Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce: Seats, incorporated wins 2014 Wisconsin manufacturer of the year grand award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, February 26


Contact: Katy Pettersen, 608.661.6916 or 608.516.6684 (cell)




Reedsburg company wins large category grand award




Milwaukee – Seats, Incorporated is one of seven Wisconsin companies awarded a prestigious Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year Award. The winners were announced Thursday night at a black tie banquet honoring the 40 nominees.



Seats’ sales dollars per employee have increased by 26 percent in the last five years and their employee count in Wisconsin has increased by a staggering 70 percent since April of 2009. They have been growing their global presence and are now exporting to Australia, Europe, Mexico and South Africa.



One thing that sets Seats apart from any other U.S. manufacturer of its kind is that they not only assemble their finished products, they fabricate nearly all of the components parts to do so and keep an inventory of nearly 30,000 different part numbers.



Seats has always been committed to developing and promoting their employees. Countless employees have taken advantage of their internal classes provided which include 10-week sessions of interpersonal communications, leadership, and introduction to Spanish.



Additionally, many outside seminars and technical classes are funded by Seats. In the last 20 years, they have paid 100 percent of the cost of books and tuition for over 50 college degrees ranging from the Associate to the Master’s level for employees. Tutoring is also available for any Seats employee who would like to complete their GED. This educational effort has clearly paid off since all of Seats’ current supervisors and managers have been promoted internally and many have been with the company in excess of 20 years.



Celebrating its 27th year, the Manufacturer of the Year Award program recognizes manufacturers of all sizes and industries for their contributions to the great state of Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year award winners were selected by an independent panel of judges representing manufacturing, service and the public sector.



The accounting and advisory firm of Baker Tilly, the law firm of Michael Best & Friedrich LLP, and the business association Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce sponsor the MOTY awards program.



Additional information can be found online at www.wimoty.com or by calling (800) 362-7301.



The 2014 winners are:


Grand Awards

HUSCO International, Inc., Waukesha – Mega Category

Seats, Incorporated, Reedsburg – Large Category
Spectrum Industries, Incorporated, Chippewa Falls – Medium Category

General Plastics, Inc., Milwaukee – Small Category

E.K. Machine Co. Inc., Fall River – Workforce Development Category



Special Awards

Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery, Ellsworth – Marketplace Opportunity Award

Universal Acoustic & Emission Technologies, Inc., Stoughton – Employee Development & Commitment Award