association of WA Business on Vimeo.
Green
Manufacturing - Earth Friendly Products, Lacey
Earth Friendly Products ongoing effort to reduce its own environmental footprint has led to dramatic reductions in packaging and huge strides in conservation. By reducing the weight of its plastic bottles by up to 7 percent, the manufacturer of green household and commercial products has not only reduced greenhouse gas emissions in the manufacturing phase, but also reduced emissions during the transportation of its product.
2012 AWB Manufacturing Awards: Earth Friendly Products from Association of WA Business on Vimeo.
Green Manufacturing - Coca-Cola Refreshments, Bellevue
Coca-Cola’s 23-acre Bellevue facility is a model of environmental excellence for the entire Coca-Cola system. The plant, which mixes syrup for Coca-Cola products distributed throughout the Washington, Oregon, Montana, Alaska and Guam, has a recycling rate of 99.07 percent and serves as the recycling hub for the company’s Pacific Northwest Market Unit.
2012 AWB Manufacturing Awards: Coco Cola from Association of WA Business on Vimeo.
AWB is the state's manufacturing industry association. Individual pictures of the award winners are available on AWB's Flickr page. More information on the 2012 Manufacturing Excellence Awards can be found here.
