Lincoln Electric is 2013 Top Plant winner

Cleveland manufacturer delivers quality today with a strong vision for the future.

December 16, 2013

Lincoln Electric Co. of Cleveland, Ohio has been named the 2013 winner of the Plant Engineering Top Plant Award.

The annual award recognizes outstanding manufacturing facilities. Plants are judged on their record for safety, reliability, energy and sustainability and community service. This is the ninth year of the Top Plant Award.

Plant Engineering is honored to recognize Lincoln Electric as the 2013 Top Plant recipient,” said editor Bob Vavra. “Its commitment to excellence is demonstrated in the quality of its products but also in the quality of the people who produce those products. Lincoln Electric has a well-deserved reputation as an employer of choice in the Cleveland area.

“During the recession, at a time when some manufacturers cut people or benefits, Lincoln Electric maintained both its staff and its profit-sharing program. Their flexible work environment is a benchmark for others to follow,” Vavra said. “As a Lean manufacturer, they also have their eye on continuous improvement.”

In announcing the award, Vavra noted Lincoln Electric’s influence extends far beyond the plant’s walls. “One thing that we especially admire about Lincoln Electric is their commitment to the future of manufacturing and the education of the next generation of manufacturing workers. Their innovative welding programs, in particular their robotic welding trainer, give young workers a true taste of what welding is like with no waste in materials or risk of injury. They are committed to helping fill the Skills Gap in manufacturing, and their leadership in this area is important.”

Read the feature-length article, view past winners, and learn more about the Top Plant program at www.plantengineering.com/Top-Plant.