The Arizona Manufacturers Council and the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry recognized the achievements and contributions of four exceptional manufacturing companies at the 2012 Manufacturer of the Year Awards on May 11 at the Hyatt Regency Downtown Phoenix.
Manufacturer of the Year:
Suntron Corporation
Phoenix-based Suntron’s largest market segment is the defense industry. Given the importance of the defense and aerospace industry in Arizona, Suntron enhances the state’s current efforts to develop this industry and helps position Arizona as a strong candidate to be designated by the FAA as a testing site for unmanned aircraft systems. Suntron led efforts — and continues to lead efforts — in re-shoring. Suntron educates other companies about benefits of manufacturing in the U.S. and risks and costs associated with offshore manufacturing. Suntron’s renewable energy manufacturing and assembly experience includes electronics for hybrid and electric cars, smart grid power reduction equipment, and green initiative lighting fixtures, as well as solar-powered GPS rotation control systems and field measurement devices for the nuclear industry.
“Our competitive strengths allow Suntron’s renewable energy customers to enjoy the benefits of leveraging our integrated model to improve their time to market,” says Michael Seltzer, vice president of sales and marketing for Suntron. “We can enhance manufacturing flexibility, reduce inventory liability, remove redundant and non-value add processes, and simplify customers’ supply chain.”
Outstanding Small/Medium Manufacturer:
CMC Steel Arizona
Commercial Metals Company’s Mesa facility is the nation’s first micro-steel mill. The facility is the most cost effective producer of rebar in the world due to the technology employed by the plant. The facility was built according to the latest environmental standards. CMC employs environmentally conscious designs for manufacturing steel and reinforcing bar. The company plans to add nearly 200 manufacturing jobs at the facility by the end of this month. CMC will boost the Gateway area’s plan to become a major economic center due to the plant’s proximity to Mesa Gateway Airport and the surrounding local businesses, as well as ASU’s Polytech campus. CMC chose its Mesa location due to the positive business environment of the Gateway area. Commissioned in August 2009, CMC Arizona quickly ramped up to full capacity within the fi rst year of operation. The mill’s compact, effi cient footprint is designed to economically serve the Southwest and surrounding markets. CMC Steel Arizona leveraged the engineering and steelmaking knowledge of its most talented employees and strives to continue to improve its efficiencies to benefit both customers and shareholders. This cutting-edge technology helps CMC deliver high quality products on time, every time.
Excellence in Innovation:
Larson Camouflage Dunn-Edwards Corporation
Larson — which has grown its business more than 200 percent in the past five years — has a history of coming up with increasingly creative and unusual ways to camouflage antennas for wireless network developers. Utility concealment components made by Larson include saguaros for Arizona customers, broad-leafed trees, palm trees and various conifers, complete with epoxy bark and realistic needles supplied by artificial Christmas tree manufacturers, and flagpoles. Larson works with site developers to ensure each project is being accurately designed, coordinated, fabricated and installed. Larson places the same emphasis on the appearance and integrity of its sites that each carrier places on the functionality of their network.
Among Larson’s more notable clients is Pebble Beach Golf Links. Larson was hired to build four snags, which were designed to look like trees that have been struck by lighting, because that’s what blends with the landscape there. In addition, Larson created a fake chimney to hide antennae at the historic clubhouse.
Excellence in Sustainability:
Dunn-Edwards Corporation
Dunn-Edwards chose Phoenix in 2009 to construct the most automated and eco-efficient manufacturing and distributing paint facility in the world. As a result, the company brought 150 manufacturing jobs to the area in the fields of engineering, process control, instrument technician, research and development, information technology and machine operation. The 336,000-square-foot plant manufacturing facility is the world’s first LEED Gold-certified manufacturing facility. The company was awarded the coveted LEED Gold-certification in June of 2011. LEED is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. Recycled materials were used to build the facility. The operations design incorporates innovative technology for the reuse of manufacturing by-products. Products manufactured at the Phoenix facility use the latest and greatest green technology made from renewable resources.
Manufacturers of the Year honored
The Arizona Manufacturers Council recognized winners at the 2012 Manufacturer of the Year Summit and Awards Luncheon on Friday, May 11, at the Hyatt Regency Downtown Phoenix, 122 N. 2nd St.
For more information on the Manufacturer of the Year Summit and Awards Luncheon, visit Arizona Chambers’ website at azchamber.com/events.
