Congratulations to the 2010 Manufacturers of the Year! Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue presented this year's awards to three outstanding companies: Star Granite and Bronze, The Boeing Company and Frito Lay. [more info]

MAW Student Design Contest

An important component of the week's festivities -- and an objective of this event in general -- is an educational one, i.e. making school children aware of industry and manufacturing as providing viable career options. Each year there are several school-related activities initiated, such as poster or placemat design contests, with scholarships awarded. It is important for students to know that manufacturers provide jobs for engineers, scientists, technicians, advertisers, utility companies, and many others in our state. It is our hope that as students research manufacturing in order to enter the design competition, they will learn that a career in manufacturing can be an exciting and rewarding option and that they will begin to understand the significance of manufacturing to their part of the state.

Manufacturing in Georgia

In promoting awareness of manufacturing and its importance to our state, the Technical College System of Georgia and the Georgia Department Economic Development emphasize these facts:

• Manufacturing is vital to Georgia's economy.

• Nearly 10,000 manufacturing facilities are located in Georgia, providing jobs for approximately 450,000 Georgians.

• Manufacturing accounts for almost 10 percent of the employment in our state.

• Georgia's manufacturing operations include a variety of industries, such as transportation equipment, aerospace, computers and electronics, food, paper, metal fabrication, textiles, and plastics.