9 companies win Wisconsin Manufacturer of Year awards

Wisconsin manufacturers bring products to the world, and nine companies on March 1 received the prestigious 2006 Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year Award for manufacturing excellence.

Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year Award Winners

Grand Award Winners                                           Category

Pierce Manufacturing Inc., Appleton                          Mega (1000+ employees)

Linetec, Wausau                                                     Large (300-999 employees)

OEM Fabricators Inc., Woodville                               Medium (50-299 employees)

Accuweb Inc., Madison                                            Small (1-49 employees)

Special Award Winners

Astronautics Corporation of America, Milwaukee        “High-Tech R&D”

Bell Laboratories, Inc., Madison                                “Building A Better Mousetrap”

Brady Corporation, Milwaukee                                   “Corporate Excellence”

Giddings & Lewis Machine Tools, LLC, Fond du Lac   “Commitment to Employees and Community”

Wisconsin Plating Works of Racine, Inc., Racine        “Employee and Environmental Stewardship”

“The Manufacturer of the Year Awards program celebrates the success stories of Wisconsin’s manufacturing companies,” said Timothy L. Christen, CEO of Virchow, Krause & Company LLP. “Manufacturers are the backbone of the Wisconsin economy, and when manufacturing is strong and growing, services, retail, construction and other industries will have strong paths as well.”

“We are proud to honor these manufacturers as they forge ahead setting the pace for economic development, growth and prosperity,” said James S. Haney, president of Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce. “Wisconsin manufacturers are recognized around the world for their innovations, cutting-edge technological advances, and uncompromising commitment to customer satisfaction.”

“Wisconsin manufacturers are responsible for creating jobs and keeping our local economies strong,” said Tod B. Linstroth, senior partner in the Business Practice Group at Michael Best & Friedrich LLP. “Their commitment to sound technological advances, customers and employees will foster new opportunities for our families and our futures.”   

The annual competition is co-sponsored by Michael Best & Friedrich LLP, a preeminent Midwest-based law firm; Virchow, Krause & Company, LLP, the nation’s 15th-largest accounting and consulting firm; and Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, the state’s largest business association.

Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year Grand Award winners are recognized for overall outstanding achievement and categorized based on the number of employees. Nominated companies are evaluated in areas such as financial growth or consistency, technological advances, product development, environmental solutions, operational excellence/continuous improvement, commitment to employees, and effective research and development.

Special Awards are presented to companies for achieving excellence in any one area. Categories are determined by the judges based on information provided in nomination forms. Thirty-nine manufacturers were nominated for this year’s awards.

An independent panel of judges, including leaders in business, government, education and the business media, evaluated the nominations. The MOTY awards were presented at a black-tie banquet at the Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee.