Worcester Business Journal

14 Worcester Business Journal | April 16, 2018 | wbjournal.com F O C U S M A N U F A C T U R I N G Manufacturing Excellence Award, LARGE COMPANY Jeffco Fibres Manufacturing Excellence Award, SMALL COMPANY Optim LLC Rising Star Award ThinkLite LLC Collaboration in Manufacturing Award Wormtown Brewery Workforce Development & Productivity Award Industrial Polymers & Chemicals Inc. Product Design & Innovation Award Curtis Industries, LLC Green Manufacturing Award Fourstar Connections MANUFACTURING S U M M I T & EXCELLENCE AWARDS WBJ Worcester Business Journal Manufacturers are UNDERAPPRECIATED I n 2016, the manufacturing industry in Greater Worcester contributed more to the region's economy than health care, education, hospitality, finance, real estate, insurance and government. Its $7.2 billion in gross domestic product makes it the metropolitan area's No. 1 contributor in economic impact. Yet, largely, people don't care. Sure, the growing cra brewing subsector gets some attention and bakers get some buzz (who doesn't like pie and cupcakes?), but companies making small parts for medical devices or abrasives for other manufacturers don't get much attention. Manufactur- ers still struggle to attract employees, and the public image remains stub- bornly stuck on the 1970s stereotype of dirty factory floors endangering the lives of their workers. Manufacturers, on the whole, tend not to be great at promoting them- selves, but they don't have to be. Restaurants need to create a following in order to get diners coming in the door consistently, and even lawyers need a certain level of public recogni- tion to build a solid referral network. Manufacturers, on the other hand, are focused on creating products to exact specifications, finding effi- ciencies, training their workforces, and hitting the production and time goals set forth by their small group of customers, which are typically other businesses. is is why Worcester Business Journal has honored Central Massa- chusetts manufacturers for the last three years at our annual Manu- facturing Summit & Excellence Awards. ese companies are the unsung heroes of the region's econ- omy, dutifully creating more wealth and economic impact than any other industry by constantly innovating and hitting their production marks, typically with little fanfare or need for it (unless it's Wormtown Brewery). If you care to take a moment to reflect on what a handful of this in- dustry's companies means to Central Massachusetts, we invite you to join us at the summit April 26 at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester. - Brad Kane, editor W

• Cover