Presenting the Winners of the Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year Award

Corporate Report Wisconsin, Apr 2007 by Garvin, Heidi

Nine companies that exemplify the best in Wisconsin ingenuity and hard work

Nine companies received the prestigious 2006 Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year Award for manufacturing excellence March 1.

"Wisconsin manufacturers ore recognized around the word for their innovations, cutting-edge technological advances, and uncompromising commitment to customer satisfaction," said James S. Honey, president of Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, the state's largest bushess association. WMC was one of three sponsors of the annual award. "We are proud to hear these manufacturers as they forge ahead setting the pace for economic development, growth and prosperity," Haney said.

"Manufacturers are the backbone of the Wisconsin economy,'' said Tim Christen. CEO of accounting and consulting firm Virchow, Krause & Company LLP, another sponsor of the award. "When manufacturing is trong and growing, services, retail, construction and other industries will have strong paths as well.''

"Wisconsin manufacturers are responsible for creating jobs and keeping our local economies strong,'' said Tod B. Linstroth, senior partner in the Business Practice Group at law firm Michael Best & Friedrich LLP, the third sponsor of the award. "Their commitment to sound technological advances, customers and employees will foster new opportunities for our families and our futures."

The Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year Award has two divisions. The Grand Award honors overall outstanding achievement and has four levels based en the number of employees. Special Awards are presented to companies for achieving excellence in any one area. Categories are determined by the independent panel of judges, including leaders in business, government, education and the business media.

Grand Award Winner - Mega

Few companies have the vision, the ability, or the courage to move forward with product innovations that can revolutionize an industry and save lives every day.

But innovation and new product introductions make Pierce Manufacturing Inc. the undisputed industry leader in vital new technologies for the fire, rescue and homeland security apparatus industries. Pierce, a subsidiary of Oshkosh Truck Corp., is the leading North American manufacturer of custom fire and rescue apparatus.

Pierce's dedication to quality ensures the men and women who protect us are safe, and that means our families are safer, too.

Each vehicle is custom engineered and backed by the integrity that has made Pierce a leading name in emergency vehicles for more than three decades.

Founded in 1913, today Pierce employs 1,700 workers in its Wisconsin facilities, and nearly 450 of them have been with the company more than 20 years.

Pierce owns the largest market share for fire and rescue apparatus, filling local, military and governmental agency contracts. It sells its products throughout the U.S., as well the rest of the world, through an extensive dealer network.

Pierce works round the clock to improve operational performance and efficiency. An ISO 9001 certified, one-source original equipment manufacturer, Pierce manufactures and assembles each and every component of its custom fire and rescue apparatus at its state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities. Its ability to improve operations is a hallmark of its performance.

In 2006, Pierce expanded its manufacturing facilities to 1 million square feet. The development provides Pierce with additional capacity to meet its growing demand, help enhance quality, reduce lead times for customers, and streamline manufacturing processes in line with the company's Lean Manufacturing initiative.

Annually, the company builds more than 200 specialized vehicles, including mobile command units, hazardous materials mitigation vehicles, and bomb response vehicles. It offers more than 29,000 options on each vehicle.

Its commitment to safety extends to every detail of its vehicles. Pierce listens to the men and women on the front lines.

Pierce has incorporated five major enhancements into the design of its firetrucks. Among them is a set of safety improvements that includes frontal airbags - the first ever available in a custom firetruck - and newly designed seats with enhanced seatbelts and restraint systems. It also introduced more interior space, integrated storage and clutter management, improved visibility for the driver, and easier management. Its built-in side roll protection system is another element in Pierce's "360-degree Protection from Every Angle" program, a bumper-to-bumper program designed to increase the safety of firefighters as they respond to calls.

In 2006, Pierce expanded its aerial product line with a new 100-foot ladder constructed of aluminum. This new rear-mount ladder was engineered to provide industry-leading performance and safety characteristics.

Pierce also expanded its rescue-product line by introducing a new Special Services Vehicle for fire, rescue, government, homeland security and law enforcement markets. The versa tile SSV can be configured to meet customers' needs in mobile command/communications, incident command, special weapons and tactics, explosive ordinance disposal, bomb response, or mobile laboratory applications.