Vermont-based advanced manufacturing company honored at Plastics News’ Executive Forum

BETHEL, VT (June 2, 2016) – GW Plastics is pleased to announce that it has been selected as Plastics News’ “Sustained Excellence” award winner for 2015. This prestigious award honoring continued excellence in well-rounded plastic processing companies was announced at the Plastics News’ Executive Forum in Naples, FL.

The award is given only to past Processor of the Year winners -- which Plastics News awarded to GW Plastics in 2009 – and is given to the company that has best sustained their level of excellence year after year. GW Plastics was judged on a number of continuous improvement categories, including financial excellence and proof the company has been profitable every year since winning Processor of the Year. The company was also judged on extraordinary new developments that have been instrumental to the company‟s success.

GW Plastics was recognized for its revenue and employment growth, which both doubled during the last six years. GW Plastics‟ commitment to reinvesting into the company is clear, spending over $40,000,000 on plants and equipment since 2009 and adding seven Fortune 500® customers during the same period.

Plastics News acknowledged GW Plastics for its growth in medical device contract manufacturing, providing the world‟s most successful healthcare companies with fully assembled and packaged medical devices. Plastics News noted GW Plastics company-wide investment and transformation in all of its operations, supporting world-class manufacturing of medical devices and automotive safety critical components.

GW Plastics was also recognized for its innovative approach to career development and workforce training. In response to a growing national skilled labor shortage, the company has created a unique training program capable of ensuring a sustainable pipeline of skilled workers. The program begins at the high school level, where local students are able to enroll in the GW Plastics' “School of Tech” for an introduction into advanced manufacturing. Students design, manufacture, and market their own product over the course of an entire semester under the leadership of GW Plastics' team. From there, GW Plastics funds a generous college scholarship program in collaboration with Vermont Technical College, in which recipients are also eligible for a paid summer internship at GW Plastics. Between the scholarship and internship program, it is possible for a student to completely cover the tuition cost of an Associate's Degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology. GW Plastics also offers several workplace training options for its employees, including a Manufacturing Technology Leadership Program, a Toolmaker, Molding, and Automation Apprenticeship Program, and Scientific Injection Molding certification courses.

Brenan Riehl, GW Plastics' President and CEO, attributes the company's success to its stability of ownership, highly trained and tenured workforce, and commitment to long-term customer relationships. “This is only the second year that Plastics News has given the 'Sustained Excellence' award, and I could not be more thrilled that GW Plastics received this recognition,” said Riehl. “I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to Plastics News and all of our hardworking associates worldwide for continuing to improve and strengthen our company, helping us to serve our customers better every year.”

Global market-leading companies choose GW Plastics to deliver their most challenging projects. To learn more about how GW Plastics' sustained excellence can help you succeed with your next project, please visit their booth #1615 at the MD&M East 2016 Exposition in New York City this June 14-16. For more information, please contact Anthony Fleszar, North America Sales Manager, at [email protected] or visit their website at www.GWPlastics.com.

About GW Plastics:

Since its foundation in 1955, GW Plastics has earned a reputation as a leader in precision injection molding and contract manufacturing serving the world’s most successful companies in the healthcare, automotive safety, and consumer/industrial markets. Specializing in complex injection molded thermoplastic and silicone solutions, GW Plastics excels at close tolerance mold building, precision injection molding, and contract assembly. Core competencies include product development, in-house precision tooling, scientific molding, and automated assembly. With leading-edge technologies, a Six Sigma quality commitment, and a relentless pursuit of innovation, GW Plastics continues to attract and delight industry-leading market leaders who seek consistency of ownership, financial stability, a professional leadership team, and a workforce with the experience to deliver on-time and within budget. Headquartered in Bethel, Vermont, the company’s standardized ISO 9001, ISO 13485, ISO/TS 16949, and FDA-registered manufacturing facilities are located in Bethel and Royalton, Vermont; San Antonio, Texas; Tucson, Arizona; Querétaro, Mexico; and Dongguan, China. For more information on GW Plastics, please visit their website at www.gwplastics.com.

For more information, contact:

Rebecca Murphy
Inside Sales and Marketing Coordinator
GW Plastics, Inc.
239 Pleasant Street
Bethel, VT 05032
(802) 234-9941
[email protected]