The Albany-Dougherty Economic Development Commission announced today the winners of its 2013 Industry Awards, an annual event highlighting the community’s roster of industries and their successes.

The winners of the 2013 EDC Industry Awards are: 

• Economic Impact: Procter & Gamble
• Excellence in Innovation: MillerCoors
• Good Life City Award for corporate community citizenship: Mars Chocolate North America

“Albany-Dougherty Industry Celebration Week and the EDC Industry Awards celebrate the successes and contributions of Albany-Dougherty County’s existing industries,” said Ted Clem, CEcD, president of the Albany-Dougherty Economic Development Commission. “Existing industries account for about 80 percent of new jobs. It’s important that we recognize and that we thank our existing industries for the commitment they have made to our community.”

The purpose of the celebration week is three-fold: Expose residents to the variety of industries located in the community; create exposure for local industries; and honor the accomplishments of industries.

“One of the primary focuses of the EDC is to retain and expand existing industries,” Clem said. “To do this, it’s imperative that we – economic developers, the business community and residents – understand our industries and the roles they play in our economy.”

2013 EDC Industry Awards: Criteria & Winners:

Economic Impact: Procter & Gamble

Criteria:

• The number of years in operation at this location
• Economic impact of company on community and/or surrounding area
• Expansions within the past three (3) years
• Jobs created or retained and capital investment
• Increase in sales
• Other forms of growth

There are few places around the globe that don’t feel the impact of Procter & Gamble, the largest consumer-goods company in the world. Whether it’s personal care products, home goods or other consumer goods, Procter & Gamble dominates the market with a bevy of well-known brands.

And there are few places that feel the company’s impact as do its host communities, Albany among them.

“P&G understands the impact we have on the community and its citizens, it understands how important Southwest Georgia is to the Albany Site and to Procter & Gamble,” said Albany Plant Manager Fidel Torres.

“Our work force, natural resource (water), and the support from the local leaders help us to be successful.”

Procter & Gamble’s Albany Paper Products Co. was established in December 1972 on 490 acres. Today, the plant employs 777, contracts another 200-plus, and pumps $1 billion annually into the Georgia economy. Locally, the Albany plant has a net positive impact of $300 million. In fact, for every one P&G job, another 3.9 non-P&G jobs are created.

“Just like others in our community, we must continue to manage our site profitably, allowing our people, our shareholders and our community in which we live to prosper,” Torres said. “We do this by providing products of superior quality and value to our consumers. We’ve been here for 40-plus years. Hopefully we’ll be here many more!” 

Excellence in Innovation: MillerCoors

Criteria:

• Work force excellence
• Breakthrough technology
• Innovative practices and procedures
• Clean energy programs
• Environmental improvements
• Company or industry awards recognizing excellence

MillerCoors is known for doing a few things really well,namely brewing beer. But at the Albany brewery, just as much effort goes into ensuring the plant runs as green as possible.

“Our customers, suppliers, vendors and employees all demand good, sound, green business practices,” said Albany brewery manager Tim Dill. “It reduces our carbon footprint by minimizing raw materials used andeliminating waste.”

Some of the innovative steps the facility has taken include using the breakthrough technology of ionic air rinsers, which save water; using cool-roof reflective coating, which reduces heat load and saves energy; andhydroxyl sanitizing, which replaces chlorinated water sprays and reduces chlorine corrosion. Leadership has replaced keg room refrigeration units with lower ozone-depleting fluorescent fixtures, and replaced older high-energy,high-mercury lamps with new high-bay fluorescent fixtures.

“Our brewery is in the front of our industry with green innovations such as ionized air rinsing, hydroxyl sanitation and reflective roofing,” said Dill, who noted that all Albany employees are committed to the plant’s green practices. “We are replacing older water treatment technology with UVsterilization, which will save water and energy.”

To top it off, the plant recycles or reuses 99.9 percent of its waste products. MillerCoors demonstrates that being innovative with itspractices creates better efficiency for performing its core work.

Good Life City Award for Corporate Community Citizenship: Mars Chocolate North America

Criteria:

• Community involvement programs
• Company-invested volunteerism
• Civic involvement programs
• Educational partnerships

Corporate culture is established from the top down. For family-owned Mars Chocolate North America this means a family-style culture of pitching in and giving back at every opportunity.

“We have at least 90 percent participation for any event,” said Kelvin Graham, plant manager of the Albany Mars facility, which produces Combos, Kudos, Snickers and peanut M&Ms.

It should come as no surprise, then, that when approached in 2006 about partnering to create an Albany marathon, Mars jumped right in.

Today, the Albany Snickers Marathon is an event that transcends the community. It brings in thousands of runners and their families every March, creating exposure for the community in a market previously untapped.

“It promotes Albany and our brand,” Graham said of the event.

Though the Snickers marathon is the Albany plant’sbest-known community project, it isn’t its only one. Mars’ other community involvement includes Habitat for Humanity, Relay for Life, Albany State University National Sports Youth Program, American Cancer Society, Second Harvest Food Bank, Santa Wish List-Adopt a Child and the American Cancer Society. Mars employees volunteer at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Albany, Easter Seals, Stash the Trash, Albany Panthers Arena Football and Albany Recreation and Parks Food Drive. Mars is also a partner, with Albany Technical College, in an apprenticeship program and a Partner in Excellence at Alice Coachman Elementary School.

Graham sets aside a portion of his annual budget just for fulfilling product requests for events and organizations.