OLYMPIA — The Association of Washington Business is pleased to honor Kaiser Aluminum in Spokane and Bogert International in Pasco as the winners of the 2009 Large and Small Manufacturers of the Year. The companies were recognized today as part of the association’s Manufacturing Briefing in Olympia.

“We are so proud of the work these companies are doing and want to congratulate the employees in both organizations for their hard work and dedication,” said AWB President Don Brunell. “A strong manufacturing sector is essential to providing family-wage jobs and attracting investments in Washington state. These companies represent what’s working in our state and the kind of businesses we must continue to focus on as we look for ways to right the economy and keep Washington working.”

AWB’s Manufacturer of the Year awards honor member manufacturers for their innovations, contributions to their communities and commitments to their employees. There are more than 7,500 manufacturers in the state of Washington. Nominations are solicited from AWB’s 6,500+ members and chambers of commerce from around the state. There are two categories for entry:  Large manufacturers with more than 500 employees and small manufacturers with fewer than 500 employees. All nominations are judged based on their financial/economic impact, productivity/quality improvement, corporate responsibility and workforce excellence.

This year’s Small Manufacturer of the Year is Bogert International. Bogert makes replacement parts for private aviation craft. Two years ago the company needed a new income direction and through connections with military regarding some aircraft tow bar needs in Iraq, they became aware that there was an urgent need for an effective hydraulic jack to meet the needs of the armored Humvees that were in theater. The company’s founder and president, Richard Bogert, developed a prototype and went through all military qualifications and ended up producing the only jack that met all the militaries needs. 

As it turns out, the company needed to be able to put together a supply chain that would allow them to meet the military’s urgent shipment needs. Bogert was successful in the implementation, and is currently under consideration for an extremely large, 5-year contract to supply jacks for all armored Humvee needs. They are also currently developing and testing a “next stage” jack that will be able to meet the military’s larger vehicle needs.

AWB’s Large Manufacturer of the Year is another success story. Five years ago, Kaiser Aluminum’s Trentwood plant in Spokane was restructuring under Chapter 11. Kaiser is a leading producer of fabricated aluminum products for aerospace and high strength engineering and the Trentwood facility is the company’s largest flat-rolled aluminum mill in the western United States. In the years following their Chapter 11 status, the company has focused squarely on their ability to improve their internal processes to reduce their lead time to customers and their internal effectiveness. The company officially exited Chapter 11 three years ago and been extremely effective on all fronts. 

Currently, Kaiser Trentwood is the most profitable facility within the Kaiser family. The company continues to focus on internal process improvement in a manner that is model for other companies.

About the Association of Washington Business
Formed in 1904, the Association of Washington Business is Washington’s oldest and largest statewide business association, and includes more than 6,500 members representing 650,000 employees. AWB serves as both the state’s chamber of commerce and the manufacturing and technology association. While its membership includes major employers like Boeing, Microsoft and Weyerhaeuser, 90 percent of AWB members employ fewer than 100 people. More than half of AWB’s members employ fewer than 10. For more about AWB, visit www.awb.org.