Three Ponca City companies were recognized last week with four awards at this year's Manufacturing Week Awards.
The awards presentation was sponsored by a coalition of workforce, education and industry in Oklahoma which include Dream It, Do It, OK2Grow, Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance and many others.
Precision Tool and Die won the Sustainability Award. Erik Peitz, General Manager at Custom Mechanical Equipment (CME) and Gary Harvey, owner and CEO of MJ&H Fabrication, received recognition as Emerging Manufacturing Leaders. MJ&H also received an award for Innovation in the Workplace.
These awards were presented at the Manufacturing Awards Reception in Oklahoma City on Oct. 3 at the Francis Tuttle Portland Campus.
Francis Tuttle students presented robotics projects and explained the specialty Siemen System program that is part of the career specific training available to high school juniors and seniors to maintain a quality workforce.
Precision Tool and Die has been part of the Ponca City manufacturing community for 48 years and has expanded their manufacturing facility foot print from 4,500 square feet to more than 50,000 square feet.
Participation in the Lighten the Load program, a Ponca City Development Authority award winning lighting cost saving program, and partnering with local manufacturing companies to keep manufacturing dollars local were reasons why Precision Tool & Die won the Sustainable Manufacturing Award.
Erik Peitz, General Manager, was recognized as an Emerging Manufacturing Leader as CME continues to diversify its high efficiency heating and air conditioning units manufacturing capabilities. Other lines of business at CME now include portable sand blasting and powder coating equipment as well as building and distribution of all companion pieces for the units.
CME and MJ&H owner Gary Harvey were also recognized in this category for their companies' participation in teacher and student industry tours at their locations. Harvey, due to his company's heavy and specialized welding positions, is very involved with the welding program at Pioneer Technology Center.
"This type of participation and manufacturing excellence, as well as the diversity of processes, is why manufacturing is so important to the Ponca City economy," said David Myers, Ponca City Development Authority Executive Director.
"Oklahoma's manufacturing output is over $18 billion dollars and the average age of high skilled workers is 56," Myers said. "This is an opportunity to introduce a new generation to manufacturing -- high tech, diversified and growing manufacturing. Congratulations to Precision Tool & Die, MJ&H Fabrication, Gary Harvey and Erik Peitz."
To find out more information on Manufacturing Day and all the activities in October, go to www.DreamItDoItOK.org . To find out more about the Ponca City Manufacturing Day or to sign up your company representatives to attend on Friday, Oct. 28, visit www.GoPonca.com or call (580) 765-7070.
Pictured are Erik Peitz, General Manager of CME and Greg Neisen, owner Precision Tool and Die, and Gary Harvey, owner of MJ&H Fabrication.
