Bartow Companies Nominated For Manufacturer Of The Year Award

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CARTERSVILLE, GA -- Three companies in Bartow County have been nominated for the Georgia Manufacturer of the Year Award.

Ampacet Corporation, Heatco and Toyo Tire North America Manufacturing, Inc. were three of four businesses nominated by Chattahoochee Technical College’s Department of Economic Development for the honor.

The award will be given during Manufacturing Appreciation Week, which is designated for April 18-22. The annual event was developed by the Technical College System of Georgia and the Georgia Department of Economic Development to recognize the contribution of manufacturing to the state’s economy, the college said in a press release.

The nominees for the 22nd Annual Manufacturer of the Year will be honored by Gov. Nathan Deal at a luncheon April 21 at the Georgia International Convention Center.

Awards are given to companies in small, medium and large manufacturer categories that “exhibit a high degree of corporate responsibility, have an economic impact on Georgia and display workforce excellence,” CTC added.

The nominated companies for the small manufacturer category include Ampacet Corporation and Heatco, both in Bartow County; for the medium manufacturer category, Quality Synthetic Rubber Inc. in Pickens County; and for the large manufacturer category, Toyo Tire North America Manufacturing Inc., also in Bartow County.

“We look for companies who are invested in the community in regard to education, workforce development, partners with community events and activities, and who are investing in the wellbeing of their employees and the surrounding community,” said CTC Executive Director of Economic Development Shane Evans. “We feel each of our nominees go above and beyond in their commitments in each of these benchmarks.”

Ampacet Corporation is a leading global manufacturer in the production of high-quality color concentrates for plastics. It operates 24 manufacturing sites in North and South America as well as Europe and Asia. Ampacet’s local growth has included about $875,000 in capital investments and adding new jobs at the Cartersville location, where the manufacturer has operated since 1995.

Heatco, which was named Bartow County Manufacturer of the Year in 2015, is dedicated to designing, building and deploying high-quality, energy efficient gas heating systems. The company was founded in 1981 and once operated out of a one-room office. The company’s growth has included expanding into an 80,000-square-foot building in Cartersville, which supports all aspects of the design and manufacturing process. The facility also includes a fully equipped, certified engineering and testing lab.

Quality Synthetic Rubber Inc., a division of Q Holding Company, is an ISO/TS 16949:2009 certified premier manufacturer of precision engineered elastomer components for critical applications. The company, which is headquartered in Ohio, has been at its Jasper location for more than 60 years and has about 250 employees. Between 2011 and 2015, the company recorded significant sales growth and its capital investment totaled $8.2 million.

Toyo Tire North America Manufacturing Inc. offers a complete selection of premium replacement tires for nearly every make and model vehicle. The company opened its first U.S. manufacturing facility in White in 2005 with support from the Georgia Department of Economic Development. Toyo employees more than 1,400 team members at its Bartow County location, and the state-of-the-art facility is equipped with advanced manufacturing technology, built upon the successful design of the company’s home plant in Japan.

Toyo was nominated for the Manufacturer of the Year award by North Metro Technical College in 2009 and was the recipient that year.

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