President of Westminster Tool Receives 2013 Manufacturing Leadership 100 Advocacy Award
-- Ray Coombs, Jr. has played a leadership role in raising public awareness of manufacturing as a vital driver of the economy and a nexus of attractive career opportunities
MOUNTAIN VIEW, California, July 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Manufacturing Leadership Community, the global network for manufacturing leadership and producer of the Manufacturing Leadership Summit and Awards program, has presented the 2013 Manufacturing Leadership 100 (ML100) Advocacy Award to Ray Coombs, Jr., president of the precision injection mold manufacturer, Westminster Tool, Inc.
A strong believer in the value of a vibrant manufacturing industry, Coombs has worked tirelessly to promote the manufacturing profession. His work has earned dividends for his company, the community, and the industry at large. In-house, he sponsors training programs to familiarize his manufacturing workers with the latest shop-floor technologies, and to create a versatile workforce that can fill multiple production roles. As a result, Westminster Tool's delivery, cost savings, time savings, and overall efficiency have improved.
Coombs is equally passionate about bridging the gap between the manufacturing industry and the education system. As the president of the Quinebaug Manufacturing Institute (QMI), a consortium dedicated to promoting manufacturing as a career option, he has led efforts to ensure the Quinebaug Valley Community College (QVCC) and other schools offer credit and non-credit programs to address the needs of local manufacturing industries. Coombs also serves on Connecticut's Statewide Advanced Manufacturing Advisory Committee (SAMAC), which meets monthly to support the manufacturing industry.
As a result of his initiatives, QMI membership has doubled, and the organization has expanded its reach to other areas in the state. Also under Coombs' watch, scholarships have been instituted for students entering the QVCC's manufacturing, plastics, and engineering degree programs, and funding has been garnered from state non-profit organizations for the annual High School Manufacturing Expo, which has grown each year since its founding a decade ago. Westminster Tool announced an additional donation of $30,000 in 2012 to the new Manufacturing Technology Center at QVCC. The company already employs five QVCC graduates and one Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) graduate. Four of its full-time employees are enrolled in courses at QVCC. This better-trained workforce has helped Westminster Tool raise sales to $5.6 million in 2012, from $3.8 million in 2011.
For his determination to find a solution to the skills gap in the industry and his vision to align with educational institutions and create a vehicle to steadily propagate manufacturing skills, lean systems, and quality, Ray Coombs, Jr. is a worthy recipient of the 2013 ML100 Advocacy Award in manufacturing.
"In today's hyper-competitive, global manufacturing market, there is no substitute for inspired leadership," said David R. Brousell, global vice president and editorial director at the Manufacturing Leadership Community. "Great leadership always makes a difference in how companies perform, how markets are shaped, and how the manufacturing industry evolves and grows. I applaud Ray Coombs Jr. for his outstanding contribution to the industry and to us all."
Manufacturing Leadership Awards:
The ML100 Awards honor companies and individuals that are shaping the future of global manufacturing. Award nominees describe their breakthrough projects using the nomination form. Nominations for breakthrough projects are entered into specific categories and evaluated by a panel of expert judges. Seven of the ML100 categories are for outstanding projects undertaken and completed by a manufacturing company. Four of the categories recognize the achievements of individual manufacturing executives.
For more information, go to www.ml100awards.com.
About Westminster Tool, Inc.
Westminster Tool Inc., located in Plainfield, Connecticut, is a mold-making company that specializes in innovative manufacturing solutions for plastics and composites. Westminster Tool Inc. is dedicated to continually innovating and providing customers with the latest in machining and software technology. In addition, Westminster Tool offers solutions from concept through development and into production to satisfy aerospace, medical devices or consumer packing requirements. Persistently striving for strategic excellence, Westminster Tool creates a business model that stands out from its customers.
For further information, please visit www.westminstertool.com or contact Mark Ypsilantis, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Westminster Tool, Inc., 5 East Parkway, Plainfield, CT 06331. Phone: (860) 564-6966 Ext. 234; Email: mark-y@westminstertool.com
About the Manufacturing Leadership Community
The Manufacturing Leadership Community, Frost & Sullivan, is the world's first member-driven, global business leadership network dedicated to senior executives in the manufacturing industry. The Manufacturing Leadership Community's mission is to help senior executives define and shape a better future for themselves, their organizations, and the industry at large. The Community offers an extensive portfolio of leadership networking, information and professional development products, programs, and services -- including the Manufacturing Executive Website, an online global business network with 5,300 members around the world; the Manufacturing Leadership Council, an invitation-only executive organization of over 100 members; the annual Manufacturing Leadership Summit; the Manufacturing Leadership 100 Awards, celebrating industry achievement; and the thought-leading Manufacturing Leadership Journal. For more information, please visit www.MLCouncil.com
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