Gov. Brian Kemp named P&G Albany Plant, located in Albany, Ga., the winner of the 2019 Manufacturer of the Year award in the category of Large Manufacturer with more than 500 employees.

P&G earned the honor based on a range of criteria, including its economic impact, community involvement and corporate responsibility, and commitment to workforce development and excellence.

Companies such as P&G, Gov. Brian Kemp said, “have created jobs, proven their commitment, and are critical to our state’s prosperity. Today we honor some of the best, most advanced manufacturers who have been thriving here in Georgia for years.” P&G has been in the Albany community for more than 45 years.

Werhner Washington, plant manager at P&G’s Albany plant, which makes paper towel and tissue paper, including brands Charmin and Bounty, thanked the community leaders of Albany and Dougherty County for their support over the years, but said the plant’s success would not happen without its employees. “It is an honor and privilege to serve you,” he said.

He also thanked Albany Technical College and Georgia Quick Start. “Over the past year, our company shifted about 5 million cases of Charmin and Bounty production line to our Albany plant,” he said.

To make that increase in production possible, Quick Start designed and executed a training program to help for new hires to meet that demand, Washington said. “Quick Start is a tremendous resource for the manufacturers of Georgia.”

Washington said P&G’s Albany plant will experience another shift in production soon “and we are going to need you again.”

Previously, Quick Start partnered with P&G in training projects in 2001 and 2002.

P&G’s Albany Plant, which has a $300 million net impact on the Albany economy and a $1 billion impact on the state’s economy, recently celebrated 45 years of community advocacy, educational partnerships and civic involvement in Albany. For every job at the local plant, which employs more than 600, four non-P&G jobs are created.

P&G’s Albany site is the largest contributor to the United Way annually. P&G employees also volunteer at The Boys & Girls club, Strive2Thrive and other organizations.

“P&G has long been a valued partner in this community and region and are most deserving of the recognition and honor,” said Anthony Parker, president of Albany Technical College.

Other winners included Briggs & Stratton Corporation in Statesboro, Ga., which won the Medium Manufacturer category, and Erdrich USA Inc.in Dublin, which won the Small Manufacturer category.

This is the 25th year celebrating Manufacturing Appreciation Week in Georgia. This year’s sponsors included the Georgia Association of Manufacturers, the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership with the Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Power, and Aprio.

In his proclamation declaring April 15-19 as Manufacturing Appreciation Week, Gov. Kemp noted the tremendous contribution manufacturing makes to the state’s economic growth. According to the proclamation nearly 9,802 manufacturing facilities are located in Georgia, providing 406,602 jobs and generating more than $22.7 billion in wages for Georgia’s citizens. Manufacturing contributed more than $61 billion to the state’s economy last year.