Procter & Gamble plant in Albany named Manufacturer of Year

ALBANY — Gov. Brian Kemp named the Procter & Gamble plant in Albany the winner of the state’s 2019 Manufacturer of the Year award in the large manufacturer category during a Manufacturing Appreciation Week luncheon this week.

Officials said P&G earned the honor based on a range of criteria, including its economic impact, community involvement and corporate responsibility, and commitment to work force development and excellence.

Companies such as P&G, Kemp said, “have created jobs, proven their commitment, and are critical to our state’s prosperity.”

“Today we honor some of the best, most advanced manufacturers who have been thriving here in Georgia for years,” Kemp added while at the luncheon.

P&G has been in the Albany community for more than 45 years and employs more than 500 people.

Plant Manager Werhner Washington thanked community leaders in Albany and Dougherty County for their support over the years and said the plant’s success would not happen without its employees.

“It is an honor and privilege to serve you,” he said.

He also thanked Albany Technical College and Georgia Quick Start.

“Over the past year, our company shifted about 5 million cases of Charmin and Bounty production line to our Albany plant,” Washington said.

To make that increase in production possible, Quick Start designed and executed a training program to help new hires to meet that demand, Washington said.

“Quick Start is a tremendous resource for the manufacturers of Georgia,” he said

Washington said P&G’s Albany plant will experience another shift in production soon and added, “We are going to need you again.”

Previously, Quick Start partnered with P&G in training projects in 2001 and 2002.

P&G’s Albany plant, which has a $300 million net impact on the Albany economy and a $1 billion impact on the state’s economy, is a site at which paper towels and tissue paper is produced. Officials said that for every job at the plant, four non-P&G jobs are created.

P&G’s Albany site is a large annual contributor to the United Way of Southwest Georgia. P&G employees also volunteer at The Boys & Girls Clubs of Albany, Strive2Thrive and other organizations.

“P&G has long been a valued partner in this community and region and is most deserving of the recognition and honor,” Albany Tech President Anthony Parker said.

Other winners included Briggs & Stratton Corporation in Statesboro, which won the medium manufacturer category. Erdrich USA Inc. in Dublin won the small manufacturer category.

This is the 25th year celebrating Manufacturing Appreciation Week in Georgia. This year’s sponsors included the Georgia Association of Manufacturers, Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership with the Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Power and Aprio.

In a proclamation recognizing Manufacturing Appreciation Week, Kemp noted the tremendous contribution manufacturing makes to the state’s economic growth. The proclamation states nearly 9,800 manufacturing facilities are located in Georgia, providing 406,602 jobs and generating more than $22.7 billion in wages for Georgia’s citizens.

Manufacturing contributed more than $61 billion to Georgia’s economy last year.

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