2019 Industry of the Year Awards

Industry of the Year 2019: Boost Transport, Harris Products, Boehringer Ingelheim
Industry Recognitions: American Yazaki, Mincey Marble, LaserCraft Technologies

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

 

Chamber Presents 2019 Industry of the Year Awards

11th Annual Greater Hall Industry Appreciation Luncheon

 

Gainesville-Hall County, Georgia:  The Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce’s 2019 Industry of the Year Awards were presented at the 11th Annual Industry Appreciation Luncheon today at the Chattahoochee Country Club in Gainesville. Sponsored by Lanier Technical College, the awards program honors area existing industry leaders based on economic impact, workforce excellence and corporate responsibility.

The Greater Hall Chamber continues to focus on the importance of existing industry in Gainesville-Hall County, and business remains strong. As reported by the Gainesville-Hall County Economic Development Council, the 2019 year-to-date summary includes 14 new and expanded businesses in Gainesville-Hall County adding 1,024 jobs and $292 million in capital investment. Since 2015, 105 new and expanded businesses have announced 5,278 jobs and $1.28 billion in capital investment.

 

Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce 2019 INDUSTRY OF THE YEAR AWARDS:

  • Boost Transport LLC (Small Employer Category / 1-50 Employees)
  • The Harris Products Group (Medium Employer Category / 51-200 Employees)
  • Boehringer Ingelheim (Large Employer Category / 201+ Employees)
  • American Yazaki Corporation (Workforce Development Recognition)
  • Lasercraft Technologies, Inc. (Environmental & Safety Recognition)
  • Mincey Marble Manufacturing, Inc. (Corporate Responsibility Recognition)

 

2019 Industry of the Year (Small Employer Category)

Boost Transport

Todd Gailey, President

Todd Redish, General Manager (speaking)

2110 Chicopee Mill Rd, Suite A

Gainesville GA, 30504

www.boosttransport.net

 

Boost Transport LLC employs 14 and will be celebrating its 10th anniversary in December 2019.  Boost Transport is a fast-growing, third party logistics and warehousing company that provides transport services for domestic and international customers, ranging from small local businesses to multi-million-dollar corporations. Boost Transport recently introduced a small package platform intended to help customers save money on overnight, 2-day, and 3-day shipping. In the last decade, Boost has grown from an 8,000 to a 100,000 square foot facility. While currently located in the historic Chicopee Mill, Boost Transport is currently looking to expand into a larger facility in Hall County in 2020.  Boost Transport continues its charitable relationships with the Northeast Georgia Humane Society, Rehabilitation Industries of Northeast Georgia, CASA, SISU, Relay for Life, Georgia Mountain Foodbank, Hall County Fire Department, and is an active member of the Greater Hall Chamber.

 

 

2019 Industry of the Year (Medium Employer Category)

The Harris Products Group

Craig Leek, Operations Manager (speaking)

2345 Murphy Blvd

Gainesville, GA 30504

www.harrisproductsgroup.com

 

With 120 employees, the Harris Products Group, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Lincoln Electric Company, is a world leader in metal working products used in the brazing, soldering, welding, cutting, and gas distribution industry. Its extensive customer base includes ship yards, institutions, healthcare organizations, and laboratories. Harris was formed in 2006 with the merger of Harris Calorific and the J.W. Harris Co. Within the company, Harris has achieved a 98% recycling rate, increasing their efforts to become a zero-waste facility.  In addition, their energy rates decreased by 30% as a result of several initiatives including LED lighting and a new roof with insulating foam and heat reflectors.  They reached a record goal in 2019 of over 1.5 million man-hours without a single accident. To give back to their community, Harris partners with local education programs by providing facility tours and volunteer opportunities. For over 10 years Harris has contributed financially to SISU, March of Dimes, and United Way of Hall County. Harris is also involved in Chamber events and holds annual food and clothing drives to support local charities.

