The 2014 Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year awards banquet took place Feb. 26 at the Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee, where HUSCO International Inc. of Waukesha won a Grand Award in the mega category and General Plastics Inc. of Milwaukee took home a Grand Award in the small category.
“We are thrilled to receive this prestigious award, which recognizes the hard work and outstanding performance of our 1,400 associates in Wisconsin and around the world,” said Austin Ramirez, president and chief executive officer of HUSCO International.
Added Patrick Cain, plant manager of General Plastics: “We were surprised and very pleased. It was great to bring (the award) back and show it to all the employees. It’s incredible to win such an honor and to be recognized by the entire state.”
The other Grand Award winners honored at the 27th annual awards banquet were: Seats Inc. of Reedsburg in the large category, Spectrum Industries Inc. of Chippewa Falls in the medium category and E.K. Machine Co. Inc. of Fall River in the workforce development category.
Special awards were given to Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery of Ellsworth and Universal Acoustic & Emission Technologies Inc. of Stoughton. The former won the Marketplace Opportunity Award, and the latter won the Employee Development & Commitment Award.
“I am proud and fortunate to live in a state where one of our most powerful and dynamic industries— manufacturing—is devoted to innovation, investment in cutting-edge technology, the shaping and development of top-notch employees, and the distribution on a worldwide basis such an expansive selection of goods. Wisconsin’s manufacturers never settle for good, or even great, they are constantly striving to maintain that level of excellence and lead the pack when it comes to new ideas and best practices,” said Kurt Bauer, Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce president and chief executive officer.
The seven winners were selected from among 40 nominees by an independent panel of judges representing manufacturing, service and the public sector.
The awards were sponsored by WMC, Baker Tilly and Michael Best & Friedrich LLP.
