Georgia Piedmont Technical College recently welcomed leadership teams from nine local businesses and industries, as well as civic and elected officials, to its annual Manufacturer Appreciation Luncheon, held at the college’s Newton County campus.  Georgia Piedmont hosts this luncheon to recognize companies that have been nominated by Georgia Piedmont to compete in the annual statewide Manufacturer of the Year competition.
 
“In August 2016, I had an opportunity to join our commissioner as she met with manufacturing companies to determine how technical colleges could be of greater service to them,” said Dr. Jabari Simama, president of Georgia Piedmont.  “As a result of those meetings and Commissioner Corbin’s support, Georgia Piedmont Technical College was able to secure nearly $1 million in funding from the state’s world-class labs program to bring new advanced manufacturing labs online.”
 
Georgia Piedmont’s celebration at its Newton campus is a pre-cursor to the statewide Manufacturing Appreciation Week luncheon.  Each year, Georgia Piedmont Technical College consults with local chambers of commerce and other economic development entities to identify companies to nominate for the Manufacturer of the Year competition.
 
This year’s nominees are:
 
Newton County
Beaver Manufacturing Company, Inc.                      
Fibervisions                                                                            
Michelin Tread Technologies Company        
                                                                                           
Morgan County
Bulldog Steel Fabrication                                                      
Mannington Mills, Inc.           
 
Rockdale County
Evans Tool and Die, Inc.                                                       
Golden State Foods                                                               
Pratt Industries, Inc.                                     
                                                                     
DeKalb County
Trojan Battery Company 
 
The statewide Manufacturing Appreciation Week awards luncheon, which is a joint effort sponsored by the Technical College System of Georgia and the Georgia Department of Economic Development, will be held at the Georgia International Convention Center in Atlanta on April 27, 2017.