KLH Nominated for WI Manufacturer of the Year

KLH Industries has been nominated as a 2011 Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year (MOTY). This is KLH's third consecutive nomination in the small business category.

Entering its 24th year, the Manufacturer of the Year program recognizes a diverse array of manufacturers of all sizes and specialties for their contributions to the great state of Wisconsin.

Of the 53 total nominees this year, 18 are in the small business category. KLH is one of five nominees from Washington County. Some notable points areas of KLH's nomination include:

Financial Growth/Consistency

Growth was key for KLH in 2011, not just financially, but physically as well. KLH purchased another facility, and for the first time in company history, operates out of two buildings. The manufacturing area for the CNC department increased by 180%. Announced in last month's newsletter, that new machining area is already becoming three new CNC machines.

Operational Excellence

The pursuit of excellence at KLH is driven by one key principle: continuous improvement. Not simply improving the sales or number of customers, but improving all aspects of business. KLH set records for two key operational measurements: scrap/rework and on-time delivery.

Corporate Citizenship

The workforce of KLH once again remained highly involved in the development of next generation machinists. In April, KLH was honored with a Business Friend of Education award, for ongoing volunteer work with Wisconsin's BotsIQ program.

CEO/President Ken Heins represented the entire state of Wisconsin at the National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS) expert panel held in Florida. Although Wisconsin is not current NIMS accredited, KLH Industries has been chosen as one of few businesses to pioneer the NIMS apprenticeship standard in Wisconsin.

KLH is sincerely honored by the nomination, as it is a reflection of commitment, excellence, and improvement.

A panel of judges will select five Grand Award winners: four in categories based on company size, and one in environmentally sustainable practices. The winners will be revealed on February 23, 2012, at the Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee.