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Congratulations to Alcoa Wheel
Beloit Daily News, Feb. 28, 2003
Achievements are a tribute to the company, its management and employees, and this community.
What a week it has been for Beloit's Alcoa Wheel plant. To begin the week, Alcoa rolled out its 10 millionth wheel, an amazing number which symbolizes the high productivity of the operation.
Now comes news that Alcoa has won the 2002 Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year Community Commitment Grand Award, sponsored by the state’s leading business organization, Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce.
The award was announced Thursday, at WMCs annual awards banquet in Milwaukee.
It's a fitting tribute to a fine company, one of Beloit’s largest employers.
It is even more impressive because not long ago the plant was in trouble, facing a number of daunting problems which threatened the very viability of the company in Beloit.
As WMC put it, “In only 30 months, Alcoa Wheel Products ’roducts Beloit-AWF’ took a struggling auto wheel plant and turned it into the flagship plant for all of Alcoa’s worldwide auto wheels facilities. Today, Alcoa-Beloit manufactures cast and forged aluminum wheels for eight Canadian and U.S. assembly plants.”
The company improved safety, productivity and profitability while providing nearly 400 jobs here in Beloit. But that’s not all. Alcoa also is an exemplary corporate citizen.
“Its commitment goes far beyond keeping jobs in the Rock County community,” WMC noted. “(Alcoa) has also donated thousands of dollars to support community programs.” Alcoa has been involved with a number of important community groups and services, including Beloit Regional Hospice, Beloit Domestic Violence Shelter, Beloit Literacy Council, Stateline Leadership Academy, Blackhawk Technical College, Neighborhood Housing Services and many more.
This is an award which should give pride to Alcoa’s plant manager Kermit Voncannon his administrative team and the productive employees who contributed to such an impressive turnaround.
It’s also quite a feather in Beloit’s cap. The entire community should feel a strong sense of accomplishment. This award, which draws statewide recognition, cements the fact that Beloit indeed is a fine place to do business. The community has a trained and motivated workforce, a strong work ethic, and the can-do commitment to meet challenges successfully.
Beloit has suffered more than its share of setbacks in recent years, and some have been ready to write the business community’s obituary. Not so fast. If Alcoa can do it, so can others - both existing businesses, and those who one day will build new plants in the Gateway and elsewhere.
Congratulations, Alcoa, for leading the way.
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