Walker Forge Inc. is one of eight companies awarded a Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year Award.
The winners were announced Thursday night, Feb. 28, at a black tie banquet honoring the 58 nominees.
Walker Forge, a closed-die forging company, won in the large category (300-750 employees). The award continues the company’s current momentum, which included investments in new facilities and equipment along with a major acquisition – PMT Forge, now called Walker Forge Tennessee – in 2012. Driving the success of these moves are the company’s dedicated employees – a workforce that has grown from 217 employees to over 560 in the last three years.
Today, the employees of Walker Forge are building on a 60-year history of providing customers with forging solutions in medium- to high-volume applications.
The parts Walker Forge produces play a role in a variety of heavy duty applications for energy, agriculture, transportation and other markets. The longevity of Walker Forge’s customers speaks for itself: Over a dozen relationships date back over 50 years.
“Winning this prestigious award is a tremendous achievement and a testament to our employees’ commitment to our customers, our company and each other,” said Willard T. Walker, President and CEO of Walker Forge. “Our philosophy has always been that our people are our greatest asset, and it’s clear they’ve played a critical role in our recent growth and success.”
Celebrating its 25th year, the Manufacturer of the Year Award program recognizes manufacturers of all sizes and industries for their contributions to the state of Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year award winners were selected by an independent panel of judges representing industry, education, and the public sector.
Walker Forge was nominated for the award by the City of Clintonville.
The 2012 winners are:
- Grand Awards
- Greenheck Fan Corporation, Schofield – Mega Category
- Walker Forge, Inc., Clintonville – Large Category
- Weldall Mfg., Inc., Waukesha- Medium Category
- Power Test, Inc., Sussex – Small Category
- OEM Fabricators, Inc., Woodville – Workforce Development Category
Special Awards
- Alliance Laundry Systems, LLC, Ripon – Market Leadership Award
- HUSCO Automotive Holdings, LLC, Whitewater – Technology Innovation & Impact Award
- Nekoosa Coated Products, LLC, Nekoosa – Operational Excellence Award