Lippert Plant 113 in Bradenton, Florida, was recognized as one of three Gold winner recipients for the Florida Sterling Manufacturing Business Excellence Award (SMBE) by the FloridaMakes Network and the Florida Sterling Council, Lippert Components, Inc. said.
Leaders accepted the award at the 30th annual Governor’s Sterling Award Banquet on June 3 in Orlando, Florida. Plant 113 manufactures marine canvas, upholstery and shade systems for the Taylor Made and SureShade brands.
Over 160 Florida manufacturers were nominated for the 2022 award. A team of Sterling Council-trained examiners and manufacturing community representatives evaluated nominations and narrowed them down to 23 finalists. The examiners then conducted virtual site visits, interviews with leadership and employee focus groups with each finalist. They chose 11 winners designated as gold, silver, and bronze.
“I was stunned when I heard our name announced as a gold winner. To be among the two other highest achieving companies, ones that are larger and very well-known, further emphasized that what we are doing inside the four walls of our company is right and it is working,” said Don Zirkelbach, regional operations leader at Taylor Made. “I believe our team’s engagement and focus on core values truly set us apart from others. I could not be prouder of the entire team and the dedication they show each and every day. This is their award,”
The FloridaMakes Network will feature the finalists and winners in webinars, plant tours and events sharing best practices to benefit Florida’s manufacturing sector.
“It’s an honor to recognize Florida manufacturers who are superlative examples of the state’s manufacturing prowess,” said Kevin Carr, FloridaMakes Network CEO.
