2004 Product of the Year Winners: Honoring innovation

A major event during the annual National Manufacturing Week, the Product of the Year gala honors the top new products as voted on by the readers of PLANT ENGINEERING magazine. Also honored were three manufacturing facilities whose excellence earned them top honors. More than 150 people attended the invitation-only event.

"We have reached the point in this industry where if we stand still, we lose ground," said Bob Vavra, editor of PLANT ENGINEERING, in presenting Product of the Year honors in 16 categories. "The innovative companies we honor, and the many others who were nominated for the Product of the Year awards understand this, and they work each day to build products and services that advance the cause of innovation."

The Grand Award Winner of Product of the Year was Permatex of Hartford, CT, for its Gel Twist Threadlocker product. It received the most votes from Plant Engineering readers.

"Winning this Grand Award is truly an indication of the value, recognition and quality of Permatex products in the industrial marketplace," said Jase Doane, marketing manager, industrial, of Permatex. "Many thanks go to the knowledgeable readers of PLANT ENGINEERING magazine."

For the first time, PLANT ENGINEERING presented its Top Plants awards to Hewlett-Packard's Caribe BV facility in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and to S&C Electric's John R. Conrad Industrial Complex in Chicago.

Also honored was Aera Energy's North Midway Sunset Unit of Bakersfield, CA, which received the North American Maintenance Excellence Award. It is the second NAME award for Aera, which also won the 2002 award for its Belridge Producing Complex.

For information about the 2005 Product of the Year nominations or the 2005 Top Plants award, visit the PLANT ENGINEERING Website at www.plantengineering.com.