 

 

2019 Industry of the Year (Large Employer Category)

Boehringer Ingelheim

Everett Hoekstra, President of BIAH US (speaking)

Mark Bixler, Head of Content Strategy (media contact)

Andy Brehm, Director of Operations

1168 Airport Pkwy, SW

Gainesville GA, 30501

www.boehringer-ingelheim.us

 

Boehringer Ingelheim’s Animal Health business offers a large and innovative portfolio of products and services to prevent disease and improve the health and productivity of animals around the world. The company has pioneered advancements in vaccines, parasite-control products and therapeutics that limit pain and slow disease. Boehringer Ingelheim’s Animal Health business has a significant presence in the United States, with more than 3,000 employees in Georgia, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, New Jersey and Puerto Rico. That number includes about 250 people who work at the company’s site in Gainesville, which makes about 60 billion doses a year of vaccines for poultry in the United States and about 60 other countries. Company employees in Gainesville have bagged 15,000 meals to feed the hungry, donated supplies to community agencies, hosted a cancer-awareness walk and delivered Thanksgiving turkeys to firefighters. To lessen its environmental footprint, Boehringer Ingelheim has installed solar panels and implemented a recycling program in Gainesville. It also is installing hundreds of energy-efficient light bulbs and taking other steps to reduce its energy consumption.

 

 

2019 Workforce Development Recognition

American Yazaki Corporation

Yasuo Yazaki, President/CEO

Terry Merck, Vice President (accepting)

2735 Tumbling Creek Road

Gainesville GA, 30504

www.yazaki-corp.co.jp

 

American Yazaki Corporation / AYC Plastics has 30 employees and produces plastic blow-molded gasoline fuel tanks and ink cartridge bottles. AYC has added their fifth fuel tank production line after being awarded new business from Honda Power Equipment.  Workforce Development is valued in AYC’s culture and employees on every level are provided an expansive training program including a unique training matrix providing incentive and advancement.  As an advocate for Work Based Learning, AYC offers tours, class involvement and valued employment to high school students annually.  AYC is a certified drug free workplace with a smoke free environment. Employees receive bonuses based on sales dollars for the year.  Employees receive 10 paid holidays plus their birthday.  AYC pays for over 90% of the employee’s and families’ health, dental, & vision insurance.  The Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce benefits from company investment, employee service and volunteer leadership.  AYC is proud to be involved in the Hall County community.

 

 

2019 Environmental & Safety Recognition

Lasercraft Technologies, Inc.

Rodney Greene, Owner/President/CEO

Jody Greene, Owner/Vice President/CFO

Henry Stewart, Director of Operations (accepting)

1233 B Palmour Drive

Gainesville GA, 30501

www.laser-craft.com

 

With the fabrication and machining of metal products for OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers), Lasercraft Technologies, Inc., serves a variety of industries such as cryogenics, medical, food production, energy and mining. To give back to their community, over the past 5 years Lasercraft has been a sponsor of the annual Empty Bowl Lunch for the Georgia Mountain Food Bank. In the past year, Lasercraft Technologies has invested $2 million to increase production capacity. They have also invested extensively heavy cleaning equipment to improve the plant environment and the recycling of water used in their production process. LaserCraft’s employee-led safety committee has shown results with a safety record that is better than industry average. LaserCraft has 120 employees and is a Certified Drug Free Workplace with a smoke free environment.

 

 

2019 Corporate Responsibility Recognition

Mincey Marble Manufacturing, Inc.

Caitlin Mincey, Order Management Specialist (accepting)

Natt Davis, Marketing Director

1940 New Harvest Road

Gainesville GA, 30507

www.minceymarble.com

 

Mincey Marble Manufacturing, Inc., produces quality cast marble products.  Founded in 1977, the company employs 230 and recently moved to a new 380,000 square foot facility. They invested $2.5 million to upgrade environmental systems.  They offer English and other self-help classes to the primarily Spanish-speaking employees, and Mincey Marble heavily values promotion from within the company and places a strong emphasis on the wellbeing of their employees. To give back to their community, Mincey Marble supports the Georgia Mountain Food Bank, Alzheimer Research, The Arts Council, and serves as a partner in education with Chicopee Woods Elementary.

 

 

About the Gainesville-Hall County Economic Development Council

The Gainesville-Hall County Economic Development Council is a public-private partnership of the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce, Hall County and the Cities of Gainesville, Flowery Branch, Lula and Oakwood.  The Economic Development Council provides one-stop marketing and economic development services to support the community’s efforts in existing industry retention, workforce development, small business development, and business recruitment and retail development. www.greaterhallchamber.com

 

-END-