Stamford-Norwalk, CT (1888PressRelease)
March 15, 2006 - Chamber News and Events
Edmonds Dental Prosthetics named Manufacturer of the Year
12/15/2005
A dental laboratory with customers in three states has been named Manufacturer of the Year by the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce.
Edmonds Dental Prosthetics employs 117 people in a high-tech work environment, producing crowns and bridges, dentures and orthodontic appliances. The company has been in business more than 30 years.
The Manufacturers Council of the Chamber recognizes the accomplishments of local manufacturing firms each year through the Manufacturer of the Year program. The event was held at noon today (Dec. 14).
The award showcases the significant impact of manufacturing on the local economy—a sector that employs more than 23,000 people in Southwest Missouri.
Finalists for the award were Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr Pepper Bottling Company and Tuthill Vacuum and Blower Systems, which manufactures industrial blowers.
Edmonds Dental Prosthetics President Bob Edmonds opened a lab in Springfield with a partner in the early 1960’s and became sole owner in 1982. The manufacturer now has laboratories in West Plains and Jefferson City, as well as in Springfield.
An independent panel of judges for the award cited the company’s employee development. Edmonds said his customers—dentists, orthodontists and oral surgeons—require quality products. To ensure that quality, employee technicians receive extensive training to improve their skills on a continuing basis. Thirteen percent of Edmonds’ employees have been on the job for more than 20 years. The company has an 85 percent hiring retention rate.
A growing manufacturer, Edmonds recently expanded its Springfield operation by 5,000 square feet. Last year its sales volume was in the top three percent of dental labs nationwide.
Business leaders from the manufacturing community whose organizations are past recipients of the award served as judges. The process was supported by the Drury University chapter of Students in Free Enterprise.
Selection criteria included:
--business stability and growth
--employee development
--product development and sustainability
--environmental and safety performance
--community involvement
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